🎬 No Games

👋 Good morning! Hans Zimmer's epic ‘Dune: Part Two’ score just got disqualified from the Oscar race. The Academy's rulebook states sequels can't use more than 20% of previous themes. The maestro seems unfazed though, telling Variety he doesn't make music for awards anyway.

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:

• Tony Vinciquerra’s Bombshell

• TPG Unveils Initial Group

• Disney’s Never-Ending Succession Saga

• No AAA Games for Netflix

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

• Video Village: The latest trailers

• Martini Shot 🍸

CLOSEUP
🪧 Sony’s CEO Tony Vinciquerra dropped a bombshell…

At MIPCOM, the TV industry's biggest global marketplace in Cannes, Vinciquerra claimed new union contract terms and costs are directly forcing productions to flee the U.S. for cheaper locations overseas. His comments from the French Riviera have ignited an industry-wide debate about the future of American production.

A breakdown of Vinciquerra’s warnings:

• New union contracts are directly forcing productions to leave the U.S.

• WGA scale scripts are jumping from $160K to $213K with new benefits.

• Studios warned unions about this exodus during negotiations.

• 15,000 non-union jobs were already lost before strikes began.

• He predicts 18-24 months of industry "chaos" with mergers and layoffs ahead.

The union response was swift and fierce:

• SAG-AFTRA's Duncan Crabtree-Ireland calls it a "cynical attempt to manipulate workers."

• Argues wage increases barely match inflation rates.

• Claims studios are seeking to "exploit lower wages" globally.

• Points to "industry's own business failures" rather than labor costs.

The broader industry picture paints a tough reality: FilmLA reported record-low shooting days in the three-month summer period—falling below even last year’s strike numbers, largely due to a collapse in unscripted TV production. New union rates that were won during strikes last year are kicking in, adding costs just as struggling studios are trying to cut back. Meanwhile, places like the UK are aggressively offering attractive deals (think 40% rebates). California’s facing mounting criticism for not boosting its incentives to compete.

Looking ahead: Depending on who you ask, this exodus is either a predictable consequence of hard-won labor victories or a convenient excuse for studios' belt-tightening. As the companies that built Hollywood scramble to survive in a transformed industry, the big question remains: will studios lobby California to boost incentives and stem the flow, or is this just the beginning of Hollywood's great migration?

WIDESHOT
🎬 Management ventures, succession, and gaming…

🎭💰 Private equity giant TPG just unveiled Initial Group—its new talent management venture—by combining two influential firms: Untitled Entertainment (which reps stars like Naomi Watts and Zoë Kravitz) and Grandview (home to top writers and directors). It's a familiar strategy for TPG, who previously turned talent agency CAA from a $700M investment into a $7B success story. The game plan is simple: buy up smaller talent firms, combine them into one powerful company, then potentially sell it for big profits down the road. The timing is significant: Hollywood's talent representation business is in flux, with some major stars like Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio choosing managers over traditional agents, who can collect commissions on deals, produce projects, and launch brands—freedoms that regulated agencies don't have. While agencies are fighting back—CAA recently sued Range Media Partners for allegedly acting as an unlicensed agency—TPG's big bet suggests where the industry's power center might be shifting.

👑🔄 The House of Mouse can't seem to nail its succession story. Disney just tapped ex-Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman as its fourth board chair in three years, tasking him with finding Bob Iger's replacement by early 2026—a timeline that's been pushed back five times. It's a familiar plot: Iger's first exit plan flopped when his handpicked successor Bob Chapek was ousted in 2022 after a rocky three-year run, prompting Iger's surprise comeback. While Netflix's Ted Sarandos quickly shot down speculation about his interest, saying the role is "not even on my mind," four internal contenders are vying for Disney's throne: ESPN chief Jimmy Pitaro, parks boss Josh D'Amaro, and entertainment duo Dana Walden and Alan Bergman. Disney's hoping this third attempt at a leadership transition finally sticks.

🎮📱 Netflix pulls the plug on its ambitious console gaming dreams. The studio’s shuttering its Southern California "Team Blue" studio that was meant to create blockbuster-scale video games (known as "AAA" titles—think the gaming equivalent of Marvel movies). Despite initially poaching top talent from gaming giants like ‘Overwatch’ and ‘God of War,’ the streaming giant is now showing its cards: mobile gaming is the play, not $100M+ console epics. Since diving into gaming in 2021, Netflix has built an empire of over 100 mobile titles, with plans to churn out monthly games based on hits like ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Rebel Moon.’ This closure, coming after a recent leadership shuffle in its gaming division, signals Netflix is doubling down on what's working—turning its streaming hits into pocket-sized entertainment rather than competing with PlayStation or Xbox.

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LAST LOOKS
Development 🗒️

• Marvel’s ‘Blade’ has been removed from Disney’s 2025 release schedule, with no new date set amid ongoing production delays. (more)

• Tom Holland has joined Christopher Nolan’s next mystery film, rumored to be a 1920s vampire movie, set for release in July 2026. (more)

• Joe Penna will direct ‘Arctic 30,’ an eco-thriller inspired by real events, set to begin production in 2025. (more)

• Tom Cruise and Alejandro G. Iñárritu are set to begin shooting their new film in the U.K., marking Iñárritu’s first English-language project since ‘The Revenant.’ (more)

• Robert Pattinson and Lance Oppenheim are developing ‘Primetime,’ a crime-reporting film for A24. (more)

• Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton, and Cailee Spaeny have officially joined the cast of ‘Beef’ S2. (more)

• An animated prequel feature to ‘John Wick’ is in development. (more)

• Mike Flanagan and Stephen King are teaming up for an eight-episode adaptation of ‘Carrie’ for Amazon. (more)

• Peter Dinklage joins Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst in Derek Cianfrance’s true crime film ‘Roofman.’ (more)

• Rachel Bloom and Dan Gregor’s new comedy ‘Do You Want Kids?’ lands a development deal at ABC. (more)

• Amazon’s United Artists and Scott Stuber have acquired Lauren Oliver’s ‘The Girl in the Lake,’ with Scarlett Johansson set to produce and potentially star. (more)

• Netflix acquires sci-fi thriller ‘Out There,’ marking the directorial debut of veteran editor Stefan Grube. (more)

• Netflix is releasing ‘Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey,’ a three-part docuseries by Joe Berlinger. (more)

• Hulu secures U.S. rights to ‘Paris Has Fallen,’ the StudioCanal series based on the ‘Has Fallen’ film franchise. (more)

• Republic Pictures has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to Alex Winter’s dark comedy ‘Adulthood,’ a modern-noir film featuring Josh Gad, Kaya Scodelario, and Billie Lourd. (more)

• Voltage Pictures has acquired global rights to the horror thriller ‘O.T.H.E.R.’ starring Olga Kurylenko. (more)

• Ronald D. Moore has been named the new showrunner for Amazon’s ‘God of War’ series, replacing the original creative team of the popular franchise. (more)

Renewed & Canceled ✅ ❌

• ‘Matlock’ is renewed for S2 at CBS. (more)

Business 🤝

• Disney names James Gorman as chairman of the board, with Bob Iger’s successor expected in early 2026. (more)

• CAA is preparing for year-end staff cuts, with agents expected to be let go in the coming months as part of annual performance reviews. (more)

• Tribeca Films is partnering with Kanopy and Kinema to stream its independent film catalog. (more)

• Paramount Global has signed a multi-year deal with beIN Media Group, granting exclusive streaming and pay TV rights to popular Paramount content across the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey. (more)

• Justin Marks, co-creator of ‘Shogun,’ has signed a new overall deal with FX Productions to develop more content. (more)

Other News 🚨

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