Mike Myers sets NETFLIX comedy series cast
Stephen King's CHRISTINE gets reboot / CONAN farewell plan set / HACKS renewed / ENDEAVOR preps for CONTENT division sale
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on WEDNESDAY June 9, 2021.
Where the FOO FIGHTERS will be the first post-covid concert at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN on… a Sunday, also Fathers Day 🙇♂️. Tix for the Sunday June 20th show go on sale this Friday here at 10am EST. Although the real headline is they’re priced from just $55 to $119 🤯. Pretty sure MSG thinks this is a Zoom concert or something so take advantage while you can.
ALSO: Billy Joel will continue his monthly residency at MSG starting in November.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
Stephen King’s “Christine” getting remake at SONY via BLUMHOUSE
Bryan Fuller (“Star Trek: Discover”, “Hannibal”) writing and directing. Will keep the 1980’s timeframe… and I’m assuming the killer car thing. /Deadline
WB adds Kevin Hart, Keanu, Krasinski, Vanessa Bayer, Diego Luna & Natasha Lyonne to new DC Animated movie
Called “DC League of Super-Pets”, The Rock already joined the project last week.
About the animal friends and enemies of Superheroes from the DC Universe. In theaters May 2022. /THR
Tyler Perry un-retiring “Madea” for a new movie at… NETFLIX
“A Madea Homecoming” will hit the service in 2022.
Tyler has a huge overall deal at VIACOM… but his movie career seems to be based at NETFLIX 🤔 (he had a film there last year, he’s currently shooting one right now, and then this new Madea movie). /Variety
ALSO IN MOVIES
MGM picks up Sci-Fi Thriller property for Gina Prince-Bythewood (“The Old Guard”, “Love & Basketball”) to direct. Its a short story called “Exoplanet”, no plot details revealed but the author will now do the first pass on the script. /Deadline
DISNEY+ adds Lisa Kudrow to musical comedy film “Better Nate Than Ever”. 2 Pittsburgh teens Nate & Libby sneak off to NYC for a major musical audition… as Pittsburgh teens do, where they also happen to run into Nate’s aunt (Kudrow in a… non singing role). Now shooting in NYC, Marc Platt (“La La Land”, “Mary Poppins”) producing. /Deadline
📺 THE TV SET
NETFLIX adds Keegan-Michael Key, Ken Jeong, Debi Mazar to new Mike Myers comedy series “Pentaverate”
Premise is 5 guys have been influencing world events for the greater good since the Black Plague of 1347, and a Canadian journalist embarks on a mission to uncover the truth and maybe save the world.
6 episodes, currently shooting. Mike is playing 7 different characters. /Variety
Chris Harrison out as “Bachelor” host, gets huge payout for his time… And silence
Reportedly getting a mid-8 figure payout (so.. $30 to $60 Million?), and Chris will keep all of his “Bachelor” creator/exec producer Mike Fleiss stories to himself. /Deadline
ALSO IN TV
HBOMAX renews everyone’s new favorite HBOMAX show “Hacks” for Season 2. /THR
ROKU makes its first QUIBI-show renewal: Kevin Hart’s “Die Hart” will get a 2nd season. QUIBI had also ordered a Season 2 about a month before it folded. /Variety
TBS’s last 2 weeks of “Conan” shows will have an IRL but masked audience at Largo starting with Monday’s show. His last guest will be Jack Black on Thu June 24 - full final 2 week guest lineup in the link. /Deadline
HULU promotes their Head of drama Jordan Helman to Head of all Scripted content. He’ll report into Craig Erwich, Prez of HULU Originals and ABC. Jordan takes over for Beatrice Springborn who left for NBCU earlier this year. /THR
💻 THE MEDIA BIZ
INSTAGRAM allowing creators to get a cut of sales from things they hawk. FB won’t take a 💰cut until 2023
Posts will be labeled “eligible for commission” so people know the creator will be getting a cut of the thing they’re featuring. Product sellers will set commission rates with influencers on an individual basis. /Variety
ENDEAVOR CONTENT film sales team to soon move back into WME Agency
This of course as parent company ENDEAVOR looks to sell 80% of their ENDEAVOR CONTENT production arm to comply with their new WRITERS GUILD deal.
So essentially - they now need to find a buyer for the production company… possibly with an understanding that WME Agents will be a first position/“go to” resource for said company to sell their movies to buyers at film markets. Especially as ENDEAVOR will likely still keep a 20% ownership of the company, which is allowed in the WGA deal.
Obviously final details to emerge once a sale is set in the months ahead, but looks like ENDEAVOR / WME will now just take customary commissions on film sales deals, with the new TBD 80% owner of ENDEAVOR CONTENT keeping the rest. /Deadline
Anyone else feel like we’re gonna need a tree diagram for all this?
THE CHERNIN GROUP adding $1 Billion of new funding
Almost doubles the amount of investment $$ the company currently has.
TCG has ownership stakes in companies from BARSTOOL to FOOD 52 to Reese Witherspoon’s HELLO SUNSHINE to CAMEO. Sara Fischer at AXIOS has a great chart in the link.
The company, led by former FOX head Peter Chernin and a GOLDMAN SACHS guy Jesse Jacobs, is gonna focus this new $1 Billion on investing in companies that have entered a high growth phase and need $$ to expand, vs. early stage companies just getting up on their feet (ie not making any money). /Axios
ALSO IN MEDIA
SNAP hires TIKTOK content exec Sam Carrao Clanon as their new Director of Content for their TIKTOK ripoff “Spotlight” area. He reports into Ben Schwerin, SVP of SNAP content and partnerships. /Variety
🏦 STOCK NOTES:
SIRIUSXM was the big mover for once… +7.4%. Didn’t see any big deal news, just a large bond/debt offering, but a good day for shareholders.
DISCOVERY down about 4%. It’s down about 15% since the WARNER MEDIA deal was announced.
IMAX and ENDEAVOR both up over 5%. (increases are unrelated to each other).
👩💻 NEW TO WATCH:
DISNEY+ “Loki” premieres today, so get ready for a lotta hot takes on Wednesdays for the next 6 weeks. Watch or Add to your List here.
TRIBECA FESTIVAL starts, goes thru June 20. Tix and Lineup here, wide variety of films to stream at home too. “In the Heights” screens across the 5 boroughs today - catch the first 8 minutes below in the TRAILER HOUSE.
BET “Tyler Perry’s Sistas” - Season 3 premieres at 9p
CMT Awards at 8p. Hosted by Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini
If you were sent this email or… just kinda found it (no questions asked):
And if you’re game to send the newsletter to a co-worker or industry colleague 🙏:
🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
WB/HBOMAX“In The Heights” - the first 8 minutes. In theaters and on HBOMAX ($15 version) this Friday.
TBS “Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail” trailer. This Season 3 of the show is set in the 1840s Old West. Premieres Tues July 13.
PARAMOUNT+ “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” trailer. With guest judges Tina Knowles, Emma Roberts and more in the trailer for the inclined. Premieres Thu June 24.
NETFLIX “Sex/Life” trailer - 8 episodes, Suburban stay-at-home mom’s desires kick up a notch when Hottie Aussie Ex in a black leather jacket resurfaces in her life. Seems kinda like a Summer beach read come to life, so good timing NETFLIX! Premieres Fri June 25
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
New JUNGLE - “Talk About It”. If this doesn’t get you moving around in the morning, make your coffee a double shot.
Also for Marketing biz readers - this has some potential for a good promo song with the right product.
If you need new tunes:
Have a Wednesday ya’ll. Until tomorrow…
Email me anytime with comments, thoughts, and of course errors - just reply to this email, or connect here on LINKED IN.
-Sean McNulty
@theseanmac on TWITTER or @TheWakeupNews on INSTAGRAM
or also here on CLUBHOUSE