🎬 Shaky Ground

👋 Good morning! Some crafty kids found a loophole in the movie theater ecosystem over the holiday weekend: While most cinemas treated the unrated ‘Terrifier 3’ as R-rated, turning away unaccompanied under-17s, ‘The Wild Robot’ saw a mysterious ticket bump. Coincidence? Industry insiders think not. It seems a classic case of buy-and-sneak, with teens nabbing PG tickets only to slip into the gore-fest.

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:

• TV Anchors on Shaky Ground

• Oscars Hosting Change-up

• Apple TV+’s Content Playbook

• SAG & Video Game Companies Resume Talks

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

• Video Village: The latest trailers

• Martini Shot 🍸

CLOSEUP
📺 TV anchors are on shaky ground…

TV news is getting a reality check. The days of mega-star anchors and big-budget productions are fading fast as networks scramble to keep up with shrinking audiences and tighter wallets.

Anchors are facing a new normal in compensation that's a far cry from their cushy past. In the best-case scenario, they might see smaller cost-of-living raises—cue the world's tiniest violin. More likely, many will face straight-up pay cuts, tightening their designer belts a notch or two. For the unlucky few, the future holds what executives euphemistically call "carefully managed terminations," which is just corporate speak for "You're fired, but we're trying to be nice about it."

The scoop from industry insiders and recent reports:

• ABC's Good Morning America trio (Stephanopoulos, Roberts, Strahan)—each pulling in a cool $25M a year—are in for some tough talks when contracts come up.

• CBS News is ditching the single high-profile anchor model, replacing Norah O'Donnell with a rotating cast of less expensive anchors.

• NBC News, like others, is blurring the lines between local and national news. It's a move that would've been unthinkable not long ago, but here we are. The collaboration aims to boost efficiency and expand coverage.

Why are anchors suddenly on shaky ground?

• Traditional TV viewership is tanking, and ad dollars are following suit, leaving networks scrambling to cut costs.

• When ABC shells out $75M yearly to the Good Morning America crew—nearly half the show's ad revenue—you know something's gotta give.

• TikTok and social media are stealing the show, especially with the younger crowd.

• Some TikTok news influencers are even outperforming legacy anchors in views and engagement.

Looking ahead: The multi-million dollar news anchor might be going extinct. As networks pivot to streaming and rethink their formats, TV news could look radically different soon. The trick will be cutting costs without gutting quality and relevance in our fractured media landscape.

The bigger picture: This reshuffling of the anchor deck is just another symptom of the broader consolidation sweeping through the media industry. From streaming services merging to tech giants gobbling up content creators, the TV news shakeup is part of a larger trend where only the fittest (or most cost-effective) survive.

WIDESHOT
🎬 Oscars changeup, Apple’s playbook, & SAG strike…

🎭🏆 The Oscars are eyeing a rotating host format to solve their annual emcee headache. Hollywood's biggest night has struggled to land a host, with the gig losing its sparkle due to declining audiences, social media scrutiny, and a paycheck that doesn’t match the hassle. Jimmy Kimmel's bowed out after four stints, and John Mulaney's passed on hosting the March ceremony. The Academy's solution? A rotating host format to spread the wealth and reduce the burden. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are currently being considered, potentially capitalizing on their $1.33B ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ success. Other A-listers like Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, and Dwayne Johnson are also in the mix. The Academy’s throwing a star-studded Hail Mary to breathe life back into Oscar night.

🍎📺 Apple TV+ is fine tuning its content playbook, according to industry whispers. A deep dive into the tech giant's entertainment arm reveals what they're currently hunting for. Key takeaways:

• Executives are seeking "feel-something" comedies and grounded sci-fi dramas—think ‘Loot’ or ‘Shrinking.’

• There's a new openness to limited series, moving away from long-running soaps like ‘The Morning Show.’

• A-list stars still attract attention, but fresh talent with potential is gaining traction.

• Apple maintains deep pockets for content, but shows willingness to pass on big names if projects don't fit their vision.

• The streamer targets an affluent, coastal millennial audience.

• Content boundaries are expanding slightly, with shows like ‘Disclaimer’ pushing into more adult territory. However, explicit sexual content and even cigarettes remain taboo.

• The market remains cautious, with buyers still wary of purely original ideas.

As Apple fine-tunes its approach, the "throw cash at stars and cross fingers" era is fading. We're entering the age of targeted content and storytelling finesse. Expect other streamers to follow suit, each carving out their own flavor in the streaming smorgasbord.

🎭🎮 SAG-AFTRA and video game publishers are set to resume contract talks on Oct. 23—their first sit-down since Nov. 2023. The actors' strike, which kicked off in July, has most issues sorted (24 out of 25 proposals agreed upon). This final push involves major players like Activision and Disney. The union recently added Riot Games' ‘League of Legends’ to its blocked titles list, citing unfair labor practices by Formosa Interactive. The union’s move aims to level up public awareness and pressure companies. The endgame? Rewriting the code for voice actors' rights—leveling up paychecks, setting boundaries on AI voice farming, and boosting motion capture safety stats.

INTERMISSION: A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR
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LAST LOOKS
Development 🗒️

• Hulu is developing a darkly comedic crime series based on M.K. Oliver’s upcoming novel ‘A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage.’ (more)

• Netflix is developing a modern ‘Pride and Prejudice’ adaptation titled ‘Pride,’ produced by Higher Ground and Alloy Entertainment. (more)

• Dan Fogelman’s new NFL-themed family drama has received a series order at Hulu. (more)

• Alana Haim has landed back-to-back film roles in ‘The Mastermind’ with Josh O’Connor and ‘The Drama’ alongside Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. (more)

• The film adaptation of ‘Until Dawn,’ directed by David F. Sandberg, is set for release on April 25, 2025, from Sony Pictures. (more)

• Radar Pictures is developing a feature adaptation of ‘Into the Lion’s Mouth,’ based on the true WWII spy story of Dusko Popov. (more)

• Chloë Grace Moretz, Anthony Ramos, and a star-studded cast are headlining the romantic comedy ‘Love Language,’ directed by Joey Power. (more)

• Bryce Dallas Howard is set to direct ‘All of Her’ for Lionsgate. (more)

• Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson will star as a married couple in ‘Song Sung Blue,’ a musical drama directed by Craig Brewer. (more)

• Jennifer Westfeldt is adapting and co-starring in ‘The Sweet Spot,’ in development at Amazon MGM Studios based on Amy Poeppel’s novel. (more)

Renewed & Canceled ✅ ❌

• ‘Slow Horses’ is renewed for S6 at Apple TV+. (more)

Business 🤝

• Legendary Entertainment has bought out Wanda Group’s remaining 60% stake, fully reclaiming ownership of the ‘Dune’ and ‘Godzilla’ studio. (more)

• Scott Stuber has appointed Nick Nesbitt as President of his newly formed production company, which has a multi-year partnership with Amazon MGM Studios to produce films under the ‘United Artists’ label. (more)

• Warner Bros. Discovery will launch Max in seven Asian markets, including Indonesia and Singapore, on Nov. 19, expanding the service’s global reach to 72 markets. (more)

• Paramount Global awarded co-CEOs $3M in additional stock to retain them during the company’s transition. (more)

• Netflix will report its third-quarter earnings tomorrow, Oct. 17. (more)

• Lexington, Kentucky is promoting its film industry with a state tax credit program offering up to 35% back on productions under $10M. (more)

• Amazon is set to expand ads on Prime Video to five new markets, including India and Brazil, starting in 2025. (more)

• Max Thieriot has signed a first-look deal with CBS Studios while teasing a legacy-driven S3 of ‘Fire Country’ and bidding farewell to ‘SEAL Team.’ (more)

• NBCUniversal is restructuring its ad executive ranks, with Dan Lovinger, head of Olympic sales, among several staffers exiting as the company streamlines its sales operations. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Jebs Hollywood Entertainment has acquired the Dolby Theatre ahead of the 2025 Oscars. (more)

INTERMISSION: A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR

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