Showbiz Sandbox

When The New York Times reported that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been paying off women accusing him of sexual harassment for decades, it didn’t come as much of a surprise to many in Hollywood. Many of those that worked in and around the legendary indie movie producer, including a number of movie stars, were victims of Weinstein’s behavior, had direct knowledge of it, or had been warned about his reputation. Reporters spent years trying to uncover the story, but only recently was enough evidenced gathered to conclusively document the repeated harassment. Within days of the story being published, and with more actresses leveling accusations, Weinstein was fired from his position as head of The Weinstein Company. Whether Weinstein could ever work in Hollywood again is difficult to fathom and the future of his former company is tenuous at best. Meanwhile, the much anticipated sequel to the classic sci-fi movie “Blade Runner” was finally released to disappointing box office returns. Was it the 35-year wait between movies, the nearly three hour running time or simply a confusing marketing campaign that kept audiences away? Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including who won the Nobel Prize for literature, Netflix raises its prices and the this year’s nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of October 8, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-october-8-2017-300532965.html China’s ‘Never Say Die’ Tops ‘Blade Runner’ at International Box Office http://variety.com/2017/film/news/box-office-china-never-say-die-1202583879/ Luc Besson Sets Next Film ‘Anna’ With Helen Mirren, Luke Evans http://variety.com/2017/film/news/luc-besson-anna-helen-mirren-luke-evans-1202584144/ The Power by Naomi Alderman – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2017/03/16/the-power/ Kazuo Ishiguro Is Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/05/books/nobel-prize-literature.html Marvel Drops Northrop Grumman Partnership After Backlash http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/marvel-drops-northrop-grumman-partnership-backlash-1046821 Lincoln Center Scraps a $500 Million Geffen Hall Renovation https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/03/arts/music/lincoln-center-geffen-hall.html ‘In the Heights’ Canceled in Australia Over Whitewashing Concerns https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/04/theater/in-the-heights-canceled-in-australia-over-whitewashing-concerns.html Netflix Hikes U.S. Subscription Prices Amid Spending Spree

When the star of a popular television series was involved in a car accident after a 14-hour day of production it prompted an investigation into the safety of the show’s performers. It also called attention to the simmering issue in Hollywood over on-set safety, which in recent weeks has included the death of a stunt person arguably not trained for the stunt they tackled and the possible murder of a location scout. In the United States last summer’s box office might have been down, but popcorn sales are up. That’s not enough to keep independent movie theater owners happy. They’re suing the chain Landmark on antitrust grounds. Coincidentally, Landmark sued Regal over the very same issue a few years ago. Meanwhile, an audit conducted by the MPAA of Chinese revealed that movie theater operators in the country are consistently underreporting ticket sales costing the studios millions of dollars in grosses. Fixing the problem can be a long political process. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news how Hulu is outbidding Netflix on library content, the reboot of “American Idol” rounds out its judges panel and the big lawsuit between two TV ratings aggregators. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of October 1, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-october-1-2017-300528848.html Hollywood Finds Chinese Cinemas Fudging Box-Office Figures https://www.wsj.com/articles/hollywood-busts-chinese-cinema-plot-to-fake-box-office-figures-1507025987 Popcorn Boom Points to ‘Third Golden Age’ for America’s Favorite Snack https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/29/popcorn-boom-americas-favorite-snack Mark Cuban’s Landmark Theatres Hit With Antitrust Lawsuit http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/mark-cubans-landmark-theatres-hit-antitrust-lawsuit-1043579 Minority Investors Quit Wanda’s Legendary (Report) http://variety.com/2017/biz/asia/minority-investors-quit-wanda-legendary-report-1202574150/ Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2017/08/02/manhattan-beach/ Dunbar by Edward St. Aubyn http://bookfilter.com/2017/04/19/dunbar/ E-book Sales Up in in May, for First Time in Two Years https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/74913-e-book-sales-rise-in-may-for-first-time-in-two-years.html Nielsen Looks for Injunction Against ComScore Over TV Ratings http://www.hollywoodreporter.

Each year the Venice, Telluride and Toronto film festivals are held so closely together their programming often overlaps as each vies to land titles that will be in the running for major awards (read: Oscars). Anne Thompson, Indiewire’s editor at large, has just returned from Telluride and Toronto and she fills us in on all the festival season favorites. While Thompson was in Toronto enjoying movies like “The Shape of Water” from director Guillermo del Toro, film buyers were struggling to find anything to pick up. There was a general sense that all the worthwhile titles had been cherry picked before the festival even began. Meanwhile the Emmy Awards were held over the weekend honoring the best television from the past year. At this year’s ceremony a disruptive streaming video provider made a big splash, though not the one everyone expected. Hulu took home the Best Drama Emmy for “The Handmaid’s Tale”, despite Netflix having three shows nominated in the category. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the head of NBC admitting most of its primetime viewership is not watched live, George R. R. Martin’s new TV series and MoviePass surpsasses 400,000 subscribers in under a month. South Park trolls Amazon Alexa owners in this week’s episode https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/16/16318694/south-park-amazon-alexa-google-home comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of September 17, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-september-17-2017-300520894.html Box Office: ‘Mother!’ Crumbles With $7.5 Million, ‘It’ Repeats No. 1 http://variety.com/2017/film/news/box-office-mother-it-american-assassin-1202561464/ Lionsgate Vice Chairman Says Deal With Theaters on Early VOD Is Close http://variety.com/2017/film/news/lionsgate-vice-chairman-says-deal-with-theaters-on-early-vod-is-close-1202558057/ TV Ratings: 2017 Emmys Avoid New Low With 11.4 Million Viewers http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-emmy-telecast-track-low-1040575 Emmys 2017: The Complete Winners List http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/emmys-winners-list-2017-1035991 Park Bench by Christophe Chabouté – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2017/08/02/park-bench/ Amazon Redacts One-Star Reviews of Hillary Clinton’s What Happened https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/14/amazon-redacts-one-star-reviews-of-hillary-clintons-what-happened Trevor Noah Scores 5-Year ‘Daily Show’ Contract Extension at Comedy Central http://www.hollywoodreporter.

With North American box office declining 15 percent over last year, Hollywood suffered its worst summer box office in 20 years. One main reason, studios believe, is the popularity of the movie review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, which brands titles as either “fresh” or “rotten”. The site has become so influential studios now try and game the system by handpicking critics for certain releases. Disney, on the other hand, isn’t waiting for reviews to be in on its latest Star Wars movies before tweaking them. “Episode IX” is just the latest to lose its director over creative differences with Lucasfilm, which is quickly gaining the reputation as a tough place to be a filmmaker. Meanwhile, one of North America’s largest brick-and-mortar book retailers reports that sales are off 6% in the latest quarter as consumers shift to buying online. Don’t worry however, the company has a great plan for fixing their sales problem; open more stores. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including how Amazon wants to produce a hit television show, the end of an era at Vanity Fair magazine and the mystery behind who will distribute the next James Bond movie. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of September 10, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-september-10-2017-300516801.html ABC’s Marvel Drama ‘Inhumans’ Underwhelms in Imax Bow http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/abcs-marvel-drama-inhumans-underwhelms-imax-bow-1034545 Disney CEO Bob Iger Says Marvel, ‘Star Wars’ Movies Will Be on Streaming Service http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-ceo-bob-iger-says-marvel-star-wars-movies-will-be-streaming-service-1034566 Wyck Godfrey Tapped for Top Executive Role at Paramount Pictures http://variety.com/2017/film/news/wyck-godfrey-tapped-for-top-executive-role-at-paramount-pictures-exclusive-1202552855/ Attacked by Rotten Tomatoes https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/business/media/rotten-tomatoes-box-office.html The Bloody Black Flag by Steve Goble – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2016/12/27/the-bloody-black-flag/ Ranger Games by Ben Blum – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2016/12/27/ranger-games/ Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street by Christopher Christopher Kimball – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2017/04/19/christopher-kimballs-milk-street/ Sales at B&N Down More Than 6% in Q1 of 2018 https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/74717-sales-at-b-n-down-over-6-in-q1-of-2018.html B&N Has a Plan for the Future: More Stores

New technology from Ticketmaster is allowing the likes of Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen to combat scalpers and sell tickets to legitimate fans. But at what cost? Swift is asking concert-goers to pay $63 for a physical copy of her latest album to get better seats and the ticket prices for Springsteen’s Broadway residency top out at $850. Maybe these prices are simply musicians trying to make up for the earnings they’ve lost in record sales over the past 15 years. According to a new report from Goldmany Sachs though, the music industry is poised for explosive, make that historic; no, make that unbelievable growth. And we don’t believe it. Meanwhile, as the summer moviegoing season in North America end in a thud with box office plummeting to record lows, bring the shares of major movie theater chains down with them. But are ticket sales the real reason behind the stock sell off. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including how Facebook is taking on YouTube with video content, “The Simpsons” lay off their beloved composer after nearly 30 years and a study says millennials are fleeing terrestrial radio. U2 Premiere New Song ‘The Blackout’ http://variety.com/2017/music/news/u2-premiere-new-song-the-blackout-listen-1202542784/ comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of September 3, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-september-3-2017-300513403.html China’s Summer Box Office Soars 24 Percent as North America Sinks http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinas-summer-box-office-soars-24-percent-as-north-america-sinks-1034544 After Dismal Summer, Hollywood Pins Hopes on Fall Ticket Sales https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/03/movies/hollywood-summer-box-office-movie-ticket-sales.html From ‘The Big Sick’ to ‘Brigsby Bear,’ what does box office mean for indie movies these days? http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-indie-movie-summer-wrap-20170901-story.html Movie Theater Chain Stocks Collapse During Dismal Summer http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/movie-theater-chain-stocks-collapse-dismal-summer-1034001 Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2016/11/01/secrets-in-death/ Traditional Radio Faces a Grim Future, New Study Says http://variety.com/2017/music/news/traditional-radio-faces-a-grim-future-new-study-says-1202542681/ National Association of Broadcasters, Nielsen Respond to Study Predicting Terrestrial Radio’s Downfall http://variety.com/2017/music/news/national-association-of-broadcasters-r...

In the midst of a blockbuster boxing match viewed around the world between welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and MMA champion Conor McGregor, ESPN announces they spent a small fortune to secure the worldwide rights to future bouts. The network plans on providing access to the fights on their recently announced streaming service, with ESPN even getting a potential piece of any fights that go the pay-per-view route. The Mayweather vs. McGregor match was faulted for causing the North American box office to dip to it’s lowest level in 16 years this past weekend. In fact, box office receipts which will not surpass $4 billion for the first time since 2006 thanks to an attendance decrease of 25%. Maybe MoviePass, a subscription moviegoing service, will help fill cinemas now that they’ve lowered their price to $10 per month. Meanwhile “Handbook for Mortals” took the young adult book genre by storm over the last week, and not in a good way. The debut novel topped the New York Times bestseller list for that genre its first week out without anyone ever having heard of the book or its unknown author. Controversy ensued. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why the issue of on-set safety has gotten a lot of attention after Tom Cruise got injured making the next Mission: Impossible movie, the big editorial changes at the Los Angeles Times and how “The Walking Dead” has inspired another lawsuit. HBO Hacks Itself in Europe https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017081748447/hbo-hacks-itself-in-europe.html China’s Wanda Stock Crashes Amid Rumor of Chairman’s Detainment http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinas-wanda-hit-share-crash-rumors-chairmans-detainment-1033281 Before Dylan, Tagore: On the Erasure of Indian Literature https://overland.org.au/2017/08/before-dylan-tagore-on-the-erasure-of-indian-literature/comment-page-1/#comment-783522 China Box Office: ‘Wolf Warriors II’ Continues Record Run, Extends Total to $769 Million http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/china-box-office-wolf-warriors-ii-wins-fourth-weekend-1202534045/ The New Action Flick Taking Chinese Nationalism to a New Level https://international.thenewslens.com/article/76129 Box Office: Hollywood Faces August Death March and a Bummer Summer http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-hollywood-faces-august-death-march-a-bummer-summer-1029618 Summer Box Office Report Card: From Disney to Universal, Grading Popcorn Season http://variety.com/2017/film/box-office/box-office-summer-analysis-winners-losers-studios-1202528167/ CJ Analysis: MoviePass Strategy is a Big Data Gamble https://celluloidjunkie.com/2017/08/24/cj-analysis-moviepass-strategy-big-data-gamble/ MoviePass Drops Its Price, Pleasing Customers but Angering AMC

After years of licensing their movies to Netflix, Disney announced last week that it will be launching their own streaming service when their current deal expires. Then in a true reordering of the media landscape, Disney also revealed it will be creating a standalone subscription streaming service for ESPN. Realistically though Disney might be one of the few entertainment companies that could successfully pull off direct-to-consumer strategy on such a grand scale. Perhaps Disney felt threatened by content distributors like Netflix and felt compelled to make a move. After all, just days after making their announcement Netflix said it had lured producer Shonda Rhimes away from Disney’s ABC Studios to make original programming for its own service. Netflix also stole hitmaker Chuck Lorre away from CBS and cut a deal with the Coen Brothers to make one of their next projects. Meanwhile, there’s lots of drama on Broadway, literally and figuratively. Everyone is talking about the collapse of the musical “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812,” which has charges of racism, unprofessionalism and bad management swirling around it. Now the show is closing long before its $12 million budget was recouped. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including how Warner Music Group posted big revenue gains thanks to streaming, Bruce Springsteen heads to Broadway and the emergence of a new Chinese media magnate. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of August 13, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-august-13-2017-300503553.html ‘Wolf Warriors II’ Takes All-Time China Box Office Record http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/wolf-warriors-takes-all-time-china-box-office-record-1202518683/ Time to Panic: Inside the Movie Business’ Summer of Hell http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/summer-movie-business-1202519863/ ‘Spotlight’ Studio Open Road To take ‘Bigger Swings’ After Sale to Tang Media http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-open-road-sale-20170807-story.html Former Lionsgate Film Executive Rob Friedman Joins Tang Media http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-rob-friedman-tang-20170808-story.html The Education of a Coroner by John Bateson – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2016/11/02/the-education-of-a-coroner/ Spectacular ‘Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812’ Crashes In Wake Of Casting Contretemps http://deadline.com/2017/08/natasha-pierre-the-great-comet-of-1812-sets-closing-1202145024/ It’s Official: ‘Great Comet’ Will Close Sept. 3 http://nypost.com/2017/08/08/its-official-great-comet-will-close-sept-3/ ‘Hamilton’ Juggernaut Lands In L.A. With Record Sales, $600 Tix

As the Federal Communications Commission seeks to further deregulate cable television companies and do away with net neutrality, consolidation within the industry has caused rates to increase dramatically. We’ll explain how more and more people are growing fed up with high cable bills and what they’re doing about it. Some millennials have even discovered an amazing hack to get the broadcast networks for free! And it’s totally legal! We’ll also tell you about how some big name players are getting fed up with Hollywood’s opaque accounting system. Sylvester Stallone is suing Warner Bros. over profit participation for his 1990s hit movie Demolition Man while filmmaker Steven Soderbergh is taking the distribution of his latest movie into his own hands. In China, “Wolf Warrior 2” has earned nearly half a billion dollars at the global box office and looks set to become the country’s highest grossing movie ever. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman is still playing strong in theatres around the world and may surpass “Spider-Man” to claim the crown as the biggest comic book movie debut in history. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why legendary TV producer Norman Lear is boycotting the Kennedy Center Honors reception, when Bette Midler is leaving “Hello Dolly” and why Netflix acquired a comic book company. From ‘This is Us’ to ‘The Cake,’ Bekah Brunstetter Has a Full Plate https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/11/theater/from-this-is-us-to-the-cake-bekah-brunstetter-has-a-full-plate.html comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of August 6, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-august-6-2017-300500147.html AMC Stock Plunges 26% After Cost-Cutting Announcement http://variety.com/2017/film/news/amc-stock-1202512942/ AMC Entertainment Earnings Sink on Box Office Flops http://variety.com/2017/film/box-office/amc-box-office-1202515742/ Wolf Warrior 2: The Nationalist Action Film Storming China http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-china-blog-40811952 ‘The Dark Tower’ TV Series Sets ‘Walking Dead’ Grad as Showrunner http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/dark-tower-tv-series-sets-walking-dead-grad-as-showrunner-1026382 What’s Next for ‘The Dark Tower’ Cinematic Universe http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/dark-tower-tv-show-sequel-details-1026568 Warner Bros. Can’t Dodge Sylvester Stallone’s Fraud Lawsuit http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/warner-bros-cant-dodge-sylvester-stallones-fraud-lawsuit-1026520 With ‘Logan Lucky,’ Soderbergh Hopes to Change Film’s Business Model https://www.nytimes.

Six years after AMC fired Frank Darabont from “The Walking Dead,” the hit TV series he created and oversaw, details about why he was axed are emerging during a lawsuit filed by the filmmaker over profit participation. Citing unprofessional and erratic behavior AMC provided profanity filled emails Darabont sent to producers and executives during his tenure as showrunner. This has lead to many in Hollywood asking whether Darabont’s behavior was out of line or if he was simply trying to defend his show? The lawsuit itself hinges on Darabont’s deal and whether the revenue AMC earns from “The Walking Dead” is significantly lower because the network is making deals with itself at a significantly reduced cost per episode. This is not the first self-dealing lawsuit to be filed by a creative in Hollywood, but given the $280 million being sought, its outcome could affect how the business operates in the future. Meanwhile, under pressure from the Chinese government, the Dalian Wanda Group says it will no longer seek to acquire international entertainment properties, causing AMC Theatres, one of its own subsidiaries, to publicly distance itself, and leaving Hollywood wondering if funding from China might be drying up. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including how Amazon will start to distribute its own movies theatrically, Hulu gets nostalgic and Daniel Craig is set to return as James Bond in the next 007 movie. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of July 30, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-july-30-2017-300496360.html China Box Office: ‘Wolf Warriors 2’ Tops Global Rankings With $127 Million Debut http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/china-wolf-warriors-2-tops-global-box-office-1202510593/ AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. Comments on Recent Media Reports https://celluloidjunkie.com/wire/amc-entertainment-holdings-inc-comments-on-recent-media-reports/ Wanda Boss Signals Retreat From Hollywood Dealmaking http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wanda-boss-signals-retreat-hollywood-dealmaking-1024144 IMAX Is Moving Away From 3-D: ‘Consumers Have Shown a Strong Preference’ http://www.thewrap.com/imax-moving-away-3d-consumers-shown-strong-preference/ Justin Bieber Banned From China Over His “Bad Behavior” http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/justin-bieber-banned-china-his-bad-behavior-1023218 Justin Bieber Pulls the Plug on Final Leg of His Purpose Tour http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-entertainment-news-updates-july-justin-bieber-pulls-the-plug-on-final-1500923845-htmlstory.html The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich

When this year’s primetime Emmy nominees were announced HBO still lead the way with 111 nominations, including 22 for “Westworld”, but streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon are quickly gaining ground with their own popular shows. Even Hulu managed to push their way into the Emmys for the first time with 13 nominations for “The Handmaid’s Tale”. The only thing that remained the same about the Emmys from previous years is that some shows were nominated that shouldn’t have been, while others weren’t nominated but should have been. Don’t get us started on the TV episode that was somehow nominated for Outstanding Television Movie. One series that wasn’t nominated for an Emmy was “Hawaii Five-O”, the hit CBS show which had two of its main actors depart after a contract dispute that became a flashpoint over the salaries and casting of minority talent. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why a major Chinese entertainment company is taking a hit on the stock market after criticism from government officials, Tyler Perry signs a producing deal with Viacom and Quincy Jones sues the Michael Jackson estate over royalty payments. ‘Doctor Who’ Breaks the Mold With Female Lead https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/16/arts/television/doctor-who-jodie-whittaker-bbc.html comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of July 16, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-july-16-2017-300488849.html South Korea Opens World’s Largest Imax Cinema http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/south-korea-opens-worlds-largest-imax-cinema-1021996 China Box Office Remains Sluggish in 2017, Despite Big Hollywood Gains http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-remains-sluggish-2017-big-hollywood-gains-1018671 Tencent Loses $14 Billion After Criticism From Chinese Media http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/tencent-loses-14-billion-hong-kong-stock-exchange-criticism-chinese-media-1202487199/ China’s Wanda Retreats From Theme Park Business With $9.3 Billion Deal http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinas-wanda-retreats-theme-park-business-93-billion-deal-1019589 Wanda to Consolidate Chinese Film Assets Through Major Merger http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wanda-consolidate-chinese-film-assets-major-merger-1019918 Emmys 2017: Full List of Nominations http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/2017-emmy-nominees-list-nominations-1202494465/ ‘Westworld’ Exceeds Emmy Expectations with 22 Nominations http://www.goldderby.com/article/2017/westworld-2017-emmy-nominations-evan-ra...

After a controversy that faulted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for being too white, too male and too old, the organization has made great strides to broaden the diversity of its membership over the past two years. During that time the Academy invited over 1,450 new members to join its hallowed ranks, many of whom were women and people of color. Yet there are now grumblings that in the rush to bring in fresh blood the Academy may have lowered its standards for membership. Major Hollywood studios are less concerned with the Academy’s membership than they are with whether Chinese exhibitors are reporting box office correctly. The MPAA and U.S. trade organizations have forced the Chinese government to let an international firm audit ticket sales for imported films at cinemas throughout the country. We also review a listener email which goes to great lengths in explaining why satellite radio giant SiriusXM would want to purchase a stake in the online radio streaming service Pandora. The deal is setting up a senior management showdown over the digital music pioneer’s future business model. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why Adele is canceling the final two shows of her tour at Wembley, how Sony plans on pressing vinyl records again after nearly 30 years and Oscar winning actress Olivia de Havilland lets FX know she doesn’t appreciate being portrayed in “Feud” by filing a lawsuit. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of June 18, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-june-18-2017-300475596.html Wonder Woman Keeps Breaking Records, Is Now the Highest-Grossing DCEU Movie to Date http://www.vulture.com/2017/07/wonder-woman-surpasses-batman-v-superman-at-the-box-office.html Hollywood Is Auditing China’s Box-Office for First Time https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-27/hollywood-said-to-be-auditing-china-s-box-office-for-first-time Hollywood Conducting First Independent Audit of China’s Box Office http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hollywood-conducting-first-independent-audit-chinas-box-office-1016930 China Box Office Audit: Why Hollywood Needed to Get Tough https://variety.com/2017/film/box-office/china-box-office-audit-mpaa-get-tough-fraud-1202479488/ Netflix’s ‘BoJack Horseman’ Blocked on China’s iQiyi Streaming Service http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflixs-bojack-horseman-blocked-chinas-iqiyi-streaming-service-1016941 SiriusXM is buying a big stake in Pandora for $480 million https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/9/15767952/siriusxm-pandora-investment-ticketfly-sale It’s Official: Tim Westergren Steps Down as Pandora CEO Amid Top-Level Shakeup

Hollywood history is littered with tales of filmmakers being replaced on projects in the middle of production. But when LucasFilm fired directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller from the stand-alone Han Solo project with just a few weeks before principal photography was completed, it raised a host of questions that needs to be addressed by the industry at large. For instance, who will receive directing credit now that Ron Howard has signed on to complete the movie? And how will residuals and profit participation be handled? In an age when blockbusters are being manufactured by media conglomerates with oversight committees, the frequency with which these questions need to be answered is likely to increase. Meanwhile, in China the government may have its own questions about where Wanda is finding all the money to acquire cinema chains such as AMC, Odeon and Hoyts, not to mention production companies such as Legendary. There are rumors that the country’s banking regulators are looking into whether all that debt financing is on the up-and-up. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including Time Warner’s plans to start making shows for Snapchat, “NCIS” continues to win awards for being the most watched television series in the world and three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis announces his retirement from acting. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of June 25, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-june-25-2017-300479324.html China Box Office: ‘Alien’ Flatlines Ahead of ‘Transformers’ Bonanza http://chinafilminsider.com/alien-flatlnes/ ‘Baby Driver’ Passes Chinese Censorship http://chinafilminsider.com/baby-driver-passes-chinese-censors/ Disney Unveils First Chinese-Language Rom-Com http://chinafilminsider.com/disney-unveils-first-chinese-language-rom-com/ Shanghai: Chinese Theater Giant Dadi Takes Stake in Tom Cruise’s ‘American Made’ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/shanghai-chinese-theater-giant-dadi-takes-stake-tom-cruises-american-made-1015503 China Probes Finances of Wanda, Fosun (Reports) http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/china-probe-finance-wanda-fosun-reports-1202476785/ Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory http://bookfilter.com/2016/10/24/spoonbenders/ My Glory Was I Had Such Friends by Amy Silverstein http://bookfilter.com/2016/10/05/my-glory-was-i-had-such-friends-2/ B&N Reports Falling Sales in Fiscal 2017 Report http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/74050-b-n-sales-fell-in-challenging-fiscal-2017.html Cannes Lions: Fox Adopting YouTube’s Six-Second Ad Format

Both Apple and Facebook made headlines this week as details of their plans to produce original television content began to emerge. Apple announced the hire of two well-respected development executives to head up their efforts to participate in the golden age of TV, while Facebook closed deals on their first two shows. It’s a good thing that both Facebook and Apple have deep pockets. If either hopes to upend the television industry the way Netflix and Amazon have, they’ll need to spend billions of dollars on original content, just like these other disruptors. Spotify is also spending a small fortune to license music as its active worldwide user base suprasses 140 million. They plan on shelling out $2 billion over the next few years, a figure that is sure to rise as the streamer reaches agreements with more record companies. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including Yoko Ono finally getting songwriting credit on John Lennon’s biggest solo hit, “Imagine”, why IMAX is downsizing its workforce, and industry response to Sony’s decision to offer “clean versions” for 24 film titles in their back catalogue. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of June 18, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-june-18-2017-300475596.html China’s Weying Boards Paramount’s ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’ https://variety.com/2017/film/asia/chinas-weying-boards-paramounts-transformers-the-last-knight-1202465635/ Wanda Boards Paramount’s ‘Transformers 5’ as Marketing Partner in China http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wanda-boards-paramounts-transformers-5-as-marketing-partner-china-1014635 Chinese Censors Cut Michael Fassbender’s Gay Kiss From ‘Alien: Covenant’ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinese-censors-cut-michael-fassbenders-gay-kiss-alien-covenant-1014488 Spotify Passes 140 Million Users, Promises to Pay Labels $2 Billion as Losses Widen http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/spotify-passes-140-million-users-promises-to-pay-labels-2-billion-as-losses-widen-1202467102/ Be Free or Die by Cate Lineberry http://bookfilter.com/2016/08/30/be-free-or-die/ The Force by Don Winslow http://bookfilter.com/2016/09/28/unti-winslow-cop-novel-2/ ‘A Horse Walks Into a Bar’ Wins Man Booker International Prize https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/books/a-horse-walks-into-a-bar-wins-man-booker-international-prize.html Yoko Ono To Receive Songwriting Credit On ‘Imagine,’ 48 Years Later http://www.npr.

Historically winning a Tony Award can make a big difference in the financial success of a Broadway production. This year’s awards were handed out on Sunday, but some shows may not need to win a Tony to win on Broadway. Ticket sales for “Anastasia”, “A Bronx Tale” and “Come From Away” have been doing just fine without all the accolades. And when Broadway shows leave the Great White Way to tour the world, they are attracting record audiences. In North America alone 14 million people attended live theatre productions in roughly 200 cities, bringing in $981 million. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift is making her entire back catalogue available via on-demand streaming services such as Spotify. That she announced this news the same day as Katy Perry released her latest album led many to wonder if this was another round in an old pop-star rivalry. Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why the Amazon Prime Video app is coming to the Apple TV, satellite radio giant SiriusXM makes a huge investment in Pandora and Bob Dylan finally delivers his Nobel Prize speech. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of June 11, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-june-11-2017-300472044.html ‘Wonder Woman’ Screenings Suspended in Tunisia Amid Opposition to Gal Gadot https://variety.com/2017/film/news/wonder-woman-suspended-tunisia-gal-gadot-1202456752/ Netflix’s ‘Okja’ Shut Out of Hundreds More Screens in South Korea http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/korea-cinemas-deny-screens-to-netflix-okja-bong-joon-ho-1202456655/ Forever and a Death by Donald E. Westlake – BookFilter http://bookfilter.com/2016/10/24/forever-and-a-death/ Bob Dylan Fulfills Nobel Academy’s Lecture Requirement http://www.npr.org/2017/06/06/531715565/bob-dylan-fulfills-nobel-academys-lecture-requirement Dear Evan Hansen & Hello, Dolly! Top 2017 Tony Award Winners http://www.broadway.com/buzz/188906/tony-roundup-your-guide-to-broadwaycoms-complete-coverage-of-the-2017-tony-awards/ How Is Broadway Doing On the Road? http://www.playbill.com/article/how-is-broadway-doing-on-the-road Delta, Bank of America End Sponsorship of New York’s Public Theater Over Trump-Like ‘Julius Caesar’ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/delta-ends-sponsorship-new-yorks-public-theater-trump-like-julius-caesar-1012377 ‘Working Girl’ Musical in Development With Songs by Cyndi Lauper http://variety.com/2017/legit/news/working-girl-musical-cyndi-lauper-1202455845/ Comey Hearing Draws Nearly 20 Million Viewers

Kathy Griffin and HBO’s Bill Maher learned first-hand last week just how easy it is to cross the line wherein one’s jokes and antics go from being humorous to offensive. But after apologies are issued and near-term financial repercussions are suffered, should the careers of boundary pushing comedians really come to an end because of one regrettable mistake? Meanwhile with Apple introducing a ton of new hardware at its Worldwide Developer Conference, the company is actually reaping more rewards from its content business. In fact, last quarter Apple earned more from selling content than most media conglomerates earned during the same period. We’ll also tell you why the beloved radio DJ who helped discover acts such as the Sex Pistols and the Ramones is leaving his weekly show after 40 years. (Hint: It wasn’t his decision.) Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including journalist Megyn Kelly’s anticipated return to television, a non-English single tops the Billboard charts and big name musical acts hold a benefit pop concert to raise money for victims of a terrorist attack in Manchester. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of June 4, 2017 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-june-4-2017-300468345.html Wonder Woman in 3D Crushed the Box Office with Approximately 43% of Estimated $223 Million Worldwide in 3D Ticket Sales https://celluloidjunkie.com/wire/wonder-woman-3d-crushed-box-office-approximately-43-estimated-223-million-worldwide-3d-ticket-sales/ Bill Maher Apologizes for Using N-Word on HBO’s ‘Real Time’ https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/bill-maher-apology-n-word-real-time-1202453203/ CNN Cuts Ties With Kathy Griffin on ‘New Year’s Eve’ Show After Trump Photo Stunt http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kathy-griffin-holds-a-fake-bloody-trump-head-new-photo-shoot-1008645 Kathy Griffin Says She’s Gotten Death Threats, Contacted by Secret Service Over Trump Stunt http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/kathy-griffin-says-shes-gotten-death-threats-contacted-by-secret-service-1009761 Secret Service Investigating Kathy Griffin for Trump Scandal http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/videos/kathy-griffin-press-conference-on-trump-pic-scandal-watch-w485461 The Trial of Adolf Hitler by David King http://bookfilter.com/2016/09/28/the-trial-of-adolf-hitler/ Watching Porn by Lynsey G http://bookfilter.com/2016/10/12/watching-porn/ Ultimate Glory by David Gessner http://bookfilter.com/2016/11/21/ultimate-glory/ BookCon 2017: Consumers Flock to Javits to Meet Authors—and Publishers