“Revlon Mode” Revisited, Licht’s New Lane, Trump Show Redux

Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon brochure featuring the latest reporting from Puck.

Today, we lead with Matt Belloni’s side-eyed appraisal of Hollywood’s strange new financial norms, wherein Ben Affleck’s $130M sports drama, Air, can have an underwhelming opening weekend but still be considered a “hit.” Have theaters devolved into marketing vehicles?

Then, below the fold: Bill Cohan foreshadows Elon’s debt crisis, considers Tim Cook’s M&A “wallet,” and observes Ron Perelman’s last dance. Matt mulls over Kathy Kennedy’s Star Wars amnesia. Dylan Byers and Jon Kelly exchange notes on Chris Licht’s subtle pivot at CNN, and highlight more intrigue from Ari Emanuel’s combat deal. And on The Powers That Be, Peter Hamby and Jon dig into Trump’s cable news rendezvous.

MATTHEW BELLONI

In theatrical terms, Air is a $130 million release that, even with tens of millions of dollars in marketing and great word-of-mouth, will likely top out at less than half that in U.S. theaters. So how come everyone is rushing to declare it a hit?

WILLIAM D. COHAN

News and notes on the inside story on Wall Street: the coming Elon debt crisis, more Shitrix porn, and a Ronald Perelman milestone.

MATTHEW BELLONI

The Lucasfilm president was never enthusiastic about a now-shelved Kevin Feige Star Wars project. Is that why she seemed to “forget” its existence?

DYLAN BYERS

News and notes on the latest in the media trade: a subtle pivot at CNN, more intrigue from Ari Emanuel’s combat deal, and murmurs from D.C.