Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon digest of Puck’s best new reporting.

First up today, Kim Masters foreshadows a looming succession saga at Sony Pictures now that its 70-year-old chairman, Tom Rothman, has extended his contract—while his heir apparent, Sanford Panitch, seems to have been sidelined and has yet to finalize a new deal. Meanwhile, Rothman has announced a grandiose legacy project: four Beatles films, all directed by Sam Mendes, all slated for April 2028… a monumental swing that could double as his Hollywood swan song.

Plus, below the fold: Lauren Sherman interprets former Celine designer Hedi Slimane’s thinly veiled warning shots against his alma mater. Abby Livingston reveals the Democrats’ anguished internal dialogue surrounding Zohran Mamdani. And John Ourand scoops ESPN’s decision to extend Pardon the Interruption’s Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser.

Meanwhile, on the pods: Matt Belloni reunites with Lucas Shaw on The Town to discuss John Malone’s attempt to find a new home for Warner Bros. Discovery. On The Grill Room, Dylan Byers and STAT News founder Rick Berke discuss healthcare reporting in the R.F.K. era. On Fashion People, Lauren and The Ringer’s Amanda Dobbins chew over the best and worst looks from the Venice red carpet—and the U.S. Open. And on The Powers That Be, Peter Hamby and Bill Cohan break down Paul Ryan’s latest alarm about the national debt.

HOLLYWOOD

In the not so distant future, Sony Pictures will have to grapple with a messy succession, as chairman Tom Rothman’s right-hand man, president Sanford Panitch, has yet to close the deal.

FASHION

While the world mourned Giorgio Armani, Hedi Slimane took to Instagram to warn Celine against reusing anything he created while he was its creative director. Clearly, it was an overreaction to the work of Michael Rider. It also made him look a little out of touch with industry realities.

WASHINGTON

Pressure is mounting on Democratic leaders to suck it up and endorse aspirant Mamdani, even as the consultant class frets that he’ll hurt their candidates in the midterms. Of course, Republicans are gearing up to make the mayoral candidate the face of ’26 either way.

SPORTS

Even in ESPN’s anti-sentimental, multichannel, needle-mover era, the company is doubling down on the old-school curmudgeons who starred in its golden age. Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser are being rewarded with new three-year deals that might truly mark the beginning of the end of an amazing journey.

HOLLYWOOD

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss YouTube’s exclusive NFL debut on Friday night, which brought in 17 million viewers; the surprising success of The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere in Las Vegas; and if there’s a path to sustained success for the Sphere as a movie venue. They also discuss longtime billionaire investor John Malone’s attempt to find a new home for Warner Bros. Discovery, and if David Ellison is the most likely suitor.

MEDIA

Rick Berke, former Politico reporter and founder of STAT News, joins Dylan to reflect on his 10-year journey from building a startup to becoming one of the most authoritative voices in the life sciences industry. Berke explains how he turned STAT into a profitable media venture, the hurdles facing subscription-based models, and why it’s so difficult for legacy giants like The Washington Post or L.A. Times to pull off the same trick.

FASHION

Lauren’s guest is The Ringer’s Amanda Dobbins, host of The Big Picture and Jam Session. Amanda just got back from the Venice Film Festival, where she saw Emily Blunt’s lips up close and watched Marc by Sofia. They discuss the best and worst of the Venice red carpet, as well as the best looks on and off the court at the U.S. Open. Then, they explain what it was like to witness Liam Gallagher shaking his leather-covered maracas at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena during the Oasis reunion tour. Finally, Amanda shares an update regarding Meghan Markle, As Ever, and the jam.

WALL STREET

Bill Cohan joins Peter to discuss Paul Ryan’s fresh alarms about the national debt—and what else the former House speaker told his private audience at a recent Wyoming retreat, including his take on Trump’s tariff policies. Then Bill digs into the nervous chatter brewing on Wall Street about their potential next mayor, Zohran Mamdani.

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