🎬 Buongiorno 🤌

👋 Good morning! The dynamic duo behind ‘Every Frame a Painting’ just made a surprise comeback. Taylor Ramos and Tony Zhou, the YouTube essayists behind the beloved channel, have dropped their first video in seven years—a short but sweet exploration of the sustained two-shot.

Welcome aboard the Dailies. As you sip your morning brew, we’ll get you caught up with the fast-paced world of Hollywood - no need to chase down a newsstand, we’ve got everything you need right here.

🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• Venice Film Festival Kicks Off

• Bronfman Drops Paramount Bid

• Michael Crichton's Estate Files Lawsuit

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

• Video Village: The latest trailers

• Martini Shot 🍸

📽️ Fall Festival Circuit Begins 🍿
81st Venice Film Festival Kicks Off

The 81st Venice Film Festival opens today on the picturesque Lido, launching an 11-day celebration of cinema that runs through Sept. 7. As one of the world's oldest and most prestigious film festivals, Venice has long been a kingmaker in the awards race, screening films in historic venues like the Palazzo del Cinema and drawing A-list talent from around the globe.

As the first major festival of the season, Venice sets the tone for what's to come. This year marks a triumphant return to form after last year's strike-muted events. The fall festival circuit—including Venice, Toronto, Telluride, and New York—is set to reclaim its status as the launchpad for Oscar hopefuls. Venice's track record speaks volumes: since 2014, it's hosted four Best Picture winners and 19 nominees.

Potential awards contenders across the fall festivals include:

• ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ - Todd Phillips' musical sequel

• ‘Maria’ - Pablo Larraín's Maria Callas biopic starring Angelina Jolie

• ‘Wolfs’ - Jon Watts' thriller with George Clooney and Brad Pitt

• ‘Queer’ - Luca Guadagnino's William S. Burroughs adaptation

• ‘Blitz’ - Steve McQueen's WWII drama

• ‘The Room Next Door’ - Pedro Almodóvar's English-language debut

• The festivals will also showcase previously acclaimed films from Cannes and Sundance, including Francis Ford Coppola's ‘Megalopolis,’ hoping to maintain or regain momentum in the increasingly crowded awards race.

This year's slate leans heavily on artful indies, with themes spanning body horror, experimental storytelling, and a resurgence of musicals. Big studio offerings are notably sparser.

Star power is set to return to its pre-pandemic levels, following last year's subdued event due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. While celeb attendance has always been a hallmark of Venice, the sheer concentration of A-listers expected this year feels like a collective exhale from the industry. Lady Gaga, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Amy Adams all expected to grace red carpets.

As the curtain rises on Venice, the festival circuit stands poised to do what it does best: celebrate cinema and launch Oscar campaigns.

👑🔄 The months-long saga for Paramount Global's future ended Monday night as Edgar Bronfman Jr. withdrew his $6B bid, citing time constraints and investor concerns over information disclosure. This development leaves David Ellison's Skydance Media as the sole remaining bidder. Paramount's special committee confirmed the end of the "go-shop" period, with the $8B Skydance merger now set to close in the first half of 2025. While regulatory scrutiny looms, particularly over broadcast licenses, most observers anticipate a relatively smooth path to approval. As the dust settles, Paramount faces immediate challenges, including looming layoffs and a $1.5B cost-saving initiative under future management. The conclusion of this high-stakes process marks a significant milestone for one of Hollywood's most storied studios.

🏥⚖️ Michael Crichton's widow is suing Warner Bros. Television, John Wells, and Noah Wyle, alleging they've repackaged 'ER' without consent. The lawsuit reveals a year-long negotiation for an official 'ER' sequel, which collapsed over credit and compensation disputes. Shortly after, WBTV greenlit 'The Pitt'—a medical drama starring 'ER' alum Wyle, penned by 'ER' writers, but conveniently not called 'ER.' This legal chess move sidesteps Crichton's "frozen rights" provision, which demands his estate's approval for 'ER'-related content. While some argue Crichton can't monopolize medical dramas, others see 'The Pitt' as 'ER' with a zip code change. The case exposes a potential loophole in creator rights: change the name, keep the essence, ditch the original creator? With 'The Pitt' already slated for Max, this legal drama might outpace any on-screen medical emergency in intrigue.

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Development 🗒️

• Stacy London and Clinton Kelly reunite for a new Amazon series, ‘Wear Whatever The F You Want.’ (more)

• Matthew Fox joins Michelle Pfeiffer in Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Yellowstone’ spinoff ‘The Madison,’ set in Montana’s Madison River valley. (more)

• Emilia Clarke will star in and executive produce the Cold War-era thriller ‘PONIES’ for Peacock, set in 1970s Moscow. (more)

• Glen Powell stars in Edgar Wright’s adaptation of ‘The Running Man,’ with production starting this November at Paramount. (more)

• Kate Winslet will star in and executive produce Hulu’s new drama series ‘The Spot,’ created by Ed Solomon and produced by A24. (more)

• Gabriel Luna, James Badge Dale, and Michael Angarano join the cast of Peacock’s limited series ‘John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise.’ (more)

• Hallmark+ orders the drama series ‘Ripple,’ exploring human connections in New York City. (more)

• Bad Bunny joins Austin Butler in Darren Aronofsky’s crime thriller ‘Caught Stealing’ for Sony Pictures. (more)

• Maddie Ziegler and Avantika join the cast of the indie action film ‘Ballerina Overdrive,’ currently in production with 87North and Gulfstream Pictures. (more)

• Cooper Hoffman will star alongside Olivia Wilde in Gregg Araki’s provocative thriller ‘I Want Your Sex,’ playing Wilde’s sexual muse. (more)

• Molly Gordon, Logan Lerman, Geraldine Viswanathan, and John Reynolds will star in the indie comedy ‘Oh, Hi!’, directed by Sophie Brooks. (more)

• ‘Yellowstone’ is in talks for a potential S6, with Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser set to lead following Kevin Costner’s exit. (more)

• Prime Video orders ‘The Pasta Queen,’ a culinary travel series featuring Nadia Caterina Munno, from Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine. (more)

• Juno Films has acquired worldwide rights to Ciarán Cassidy’s documentary ‘Housewife of the Year.’ (more)

• Universal International Studios is developing a television adaptation of Matt Brolly’s thriller ‘The Alliance.’ (more)

✅ Renewed & Cancelled ❌

• ‘Acapulco’ is renewed for S4 on Apple TV+. (more)

• ‘Owning Manhattan’ is renewed for S2 at Netflix. (more)

Business 🤝

• The judge in Fubo’s lawsuit against Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery aims for a Feb. 2025 jury trial after blocking their Venu Sports streaming service launch. (more)

• Disney and DirecTV are in tense negotiations over their carriage renewal, with both sides disputing terms as the current deal’s expiration looms, potentially affecting key sports broadcasts. (more)

• Regal Cinemas and Fandango have signed a multiyear deal to collaborate on advertising, ticketing, and concessions. (more)

• The WGA West is phasing in direct deposits for residuals, replacing the iconic green envelopes for its members. (more)

• Amazon is in talks to sell MGM Alternative, the production group behind shows like ‘The Voice’ and ‘Vanderpump Rules,’ though a deal is not yet certain. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Matthew Rankin’s ‘Universal Language’ has been selected as Canada’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 2025 Oscars. (more)

• Italy is reforming its film and TV tax credit system to encourage more international productions to focus on Italian stories and use local talent. (more)

• Want to memorize your lines faster? Here's a proven, science-backed method top actors are using. (more)