NETFLIX orders LA LAKERS comedy series, Mindy Kaling producing

IN THE HEIGHTS drops out of Top 5 / SMARTLESS podcast seeking $20 Mil payday / FACEBOOK launches podcasts today

Jun 21, 2021

Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on MONDAY June 21, 2021.

Where… it’s the first full day of Summer! Ok yeah it was a pretty quiet weekend, so this should be a relatively quick read.

📽 THE SILVER SCREEN

this would make for an awesome cameo. via Giphy

AMAZON buys Kate Beckinsdale high concept action movie “Jolt”

Described as the female “Crank” … that we didn’t know we needed - A bouncer (Beckinsdale) has a murderous anger management problem that is kept in check by giving herself a jolt of electricity when it gets out of hand.

Then the guy she falls in love with is killed and… well let’s just say she starts leaving her charger at home.

Will premiere on Fri July 23, no acquisition price disclosed. /THR

Christoph Waltz and Willem Dafoe teaming up for a Western

Waltz plays a bounty hunter in 1897 New Mexico territory, who takes a bountying gig in Mexico and runs into an American ex-pat gambler played by Dafoe, who Waltz’s character had tracked down and sent to prison years ago.

Will be directed by Walter Hill (“48 Hours”, “The Warriors”), rights being sold at CANNES next month. /Deadline

BOX OFFICE

“The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” : $17.5 Million (5 day total, $25 Million Global)
“A Quiet Place 2” : $9.4 Million ($125 Million US, $222 Million Global)
“Peter Rabbit” : $6.1 Million ($20 Million US, $90 Million Global)
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” : $5.1 Million ($53 Million US, $143 Million Global)
“Cruella” : $5.1 Million ($65 Million US, $160 Million Global)

“In The Heights” dropped to 6th with $4.2 Million, and $19.6 Million total.

“F9” now at $292 Million from 23 international countries as it prepares to launch in the US on Friday.

ALSO IN MOVIES

Julia Styles making film directorial debut on indie film “Wish You Were Here” - Woman in a rut has a one night stand with a charming stranger, but learns he’s terminally ill and helps him live his final days to their fullest. /Deadline
Production/Management firm ANONYMOUS CONTENT parts ways with exec Keith Redmon after a history of verbally abusive incidents. /Deadline
SONY moves “Hotel Transylvannia : Transformania” from July 23 to Oct 1. /Variety
Movie marketing content agency MOB SCENE is losing a partner - Jeff Lamont is leaving to start his own firm centered on environmentally conscious companies. /Deadline

📺 THE TV SET

NETFLIX orders comedy series set in the front office of the LAKERS

Characters will be fictional but based on the Buss family ownership and front office management of the team.

Mindy Kaling and LAKERS prez Jeanie Buss are exec producers, show is created by Elaine Ko (longtime “Modern Family” writer). /THR

HBO currently shooting their own LA LAKERS show, centered on the team in the 80’s. It’s the “E/R” vs “Chicago Hope” of the 2020s. Man I’m old.

NETFLIX cancels Jamie Foxx sitcom “Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!”

The show based on Foxx’s relationship with his daughter premiered in April. /Deadline

ALSO IN TV

“Bachelor” host Chris Harrison’s payout was likely closer to $9 Million, vs the “mid eight figures” previously reported. VARIETY also dives into more of a play-by-play of his downfall for anyone inclined.

💻 THE MEDIA BIZ

Ok there’s no gif for this story but these guys make me smile and its tecnically music related. via giphy

VIVENDI selling 10% of world’s largest music label UNIVERSAL MUSIC to a SPAC for $4 Billion

SPAC is called PERSHING SQUARE, run by Bill Ackman. UNI MUSIC GROUP now valued at $42 Billion.

VIVENDI already sold off 20% of UMG to Chinese media powerhouse TENCENT. Rest of the stake will likely be going public this Fall. /Variety

FACEBOOK launches podcasts, and their CLUBHOUSE ripoff / live audio feature today for select members

Podcasts launching with an “initial slate” (limited number) including the Joe Budden podcast. You can listen via a mini-player while browsing FB. They also have a deal to integrate SPOTIFY PODCASTS but… doesn’t sound like that is launching today.

Live audio/CLUBHOUSE-esque feature only starting for select high profile accounts. Sorry Aunt Jean. /Variety

ALSO IN MEDIA

CAA shopping rights to Bateman/Hayes/Arnett podcast "Smartless” for $20 Million a year. Same price that “Call Her Daddy” just sold for, even though “Smartless” has about half the download #s according to Lucas Shaw’s BLOOMBERG Screentime newsletter which… doesn’t have a link.
Great read on ROKU’s origins and future directions (advertising $$ not device $$). ROKU actually started inside NETFLIX - they sold their stake for under $10 Million in 2009. It’d be worth $7 Billion today. /CNBC
NPR offers ad/sponsor free versions of their most popular podcasts on APPLE for $3 a month each. /NPR
Will Smith releasing autobiography… “Will” on Nov 9. Guessing that recently announced NETFLIX special may drop somewhere around that date as well. /THR

🏦 STOCK NOTES:

ROKU + 4.5% but overall was a pretty quiet Friday

👩‍💻 NEW TO WATCH:

HBO “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” special episode at 10p. New revelations about the Golden State Killer case.

DISCOVERY “Celebrity IOU” new season at 9p. Kevin Hart, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ali Wong, and a mix of Kardsashian family folks all embark on home renovation projects for someone meaningful from their lives.

AMAZON PRIME DAY 1

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🎥 TRAILER HOUSE

ROADSIDE“Joe Bell” movie trailer - Wahlberg movie based on a true story about a father who takes a cross-country walk in honor of the memory of his son. In theaters Fri July 23.

NETFLIX “Never Have I Ever” Season 2 trailer. Premieres Fri July 15.

🕵️‍♂️ THE WEEK AHEAD

TUE - Last day of “Seinfeld” on HULU, likely won’t hit NETFLIX til the Fall according to Joe Adalian at VULTURE

WED - Britney Spears addresses the court in her conservatorship case

THU - TBS final episode of “Conan” airs

FRI - “F9” finally hits the US

SAT - Springsteen returns to Broadway

🎧 PLAYING ME OFF

In honor of Taylor Swift announcing the next album she will re-record is “Red”, coming out Nov 19 with 30 tracks, including one that is 10 minutes long… well - let’s send this one out from Taylor to her previous publishing company.

Listen to the song here on SPOTIFY or: