🎬 Indie TV?

👋 Good morning! Jerry Seinfeld took a playful jab at himself on SNL roasting his extensive press tour for ‘Unfrosted,’ his directorial debut on Netflix about the whimsical origins of Pop-Tarts. Inspired by Seinfeld's standup bit, the film creatively diverges from the actual 1960s origin story where Kellogg launched Pop-Tarts in a spirited race against Post's Country Squares, quickly capturing the market with catchy ads and the snappy name.

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🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• Indie TV?

• Paramount Negotiation Update

• 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. 🎥 The Fall Guy: Despite a promising setup, ‘The Fall Guy’ had a quieter debut with $28.5M domestically and $65.4M globally, missing its $30M domestic forecast. With a high production budget of $125M, the film’s future hinges on its strong CinemaScore (A-) and favorable audience reception. Competition heats up next weekend with the release of ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,’ but positive word-of-mouth might help it reach beyond the $100M mark domestically.

2. 🌌 Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace [2024 Re-Release]: Pulls in $8.1M domestically and $14.5M worldwide, proving that re-releases can be a lucrative trend, appealing to nostalgia and new audiences alike.

3. 🎾 Challengers: Earns $7.6M domestically in its second week, totaling $29.4M in the U.S. and $39.7M globally, with data showing strong appeal among young women.

4. 🃏 Tarot: Opens to a disappointing $6.5M domestically and $10.2M globally amid poor reviews, hinting at a short theatrical run.

5. 🦖 Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire: Brings in $4.5M domestically in week six, totaling $188.1M, showing lasting franchise strength.

6. 🏛 Civil War: Collects $3.5M domestically this weekend, achieving $62M in four weeks, proving to be a hit for A24.

7. 🎭 Unsung Hero: Gathers $3M domestically this weekend, totaling $13.1M, facing a tough audience battle.

8. 🐼 Kung Fu Panda 4: Adds $2.4M domestically in its ninth week, reaching $188.3M, continuing its successful run.

9. 🧙‍♀️ Abigail: Secures $2.3M domestically this weekend, summing up to $22.8M, struggling to captivate audiences.

10. 👻 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire: Nets $1.8M domestically in its seventh week, totaling nearly $110M, still attracting franchise loyalists.

🎥📺 Netflix Embraces Indie Spirit with 'Penelope': Mark Duplass and Mel Eslyn are rewriting the rules of TV with their indie series ‘Penelope.’ Going against the grain, the co-creators independently financed and produced the entire first season before seeking distribution—a daring leap into the unknown in today's scripted series landscape. Premiered at Sundance 2024, the series intrigued multiple potential distributors, but it was Netflix that ultimately snagged the U.S. rights. This approach allowed the Duplass brothers (the show’s producers) to maintain creative control and navigate the sale process with innovative deal structures, reflecting a true indie film spirit. This pioneering method not only reduces Netflix's risk but could also redefine indie TV production in the streaming era, signaling a potential shift toward more creator-driven projects. If 'Penelope' succeeds, it might inspire a wave of indie creators to embrace this novel production and distribution model.

🎬🔁 Paramount's Negotiation Update: As the dust settles on Paramount’s exclusive negotiating period with Skydance, which concluded last Friday without a deal, the plot thickens with multiple players still in the game. Paramount's board has decided to extend talks with David Ellison’s Skydance, albeit non-exclusively, while also entertaining a hefty $26B all-cash offer from Sony Pictures and Apollo. Adding a dash of star power to the negotiations, heavyweights James Cameron and Ari Emanuel have publicly thrown their weight behind Ellison. Cameron praised Ellison’s creative chops to lead Paramount into brighter days, while Emanuel sees him as the perfect fit, given his solid rapport with major industry players like Amazon, Netflix, and Apple. As always, we’ll keep you updated as the saga develops.

Development 🗒️

• ‘The Maze Runner’ reboot is in the works at Disney’s 20th Century Studios. (more)

• 'CODA' director Siân Heder is set to helm Paramount's adaptation of Gabrielle Zevin's hit novel 'Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.' (more)

• Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy will star in the Enid Blyton adaptation 'The Magic Faraway Tree,' with filming set to commence next month at the Cannes market. (more)

• Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine and Netflix collaborate on 'F1 Academy,' a docuseries spotlighting women in Formula 1's developmental league. (more)

• Leonardo DiCaprio and Jane Goodall team up to executive produce 'Howl,' a live-action film about the bond between a dog and a wolf. (more)

• Olivia Cooke and Jamie Bell to star in 'Takes One To Know One,' a modern romance set in Italy, launching sales at Cannes. (more)

• A24 acquires North American rights to Paolo Sorrentino's 'Parthenope' ahead of its Cannes Film Festival world premiere. (more)

• 'Gen V' honors late actor Chance Perdomo by not recasting his role and reshaping S2 in tribute, following his untimely death. (more)

• 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' marks its 25th anniversary with a new season on ABC, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. (more)

• Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer to star in 'The Death of Robin Hood,' a darker reimagining by Michael Sarnoski, set to begin production in February 2025. (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• ‘Night Court’ is renewed for S3 at NBC. (more)

Business 🤝

• ABC News President Kim Godwin steps down amid leadership critiques. (more)

• FuboTV's North American subscriber count dropped to 1.51M in Q1. (more)

• Several major studios are set to unveil their quarterly earnings. Here's what to keep an eye on:

  • Disney (Tuesday morning)

  • Fox (Wednesday morning)

  • Warner Bros. Discovery (Thursday morning)

Other News 🚨

• The New York Times is scaling back its documentary production. (more)