🎬 The Sports Cartel

👋 Good morning! While most of us were nestled in our beds over the weekend, a group of dedicated fans ventured into the depths of the night to catch ‘Dune: Part Two’ at the ungodly hour of 3:15 am. That's right, tickets sold out fast, leaving some fans (or maybe just insomniacs with great movie taste) with no other option.

Whether you're a seasoned subscriber or a new arrival, we're thrilled to have you here. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we'll deliver the most important industry scoops directly to your inbox.

🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• IATSE Negotiations Begin Today

• FuboTV’s “Duel to the Death”

• 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!

LAST WEEKEND’S
🎟️ BOX OFFICE BREAKDOWN 🎟️

1. 🌌 Dune: Part Two: Launches with $81.5M in North America and $97M internationally, marking 2024's biggest debut and the highest opening ever for director Denis Villeneuve and some key cast members.

2. 🎶 Bob Marley: One Love: In its third weekend, captures $7.4M domestically and $8.8M internationally, bringing totals to $82.8M domestic and $146.1M worldwide.

3. 🙏 The Chosen: Season 4 Episodes 7 – 8: Premieres with $3.9M, illustrating the viability of streaming series in movie theaters.

4. 🎬 Ordinary Angels: Earns $3.85M in its third frame, with a total of $12.56M.

5. 🕷 Madame Web: Collects $3.2M in its fourth weekend, reaching a $40.44M total.

🎬🤝 IATSE's Pivotal Talks Begin Today: The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) is stepping back into the negotiation ring with studios today. With over 168,000 workers under its banner, IATSE’s aiming to secure higher wages, better work hours, improved health benefits, equitable streaming project compensation, and safeguards against the encroachments of AI.

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: there will be no extension of these agreements past their July 31 expiration. The path forward hinges on the progress of these talks.

As the entertainment industry still shakes off the dual aftershocks of previous strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic, these negotiations are not just about contracts but a fight for the future of Hollywood labor.

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.

IATSE members rallied in solidarity yesterday, setting the stage for today's talks. As the negotiation doors swing open, the entire industry holds its breath. As always, we’ll keep you updated.

🔥🥊 FuboTV Takes Aim at “Sports Cartel” in Fiery Earnings Call: FuboTV’s latest earnings call wasn’t just about the numbers; it was a declaration of war. CEO David Gandler took aim at what he calls the “sports cartel”—a group of giants including Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery, who announced a new sports-streaming endeavor last month. FuboTV has launched a legal battle against the “cartel” for “borderline racketeering” and “pernicious contractual terms,” accusing them of trying to monopolize sport streaming and squeeze out the smaller players. Gandler says it’s not just about survival for FuboTV, but also keeping things fair for consumers. Despite the legal battle stealing the show, FuboTV showcased a 15% subscriber increase to 1.62M, and a better-than-expected Q4 loss. As the stock wobbles and the path to positive cash flow by 2025 looks steep, all eyes are on this David vs. Goliath showdown.

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Development 🗒️

• Tim Southam replaces David S. Goyer as director for Apple TV+'s ‘Foundation’ S3. (more)

• Noma Dumezweni joins Alexander Skarsgård in the Apple TV+ sci-fi drama series ‘Murderbot.’ (more)

• Wendell Pierce is cast as Perry White in James Gunn's upcoming ‘Superman’ film. (more)

• Priyanka Chopra Jonas stars in ‘The Bluff,’ directed by Frank E. Flowers. (more)

• Vertical acquires 'The Speedway Murders,' set for a day-and-date release later this year. (more)

• Joshua Jackson joins the cast of Sony's new 'Karate Kid' installment, marking his return to feature films after nearly a decade. (more)

• Disney is considering a return for Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in a supporting role for the 6th 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie. (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• Fox renews ‘Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars’ for S2. (more)

• ‘The Brothers Sun’ is cancelled after S1 at Netflix. (more)

Business 🤝

• UTA acquires Gen Z-focused marketing firm JUV Consulting to enhance its Entertainment Marketing division and deepen connections with youth culture. (more)

• Universal Music Group is the latest group to initiate layoffs. (more)

• BBC Studios acquires ITV's 50% stake in BritBox International for $322M, gaining full control of the British content-focused streaming platform. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Apple TV+ enhances its US library with a "Great Movies special collection," adding 51 acclaimed films including classics and recent award winners for a limited time. (more)

• ‘The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’ premieres with record-breaking viewership for AMC and AMC+, marking the network's biggest series launch in six years. (more)

• BBC show writers secure a 10% pay hike and enhanced residuals in a landmark deal with the Writers Guild of Great Britain. (more)

• The SAG-AFTRA executive committee has approved the 2023 TV animation agreement, and is now sending it to members for a ratification vote. (more)