| | | | | | What's news: The MPA has slammed OpenAI over its Sora 2 tool ripping off studio IP. Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez has been charged with a felony following a stabbing incident. Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning are set to star in Paramount+ series Discretion. Amazon has renewed Ballard. And Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez had a surprise reunion at the Kiss of the Spider Woman premiere. — Abid Rahman
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THR's Most Powerful Women in International TV 2025 ►Transformational times. The international television industry has rarely faced a moment as unsettled as it does in 2025. Streaming consolidation, soaring production costs and the rapid rise of AI have forced executives to rethink business models and creative strategies. At the same time, political headwinds — from the rollback of diversity programs in the U.S. to battles over public funding in Europe — have tested the resilience of an industry built on inclusivity and storytelling. For the women on THR's 2025 list of the Most Powerful Women in International Television challenge and transformation go hand in hand. From Lagos to London, Munich to Mumbai, these executives are not only navigating upheaval but shaping what comes next. The list. |
Tech Firm Unveils AI-Generated Music Video Hosts ►Tilly Norwood was only the beginning. FastStream Interactive, a group that designs tech for interactive TV channels, on Tuesday unveiled its new line of AI-generated TV presenters. The computer-generated images will be placed on FastStream’s interactive TV music channel, ROXi, mimicking MTV-style presenters by introducing musicians and clips. The interactive free-TV channel airs on Nextgen TV in 31 markets in the U.S., including in Washington DC, Seattle and Las Vegas, via broadcast partners Sinclair and Grey, as well as on Sky services in the U.K. and Ireland. Investors in FastStream include Sinclair and Gray Media, U2 bassist Adam Clayton, former U2 manager Paul McGuinness, Simon Cowell, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Terra Firma founder Guy Hands, and British billionaire businessman Jim Mellon. The story.
—Is Hollywood’s top lobbying group stepping off the sidelines? In a strongly worded statement from the normally measured Motion Picture Association, CEO Charles Rivkin called on OpenAI to take steps to protect IP in its latest product, Sora 2, an invite-only app that allows users to place themselves in hyperrealistic clips trained on major studios’ IP. “Since Sora 2’s release, videos that infringe our members’ films, shows, and characters have proliferated on OpenAI’s service and across social media,” Rivkin stated. “While OpenAI clarified it will ‘soon’ offer rightsholders more control over character generation, they must acknowledge it remains their responsibility – not rightsholders’ – to prevent infringement on the Sora 2 service. OpenAI needs to take immediate and decisive action to address this issue. Well-established copyright law safeguards the rights of creators and applies here.” The story.
—"It’s NOT what he’d want." Robin Williams‘ daughter, Zelda Williams, is slamming fans who send her AI-generated videos of her late father. Zelda Williams, who directed Lisa Frankenstein, took to her Instagram Story on Monday, asking people to “just stop sending me AI videos of Dad.” “Stop believing I wanna see it or that I’ll understand, I don’t and I won’t,” she wrote. “If you’re just trying to troll me, I’ve seen way worse, I’ll restrict and move on. But please, if you’ve got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It’s dumb, it’s a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it’s NOT what he’d want.” The story. |
Fox Sports Analyst Charged Following Stabbing Incident ►The latest. Mark Sanchez, a Fox Sports analyst and former NFL quarterback, has now been charged with a felony following a stabbing incident in Indianapolis over the weekend that left him injured. During a press conference on Monday with Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Chris Bailey, Mears announced that Sanchez was facing a level 5 felony battery resulting in serious bodily injury charge. The new charge carries a potential sentence of up to six years in prison. Sanchez was initially facing misdemeanor charges — for alleged battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication — but once they learned more about the victim’s current medical condition, Mears said “it became clear to us that additional charges needed to be filed.” The story.
—Power chat. Andy Cohen plans to interview Howard Stern this week, as contract negotiations at SiriusXM continue. The interview with Stern and Cohen, who is also part of the SiriusXM family, comes after months of speculation about Stern’s contract at the satellite radio empire and the impact on the company should he leave. Speaking at an event for advertisers in New York Monday, SiriusXM leaders say they are interested in keeping Stern, while also pointing to its full bench of talent in podcasting and radio, including Cohen, Alex Cooper and more. The story.
—🤝 Carriage deal. 🤝 While a legal fight over his last media venture continues, Dr. Phil McGraw has locked in a carriage deal that will help his next one reach potential viewers. Envoy TV, a cable and streaming outlet that McGraw announced in July — two weeks after his Merit Street Media filed for bankruptcy protection and sued its distribution partner, Trinity Broadcasting — has signed a distribution deal with Charter Communications. The agreement will bring Envoy TV to Charter’s video customers, including in big markets New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas-Fort Worth, the latter of which is McGraw’s and Envoy’s home base. The story. |
Bennifer Reunite at 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' Premiere ►Third time's a charm? Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez had a surprise reunion at the Kiss of the Spider Woman premiere in New York on Monday night. The former couple not only posed for photos on the red carpet together, but Affleck also praised Lopez’s performance in the Bill Condon-directed film ahead of the film’s screening. The red carpet reunion came as a surprise, as Affleck and Lopez finalized their divorce earlier this year. They initially tied the knot in July 2022, but Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024, with the filing noting the couple had separated more than a year prior. The stars also previously dated in the early 2000s and had gotten engaged then, but they split before making it down the aisle, blaming in part the pressure of the public eye at the time. The story.
—Rings of power. Movies have the Oscars, TV has the Emmys, music has the Grammys, so why can’t one of the world’s largest social platforms get into the awards game? Instagram, the Meta-owned photo and video platform, is launching Instagram Rings, a new program meant to celebrate the creativity of its more than three billion monthly active users. But of those three billion users, only 25 will receive Rings, with the honorees getting both a physical ring designed by the acclaimed English fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner, as well as a unique digital golden ring for their Instagram profile and stories. The story.
—Toning it down. In an effort to cut down on noise pollution from suddenly blaring advertisements on, say, Netflix or Disney+, California legislators have passed a law to mandate that the noise level of commercials is at the same level as the movie or TV series being streamed. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill, SB 576, that had been shepherded by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) through the legislative process. It had passed unanimously on the Senate and Assembly floor earlier this month in Sacramento. The passage means that, starting on July 1 of next year, major streaming services won’t be able to “transmit the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the video content the advertisements accompany,” the bill’s text reads. The story. |
Paramount+ Lands Kidman, Fanning Drama 'Discretion' ►🎭 Kidman strikes again! 🎭 Paramount+ has made its first big series pickup under its new leadership, landing a legal thriller called Discretion with the ever-busy Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning set to star and executive produce. The streamer won a bidding war for the project, which comes from A24 and has only been on the market for a few weeks, with a straight-to-series order. The pickup is the first major green light for new Paramount streaming boss Cindy Holland, the former Netflix executive who joined the company after the Skydance merger closed, and Paramount+ head of originals Jane Wiseman. Discretion is based on a short story by best-selling author Chandler Baker, who will also write the adaptation. The eight-episode season is set to begin production next year. The story.
—Fitting tribute. Jim Downey may have been fired from Saturday Night Live — twice — but he is still the most legendary writer in show history. On Oct. 17, Downey will finally get the documentary his career deserves. Debuting on Peacock, the hourlong special Downey Wrote That will dive into “the sketches, contributions and enduring influence of one of the most impactful comedy writers in the history of Saturday Night Live,” the logline reads, going on to call Downey “the show’s behind-the-scenes comedic architect for over three decades.” On SNL , Downey has written countless classic lines and shaped just as many characters. He is also known as the guy who wrote all of those O.J. Simpson jokes with and for Norm MacDonald. He has won five Emmys, including for his writing on the SNL50 anniversary special. The story.
—Ever expanding. The Bosch universe will keep unfolding at Amazon Prime Video with a second season of Ballard. The streamer has picked up the series, which stars Maggie Q as the title character, LAPD Detective Renée Ballard. The renewal comes three months after Ballard premiered as a binge release in July. Like Bosch and Bosch: Legacy, Ballard is based on novels by Michael Connelly, who also executive produces. Maggie Q’s Renée Ballard leads the LAPD’s cold case unit while fighting for respect within the department. Season one also stars Courtney Taylor, Michael Mosley, Rebecca Field, Victoria Moroles, Amy Hill and John Carroll Lynch. The story.
—Heading to the small screen. Robin Stevens’ YA book series Murder Most Unladylike is being adapted for television by StudioCanal Television, Strong Film + Television and Unladylike Productions. The TV series will be written by Anna McCleery, with James Strong on board as the show’s primary director. The Murder Most Unladylike TV series will consist of six 45-minute episodes and will follow the adventures of two schoolgirls in 1930s England solving their murders. There are a dozen books in the main series as well as a three-book spin off series — counting all of them, the books have sold more than 3m copies worldwide. The story. |
Feinberg Forecast: Scott's Updates as Race Enters October ►We want Sensei! THR's executive editor of awards coverage Scott Feinberg offers his latest take on 12 categories as awards season kicks into high gear. Since the last Feinberg Forecast, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) was released in theaters and began dominating the awards conversation. Scott writes that with rave reviews for OBAA (it is at 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) and promising grosses (it has already crossed the $100m mark worldwide), if also a high bar to actually become profitable (its budget, pre-marketing, was apparently $130m), it is now neck-and-neck with — and probably even slightly ahead of — Hamnet (Focus), Sinners (Warners) and Sentimental Value (Neon) at the top of the best picture race. The forecast.
—"Visually astounding and the NIN tracks go so hard." Disney’s sci-fi action movie Tron: Ares had its starry world premiere in Los Angeles. Full critics reviews for the third entry in the Tron film franchise officially drop later this morning, but early reaction to the feature has already hit social media — and the consensus seems to be the film is visually spectacular, in particular on Imax screens, and features an all-timer soundtrack from Nine Inch Nails. The reaction.
—"You can’t control box office results." Dwayne Johnson remains proud that he took a swing with The Smashing Machine. Hitting theaters over the weekend, writer-director Benny Safdie's A24 feature centers on Johnson’s portrayal of UFC Hall of Famer Mark Kerr as he navigates his fighting career and opioid addiction. The film, which carries awards season aspirations, collected $6m in its opening frame, marking the lowest box office debut in Johnson’s career. The star took to Instagram on Monday to express his appreciation for his involvement with the project, despite the muted commercial response. The story. |
'One Battle After Another' Draws Fire From Conservatives ►"2025’s most irresponsible movie." Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another is, as the refrain goes on social media, “the movie of the year.” Given that the film is also intensely political — telling the tale of a burned out revolutionary who endeavors to save his daughter from a white nationalist military officer — it’s perhaps surprising there hasn’t been more noise so far from those on the right. The film opens with a celebratory raid on an ICE facility to free detainees, and shows government agents coldly executing unarmed suspects. Still, some prominent conservative figures including Ben Shapiro, David Marcus and writers at The Blaze and National Review have slammed OBAA as it may potentially inspire left-wing violence. The story.
—Channeling Pynchon's preoccupations. Thomas Pynchon is one of the 20th century’s most lauded authors, but he may also be the least read and most misunderstood of the great American writers. Paul Thomas Anderson’s dense action thriller One Battle After Another is only loosely based on Pynchon's Vineland, but an oddball clandestine secret society and the creeping dread of encroaching oppression are straight from the author's oeuvre, writes THR's Kevin Dolak. The story. |
Timothée Chalamet Spent Years Secretly Training for 'Marty Supreme' ►"This is who I was before I had a career." In their first interviews about the new A24 feature Marty Supreme, Timothée Chalamet and filmmaker Josh Safdie talk to THR's David Canfield about the hotly anticipated film and go deep on making an American epic out of, yes, table tennis. The interview.
—"Marty Supreme aka One Paddle After Another: cannot believe we got two American movies this good back to back." Surprise! Marty Supreme had its world premiere at the 2025 New York Film Festival on Monday night and after the unexpected screening the early reaction started hitting social media. And judging by the surprise premiere of the film, which has its official theatrical release on Dec. 25, the hype train has shot out of the station. The reaction. |
Film Review: 'Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost' ►"Personal and poignant." THR's Daniel Fienberg reviews Ben Stiller's Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost. Premiering at the New York Film Festival before its Apple TV+ debut, the film sees the director celebrating his famous mom (Anne Meara) and dad (Jerry Stiller) and pondering how he learned — or failed to learn — from them. The review.
In other news...
—Netflix's South African crime drama Bad Influencer gets action-packed trailer
—Dua Lipa brings must-see Radical Optimism Tour to L.A.’s Kia Forum
—Shannon Buck joins Paramount as head of comms for direct to consumer
—Former PayPal CEO to lead Verizon
—Creator Bailey Sarian signs with UTA
What else we're reading...
—Jessica Bennett goes inside Wendy Williams' attempts to leave a high-end dementia facility [The Cut]
—WaPo has an interesting look at how TikTok keeps its users scrolling for hours a day [WaPo]
—Matteo Wong talks to Avi Schiffmann, the "most reviled tech CEO in New York" about the furious reaction to his Friend AI pendant [Atlantic]
—Kelsey McKinney reflects on the variant heavy consumerist roll out for Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl, and posits that "no good art comes from greed" [Defector]
—Victor Tangermann reports that Taylor Swift fans are furious after she was caught using AI slop in a video for her new album [Futurism]
Today...
...in 2011, IFC Midnight released Tom Six's The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) in theaters. The body horror sequel created as much controversy as the infamous first film and was heavily censored in many markets. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Joy Behar (83), Simon Cowell (66), Omar Benson Miller (47), Jamie Hector (50), Andrew Dominik (58), Tang Wei (46), Flying Lotus (42), Thom Yorke (57), Toni Braxton (58), Dylan Baker (66), Nicole Ari Parker (55), Holland Roden (39), Lulu Wilson (20), Shawn and Aaron Ashmore (46), Kira Kosarin (28), Jake McLaughlin (43), Amber Stevens West (39), Hattie Morahan (47), Aria Shahghasemi (29), Judy Landers (67), Nicole Maines (28), Brandon Quinn (48), Anthony Lemke (55), Joe Armstrong (47), Allison Munn (51), Jill Larson (78), Mary Badham (73), Tony Way (47), Omar Banana (31), Tim Minchin (50), Sabrina Grdevich (55), Andy Bean (41), Numan Acar (51), Stephanie Styles (34), Yvonne Chapman (37), Bobbie Jean Brown (56) |
| John Woodvine, the British actor who had a long career on the stage and played a doctor in An American Werewolf in London, died Monday, his agent, Phil Belfield, announced. He was 96. The obituary. |
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