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HOLLYWOOD

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher with chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.

Burning Questions on Hollywood’s Summer From Hell

The streets are full of picketing actors and writers, and our mailboxes are full of lingering questions. Herewith, an urgent mailbag on a crazy situation.
Matthew Belloni & Jonathan Handel • July 17, 2023
Matthew Belloni & Jonathan Handel • July 14, 2023
The Nanny Steps All Over Bob Iger
Bob Iger, always a master of his own image, has seemed to misplay the moment—even if he’s right about the dire situation that Disney and the other AMPTP companies face.
An insider look at the deal points, red lines, and potential paths forward as SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and the actors join Hollywood’s writers on the picket line and at the negotiating table.
Matthew Belloni • July 14, 2023
The Actors Enter the Strike Abyss 
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.
A candid conversation with SAG-AFTRA’s chief negotiator as the Hollywood actor’s union joins the WGA in an historic dual strike.
Amazon’s ‘Citadel,’ the spy series that cost more than $250 million, failed to top Nielsen’s weekly streaming chart.
Julia Alexander • July 11, 2023
The CBS-ification of Amazon Prime Video
A couple expensive misfires and insane budgets have Hollywood questioning Amazon’s strategy. But Amazon knows how to make great shows; it’s just learning how to do so efficiently.
Meta is moving swiftly to put to rest a class action from a group of aspiring adult entertainers.
Eriq Gardner • July 10, 2023
Mark’s OnlyFans Headache & Elon’s Empty Threats
News and notes on the recent legal adventures of two social media rivals, from extraordinary problems (bribery claims, expensive lawyers…) to a billion-dollar trade secret battle.
Matthew Belloni • July 10, 2023
David Nevins’ Billion-Dollar Post-Peak TV Gamble
A chat with the former Showtime chief as he joins Peter Chernin in a private equity-backed push to fill the content void sparked by the Great Netflix Correction.
The new Netflix docuseries about Jerry Jones the ’90s Cowboys has already drawn comparisons to ’The Last Dance.‘
Matthew Belloni • July 3, 2023
Netflix’s Next Dance: A $50 Million Jerry Jones Docuseries
The Jones project, which focuses on the Cowboys’ rise as “America’s Team” in the ’90s, is another sign of the booming market for premium sports docs.
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher.
Jonathan Handel • July 3, 2023
Inside the Actors’ Strategy
Dissecting the latest SAG-AFTRA moves amid a last-minute deadline extension and Hollywood’s “hot labor summer.”
Buffett bristles when friends or associates trade on his name without specific permission, even if he has praised them publicly.
Matthew Belloni • June 30, 2023
Why Did Warren Buffett Eviscerate Michael Kives?
The Oracle hyper-manages his image and bristles when others leverage his name for their success. But there are a couple other, more complicated, factors as well.
HBO will begin licensing content, including Issa Rae’s ‘Insecure,’ to Netflix.
Julia Alexander • June 27, 2023
Netflix’s New Math & HBO’s Pivot
News and notes on the latest existential quandaries in Los Gatos and Hudson Yards: The Top 10 debate, the Zaz licensing controversy, and Tubi’s streaming coup.
DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter proclaimed the new contract will “build for the future and impact every category of member in our guild.”
Jonathan Handel • June 26, 2023
Actors, Writers & A Delicate Strike Dance
As the Directors Guild ratifies its new contract amid skepticism from those who say it could have done better, SAG-AFTRA may not be as close to a deal as some expect, and the WGA remains “militant.”
Matthew Belloni & William D. Cohan • June 23, 2023
The Iger Sophomore Slump
Succession planning, ESPN, Hulu, the Walden question, and a CFO search: Iger’s second act isn’t what he planned, so what’s the way out? Two Disney-watchers debate.
Vanna White currently makes about $3 million a year for her duties on the syndicated Wheel, per multiple sources.
Matthew Belloni • June 23, 2023
Vanna White Would Like a Raise
The longtime ‘Wheel of Fortune’ co-host hasn’t had a pay increase in 18 years. Yes, 18 years. And now, with Pat Sajak leaving, she’s hired an aggressive new lawyer and is finally asking for more.
Despite troubles with the binge model, why are Bajaria & Co. so resistant to changing gears?
Julia Alexander • June 20, 2023
The Netflix Spike-Slump Effect
As Bela Bajaria recently exclaimed, Netflix stands by its binge model. But what if there is data outside its walls that suggests weekly is better?
Robert De Niro texted his girlfriend, regarding his former assistant: “The balls, the nerve, the chutzpah, the sense of entitlement: how dare her!”
Eriq Gardner • June 19, 2023
De Niro and the Nastiest Assistant Legal Saga Ever
A $6 million suit, five million frequent-flyer miles, and angry allegations of jealousy: don’t be surprised if De Niro’s legal battle with an assistant becomes as influential as ‘Taxi Driver.’
Matthew Belloni • June 19, 2023
The ‘Flash’ Crash and a Bummer Summer
The $200 million-plus Ezra Miller movie came in well below expectations. Did ‘The Flash’ fail because of its many micro-problems, or the macro issues facing big-budget movies in general?
Sajak, alarmed by the Jeopardy! circus, has made it clear to Sony execs that he wants a clean transition.
Matthew Belloni • June 19, 2023
The Sajak Succession Sweepstakes
The ‘Wheel of Fortune’ host is stepping down at a crucial moment for arguably Sony Television’s most important show. Insiders wonder: Can Sony avoid a ‘Jeopardy’-style circus over his replacement?
Matthew Belloni • June 16, 2023
The Troubling Pixar Paradox
Recent misses and low expectations for ‘Elemental’ beg the question: Has Pixar lost its magic touch? Perhaps the answer is that original animation is now a smaller business—one that can’t necessarily support the unique culture and $200 million budgets that made Pixar great in the first place.