| | | | | | What's news: Cassie Ventura gave harrowing evidence about the "freak off" parties at Diddy's trial. Robert De Niro slammed Trump on the opening night of Cannes. ESPN's streaming service will cost $29.99 per month. A CoComelon movie is in the works. Miramax has acquired remake rights to Thai hit How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies. — Abid Rahman
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Robert Benton 1932 - 2025 ►Three-time Oscar winner. Robert Benton, the much-admired screenwriter turned director who co-wrote Bonnie and Clyde and received a pair of Academy Awards for his work on the best picture winner Kramer vs. Kramer, has died. He was 92. Benton died Sunday at his home in Manhattan. Benton captured a third Oscar for his screenplay for Places in the Heart (1984), an autobiographical saga based on his grandmother’s hard experiences during the Depression in Texas. He received yet another Oscar nomination for his direction of that drama, and he was nominated for his screenplays for Bonnie and Clyde (1967) — one of the fruits of his partnership with David Newman — The Late Show (1977) and Nobody’s Fool (1994). He helmed the last two as well. The obituary. |
Inside the Complicated Life of Weinstein's Key Accuser ►Anonymous no more. For THR, Phoebe Eaton writes that Harvey Weinstein's trial for sex crimes in Manhattan may hinge on the testimony of a recently revealed accuser, Kaja Sokola, a Polish ex-model who claims Weinstein sexually assaulted her when she was 16. The story.
—"I’m not on trial here!" In Tuesday’s cross-examination of Kaja Sokola, one of the three accusers in the trial against Weinstein, the former mogul’s defense team sought to use a journal she had kept in 2015 against her. The appearance of the journal, which Sokola said was related to treatment she had undergone for alcohol abuse and which was brought forward by her sister from Poland after a subpoena was issued against her, led to Sokola calling its unveiling “very inappropriate” and “unethical.” “I’m not on trial here!” Sokola said, raising her voice. The story.
—The latest. Sean “Diddy” Combs’ so-called “freak-offs” were described at length during his sex trafficking and racketeering trial in New York on Tuesday by Cassie Ventura, his ex-girlfriend and the woman whose civil complaint launched a federal investigation into the rap mogul that led to his arrest on a five-count indictment where she is named as “Victim-1.” Speaking from the witness stand, Ventura also provided the context behind the infamous video of Combs attacking her in a hotel hallway, revealing that she was fleeing a “freak-off” that suddenly turned violent. She told the court that back in March 2016, she had her first big movie premiere coming up and beforehand had told Combs that she was eager to do a freak-off but was worried about “wrecking” her body before the event. At the hotel, she recalled to the court, she was suddenly punched in the eye by Combs, bruising her face; at this point, she fled the room while he was “in the bathroom or on the phone.” Jurors viewed for a fifth time in two days the video footage of the horrific beating that followed. The story. |
THR Lands 58 SoCal Journalism Noms ►Yay us! THR landed 58 nominations for the 67th SoCal Journalism Awards, including best website and three journalist of the year finalists. Gary Baum was nominated for best print journalist (over 50,000 circulation), James Hibberd is up for best online journalist tied to an organization, and Mesfin Fekadu will compete for best entertainment journalist. In addition, THR’s critics — Daniel Fienberg, Jon Frosch, Lovia Gyarkye, Angie Han and David Rooney — all received nominations. The story.
—🤝 Expanding deal. 🤝 YouTube will stream an NFL game worldwide, for free, in a significant expansion of the video platform’s relationship with the football league. YouTube and the NFL say that the platform will stream the week one international game, which will be held Friday Sept. 5 and take place in São Paulo, Brazil. The Los Angeles Chargers will play in the game, with their opponent to be revealed Wednesday. The game will be the first free exclusive NFL game to stream on YouTube, which has the rights to the premium out-of-market NFL Sunday Ticket package. As the NFL has pursued deals with new streaming partners, it has prioritized scale and reach, and no streaming platform has the scale or reach of YouTube, which counts well north of one billion users. The story.
—Sticker shock. ESPN pulled back the curtain on its long-awaited direct-to-consumer streaming service Tuesday, planning a fall launch at $29.99 per month, or $35.99 for a bundle that will include Disney+ and Hulu. The service, which will be called ESPN, will live inside a completely redesigned ESPN app. ESPN is also launching a promotional launch price of $29.99 for the bundle of all three services for the first 12 months. In connection with the launch, ESPN will rebrand ESPN+ as ESPN select, and will still cost $11.99. The story.
—🤝 Sold! 🤝 CAA Sports has acquired the international sports management firm Portas Consulting to bolster its strategy advice and services for its sports world clients. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the sports division of CAA will bring on board Portas Consulting executive chairman and founder David Portas, managing partner Donal McElwee and around 160 staffers to join a rebranded CAA Portas division. The story.
—Meh. Sony Pictures Entertainment’s operating income for the full fiscal year ended March 31 fell 4 percent to $774m from $808m in dollar terms for the comparable period a year before, with FY sales dipping 4 percent to $9.90b from $10.32b. In the fiscal fourth quarter, SPE saw income increase over the previous quarter, rising over 70 percent to $354m from $208m. Revenue for Q4 was relatively flat, falling slightly to $2.73b from $2.74b. Top SPE film performers in the FY period were Venom 3 ($479m), Bad Boys 4 ($405m), the scandal-plagued It Ends With Us ($351m) and Garfield ($235m). The results. |
Disney's Upfront Goes Big on Sports ►"Glen Powell, what are you doing here?" Day two of upfronts, saw Disney take center stage. THR's Mikey O'Connell reports that Disney CEO Bob Iger opened a tight presentation that put an emphasis on trailers, franchises and the Manning brothers. The story.
—Ermmm... Jimmy Kimmel typically doesn’t pull many punches in his annual appearance/roast at Disney’s upfront, but his monologue Tuesday carried something of an existential edge. “I might not see you again. This could be it,” the Jimmy Kimmel Live host told the audience of ad buyers in New York. “… I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know a lot of you over the last 23 years — and I also know that many of you are worried that AI might take your jobs. But I don’t think it will. I don’t believe a computer — even the most powerful computer — will ever be able to do what you do. And you know why? Because no computer wants to do what you do. Your jobs suck. Every year, our audience gets smaller, and we tell you it’s bigger, and we want more for less. It’s exhausting, I know. We are annoying and unreasonable, and you have shitty jobs because of it." The story.
—🎭 Jessica Jones is back! 🎭 Krysten Ritter is reprising her role of the superhero-turned-private eye, entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe by being cast in season two of Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again. Ritter starred as Jones in the eponymous Netflix series in the mid-2010s. The series and actress generated considerable acclaim and awards at the time and is considered a highlight during the Netflix era of Marvel television. Season two of Born Again will pick up after the cliffhanger of season one, in which crime lord Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) violently consolidated power, leading Matt Murdock (Cox) to go underground and begin reaching out to allies to resist Fisk and his anti-vigilante task force. Jones will be part of that group of allies. The story.
—🎭 Two more 🎭 Ryan Murphy has found his Jackie Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. for his American Love Story anthology spinoff for FX. Naomi Watts will play Jackie Kennedy and newcomer Paul Kelly will fill the role of her son, JFK Jr. Sarah Pidgeon was earlier announced to play Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. American Love Story will chart the whirlwind courtship and marriage of JFK Jr. and Bessette-Kennedy. The story.
—Renewed faith. Angel Studios has renewed Homestead: The Series for a second season — which also means season one is actually going to be finished. Homestead: The Series, a continuation of Angel’s Homestead film, stars Bailey Chase, Charles Esten, Dawn Oliveri, Jill Wagner and Jesse Hutch. The second season will continue to follow the residents of the titular Homestead as they navigate new threats, internal conflicts, and the ongoing struggle to rebuild in a fractured world. Homestead: The Series, which streams on Angel's website and mobile app, is directed by Ben Smallbone and produced by Ben Kasica and Andrea Royer. The story.
—Swiped! The CW has nabbed two seasons of Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, with the 10-episode rookie season to premiere this fall. The Toronto-shot crime drama starring Aden Young and Kathleen Munroe is based on Dick Wolf’s classic format. The show follows elite detectives investigating murder and other high profile crime cases in Canada’s biggest city, and their investigative skills are showcased through psychological tactics, with a focus on the motives and actions of criminals being pursued. The story. |
Franco, Brie and WME Hit With Idea Theft Suit Over 'Together' ►Copycat case. The producers and distributor behind Together have been sued for allegedly stealing the idea for the upcoming body horror romance and surprise Sundance hit. In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, StudioFest claims Dave Franco and Alison Brie turned down an offer for them to star in Better Half, a 2023 movie it financed and owns the rights to, with the aim of crafting a copycat film alongside another WME client, Michael Shanks. Both works explore a supernatural encounter that leads to a couple seeing their bodies fused together. In a statement, WME said the lawsuit is “frivolous and without merit.” It added, “The facts in this case are clear and we plan to vigorously defend ourselves.” The story.
—🤝 Snapped up! 🤝 Miramax has acquired remake rights to the Thai hit How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, setting the stage for an English-language adaptation of Southeast Asia’s most talked-about film of the past year. Directed by Pat Boonnitipat and produced by Bangkok-based powerhouse GDH 559, the original film became a sensation across Asia following its release in April 2024, earning over $55m at the international box office. It was also the first Thai film to be shortlisted for the Academy Awards. In the U.S., the film premiered at the New York Asian Film Festival and was widely praised by critics, earning a 98 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The story.
—Game, set, action! Tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams and half-sister Isha Price are set to executive produce a film adaptation of The Match, a book about an unlikely athletic pairing of a Jewish woman and a Black woman at the 1956 Wimbledon tennis tournament. Nonnas screenwriter Liz Maccie will turn The Match book into a feature film. The feature will tell the story of Black tennis player Althea Gibson and Angela Buxton, who was Jewish, who both overcame the prevailing racism in the U.K. and changed the face of the game by winning the ladies’ doubles trophy at Wimbledon. Gibson then went on to win the ladies singles title at Wimbledon in 1957, and also formed a lifelong friendship with Buxton. The story.
—JJ's coming too. The children’s animation phenomenon CoComelon is set for the feature treatment after touring with a live production and drawing a big following on streaming platforms. Moonbug Entertainment, the company behind the hit preschool show, and Flywheel Media have greenlit an animated CoComelon feature film with Universal Pictures to release the movie in theaters in 2027. The CoComelon franchise centers on JJ and his best friends as they navigate and celebrate preschoolers’ special life milestones. The story.
—🎭 Siriusly Mads. 🎭 Mads Mikkelsen is set to star in the action thriller Sirius, the directorial debut of Oscar-winning editor Lee Smith, who is best known for his collaborations with director Christopher Nolan, including Interstellar and Dunkirk. The Arctic-set project is inspired by the real-life Sirius Patrol, the Danish special forces unit charged with defending Greenland’s 8,700-mile frozen coastline. Tony Mosher penned the screenplay. Smith is also known for his collaborations with Sam Mendes (Empire of Light) and Peter Weir (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World). The story. |
'Andor' Creator on Series Finale's Biggest Moves and 'Rogue One' Links ►"Hopefully I was ending on something that was upbeat, as it was important for me to do that." THR's James Hibberd spoke to Andor creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy about the final batch of three episodes of the critically-acclaimed Disney+ series. Gilroy answers some burning questions about the final ever episode (sobs!). Warning: Spoilers! The interview.
—"I knew a lot of people were talking about whether we had a way of [bringing him back]. But I didn’t want to have that sort of coincidental environment." James also spoke to Gilroy about other aspects of Andor's two seasons, including why Andy Serkis' prison breakout leader and Cassian’s sister never returned. Warning: Spoilers! The interview. |
12 Times the Palme d’Or Was Awarded to the Wrong Film ►Read THR's Cannes Film Festival day 2 digital daily here.
—Sacre bleu! Soderbergh over Spike? The Son’s Room instead of Mulholland Drive? No love for Truffaut or Varda? THR's Patrick Brzeski and Scott Roxborough write that, by and large, the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or, the world's most prestigious prize in cinema, lands in the right hands — but not always. The list.
—"America’s Philistine president." Robert De Niro, in Cannes to receive an honorary Palme d’Or during Tuesday night’s glitzy opening ceremony, used his time in the spotlight to defend democracy and take aim at America’s commander in chief. “In my country, we are fighting like hell for the democracy we once took for granted. That affects all of us here, because art is the crucible that brings people together, like tonight. Art looks for truth. Art embraces diversity. That’s why art is a threat. That’s why we are a threat to autocrats and fascists,” he said to applause inside the Grand Lumiére theater with Leonardo DiCaprio standing over his shoulder. The story.
—Having a blast. Once upon a time in Cannes … Quentin Tarantino had a night to remember. The Oscar winning auteur turned up at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday night to attend the opening ceremony at the Grand Lumiére Theatre, where he had official duties to proclaim the start of the 12-day event. “It’s my honor to declare the 78th festival open!” Tarantino shouted into the microphone. With that, his only job was done. The story.
More from Cannes 2025...
—Jackie Chan’s The Shadow’s Edge sells wide
—Fatih Akin’s Amrum sells wide ahead of festival bow
—Hong Sangsoo’s What Does That Nature Say to You closes key sales |
Film Review: 'Leave One Day' ►"Both catchy and predictable." THR's Jordan Mintzer reviews Amélie Bonnin's Leave One Day. French singer Juliette Armanet toplines this year's Cannes Film Festival opener, about a celebrity chef who returns home to help out at her parents’ roadside restaurant. The review.
—"An intriguing drama that lacks an emotional charge." Jordan reviews Robin Campillo's Enzo. This Cannes Directors' Fortnight opener was the final project from Palme d’Or winner Laurent Cantet (The Class) but was directed by Campillo (BPM) after Cantet fell gravely ill prior to the shoot. The review.
—"There's death in the old series yet." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky's Final Destination Bloodlines. Death rears its ugly head again in this new entry in the hit horror franchise, which features the final screen appearance from Tony Todd. The review. |
TV Review: 'Duster' ►"Not much depth, but star power and ersatz grooviness." THR's chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg reviews Max's Duster. Creators J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan go back to 1972 for a car-loving thriller about a driver and an FBI agent targeting a Phoenix kingpin. Starring Josh Holloway, Rachel Hilson, Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg, Camille Guaty, Asivak Kootachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez and Benjamin Charles Watson. The review.
In other news...
—Madden: First-look at John Madden movie starring Nicolas Cage and Christian Bale revealed
—Bob Odenkirk brings his work with him on vacation in Nobody 2 trailer
—Kim Kardashian plays hardball divorce lawyer in Ryan Murphy’s All’s Fair legal drama trailer
What else we're reading...
—Natan Odenheimer and Ronen Bergman report that some Israeli military officials have privately concluded that Palestinians in Gaza face widespread starvation [NYT]
—Eliza Collins, Rebecca Ballhaus and Corinne Ramey report that Trump has upended the presidential pardons process, setting off a scramble among those seeking clemency [WSJ]
—Brian Stelter reports that MAGA media stars are bashing Trump for the brazen Qatar plane gift [CNN]
—With pricey stadium concerts more popular than they have ever been, Kyndall Cunningham writes that they are increasingly becoming the worst summer hang [Vox]
—Ben Lindbergh is so thankful Andor avoided giving Emperor Palpatine any screen time [Ringer]
Today...
...in 2010, Fox Searchlight Pictures released Just Wright in theaters. Sanaa Hamri's sports rom-com starred Queen Latifah and Common and made over $20m at the box office. The original review.
Today's birthdays: George Lucas (81), Cate Blanchett (56), Robert Zemeckis (73), David Byrne (73), Nava Mau (33), Tim Roth (64), Miranda Cosgrove (32), Sofia Coppola (54), Amber Tamblyn (42), Danny Huston (63), Siân Phillips (🏴92), Greg Davies (🏴57), Lina Esco (40), Natasha Ryan (55), Camila Sodi (39), Gabriel Mann (53), Francesca Annis (80), Jim Howick (46), Alexandra Park (36), Deanne Bray (54), McKaley Miller (29), London Brown (44), Juno Rinaldi (48), Ada Nicodemou (48), Kelly Gale (30), Anjelah Johnson-Reyes (43), Carla Jimenez (51), Nancy Sorel (61), Jane Brucker (67), Woody McClain (36), Sasha Spielberg (35), Lyric Lewis (40) |
| Steve Pepoon, who received an Emmy for writing an episode of The Simpsons as a freelancer, worked on other TV comedies like It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, ALF and Roseanne and co-created The Wild Thornberrys, has died. He was 68. The obituary. |
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