WB sets Jason Momoa to lead another IP based movie franchise
Costner directing Western at WB / NETFLIX sets series, mobile game based on Card game / MGM sets CANDYMAN director for next pic
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on TUESDAY April 19, 2022.
Where just gonna start today with a shout out to Jamie Dornan who reminded everyone in his ESQUIRE story this month that the internet knows nothing… citing the intense backlash that came with the respective Rob Pattinson Batman and Daniel Craig Bond casting news when they were both announced.
Yeah not a great look now. And - overall just a good reminder to put the phone down, do the work you love and enjoy the ride in whatever you’re doing. Well. After you read this newsletter… that has no business model. Ok maybe I need to add one more step here. 😬
AND: I guess we call this a correction? Or maybe an update - the NFT auction of Jack Dorsey’s first Tweet got up to $14k as of yesterday, and reportedly got up to $25k last night. So only $2,875,000 more to go to recoup the initial investment.
PLUS: TNT has set Tom Brady & Aaron Rogers to take on Patrick Mahomes & Josh Allen in the battle of 2 unvaxx’d quarterbacks NFL athletes teeing off against each other in “The Match” this Summer.
The 4some will be mic’d for the 18 holes and will be able to talk to the commentators as well on Wed June 1 from Vegas at 630p EST. Brady is also a producer on the event, and hopefully won’t rip his pants again this year.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
Jason Momoa starring in “Minecraft” pic at WB
To be directed by the “Napoleon Dynamite” guy… gotta say did not see that coming. That would be Jared Hess btw.
No word what the take is on the video game launched in the early 2010’s where you “use blocks to create structures and worlds.” /THR
MGM sets “Candyman” director Nia DaCosta to direct movie of Ta-Nehisi Coates book
Book is “The Water Dancer”, Oprah is among the producers, and Coates also wrote the screenplay.
About a boy who loses his mother as a child, eventually losing all memory of her… who then crashes a carriage into a river as a young man and almost drowns, only to be saved by “a mysterious power he never realized he had and struggles to understand.” /THR
WB & NEW LINE pick up Kevin Costner western pic “Horizon”
Costner is directing, starring, and co-wrote the script. It’s the first movie the OSCAR winner has directed in almost 20 years (“Open Range” in 2003).
Broadly about settling the American West over a 15 year span, pre & post CIVIL WAR - so his cowboy hat collection will be still thankfully put to good use #TheCostnerDealRider. Will shoot late Summer. /Deadline
ALSO IN MOVIES
NETFLIX adds Kevin Bacon to “Leave the World Behind” pic from Sam Esmail (“Mr. Robot”). Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Myha’la Herrold are set in the thriller’s leading roles, about 2 couples who get stranded at a vacation house in a blackout that could portend a looming major world crisis. /Deadline
The NY TIMES I guess… tried 🤷♂️ to do a profile on Celeb PR firm The LEDE Company? And the writer:
A) Seemed surprised that personal publicists are not going to give you on the record stories about clients, and
B) Decided not to instead pivot and look at Celeb PR from a business angle, and discuss the intense change / splintering in that industry over the past 4-5 years (LEDE was launched by a trio of top Publicist execs at 42WEST).
Or perhaps even to dive into the perspectives of well-experienced publicity folks on the celeb PR world as it exists in the 2022 social media landscape that could have been very interesting. But I guess STYLES section’s gonna Style…
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Share it with a friend or your work team?
📺 THE TV SET
NETFLIX making animated series & mobile game out of card game EXPLODING KITTENS
Mike Judge & Greg Daniels (“King of the Hill”… and well ya’ll know these guys) are among the exec producers. Game revolves around God and the devil who come to Earth as chunky house cats.
Lucy Liu and Sasheer Zamata are among the voice talent, show will premiere next year but the mobile video game will drop next month.
The card game has sold over 18 million units. /THR
NBA PLAYOFFS beat USFL premiere night by a nose on Saturday
2.95 Million for the NBA on ABC for the NUGGETS vs WARRIORS, vs 2.9 Million for the USFL matchup amongst the professional sports mecca’s of New Jersey & Birmingham.
Although that USFL 2.9 Million # was across both NBC and FOX combined. /TV Technology
ALSO IN TV
CBS bringing back “The Talk” for a 13th season this Fall. /THR
NETFLIX renews “Big Mouth” and “Human Resources” for new seasons. /Deadline
VH1 renews “Basketball Wives” for Season 10. /Deadline
💻 THE MEDIA BIZ
It’s NETFLIX earnings day!
Ok the new subscriber counts don’t come out til late afternoon… so I’ll just consider this an announcement kicking off the official Spring #MediaNerd🤓 season which… if you’ve read this newsletter for at least a few months, it’s where I try and give context to a lot of headlines (and hyperbole) you’ll be seeing elsewhere about the state of the streaming & social media businesses.
Thankfully this week is just a few (SNAP and HBOMAX will be up later), but next week - keep a good thought for my brain: YOUTUBE, ROKU, FACEBOOK, SPOTIFY and… I already need to sit down to stop the brain spins.😵💫
🏦 STOCK NOTES:
TWITTER +7% ($48.45) but otherwise a pretty quiet day.
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👩💻 NEW TO WATCH:
FX “Mayans M.C.” Season 4 at 10p
ABC “Black-ish” Series Finale at 9p
🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
DISNEY/MARVEL“Thor: Love and Thunder” teaser trailer. In theaters July 8
AMC “Dark Winds” series trailer - Based on the “Leaphorn & Chee” books by Tony Hillerman. Premieres June 12
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
Today’s song comes from a WAKEUP reader! Look at that…. she said I need to include more Country and suggested this new song from JULIA COLE “Thank God We Broke Up”.
As always… if you got something you’re digging, send along! Just reply to this email. (although my #ZeroTrap policy is still in effect)
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
Obsessed with this song😍