| | | | | | What's news: Harvey Weinstein will not testify as part of his criminal trial. Paramount Global says that it will add 3 new independent directors to its board. Netflix has poached Ollie Madden from Film4. The CW has renewed All American for an eighth, and final, season. Mark Hamill says he's done with Star Wars. — Abid Rahman
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Disney Lays Off Several Hundred Employees ►Brutal. Disney is laying off several hundred employees globally as part of cost-cutting measures. The impacted teams are employees working on marketing for both film and television, as well as TV publicity, casting and development and corporate financial operations, a source familiar with the matter confirms to THR . While individual employees from those teams are impacted, and were notified Monday, no team itself is being eliminated, the source said. In March, Disney cut just under 200 jobs at ABC News and at its Disney Entertainment Networks division due to economic headwinds facing the linear TV business. The cuts represented about 6 percent of the division’s workforce. This is part of Disney’s ongoing efficiency and cost-cutting measures, which were outlined in September. The company employs 233,000 people globally and 171,000 in the U.S., per its most recent annual report. The story.
—New faces. Paramount Global says that it will add three new independent directors to its board, asking shareholders to support the nominees at its upcoming annual meeting. In its proxy filing, Paramount said that attorney Mary Boies, former judge Roanne Sragow Licht and venture capitalist Charles Ryan have been nominated to join its board. The trio were nominated by the board’s governance committee, after being introduced to the board by “a non-management director and stockholder of the Company.” Paramount’s board has been light for the past year after four board members opted to step down at last year’s annual meeting, and with Charles Phillips exiting late last year. This year’s annual meeting gives the company a chance to freshen up the board, amid its ongoing legal battles with the Trump administration, and an FCC review over its takeover deal with Skydance Media. The story.
—Up for sale. Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group says that it has hired the investment bank Moelis & Company to market its local stations, which are comprised of 28 ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox affiliated stations in 21 markets. AMG owns stations in Honolulu, Hawaii; Madison, Wisconsin; Montgomery, Alabama; Flint, Michigan; and Tucson, Arizona, among other cities. The company says that it will use the cash generated from any sale to “significantly reduce” its outstanding debt. The company has had to undergo cuts over the last year or so as it has grappled with a rapidly changing media environment. In February, it refinanced its $100m revolving credit facility to give it more runway to execute. The story.
—🤝 Sold! 🤝 The management and production company 3 Arts Entertainment is expanding into sports, acquiring A&A Management in a significant deal for the Lionsgate-controlled company. A&A’s clients include Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce (as well as the New Heights podcast, which he co-hosts with brother Jason Kelce), Cleveland Browns star Denzel Ward, NBA star Jonathan Kuminga, and model and TV host Camille Kostek, among others. The firm was founded in 2011 by brothers Aaron and André Eanes to help athletes navigate their careers on and off the field, particularly with sports stars becoming among the most famous people in the world. The story.
—Consolidation. Mattel has combined its film and television efforts under a Mattel Studios banner headed by Robbie Brenner. Brenner, who most recently served as president of Mattel Films, has been elevated to president and chief content officer of Mattel Studios. At the studio, Jennifer Breslow will serve as head of television with Darian Lanzetta and Tom McNulty as senior executives, film. All will report to Brenner, who will continue to report to chairman and chief executive officer Ynon Kreiz. Breslow joins Mattel from Legendary Entertainment, where she acted as the evp of television and digital media. The story.
—Poached! Ollie Madden, director of Film4 and Channel 4 drama, will be leaving the broadcaster in October to become director of U.K. film at Netflix. Madden will be joining the Anne Mensah-led content team in early October. He will lead the streamer’s U.K. film slate and act as the primary U.K. contact for films on Dan Lin’s slate where the intellectual property, talent, and production are based in Britain. He will also develop a select portfolio of filmmaker-led series. The story.
—Upped. Hallmark Media has elevated John Matts to president, in a leadership change at the company that operates Hallmark Channel. Matts was most recently COO of Hallmark Media after joining as CFO in 2022. In his new role Matts will oversee advertising sales, culture, distribution, finance, research, and strategic insights, and will report to Hallmark Cards CEO Mike Perry. Darren Abbott, Hallmark’s chief brand officer and the top creative executive at the company, will continue in his role, reporting to Perry. The story. |
Jonathan Joss, 'King of the Hill' Voice Actor, Dies After Shooting ►Horrific. King of the Hill voice actor Jonathon Joss has died after a shooting outside his home in Texas. He was 59. Police were called to a home in San Antonio just after 7 p.m. on Sunday evening to respond to an apparent shooting. A suspect in the shooting, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, was detained, interviewed and later booked on a murder charge. Joss became known as the voice actor behind John Redcorn in the King of the Hill animated series and his role as Chief Ken Hotate in Parks and Recreation . On Monday, Joss’ husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, posted a detailed message on Facebook revealing the details of the shooting. He wrote that they were checking the mail at their former home — the one that burned down “after over two years of threats from people in the area who repeatedly told us they would set it on fire.” Kern de Gonzales added that the alleged shooter was "yelling violent homophobic slurs at us" before he opened fire. The story.
—Not happening. Harvey Weinstein will not testify as part of his criminal trial, though the former mogul wanted to take the stand. On May 29, Arthur Aidala, Weinstein’s attorney, told reporters Weinstein was “seriously contemplating” taking that stand, but that his team would make a “game-time decision.” The team confirmed Monday that he would not take the stand, as it opens up Weinstein to undue risk, but said that Weinstein had still wanted to share his side of the story. “He’s not hiding, and we’re not shielding him. He wants to testify, and we respect that. But the courtroom isn’t just about truth — it’s also strategy,” Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for Weinstein, told THR. The story.
—The latest. A former personal assistant who accuses Sean “Diddy” Combs of rape testified Monday that she continued sending the hip-hop mogul loving messages for years after her job ended in 2017 because she was “brainwashed.” The woman, testifying under the pseudonym “Mia,” pushed back at defense lawyer Brian Steel’s suggestions that she fabricated her claims to cash in on “the #MeToo money grab against Sean Combs.” Mia was on the witness stand for her third and final day at Comb’s federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan, which is in its fourth week of testimony. The story.
—"Tough to say goodbye but it’s been an honor to work among the very best in the business." CNN chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt, whose 2021 report portraying a U.S. Navy veteran as illegally exploiting Afghans was found to be defamatory earlier this year, is leaving the network. Marquardt has been among the centerpieces of CNN’s coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war. He was also the focus of a defamation lawsuit against the network from Zachary Young, who sued over a report saying that he charged Afghans exorbitant fees to be evacuated in the aftermath of the U.S. military withdrawal from the country. The story. |
Stars Back Federal Funding for LGBTQ Youth Suicide Prevention ►"Stripping away this lifeline leaves LGBTQ+ youth with the message that their lives are not worth saving." Ariana Grande, Pedro Pascal, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sabrina Carpenter and Daniel Radcliffe are among more than 100 Hollywood notables who signed an open letter, slamming the Trump administration’s proposal to cut funding for LGBTQ youth suicide prevention programs. Published by the nonprofit organization The Trevor Project, the celebrities are calling for Trump and Congress to “protect funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.” The letter.
—"Sixteen years, it’s a long time. It’s a long time to do anything." Marc Maron‘s WTF with Marc Maron Podcast is ending after 16 years. Maron announced the news on his Monday show, saying, “It’s nice to be able to end things on our own terms. We started the show on our terms. We grew it on our terms, and we’ll end it on our terms.” Maron and his producing partner Brendan McDonald made the decision together, he said, explaining that the pair behind the two-team groundbreaking podcast are simply burnt out. The story.
—No dice. And on that Monday episode of the WTF podcast, guest John Mulaney opened up about turning down the hosting gig for the 2024 Oscars. “Well, I was very flattered. They came to me, must have been last summer. And I knew Jimmy Kimmel wasn’t gonna do it. And they offered it,” Mulaney said. “And it was honestly that I had a lot going on. And it’s months and months of work.” THR had reported that the first outreach had gone to Kimmel, who’s already emceed the Academy Awards four times. But Kimmel ultimately said no, as he reportedly did hosting this year’s Emmy Awards, which also aired on ABC. Conan O’Brien went on to to host the 97th Academy Awards. The story. |
Gotham TV Awards 2025 ►🏆 Winning run begins. 🏆 Adolescence topped the 2025 Gotham TV Awards, sweeping the limited series categories and winning three of the four awards for which it was nominated. The four-episode series about a teenage boy accused of murder, which became a much-talked-about phenomenon shortly after its streaming debut in March, won breakthrough limited series and lead performance in a limited series (Stephen Graham) and tied for best supporting performance in a limited series (Owen Cooper). Jenny Slate tied with Cooper for the supporting prize, recognizing her performance in Dying for Sex, which was nominated for three awards. Breakthrough comedy series went to The Studio, while The Pitt won breakthrough drama series. The winners.
—🎭 Bring on the blood. 🎭 The Amazon Prime Video series based on Stephen King’s Carrie has filled out its core cast. Cult of Chucky actor Summer Howell is playing the title role in the drama, a teenager with newly emerging telekinetic abilities. The Pitt's Samantha Sloyan will star alongside Howell as Margaret White, Carrie’s domineering mother. Alison Thornton, Thalia Dudek, Siena Agudong, Amber Midthunder, Josie Totah, Arthur Conti, Joel Oulette and Matthew Lillard have also joined the cast. Prime Video ordered the series in April, with Mike Flanagan set as writer and showrunner. Flanagan has adapted several of King’s works in the past; in addition to The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep , he wrote the screenplays for The Life of Chuck and Gerald’s Game (teaming with Jeff Howard on the latter) and directed all three films. The story.
—End of an era. The CW has renewed its drama series All American for an eighth, and final, season. The pickup will make the series one of the longer-running shows in the network’s history — and also close the door on The CW’s previous era in terms of scripted programming. Season eight of All American will run for 13 episodes in the 2025-26 season. The series from Warner Bros. TV, Berlanti Productions and showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll will close its run with 132 episodes; its eight seasons will rank among the five longest-running scripted series in the network’s history (not counting seasons of UPN or The WB shows that aired prior to those networks merging to form The CW). The story. |
Cameron to Write Movie Based on 'The Devils' ►Taking a break from Pandora. James Cameron announced via Facebook on Monday that his production company Lightstorm Entertainment has acquired rights to author Joe Abercrombie’s best-selling novel The Devils that debuted last month. Cameron is set to write the script for the film adaptation with Abercrombie. The Devils is a dark fantasy epic centering on a special force of monsters enlisted to save Europe from a scourge of flesh-eating elves. Avatar: Fire and Ash, Cameron’s third film in his Avatar series, hits theaters Dec. 19. The fourth Avatar film has been dated for Dec. 21, 2029. The story.
—Circling. Amazon MGM Studios is in talks to acquire the feature adaptation of Split Fiction starring Sydney Sweeney. The package has Jon M. Chu attached to helm the movie based on the video game of the same name. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are writing the screenplay. Producers include Chu, Mike Goldberg and Dmitri M. Johnson. Sweeney is set to executive produce. The game Split Fiction hails from Hazelight Studios and Electronic Arts and debuted in March. Designed for split-screen play, it centers on authors Mio and Zoe, who get trapped in the world of their creations. Sweeney’s role has not yet been announced. The story.
—"I really think they should focus on the future and all the new characters." Don’t expect to see Luke Skywalker in any of the upcoming films Lucasfilm has planned — even as a spectral Force Ghost. Mark Hamill, who has appeared in five live-action Star Wars films and made de-aged cameos in The Mandalorian TV series, suggested that Skywalker’s run is over — and should be over. The comments come despite Lucasfilm developing a film that would be an obvious project for Skywalker to appear in — a Rise of Skywalker follow-up focused on Daisy Ridley’s Rey, who was Skywalker’s mentee in the sequel trilogy. The film from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy picks up roughly 15 years after the events in Skywalker and follows Rey’s efforts to build a new Jedi order. The story. |
Feinberg's Latest Emmy Predictions ►Edging closer. It's not long till the June 12 start of the nominations round of voting to determine this year’s Primetime Emmy nominees. THR's executive editor of awards coverage Scott Feinberg weighs in on dozens of categories. The forecast.
In other news...
—Emma Thompson set for Locarno Fest Leopard Club Award
—Karlovy Vary Fest sets 2025 lineup
—Donna Speciale to exit TelevisaUnivision, Tim Natividad named new ad sales chief
—Hailee Steinfeld marries Bills QB Josh Allen
—Steven Flynn, former Gramercy and Focus Features marketing exec, dies at 70
What else we're reading...
—Zak Cheney-Rice profiles Michael B. Jordan, with the actor discussing his recent stellar success and becoming a bona-fide movie star [Vulture]
—Martin Belam wonders why Ncuti Gatwa left Doctor Who so soon [Guardian]
—With Jesse Armstrong's Mountainhead, Charlie Warzel writes that tech bros have ascended to movie-villain status [Atlantic]
—Danya Issawi talks to Tesla drivers who know that people are judging them [The Cut]
—Erin Mulvaney, Emily Glazer, C. Ryan Barber and Josh Dawsey have an indepth report on the backlash faced by the law firms that capitualated to Trump [WSJ]
Today...
...in 2001, HBO introduced a new drama, Six Feet Under, during the 10 p.m. hour on Sundays. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Imogen Poots (36), James Purefoy (61), Michelle Keegan (38), Suzi Quatro (75), Jason Jones (52), Anderson Cooper (58), Josh Segarra (39), Alison Oliver (28), Penelope Wilton (79), Louis Hofmann (28), Louis Partridge (22), Suzie Plakson (67), Nikki M. James (44), Bill Paterson (80), Anita Harris (83), Lalaine (38), Zayne Emory (27), Amar Chadha-Patel (39), John Hodgman (54), Tate Taylor (56), Chase Mattson (31), Maddison Jaizani (30), John Rothman (76), Pico Alexander (34), Nassim Lyes (37), Tony Giglio (54), Rebecca Callard (50), Sebastian Armesto (43), Annie the Clumsy (35), Rhea Norwood (24) |
| Joanne Gilbert, the actress and singer who performed in the hottest nightclubs of her era and appeared alongside José Ferrer in the films The Great Man and The High Cost of Loving, has died. She was 92. The obituary. |
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