🎬 Cable+?

👋 Good morning! Fiona Harvey, who claims to be the real-life "stalker" from Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer,' has ignited a firestorm after appearing on ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored.’ Harvey’s threatening to sue over what she blasts as an "obscene work of fiction." The internet is ablaze, skeptically picking apart her interview and questioning her denial of stalking Richard Gadd.

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:

• Warner Bros. Discovery’s New Bundle

• More Indie TV

• ADG Hits Pause

• Streaming Storms Upfronts

• 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

📺💥 WBD's Strategic Bundle: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has announced a powerhouse bundle with Disney and Hulu, set to debut this summer. Whereas the streaming industry in the 2010’s saw companies trying to create all types of content for every consumer, WBD execs say this bundle allows each company to stick to their “lanes”: Disney will focus on kids and family content, and WBD on premium drama, scripted drama, comedy, and nonfiction. WBD CEO David Zaslav is channeling his inner Nostradamus, predicting that this bundling strategy will be as game-changing as the cable revolution of the 2000s. He's betting that not only will this move shake up the streaming world, but it'll also put the heat on independent services to step up their game.

📺🎬 More Indie TV: Earlier this week, we highlighted Mark Duplass's indie journey with his series ‘Penelope.’ He's not alone; a surge of indie filmmakers are now self-financing and producing their own TV pilots, a strategy emerging amidst the industry's current contraction. These creators, pushing back against costly, star-driven norms, are forging unique, cost-effective paths to catch the eyes of studios and networks craving fresh content. Notables include Michael Polish with his Montana-set ‘Heebuck,’ and Kit Williamson's ‘Unconventional,’ which explores the lives of quirky, queer siblings. Also in the spotlight are SeriesFest winners ‘Potluck Ladies’ and ‘Broken Toilets,’ plus Anna Camp's ‘Neo-Dome,’ using their pilots as proof of concept to secure larger deals. This indie wave could signify a transformative shift in how television content is created and marketed.

🎬🚧 The ADG Hits Pause: The Art Directors Guild (ADG) has suspended its Production Design Initiative, attributing the decision to a significant downturn in employment opportunities across the industry. A large number of ADG members reportedly remain jobless, exacerbated by recent strikes and the evolving business models driven by streaming needs. While a spokesperson clarified that earlier communication errors misstated the unemployment figures, the guild maintains a cautious yet hopeful outlook for the resumption of the program in 2025.

📺🚀 Streaming Storms Upfronts 2024: The 2024 TV upfronts, the annual event where networks present their upcoming programming to advertisers, are setting the stage for an epic showdown between legacy TV and streaming giants. Traditionally led by broadcast networks, this year’s event in New York showcases a dramatic turn with streaming giants stepping into the spotlight. Fresh off introducing ads, Amazon is determined to maximize its Prime Video reach, while Netflix plans an "immersive" spectacle for ad buyers at Chelsea Piers. Meanwhile, linear TV is facing an existential crisis, as its ad revenues plummet—apart from sports, which continue to draw significant interest. Analysts warn we might be witnessing the final throes of traditional TV advertising as we know it. With YouTube also making a strong play for a slice of the $20B ad market pie, and traditional networks scrambling to keep up, this upfront season could be more cutthroat than ever.

Development 🗒️

• Peacock greenlights a mockumentary set in 'The Office' universe. (more)

• Glen Powell is in talks to lead JJ Abrams' upcoming film. (more)

• Jeremy Strong is in talks to portray Bruce Springsteen's manager Jon Landau in the movie 'Deliver Me From Nowhere.’ (more)

• Rebecca Hall to direct and star in 'Four Days Like Sunday,' a personal mother-daughter drama for See-Saw Films. (more)

• Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, and Laura Dern set to star in 'Monsanto,' a legal drama directed by John Lee Hancock. (more)

• Vince Vaughn and Adrien Brody team up in S. Craig Zahler's gangster thriller 'The Bookie & the Bruiser.' (more)

• Ralph Ineson is in talks to portray Galactus in Marvel Studios' upcoming ‘Fantastic Four.’ (more)

• Amazon MGM acquires Elizabeth Rose Quinn's unpublished novel ‘Follow Me,’ with Adele Lim set to write and direct, launching the 100 Tigers production label. (more)

• Legendary secures rights to develop a live-action film based on the ‘Poppy Playtime’ horror game franchise. (more)

• Jordan Peele-produced horror ‘HIM’ is set for a September 19, 2025 release, starring Marlon Wayans and directed by Justin Tipping. (more)

• Kiernan Shipka, Kiefer Sutherland, and Krysten Ritter to star in the '80s-set revenge thriller 'Stone Cold Fox.’ (more)

• John Malkovich joins the cast of Marvel Studios' ‘Fantastic Four’ in a mysterious new role. (more)

• Cate Blanchett stars as the leader of an alien biker gang in the Zellner Brothers' comedy 'Alpha Gang.' (more)

• Lauren Graham is set to star in 'The Z-Suite,' Tubi's first in-house live-action comedy series. (more)

• Sebastian Stan and Lily James reunite in the psychological horror thriller 'Let The Evil Go West,' directed by Christian Tafdrup. (more)

• Sydney Sweeney set to portray trailblazing boxer Christy Martin in the biopic directed by David Michôd, launching at Cannes Market with Black Bear & Anonymous Content. (more)

• ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,’ directed and starred in by Andy Serkis, is set for a 2026 release, reuniting the original trilogy's creative team. (more)

• ‘Law & Order: Organized Crime,’ starring Christopher Meloni, shifts from NBC to Peacock for S5. (more)

• Paul Schrader is set to direct Kevin Spacey in a biopic about Frank Sinatra's later life. (more)

• A24, Causeway Films, and Square Peg are partnering with filmmaker Masha Ko to develop a feature adaptation of her Sundance horror short ‘The Looming.’ (more)

• A ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ sequel has been set at Amazon. (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• ‘Ted’ is renewed for S2 at Peacock. (more)

• ‘Lioness’ is renewed at Paramount+. (more)

• ‘Heartbreak High’ renewed for third and final season at Netflix. (more)

Other News 🚨

• ‘Fallout’ dominated Nielsen's streaming list with 2.9B viewing minutes in its first five days on Prime Video. (more)

What to watch this weekend? 👀

🎥 THEATRICAL

• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: The newest installment in the ‘Planet of the Apes’ reboot franchise, and the sequel to 2017’s ‘War of the Planet of the Apes.’

• Pool Man: This comedy mystery directed, produced by and starring Chris Pine gets a wider release this weekend.

• Not Another Church Movie: Parody film starring Kevin Daniels, Jamie Foxx, and Mickey Rourke.

📺 STREAMING

• Mother of the Bride: (Netflix) Rom com starring Brooke Shields, Miranda Cosgrove, and Benjamin Bratt.

• Living with Leopards: (Netflix) A film crew follows two leopard cubs from infancy to adulthood in this nature doc.

• Dark Matter: (Apple TV+) Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly star in this sci-fi TV series based on Blake Crouch’s novel of the same name.

• Black Twitter: A People’s History: (Hulu) Documentary film series directed by Prentice Penny.