👋 Good morning! Don’t expect to hear all your favorite songs on TikTok — Universal Music Group’s pulling the plug on the app today, blasting them for paying artists “a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay,” among other concerns. You might want to start thinking of alternative soundtracks for your TikTok dance routines. 💃🕺

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:

• Byron’s Big Bid

• Apple’s Underdog Triumph

• Netflix Goes WWE

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

• Video Village: The latest trailers

• Martini Shot 🍸

But first, let’s take a look at what happened at the box office this past weekend!

💸📈Byron’s Big Bid: Media mogul Byron Allen is making headlines with a whopping $30B bid for Paramount Global. The bid to acquire Paramount Global includes $14.3B for all outstanding shares at a premium price, plus the assumption of Paramount's existing debt, elevating the total deal value. Who's this maverick, you ask? Allen, the stand-up comic who morphed into a TV show producer, is known for scooping up networks like the Weather Channel and various local TV stations. His strategy for Paramount? Allen would streamline the media giant, retaining its TV channels and Paramount+ streaming service while selling off the Paramount film studio and other assets. Known for his earlier, though sometimes unsuccessful, high-profile bids in the media and sports worlds, Allen's latest endeavor could consolidate his status as a media titan, if successful.

🍏🏆 Apple's Underdog Triumph: Apple TV+’s ‘Ted Lasso’ has dribbled past the competition, emerging as the most-streamed original show in the U.S. last year, according to new Nielsen data. Despite Apple TV+ being the proverbial underdog with subscriber numbers speculated to be well under 30M, ‘Ted Lasso’ clocked nearly 17B minutes of viewer engagement, outshining rivals on platforms like Netflix, which boasts over 77M subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. This startling data throws a curveball into the streaming wars, suggesting that Apple TV+ might be playing in a bigger league than previously thought. This year’s Nielsen rankings paint an intriguing picture of viewer preferences, blending nostalgia with new hits—USA Network's long-canceled ‘Suits’ astonishingly topped the list overall with a staggering 57.7B minutes viewed. The data also underscores a significant growth in overall streaming, now accounting for 36% of all TV use, surpassing cable and broadcast.

📺🤼‍♂️ Netflix Goes WWE: For those not in the loop, Netflix made a colossal move last week by signing a $5B deal to live-stream WWE Raw. Here’s why that’s a big deal: Besides being a massive financial commitment, this bold step marks the streaming giant’s first venture into the live-programming ring, a domain it hasn’t really ventured into before. By bringing WWE, which is a blend of sports entertainment and dramatic storytelling, Netflix is innovating in content offering. It blurs the lines between traditional sports broadcasting, reality TV, and scripted drama, creating a new niche in streaming content. The deal could significantly boost Netflix’s subscriber engagement by tapping into WWE’s massive and dedicated global fanbase. Moreover, it signals a potential shift in the streaming landscape, where live, interactive experiences could become a norm.

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Development 🗒️

• 'House of the Dragon' star Milly Alcock is cast as Supergirl in the upcoming DC Universe film 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.' (more)

• Universal Pictures sets a 2025 release for 'Dog Man,' an animated adaptation of Dav Pilkey's popular book series. (more)

• Corey Hawkins stars in Andscape's 'The Man in My Basement,' a Disney-ESPN adaptation of Walter Mosley's novel, set for release on Hulu. (more)

• Sam Hargrave is set to direct Paramount’s 'Kill Them All.’ (more)

• Keke Palmer joins the cast of Aziz Ansari's directorial debut 'Good Fortune,' also starring Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen. (more)

• Geraldine Viswanathan replaces Ayo Edebiri in Marvel's 'Thunderbolts' due to Edebiri's scheduling conflicts. (more)

• Paramount+ begins production on the 'Star Trek: Section 31' movie, with Michelle Yeoh starring and seven new cast members added. (more)

• HBO is developing Gillian Flynn's novel 'Dark Places' into a limited series, with Flynn co-creating, writing, and co-showrunning the project. (more)

• The Coen Brothers are set to direct a new "very bloody" horror film, their first collaboration since 2018. (more)

• The cast for Sony Pictures' 'SNL 1975' is set with Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, and Matt Wood as John Belushi. (more)

• Amazon MGM acquires the worldwide rights to 'I Am: Celine Dion,' a documentary chronicling the singer's life and battle with Stiff Person Syndrome. (more)

• Terrence Howard joins Peacock's Muhammad Ali limited series 'Fight Night.' (more)

• Magnolia Pictures acquires 'Thelma,' an action-comedy starring June Squibb, following its premiere at Sundance. (more)

• Hulu is developing 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,' a reality docuseries about Mormon women who are swingers. (more)

• ‘Severance’ resumes S2 production after delays due to WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, as announced by director Ben Stiller. (more)

• Chris Rock is set to direct a remake of the Oscar-winning film 'Another Round,' in collaboration with Appian Way, Makeready, and Fifth Season. (more)

• Netflix acquires the German-speaking Europe rights to the Swiss comedy 'The Neighbours From Upstairs' after its successful theatrical run. (more)

• Nia Long is cast as Katherine Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael.’ (more)

• Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley are set to star in Chloé Zhao’s film adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel 'Hamnet.’ (more)

✅ Renewed & Cancelled ❌

• ‘Is It Cake?’ is renewed for S3 at Netflix. (more)

Business 🤝

• Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes move their popular interview podcast ‘Smartless’ to SiriusXM in a deal worth over $100M. (more)

• Paramount Global successfully sells out all commercial slots for a kids-and-family focused simulcast of Super Bowl LVIII on Nickelodeon. (more)

• Warner Bros. Discovery's stock is downgraded by Wells Fargo due to reduced earnings projections and a more cautious view on mergers and acquisitions. (more)

• Sony Pictures Television strikes overall deals with Nick Rigg's Brass Monkeys Media and Royal Malloy's Royal Entertainment. (more)

• UTA and A24 partner to produce premium TV content through UTA's Civic Center Media. (more)

• Chris Greenleaf launches PFM Entertainment Group, with its first project being the film adaptation of the book 'Getting Over John Doe.' (more)

• YouTube's advertising revenue soared to $9.2B in Q4 of 2023. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Hollywood Creative Alliance sues Critics Choice Association for defamation following accusations of influence peddling. (more)