| | | | What's news: Disney's live-action Lilo & Stitch finds its Lilo. Marvel's Fantastic Four feature lands a rewrite scribe. Director Uwe Boll's new film faces a complaint over alleged unfair labor practices. IFC Films head Arianna Bocco steps down. — Ryan Gajewski |
Inside the Exit of Netflix Film Exec Lisa Nishimura ►"The most thoughtful, taste-driven era is being driven out." THR's Mia Galuppo examines the departure of well-respected Netflix film executive Lisa Nishimura, who was with the company since its DVD days. Insiders discuss the exit of this "Netflix celebrity" amid the company's plan to scale back production. The story.
—Making a splash. THR's Beatrice Verhoeven reports that newcomer Maia Kealoha has been cast as Lilo in Disney's live-action Lilo & Stitch, a remake of its cult 2002 animated movie. Dean Fleischer Camp, the filmmaker behind best animated feature Oscar nominee Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, is directing the project that includes Zach Galifianakis in the cast. The story.
—"There are maybe three to four gunshots in the entire film. I've had movies with hundreds." Notorious German director Uwe Boll talks to THR's Scott Roxborough about his new film, First Shift, marking his first feature in five years. While the movie purports to show his kinder, gentler side, Boll also addresses a complaint about alleged unfair labor practices. The interview.
—Twitter's April Fool's Day plan. Leave it to Elon Musk to choose April 1 to begin Twitter's version of the Purge. Beginning on Saturday, users with legacy verification badges — notable accounts who were verified under Twitter’s previous leadership — are expected to lose their blue check, as the social media company has been hinting at for months but announced in a tweet on March 23. The story. |
Film Academy's Top New York Official Out ►"Things were not handled as well as they could have been." THR's Scott Feinberg has the scoop on Patrick Harrison, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' longtime top official in New York, having been let go by the organization. His exit was one of several areas of concern raised by Tri-State members during a Zoom with Bill Kramer and Janet Yang. The story.
—"Our film team will not miss a beat as it proceeds forward." Arianna Bocco has stepped down from her post as head of IFC Films. Before ascending to the role in December 2020, Bocco spent a decade overseeing acquisitions and productions for IFC Films and its genre label, IFC Midnight. Head of acquisitions Scott Shooman will serve in her stead in the interim. The story.
—Marvel's first family gets a rewrite. THR's Borys Kit has the scoop on Josh Friedman, who worked on Avatar: The Way of Water, having been tapped to write the script for Marvel Studios' Fantastic Four. Matt Shakman, who was the key director behind Marvel series WandaVision, is on board to helm the feature that has a 2025 release date and is set to kick off Phase 6 of its storytelling universe. The story. |
'Dungeons & Dragons' Filmmakers Talk A-List Cameo ►"There is this unpredictability in the storytelling." THR's Brian Davids interviews Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves filmmakers Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. The co-directors discuss the movie's Freaks and Geeks reunion, A-list cameo and test screenings that ultimately led to additional photography. The interview.
—Blazing a path. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves has taken its first turn at the box office. THR's Pamela McClintock reports that the new Paramount and eOne movie grossed a strong $5.6 million in previews this week, including $4.1 million in Thursday evening shows. The story.
—The WGA contract is up May 1. THR's Rick Porter and Lesley Goldberg take a look at a number of ways that TV networks and streamers are preparing for a potential writers strike. This includes some broadcast writers working through their hiatus breaks as networks hand out early renewals and look to bulk up on scripts. The story. |
TV Review: 'Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields' ►"There's enough candor and introspection here." THR's chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg reviews Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields. The two-part Hulu documentary looks at Shields' career, from her 1980s stardom to the journey toward finding her voice and agency. The review.
—"For several years, I have identified as an ally." THR's Rebecca Sun speaks to veteran indie film producer Heather Rae after a watchdog group accused her of falsely claiming to be Indigenous. Rae opens up about the exploration of her roots that she quietly has been undertaking in recent years, with the knowledge and support of her friends and colleagues. The story.
—"[Seinfeld] has really withstood the test of time." Keli Goff talks to congressman Adam Schiff on Trump's GOP grip, the looming WGA strike and his all-time favorite TV show. In the latest installment of THR's Power Watch interview series with politicos, the California Democrat and Senate candidate also reveals his favorite Big Lebowski lines and who should play him in a movie about the impeachment hearings. The interview. |
This Week's Must Reads ►"When you push boundaries, it will draw attention." If you missed this week's THR cover story, now is your chance to rectify that. Angela Bassett, Sydney Sweeney, Sadie Sink, Anne Hathaway, Jodie Turner-Smith and Janelle Monáe are among the stars celebrating their stylists. The cover story.
—"The full impact will depend on how long the strike lasts." THR's Scott Roxborough and Etan Vlessing report on the potential impact overseas of a writers strike. Insiders say a shutdown could boost demand for more international fare, but with so many U.S. shows shooting overseas, physical production could grind to a halt: "[It would mean] sort of a forced vacation for a lot of us." The story.
—"I just didn’t understand how TV worked at all." THR's Lacey Rose interviews Bill Lawrence about recent projects Ted Lasso and Shrinking, along with his reaction to getting fired from Friends. The prolific producer revisits the ups, downs and biggest surprises of his long TV arc, including "the weirdest thing that ever happened to me" in Hollywood. The interview.
—"It's a good ending. I think it works." THR's Seija Rankin talks to Matthew Macfadyen about the fourth and final season of Succession. The actor, known for playing Tom Wambsgans on the HBO drama series, discusses the final set moments, in addition to the season's vulnerable scenes for his character. The interview.
In other news...
—Ali Wong and Steven Yeun on stepping into executive producer roles for road rage dramedy Beef
—Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial: The 9 most bizarre moments
—How Party Down pulled off that secret cameo in the revival's finale
What else we're reading...
—Zoe Williams explores how Netflix's erotic thriller Obsession takes sex to the next level [Guardian]
—Jaya Saxena writes that the George Foreman Grill inspires a complicated nostalgia [Eater]
—Bethy Squires attempts to define the so-called "Good for Her" cinematic universe, from Gone Girl to Cocaine Bear [Vulture]
—Heather Schwedel celebrates Gwyneth Paltrow for winning her memorable skiing trial in more ways than one [Slate]
—Laura Bradley examines why the Love Is Blind dead-plant cam is particularly brutal this season [Daily Beast]
Today...
Today's birthdays: David Oyelowo (47), Boots Riley (52), Barry Sonnenfeld (70), Mackenzie Davis (36), Asa Butterfield (26), Taran Killam (41), Ali MacGraw (84), Jane Adams (58), Anamaria Marinca (45), JJ Feild (45), Logan Paul (28), Tomas Alfredson (58), Albert Hughes (51), Deborah Kaplan (53) |
Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at tips@thr.com. |
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