👋 Good morning! Last night, London transformed into a desert oasis as the stars of ‘Dune: Part Two’ descended upon Leicester Square for the world premiere. Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Anya Taylor-Joy, Florence Pugh, and Austin Butler brought their A-game to the red carpet, and the film’s already receiving rave reviews.

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:

• Disney’s Password Crackdown

• Hollywood Levels Up

• AI Dilemma

• Peacock Takes Flight

• 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 WORLDWIDE

🏰🗝️ Disney+’s Password Crackdown: Disney, in a move to enhance streaming profitability, is launching a crackdown on password sharing across its Disney+ and Hulu platforms. Starting this summer, Disney is set to introduce the “new capabilities” for account holders, encouraging those currently sharing passwords to establish their own subscriptions. Later in the year, Disney plans to offer an option for account holders to extend access to individuals outside their household for an extra fee. It’s all part of Disney’s broader effort to expand its subscriber base and improve customer experience, drawing inspiration from Netflix’s successful crackdown on password sharing. Disney's CFO, Hugh Johnston, sees similar potential for Disney+, aiming for streaming profitability by the fiscal fourth quarter, despite a recent dip in subscriber numbers.

🎬🎮 Hollywood Levels Up: In the wake of Bob Iger’s $1.5B gamble on the gaming universe with ‘Fortnite,’ it seems Hollywood’s giants are keen not be left in the digital dust. Iger’s revelation about the screen time habits of Gen Z and younger demographics has sent ripples through the industry, with major players like Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix jumping into the gaming fray with gusto. Warner Bros. already boasts in-house gaming success with ‘Hogwarts: Legacy’ and looks to further cement its presence. Netflix continues to diversify its entertainment dominion with a mobile-first gaming strategy, including original titles and heavyweight acquisitions like the ‘Grand Theft Auto’ trilogy. Even NBCUniversal flirted with the idea of merging with gaming titan Electronic Arts, highlighting the sector's allure. As these studios follow Disney into the gaming world, they’re not just expanding their portfolios — they’re battling for the hearts (and thumbs) of the next-gen audience.

💵🥊 AI Dilemma: Cash or Court? Media moguls are at a crossroads, torn between cashing in on AI's lucrative promises or fighting tooth and nail to protect their intellectual turf. The New York Times is leading a charge against AI giants OpenAI and Microsoft, slinging a hefty lawsuit their way over copyright infringement. This legal battle is fueled by AI's knack for echoing copyrighted content. In one corner, The New York Times opts for the courtroom, brandishing legal briefs as weapons of choice. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ring, industry titans like Condé Nast and Axel Springer are exploring a different route. Axel Springer in particular views AI's rise as a golden ticket to journalism's next level, having inked a deal with OpenAI this past December. This divide really boils down to a simple question: join the AI wave or fight to keep traditional content sacred?

📺🦚 Peacock Takes Flight in the Streaming Wars: Peacock has officially outflanked Paramount+ in total catalog demand as of Q4 2023, marking a first for Comcast's streaming contender. This leapfrogging comes amid Comcast's broader push in streaming and studio operations, with Universal's film slate giving Peacock the much-needed boost. The platform has found its groove with reality TV and sports content, hosting Bravo hits like ‘Real Housewives’ and ‘Vanderpump Rules,’ making it a go-to for unscripted content aficionados. With reality TV making up a quarter of its TV demand and a deep roster of live sports, Peacock's strategy focuses on engaging content and live broadcasting to outpace rivals.

PRESENTED BY PRIME VIDEO

Have you been watching ‘Expats’?

For those looking to keep a finger on the pulse of the entertainment landscape, ‘Expats’ emerges as a must-watch.

Helmed by Lulu Wang, 'Expats' crafts a compelling narrative from Janice Y.K. Lee’s 'The Expatriates.' It’s a story told with a haunting slow burn, revealing an intricate weave of lives and their hidden struggles beneath a facade of privilege.

Starring Nicole Kidman as Margaret, a transplant navigating Hong Kong's landscapes, and Sarayu Blue as Hilary, whose seemingly perfect life masks untold secrets, 'Expats' explores these characters’ transformation, heartache, and hidden truths in one of the world's most dynamic cities.

Stream ‘Expats’ episode 5 NOW on Prime Video!

Development 🗒️

• Danielle Deadwyler is set to star in Blumhouse Thriller ‘The Woman in the Yard.’ (more)

• Ridley Scott is in talks to direct Paramount’s Bee Gees biopic. (more)

• Michelle Yeoh is set to star in ‘The Mother,’ an action-thriller about an immigrant mother fighting a Boston crime ring to save her sons. (more)

• Sylvester Stallone is set to star in crime thriller ‘The Epiphany,’ with production starting this summer. (more)

• Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn are set to star in Marvel's ‘The Fantastic Four.’ (more)

• Peacock orders three new dramas, including a techno-thriller starring Simu Liu by James Wan, and series ‘All Her Fault’ and ‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy.’ (more)

• Bleecker Street secures U.S. distribution for ‘Slingshot,’ a sci-fi thriller with Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne. (more)

• Ethan Hawke, Daniel Radcliffe, and Jessica Biel are set to star in ‘Batso,’ set for EFM launch. (more)

• The CW greenlights game shows based on the classic board games Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit. (more)

• Jon Hamm joins Taylor Sheridan’s drama ‘Landman.’ (more)

• Will Smith to star in ‘Sugar Bandits,’ based on Chuck Hogan's book ‘Devils in Exile.’ (more)

• Sophie Turner is set to star in ‘Trust’ for Republic Pictures. (more)

• ‘The Conners’ secures a syndication deal with Debmar-Mercury. (more)

• Barry Keoghan will star in ‘Amo Saddam,’ based on the book ‘The Prisoner in His Palace’ about the final days of Saddam Hussein (more)

• Dylan O’Brien is set to star in James Sweeney’s dark comedy ‘Twinless.’ (more)

• Wanda Sykes will star in her first dramatic film role in ‘Undercard.’ (more)

• Meryl Streep will return for S4 of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ on Hulu. (more)

• A ‘Greenland’ sequel, starring Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin, will begin filming in April in the U.K. (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• ‘Queens Court’ is renewed for S2 at Peacock. (more)

• ‘This Fool’ is cancelled at Hulu. (more)

• ‘American Rust’ moves to Amazon for S2. (more)

• ‘Evil’ will end after S4 at Paramount+. (more)

• The CW is in discussions for a S2 renewal of 'Wild Cards.’ (more)

Business 🤝

• Paramount Global's shares fell over 6% after Berkshire Hathaway sold a third of its stake in the company. (more)

• Roku reached 80M active accounts with a 21% increase in streaming hours, yet saw a 4% decrease in average revenue per user, leading to a 15% drop in share price in after-hours trading. (more)

• The CW's leadership ambitiously aims to elevate the network to stand alongside the traditional "Big Four," embracing a broad mix of content acquisitions. (more)

What to watch this weekend? 👀

🎥 THEATRICAL

• Madame Web: Marvel’s latest, starring Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney.

• Bob Marley: One Love: Biopic that dives into the life of the reggae legend.

📺 STREAMING

• The New Look: (Apple TV+) Biographical series depicting Christian Dior’s life in Paris after WWII.

• Welcome Home, Franklin: (Apple TV+) The Peanuts gang’s newest adventure.

• Love Is Blind S6: (Netflix) Newest season of the hit social experiment/reality show.