🎬 SAG Strikes Again

👋 Good morning! Today marks the kickoff of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics! NBCUniversal is your go-to broadcaster in the U.S., with events airing on NBC, CNBC, USA Network, and streaming on Peacock. Plus, for a truly immersive experience, select theaters will be showcasing key events live, bringing the excitement of Paris to the big screen.

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:

• SAG Hits the Picket Lines

• NBA Rejects Warner Bros. Discovery

• Disney & Marvel’s New Approach

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

• Release Radar: What to watch this weekend

• Video Village 📀

• Martini Shot 🍸

But first, it’s Friday, so let’s take a look at what people were watching this week… 👀

TOP STREAMED THIS WEEK IN THE US

SAG-AFTRA's hitting the picket lines against major video game companies. After nearly two years of contract talks, they're at an impasse over AI. Voice actors are demanding fair compensation and the right to consent when AI uses their voices, faces, or bodies. The fear is real: AI could potentially replicate or manipulate actors' performances without proper pay or permission. With a whopping 98% of members voting to strike, this standoff could last longer than your average RPG campaign. As always, we’ll keep you updated.

The NBA has rejected Warner Bros. Discovery’s bid to keep NBA games on TNT and Max in favor of a shiny new deal with Amazon. Ouch. The league opted for Amazon's global streaming reach over WBD's cable-heavy approach. WBD is crying foul, claiming they have the contractual right to match Amazon's offer and the NBA can't legally reject it. They're threatening legal action, insisting the league "grossly misinterpreted" their rights. Meanwhile, Wall Street is treating WBD's stock like a hot potato, with shares plummeting over 6%. Without the NBA, WBD loses a major draw for both its cable channels and streaming service. Analysts are speculating this could accelerate cord-cutting and hamper Max's growth. Some are saying this might push WBD to finally break up its unwieldy empire. Either way, it looks like game over for TNT's nearly 40-year NBA run.

Disney and Marvel are taking a new approach with ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’ Remember earlier this year when Disney hit the brakes on their superhero assembly line? After a rough 2023 full of box office duds and growing superhero fatigue amongst audiences, Disney decided to shift gears, focusing on sequels and established franchises. Now the studio’s back with a fresh approach to the Marvel formula:

• First R-rated MCU production for Disney—previous R-rated Marvel films like 'Deadpool' and 'Logan' were under 20th Century Fox.

• A shift from rapid-fire annual releases to longer development time (6 years since ‘Deadpool 2’ for maximum creative marination).

• No Ph.D. in Marvel-ology required: Unlike other MCU entries, doesn't require extensive MCU knowledge.

• Only Marvel theatrical release for Disney in 2024: quality over quantity, baby.

• $200M budget: They're still all-in on fewer, shinier toys.

'Deadpool & Wolverine' might just be the defibrillator the MCU needs. If successful, it'll prove that sometimes, to save a universe, you need to break a few rules (and drop a few F-bombs). More on this weekend’s box office projections below. 👇

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Development 🗒️

• Tessa Thompson will star in and executive produce the Netflix limited series ‘His & Hers.’ (more)

• Rebecca Ferguson joins Cillian Murphy in Netflix’s upcoming ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie. (more)

• A24 reveals ‘Altar,’ a horror film starring January Jones, Kyle MacLachlan, David Krumholtz, Lily Collias. (more)

• Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions are rebooting the hidden camera prank show ‘Scare Tactics’ for USA Network. (more)

• Miranda Cosgrove and Pierson Fode will star in Netflix’s rom-com ‘The Wrong Paris,’ directed by Janeen Damian. (more)

• IFC Films and Shudder have acquired the North American rights to E.L. Katz’s horror thriller ‘Azrael.’ (more)

• Judy Greer and Mark Hamill have joined Lionsgate’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel ‘The Long Walk.’ (more)

• Paul Feig teams up with Blumhouse to direct a movie based on the article that inspired Netflix’s ‘Worst Roommate Ever’. (more)

• Netflix’s adaptation of Rebecca Yarros’ bestselling novel ‘Fourth Wing’ names Moira Walley-Beckett as showrunner. (more)

• Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio are directing a two-part HBO documentary on Mel Brooks’ eight-decade comedy career. (more)

• Djimon Hounsou joins Phoebe Dynevor in Sony Pictures’ upcoming thriller, produced by Adam McKay and Kevin Messick. (more)

• Apple Original Films wins the auction for ‘The Corsair Code’, a sci-fi mystery starring Chris Hemsworth. (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• Hulu renews ‘The Kardashians’ for 20 more episodes, continuing its hit reality series for two additional seasons. (more)

Business 🤝

• 20th Television names Jillian Longnecker as EVP of production and Brendan Countee as head of comedy development. (more)

• Pancho Mansfield signs a first-look producing deal with Blink49 Studios and sets a procedural project with ‘Percy Jackson’ writer Andrew Miller. (more)

• ITV Studios acquires Hartswood Films, the producer behind ‘Sherlock’ and ‘Dracula.’ (more)

• IMAX Q2 sales and profits dipped but surpassed estimates due to a June box office surge and the successful sale of its original documentary ‘The Blue Angels’ to Amazon. (more)

• Blumhouse Television buys back a 45% stake from ITV Studios for $60M and extends its unscripted deal with ITV America for three more years. (more)

• AMC Entertainment fell to a $32.8M loss in Q2 due to fewer film releases amid Hollywood strikes, but CEO Adam Aron is optimistic after a strong June turnaround. (more)

Other News 🚨

• The Disney+, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle launches, offering an ad-supported version for $17/month and an ad-free version for $30/ month. (more)

What to watch this weekend? 👀

🎥 THEATRICAL

• Deadpool & Wolverine: Latest installment in Disney’s MCU directed by Shawn Levy is poised to close out July’s box office with a bang.

• Didi: Sundance-premiered coming-of-age comedy from newcomer Sean Wang.

• The Fabulous Four: Star-studded friend comedy starring Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler, Megan Mullally and Sheryl Lee Ralph.

• 2024 Paris Olympics: Opening ceremony and games screening at AMC Theaters.

📺 STREAMING

• Time Bandits: (Apple TV+) New take on the 80’s cult classic of the same name from Jemaine Clement, Iain Morris and Taika Waititi.

• Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam: (Netflix) Doc exploring Lou Pearlman's boy band scam empire.

• The Decameron: (Netflix) Medieval dark comedy based on the 14th century Italian short-story collection of the same name.

🔮 BOX OFFICE PREVIEW

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is set to demolish the box office this weekend with a projected $160-170M domestic debut, likely shattering R-rated opening records. Globally, it could hit a massive $340-360M. ‘Twisters’ is expected to spin up $36-40M for second place, while ‘Despicable Me 4’ should round out the top three with $12-15M.