Matthew Belloni • May 1, 2026

‘Michael’ Star’s Pay Dispute & Who Will Direct Part Two?

News and notes on the chatter that ‘Michael’ producer Graham King is stepping in to direct the sequel, and Nia Long’s quiet fight with Lionsgate over her compensation for the movie.

Matthew Belloni • May 1, 2026

Hollywood’s Report Card, According to High School Kids, Pt. 3

My annual sit-down with a candid group of teen moviegoers, who share their brutally unfiltered thoughts on the stars and stories that do (and don’t) get them into theaters—from ‘Spider-Man’ (“always gonna hit”) to Spielberg (“He’s no Nolan”) to Sydney Sweeney (“like… no”).

Eriq Gardner • April 28, 2026

Rebel’s Yell: Anatomy of an Alleged Smear Campaign on Trial

The escalating dispute between director and star Rebel Wilson and the producers of ‘The Deb’ has evolved into a cross-continental legal battle, featuring allegations of reputational harm via “smear sites,” an unconventional defamation claim, and—perhaps not coincidentally—the involvement of two key figures in the upcoming Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni trial.

Matthew Belloni • April 28, 2026

CAA Defectors Could Be Sanctioned in Legal War

Range Media and C.E.O. Peter Micelli were found to have withheld documents in the ongoing battle over the 2020 exit of prominent talent agents to found a rival management company.

Kim Masters • April 28, 2026

The Hail Mary WarnerMount Resistance & Ovitz’s Hollywood Revival

David Ellison’s long, contentious slog toward a Warner Bros. takeover has engendered a sense of inevitability—and dread. Plus, Michael Ovitz is back and he’s replying to email. And Gunnar gets emotional.

Matthew Belloni • April 24, 2026

‘Rush Hour 4’s Production Scramble and a ‘Yellowstone’ Firing

Brett Ratner’s comeback vehicle-sequel may have the president's seal of approval, but it still needs a bunch of dominoes to fall for it to shoot this fall. Plus the inside story of a once-favored Tyler Sheridan showrunner being replaced on ‘Dutton Ranch.’

Matthew Belloni • April 24, 2026

Kalshi & Hollywood’s Inside Edge

In the prediction market era, almost anyone can bet on anything—from Nicolás Maduro’s ouster to the ‘Outer Banks’ release date—even if they have privileged knowledge that makes betting a sure thing. And while some studios and platforms are taking steps to thwart insider betting, it’s next to impossible to enforce.

Eriq Gardner • April 21, 2026

WarnerMount vs. The Gathering Storm

Suspicions are building inside Paramount and beyond that Netflix is astroturfing Hollywood’s “Block the Merger” campaign and engaging with regulators about the deal. Netflix denies it all—but the growing push to kill WarnerMount is very real.

Julia Alexander • April 21, 2026

‘Summer House,’ ‘Mormon Wives’ & The Limits of the Reality Binge

Even as unscripted TV’s share of streaming watch time has fallen, Bravo has created a content flywheel that consistently helps its shows enter the broader cultural conversation. One of its biggest strengths may be its adherence to the weekly episode drop.

Matthew Belloni • April 17, 2026

AMC’s Adam Aron Ignites a CinemaCon Civil War

Cinema United, the theater trade group, convened an emergency meeting Thursday after Aron defied his fellow exhibitors and defended David Ellison’s WarnerMount deal—revealing that the cinema industry isn’t so united after all.

Matthew Belloni • April 17, 2026

The Jon Favreau Doctrine

The ‘Mandalorian’ creator, director, and food truck impresario talks about bringing his ‘Star Wars’ streaming hit to the big screen, his complicated relationship with A.I., his thoughts on Lucasfilm, and how he’s leaning into the whole “space opera thing.”

Eriq Gardner • April 14, 2026

How Trump’s Anti-NFL Crusade Could Backfire

Stripping the league of its antitrust protection, which has already been winnowed down by courts, may lead to more football games on paid streaming, and a challenging landscape for conservative broadcasters like Sinclair and Nexstar.

Kim Masters • April 13, 2026

Joel Silver and Hollywood’s Scourge of Second Chances

The infamous movie producer had seemingly flamed out of the business until he recently turned up on Sony’s new ‘Executioner’ franchise, one of several (male) figures granted multiple opportunities despite bad behavior and worse judgment.

Matthew Belloni • April 10, 2026

The Science of Greta Gerwig’s CAA Poach

The A-list Barbie and Narnia director recently left UTA—and her agent of nearly two decades—and provided a rare window into CAA’s playbook in the process.

Matthew Belloni • April 10, 2026

Bob Iger vs. the Bob Iger Book

For a supposed press champion, the former Disney C.E.O. has thin skin. And with the looming publication of an unauthorized biography, he and the Mouse House are playing offense with a surprising lawyer who has repped Trump, Melania, and Harvey Weinstein. Quite the client company…