TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Wednesday 28 August 2024
Wim Wenders honored; Disney closes TV apps; Paramount deal advances; Crichton estate sues WBTV; Transformers debuts new HDR; Canada selects Oscar film; Swiss broadcaster faces cuts.
Today’s Highlights:
Wim Wenders to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award - German filmmaker Wim Wenders will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the European Film Awards.
Disney Shutting Down TV Everywhere Apps - Disney will close its TV Everywhere apps, including ABC and FXNOW, urging customers to switch to Hulu or Disney Plus.
Queensland Creators Receive Funding for Vertical Format Series - Twelve new Queensland vertical format series will receive $10,000 each for production under Screen Queensland's Channel Lab initiative.
Canada Selects 'Universal Language' for 2025 Oscar Submission-Matthew Rankin's film Universal Language is Canada's Best International Feature Film Submission for the 2025 Oscars.
Paramount Global Ends 'Go-Shop' Period - Paramount Global concludes its "go-shop" period, with Edgar Bronfman Jr. dropping his bid and allowing Skydance Media to move forward with the takeover.
Transformers One to Debut in HDR by Barco Format-Transformers One will launch in select US theatres using Barco's new HDR projection system, which enhances the immersive experience.
Warner Bros. TV and DC Studios Executives to Keynote Variety Summit - Channing Dungey and Peter Safran will keynote the Variety Entertainment & Technology Summit, discussing TV storytelling and the DC Universe.
Michael Crichton Estate Sues WBTV Over 'ER' Sequel - The estate of Michael Crichton is suing WBTV and others over breach of contract, alleging that The Pitt is a derivative work of ER.
Swiss Broadcaster Faces Budget Cuts Amid Licence Fee Vote - The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation may face significant budget cuts if an upcoming referendum to halve the licence fee is successful.
Hollywood's Struggles in Mainstream Culture - Hollywood's influence is waning as audiences grow tired of recycled content, with blockbusters like The Flash and Indiana Jones struggling to succeed.
Plus: News, Insights, Festivals, Executive Moves, In Development, Deals, Renewals, Opportunities and Jobs with Sky, All3Media, Tubi, Sony, TV4, Nordisk, KBB & France Télévisions.
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NEWS
Wim Wenders to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award From European Film Academy
German auteur Wim Wenders will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 37th European Film Awards. A key figure in the New German Cinema movement, Wenders has earned accolades at Cannes, Venice, and Berlin film festivals, as well as a BAFTA Award and three Oscar nominations. His notable works include the Road Movie trilogy, Paris, Texas, which won him a BAFTA, the Palme d’Or, and Wings of Desire. Wenders also served as president of the European Film Academy from 1996 to 2020. Read More
Disney shutting down TV Everywhere apps for ABC, FXNOW, and DisneyNOW
The Walt Disney Company will shut down most of its smartphone and smart TV apps linked to its broadcast and cable networks on September 23. Affected apps include FX Now, ABC, Disney Now, Nat Geo TV, and Freeform, which require a subscription. Customers are urged to switch to Hulu or Disney Plus. While the apps will close, related websites and video-on-demand services through pay TV will still function. Read More
Queensland creators turn filmmaking vertical with Channel Lab 'Short Cuts' initiative
Twelve new Queensland online vertical format series will each receive $10,000 in production funding through Screen Queensland’s Channel Lab: Short Cuts initiative. The 17 participants will develop at least three episodes for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or TikTok under industry mentors. The selected projects include a variety of factual and scripted stories, such as Full Friend, profiling indie artist Ixara Dorizac, and It’s Giving, a comedy-drama exploring modern dating challenges. Read More
Canada selects 'Universal Language' as 2025 Oscar submission
Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language has been selected as Canada’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards in March 2025. Chosen by a pan-Canadian committee led by Telefilm Canada, the absurdist Winnipeg-set film, produced by Metafilms, premiered at Cannes and is set for its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, followed by screenings at the New York Film Festival and Fantastic Fest. Read More
Paramount Global Closes Door on ‘Go-Shop’ Period as Edgar Bronfman Jr. Drops Last-Minute Bid for Studio
Edgar Bronfman Jr. abruptly withdrew his last-minute bid for Paramount Global just as the deadline approached for his group to finalise an offer that could challenge Skydance Media’s pending takeover agreement. On Monday, Paramount Global’s special committee, overseeing the long M&A process, announced the end of the company's "go-shop" period and its decision to proceed with the Skydance Media deal. The committee stated that it had contacted more than 50 third parties to gauge interest in bidding for the iconic company, which owns Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, BET, and more. Read More
‘Transformers One’ to Launch New Premium Cinema in 5 U.S. Theaters, as ‘HDR by Barco’ Format Looks to Bring ‘Immersive Experience’ to Audiences
Paramount Animation and Hasbro Entertainment's Transformers One will be the first film released using Barco's new "HDR by Barco" laser projectors, launching a pre-release program for the Belgian tech company's HDR-capable premium theatre systems. In collaboration with AMC Theatres, B&B Theatres, and Regal Cinemas, a specially graded version of Transformers One will be shown in five newly equipped HDR by Barco auditoriums starting September 20, coinciding with the movie's wide release in the U.S. Locations include theatres in Glendale, Kansas City, Dallas, Miami-Ft: Lauderdale, and New York's Times Square. Read More
Warner Bros. Television Group Chairman and CEO Channing Dungey and DC Studios Co-CEO Peter Safran to Keynote Variety Entertainment & Technology Summit
Variety has announced that Warner Bros. Television Group chairman and CEO Channing Dungey and DC Studios co-chairman and co-CEO Peter Safran will be featured speakers at its annual Entertainment and Technology Summit, presented by City National Bank, on September 26 in Los Angeles. Dungey will discuss her vision for TV storytelling, highlighting successful series like Ted Lasso, Abbott Elementary, and The Big Bang Theory, along with upcoming projects. Safran will speak about his leadership at DC Studios alongside James Gunn, focusing on their efforts to unify the DC Universe across film, TV, animation, and gaming, with upcoming releases including Joker: Folie à Deux and The Penguin. Read More
Michael Crichton Estate Sues WBTV, John Wells, Noah Wyle; Charges Breach Of Contract Over Nixed ‘ER’ Sequel As Concept Got Turned Into ‘The Pitt’ With Crichton Surgically Scrubbed From Deal
Sherri Crichton, the widow of Michael Crichton, has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of the John Michael Crichton Trust’s Roadrunner JMTC. The suit names Warner Bros Television, John Wells, Noah Wyle, R. Scott Gemmill, and others, accusing them of breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and intentional interference with contractual relations. The lawsuit alleges that after lengthy negotiations to revive the hit series ER broke down, WBTV, Wells, Wyle, and Gemmill developed a similar medical drama, The Pitt, set in Pittsburgh, effectively excluding the Crichton estate. The lawsuit demands a jury trial and is represented by Heston Hennigan LLP, representing Peter Jackson in a dispute with Warner Bros.
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INSIGHTS
'Chimp Crazy' drives 'Industry' Season 3 ratings boost on HBO
HBO’s Chimp Crazy has become the network’s most-watched docuseries in four years, trailing only the 2020 hit McMillions. Premiering on August 18, the series drew 350,000 viewers for its second episode across HBO, Max, and other platforms, according to Warner Bros. Discovery. The series premiere has garnered 2.3 million cross-platform viewers in just two weeks. Directed by Eric Goode, also known for Tiger King, the docuseries has quickly gained significant attention. Read More
Right of reply
Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story recounts the true story of British model Chloe Ayling, who was kidnapped in 2017 during a trip to Milan for a fashion shoot. Held captive by a group claiming to be The Black Death, Ayling was later released, only to face accusations of faking her ordeal. This six-part factual drama explores her harrowing experience, the media backlash, and the subsequent court case. Produced by River Pictures for BBC Three and BBC iPlayer, the series is written by Georgia Lester. Read More
Gen X viewing habits reveal unexpected streaming preferences
Generation X, often dubbed the "forgotten generation," has been overshadowed by Baby Boomers and Millennials in marketing and media discussions. Born between 1965 and 1980, this group emerged as a significant force in the streaming market. Gen X is proving influential as they near retirement, with Americans aged 50 and older—many of whom are Gen X—accounting for over 40% of streaming watch time by mid-2024, according to Nielsen. Read More
UK prodco bosses answer the £1bn question
UK production company leaders weigh in on the challenges and opportunities surrounding the government's £1 billion funding for the creative sector. The discussion focuses on how the funds should be allocated to support innovation, job creation, and the global competitiveness of UK productions. The executives emphasised the need for strategic investment to maximise the impact of this substantial financial boost. Read More
'Dead and Buried's' Benjamin McGrath on the art of storytelling
The upcoming four-part psychological thriller Dead and Buried, starring Annabel Scholey and Colin Morgan, is written by novelist Colin Bateman. The series follows schoolteacher Cathy Martin as she spirals into turmoil after recognising a man who killed her brother years ago. Produced by Three River Fiction and Vico Films with support from Screen Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen, the series debuts on BBC iPlayer and BBC One Northern Ireland on September 2. Read More
Is Creative Europe Media drifting away from its core cultural objectives?
There is growing concern that Creative Europe Media, the EU's program supporting the audiovisual industry, may be moving away from its original cultural mission. Critics argue that the program increasingly focuses on commercial viability at the expense of cultural diversity and artistic integrity. This shift has sparked debate about the future direction of the initiative and its impact on European cinema. Read More
Swiss pubcaster SRG SSR optimistic as vote that could slash its licence fee looms
The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) is preparing for potential budget cuts as an upcoming referendum could halve its funding. The Swiss public will vote within the next two years on reducing the licence fee from CHF335 (US$393) to CHF200, potentially exempting corporations from paying it. An adverse outcome could result in a CHF760m shortfall, half of SRG SSR’s CHF1.54bn budget. The referendum, backed by the populist Swiss People’s Party, contrasts with the 2018 vote, where 71% rejected abolishing the licence fee entirely. Read More
Morphing UK pubcasters into a 'super iPlayer' could be the future, ETVF panel hears
During the Edinburgh TV Festival, industry experts discussed the possibility of transforming UK public broadcasters into a 'super iPlayer' to better compete in the digital age. This concept involves combining resources and content to create a unified streaming service rivalling global giants like Netflix and Disney+. Read More
Streaming TV Westerns top demand chart amid genre resurgence
Streaming platforms constantly seek untapped opportunities to stay competitive in a crowded market. With the rise in content production, diminishing returns from franchise shows, and changing audience tastes, it's essential for platforms to identify whitespace opportunities—popular yet underrepresented content categories—when making strategic decisions. Parrot Analytics' Demand 360 helps pinpoint these over-performing genres by comparing their average demand multiplier with their supply share on major SVOD platforms in the United States. Read More
An exclusive excerpt from Al Pacino's memoir 'Sonny Boy'
Al Pacino remembers his childhood in the South Bronx. Read More
Is Hollywood going out with a whimper?
Over the last decade, Hollywood has been losing its influence on mainstream culture as media consumption has diversified across multiple platforms. Hollywood’s output now resembles a Taco Bell menu—recycling the same ingredients into novelty items few asked for. In 2023, with releases like Fast & Furious 10, Cocaine Bear, and yet another Star Wars show (Ahsoka), the industry’s fatigue is evident. Despite a tripling of scripted TV shows and a doubling of film production over the last decade, audiences seem overwhelmed, often defaulting to familiar reruns or filling up on TikTok. Even major blockbusters are struggling; Indiana Jones barely covered its budget, and The Flash flopped, suffering huge losses when accounting for marketing costs. Despite dwindling audience enthusiasm for legacy IP, Hollywood continues to invest heavily in more blockbuster sequels, with upcoming instalments in franchises like Sonic the Hedgehog, Spiderman, and Transformers, along with more Star Wars TV shows. Read More
Can a new access scheme get more working-class people into the TV industry?
The University of the West of Scotland, known for widening access, focuses on teaching TV skills to working-class students and connecting them with industry professionals. Despite successes, financial barriers remain challenging, especially for graduates juggling low-paying jobs. The Impact Unit, launched by James Graham, aims to improve industry access for working-class individuals by establishing clear expectations for companies. Read More
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