New pod: From open mics and student short films and Twitter jokes to her own HBO show. It's Rachel Sennott recorded on location with @lucasshaw.bsky.social at Chapman University film school. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/1hUz...
The layoff math looks scary at the combined WarnerMount studio. Or does it? Crunching the numbers with the company's top dealmaker. ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/gerry-cardin...
Wuthering Heights just hit $200 million at the worldwide box office. A good number for a period drama, but the movie cost Warners about $85 million, so still not a big moneymaker for the studio.
New pod: Paramount board member Gerry Cardinale comes out swinging against “sour grapes” Netflix, reveals the Ellisons WON’T sell the 2 studio lots, clarifies the Middle East money issue (kinda), and much more. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/04WC...
The gross budget of Project Hail Mary is $248M, just under $200M after tax credits. It's the biggest original (based on book) all-audience sci fi bet since Tenet, and a referendum on Amazon's theatrical ambitions. No pressure! Via @scottmendelson.bsky.social ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/project-hail...
New pod: Pre-gaming the painful Paramount/Warner Discovery mashup, from one streamer to UFC on...HBO? With analyst @richlightshed.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/6gc6...
New pod: Did Hollywood just reach DEFCON 1? Breaking down this holy shit moment, with a special Friday appearance by @lucasshaw.bsky.social Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/3IQb...
Who really won in Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Discovery? Plus new details on the mountain of debt awaiting the Ellisons. My debate with Bill Cohan @puck.news ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/wbd-sweepsta...
News: top Disney spokesperson Kristina Schake is out. New CEO Josh D’Amaro is getting his own comms person.
Staging a UFC event on the White House lawn is expected to cost around $60 million. New details ⬇️⬇️ via @kimmasters.bsky.social … puck.news/trumps-ufc-m...
New pod: It’s Part 2 of Tom Rothman: Sony’s new Marvel strategy, Why Spider-Man NWH didn’t get a China release (too much Statue of Liberty!), and much more. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/0eNp...
News: Paramount is investigating a litigation threat against its president Jeff Shell by a man with an *interesting* background who claims to have represented Shell as a consultant and now says Shell disclosed confidential company information to him. This is unrelated to WB deal.
New pod: Sony's film chief on the movie windows crisis, Netflix/WB, Kpop Demon Hunters, why he wouldn't make Sinners, and more. Recorded on location at @AFIConservatory with Tom Rothman and @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/15nL...
Funny to see CBS promote Nielsen ratings showing robust competition for U.S. TV audiences that contradict its parent company’s antitrust narrative that Netflix is too dominant…
Matt really out here doing the job congress abdicated.
New pod: Most movie studio heads desperately want to be cool. This one says his vanity led to the biggest cyberterrorism incident in American history. With former Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/1HMM...
Takeaways from my interview with Netflix’s CEO Ted Sarandos, specifically his detailed commitments to theatrical releases for Warner Bros movies ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/ted-sarandos...
New pod: The head of Netflix is making a final push to convince us buying Warner Bros is good for Hollywood. I have MANY questions. With Ted Sarandos. Listen!
open.spotify.com/episode/1Ya9...
New pod: Time for a scandal-induced fire sale...Who's gonna buy the Wasserman agency? With @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! open.spotify.com/episode/6T9O...
WUTHERING HEIGHTS is coming in well below pre-release tracking, now projecting mid to high $30m domestic (WB spinning $40m) for the 4-day weekend. Most services projected it at about $50m, some thought it would blow past that.
Days before grilling Netflix/WB executives in DC, Ted Cruz visited rival bidder Paramount’s HQ in Hollywood. ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/ted-cruzs-ve...
One correction in here: Former Universal exec Ron Meyer flew with Maxwell, not Epstein. Apologies.
Should a guy lose his company because he sent flirty emails 20 years ago? Clearly no. But in the talent business, optics can matter more than reason. ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/how-casey-wa...
New pod: Everyone in Hwood is talking about vertical microdramas like they’re the next big thing. What’s real and BS…with top DramaBox exec Shicong Zhu. Listen! open.spotify.com/episode/2LIY...
New pod: Survivor is produced by the rare TV host who also runs his show. Ahead of Season 50(!), a peek at casting secrets, CBS budget battles, and why it all still works. With @jeffprobstsurvivor.bsky.social. Listen! open.spotify.com/episode/0UyT...
Disney’s new CEO says he wants movie premieres in Fortnite. Details ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/newsletter_c...
New pod: Did the Netflix antitrust hearing in DC actually change anything? Also the #1 problem for Disney's new CEO, and the Casey Wasserman email scandal. With @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! open.spotify.com/episode/2q4x...
Disney’s new CEO is a brand and franchise disciple. His head of content is decidedly NOT a brand and franchise person. What could go wrong? ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/can-disneys-...
New pod: Who pays most and least for Super Bowl ads, and why celebrity fees are going down not up. With @Adweek’s Bill Bradley. Plus my ratings prediction! Listen! open.spotify.com/episode/34jE...
Nancy Meyers got the nine-figure budget from Warner Bros. that she wanted for her long-gestating rom-com....just not quite the budget she asked from Netflix. Scarlett Johansson dropping out helped. Details ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/newsletter_c...
