America may be deeply divided, but politics and the culture wars will not be center stage at this year’s Oscars — if the organizers have their way.
“We’re not interested in distractions or partisan debate, we’re interested in Tom Cruise,” a 95th Academy Awards ceremony insider says of this weekend’s superstar- and blockbuster-rich show.
“We want to embrace the diversity of talent and nominees this year, and we want to try to go back to the days of escapism,” an AMPAS source adds of the dual ethos of the 2023 Jimmy Kimmel hosted shindig. In fact, while President Joe Biden is due in Southern California just hours after the ceremony ends, insiders say the Hollywood-friendly Commander in Chief will not make an appearance. >>>"Eyes On The Prize " |
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| Deadline Exclusives & Originals |
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Bidding War - Netflix won a heated auction among five bidders for "I Am Not Alone," a 22-page short story by Chris Hicks that is said to be an ideal template for a major genre film. Lovecraft Country’s Misha Green is set to write the script and direct as a star vehicle for Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain. >>>Why Netflix Won
Scream-ing To The Top - Scream VI is definitely heading toward a franchise-record opening in the U.S./Canada with the latest installment set to make $42M, which outstrips the previous domestic debut high of Scream 3 ($34.7M) >>>Full Projections
“New Adventures…” - Veteran TV lit agent Amy Retzinger is departing Verve where she has been a partner for more than 11 years. She announced her exit in an email, revealing that she is leaving the business to focus her efforts on a plastics reclamation startup. >>>Passion Project
'Home' Game - Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is making the most of the offseason with a new television project. The Other Home Team will tell the stories of the inspiration and sacrifice centered on the families of NFL players on their roads to success. >>>Hopkins' Family First Up
'Power' Less - Another principal player has left Prime Video’s global thriller The Power. Emmy-winning The Handmaid’s Tale director Reed Morano, who had been with the project since its early stages, has exited as both a director and an executive producer. Stars Leslie Mann and Tim Robbins exited previously. >>>Creative Differences |
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Michelle Yeoh, the Malaysian-born dancer who has become one of the most versatile actresses working today. This is actually a reprise of a segment we did in anticipation of Everything, Everywhere, All At Once’s launch at SXSW last March. The film has delivered and then some, and Yeoh is a front runner for Best Actress, one of 11 Oscars the film is in contention for this weekend. It seemed worth a second look. >>>5 Questions |
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More News
❌ Ten BBC presenters have refused to show up for work in protest over the suspension of the corporation’s highest-paid presenter, Gary Lineker, over a politically-charged tweet. As a result, the BBC’s Premier League output is in freefall, with BBC1's Football Focus and Final Score being replaced by reruns and Premier League players refusing the broadcaster interviews.
🐲 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves received a rock-concert reception on the opening night of SXSW on Friday. Jonathan Goldstein, his co-director John Francis Daley, Paramount, eOne brought out Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page and most of the film's main cast. "I was left in tears in the end," said one elated fan.
🍿 The 43rd annual Razzie Awards saddled Blonde starring the Oscar-nominated Ana de Armas with its big prize — Worst Picture. Tom Hanks won for Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Screen Combo (for Hanks and his latex face) in Elvis.
📺 There’s been yet another change at the helm of Dick Wolf’s Law & Order: Organized Crime. Sean Jablonski is stepping down as showrunner of NBC’s police procedural, Deadline has confirmed. Jablonski is the fourth showrunner to depart the Law & Order spinoff in the past year.
✊ Claiming that “the entertainment industry remains highly profitable” while “writers have fallen behind,” the WGA made its case on Friday for what it sees is a fair contract ahead of the March 20 start of negotiations with the AMPTP.
⚓ NCIS: Los Angeles is expanding its series finale to two episodes. The double series ender will air at 10 p.m. Sunday, May 14, the date previously announced as the series finale, and at 9 p.m. Sunday, May 21, on CBS.
🤝 Film industry veteran Michele ‘Missy’ Imperato Stablile has been named President, Worldwide Physical Production, Warner Bros. Pictures. She will report directly to Warner Bros. Pictures Group Co-Chair and CEOs Michael DeLuca and Pam Abdy. She’ll join the studio in the coming weeks. |
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BY THE NUMBERS
$2.1 million - The high end of the ad rates ABC was seeking for a 30-second Oscar telecast spot |
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On the Radar
Sat - The Night Before party; AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer on ‘GMA’
Sun - Elton John viewing party; Vanity Fair, Warners & Paramount afterparties
Mon - ‘GMA3’ live from the Academy Museum |
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CAA Soirée - Sandra Bullock, Kevin Huvane and Demi Moore were among those who turned out for CAA's Pre-Oscar Party at Sunset Tower Hotel on Friday night. Others in attendance included current Oscar nominees such as Cate Blanchett, Brendan Fraser and Ana de Armas, as well as Florence Pugh, Olivia Wilde, Pedro Pascal, Zoe Kravitz, Elton John and Trevor Noah. |
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