🎬 Down to 3

👋 Good morning! The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards are this weekend, and 'Shogun' is already slicing through the competition before the main event. FX's feudal Japan epic has snagged a jaw-dropping 14 Creative Arts Emmys, setting a new record for the most wins for a single season of television.

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:

• Heavy Hitters Predict Chaos

• TIFF’s Sales Slump

• Sundance Narrows Contenders

• WBD Locks In Carriage Deal

• 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

🔮🌪️ Hollywood's heavy hitters are pulling out their crystal balls, and boy, do they see storms ahead. Many are predicting a whirlwind two-year period that could reshape entertainment as we know it.

🎭 Who's Saying What:

• Ari Emanuel (Endeavor CEO) expects only 5-6 major streaming players to survive the next 2-3 years.

• Tony Vinciquerra (Sony Pictures CEO) is calling it two years of industry "chaos." He's expecting mergers, bankruptcies, and sales galore.

• David Zaslav (Warner Bros. Discovery CEO) predicts "much fewer players in the market" when the dust settles.

📺 What's Already Cooking: These current developments could be the catalysts for the biggest changes in the entertainment landscape:

• Paramount: Larry Ellison is set to own most of the company by 2025 in the merger with Skydance Media.

• Warner Bros. Discovery: Their stock dropped 70% since Warner Bros. and Discovery joined forces in 2022. They might sell CNN to pay off debt.

• Disney: Bob Iger is back on the hunt for a successor... again.

• Fox: Lachlan Murdoch says they're ready to buy. They'll keep investing in Tubi but are also looking to shop for other companies.

• Chick-Fil-A: They're making their own TV shows. Yes, the chicken place.

• Sundance Film Festival: Considering a move from its historic Park City location. More on this below. 👇

The bottom line? Big changes are coming to Hollywood. In a few years, the entertainment world might look very different.

🎬💸 TIFF's sales scene is finally heating up after a slow start. As the festival barrels toward its Sunday finale, Hulu's swooping in with a deal for festival opener 'Nutcrackers,' starring Ben Stiller. This David Gordon Green-helmed family comedy could break the dealmaking logjam. Despite Netflix's pre-fest $20M+ grab of 'Nonnas,' the market had been eerily quiet. Some insiders are blaming shifting distribution landscapes and cautious wallets. Even A-listers have been struggling, with Sydney Sweeney's 'Eden' still on the shelf. Here are the deals that have managed to squeak through:

• 'Nutcrackers' - Hulu nabbed the rights in 8-figure deal (Ben Stiller's return to acting after 7 years).

• 'William Tell' - Ben Kingsley epic acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films for North American rights.

• 'Jane Austen Ruined My Life' - Charming debut from Laura Piani acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for all rights.

• ‘The Turnaround’ (short film) - Higher Ground (the Obamas' company) joined as a partner.

🎭🏙️ Sundance Film Festival has narrowed its future home search to three cities: Park City/Salt Lake City, Boulder, and Cincinnati. The decision, coming in early 2025, will determine where the festival lands after 2026. Each finalist offers unique appeal: Utah brings familiar terrain and Olympic-ready infrastructure, Boulder boasts progressive values and a dense artistic community, while Cincinnati surprises with its growing film scene and cultural investments. The stakes are high as Sundance aims to honor its past while securing its future. With Boulder offering a $1.5M incentive and Cincinnati touting a $1.6B arts impact, the race is on.

📺🤝 Warner Bros. Discovery's and Charter have inked a surprise carriage deal well ahead of schedule. Charter's Spectrum customers are now scoring Max and Discovery+ in their Select packages, gratis. Previously, streaming services like Max were pricey add-ons. Now, they're bundled in, no extra charge. Rolling out by 2025, this $60-value bundle keeps WBD's channels on air and makes Max a key player in Charter's streaming offerings. It's a win-win: WBD grows, Charter evolves. As Disney and DirecTV continue to slug it out (with DirecTV bleeding subscribers), this preemptive strike sets a new bar for cable-streaming alliances. It's not just coexistence anymore; it's fusion—a peek at TV's hybridized future. Charter's nabbed almost every major streaming service except Peacock, changing HBO from a premium add-on to just another included channel. Zaslav's prophecy rings true: bundle or get bundled.

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Development 🗒️

• Emma Corrin and Maika Monroe will star in Julia Jackman’s period fantasy ‘100 Nights of Hero,’ alongside Charli XCX. (more)

• Judd Apatow is set to direct and Steven Spielberg will produce ‘Cola Wars,’ a Sony film about the 1980s battle between Pepsi and Coca-Cola. (more)

• HBO has ordered a new comedy series ‘The Chair Company’ from Tim Robinson. (more)

• Michael B. Jordan is set to direct and star in a remake of ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ for Amazon MGM.​ (more)

• Lilly Wachowski’s Anarchists United is developing an animated adaptation of ‘Hell Followed With Us’ based on Andrew Joseph White’s novel. (more)

• Chris Messina and Damian Lewis have joined the cast of WWII drama ‘Pressure.’ (more)

• Rosamund Pike will lead Netflix’s Silicon Valley thriller series ‘Thumblite,’ created by Scott Z. Burns. (more)

• McG is in final talks to direct the KISS biopic ‘Shout It Out Loud’ for STX Entertainment, with production set to begin in 2025. (more)

• Finn Wittrock, Esai Morales, and Sylvia Hoeks are starring in the romantic comedy ‘So Much For Love.’ currently filming in Louisville, Kentucky. (more)

• Samara Weaving, Kyle Gallner, Kyra Sedgwick, and Jon Gries are starring in the romantic crime-thriller ‘Carolina Caroline.’ (more)

Other News 🚨

• Francis Ford Coppola has sued Variety for $15M over claims of unprofessional behavior on the set of ‘Megalopolis.’ (more)

• The $170M defamation lawsuit against Netflix over ‘Baby Reindeer’ will head to trial in May 2025. (more)

• The antitrust trial over Fubo’s challenge to Venu Sports is set for Oct. 2025. (more)

• Top actors are using this science-backed trick to level up their craft. (more)*

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What to watch this weekend? 👀

🎥 THEATRICAL

• Speak No Evil: Psychological thriller remake starring James McAvoy and Mackenzie Davis.

• The Killer’s Game: Action comedy starring Dave Bautista, directed by J.J. Perry and featuring Sofia Boutella and Ben Kingsley.

📺 STREAMING

• Uglies: (Netflix) Sci-fi action film based on Scott Westerfeld's novel, starring Joey King and directed by McG.

• Will & Harper: (Netflix) Documentary following Will Ferrell's road trip with longtime friend Harper Steele after Steele’s gender transition.

• Tulsa King: (Paramount+) S2 of the crime drama series starring Sylvester Stallone, created by Taylor Sheridan.

• Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter: (Netflix) True crime documentary following a mother's 10-year quest to uncover her adopted daughter's disappearance, directed by Ryan White and produced by Charlize Theron.

🏆 AWARDS

• 76th Emmy Awards (ABC): The live broadcast will be hosted by Eugene and Dan Levy, airing Sunday at 8pm ET/5pm PT.

🔮 BOX OFFICE PREVIEW

This weekend, ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ is set to haunt the box office for a second week, with projections ranging from $40M to $60M despite an expected 50%+ drop from its $111M opening. The film's positive reception should keep it firmly in the top spot. New releases ‘Speak No Evil,’ a Blumhouse horror remake starring James McAvoy, aims for second place with a $15M to $20M debut, while Dave Bautista's action flick ‘The Killer's Game’ targets a more modest $4M to $8M opening.

Looking ahead, long-range forecasts for ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ (Oct. 4) are projecting a massive $115M to $145M opening weekend. Despite mixed early reviews, the sequel is expected to outperform its predecessor's $96.2M debut, buoyed by Lady Gaga's star power and a lack of R-rated competition.