CARDI B dumps PARAMOUNT pic a week before shooting
DUNE 2 casts villain / Ramy sets AMAZON deal, new series / OSCARS end quarantine requirement
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on FRIDAY March 11, 2022.
Happy NBA Covid shutdown anniversary day! Or Tom Hanks got COVID day - however you mark the moment in 2020 when the virus got very real, very quick for the US. So be sure to take a moment this weekend to just… well - enjoy it! At SXSW or otherwise. Though if you’re also in NYC, maybe wait til Sunday 🌨💨🥶.
AND: Good news for anyone who booked travel plans to VEGAS to see ADELE in January!
No, she hasn’t rescheduled those dates.. or announced anything related to that since canceling 2 months ago… but - NBC made a deal for a British ADELE live performance special “An Audience With Adele” that already aired in the UK. Will air next Sunday night.
PLUS: KELLY CLARKSON finalized her divorce from Brandon Blackstock, with Brandon getting:
$45k a month in child support (even though the kids primary residence will be with Kelly in LA)
PLUS: $115k a month in “spousal support” for 2 years
AND: A one-time $1.3 Million payment to boot.
BUT: She’s keeping the MONTANA properties, where Brandon still lives and will get $2k of her own money back each month in rent 💵.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
CARDI B bolts from PARAMOUNT movie days before it was to start shooting
Movie was “Assisted Living” from the just-folded PARAMOUNT PLAYERS division, and was to be her feature lead role debut. About a criminal on the run (wrongly accused of course) who hides out at her grandma’s retirement home by disguising herself as a resident until she can prove her innocence.
Reason given was that she’s “overextended”, likelyhood of the $30 Million film being salvaged in the link for the inclined. /Deadline
Austin Butler in talks to join in “Dune: Part 2”
The star of Baz Luhrman’s upcoming “Elvis” pic is being recruited to play villain “Feyd-Rautha”. It’s the role STING played in the 1984 film.
Pic currently has an Oct 2023 release date. /THR
ALSO IN MOVIES
“King Richard” director Reinaldo Marcus Green sets next pic at LIONSGATE. Writing & directing a story of guy who moves in with his PUERTO RICAN mother whom he didn’t grow up with, in order to deal with growing school loans. A life-changing education about his parents and love ensues. /Deadline
The OSCARS eliminate their 5-day COVID quarantine for anyone traveling into LA to attend as they realized it isn’t 2021. And that they’re already requiring all attendees to take 2 PCR tests for entry, one on March 24 and one the day before on March 26 (that one must take place in LA for everyone). /Deadline
HOLLYWOOD BUSINESS AFFAIRS
SUNSHINE SACHS drops Golden Globes org HFPA as a client. /Deadline
LORD MILLER production co names Lucy Kitada as EVP of Film. Comes over from PICTURESTART. /Deadline
MPRM PR firm co-founder Rachel McCallister departing 28 years after launching the company, segueing to a consultant role after a 4 decade career. /Deadline
📺 THE TV SET
Ramy Youssef sets animated series at AMAZON PRIME
2 season order, untitled show about a Muslim-American family navigating the early 2000s in the US. Co-created by Pam Brady (”South Park”).
Part of a new first-look deal he just signed there. /Variety
ALSO IN TV
Nick Cannon’s syndicated TV show canceled after one season. /THR
CBS sets Anthony Mackie & Kelsea Ballerini to host CMA AWARDS on April 11. /THR
ABC orders true-crime unscripted series “Who Do You Believe?” which will look at dual points of view from various real cases and then… well see the title. /Deadline
💻 THE MEDIA BIZ
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL & Players Union figured their sh*t out came to a 5 year deal agreement
So finally there will ads on players jerseys… making this whole thing totally worth it.
A full 162 game MLB season will begin Thursday April 7 across the 5 TV networks & streamers with MLB deals.
Also get ready for a Designated Hitter in the NL, and an expanded playoff system to drag out an already long post-season even further. /AP
ALSO IN MEDIA
MSNBC expands and re-brands their content hub on PEACOCK to be called “MSNBC on PEACOCK”. Previously called “The Choice” for… some reason 🤷♂️.
Shows like ”Morning Joe” and ”All In with Chris Hayes” will stream there one hour after they air on MSNBC, although “Maddow” will not, as someone clearly pointed out in a meeting “Uh… you guys know we’re owned by a Cable company right?” /THR
NETLFIX raises UK & IRELAND prices by 1-2 Pounds and Euros respectively depending on the tier of service. /Deadline
Are you ready for some USFL??? Yeah me neither but they announced the season details if interested.
Kicks off Sat April 16 and games will air across FOX and NBC platforms leading up to the July 3 Championship game on FOX which should be a real draw as everyone is… outside enjoying BBQ’s.
🏦 STOCK NOTES:
AMAZON +5% ($2936.35)
VIMEO -5% ($12.22)
ROKU -6% ($110.85)
SNAP -6% ($31.74)
ROBLOX -6% ($41.47)
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👩💻 THE FSS FEED:
(new Stuff to Watch this weekend, Friday - Saturday - Sunday)
WEEKEND READS
If you’re a Kardashian…ite? VARIETY has a cover story with the clan about what’s ahead on HULU.
Or THR has a read on the latest with Amy Schumer, written by Lacey Rose.
And the NYT has an interview with Al Pacino (#attica!attica!) looking back at his original “Godfather” experience on the 50th anniversary of the pic.
FRIDAY
IN THEATERS:
Um. Have you seen “The Batman”?
STREAMING:
MOVIES
DISNEY+ PIXAR “Turning Red” movie - STREAM HERE
NETFLIX “The Adam Project” - STREAM HERE
HBOMAX “Dune” - STREAM HERE
SERIES
APPLE TV+ “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” - Sam Jackson 6 part limited series - STREAM HERE
AMAZON PRIME “Upload” Season 2 - STREAM HERE
NETFLIX “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” new season - STREAM HERE
AMAZON “Mrs Maisel” - drops the last episodes of the season in case there’s anyone else out there who was waiting to binge the whole thing.
SATURDAY
NBC SNL with Zoë Kravitz and musical guest Rosalía
SUNDAY
CBS new “60 Minutes” at 7p
TBS & TheCW “Critics Choice Awards” at 7p
BAFTA’s
🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
AMC NETWORK “Better Call Saul” final season trailer. Premieres April 18
HBOMAX “Moonshot” movie trailer. Cole Sprouse sneaks onto a spaceship to Mars as you do, to join his friend Lana Condor who is on her way to visit her boyfriend there. I’ll let you figure out what happens on the ride. Premieres Thu Mar 31
NEON “Pleasure” trailer - Pic that made a… memorable impression (🤷♂️) at SUNDANCE 2020 for its depiction of porn (about a SWEEDISH girl who goes to LA to be a porn star). In theaters May 13
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
Brand new FLORENCE + THE MACHINE “My Love” - the new Florence I’ve been waiting for. New album drops May 13.
If you need some new tunes:
Email me anytime - just Reply to this email, or connect here on LINKED IN.
-SEAN MCNULTY
@theseanmac on TWITTER
@TheWakeupNews on INSTAGRAM