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What's news: WB has launched a new specialty film division called Clockwork. Bradley Cooper will star in and direct the upcoming Ocean’s prequel. Jamie Dornan will play Strider in Hunt for Gollum. Osgood Perkins' Longlegs followup has moved from Neon to Paramount. And 'Looksmaxxing' streamer Clavicular has been hospitalized after a suspected overdose. — Abid Rahman
Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at tips@thr.com. |
Layoffs Hit Disney, Snap ►Streamlining push. Layoffs began hitting Disney on Tuesday. CEO Josh D’Amaro, only a month into the job, informed staff of the cuts in a memo. A source familiar with the matter tells THR's Alex Weprin that around 1,000 jobs are expected to be eliminated. Cuts are expected in the company’s unified marketing organization under Asad Ayaz, which Disney announced in January, as well as in its studios and TV businesses, ESPN, product & technology, and certain corporate functions. The unified marketing structure brought all of Disney’s sprawling marketing apparatus, from films, TV and ESPN to streaming and theme parks, into one group. The company is said to be shifting more resources to other strategic priorities, especially given the rapid changes facing the entertainment business. The story.
—More cuts. Snap inc. is laying off 16 percent of its employees, about 1,000 people, as CEO Evan Spiegel says the Snapchat owner is facing a “crucible moment” as it tries to path find a path toward sustained profitability. Spiegel announced the significant cuts in a memo to staff early Wednesday morning, adding that the staff reduction will reduce the company’s annualized cost base by more than $500 million by the end of this year, while incurring $95m-$130m in restructuring costs. The CEO added that he believes adoption of AI tools will allow the company to move faster and ship more products. The story.
—Not heading to D.C. A Senate hearing over Paramount‘s blockbuster $111b deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery will move forward without the sale’s primary player David Ellison. The mogul’s Paramount policy team informed Sen. Cory Booker, the top Democrat on the Senate antitrust subcommittee, that Ellison won’t be able to attend the Washington, D.C. hearing due to an undisclosed death in the family. The story.
—Jersey? Sure! Across the U.S., the volume of movie and TV on-location production filming slowed in the first quarter of this year, with one state marking an exception: New Jersey. The Garden State made gains in both filming count (up 45 percent year-over-year) as well as production spend (up 37 percent), while other major markets either saw declines or were relatively flat, according to production intelligence platform ProdPro’s quarterly report released on Tuesday. The story. |
Katy Perry Under Investigation Following Ruby Rose Assault Claims►Police matter. Katy Perry is under investigation by Australian police following graphic sexual assault claims from Orange Is the New Black star Ruby Rose. The Victoria Police have confirmed the probe to THR. “Melbourne Sexual Offenses and Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives are investigating [an alleged] historical sexual assault that occurred in Melbourne in 2010," a police statement said. "Police have been told the incident occurred at a licensed premises in Melbourne’s [Central Business District]." Earlier this week, Rose wrote online that she’d “just left the police station” after alleging on Threads that Perry sexually assaulted her at a nightclub in Melbourne some years ago. The story.
—"Lack sufficient evidence to support filing criminal charges." Scandal-plagued reality star Taylor Frankie Paul will not face new charges following investigations into domestic violence allegations led by Utah authorities. The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has decided not to file charges following two separate investigations led by the Draper Police Department and West Jordan Police Department, the office announced Tuesday. Filming on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was paused in March following an alleged domestic incident between Paul and her ex, Dakota Mortensen. The story.
—Overdose. ‘Looksmaxxing’ influencer and streamer Clavicular has been hospitalized after suffering a suspected overdose Tuesday evening, a source confirmed to THR. The “looksmaxxing” influencer and online streamer, whose real name is Braden Peters, was taken to the hospital, where he’s currently in “stable condition,” THR has learned. He was still in the hospital as of Tuesday night. Earlier in the day, Clavicular was livestreaming on Kick when it abruptly cut off, sparking concern among fans. Video was later shared on X of the streamer being carried by several people to a black car as an ambulance arrived at the scene. The story.
—Postponed. Kanye West has gone ahead and postponed his show in France as leadership continued to weigh banning the rapper from entering the country. “After much thought and consideration, it is my sole decision to postpone my show in Marseille, France until further notice,” West, who now goes by Ye, wrote on X Tuesday night. He was initially scheduled to perform on June 11 in Marseille at Stade Vélodrome as part of his 2026 comeback tour. This came after the artist was barred from entering the U.K. shortly after being announced as the headliner for all three nights of Wireless Festival in July. The story. |
Cruise Unrecognizable in New Footage From Iñárritu's 'Digger' ►Oscar incoming? Tom Cruise is back to saving the world — but this time with a comedic twist — in Alejandro G. Iñárritu‘s Digger, as a special look arrived at CinemaCon. Warner Bros. showed off the project during the studio’s Las Vegas presentation on Tuesday, with Cruise and Iñárritu both in attendance and receiving a massive round of applause upon their arrival. Cruise, likely the industry’s No. 1 advocate for theaters, told the room of cinema owners and distributors “I want to thank you all for everything you do” and celebrated by adding, “we’re up 23 percent so far” at the box office in 2026. “My film family, you know I’m here for you and I love you,” Cruise said. The story.
—Just like Clockwork. WB is getting in the Sean Baker business. The studio has acquired Ti Amo!, Baker’s first feature since becoming a best picture Oscar winner with Anora. It will release the film globally in 2027 and has worldwide rights, excluding France. The acquisition announcement was made at CinemaCon, along with name of the studio’s new specialty division — Clockwork. The unit was launched in December after WB film bosses Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy hired a trio of execs from Tom Quinn’s indie powerhouse Neon. The story.
—It's official. Bradley Cooper has lined up his next directing gig, taking the helm of the upcoming Ocean’s prequel, which he will also star in alongside Margot Robbie. The news had long been in the ether, and during WB's CinemaCon presentation on Tuesday, studio heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy confirmed the news. The film does not yet have a title, but has been dated for June 25, 2027. Cooper — who most recently directed Is This Thing On? — will also produce alongside Robbie’s LuckyChap banner. Robbie also made a virtual appearance earlier in the presentation. The story.
—SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY NOW! Dune: Part Three opens with no shortage of firepower, as the CinemaCon crowd learned Tuesday. Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa and director Denis Villeneuve took the stage at the Las Vegas event to discuss the sequel. They then unveiled the first seven minutes from the highly anticipated film during WB's presentation. The footage featured Javier Bardem as Stilgar as he led his troops against a seemingly insurmountable enemy. The intense battle scenes featured an endless array of shots fired and plenty of actual fire. The story. |
'Hunt for Gollum' Reveals Full Cast ►🎭 All-new Strider. 🎭 After months of breathless speculation, WB and New Line revealed the cast for Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum at CinemaCon. Among the new additions to the cast are Jamie Dornan, who will play Strider, the chief of the Northern Dúnedain Rangers and also known to fans as Aragorn. He steps into the shoes of Viggo Mortensen from the original Lord of the Rings trilogy. Leo Woodall will play Halvard, another of the Dúnedain, who is joining Strider on the dangerous hunt. Lee Pace is also back as Thranduil after playing the elf in the Hobbit trilogy. The story.
—Back for more. Zach Cregger is reuniting with WB's New Line division for his next original feature. Cregger, who directed last year’s acclaimed horror hit Weapons for the company, has written, and will direct, The Flood, an original sci-fi thriller on which the studio is moving at full speed, scheduling an Aug. 11, 2028 release date. The project reunites him with his Weapons producers Roy Lee and Miri Yoon of Vertigo Entertainment and interestingly has him working with avowed Cregger fan Steven Spielberg. The latter’s Amblin Entertainment is also producing Flood. The story.
—Mystery abounds. Vegas got a taste of The Great Beyond on Tuesday, as J.J. Abrams gave a look at his latest project during WB's CinemaCon presentation. The star-studded film features Glen Powell, Jenna Ortega, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Merritt Wever and Samuel L. Jackson, and marks Abrams’ first directorial effort since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It’s set for a theatrical release on Nov. 13. The trailer opens with an H.G. Wells quote and shows Powell and Ortega tentatively interacting. The story.
—"The horror of being trapped in an attic with Anne Hathaway." Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway's The End of Oak Street is set to roar into theaters this summer. Maisy Stella and Christian Convery round out the cast for writer-director David Robert Mitchell‘s sci-fi movie that WB will release theatrically Aug. 14. During the studio’s CinemaCon presentation, moderator Patton Oswalt unveiled a new trailer for the film. The story.
—Rage Cage. Mortal Kombat II delivered a few fatalities with new footage debuting at CinemaCon. The violent video game adaptation brings in Karl Urban to the franchise as fan favorite character Johnny Cage — a washed up ’90s action star called to become a champion of Earth in a deadly tournament. That tournament was the focus of the scene shown in Las Vegas, with Johnny Cage talking a big game against mutant Baraka and trying to get him to fight Ludi Lin’s Liu Kang. The story. |
Top Theater Chief Vows to Fight Paramount-WB Merger►"We believe this transaction will be harmful to exhibition, consumers and the entire entertainment eco-system." Cinema United president-CEO Michael O'Leary was not afraid to take strong positions when delivering his annual state of the union address a CinemaCon, saying theater owners will continue to oppose David Ellison‘s bid for Paramount-Skydance to merge with WBD. He also said his association will continue to press for longer theatrical windows. O'Leary shared the stage with MPA head Chares Rivkin, who updated theater owners on the battle to keep production in the U.S. and to use AI responsibly. The recap.
—"This is a dream come true. This is the comic I collected." Milly Alcock and Jason Momoa are looking to fetch a big response to their forthcoming movie Supergirl. The two stars joined DC Studios co-head Peter Safran onstage at CinemaCon for Warner Bros.‘ presentation. The studio releases director Craig Gillespie’s film June 26. The trio debuted an extended sequence showing Kara on a voyage packed with nefarious characters when tech pirates interrupt their ride. The story.
—Gotham goo. Clayface took form at CinemaCon. Peter Safran took the stage to reveal the first, action-packed footage from the film. The chilling footage, which did not include any dialogue, opens with a seemingly disfigured man with bloodied bandages covering his face. The final scene features titular character, played by Tom Rhys Harries, using his hand to wipe his face clean and reveal a completely blank look. The story.
—"The witches are back!" Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman brought a sprinkling of magic to WB's CinemaCon presentation, with some exclusive footage from Practical Magic 2. The two stars took the stage holding hands, after emerging through a cloud of smoke. They also offered up some details on where the sequel picks up. The story.
—Hell is other people. Michelle Williams and Daisy Edgar-Jones helped rev up CinemaCon guests with the first look at the thriller A Place in Hell. The pair appeared in a video segment as part of Neon's presentation in Las Vegas to promote director Chloe Domont's movie that hits theaters Dec. 25 and also includes Andrew Scott and Danny Huston in the cast. A Place in Hell stars Williams as Rebecca, a pregnant criminal defense attorney who develops tension with a younger lawyer (Edgar-Jones) as they team up on a challenging case. The story. |
Perkins, Cage Team With Paramount for New 'Longlegs' Movie►Osgood news. THR's Borys "Scoops" Kit has the scoop that Osgood Perkins is working on a new Longlegs feature, a follow-up to the filmmaker’s mystery horror thriller that became highest-grossing independent film of the past decade. And in a twist out of the Longlegs playbook, rather than original distributor Neon being involved, this one has Skydance-owned Paramount Pictures as the project’s new home. Paramount has picked up the rights to the new mystery Longlegs project, which Perkins has written and will direct as well as produce. Nicolas Cage is returning as star and producer. The story.
—🎭 Adria's aboard. 🎭 Borys is back with another scoop, this time with news that James Gunn has found the final piece of his Man of Tomorrow casting puzzle. After several rounds of screen tests, Adria Arjona has been chosen for the mystery role in DC Studios’ sequel to Superman. It was previously reported that the character was comic antiheroine Maxima, but it’s unknown if that is correct. Earlier in April, a quartet of finalists screen tested in Atlanta, including Eva De Dominici, Sydney Chandler and Grace Van Patten. The story.
—🤝 Sold! 🤝 Janus Films has acquired the U.S. rights to The Samurai and the Prisoner, the latest feature from influential Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa, which will premiere in Cannes. Described by its producers as Kurosawa’s most ambitious feature to date, The Samurai and the Prisoner pairs veteran Japanese actor Masahiro Motoki with the prolific young star Masaki Suda. Adapted from Honobu Yonezawa’s award-winning novel Kokurojō, the film is set during Japan’s tumultuous Sengoku period. The story.
—🎭 Beach, please. 🎭 Patrick Schwarzenegger is joining the Emily Henry cinematic universe. The actor will star as Gus Everett in the film adaptation of Henry’s 2020 bestseller Beach Read. Schwarzenegger will star opposite Phoebe Dynevor, who will portray January Andrews. Beach Read follows romance writer January Andrews who no longer believes in love, and Augustus Everett, a literary writer enduring severe writer’s block. When the polar opposites find themselves living in neighboring beach houses in Michigan, they eventually devise a plan to help each other get out of a creative rut. The story. |
'The Madison' Renewed for S3►Sheridan does it again! The Madison has been renewed for a third season at Paramount+. Both Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell will return for season three. The Madison received a unique rollout from the streamer, releasing over two weekends in March. The first three episodes streamed on March 14, followed by the final three a week later on March 21. The family grief-drama became the biggest original series launch yet for a Taylor Sheridan show on the streamer, according to Paramount+, and debuted to 8m viewers globally during its first 10 days. The story.
—The game remains afoot! Amazon Prime Video has renewed Young Sherlock for a second season. The series, starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin as a teenage Sherlock Holmes and executive produced by Guy Ritchie, premiered as a binge release on March 4. Ritchie, who directed the first two episodes of the season, is set to helm the season two premiere as well. He developed the series with creator Matthew Parkhill. The story.
—🎭 Dastardly Dan. 🎭 Dexter: Resurrection is continuing to lay its cast out on the table. Dan Stevens has joined season two of the Michael C. Hall-starring Paramount+ Dexter sequel series in a series regular role — and he’s playing a serial killer. Stevens will play “The Five Borough Killer,” a serial killer who, much like the Zodiac killer, taunts the police with phone calls threatening the murder of innocent citizens. When he follows through with the awful deeds … the city and the police are terrorized, reads the character description. The story.
—🤝 Sports rights deal. 🤝 Netflix has unveiled a deal with CONCACAF to stream the Nations League finals and the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments in Mexico, starting in 2027. The four-year deal will make Netflix the exclusive home in that Latin American market for the 2027 and 2029 editions of both competitions, where the Mexican national team and players feature. The CONCACAF Gold Cup final viewership falls short of the World Cup, which will get underway this summer, but it has grown in North America. The story. |
Crystal Returning to Broadway In Play About Home Loss
►🎭 Billy's story. 🎭 Billy Crystal is returning to Broadway this fall in a play inspired by the loss of his home to the California wildfires. The one-man show, 860, is written and performed by Crystal and directed by Olivier Award-winner Scott Ellis, the interim artistic director of Roundabout Theatre Company. It is scheduled to play a limited 12-week engagement at a Shubert Theater to be announced, with previews beginning in October. "860 was the address of the home we lost in the Palisades fires. We lived there for 46 years," said Crystal. The story.
—Billy's milly. Chicago reached close to $1.5m last week, its highest recorded total, according to the production, as Dancing with the Stars’ and The Traitors’ Mark Ballas joined the show as Billy Flynn, opposite Whitney Leavitt. Leavitt, who was partnered with Ballas on DWTS and starred on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, had already been a box big office contributor for the show. But with Ballas, the average ticket price jumped up to $171, and capacity increased to 100 percent at the Ambassador Theatre. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was the highest grossing show last week with $2.7m, followed by Hamilton with $2.3m and Wicked with $1.9m. Moulin Rouge! cracked the top five, bringing in $1.7m with Megan Thee Stallion back in the cast. The Broadway box office report.
—Timmy's folly. Controversial they may have been, but Timothée Chalamet comments on ballet and opera might have done some good. In a new interview, the chief of London’s flagship opera house has thanked the Hollywood actor for boosting ticket sales amid his outrage-sparking remark that “no one cares” about the art forms anymore. Alex Beard, of the Royal Ballet and Opera, said public reaction to the Marty Supreme star’s comments was “fantastic.” “I thought it important that we didn’t issue a kind of hoity-toity response to Chalamet,” said Beard. “And you know what? Our post got two-and-a-half million engagements and half a million shares, just on Instagram. And our ticket sales got an immediate boost." The story.
—Kimmy's debut. Kim Kardashian has joined the Broadway producing team of The Fear of 13. The play, starring Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson, centers on the true story of Nick Yarris, who spends more than two decades on death row for a murder he insists he did not commit. This marks the Broadway debut for Kardashian, who has frequently met with Donald Trump to advocate for clemency on behalf of inmates, and whose efforts led to the commuting of the life sentence for Alice Marie Johson, who was convicted on a drug offense. The story.
In other news...
—Godzilla Minus Zero reveals first trailer as the kaiju targets New York
—Juan Devis named president of Film Independent
—Tribeca to open with Questlove-directed Earth, Wind & Fire doc
—Jerry Seinfeld, Weird Al Yankovic to headline Just For Laughs 2026
—Meghan Markle set to be guest judge on MasterChef Australia
—Santa Barbara Fest announces 2027 dates
—Dr. Pimple Popper Sandra Lee reveals stroke while filming new season
What else we're reading...
—Wall Street still loves Netflix, but Sarah Whitten and Lillian Rizzo wonder if that affection is misplaced [CNBC]
—Bob Lord writes on the deleterious impact of tech oligarchs on the "American experiment" and how the U.S. tax system guarantees extreme wealth concentration [Mother Jones]
—Max Tani reports that a CNN booker privately said that the network was concerned about booking a guest critical of Paramount’s acquisition of the news network [Semafor]
—Lauren Gardner unpacks a worrying new poll that shows more Americans doubt vaccine safety than trust it [Politico]
—Sam Biddle reports that Mark Zuckerberg's Meta has changed its speech rules to add new restrictions around posts including the word "antifa" [The Intercept]
Today...
...in 1954, MGM’s star-studded drama Executive Suite held its premiere in Hollywood. The film went on to earn four Oscar nominations at the 27th Academy Awards, including for best supporting actress (Nina Foch), art direction, cinematography and costume design. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Seth Rogen (44), Emma Watson (36), Maisie Williams (29), Emma Thompson (67), Luke Evans (🏴47), Arian Moayed (46), Susanne Bier (66), Reed Morano (49), Linda Perry (61), Julia Butters (17), Samira Wiley (39), Luis Fonsi (48), Alice Braga (43), Thomas F. Wilson (67), Danny Pino (52), Karen David (47), Paula Pell (63), Trine Dyrholm (54), Kamala Lopez (62), Andy Daly (55), Lois Chiles (79), Sam McMurray (74), Madeleine Martin (33), Damien Dante Wayans (46), Cooper Barnes (47), Cody Christian (31), Toheeb Jimoh (29), Clara Galle (24), Nadine Ellis (55), Fay Masterson (52), Leonie Elliott (38), Ester Dean (40), Annie Costner (42), China Chow (52), Siobhan Hewlett (43), Patrick J. Carney (46)
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