🎬 Biopics Incoming

👋 Good morning! Hollywood power couple alert: Christopher Nolan and his wife, Emma Thomas, are to be knighted by King Charles III. Nolan will don the title of Sir Christopher, while Thomas will be celebrated as Dame Emma, crowning their spectacular journey in the film industry. The honor is meant to underscore their significant contributions to film and culture.

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:

• Biopics in Full Swing

• Writers Fight for AI Laws

• Ad Spending Soars

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

• Release Radar: What to watch this weekend

• Video Village 📀

• Martini Shot 🍸

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

TOP STREAMED THIS WEEK IN THE US

🎬🤩 Biopics in Full Swing: Hollywood’s love affair with biopics is in full swing. Recent hits like ‘Oppenheimer,’ raking in nearly $1B and bagging Oscars, and ‘One Love,’ the Bob Marley story, grossing over $170M, highlight the genres current allure. Now, the biopic pipeline is brimming with potential blockbusters. Here’s a rundown of some the most anticipated biopics that will light up the marquee:

• ‘A Complete Unknown’: Bob Dylan biopic with Timothée Chalamet.

• Untitled Bruce Springsteen biopic with Jeremy Allen White.

• Linda Ronstadt biopic starring Selena Gomez.

• Four Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes.

• ‘The Apprentice’: Sebastian Stan as young Donald Trump.

• Untitled Richard Simmons biopic starring Pauly Shore.

• ‘Michael’: Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson.

• Elon Musk biopic directed by Darren Aronofsky.

• Maria Callas biopic starring Angelina Jolie.

• ‘Beautiful’: Daisy Edgar-Jones as Carole King.

• Fred Astaire biopic starring Tom Holland.

• James Baldwin biopic starring Billy Porter.

• ‘Back to Black’: Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse.

• Candy Darling biopic starring Hari Nef.

• Nat King Cole musical starring Colman Domingo.

📜✊ Writers Fight for AI Laws: The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and other key unions sent a distress signal to Congress yesterday, calling for “urgent action” on AI legislation. This isn't just another plea for regulation; it's a clamor from a workforce rattled by AI's real-world encroachments. Following a strike that cast a spotlight on AI's potential to displace human talent, the entertainment industry's scribes are seeing firsthand how AI-generated content and un-consented use of their work are not just hypothetical threats but immediate realities. They're calling on lawmakers to craft AI legislation that guarantees creative professionals won't be sidelined by the technology that replicates their work without consent or fair compensation. This time, it's not just about the fear of future disruption; it's a reaction to the present and growing impact of AI on the creative heart of Hollywood.

💰📈 Ad Spending Soars: Magna, a big player in the media investment world, has just given the U.S. advertising market a big thumbs up, forecasting a 9.2% growth to $369B in 2024. This boost is thanks to a healthier economy and the boom in digital media like online streaming. In simple terms, more companies are spending money on ads, especially on platforms like Netflix or Hulu. While shops and travel companies are opening their wallets wide, the movie and tech sectors are a bit more cautious. But with big events like the 2024 elections, there’s a lot more ad money expected to flow in. This spells good news for the film and TV industry, showing that even in a digital age, ads on the big and small screens are still in hot demand.

Development 🗒️

• Sony Pictures snags Darren Aronofsky's crime thriller ‘Caught Stealing,’ starring Austin Butler. (more)

• Amazon MGM Studios and Lionsgate greenlight ‘A Simple Favor 2’ with Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. (more)

• Martin Scorsese debuts ‘The Saints,’ an eight-part docudrama series on Fox Nation. (more)

• HBO hits pause on 'Euphoria' S3, grappling with creative conflicts and cast scheduling, as Zendaya and team juggle rising film careers amidst the show's uncertain future. (more)

• Netflix acquires the action sci-fi film ‘War Machine,’ starring Alan Ritchson and directed by Patrick Hughes, in a deal with Lionsgate. (more)

• Claire Danes and Howard Gordon reunite for the Netflix limited series ‘Beast in Me.’ (more)

• Katy O'Brian joins the cast of ‘Mission: Impossible 8’ after her performance in ‘Love Lies Bleeding.’ (more)

• John Leguizamo joins Taron Egerton in Apple TV+'s drama ‘Firebug,’ directed and executive produced by Kari Skogland. (more)

• Steve Yockey, known for ‘The Flight Attendant,’ is the new screenwriter for ‘Star Trek 4.’ (more)

• Brandon Sklenar joins Meghann Fahy in the thriller 'Drop' by Christopher Landon, produced by Platinum Dunes and Blumhouse. (more)

• ‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ is set for production, promising a higher budget and new twisted takes on classic Pooh characters. (more)

• Jon Batiste will score and act as Billy Preston in Jason Reitman's ‘SNL 1975,’ depicting the debut night of ‘Saturday Night Live.’ (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ is renewed for S5 at Starz. (more)

Business 🤝

• Ryan Gosling launches General Admission with Jesse Henderson, sealing a first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios. (more)

• Darren Star exits Paramount for a broad deal with Universal TV to create new broadcast and streaming content. (more)

• S&P Global downgrades Paramount Global's debt to junk status due to concerns over its cash flow and transition from linear TV to streaming. (more)

• AMC Entertainment's stock drops over 16% amid plans to sell $250M in stock due to a weak Q1 box office and ongoing financial challenges. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Hulu content is now officially integrated into Disney+ for bundled subscribers. (more)

• A court allows a defamation lawsuit against Netflix to proceed over its portrayal of a former friend in the series ‘Inventing Anna.’ (more)

• Disney and allies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis settle a lawsuit, resolving the dispute over control of Walt Disney World's governing district. (more)

• Bill Maher is launching a podcast network. (more)

What to watch this weekend? 👀

🎥 THEATRICAL

• In the Land of Saints and Sinners: Liam Neeson-led action-thriller.

• Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire: Sequel to ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ directed by Adam Wingard.

📺 STREAMING

• STEVE! (Martin) A Domumentary in 2 Pieces: (Apple TV+) Documentary following the life and career of Steve Martin.

• American Rust: (Amazon Prime) S2 of the crime-drama starring Jeff Daniels.

• We Were the Lucky Ones: (Hulu) Historical drama miniseries starring Joey King.