TV, Film & Media Industry News Roundup, Thursday 27 June 2024

Disney antitrust lawsuit; Cinekid Festival opens; UK's Stars of Tomorrow; "Squid Game 2" preview; niche streaming rise; Celine Dion doc insights; Paramount asset sale.

Today’s Highlights:

• Disney's Antitrust Lawsuit: A federal judge is advancing an antitrust claim against Disney regarding its ownership of ESPN and Hulu, suggesting possible anticompetitive practices affecting live TV streaming prices.

• Cinekid Festival's Opening Film: The 38th Cinekid Festival in Amsterdam will open with Beta Film's "Benjamin Bat," an animated musical about a bat overcoming his fear of the dark.

• Screen's Stars of Tomorrow: Screen International revealed the 2024 Stars of Tomorrow, spotlighting emerging UK and Irish actors and filmmakers, including talents from "Bridgerton" and "Doctor Who."

• 'Squid Game 2' Preview: The creators and stars of "Squid Game" will tease the upcoming second season at Italy's Lucca Comics and Games festival. The new season is set to debut on Netflix by year-end.

• 'Night Has Come' Documentary: The Peruvian documentary "Night Has Come" debuts its trailer ahead of its premiere at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. The film follows a group of young men in a rigorous military training course.

• Niche Streaming Services: The rise of boutique and specialty streaming platforms catering to loyal, engaged audiences amidst the dominance of major players like Netflix and Disney+.

• 'I Am: Celine Dion' Insights: Director Irene Taylor discusses Celine Dion's battle with Stiff Person Disease and the intimate, unfiltered moments captured in the documentary now on Prime Video.

• 'Acapulco' Season 4 Hopes: After a dramatic Season 3 finale involving major character changes, the producers of Apple TV+'s "Acapulco" express optimism for a fourth season.

• Jeremy Allen White's Springsteen Role: Jeremy Allen White is set to portray Bruce Springsteen in the film Deliver Me From Nowhere, which will focus on the making of Springsteen's album Nebraska.

• Paramount Asset Sales: Following previous significant property sales, Paramount Global is considering selling its Hollywood lot and leasing it back to raise funds, potentially bringing in $2 billion.

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NEWS

Disney Owns Both Hulu and ESPN. A Court Considers Whether That Violates Antitrust Laws

A lawsuit against Disney concerning its dual role as a content supplier and distributor has advanced, with a federal judge moving forward with a critical antitrust claim related to Disney's ownership of ESPN and Hulu. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila rejected arguments to dismiss the lawsuit, suggesting Disney may have leveraged its Hulu purchase to raise live TV streaming prices market-wide. The judge found Disney could have imposed anticompetitive terms on rivals like AT&T’s DirecTV and Dish’s Sling TV.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Beta Film’s ‘Benjamin Bat’ to Open 38th Cinekid Festival in Amsterdam

The Cinekid Festival, the world’s largest festival for children’s film and media, opens on October 20 at Pathé Amsterdam Noord with Beta Film’s “Benjamin Bat,” an animated musical adventure about a bat with nyctophobia. The film follows a bat, Benjamin, who fears the dark and loves singing, making him an oddity among his peers. His life changes when he meets Sherida, a tropical songbird, and must find the courage to save her and embrace his true self. Produced by Storytellers Film & TV and Zeilt Productions, the 76-minute film is directed by Patrick Raats and Sarah Sutter from a screenplay by Karen van Holst Pellekaan.

From: Variety

Screen reveals 2024 UK & Ireland Stars of Tomorrow

Screen International has revealed the 2024 line-up for Stars of Tomorrow, highlighting the UK and Ireland's most promising actors and filmmakers. Now in its 21st edition, this annual talent showcase has a remarkable record of identifying emerging talent since its 2004 inception. This year’s stars include "Bridgerton" star Florence Hunt, Tosin Cole from "Doctor Who" and "Supacell," "Hoard" lead Saura Lightfoot-Leon, "Baby Reindeer" creator Richard Gadd, and Alison Oliver, known for her role in "Saltburn."

From: Screen Daily

‘Squid Game 2’ Director and Stars Set to Tease Netflix Show at Italy’s Lucca Comics and Games

“Squid Game” creator Hwang Dong-hyuk and stars Lee Jung-jae and Wi Ha-Jun will attend Italy’s Lucca Comics and Games festival on Oct. 31 to preview the show's second season. The highly anticipated new season of the Korean-language survival drama will debut on Netflix by the end of the year. It will feature Gi-hun, played by Emmy-winner Lee Jung-jae, who is making a pivotal decision and embarking on a new mission. Returning characters include Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), the Recruiter (Gong Yoo), and new cast members Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, and Park Gyu-young.

From: Variety

Peruvian Documentary ‘Night Has Come,’ About Elite Military Unit, Debuts Trailer Ahead of Karlovy Vary Premiere

Peruvian director Paolo Tizón’s documentary “Night Has Come” premiered Sunday in the Proxima competition at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival and has released its trailer. The film follows a group of young men, mostly teenagers, undergoing one of Latin America's most challenging military training courses. Their goal is to become fearsome fighters in the dangerous VRAEM region, known for armed groups and narcotics trafficking.

From: Variety

INSIGHTS

Streaming Profits Are Tough to Find. Niche Movie and TV Platforms See a Way Forward

The cutthroat nature of the streaming business is now widely acknowledged in Hollywood. While most consumers will subscribe to about four streaming services at a time, Netflix typically secures one of those spots, leaving little margin for error for other giants like Prime Video, Disney, Max, Peacock, and Paramount+. However, a vibrant ecosystem of boutique and specialty streamers is emerging beyond these significant players, targeting loyal, engaged audiences on a smaller scale. Despite the dominance of large platforms, new niche streaming services continue to enter the market.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

‘I Am: Celine Dion’ Director Irene Taylor on Whether We Will See the Legend Sing Again, and Filming That Harrowing Climax: ‘She Said, I Don’t Want You to Cut That Scene Out’

“I Am: Celine Dion,” now on Prime Video, delves deeply into the singer’s 15-year battle with Stiff Person Disease, a struggle unknown to director Irene Taylor when she joined the project. Taylor only knew that Dion had a lot to share. After its New York premiere, Taylor spoke about Dion’s challenges, her guilt about not informing fans sooner, and her vulnerability in being filmed without makeup and during a seizure.

From: Variety

‘Acapulco’ Bosses Talk ‘Leaving a Lot of Doors Open’ for Show’s Potential Season 4

“Acapulco” concluded Season 3 with significant changes for the Las Colinas resort employees across both timelines. Producers are hopeful for a potential Season 4 to continue the intricate narrative of the beloved Apple TV+ comedy. Episode 10, "Burning Down the House," saw young Maximo (Enrique Arrizon) mistakenly reveal the resort's guest secrets to Alejandro Vera (Jaime Camil), leading to Diane (Jessica Collins) and Don Pablo (Damián Alcázar) being fired in 1985. Despite their failed coup, Alejandro promoted Maximo to head of operations, leading him to become the modern-day billionaire.

From: The Wrap

Jeremy Allen White Plans to Do His Own Singing in Bruce Springsteen Movie, Wants to Have His ‘Own Process’ Before Meeting the Rock Star

Jeremy Allen White is set to trade his chef's knife for a guitar pick, portraying Bruce Springsteen in "Deliver Me From Nowhere," a 20th Century Studios film about the making of Springsteen's 1982 album "Nebraska." At "The Bear" Season 3 premiere, White said he hasn’t met Springsteen yet. "We've communicated through others, but we still have some timing issues. I'm trying to develop my own process before meeting him."

From: Variety

With Paramount Assets In Play, There’s Chatter About A Sale Of Its Hollywood Lot

Paramount Global is moving forward with asset sales and has brought in bankers to streamline operations and raise cash to pay down debt, confirmed by the three co-CEOs at a company town hall on Tuesday. One explored option is selling the Paramount lot and leasing it back, potentially bringing in $2 billion. Previously, as ViacomCBS, the company sold the CBS building in NYC for $760 million and the CBS Studio Center for $1.85 billion.

From: Deadline

Shades of Grey

In reality, Lady Jane Grey lost her head, but Prime Video's "My Lady Jane" reimagines an alt-history fantasy where she survived and thrived.

From: Drama Quarterly

Spotify for Hollywood? It’s the Future of Streaming, According to Former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar

Could streaming evolve into an all-in-one platform like Spotify? Former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar believes it could replace the current trend of streaming bundle deals. Comcast recently announced bundles of Peacock, Netflix, and Apple TV+ for $15 a month, while Disney offers combinations of Disney+, Hulu, and Max. Kilar envisions a different model: “I’ll call it the ‘Spotify for Hollywood’ path, where many suppliers and studios contribute to a singular experience that delights fans,” he told the New York Times. In this model, studios would license movies and TV shows to the platform, with 70% of the revenue going to the studios.

From: IndieWire

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