Global TV, Film & Media Industry News Roundup, Thursday 6 March 2025
Disney cuts jobs; FiveThirtyEight shuts down; Sesame Street seeks new home; TV mergers rise; The Last of Us 2 casting; The Bondsman trailer drops; CBS cancels FBI spinoffs; Jamie Foxx inks deal.
Today’s Highlights:
ABC News Layoffs and 'FiveThirtyEight' Closure – Disney is cutting nearly 200 jobs at ABC News and its entertainment networks, with the data site FiveThirtyEight being shut down. The longform units at ABC News will be consolidated under one leadership.
BFI Distribution Funding for Altitude and Dogwoof – The British Film Institute has awarded funds to Altitude and Dogwoof to support the distribution of films targeting underrepresented audiences in the UK.
Sesame Workshop Layoffs and Search for New Distributor – Sesame Workshop is laying off staff as it looks for a new distribution partner for Sesame Street following the end of its deal with Warner Bros. Discovery.
Ezra Edelman Criticises Celebrity-Driven Documentaries – Filmmaker Ezra Edelman has criticised the rise of celebrity-produced documentaries, calling them “slop,” after Netflix cancelled his Prince documentary in favour of an estate-controlled version.
TV Industry Consolidation Still Attractive to Investors – Media banker Harry Hampson argues that TV industry mergers remain appealing, citing the sale of All3Media to Redbird IMI as an example of strategic consolidation.
'The Bondsman' Trailer Released – Amazon Prime Video has unveiled the trailer for The Bondsman, a supernatural series starring Kevin Bacon as a bounty hunter resurrected by the Devil to capture escaped demons.
Casting for 'The Last of Us' Season 2 and Game Adaptation Changes – Season 2 of The Last of Us will introduce Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever, with creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin adapting the story with some changes from the video game.
David Duchovny to Host 'Secrets Declassified' on History Channel – The History Channel has greenlit Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny, a docuseries exploring covert government activities, including Area 51 and real-life events behind Argo.
Jamie Foxx Signs First-Look Deal with Fox Entertainment Studios – Jamie Foxx and his Foxxhole Productions have entered a first-look deal with Fox Entertainment Studios for scripted and unscripted projects across multiple genres.
CBS Cancels 'FBI: Most Wanted' and 'FBI: International' – CBS has cancelled FBI: Most Wanted after six seasons and FBI: International after four seasons, while developing a new spinoff, FBI: CIA.
Plus: News, Insights, Executive Moves, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals, Renewals, Cancellations, Opportunities & Jobs with BBC, ITV, Netflix, Disney, BFI & Wonder Project.
Subscribe to our daily news roundup for exclusive insights, early access to industry news, and the convenience of having the latest TV, Film & Media updates in one bulletin.
Our subscribers include executives from:
Streamers: Netflix, Apple, Viaplay, SkyShowTime, Amazon Prime, Marquee TV, Paramount Television International, MTV Entertainment Group, BET.
Broadcasters: NBC Universal, France Televisions, Sky, ABC, Channel 4, ITV, A+E Networks, CBC, TV2, SVT, ARTE, RTBF, SBS Play, TCL FFalcon, RTL, TVNZ, SRF.
Producers: Fifth Season, Sony Pictures Television, Banijay, Fremantle, Endemol Shine, Gaumont, Pathé, Warner Bros Television Productions, Universal Pictures International Australasia, UFA Fiction, Vivendi, Entertainment One, BBC Studios, Warner Bros Discovery, Talpa Studios, Keshet, Tiger Aspect, Wild Bunch TV, Red Planet Pictures, Go Quest Media, Eureka Productions, The Ink Factory, Nordisk Film, Reel One Entertainment, Bunya Productions, Beach House Pictures, Beyond, The Global Agency, Esha Bargate Productions, blue Entertainment, Paper Plane Productions, Paprika Studios, Playmaker, Off the Fence, Goalpost Pictures, Spin Master, Stand By Me, Halcyon Studios, DPG Media, Envision, Rive Gauche, Blue Ant Media, Squareone, Great Southern Studios, Collective Media Group, New Dominion Pictures, RAW TV, Optomen, Magpie Pictures, KOJO, ShinAwiL, WildBrain.
Also: Aarhus Series Festival, The Wit, Norwegian Film Commission, New Zealand Film Commission, IMDA, MIA, Getty Images, Ottawa Film Office, Simkins, Harbottle & Lewis, Screen Brussels, Sheffield DocFest, FilmChain, Documentary Business, Zero Gravity Management, SXSW, MEA, DOC, Attraction Distribution, Kaplan Stahler Agency, Passion Distribution, Audible, Screen Queensland, Canada Media Fund, My Smash Media, Artists First, Grey Seal Media.
NEWS
ABC News to Lay Off Dozens, Merge 'Good Morning America' and 'GMA3,' Ax 'FiveThirtyEight' Data Site
Disney is laying off nearly 200 employees, or about 6% of the workforce, in its ABC News Group and entertainment networks. Most of the layoffs will be at ABC News, with 538, the data site, being discontinued. The news division’s longform units will be reorganized under one leadership structure. Read More
Altitude, Dogwoof Among Latest BFI Distribution Funding Recipients
Altitude Film Distribution and Dogwoof are among the latest recipients of the British Film Institute (BFI)'s Audience Projects Fund, aimed at enhancing UK exhibition and distribution to reach underrepresented audiences. Altitude received £78,000 to support the release of Karan Kandhari's Indian comedy 'Sister Midnight', focusing on engaging South Asian audiences. Dogwoof was awarded £58,000 to promote Raoul Peck's documentary 'Ernest Cole: Lost And Found', targeting young and Black UK audiences through previews, recorded Q&As, and expanded marketing beyond London. Read More
10 Participants Selected for UK’s Women in Action Mentoring and Pitching Initiative
Action Xtreme, part of UK production and distribution company Sovereign, has selected 10 women for the inaugural Women in Action mentorship programme. The 12-month initiative, led by CEO Chee Keong Cheung and head of production Ioanna Karavela, aims to develop new talent in the action genre. Participants, including filmmakers, writers, and stunt performers, will receive mentorship and pitching opportunities. Action Xtreme is also collaborating with Falmouth University on an MA in action filmmaking launching in 2025. Read More
Sesame Workshop Announces Layoffs Amid Search for New 'Sesame Street' Home
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organisation behind 'Sesame Street,' has announced staff layoffs as it seeks a new distribution partner for the iconic children's program. The exact number of affected employees has not been disclosed. This development comes as the organization navigates changes in the media landscape and aims to secure a new platform for 'Sesame Street' following the end of its contract with Warner Bros. Discovery. Read More
INSIGHTS
Is Writing for TV Over?
The television industry is undergoing significant changes, prompting discussions about the future of TV writing. Factors such as the rise of streaming platforms, shifts in viewer habits, and evolving content consumption are influencing the traditional roles of TV writers. These developments raise questions about the sustainability and evolution of writing careers in television. Read More
Ezra Edelman Slams Celebrity-Driven Documentaries as 'Slop' After Netflix Axes Prince Film
Ezra Edelman criticises the rise of celebrity-produced documentaries, saying they serve viewers "slop" and lack authenticity. Netflix cancelled his Prince documentary, now the estate plans to produce its own version. Edelman argues that access deals lead to sanitized stories. He spent five years on his project, which was axed for not aligning with the estate's vision. Read More
YouTube Documentary Channels Attract TV Producers
YouTube's documentary channels are gaining traction, attracting traditional TV producers seeking new avenues for content distribution. This shift highlights the platform's growing influence in the documentary genre and its potential to reshape content creation and consumption. Read More
Consolidation Proves TV Production Sector Remains Attractive to Investors"
Media sector banker Harry Hampson believes that the TV production sector remains attractive to investors and that consolidation should be welcomed in a challenged industry. Hampson, who advised on the sale of All3Media to Redbird IMI, sees consolidation as a "natural reaction" to the current contraction of the global TV industry. He argues that merging companies can have positive outcomes, such as sharing costs, attracting talent, and smoothing out revenue dips. Despite industry challenges, Hampson is confident that the TV sector is still dynamic and appealing to investors. Read More
'The Bondsman' Trailer Released Starring Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon stars in Amazon Prime's supernatural series The Bondsman, playing a murdered bounty hunter, Hub Halloran, resurrected by the Devil to recapture escaped demons in Hell. The trailer, released on Tuesday, marks Bacon's return to TV since City on a Hill. With help from his estranged family, Halloran battles demons while discovering his own sins. All eight episodes premiere April 3 on Prime Video, in over 240 countries and territories. Read More
Making ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2: Casting Abby, Video Game Changes, and the Creators' Peace with a 'Different Version
On July 3, 2019, Neil Druckmann, writer and creative director of the blockbuster video game “The Last of Us,” showed Craig Mazin a scene from the game's top-secret sequel, “The Last of Us Part II,” nearly a year before its public release. This moment solidified their collaboration on adapting the game for television. As they gear up for Season 2, which premieres April 13, Mazin and Druckmann embrace the challenge of diverging from the original game while maintaining its essence. The second season introduces Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever, and explores new depths in Joel and Ellie’s story. Despite the complexities, the creators are confident in telling a "different version" of their beloved narrative. Read More
Indie Producer Taylor K. Shaw Leverages Kickstarter for Film Outreach
Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform for creative projects, has appointed Taylor K. Shaw as head of film outreach to attract industry professionals. Shaw, an independent producer and founder of BWA Studios, aims to guide filmmakers in using Kickstarter for financing and fan engagement. She emphasises Kickstarter's role in helping artists remain creatively independent. Kickstarter has supported over 88,000 film and video projects since 2009, with its community pledging nearly $595 million. Read More
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Further&Better to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.