🎬 The End... Roll Credits

👋 Good morning! Welcome aboard the Dailies.

Whether you're a seasoned subscriber or a new arrival, we're thrilled to have you here. Twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays, we'll deliver the most important industry scoops directly to your inbox.

🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• 2023: Highs & Lows

• Warner Bros. Discovery & Paramount Explore Union

• Jonathan Majors Out After Verdict

• Endeavor's Legal Triumph

• Last Looks 👀: Bite-sized scoops on developing stories/projects

• Release Radar: What to watch this weekend

• Video Village 📀

• Martini Shot 🍸

But first, it’s Thursday, so let’s take a look at what people were watching this week… 👀

MOST STREAMED THIS WEEK

A Year of Highs and Lows

As 2023 winds down, Hollywood reflects on a year that was as tumultuous as it was transformative. The industry, still reeling from the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, faced new challenges and witnessed significant shifts. Let’s take a look at some of the things that shaped this year:

🪧 Prolonged Strikes: 2023 witnessed extensive strikes, particularly by SAG-AFTRA and WGA. These strikes led to halted productions, delayed project schedules, and significant financial implications for studios and workers alike.

🙋‍♂️ Leadership Vacuum: This year’s strikes shined a bit of light on a leadership vacuum in the industry. Traditionally, Hollywood has been guided by a few powerful individuals who could command respect and drive consensus, especially during crises. In recent times, however, Hollywood leaders like Bob Iger and Ted Sarandos struggled to find solid footing, reflecting a broader sense of uncertainty.

🤖 The Rise of AI: AI's burgeoning role in entertainment sparked both excitement and anxiety. The industry began to seriously grapple with the implications of AI in creative processes, raising questions about the future of traditional roles in filmmaking.

💣 The Fall of Giants & Box Office Bombs: Marvel Studios, once the titan of the box office, faced a significant downturn with ‘The Marvels,’ underscoring a broader trend of waning interest and fatigue in the superhero genre, suggesting that audience preferences might be shifting. Major studios like Disney and Warner Bros. faced their own challenges. Disney struggled with its sports unit and underwhelming box office numbers.

🤑 Box Office Hits: A handful of releases revitalized the movie-going experience, affirming the enduring appeal of cinema:

• ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ made history, grossing over $178M at the domestic box office.

• Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ rivaled Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie,’ both films together grossing over $2.3B worldwide.

• Universal and Blumhouse’s ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ exceeded expectations with a stunning $78M domestic debut, drawing large crowds to theaters in spite of a simultaneous release on Peacock.

Looking Ahead: AI, Consolidation, and New Horizons
As 2024 approaches, the industry stands on the brink of a new era. AI's potential to redefine art and entertainment remains a double-edged sword. While it opens up exciting creative possibilities, it also poses significant challenges to traditional production models and job security.

The coming year may see increased consolidation in the industry, as studios and tech giants vie for dominance in a rapidly changing landscape. The balance between streaming and theatrical releases will continue to evolve, with AI likely playing a key role in content creation and distribution.

As Hollywood turns the page on a year of highs and lows, one thing is clear: the industry is at a pivotal moment, poised for transformation and growth, but also facing challenges that will test its resilience and adaptability.

Cheers to a bold and bright 2024! 🎥🌟

🎥🤝 Warner Bros. Discovery & Paramount Explore Union: In a potential game-changer for the entertainment industry, Warner Bros. Discovery's CEO David Zaslav and Paramount Global's CEO Bob Bakish met in New York to discuss a merger. While still in the preliminary stages, such a deal could unite major players like HBO, Warner Bros., CBS, and Paramount Pictures, reshaping the entertainment landscape. A successful merger would not only consolidate iconic franchises like Star Trek, DC Comics, and Harry Potter but also enhance their streaming services, MAX/Discovery+ and Paramount+, in the competitive digital realm. Despite potential regulatory hurdles, this merger could redefine the media industry, especially as both companies seek to bolster their positions in the streaming wars.

🎭📉 Jonathan Majors Out After Verdict: Jonathan Majors, known for his role as Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has been dropped by Marvel Studios. This decision follows a Manhattan jury's verdict finding Majors guilty of reckless assault and harassment, related to a March incident with his ex-partner. Majors, a rising star, was central to Marvel's current narrative arc, featuring in 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' and 'Loki.' His anticipated lead role in the upcoming 'Avengers: The Kang Dynasty' is now uncertain. Marvel faces a pivotal decision: recast the role amidst the controversy or pivot its storyline to a new villain. This development marks a stark departure from Marvel's past recasts, which were over creative or financial disputes, highlighting the unique challenges posed by legal issues. Majors' promising career, which included roles in 'Creed III' and 'The Last Black Man in San Francisco,' now faces an uncertain future amid the fallout of his legal troubles. 🎭📉

🎬👨‍⚖️Endeavor's Legal Triumph in Intellectual Property Case: Endeavor, led by CEO Ari Emanuel, has just scored a significant legal victory. In an LA Superior Court ruling, the company was cleared of intellectual property theft allegations linked to its 2021 IPO. The plaintiff, consultant David Carde, accused Endeavor of using his unsolicited marketing strategies and analysis without compensation, aiming for substantial financial recompense. However, the court found no material similarities between Carde's submissions and Endeavor's IPO materials. Judge Gregory Keosian concluded that Endeavor, which does not accept unsolicited submissions, didn't enter any contract with Carde, dismissing the case as meritless. This ruling marks an end to a contentious legal battle, with Endeavor's shares recently fluctuating in a volatile market. The case's dismissal reinforces the challenges of proving intellectual property theft, especially when unsolicited ideas are involved.

Development 🗒️

• Naomi Watts joins the cast of Audrey Diwan's upcoming erotic drama ‘Emmanuelle.’ (more)

• Netflix's 'Zero Day' begins production in NY, starring Angela Bassett, Dan Stevens, and Matthew Modine, with Robert De Niro as the lead and executive producer. (more)

• Netflix and MGM Television are developing a 'Wednesday' spinoff. (more)

• The Daily Wire completes filming of 'The Pendragon Cycle,' with a cast including alumni from 'The Witcher,' 'House Of The Dragon,' and 'Game Of Thrones.' (more)

• Roadside Attractions and Vertical have acquired U.S. rights to 'Firebrand,' a historical thriller starring Alicia Vikander and Jude Law. (more)

• Neon acquires U.S. rights to Sydney Sweeney's horror film 'Immaculate,' with release details yet to be announced. (more)

• Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham are set to star in and executive produce a new Prime Video comedy series created by Tessa Coates. (more)

• Indie distributor Altered Innocence acquires North American rights to 'The People’s Joker,' a DC parody feature, for theatrical release. (more)

• Vertical acquires U.S. rights to Chris Pine's directorial debut, the comedy 'Poolman,' set for a 2024 theatrical release. (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• MAX cancels 'Warrior' after S3, but it will stream on Netflix starting early 2024. (more)

• ‘The Buccaneers’ is renewed for S2 at Apple TV+. (more)

• ‘Beacon 23’ is renewed for S2 at MGM+. (more)

• ‘Shining Vale’ canceled after S2 at Starz. (more)

• ‘My Life With the Walter Boys’ is renewed for S2 at Netflix. (more)

• ‘What We Do In the Shadows’ will end with S6 at FX. (more)

Business 🤝

• Byron Allen resubmits a $3.5B bid for Paramount Global's BET and VH1. (more)

• Michael Lang, former CEO of Miramax and Hulu founding board member, has been appointed as the interim Executive Chairman of Vice Media. (more)

• MGM+ expands into Latin America through a content licensing deal with Lionsgate, targeting growth as a major Prime Video Channel in the region. (more)

• Sky is shutting down NBCUniversal's Peacock app in the U.K. on Jan 9. (more)

• Disney is set to shut down its Star+ streaming service in Latin America in 2024, integrating its content into Disney+ as part of the company's ongoing effort to streamline its digital offerings. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Gower Street Analytics predicts a 5% decline in the 2024 global box office to $31.5B. (more)

• Netflix wins in appeals court, successfully dismissing Texas D.A.'s claims of child pornography in the 'Cuties' case. (more)

• The Tolkien Estate and Amazon win lawsuits against the author of 'Fellowship of the King,' with the court ordering him to pay their legal fees. (more)

What to watch over the holidays? 👀

🎄 Despite Warner Bros' release of three potential $100M-grossing films, the Christmas box office is expected to underperform compared to previous years, lacking a dominant blockbuster to drive significant audience turnout. Nevertheless, here’s the new releases we are expecting:

🎥 THEATRICAL

• The Boys in the Boat: George Clooney’s sports drama.

• The Iron Claw: The true story of the Von Erich brothers starring Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White.

• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: James Wan’s latest in the Aquaman franchise.

• Migration: Illumination’s animated comedy.

• The Color Purple: The musical from producers Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey.

• Anyone But You: Romance/comedy starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell.

• Ferrari: Michael Mann’s new biopic starring Adam Driver.

• All Of Us Strangers: Fantasy/Romance starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal.

📺 STREAMING

• Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire: (Netflix) Zack Snyder’s new original franchise.

• Maestro: (Netflix) Bradley Cooper’s latest directorial feat.