🎬 The NO FAKES Act 👬❌

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🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• Closeup: The NO FAKES Act

• AFM 2023 Kicks Off

• A Sparse 2024

• The Hulu Handshake

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

• Release Radar: What to watch this weekend

• Video Village 📀

• Martini Shot 🍸

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

MOST STREAMED THIS WEEK

The NO FAKES Act
🤖 What You Need to Know About the Latest AI Legislation 🤔

As technology grows increasingly sophisticated, so do concerns about AI-generated “digital replicas.” We’re seeing an influx of songs, videos, and voice recordings that uncannily imitate the likeness and voices of performers. It's almost like seeing a ghost of a favorite artist or hearing their unique voice from a source they never endorsed.

Enter the NO FAKES Act

In a rare show of bipartisan cooperation, four U.S. Senators recently presented the NO FAKES Act to the floor. Their goal? To protect performers from unauthorized AI reproductions, covering both living and deceased artists for 70 years after their death.

What is a “digital replica”?

In simple terms, it’s a newly minted, AI-produced representation of an individual’s image or voice that’s indistinguishable from the real thing.

But the act doesn’t outright ban these digital replicas; artists can willingly license their rights to third parties—provided they’ve got legal counsel watching their back, and it’s all in black and white.

Violations carry heavy penalties: We're talking up to three years of legal action, potential statutory damages hitting $5,000 per violation, and even the possibility of punitive damages.

The Hollywood Perspective

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the national executive director of SAG-AFTRA, put it bluntly, “For our members, their voice and likeness is their livelihood. They spend a lifetime improving their talent and building their value. It is outrageous to think someone can undermine that value with a few prompts and clicks on a keyboard.”

The Motion Picture Association isn't taking sides just yet. While not exactly rallying behind the act, they're not tearing it down either. Instead, they're keen on ensuring that the act doesn't trample over the First Amendment rights and the creative freedom the industry thrives on.

President Biden Reacts to His Own Digital Replica

Bridging Hollywood and the White House, President Biden recently signed an executive order on AI, sparked by his own unsettling encounter with a deepfake. It echoes similar concerns to the NO FAKES act and sets the stage for stricter AI guardrails.

Implications and Broader Context

The ripples of the NO FAKES Act, if passed, would extend far and wide. It would be seen as a significant property right and also fall under the intellectual property umbrella. What this spells out for online platforms is clear: stricter monitoring and swift removal of unauthorized digital replicas. The ball's in the court of tech giants now. Will they push back against the act or adapt and ensure these AI doppelgängers are promptly nixed from their platforms?

The Road Ahead and Potential Impact on Hollywood

It's evident the wheels of change are in motion. If the NO FAKES Act gets the green light, Hollywood's production and distribution strategies might need to be reworked. As we stand at this intersection of AI technology and creativity, there's an evident need for balance—a harmony between tech progress and safeguarding artists' rights. As Hollywood ventures further into the digital age, one thing’s for sure: the conversation on AI’s role in entertainment is only heating up.

AFM 2023 Kicks Off Amidst Hollywood Struggles 🎥✨The American Film Market (AFM) is back in Santa Monica, buzzing with cautious optimism amidst Hollywood’s hurdles. The persistent SAG-AFTRA strike and tighter wallets at the studios have cast shadows of uncertainty, making this year's scene particularly tricky. Despite the odds, the industry's spirit is optimistic, with buyers and sellers eager for a rebound after Toronto's tepid deal activity. Big names like ‘Now You See Me 3’ and ‘Rabbit Trap’ are fueling hopes, but let’s be real — the mood is more cautious than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Buyers are asking the tough questions about interim agreements and production guarantees before taking the plunge. Moreover, talent is in a delicate spot, not wanting to look like they’re crossing picket lines, even with interim agreements. It's a cautious dance, but the AFM is unfolding as a litmus test for the resilience and adaptability of Hollywood’s independent sector. See a list of AFM’s major market projects here. 👈🏻

Spring 2024 Looking Sparse, Especially for Disney 👀🤔 Lights, camera… hold that action! The Spring 2024 release schedule is looking pretty sparse, especially for Disney with zero releases slated for the first half the year. As the curtains stay drawn, we’re bracing for the ripple effects of Hollywood’s standstill to start hitting screens:

• Disney's live-action ‘Snow White,’ initially set for Mar. 22, 2024, is now pushed to Mar. 21, 2025.

• Pixar's ‘Elio’ has been moved from its original release date of Mar. 1, 2024, to Jun. 13, 2025.

• The release of ‘Deadpool 3’ in early May is in doubt as the film was among many that stopped production due to the strike.

• Paramount has also shifted its schedule, moving the next ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie out of the 2024 calendar.

• Unrelated to the strike, ‘Magazine Dreams’ starring Jonathan Majors has been pulled from the Dec. 2023 calendar due to the actor's legal issues.

The Hulu Handshake 🤝💰Disney is set to acquire full ownership of Hulu, currently co-owned with Comcast. They've formally declared their intention to purchase Comcast's 33% stake, with an initial price tag of $8.61 billion, grounded in their 2019 mutual agreement. This figure might undergo adjustments, especially given Hulu’s impressive user engagement, as emphasized by Nielsen data that compares favorably even with Netflix. Wall Street is on high alert, especially as Disney's stock remains around $81 after the announcement. The final price and its implications for both giants are closely watched by investors.

Development 🗒️

• Amazon MGM Studios is developing a 'Poltergeist' TV series, reviving the iconic horror franchise in a new format. (more)

• Netflix has acquired Ben Ketai's erotic thriller script 'Undying,' with 21 Laps set to produce the film under their first-look deal. (more)

• Lionsgate has secured North American and UK rights to the Hindi-language action film 'Kill,' marking a unique collaboration between an Indian production and a Hollywood studio. (more)

• Vanessa Kirby and Sydney Sweeney join Jude Law, Ana De Armas, and Daniel Brühl in Ron Howard's upcoming survival thriller ‘Eden,’ set to begin production in November, with Hans Zimmer composing the score. (more)

• ‘Nautilus,’ a series inspired by Jules Verne's ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,’ will air on AMC in 2024 after being dropped by Disney+ UK. (more)

• Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society are developing a TV series based on Rebecca Yarros' hit fantasy book 'Fourth Wing.' (more)

• Alex Wolff is directing and starring in psychological thriller 'If She Burns,’ launching sales at AFM. (more)

• Capstone Studios greenlights to two sequels of the survival thriller 'Fall.' (more)

• A24 is developing a TV series based on Jessa Hastings' viral TikTok sensation 'Magnolia Parks' novels. (more)

• ‘Hocus Pocus 3’ is moving forward at Disney. (more)

• Neon is introducing the sequel to 'It Follows,' titled 'They Follow,' at AFM with Maika Monroe reprising her role and David Robert Mitchell directing. (more)

Releases 📅

• Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' is set for an IMAX encore. (more)

Records 🥇

• ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ breaks records for most-watched title on Peacock in the first 5 days. (more)

Business 🤝

• Former Marvel exec Ike Perlmutter backs Nelson Peltz's bid for a Disney board seat, intensifying the corporate showdown. (more)

• Paramount seals the deal, selling Simon & Schuster to KKR for $1.62 billion, turning the page on its previous thwarted sale. (more)

• Warner Bros Discovery has inked a multi-year deal with Taiwan Mobile and TAICCA to elevate Taiwanese content on the global stage. (more)

Strike News 🪧

• SAG-AFTRA & studios are getting “closer” to a deal and will resume talks today. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Walt Disney Animation Studios' production staff voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing with the Animation Guild and IATSE for collective bargaining. (more)

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What to watch this weekend? 👀

THEATRICAL 🎥

• The Marsh King’s Daughter: Neil Burger-directed psychological thriller starring Daisy Ridley and Ben Mendelsohn.

• Priscilla: Priscilla Presley bio drama starring Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny.

• What Happens Later: Meg Ryan and David Duchovny bring back the rom com.

STREAMING 📺

• Sly: (Netflix) New doc about the life and career of Sylvester Stallone.

• Goodburger 2: (Paramount 2) Sequel to 1997 comedy ‘Good Burger,’ starring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell.