TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Friday 6 September 2024
Larry Ellison gains Paramount control; Megalopolis trailer revised; WBD nurtures unscripted talent; ABC refocuses on drama; Netflix commits to Africa; WBD faces stock drop but stays optimistic.
Today’s Highlights:
Larry Ellison Controlling Stake in Paramount Global: Ellison will hold 77.5% of National Amusements through the merger with Skydance and RedBird Capital.
Megalopolis Trailer Controversy: Lionsgate re-released a trailer for Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis without fake critic quotes.
WBD Access Unlock Program: Warner Bros. Discovery's 2024 class of 13 producers from diverse regions accepted into the unscripted TV pipeline program.
Susanne Bier's Collaboration on The Perfect Couple: Director Susanne Bier reunites with Nicole Kidman for Netflix's murder mystery.
ABC Chair Kim Williams' Vision: Williams aims to boost documentaries, news, and drama at ABC, focusing on serious public debate topics.
Netflix Commitment to Africa: Ben Amadasun, Netflix's Director for Africa, reaffirmed long-term investments in African content and infrastructure.
Warner Bros. Discovery CFO's Optimism: Gunnar Wiedenfels remains optimistic about the company's long-term profitability despite a 73% stock drop.
Theatrical Industry Recovery: A discussion on how the film industry is recovering through more movie releases and increased competition.
Neon's Rivalry with A24: Neon's CEO, Tom Quinn, discusses competition with A24 and its fall festival successes.
Juliette Lewis and Peter Dinklage in The Thicket: Juliette Lewis shares insights into her role in the Western-style thriller The Thicket.
Plus: News, Insights, Festivals & Markets, Executive Moves, In Development, Deals, Cancellations and Jobs with BBC, ITV, Sky, Sony, Hulu, NBCUniversal, Warners, CJ ENM & Netflix.
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NEWS
Larry Ellison Will Hold Controlling Stake in Paramount Global With Skydance Merger, Filing Shows
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison is set to acquire a controlling majority stake in Paramount Global, following an $8 billion deal involving his son David Ellison and RedBird Capital Partners. According to a regulatory filing with the Federal Communications Commission, Larry Ellison will own 77.5% of National Amusements through a trust and corporate entities, while RedBird Capital Partners, led by Gerry Cardinale’s RB Tentpole LP, will hold the remaining 22.5%. This acquisition involves the transfer of broadcast licenses linked to CBS Television Network and local stations. Read More
‘Megalopolis’ Trailer Gets a Do-Over After Fake Quotes Controversy
A new trailer for Megalopolis has been released, this time without using fabricated quotes from critics. Lionsgate previously pulled its initial trailer after it featured quotes seemingly criticising director Francis Ford Coppola's earlier masterpieces like Apocalypse Now and The Godfather. These quotes, intended to highlight the divisive response to Megalopolis, were later revealed to be fake. Lionsgate issued a statement, recalling the trailer and apologising for the error. The revised trailer now focuses on promoting the film without misleading content. Read More
Warner Bros. Discovery Reveals 13 Producers Admitted for Second Annual Unscripted Program, WBD Access Unlock
Warner Bros. Discovery has announced the 2024 class for its WBD Access Unlock Unscripted pipeline program. It is designed to nurture diverse, mid-level producers aiming to become the next generation of unscripted TV showrunners. This year, 13 US, Canada, the UK, and APAC producers were accepted, expanding the program from last year’s inaugural class. Participants engaged in a weeklong intensive in New York, featuring workshops, panels, and networking opportunities, supported by partners like Food Network, HGTV, OWN, TLC, Magnolia Network, and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television. Read More
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INSIGHTS
Picture perfect
Director Susanne Bier shares her experience reuniting with Nicole Kidman for Netflix's The Perfect Couple and discusses her decision to helm all six episodes of the murder mystery series. Known for her Academy Award-winning feature In a Better World, Bier has become a prominent figure in TV, directing acclaimed miniseries like The Night Manager and The Undoing. As she puts the final touches on The Perfect Couple, Bier reflects on her hands-on approach and the drama’s visually striking opening sequence ahead of its London premiere. Read More
Podcast: Distribution and discoverability in the screen industry
Madman Entertainment CEO Paul Wiegard encourages Australian filmmakers to engage audiences by focusing on key points of interest, such as talent and topics, and building momentum with engaged viewers. In this Screen Australia podcast, Wiegard and Anthony Grundy discussed post-pandemic shifts in audience behaviour, emphasising the importance of discoverability in the global market. They highlighted Screen Australia's "Where to Watch" tool, which helps drive audiences to find and access Australian content more easily. Read More
Netflix is here for the long haul in Africa, says Amadasun
Netflix’s Director of Content for Africa, Ben Amadasun, reaffirms the platform’s commitment to the African market. In a detailed interview, Amadasun discusses Netflix’s long-term investment in African stories, creators, and infrastructure, emphasising that the company is focused on fostering sustainable growth on the continent. Read More
Are global players pulling out of Africa?
Are major global media players scaling back their investments in Africa? Complex factors are at play, including market volatility, infrastructure challenges, and the growing influence of local production companies. Will the retreat of international companies create new opportunities for regional content creators to step up and fill the gap? Read More
ABC chair Kim Williams vows to inject new ambition into documentaries, news, and drama
ABC's new chair, Kim Williams, announced his vision for the broadcaster, emphasising renewed investment in drama, documentary, and news. Speaking at the 2024 John Monash Oration in Sydney, Williams highlighted his goal to enhance intellectual rigour in ABC’s news and documentary offerings, along with a focus on "serious drama" to provoke public debate on vital societal issues. He also critiqued the current standard of investigative journalism and news coverage across Australian media. Read More
Rich, white, and dead: Has TV’s favourite formula gone stale?
The obsession with the wealthy and their dramatic downfalls has fueled a string of murder mysteries set in luxurious locales, from Big Little Lies to The White Lotus. These shows tap into our fascination with how the elite live—and die—offering a mix of envy and schadenfreude. But with so many stories centred on the demise of the rich, one wonders if our appetite for such expensive deaths is at risk of becoming overplayed. Read More
Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels on rational decision-making and strategic options
Warner Bros. Discovery’s stock has dropped 73% in five years, currently around $7 per share. Chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels acknowledged industry challenges but remains optimistic about long-term profitability. Speaking at a Bank of America investor conference, Wiedenfels emphasised confidence in the studio and direct-to-consumer (DTC) businesses, noting their potential to offset the decline in linear television. He assured investors the company is on a strategic path toward sustainable growth. Read More
Film London’s Adrian Wootton on the city’s role in global filmmaking
Film London, celebrating its 20th anniversary, has played a pivotal role in supporting London’s film, TV, VFX, animation, and video game industries, contributing to an estimated £9.5 billion investment over the next five years. CEO Adrian Wootton OBE highlighted key achievements, including launching the London Filming Partnership in 2005, linking talent with industry, and creating the London Games Festival in 2016, which grew to over 100,000 attendees. Film London’s efforts have generated significant success, boosting projects, sales, and inward investment in the U.K.'s creative industries. Read More
The death of mid-budget TV: Unscripted producers face a new reality
At the Edinburgh TV Festival, discussions highlighted how the industry grapples with a shrinking "mid-market" segment, particularly for unscripted shows. Industry executives like ITV’s Kevin Lygo and Channel 4’s Ian Katz have described these mid-market shows as "soft" or "gentle" content, such as observational documentaries or lifestyle programs, which are now overshadowed by more dynamic, crime-driven, and celebrity-heavy content. Despite this shift, these mid-market shows, like the early version of The Great British Bake Off, have historically formed the foundation of British factual programming. There's concern about where future factual hits will emerge if this segment is entirely sidelined. Read More
The Theatrical Industry Will Recover With More Movies and More Competition
Every summer, the industry draws sweeping conclusions about what types of movies work and why, attempting to forecast future trends based on recent successes or failures. This narrow focus often leads to misguided generalisations, such as the claim that shrinking audiences mean America is "overscreened." Yet no one can definitively quantify how many screens are "too many" or where they should be reduced. These conclusions are often based on anecdotal evidence or corporate spin rather than meaningful data. Read More
Juliette Lewis Talks Working With Peter Dinklage in ‘The Thicket’ and Explains Her Surprise Exit From ‘Yellowjackets’: ‘I’m Good for a Series for Two Seasons’
Juliette Lewis credits her horseback riding skills in the thriller The Thicket to her experience as a third-place ribbon barrel racer and lifelong equestrian. Filmed in Calgary during winter, Lewis impressed the crew with her riding abilities. Directed by Elliott Lester and based on Joe R. Lansdale’s novel, the film stars Lewis as Cut Throat Bill, a hardened outlaw who kidnaps a young girl, prompting her brother to hire a bounty hunter, played by Peter Dinklage, to rescue her. The film hits theatres on September 6. Read More
‘Sunny’ Star Hidetoshi Nishijima on Working With Rashida Jones and the Future of His Mysterious Character
As a Japanese actor, Hidetoshi Nishijima is often cast in roles defined by specific eras and professions, such as samurais or yakuza members. However, in Sunny, Apple TV+’s darkly comedic sci-fi thriller, he plays a roboticist whose mysterious disappearance leaves his wife, Suzie (Rashida Jones), entangled in a criminal conspiracy with the help of a clever robotic companion. Nishijima, known for Drive My Car, appreciated portraying an ordinary man grappling with human emotions and existential questions. Read More
Rebecca Hall On Getting Into Character For ‘The Listeners’ & Why The BBC Series Is A “Four-Hour Movie”
Rebecca Hall revealed her approach to embodying Claire, a woman tormented by a constant humming sound, in BBC's The Listeners, adapted from Jordan Tannahill's novel. Hall used the whir of the film camera as her character's hum, which helped her get into the role. Directed by Janicza Bravo, The Listeners follows Claire's growing obsession with the sound, straining relationships with her family until she discovers others, including a student, who hear it too. The series premieres later this year, produced by Element Pictures and distributed by Fremantle. Read More
Behind Neon’s Banner Year and Rivalry With A24
Neon, recently named THR’s Independent Distributor of the Year, is making waves on the fall festival circuit with a prominent lineup at TIFF, including Sean Baker’s Anora, Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig, the world premiere of the Neon-produced documentary Men of War, and Joshua Oppenheimer’s The End, starring Tilda Swinton. CEO Tom Quinn, who has a global outlook from growing up abroad, discussed Neon’s rivalry with A24, the state of the business, and staying resilient in the face of talent disputes. Read More
Sony Pictures CEO Predicts Industry ‘Chaos’ Over the Next 2 Years: ‘Mergers and Bankruptcies and Sales’
Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra warned of impending chaos in Hollywood over the next two years, predicting a wave of mergers, bankruptcies, and sales. Speaking at the Bank of America Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference, Vinciquerra emphasised that only the most prominent companies are likely to survive unless they make major mistakes. His stark warning echoes other media executives’ predictions of consolidation but stands out for its harsh language regarding the industry's future. Read More
Ananya Panday on Starring in Prime Video’s ‘Call Me Bae’ and Reaching 25 Million Instagram Followers: ‘With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility’
Ananya Panday was captivated by the script for Call Me Bae, finishing all eight episodes in one night. The Prime Video series, written by Ishita Moitra, Samina Motlekar, and Rohit Nair, follows Bae, a former heiress turned hustler after a scandal. The Hindi-language show explores themes of resilience and self-discovery, blending humour with more profound messages. Directed by Collin D’Cunha and produced by Karan Johar's Dharmatic Entertainment, Panday instantly connected to the story's tone. Read More
‘An Unfinished Film’: first trailer for Lou Ye’s lockdown docudrama
Lou Ye’s docudrama 'An Unfinished Film' is about the early days of lockdown in China. The film follows a film crew near Wuhan in January 2020 who resume shooting a feature that had been halted ten years earlier, only to pick it up again amidst the outbreak of COVID-19.
Zachary Quinto on Playing a Brilliant Yet Flawed Neurologist in 'Brilliant Minds'
Zachary Quinto plays Dr. Oliver Wolf in Brilliant Minds, a character inspired by renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks. Quinto describes the role as a dream challenge, blending Sacks's brilliance with his own unique interpretation. He sees the part as a departure from his previous work, allowing him to explore new acting depths. Playing a character who excels professionally but struggles personally, Quinto connects deeply with pursuing knowledge. Brilliant Minds premieres on NBC on September 23, 2024.
FESTIVALS & MARKETS
The Cast of ‘The Luckiest Man in America’ Are Betting Big on This Biographical Game Show Thriller — and It Pays Off in Spades
In his sophomore film, The Luckiest Man in America, Colombian director Samir Oliveros explores the lengths one might go to create a better life, using the true story of Michael Larson as the foundation. Set in 1984 at CBS's Television City studios, this
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