TV, Film & Media Industry News Roundup, Wednesday 5 June 2024

'Godzilla Minus One' tops charts; Malta’s VR fest highlights unity; PVP Media expands; Paramount layoffs; Netflix settles lawsuit; Max hikes prices; Lionsgate's Nielsen boost; Sidemen's £1m show.

Today’s Highlights:

• 'Godzilla Minus One' Makes History - The film tops both Netflix and iTunes charts simultaneously, marking another milestone for Toho's monster movie.

• Malta's Mediterrane Film Festival Selects 13 Projects - The festival's Future Visions program will showcase immersive VR projects, highlighting the theme "Unity through Film."

• Québec's PVP Media Launches Distribution Arm - PVP Distribution aims to expand its catalogue with kids' content and documentaries produced by PVP Media and partners.

• Paramount's Stand-Alone Plan and Layoffs - Paramount executives outline a strategy to cut costs and drive growth, with no update on the Skydance deal.

• Netflix, Ava DuVernay Settle Defamation Lawsuit - The case, related to 'When They See Us,' was closely watched for its potential impact on biographical films and TV shows.

• Max Hikes Price for Ad-Free Plans - Max increases its ad-free tier pricing, effective immediately, with monthly and annual rate hikes.

• Lionsgate's MovieSphere Measured by Nielsen - MovieSphere becomes the first major FAST channel to be measured by Nielsen, enhancing its viewership metrics.

• Canada's Big Time Decent Expands to Scripted Content - The company launches Bread & Butter Films to develop and produce scripted series and feature films.

• Netflix Boss Greg Peters Praises U.K. Slate - Peters highlights the success of U.K. productions like 'Beckham' and 'Baby Reindeer' on Netflix.

• Sidemen Launch £1m Reality Show - The YouTube group debuts 'Inside,' a reality show that locks influencers in a house, quickly gaining millions of views.

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NEWS

‘Godzilla Minus One’ Makes History Again as #1 at the Same Time on Netflix and iTunes

But other oddities are at play with the surprise home release of Toho's Oscar-winning monster movie.

From: IndieWire

Malta’s Mediterrane Film Festival Selects 13 Projects For Its Future Visions Program

Malta’s Mediterrane Film Festival—from 22nd June to 30th June 2024 in Valletta—has selected 13 immersive virtual reality projects for its Future Visions program strand, headed by the independent interactive story architect Michel Reilhac. The international projects will span 360 Videos, VR Standalone, and Immersive Installation categories, all of which fall under the Mediterrane Film Festival’s overall theme for 2024: "Unity through Film."

From: Señal News

Québec-based PVP Media launches distribution arm for kids’ content and docs

PVP Distribution’s catalogue comprises programmes produced by PVP Media and third-party producers based in Canada. The company aims to expand its slate by acquiring content with global potential from Canadian and international partners.

From: C21

Paramount Leaders Outline Stand-Alone Plan Including Layoffs, With No Word on Skydance Deal

At the shareholders meeting, a trio of 'Office of the CEO' execs presented a strategy to cut costs, drive growth and improve the balance sheet.

From: Variety

Netflix, Ava DuVernay Settle Defamation Lawsuit Over ‘When They See Us’

The trial was set to start next week. Industry insiders have closely followed the case regarding its potential impact on biographical movies and TV shows.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Max Hikes Price for Ad-Free Plans Effective Immediately

Beginning Tuesday (June 4), Max’s ad-free tier in the U.S. will rise $1 from $15.99 to $16.99 per month, and the annual plan will jump from $149.99 to $169.99. The “ultimate” ad-free tier will also increase by $1 per month, rising to $20.99 per month and by $10 per year, bringing the new annual cost to $209.99.

From: Variety

Japan Cuts Unveils 2024 Festival Lineup Headlined by ‘Shin Godzilla: ORTHOchromatic’

The annual film festival will return to New York this summer for another celebration of Japanese cinema.

From: IndieWire

Lionsgate’s MovieSphere Becomes First Major FAST Channel To Be Measured By Nielsen

Nielsen will report channel viewership using the same measurement as traditional TV ad buyers. MovieSphere is available on 18 streaming platforms, including Samsung, Roku and Pluto TV, and it will be available on nearly 20 platforms before the end of the year. The channel includes titles from Lionsgate’s library, from blockbusters to indie films.

From: Deadline

Canada’s Big Time Decent sets up scripted arm, adds to docuseries slate

Unscripted-focused Canadian production company Big Time Decent (Rust Valley Restorers) is expanding its efforts in the scripted arena with the launch of a new division, Bread & Butter Films. The new banner, led by Big Time Decent’s head of unscripted development René Brar and VP of factual Jeff Kinnon, is focused on developing and producing scripted series and feature films.

From: C21

INSIGHTS

TV’s Upfront Ad-Sales Talks Start to Heat Up, With Some ‘Rollbacks’ Expected

Talks between TV networks and advertisers have begun to simmer in the entertainment industry’s annual “upfront” marketplace, though it’s not clear if the activity will immediately boil over.

From: Variety

Global SVOD Revenues to Grow By Nearly $117bn Over The Next 8 Years

Global SVOD revenue growth will average 13.3% per year over the next eight years, adding $116.6 billion in net new revenue, according to “2024-2031 Global Subscription Video Forecasts” by MIDiA Research. The study revealed cumulative revenue growth will rise from $109.6 billion in 2024 to $226.2 billion in 2031.

From: Señal News

Kristen Wiig and Jon Hamm on Fake ‘Fargo’ Nipples, Their ‘Bridesmaids’ Sex Scene and Wild ‘SNL’ Memories: ‘We’re Both Naked. You Just Have to Go With It’

For this conversation, Kristen Wiig and Jon Hamm reunited only two weeks after appearing together on “Saturday Night Live” — Wiig, a regular on the show from 2005 to 2012, joined the Five-Timers Club as the host, and Hamm, her co-star in “Bridesmaids,” appeared as a special guest.

From: Variety

Closer Media Founders Zhang Xin William Horberg on ‘Ezra’ and Producing Movies That Make You Feel and Think

“Ezra,” the story of a stand-up comic embarking on a road trip with his autistic son, is the kind of movie that Hollywood doesn’t make much anymore. It’s not based on a toy or a comic book; it’s a warm-hearted, profoundly human story without many special effects.

From: Variety

Netflix Boss Greg Peters Pays Tribute to U.K. Slate, Citing Hits ‘Baby Reindeer’ and ‘Beckham’

Peters cited shows including David Beckham’s docuseries “Beckham” and the controversial series “Baby Reindeer” as well as “One Day,” “Fool Me Once,” “Heartstopper,” “Top Boy” and “The Crown” as some of the U.K. shows that had succeeded on the platform, calling them “tremendously diverse” in terms of their content.

From: Variety

Disney’s Europe Head Touts Theatrical, Linear TV, Cites ‘Lion King’ as Example of Disney’s “Advantage”

At a Deloitte Media conference in London, Jan Koeppen highlights $4.5 billion in U.K. productions over the past five years, Disney+'s reach in kidless homes, and data points on the success of 'Shogun.'

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Sidemen take on Love Island with £1m reality show

YouTube superstars the Sidemen have launched their reality show, locking ten influencers in a house for a week to battle for a prize worth up to £1m. The first episode of Inside racked up more than four million views on YouTube within 24 hours after being released on Sunday.

From: BBC

‘Game Changer’ Season 6 Cast Talks Emmy Aspirations, Favorite Moments and When Dropout’s First Original Movie Is Coming

The cast of contestants and comedians from the sixth season of “Game Changer” can best be described as reminiscent of the old stop-motion holiday special, where the titular reindeer meets a group of outcasts on the Island of Misfit Toys. This diverse and eclectic group embodies a modern, inclusive ethos that starkly contrasts the early days of CollegeHumor.

From: Variety

‘Off We Go to the Next Horrible Tragedy,’ ‘House of the Dragon’ Showrunner Teases About Season 2

The co-creator cast assembled to field questions about the new season, and Ryan Condal mentions ‘many more shows’ from the George R. R. Martin franchise in the works.

From: Next TV

Line of Duty maker doubles profit thanks to Netflix and BBC streaming deals

The production company behind Line of Duty, The Diplomat and Bodyguard doubled its profit in 2023 thanks to deals with Netflix and the BBC. World Productions, based in London, completed work on the drama Fifteen Love for Netflix and the second series of Vigil for the BBC.

From: MSN

The Maddening MoviePass Scandal You Didn’t Know About

Muta’Ali Muhammad’s new documentary, MoviePass, MovieCrash, uncovers the origin story of the train wreck moviegoing app and how its founders were forced out by two men who were later charged with fraud.

From: Vanity Fair

NATPE Budapest 2024: The Kitchen Stands Out Its Hungarian Studios

The Kitchen Hungary’s key executives Gabor Somogyi and Lajos Petro, along with Julie Bénéteau, Director of International Sales, will be representing The Kitchen at NATPE Budapest this year, which is slated to take place from June 24-27.

From: Señal News

Will Furiosa’s box-office struggles mean the end of Mad Max?

With a reputed budget of more than $400 million, George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is the biggest movie to be shot in Australia. But after winning over critics, the fifth instalment of the seminal action series has struggled for the second consecutive weekend in cinemas worldwide, raising questions about whether the revered Australian director will get to shoot another planned Mad Max movie.

From: The Sydney Morning Herald

Netflix Is Licensing Far Fewer Films These Days

A dissection of the streamer's latest data dump reveals a 20 per cent decline in acquired films over the second half of 2023.

From: IndieWire

Variety’s Showrunners Sitdown: ‘Shogun’ Creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo on Killing Fan-Favorite Characters, ‘Translation as Couples Therapy’ — and What’s to Come in a Potential Season 2

FX has officially announced that Marks and Kondo—along with the estate of author James Clavell, whose blockbuster 1975 novel provided the source material for what we can now call Season 1 of “Shōgun”—are developing a potential plan to go beyond the book's story and tell the further tales of Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada).

From: Variety

Making A Scene: ‘Baby Reindeer’ Stars Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning Break Down the First Time Donny Met Martha, Gunning’s Audition Tapes and That Laugh

It all started with a cup of tea on the house. That innocuous gesture between a failed comedian turned barhand named Donny (Richard Gadd) and his soon-to-be stalker, Martha (Jessica Gunning), would spark a chain of events eventually culminating in the streaming success of “Baby Reindeer” on Netflix. The small U.K. production based on Gadd’s real-life experience all centred around the complicated chemistry between the two characters — so naturally, the stakes were high filming their first encounter.

From: Variety

What happened to Herrhausen?

German political drama Herrhausen – The Banker & The Bomb shines a light on the assassination of a prominent banker just weeks after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Producer Gabriele Sperl, writer Thomas Wendrich and star Oliver Masucci tell how they brought this true story to the screen.

From: Drama Quarterly

Video Interview: Maxton Hall’s Harriet Herbig-Matten & Damian Hardung

Maxton Hall—The World Between Us, a German-language series based on Mona Kasten’s Maxton Hall trilogy of novels, debuted on Prime Video on May 9. It achieved the most-watched first week of any non-U.S. original title on the streamer and has already been renewed for a second season.

From: TV Drama

‘House of the Dragon’ World Premiere Answers the Question: ‘Where Does the Money Go?’

The evening, attended by key figures at HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery, was a reminder of the series' crown jewel status.

From: IndieWire

Tony Voters Embraced It. Britain’s Prime Minister Criticises It. Playwright Jeremy O. Harris Unpacks Polarizing Reaction To His ‘Slave Play’ In New HBO Documentary

When Jeremy O. Harris moved Slave Play to Broadway in 2019, it created a sensation on a level rarely seen in the theatre world.

From: Deadline

‘Alien: Romulus’ Trailer: Fede Alvarez’s Reboot Picks Up 20 Years After The Original Left Off

The Fede Alvarez film, from executive producer Ridley Scott, hits theatres this summer.

From: IndieWire

‘Ren Faire’: 5 Things to Know About How the Docu-Fantasy Series Was Made, ‘Succession’-Level Drama and All

Director Lance Oppenheim talks to IndieWire about putting "Vanderpump Rules" and "There Will Be Blood" in a blender to create something unique.

From: IndieWire

It Starts On The Page: Read ‘The Sympathizer’ Premiere Script “Death Wish” By Don McKellar & Park Chan-wook

Starring Robert Downey Jr in several roles personifying America and its disastrous involvement in Southeast Asia, The Sympathizer flipped the script literally and figuratively on the Vietnam War and its aftermath.

From: Deadline & Read the Script

‘Robot Dreams’ Director: The Problem with Most Animated Films Is the Characters Overact

Pablo Berger talks about treating his animators like actors and what he learned from Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton in making his wordless film.

From: IndieWire

How Netflix is using ‘Too Hot to Handle’ games to build its reality TV audience

Reality show contestants are fiercely protective of how they look on screen. For Chloe Veitch, one of the breakout stars of Netflix’s risque dating series “Too Hot to Handle,” that intense image control now includes her appearance as a digital character in the company’s mobile video games.

From: Los Angeles Times

Sky CEO Dana Strong Explains Why She Decided to “Double Down and Go Long” on Sports

Sports "matters because it is resilient," she told a Deloitte conference in London and said Warner Bros. Discovery content would remain available to Sky customers even once a current content deal ends.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

WBD U.K. Top Executive Touts Benefits of Streaming Bundles, Calls Netflix Their “Mainstay”

Andrew Georgiou and execs from Amazon's Prime Video and Roku discussed the changing streaming business at Deloitte's Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference in London.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

BBC Boss on Doing the Right But “Uneconomic” Thing, “Market Failure” of Many Public Broadcasters

The executive was part of a TV panel of big U.K. broadcasters at Deloitte's Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference in London.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Joey King & Logan Lerman Interview - "We Were the Lucky Ones" | TheWrap Digital Cover

Based on Georgia Hunter’s 2017 book of the same name, which documents her family’s fight for survival and unity as the Nazi persecution of Jews took hold of Poland during World War II, the Erica Lipez-created, eight-episode limited series charts the Kurc family’s unbelievable true story.

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