🎬 It's Private 🤫

👋 Good morning! Today we’re cranking up the volume because it’s National Film Score Day. To celebrate, we’ve curated a special playlist featuring the most iconic film scores just for you. We’ll be updating it and adding regularly, so let us know if we’ve missed anything. 😉

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:

• Endeavor Goes Private

• Boardroom Battle’s Final Stretch

• Dan Lin Takes the Reins

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

• Video Village: The latest trailers

• Martini Shot 🍸

🏢💼 Endeavor Goes Private in $13B Deal: Endeavor Group Holdings, the parent company of talent agency giant WME, is going private in a deal led by private equity firm Silver Lake, valued at $13B. This comes three years after Endeavor's IPO, signifying a major shift in its business strategy. Shareholders are set to receive $27.50 per share, a premium on the company’s recent stock price. This transaction points to a broader industry trend, where private equity firms increasingly invest in media and entertainment entities, betting on their growth potential amidst evolving content consumption landscapes. Going private allows Endeavor to navigate the market with greater flexibility, away from the public eye and quarterly earnings pressures. This could have wider implications, hinting at possible future consolidations and strategic shifts as companies aim to strengthen their positions in a competitive, rapidly changing industry.

🗳️🏰 Disney’s Boardroom Battle: Today, Disney’s boardroom battle comes to a head at their virtual shareholder meeting. Recall, Disney’s in the midst of a proxy-battle—essentially a tug-of-war over control and strategic direction of the company, played out through a process of voting for board members. Disney, under CEO Bob Iger’s leadership, appeared to be gaining the upper hand yesterday against activist investor Nelson Peltz. The company's board, including Iger, has secured support from major investors like BlackRock and T. Rowe Price. Peltz, despite initial advantages and a history of influencing companies like H.J. Heinz and Procter & Gamble, is lagging behind. He faces criticism from Disney, which questions his media expertise and strategic vision. The saga captures the essence of corporate power plays, with Disney asserting a "viable plan" against Peltz's call for fresh thinking, all under the watchful eyes of the industry's biggest names and individual shareholders who hold a substantial stake in the outcome. The vote counts will be announced during Disney's annual shareholder meeting, which is scheduled to start today at 10 a.m. PT.

🎬🚀 Netflix's New Chapter with Dan Lin: Dan Lin, the established producer and founder of Rideback, has taken the reins this week as Netflix's film head. Known for his budget-friendly blockbusters, Lin's unexpected leap to Netflix marks a strategic shift, eyeing a "fewer and better" content approach. While at Rideback, Lin crafted hits from complex properties like Lego and Sherlock Holmes, hinting at his knack for turning the unlikely into gold. Lin’s pragmatic approach and industry respect might just steer Netflix through the streaming wars with a refined, yet robust slate of films, leveraging his ability to blend commercial success with critical acclaim.

Development 🗒️

• Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman to lead in Searchlight’s 'The Roses,' a remake of the 1989 dark comedy 'The War of the Roses.’ (more)

• 'Road House,' makes a knockout streaming debut on Amazon with 50M viewers, marking Amazon's biggest movie launch to date. (more)

• Kali Reis joins Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson in Amazon MGM Studios' sci-fi thriller 'Mercy.’ (more)

• Allison Janney joins Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick in 'A Simple Favor 2.' (more)

• James Patterson hosts a new true crime series on Fox Nation, delving into three unsolved homicide cases to potentially aid in bringing justice. (more)

• Nine Stories, Jake Gyllenhaal’s production company, secures a three-year first-look film deal with Amazon MGM. (more)

• Saban Films acquires Kevin Smith's coming-of-age comedy 'The 4:30 Movie.' (more)

• Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis,' seeks distribution after a buzzworthy screening. (more)

• 'Captain Marvel' directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden will helm the first four episodes of Prime Video’s 'Criminal.’ (more)

• Netflix acquires a law school thriller pitch from Andrew Sodroski, promising a modern blend of 'The Firm' and 'The Wolf of Wall Street.' (more)

• Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. TV snag rights to Matthew Blake's 'Anna O' for a Netflix series, following a global bidding war. (more)

• HBO orders pilot 'The Chair Company,' a comedy by Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin, with Adam McKay producing. (more)

✅ Renewed & Cancelled ❌

• ‘9-1-1’ is rented for S8 by ABC. (more)

• ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ is renewed for S21 by ABC. (more)

Business 🤝

• Amazon’s MGM+ secures a deal to stream Lionsgate and Starz content, including 'Outlander,' in the U.K. (more)

• Liberty Media acquires MotoGP from Dorna in a $4B deal, aiming to expand the motorcycle racing championship’s global presence and success. (more)

• 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' generates a $130M loss for Disney, failing to meet its production and marketing costs at the box office. (more)

• Deal talks between Skydance and Paramount are heating up. (more)

• The estate of George Carlin settled a lawsuit against the Dudesy podcast for an AI-generated special. (more)

• Miramax names Jonathan Glickman CEO. (more)

• Steven O. Newhouse and Steven A. Miron resign from Warner Bros. Discovery's board amid a DOJ antitrust investigation regarding their roles at Charter Communications. (more)

Other News 🚨

• The 82nd Golden Globes will air on Jan. 5, 2025 on CBS. (more)

• Musicians ratify a new contract with studios. (more)

• Jon Stewart reveals Apple prevented him from interviewing FTC Chair Lina Khan on his show. (more)

• Patrick J. Adams and Sarah Rafferty will host a ‘SUITS’ rewatch podcast. (more)

• WWE ratings surge as Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's extended comeback boosts viewership ahead of WrestleMania. (more)