| THE SEQUEL LOOKS SET TO OPEN AT CLOSE TO $180M WORLDWIDE |
Typically it’s the fanboys who fire off summer. This year, it’s the fangirls, as 20th Century Studios/Disney’s anticipated The Devil Wears Prada 2 looks to keep the box office pizzazz going after the success of Lionsgate’s Michael. Prada 2 is looking at a $73M-$80M domestic start in what could be a nearly $180M worldwide debut in an offshore footprint that’s 100%.
While domestic tracking has risen to $73M, U.S./Canada presales of $20M indicate that an $80M start is in store for the sequel at 4,150 theaters. Those advance ticket sales are ahead of both Amazon MGM Studios’ Project Hail Mary ($80.5M opening) and Dune: Part Two ($82.5M). >>>Potential Mother's Day Boost |
Deadline Exclusives & Originals |
Knightley Takes To The Stage - Keira Knightley, Stephen Dillane and Luke Thompson will star this fall in a London stage adaptation of the Oscar-winning German movie The Lives of Others, a love story sublimely wrapped in a psychological surveillance thriller set in Stasi-controlled East Berlin. >>>Baz Bamigboye's Column
Blumhouse Buys Thriller - Blumhouse Television has acquired the rights to the Japanese-language novel Hi No Ko written by Shusuke Shizukui and published by Gentosha. Krystal Houghton Ziv will write the psychological thriller pilot for the U.S. TV adaptation. >>>Prior Japanese Incarnation
Time To 'Get A Grip' - Screenwriter, actor and producer Will Jeffs and producer John Hauber have launched film and TV production banner Red Imp Films. Operating out of Toronto and London, the company will develop and make projects for the global market. The UK-shot feature Get A Grip is the debut project. >>>In Cannes Next Month
A NASCAR Family Drama - Amazon is developing Godspeed, a NASCAR family drama series from Underground co-creator Joe Pokaski, Scott Stuber's United Artists and Sugar23. >>>Writers' Room Open
Comedy Club - Blink49 Studios has set up a joint venture with iconic Canadian comedy brand Yuk Yuk’s. The pair will work together to develop and produce a slate of live and digital comedy projects, tapping into Yuk Yuk’s five decades as a major player in the Canadian comedy landscape. >>>Focus On Live Events & Digital |
Paramount anticipates its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery will close in September – but members of the entertainment community, including leaders in the documentary field, are saying, “Not so fast.”
An open letter protesting the merger has attracted more than 4,700 signatures to date, with marquee names attached that range from J.J. Abrams to Adam McKay, Kristen Stewart, Sandra Hüller, Robert De Niro and Sofia Coppola.
On the new edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast, we talk with two highly respected figures in documentary who also signed the letter: filmmaker Marjan Safinia and Lois Vossen, founding executive producer of Independent Lens. They tell us why they strongly oppose the combination of Paramount and WBD, which would bring HBO Documentary Films, CNN Films, HBO Max, Paramount+, MTV Documentary Films and more under one roof. >>>Listen |
ExclusiveThe White Lotus has filled its unexpected vacancy, and series creator Mike White did not look far to do it. Oscar-winner Laura Dern, a longtime collaborator and friend of White’s, has joined Season 4 of his HBO series set in France. She replaces Helena Bonham Carter who left late last week.
ExclusiveFox's The Interrogator has added Michael Beach to its series regular cast. The project, from Lionsgate Television and Fox Entertainment, has a 12-episode straight-to-series order for the 2026-27 season.
ExclusiveMelissa Bergland, Westly Heart Monroe, Corin Liall Douieb, Milanka Brooks, Frankie J. Mitchell and Aggy K. Adams are starring in the indie psychological horror film Sweetie, which just wrapped production in Los Angeles.
ExclusiveYoung up-and-comers Lilou Lang and Lorelei Olivia Mote have landed roles alongside Bill Hader in They Know, the horror film for MRC that marks Hader's feature directorial debut. |
QUOTABLE
"You should be fired for that" - Jimmy Kimmel to Donald Trump after the president made a joke similar to the one he roasted the late-night host for making.
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MORE NEWS
✍️ The WGA West is throwing down the hammer, or at least attempting to, with its staff union. After 71 days on strike, WGSU members were notified that they have received their final offer on a first contract from management, the guild said in an email on Tuesday.
🖥️ The CW has set novel streaming partnerships with ESPN and Roku, expanding its programming footprint in exchange for access to entertainment fare and live sports. The deals will see the network's 800 annual hours of sports programming stream on the ESPN app, and entertainment fare carried the next day on the free, ad-supported Roku Channel.
📺 The Walt Disney Co. says it is "confident" its local TV stations will retain their federal broadcast licenses. The FCC on Tuesday announced an early review of the licenses in the wake of the latest backlash against a joke by ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
🎥 Quixote Studios has started to wind down operations in the Atlanta area, redeploying equipment and other assets to Los Angeles and New York. Separately, it’s also exiting most of its leased sound stage facilities in L.A.
📹 Sheffield DocFest will be welcoming some of nonfiction film’s biggest talents to the 33rd edition of the international event. The latest work from Oscar winners Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tilda Swinton will be among the highlights.
⚖️ Rebel Wilson has endured a second day of searching questions, as the Pitch Perfect star defends her integrity during a defamation trial in Sydney, Australia. Wilson is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the lead actress in her directorial debut The Deb, over allegations that she invented a sexual harassment complaint by the young actress. |
| OBITUARIES
🕯️ Steve Maslow, a longtime go-to re-recording mixer who won Oscars for The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Speed and had four other career nominations during a prolific half-century career, has died. He was 81. 🕯️ 2026 Deaths Photo Gallery
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| ON THE RADAR
Wed - Alphabet, Meta & Amazon earnings; AMC Global Media upfront
Thu - Apple earnings
Fri - Deadline Reality TV Summit
Sat - Kentucky Derby; Olivia Rodrigo hosts SNL
Mon - The Met Gala; Netflix is a Joke Fest begins
Tue - Tony noms; Obama on Colbert
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White Ties At White House - Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. |
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