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What's news: Megan Thee Stallion is exiting Broadway's Moulin Rouge! early. Spotify now has 293m premium subs. Stacey Sher has signed a first-look deal with MGM TV. Layoffs are set to hit Barry Diller's IAC. And Paramount-WBD will be nearly 50 percent foreign-owned after takeover deal. — Abid Rahman
Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at tips@thr.com. |
Kimmel Defends Melania "Widow" Joke, Refuses to Apologize►"Donald Trump is allowed to say whatever he wants to say, as are you and as am I. Because under the First Amendment, we have, as Americans, a right to free speech." Jimmy Kimmel pushed back on the backlash against his “expectant widow” joke, declining to apologize for the joke itself and instead mocking the Trumps’ calls to cancel his show. During his Monday night monologue, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host took the stage in a pitch-black suit and told ABC viewers, “You know how sometimes you wake up in the morning and the first lady puts out a statement demanding you be fired from your job? We’ve all been there, right?” The recap.
—"The guy who outshined you is Stephen f****** Miller!" Jon Stewart also tackled the presidential assassination attempt at the WHCD on Monday’s episode of The Daily Show. The comedian’s monologue took the approach of pointing out the litany of absurdities related to the WHCD, including before, during and after the event. Stewart spent a sizeable chunk of the segment on how people reacted when shots were fired and the Secret Service moved in to remove notable government figures from the ballroom. He reserved most of his incredulity for Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who on video is seen being rushed out of the room, but conspiculously, and shamefully, leaving his wife, the actress Cheryl Hines, behind. The recap.
—"[If] Wolf is in the room, there must be a situation." The WHCD shooting was also the topic of the “Closer Look” segment on Monday night’s episode of NBC’s Late Night. Host Seth Meyers began the segment by thanking law enforcement and emphasizing he was glad that everyone was safe. He also thanked CNN’s Wolf Blitzer for his reporting from the Washington Hilton bathroom, even though the veteran news anchor was stuck there with 15 other men, a scenario Meyers described as his “actual nightmare.” The recap.
—What both Dems and Republicans miss on Hollywood and the WHCD shooting. THR's Steven Zeitchik writes that canceling Jimmy Kimmel would be ridiculous. But so is ignoring the role that infotainment figures increasingly play in the heating of the climate. The column.
—ICYMI. Oz Pearlman, the entertainment at the WHCD, was set to be a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday night, but canceled last minute. Despite being previously scheduled to appear on the ABC late night talk show on Monday, updated listings show the mentalist was swapped with Pod Save America co-host Jon Lovett. The story. |
Trump's '60 Minutes' Interview Heavily Edited►Well, well, wellity, well. It seems Donald Trump is OK with his 60 Minutes interview getting edited, just not anyone else’s. The president sat down with Norah O’Donnell for an interview that aired Sunday night on 60 Minutes, one day after shots were fired at the WHCD dinner. The interview comes roughly a year and a half after Trump sued CBS in October 2024 over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. At the time, he accused the network of deceptive editing that interview to influence the election. CBS' parent company Paramount ultimately reached a $16m settlement with Trump. The president's April 26 sit down with O’Donnell lasted 40 minutes, but only 13 minutes of the interview aired on CBS. The story.
—"It seems to me there’s a struggle that has to be won against hatred and corruption and cruelty and violence." George Clooney was honored with Film at Lincoln Center’s prestigious Chaplin Award on Monday night in recognition of his Oscar-winning career as an actor, writer, director and producer. In his speech, the famously political Clooney used the opportunity to address recent events. “I can’t be here on a night like tonight and just ignore everything that’s going on in the world,” he said. "I disagree with everything that this administration stands for, but there’s no place for this kind of violence we saw two nights ago in Washington, D.C. Nor is there room for this kind of violence in Minnesota with Alex Pretti or Renée Nicole Good." The story. |
Paramount Asks FCC to Sign Off Middle East Investment in WBD Deal►"Indirect foreign ownership of equity interests in Paramount will be approximately 49.5 percent." Paramount has asked the FCC to sign off on its equity investment from three prominent Middle East sovereign wealth funds that are backing the company’s $111b acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. In a petition for declaratory ruling to the FCC signed by Paramount legal chief Makan Delrahim, Paramount asks the Brendan Carr-led commission to sign off on the deal involving Saudi Arabia’s PIF, L’Imad, an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, and a Qatar Investment Authority fund. Paramount notes that David Ellison and his father Larry Ellison, as well as RedBird Capital, will control all voting shares in the company, and that the sovereign funds are only acquiring non-voting equity shares. The story.
—Layoffs incoming. Barry Diller is shaking up his company IAC, rebranding the company as People Incorporated as it undergoes a significant shift in strategy. Diller will shift to a role as executive chairman in the move, with Neil Vogel set to become the company’s new CEO. Diller outlined the changes in a note to IAC shareholders Tuesday, noting that going forward the holding company will focus on its MGM holdings and the People publishing business. The company will lay off staff as it slims down. The story.
—🤝 Contract extension. 🤝 The Directors Guild of America has issued a vote of confidence in chief negotiator Russell Hollander ahead of the union’s upcoming negotiations with studios and streamers. Union president Christopher Nolan announced on Monday that the DGA had renewed its national executive director and chief negotiator’s contract through 2029. If the union agrees to a typical three-year labor deal with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers this year, the renewed contract ensures that Hollander will be at the helm of the more than 19,500-member organization for the entirety of the deal’s term. The story.
—🤝 First look deal. 🤝 Producer Stacey Sher is setting up shop at MGM Television. The two-time Oscar nominee has signed a first-look deal with MGM TV, under which Sher and her Shiny Penny Productions will develop and produce series projects. Katie Aquino is creative executive for film and TV at Shiny Penny. The story.
—🤝 Innovative pact. 🤝 Fox‘s Red Seat Ventures is expanding into stand-up comedy and live entertainment through a multiyear deal with Kill Tony, the popular comedy show from Tony Hinchcliffe. Red Seat Ventures, which functions as a creator services company within Fox’s Tubi Media Group, will handle advertising sales for Kill Tony on both video and audio platforms. The deal will also see the show distributed on Fox’s streaming platforms Tubi and Fox One, and an ad-free version on Red Seat’s podcast subscription platform Supercast. The story.
—🤝 Sold! 🤝 Avex Music Group is getting in on the music acquisition space, the Japanese music company confirmed Monday, announcing that it had acquired “Lose Control” producer Infamous’s catalog for its first purchase. Avex didn’t disclose financial details regarding the Infamous catalog purchase, though the company said the new catalog initiative is supported by City National Bank and the initiative is valued at $100m. The producer-writer, whose real name is Marco Rodriguez, has also worked frequently with Lil Wayne and has cuts with Charlie Puth, Yo Gotti and Saweetie among others. The story. |
Spotify Hits Profit Record ►What dominance sounds like. Audio streaming giant Spotify posted a first-quarter revenue gain and ended March with 293m paying premium subscribers, up from 290m as of the end of 2025. Monthly active users grew to 761m from 751m. Revenue growth for the quarter accelerated to 8 percent, or 14 percent on a constant currency basis, to get the company to $5.26b. Operating income hit at a record $835m in the first quarter. Profitability has returned to the investor spotlight after price increases and cost cuts. The results.
—Woof! Michael is a certified blockbuster, and now, Michael Jackson’s catalog is set to skyrocket as well. On Spotify alone the late superstar’s monthly listener count jumped by five million from last Monday to today — from just over 68m to 73m. The Jackson 5 meanwhile, gained a million monthly listeners in the same time frame, going from 8.7m to 9.7m. The story.
—Sweatify. Spotify is making a big move into fitness. The audio company has partnered with Peloton to give paid users access to more than 1,400 on-demand workout classes from Peloton instructors within the Spotify app. The classes will include outdoors runs, strength, cardio, yoga and meditation but will not include workouts on the Peloton bike. The feature launched this week and will include content in English, German and Spanish. The story.
—🤝 On the move. 🤝 The Oprah Podcast is joining Wondery. Per the deal, announced Monday, the podcast will expand to two episodes per week starting this summer, with Wondery gaining exclusive distribution and advertising rights to the show’s audio and video. The deal also includes rights to The Oprah Winfrey Show library, and Oprah’s Book Club and Oprah’s Favorite Things, with the opportunity to integrate the two further across Amazon. The story. |
Tim Heidecker, The Onion Chief on Infowars Takeover►"The final gasps of a beached whale." THR's Seth Abramovitch spoke to legendary comedian Tim Heidecker and The Onion CEO Ben Collins about their prospective takeover of Alex Jones' infamous media property Inforwars. The duo address day-one plans, Sandy Hook families’ cut of the proceeds — and the doc that convinced them Jones “should be destroyed.” The interview.
—"It’s been such an honor." Megan Thee Stallion is bowing out of Moulin Rouge! early. The Grammy-winning rapper will perform her final show as Zidler in the Broadway musical this Friday, May 1, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. She was originally scheduled to be in the lights through May 17. A replacement performer for has yet to be announced for her run from May 2-17. The move comes amid some personal and professional drama for the rapper, after she took to Instagram to confirm that she and her boyfriend, NBA star Klay Thompson, had split up as she claimed he had been unfaithful. The story.
—Taylor takes on tech. Taylor Swift is looking to add to her portfolio of trademarks, a legal move that appears to be aimed at pushing back against unauthorized artificial intelligence productions. Two of the trademark applications, filed on Friday, seek protection of her voice. They feature clips of her saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor.” A third, meant to combat AI images created on the internet using AI, features a photograph of the singer holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored bodysuit with silver boots. The story. |
Annecy Unveils 2026 Lineup►French connection. The Annecy International Animation Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its 2026 edition, setting the stage for another wide-ranging showcase that highlights the rapid global expansion of feature animation, and the surprising strength of European production. Announced Tuesday, the official feature competition includes 11 films, with France again playing an outsized role — six of the titles are French productions or co-productions — even as the selection stretches across Asia and the Americas. In total, 26 countries are represented across the feature slate. The lineup.
—"Has no right to be as good as it is." The fashionably late sequel to The Devil Wears Prada held a series of press screenings over the last week or so, ahead of the film hitting theaters worldwide on May 1. The social media reactions to The Devil Wears Prada 2 started appearing after those press screenings, with many appearing on Monday evening. Full reviews of the film from professional critics are embargoed until April 29. The reaction.
—🎭 Kirby heads back to space. 🎭 Vanessa Kirby and Lewis Pullman will co-star in a sci-fi thriller The Spacesuit, with HanWay Films launching international sales at Cannes. Written and directed by The Royal Hotel filmmaker Kitty Green, The Spacesuit follows an astronaut (Kirby), who is forced to make an impossible decision after an incident with her co-pilot (Pullman) leaves an indelible stain on the mission in the days leading up to lift-off, triggering a race against the clock. The story.
—Up next. Netflix has unveiled the new film from Argentine writer-director Damián Szifron. El Sobrino will star Leonardo Sbaraglia, Rita Cortese, Luisana Lopilato, Valeria Lois and newcomer Luan Adler Fuks. Netflix also promises "special appearances by Vincent Macaigne and the legendary [Italian actor] Franco Nero." The dramedy, which doesn’t have an English-language title yet, is written and directed by Szifron, whose 2014 film Wild Tales was Argentina’s contender and nominee for what was then known as the Oscar’s best foreign-language film section. The story.
—From Argentina to South Korea. Netflix is doubling down on Korea’s appetite for political period thrillers. The streamer revealed Monday that it has begun production on The Generals (working title), a new film from acclaimed director Yoon Jong-bin chronicling the rise of South Korean dictator-turned-president Roh Tae-woo, the longtime second-in-command to military strongman Chun Doo-hwan. The auteur's first feature since The Spy Gone North in 2018, casts Son Suk-ku as a young Roh and Ha Jung-woo as dictator Chun, the architects of the 1979 coup that plunged South Korea into another decade of authoritarian rule. The story. |
Film Review: 'The Sheep Detectives'
►"Woolly-headed." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Kyle Balda's The Sheep Detectives. Hugh Jackman and Emma Thompson plus a top flight voice cast are featured in this film about a flock of sheep trying to solve their shepherd's murder. Also featuring Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Tosin Cole, Hong Chau, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Brett Goldstein and Rhys Darby. Written by Craig Mazin. The review.
In other news...
—Jackass: Best and Last trailer: Johnny Knoxville and crew say goodbye
—Verity trailer: First look at Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson in Colleen Hoover adaptation
—Olivia Rodrigo earns fourth Hot 100 No. 1 with “Drop Dead”
—Tony Leung named jury president of 2026 Shanghai Film Festival
—Harry Styles and Zoë Kravitz are engaged
—Gerry Conway, famed Marvel and DC Comics writer, dies at 73
—John Hockridge, first assistant director on Anger Management, Wayne’s World and Tommy Boy, dies at 79
—David Fantle, author who aimed to keep Hollywood’s Golden Age alive, dies at 66
What else we're reading...
—Theodore Schleifer and Kate Conger report on Google oligarch Sergey Brin move towards MAGA amid his spending $57m to block a California billionaire tax [NYT]
—Berber Jin reports that OpenAI missed key revenue targets as it rushes towards a mega IPO [WSJ]
—Theo Francis and Kara Dapena offer a fascinating look at oligarch Larry Ellison's wealth, and reveal how much he is personally risking on the Paramount-WBD deal [WSJ]
—Max Tani looks at what's next for film nerds' fave social media site Letterboxd, which is up for sale [Semafor]
—With recent divisions over Iran, Greenland and NATO, Gideon Rachman considers whether Europe and the U.S. are really heading for a divorce [FT]
Today...
...in 2017, Pantelion Films released Ken Marino's How to Be a Latin Lover in theaters. Eugenio Derbez, Salma Hayek and Raquel Welch starred in the comedy which was a hit with audiences, making $63m at the box office. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Jessica Alba (45), Penélope Cruz (52), Kim Gordon (73), Mary McDonnell (74), Ann-Margret (85), Bridget Moynahan (55), Catherine Reitman (45), Madeleine Harris (25), Kari Wuhrer (59), Kiawentiio (20), Stephanie Corneliussen (39), Melissa Fahn (59), Elisabeth Röhm (53), Austyn Johnson (20), Simbi Khali (55), Jay Leno (76), Claes Bang (59), Raechelle Banno (33), Jorge Garcia (53), Harry Shum Jr. (44), Basil Joseph (36), Paul Guilfoyle (77), Eric Vale (52), Aleisha Allen (35), Jonathan Gilbert (59), Nate Richert (48), Jenna Ushkowitz (40), Nancy Lee Grahn (70), Drew Scott (48), Zal Batmanglij (45), Kris Hitchen (52), Dan Goor (51), Anthony McCarten (65), Taylor Frey (37), Too $hort (60), Spyder Dobrofsky (34), Blake Neely (57)
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Mariclare Costello, a lifetime member of The Actors Studio who recurred as the schoolteacher Rosemary Hunter on The Waltons and played a hippie vampire in the cult horror film Let’s Scare Jessica to Death, died April 17. She was 90. The obituary.
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