🎬 Succession Planning

👋 Good morning! As you savor your morning brew, here's a tidbit of relevant movie trivia to kickstart your day: Did you know there's a Starbucks cup lurking in nearly every scene of David Fincher's 'Fight Club?' Fincher deliberately sprinkled this easter egg throughout the film to satirize the Starbucks boom in 90's LA and subtly reinforce the movie's underlying themes.

Welcome aboard the Dailies. 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:

• Iger’s Succession Planning

• Paramount’s Shake-up Ahead

• Price Hikes vs. Subscriber Loyalty

• 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

🏰🤔 Iger’s Next Battle: In the aftermath of the proxy battle with Nelson Peltz, Disney, under Bob Iger’s leadership, is now shifting focus to finding his successor by 2026. This transition is scrutinized closely, given the rocky transition from Iger to Bob Chapek in 2020, which saw Chapek exit amidst financial turmoil and a decline in share prices. Critics, including former Disney CFO Gary Wilson, accuse Iger of eliminating potential successors, leading to a leadership vacuum that necessitated his return in 2022. Now, with lessons learned, Iger and the board are meticulously searching for a successor, considering both internal and external candidates. Iger's looking for a successor who can juggle the evolving media landscape, including streaming's rise and the integration of platforms like Disney+ and Hulu. Despite past challenges, the recent proxy skirmish has unexpectedly boosted shareholder involvement, a dynamic Iger hopes will benefit Disney's journey towards a seamless and strategic leadership transition.

🎬🤝 Paramount Shake-Up Ahead? Shari Redstone, the media mogul behind Paramount Global is reportedly on the verge of selling her hefty stake in National Amusements Inc. (NAI), which commands an 80% voting power in Paramount. Word on the street is that she’s reached a tentative agreement to sell the stake to David Ellison’s Skydance Media. The deal's fine print remains under wraps, with no official word from either camp, despite the high-stakes dance of negotiation. Amidst the unfolding saga, Paramount's stock enjoys an uptick, thanks to a bullish stock upgrade from Wolfe Research. This comes against the backdrop of Apollo Global Management’s rejected $27B bid for the company. Analysts watch cautiously, weighing the potential reshaping of Paramount against a tapestry of financial and governance complexities.

📈🤑 Price Hikes vs. Subscriber Loyalty: Streaming giants are nudging their prices up, testing the waters of subscriber loyalty amid a 35% spike in U.S. cancellations in 2023. With over 140M drop-offs, the influx of new sign-ups keeps the boat steady, suggesting consumers might stick with streaming, regardless of cost hikes. A recent Boston Consulting Group study reveals that American households spent $12 less monthly on streaming than they're willing to, hinting at a potential $8B market waiting to be tapped. While behemoths like Netflix have the elbow room to jack up prices, smaller contenders such as Apple TV+ are scraping their limits, with viewer numbers and content offerings too meager to justify further hikes. This evolving scenario teases a future of rising streaming fees, with the market's price tolerance destined to shape the next chapter in the SVOD saga.

Development 🗒️

• Jack O'Connell is set to star as the villain opposite Michael B. Jordan in Ryan Coogler's secretive Warner Bros period film. (more)

• Comedian Matt Rife signs a two-special deal with Netflix and will develop and star in a workplace comedy series. (more)

• A new ‘Matrix’ movie is in the works and Warner Bros. (more)

• Julia Garner is cast as a Shalla-Bal version of Silver Surfer in Marvel Studios' 'The Fantastic Four.' (more)

• Warner Bros. announces a new ‘Matrix’ movie directed and co-produced by Drew Goddard. (more)

• Craig Gillespie is in talks to direct ‘Supergirl’ for DC Studios. (more)

• Amazon MGM Studios and Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine are developing 'Legally Blonde' spin-off shows. (more)

• Jennifer Garner teams up with Netflix and Hello Sunshine for the holiday comedy 'Mrs. Claus,' adding producer to her starring role. (more)

• Netflix's ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ sees another showrunner shift, with Albert Kim stepping down. (more)

• Léa Seydoux is set to star alongside Josh O’Connor in Luca Guadagnino's film 'Separate Rooms,' an adaptation of Pier Vittorio Tondelli's novel. (more)

• Hulu greenlights 'Dress My Tour,' a fashion design competition hosted by Kate Upton. (more)

• Denis Villeneuve is in discussions with Legendary Entertainment to adapt the nonfiction book ‘Nuclear War: A Scenario’ into a film. (more)

• Drew Barrymore confirms that 'Happy Gilmore 2' is in development, with Adam Sandler having written a screenplay for the sequel. (more)

• Halle Bailey will star in a Universal Pictures musical directed by Michel Gondry, inspired by Pharrell Williams' childhood in Virginia Beach. (more)

• Mindy Kaling is set to return to Hulu with ‘Murray Hill.’ (more)

• Olivia Wilde, Margot Robbie's LuckyChap, and Simon Kinberg are teaming up to adapt Rob Liefeld's comic ‘Avengelyne’ into a feature film. (more)

• Frank Grillo joins the cast of Paramount+'s ‘Tulsa King’ S2. (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• ‘Will Trent’ is renewed for S3 by ABC. (more)

• Greg Gutfeld renews his contract with Fox News, continuing to lead ‘The Five’ and ‘Gutfeld!’ (more)

Business 🤝

• Diamond Sports Group nears Chapter 11 exit, striking a vital carriage deal with Charter Communications to continue its Bally Sports RSN broadcasts. (more)

• Silver Lake injects $250M into Patrick Whitesell's new venture as it privatizes Endeavor, with top execs Whitesell and Ari Emanuel scoring private planes. (more)

Other News 🚨

• DreamWorks Animation production staff vote to join Animation and Editors Guilds, aligning with industry-wide unionization efforts. (more)

• ESPN's new standalone streaming service will be available through Disney+ in fall 2025. (more)

What to watch this weekend? 👀

🎥 THEATRICAL

• The First Omen: Prequel to ‘The Omen.’

• Monkey Man: Dev Patel’s new action-thriller described as the “South-Asian John Wick.”

📺 STREAMING

• Ripley: (Netflix) Series based on ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ led by Andrew Scott.

• Star Trek: Discovery: (Paramount+) S5 of the popular sci-fi series.

• The Greatest Hits: (Hulu) Romantic fantasy film starring Lucy Boynton.

• Scoop: (Netflix) Gillian Anderson leads this film about the infamous BBC Prince Andrew interview.