| | | | | | What's news: ABC could lose up to $30m after pulling The Bachelorette. Erin Barrier has been named svp of comms for Walt Disney Studios. Starz has cut 7 percent of its workforce. A Minecraft theme park is set to open outside London. And Kevin Hart will be the next celeb to be roasted on Netflix. — Abid Rahman
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'Project Hail Mary' Blasts Off to $141M WW ►First man. Original stories finding their way to the big screen are thriving at the early 2026 box office. Defying all the odds, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, blasted off with a domestic launch of $80.6m — the best showing of the year so far, in addition to setting a new best for Amazon MGM Studios. The news was just as good overseas, where the sci-fi epic collected $60.4m overseas from more than 80 markets — it placed No.1 in 60 — for a global launch of $141m, which is likely the best start of 2026 so far for a Hollywood title.
THR's Pamela McClintock writes that PHM is a notable win for Amazon as it tries once again to become a full-fledged major Hollywood studio. And its successful handling of the film couldn’t be more perfect timing as Paramount Skydance prepares to merge with Warner Bros., a deal that has left many in Hollywood reeling over massive job losses and concern over fewer movies getting made that stray outside the bounds of proven franchises.
Then comes along PHM to upend the prevailing theory that the multiplex has become the dominion of sequels, threequels and endless franchise installments. Case in point: PHM joins Oppenheimer in becoming only the second non-sequel or non-franchise installment of the past decade to open to $80m or more domestically.
PHM was looking at a debut of $50m-$60m heading into the weekend, but quickly went into hyperdrive when both critics and audiences embraced the warm-hearted, adventure-action movie with rave reviews and out-of-this-world audience polls — including an A CinemaScore, near-perfect PostTrak exits and a 96 audience ranking on Rotten Tomatoes (the critics score is 95 percent). The box office report. |
How Chuck Norris Created the Manosphere ►"The hyperbolic claims about his strength are funny in their own right. But they were a lot more than that." Chuck Norris died last week at 86. Mostly obituaries dutifully cited the three acts his long career: Martial artist, action movie star and finally TV and pop culture icon through Walker, Texas Ranger. THR's Steven Zeitchik writes that Norris' career had an underdiscussed fourth act, and it shaped an era that only intensifies today. It started with those Chuck Norris Facts. The column.
—Brutal. Starz is reorienting itself in its post-Lionsgate era and making a notable round of layoffs. The company cut 7 percent of its workforce on Friday in what has been described as a shifting of resources across the Jeffrey Hirsch-led company. In its latest 10-K filing as of last June, Starz had 541 employees, which means the latest round of layoffs is impacting less than 40 staffers. The company, vulnerable to cord-cutting and a decline in linear TV households, has embarked on an expansion effort pitching itself to Wall Street as a pure-play streaming brand. The story.
—Upped. Disney veteran Erin Barrier is moving up at the company, where she has been named svp of communications for The Walt Disney Studios. In her new role, Barrier will oversee global communications strategy across the company’s sprawling production banners. That includes Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures; Disney Theatrical Group; and Disney Music Group. The well-liked executive steps into the role previously held by Paul Roeder, who was elevated earlier this month to be Disney’s communications chief. The story.
—One for the Block heads. Merlin Entertainments and Mojang Studios are building a Minecraft theme park, a $70m construction project set to open in 2027 at Chessington World of Adventures in Greater London. Minecraft World will feature Minecraft-themed attractions, including a roller coaster, interactive adventures, block-built playscapes and, of course, themed retail and dining. The story. |
Why It's Time to End 'The Bachelor' Franchise ►"Even in the sometimes squalid world of reality TV, the Bachelor franchise seems more prone to unseemly revelations about the people involved in it than just about any other show." THR's Rick Porter writes the season-scrapping scandal around Taylor Frankie Paul is just the latest example of a long string of toxicity surrounding ABC's The Bacherlor and its various spinoffs. The analysis.
—Oooof! Rick Porter writes that if ABC keeps season 22 of The Bachelorette on the shelf for good, the network will eat a loss of $30m or more. The show costs about $2m per episode to produce, which depending on its episode count, would likely put this season’s budget in the $20m-$25m range. Regardless of whether the season ever airs, ABC is on the hook for a license fee to Warner Horizon, which produces The Bachelorette and other shows in the franchise. Marketing costs would add several million more dollars to the season’s budget, putting the total somewhere around $30m. ABC will also take an ad sales hit: Based on industry sources, a 30-second commercial on The Bachelorette costs about $100,000. With a half hour of ads per two-hour episode, that amounts to several million dollars in revenue per show. The story.
—"It’s over." Former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay doesn’t think the Bachelor franchise can survive Taylor Frankie Paul’s domestic violence controversy. During a Thursday taping of the Bachelor Party podcast, Lindsay cut her two co-hosts off to share the news, admitting she had “chills.” She also explained that she thought the season was “over” after the video was released: "The name Bachelorette, Bachelor is tainted at this point. How do you move forward past that? You can’t." The story. |
'SNLUK': Show Debuts to Edgy Jokes and Mixed Reactions ►But was it funny? The reviews are in for Saturday Night Live UK, hosted by Tina Fey with musical guest Wet Leg in its debut this weekend. The sketches on the first-ever international spinoff of Lorne Michaels’ hit NBC show — impressively executed by a relatively unknown cast and watched on Sky by over 220,000 people — were wide-ranging and made use of the U.K.’s over-performing rolodex of British talent. Writing from London, THR's Lily Ford recaps the show and samples the reaction from notoriously hard-to-please Brits. The story.
—Pint-sized pile-on. Kevin Hart is gonna get roasted. The actor, comedian and former roast-master has volunteered to be the subject of Netflix‘s next live roast special. The Roast of Kevin Hart will air on the final night of the streamer’s annual Netflix is a Joke festival on May 10. Comedian Shane Gillis is confirmed to host the evening. The last Netflix roast was 2024’s roast of NFL legend Tom Brady, which earned 26m views and spent 3 weeks in the streamer’s global Top 10. The story.
—"It sounds like a VHS tape Hegseth put out of himself doing karate in a garage." John Oliver weighed in on Trump's Iran War on Sunday’s Last Week Tonight. Specifically, Oliver took great delight in mocking Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth and his faux-tough guy routine and cringe-inducing use of names and jargon. The recap.
—Woof! CBS’ Marshals posted strong ratings numbers for its second episode, repeating as the top series — network or streaming — in cross-platform ratings for the week of March 2-8. The Yellowstone spinoff’s March 8 episode averaged 17.2m viewers after seven days of streaming and other delayed viewing, according to Nielsen figures. The episode held onto about 83 percent of the 20.6m people who watched the series premiere a week earlier. The top 20 shows for March 2-8 only include one streaming series in The Pitt, which tied for 14th with 8.2m viewers. The ratings.
—Powers that be. Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming's indie comic series Powers, currently published by Dark Horse Comics, is getting the adult animated treatment. Netflix is developing an adult animated series adaptation of the long-running comic, with Dark Horse's Keith Goldberg and Chris Tongue executive producing. The two creators are involved in the development. Bendis is said to be writing the pilot while Oeming is participating in the visual development for the show. Combining the tropes of the superhero genre with the police procedural genre, Powers follows two Chicago homicide detectives who work in cases involving super powers. The story. |
Rodriguez, Gere Set for Airplane Thriller 'Left Seat' ►🎭 It's happening. 🎭 Richard Gere and Michelle Rodriguez have officially checked in to Left Seat. The contained thriller, first announced as a Cannes market title year ago, is officially a go and began production this week in Munich, Germany at Bavaria Studios, shooting on a Volume stage. In Left Seat, Rodriguez plays a pharmaceutical rep who must take control of a small charter plane when the pilot falls unconscious. From there, she must rely on the help of a man (Gere) over the radio who instructs her how to navigate a deadly storm and hopefully land the plane before it runs out of fuel. James Weber Brown has a small role in the film. The story.
—📅 Dated! 📅 After its much-discussed awards season, Timothée Chalamet‘s A24 feature Marty Supreme is spinning toward its streaming release. HBO Max announced Friday that director Josh Safdie‘s acclaimed sports drama is set to begin streaming April 24 on the platform. The film hit theaters Dec. 25 and also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler, the Creator, Abel Ferrara, Fran Drescher, Luke Manley and Koto Kawaguchi. The story.
—🤝 Sold! 🤝 An adoption-focused drama feature starring Jake Lacy and Nazanin Boniadi is buzzing its way toward theaters. Persimmon has acquired North American distribution rights to writer-director Nicola Rinciari’s indie film A Mosquito in the Ear. Ruhi Pal rounds out the cast for the movie that will hit select theaters this spring after it premiered last month at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. A Mosquito in the Ear centers on Andrew (Lacy) and Daniela (Boniadi), who venture to India to bring home their newly adopted 4-year-old daughter Sarvari (Pal). Tensions arise when the girl refuses to join them on the return journey. The story.
—Second helpings. R.L. Stine‘s Pumpkinhead is carving out plans to become a bonafide Halloween franchise. Following the Tubi Original feature’s success when it debuted last year, the free streaming service has greenlit a sequel to the film that was inspired by best-selling novelist Stine’s The Haunting Hour. Pumpkinhead 2 will premiere in October as part of the platform’s monthlong “Terror on Tubi” programming. The sequel centers on Evan, a student dealing with bullies who finds a forbidden spellbook that revives the ancient curse for his town of Redhaven. The story. |
'The Madison' Was a Leap of Faith for Michelle Pfeiffer ►"I wanted to know who Stacy is before I committed." THR's queen of chat Jackie Strause spoke to Michelle Pfeiffer about her buzzy new show The Madison. After a meeting with Taylor Sheridan at his Texas ranch and a call with 1923 star Helen Mirren, Pfeiffer says she "took a big leap of faith and I committed" to playing Stacy Clyburn. Then another hurdle appeared. Warning: Spoilers! The interview.
—"Having completed the second season, you just fall more and more in love with them." Jackie is back with another deep dive on The Madison, this time talking to stars Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell, director Christina Voros and the rest of the cast about what to expect in season two after a wide-open conclusion to the six-episode first season of the Paramount+ grief drama. Warning: Spoilers! The story.
—"He was our future." And it's a Sheridan-verse hat trick from Jackie as she also spoke to actor Mo Brings Plenty about Paramount+s Marshals. The Yellowstone veteran — who continues his role both on- and off-screen in the CBS spinoff — talks to THR about shining a light on reservation stories, including with the tragedy of 1923 star and nephew Cole Brings Plenty, who died at age 27 in 2024. The interview. |
Film Review: 'Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man' ►"Stylish misery business." THR's Robyn Bahr reviews Tom Harper's Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. An all-star cast star in this feature-length follow-up to the long-running Birmingham-set British gangster period drama series from the BBC/Netflix. Starring Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, Sophie Rundle and Stephen Graham. Written by Steven Knight. The review.
—"A solid study of an A+ critic." THR's Jordan Mintzer reviews Matty Wishnow's The Last Critic. Legendary 83-year-old critic Robert Christgau, who covered everything from folk to punk to early hip-hop, reflects on more than half a century churning out music reviews with flair and savoir faire in this SXSW doc. Featuring Christgau, Carola Dibbell, Thurston Moore, Randy Newman, Boots Riley, Colson Whitehead, Ann Powers, Joe Levy, Amanda Petrusich and Greil Marcus. The review.
—"A big bear hug of a film." THR's Leslie Felperin reviews Luchina Fisher's The Dads. Fisher's SXSW doc feature grew out of her Emmy-winning short focused on several of the subjects met here, a mini-spectrum of the experience of parenting transgender kids in America today. The review.
—"What indie film festivals were made for." For THR, Jourdain Searles reviews Fergus Campbell's Sparks. Eighth Grade star Elsie Fisher plays the protagonist of Campbell's feature debut, about a group of teens obsessed with cinema, time travel and each other. Also starring Charlie Foster, Madison Hu, Denny Mcauliffe, Thomas Deen Baker, Julia D’Angelo, Marshall John Simon, Race Cooper, Simon Downes Toney. Written by Fergus Campbell. The review.
—"By the numbers." THR's Angie Han reviews Fox's The Faithful: Women of the Bible. Minnie Driver stars in this three-part event series retelling stories from the Book of Genesis through the perspectives of its female figures. Also starring Jeffrey Donovan, Natacha Karam, Tom Mison, Alexa Davalos, Tom Payne, Ben Robson, Blu Hunt, Millie Brady, James Purefoy, Will Stevens and Taylor Napier. Created by René Echevarria. The review.
In other news...
—Taskmaster presenter Greg Davies to host BAFTA TV Awards
—Davis Guggenheim’s Concordia Studio sets filmmaker fellows roster
—Frank Miller draws his first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cover
—Amanda Peet reveals breast cancer diagnosis
—Carrie Anne Fleming, iZombie and Supernatural actress, dies at 51
What else we're reading...
—Jennifer Igbonoba reports that AI-generated ads are trickling into political campaigns, sparking big worries [NBC News]
—Rachel Wolfe and Te-Ping Chen look at what young workers are doing to protect themselves against the AI onslaught [WSJ]
—Alexandra Alter reports on a wild scandal in the world of publishing, after Hachette canceled an already released horror novel over suspected AI use [NYT]
—Jemima Kelly skewers the Silicon Valley wannabe 'Great Men' like Marc Andreessen who lean on philiosophy but only have a surface level of understanding of anything [FT]
—Derrick Bryson Taylor writes that for Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans, the late Nicholas Brendon’s Xander was a complicated everyman [NYT]
Today...
...in 1990, Buena Vista unveiled Pretty Woman in theaters, where it went on to gross $463m worldwide and earn Julia Roberts a best actress Oscar nomination at the 63rd Academy Awards. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Keri Russell (50), Michelle Monaghan (50), Randall Park (52), Roy Lee (57), Hope Davis (62), Marin Hinkle (60), Victoria Pedretti (31), Steven Strait (40), Amanda Plummer (69), Michael Haneke (84), Daniel Espinosa (49), Richard Grieco (61), Jaume Collet-Serra (52), Teresa Ganzel (69), Corinne Cléry (76), Zak Penn (58), Chris Henchy (62), Beau Flynn (56), Nicole Brydon Bloom (32), McKinley Belcher III (42), Vanessa Morgan (34), Nicholle Tom (48), Jessica Marie Garcia (39), Serena Grandi (68), Joanna Page (🏴49), Anastasia Griffith (48), Stephen A. Chang (41), Sophia Meloni (25), Ben Rappaport (40) |
| Jamie Blanks, director of late-’90s and early-2000s slasher films Urban Legend and Valentine, has died. He was 54. The obituary. |
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