Eriq Gardner • June 9, 2026

Netflix’s “Dark Patterns” & A New Legal Front in the Platform Wars

Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general running for Senate, is suing Netflix for being too appealing to kids. It might be a long shot, but the power of recommendation algorithms has never really been litigated—and Netflix, along with TikTok, may be in more trouble than it seems.

Kim Masters • June 8, 2026

Bari’s War of Ideology & How Scorsese Embraced A.I.

News and notes from around town: It’s been a disastrous stretch for CBS News, so what’s still making Bari Weiss tick? Plus, the backstory on how Michael Ovitz procured Martin Scorsese’s endorsement for an A.I. startup that riles up the creative community.

Matthew Belloni • June 5, 2026

At What Point Will Ellison Intervene at CBS News?

With ‘60 Minutes’ in chaos and star correspondent Lesley Stahl hiring superagent Bryan Lourd to guide her future, the Paramount owner may soon need to decide how much he’ll let Bari Weiss disrupt the show—and the news division—before reining her in.

Eriq Gardner • June 4, 2026

Ellison’s Legal Gladiator Is Ready for War

Jeffrey Kessler, the legendary antitrust and entertainment industry litigator, goes on the record to explain why he’s defending the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger, how politics is impacting the opposition, and what it all means for CBS News and CNN.

Scott Mendelson • June 3, 2026

Letters from the HollyTube Revolution

The breakout weekends for ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ tell us something real about the origin of Hollywood’s next generation of talent—and something more complicated about its future.

Eriq Gardner • June 2, 2026

The Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni Suit Could Be Headed for a Do-Over

While Lively elected to settle with her ‘It Ends With Us’ director, her search for attorneys fees and damages has vexed the judge overseeing the case. Will the solution be a new suit in a new venue?

Eriq Gardner • June 2, 2026

Disney Is Ready to Clobber Brendan Carr

The F.C.C. chairman is forcing a showdown with Disney over its D.E.I. policies—seemingly a thin pretext for punishing ABC News. But Carr, usually a savvy operator, has an unusually weak hand. And Disney’s lawyers have figured out exactly how to exploit it.

Matthew Belloni • June 2, 2026

The 27-Year-Old Assistant Who Found ‘Backrooms’

Shawn Levy’s production company assigned a young staffer to monitor YouTube for potential talent. Four years later, Kane Parsons’ fantasy thriller opened to $118 million worldwide and has everyone in town talking about a possible sea change.

Matthew Belloni • May 29, 2026

The Hollywood A.I. Appeasement Vibe Shift

As the industry—even the creative class—shifts to cautiously accept A.I., a Cate Blanchett–founded nonprofit is pushing to adopt a framework of consent for performers. Meanwhile, the business is groping around for new ratings standards in an effort to separate out the slop. Both battles are just beginning.

Kim Masters • May 27, 2026

Hollywood’s Saudi Tax Rebate Problem

Saudi Arabia has been offering generous rebates to lure productions to the Gulf. But even before the region experienced war and instability and spending slowed, some producers had been left holding an empty bag.

Eriq Gardner • May 26, 2026

The Ellison Trust-Busting Is Getting Political

Paramount’s planned takeover of Warner Bros. has triggered an all-out legal arms race between white-shoe law firms and an increasingly aggressive coalition of state A.G.s. Among the first battle lines: whether the Ellisons secured favorable regulatory treatment in exchange for favorable coverage.

Matthew Belloni • May 26, 2026

Hollywood’s Gen Z Gap Is Real… and It’s Growing

In a complementary study to my annual survey of L.A. teens, it turns out that young people across America have pretty specific—and not all that shocking or unfair—gripes with the movie business.

Matthew Belloni • May 22, 2026

What I’ve Heard: Five Years of Hollywood Disruption

A half decade of M&A opportunists, Peak TV casualties, industry contraction, devastating strikes, and approximately 1,500 David Zaslav mentions later, show business still can’t figure out if it’s reinventing itself or fading away. So I asked 100 industry sources what they think is going on.

Scott Mendelson • May 20, 2026

Summer Box Office Blackjack: What the Biggest Movies Need to Beat the House

From Grogu to Spidey, here’s what each of this summer’s top 10 tentpoles actually needs to earn—and why success means something different for everyone.

Eriq Gardner • May 19, 2026

SAG-AFTRA’s Surprise A.I. Détente

News and notes on the union’s peace treaty with digital “actress” Tilly Norwood. Plus: The bizarre lawsuit over Tung Tung Tung Sahur, which may be the first major test of whether trademark law can do what copyright won’t—protect an A.I.-generated creation.