Weekender: An Indie Film Turf War, Flaming Waymos and Zas' Revenge

View on web New reader? Subscribe June 14, 2025 Miss something this week? We’ve got you covered. The Hollywood Reporter smiles through the apocalypse with six of TV’s funniest men. Also in this week’s issue: Zaslav’s revenge, what's next for Weinstein and notes on a burning Waymo. Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at tips@thr.com. Battle of the Cool Kids  For the first time in years, there's a three-way brawl for the title of Hollywood’s ‘It’ indie outfit. Here's how Mubi is closing the gap with A24 and Neon. The report. The Comedy Actor Roundtable Adam Brody, Ted Danson, John Mulaney, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Julio Torres come together for an intimate and revealing conversation that proves it’s possible to be funny even when everything seems deadly serious. The roundtable. A Tale of Two Spinoffs Think of it as Richco vs. PoorCo. Comcast's Brian Roberts and WBD's David Zaslav are both racing to offload their ailing TV channels. But just one of the new SpinCos will be unburdened by billions in debt. The report. Plus, meet the notorious new CEO of Warners' PoorCo: An insider who works in what will become Gunnar Wiedenfels’ global networks company laments that by the time this deal closes, it will have spent a decade shuffling ownership from one entity to the next. Meanwhile, Zaslav gets his mogul moment by finally cutting the cord. A Netflix Theme Park? We’re In! The streamer has been steadily branching out into “experiential entertainment.” But if Ted Sarandos decides to take the leap into Netflix Land here are some humble suggestions for attractions. The story. Schwarzenegger Eyes Killer Role The White Lotus scene stealer covets Christian Bale’s old part in a remake of American Psycho but producers wonder if Patrick has the chops. Plus, infamous digital artist Beeple gets censored for “bullying” Trump and why the Hamptons are less crowded this summer. Rambling Reporter. Waiting for Britney  Jeff Weiss revisits the night nearly 20 years ago when Britney, Paris and Lindsay formed their troubled tabloid trinity at Hyde, the high-end Hollywood dive where paparazzi and pop culture history collided. An excerpt from his buzzy new book. Finally, Some Good News for L.A. Soapy, mobile-centric "verticals" have long been dismissed as impossibly low-brow. But for underemployed crews and actors, the rise of these productions has been a godsend. The report. Pride '25: Meet TV's Queer Pioneers Producing partners Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman got television’s first AIDS drama onto the airwaves. Fifteen years later they turned Showtime gay with Queer as Folk. The feature. Leighton Meester Is Everywhere With a slew of new projects — including NBC’s Good Cop/Bad Cop and an HBO series about clueless influencers — the 38-year-old actress is leaning into her second act and finally feeling “comfortable in my skin.” Spotlight. Governors Awards' Short List: 100 Names From auteurs to agents, craftspeople to cable networks — here's the case for 100 deserving recipients of the Film Academy’s honorary awards. The list. Apple's Music Chief Thinks This Is "Crazy" “As a company, we look at music as art, and we would never want to give away art for free,” Oliver Schusser says, suggesting that competing streamers devalue the art form for offering a free tier. Spotify begs to differ. Burning Questions About a Torched Waymo An eerie image from a recent L.A. protest may signal more than just anti-tech vandalism. Is the techlash officially here? The column. Plus: Juror tensions run high in Manhattan at the Harvey Weinstein trial.  THR's chief film critic thinks this is the summer’s most anticipated and buzziest non-tentpole movie: The Materialists. And finally, Happy Father's Day, here's an exclusive viewership story on what Dads watch, TV-wise.  ADVERTISEMENT This email was sent to punjabsvera@gmail.com by The Hollywood Reporter. Please add email@email.hollywoodreporter.com to your address book to ensure delivery to your inbox. Visit the Preferences Center to update your profile and customize what email alerts and newsletters you receive. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2025 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 11355 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90064 View in Browser | Privacy Policy | Your Privacy Rights | Ad Choices | Terms of Use | Unsubscribe