🎬 Another Strike? 🪧

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🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• IATSE’s Upcoming Negotiations

• FuboTV’s Billion Dollar Lawsuit

• HBO Hits Pause On YouTube

• From Couch Premiere to Cinema

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

• Video Village: The latest trailers

• Martini Shot 🍸

🪧 Another Strike? 🪧
What to Know About IATSE’s Upcoming Negotiations

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) is about to step into the spotlight: Representing a diverse cadre of over 168,000 below-the-line-workers—from set designers and technicians to makeup artists and props handlers—IATSE is gearing up for pivotal contract negotiations set to commence on March 4th.

A refresher: Back in 2021 IATSE passed two critical agreements: The Hollywood Basic Agreement and the Area Standards Agreement. Both passed narrowly amidst significant internal dissent. This time around, IATSE is clear in its stance: extension of these agreements is off the table.

The outcome of these upcoming negotiations will have significant implications for both IATSE members and the broader entertainment industry.

What does the union want? IATSE hasn’t released an official list of proposals yet, but among expected demands are:

• Higher wages

• Manageable working hours

• Improved health benefits

• Fair streaming project pay

• AI and CG tech concerns

The industry is still reeling from the dual shocks of previous strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic. These events have not only strained the financial stability of workers but also reshaped the negotiation landscape. Potential allies and adversaries are emerging, with public and industry support playing a pivotal role in tilting the scales.

What are the potential outcomes of negotiations?

• Best case: A contract that meets IATSE’s demands, setting a new labor relations precedent.

• Worst case: Breakdowns leading to strikes, disrupting productions.

• Middle ground: Compromises that achieve some goals but leave others unmet.

As we edge closer to D-Day (a.k.a. negotiation day) the million dollar question on everyone’s mind is: Will there be a strike? Given the somewhat rocky reception to the 2021 agreements and IATSE’s clear intent not to settle for a rerun, the stage is set for a potentially tense showdown.

One the one hand, a backdrop of recent successes and solidarity by writers and actors against the AMPTP offers hope and emboldens IATSE members. On the other hand, the financial strain from nearly a year without work has left many crew members in precarious positions, possibly tipping scales in favor of the studios.

As the March 4 negotiations approach, Hollywood is all ears, recognizing the ripple effects these talks could have on the industry at large.

📺👨‍⚖️ FuboTV’s Billion Dollar Antitrust Suit: FuboTV has thrown down the legal gauntlet, filing a colossal $1B antitrust lawsuit aimed squarely at The Walt Disney Co., Fox Corp., and Warner Bros. Discovery. The whole thing stems from the trio’s alleged anticompetitive maneuvering, forcing FuboTV to bundle a plethora of pricey non-sports channels just to snag sports streaming rights. The dispute centers around a yet-to-be named streaming platform pooling sports rights, set to include heavyweights like ESPN and Fox. FuboTV says these giants are allegedly wielding their sports content dominion to hike prices and stifle competition, a move FuboTV claims could barricade new entrants from the streaming coliseum.

⏸️📹 HBO Puts a Pause on YouTube: HBO's pulling the plug on next-day YouTube freebies for ‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.’ Starting S11, clips will take a scenic four-day detour before hitting YouTube, all in a ploy to nudge viewers towards Max's subscription, where the laughter starts at $9.99 a month. Oliver himself aired his "wish-they'd-rethink-this" thoughts on X, hinting at a Supreme Court piece now behind the Max paywall. As HBO aims to funnel fans to its streaming service, they're betting big on loyalty over instant gratification, hoping the move from immediate YouTube access to a delayed gratification model will have viewers flocking to Max for their weekly satire fix.

🍿🛋️ From Couch Premiere to Cinema: Recently, Disney announced that it was flipping the script with ‘Moana 2,’ taking it from a cozy couch premiere on Disney+ to a blockbuster Thanksgiving theatrical release after positive initial reactions to the film. This swerve from streaming to silver screen isn’t just about giving ‘Moana’ fans something to be thankful for; it’s Disney doubling down on the big sequel strategy after a bit of a dry spell in the originality department.  Trend alert! ‘Moana 2’ isn’t alone in getting this treatment. It seems other studios are also taking gems originally destined for digital lounging, and giving them their red carpet moment. Think ‘Mean Girls,’ ‘Smile,’ and ‘Evil Dead Rise.’ Studios like Disney are playing the nostalgia card, betting big on familiar faces and stories to woo audiences back into theater seats, all while giving jittery investors a bit of confidence. It’s a win-win: fans get their popcorn-filled, communal viewing experience back, and Disney gets to rekindle its love affair with the box office.

Development 🗒️

• Gareth Edwards is in talks to direct the latest installment of the ‘Jurassic World’ franchise. (more)

• Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, and Ruby Cruz are set star in rom-com ‘The Threesome.’ (more)

• Will Sharpe, known from ‘White Lotus,’ is set to portray Mozart in Sky's upcoming series ‘Amadeus.’ (more)

• Jonathan Van Tulleken is set to direct and executive produce the first two episodes of ‘Blade Runner 2099’ for Prime Video. (more)

• Sam Mendes, Sony, and Apple Corps are set to produce four separate Beatles movies, each focusing on Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, with full life story and music rights granted for the first time. (more)

• Bong Joon-Ho’s ‘Mickey 17’ won’t open until Jan. 2025. (more)

• The Kid Laroi documentary ‘Kids Are Growing Up’ is set to premiere on Prime Video on Feb. 29. (more)

• Alan Cumming and Jane Lynch join the cast of Hulu's ‘The Bravest Knight’ S2. (more)

• Clark Backo joins the cast of ‘Venom 3,’ set for a Nov. 8 theater release. (more)

• Amazon is making a Roger Federer documentary. (more)

• Yorgos Lanthimos is set to direct a remake of the South Korean fantasy comedy ‘Save the Green Planet.’ (more)

• Rebecca Hall joins the cast of James L. Brooks' film ‘Ella McCay’ for 20th Century, alongside Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Woody Harrelson. (more)

• Fremantle is set to acquire Asacha Media Group, enhancing its European production capabilities with Asacha's eight labels in the U.K., France, and Italy. (more)

• Mubi acquires the Martin Scorsese-narrated documentary ‘Made In England: The Films Of Powell And Pressburger.’ (more)

• Martin Scorsese will play Dante Alighieri's mentor in Julian Schnabel's ‘In the Hand of Dante.’ (more)

• Kevin Costner is set to continue his ambitious ‘Horizon’ project, filming Parts 3 & 4 soon. (more)

✅ Renewed & Cancelled ❌

• ‘Berlin’ is renewed for S2 at Netflix. (more)

Business 🤝

• Walmart acquires smart TV firm Vizio for $2.3B. (more)

• Disney has outsourced its DVD and Blu-ray disc business to Sony Pictures Entertainment. (more)

• Jay Levine, a former Warner Bros. executive, has been named the new CEO of Kevin Hart's Hartbeat. (more)

• Amazon MGM Studios has secured an exclusive overall deal with Gaz Alazraki's Maquina Vega. (more)

• Disney announces the closure of its Disney Movie Club, a service offering exclusive and discounted Blu-ray and DVD titles. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Jon Stewart's return to ‘The Daily Show’ on Feb. 12 drew over 3M viewers. (more)

• Disney+'s Bluey surpasses Netflix's CoComelon, becoming the most streamed children's show in the U.S., marking a strategic win for Disney in capturing the preschool audience. (more)

• ‘True Detective: Night Country,’ concluded as the most-watched season of the HBO crime anthology, drawing 3.2M viewers for its finale and averaging 12.7M across platforms. (more)

• Total TV use in January reached a four-year peak, driven by new originals and a Peacock-exclusive NFL playoff game, with streaming capturing 36% of TV usage, according to Nielsen. (more)