Why No One Will Get Fired Over 'Joker 2'; Tim Walz Makes Late Night Debut; ABC Special to Tackle Diddy Allegations; Michael Rainey Jr. Talks 'Power'

[View on web]( [New reader? Subscribe]( October 08, 2024 What's news: CBS News said a recent interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates did not meet its editorial standards. 60 Minutes has revealed why Donald Trump pulled out of a planned interview. Michael Bay is in talks to direct Netflix's Fast and Loose. Universal has landed the movie rights to Colleen Hoover's Reminders of Him. — [Abid Rahman]( Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at [tips@thr.com](. Why No One Will Get Fired Over 'Joker 2' ►"It's a huge disaster, but what is the fallout?" When Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy took over as co-heads of Warner Bros.’ movie studio in early June 2021, one of the first decisions they made was to move forward with a sequel to Joker, the Oscar-winning, $1b hit that helped redefine the heights a comic book movie could reach. After Joker: Folie à Deux bombed hard at the box office this weekend, questions will inevitably be asked, but THR's [Pamela McClintock]( and [Aaron Couch]( report that the situation is far more complex. [The story.]( —Not meeting standards. In an editorial meeting on Monday, CBS News brass told staff that Ta-Nehisi Coates' contentious interview last week on CBS Mornings did not meet the network’s editorial standards. The interview saw CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil speak with the celebrated author about his new book The Message, which passionately argues that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is immoral and should be condemned. The interview garnered a strong reaction online, and within CBS News, with some arguing that the tough questions were justified, and others arguing that Dokoupil’s personal views were a factor. [The story.]( —"I don’t think he did Nate and Gayle a service." Ta-Nehisi Coates offered more thoughts on his much-talked about CBS Mornings interview in a trailer for the next episode of the What Now? with Trevor Noah podcast, suggesting that host Tony Dokoupil “commandeering” the interview didn’t serve his colleagues Gayle King and Nate Burleson well. In a three-minute trailer for the episode that drops on Oct. 10, Coates said that he was prepared for the criticism he would face for The Message, even if he didn't expect it on CBS Mornings, but that he felt especially sorry for King who seemed very prepared for the interview but didn't get a chance to offer any input. [The trailer.]( —Move to dismiss. Amazon is pushing back against a lawsuit accusing it of misleading Prime subscribers by charging them an additional fee to stream movies and TV shows without ads. In a bid to dismiss the proposed class action, the company argues that it previously disclosed that the bundle of Prime benefits is subject to change. Amazon cites its terms of service, which state that it "may choose in its sole discretion to add or remove Prime membership benefits." It says that it “never guaranteed that any particular” perk of the package would “remain available indefinitely.” [The story.]( Tim Walz Makes His Late Night Debut ►"I certainly… never planned my life to be here." Tim Walz began his late night debut on Monday night with a call to end the Israel-Hamas crisis. The vice presidential nominee’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! fell on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. Walz said he had spent the day visiting the Nova Exhibit in Los Angeles, a remembrance of those killed in the attacks last year. The Minnesota governor also spoke about his relationship with Kamala Harris. [The recap.]( —"The campaign offered shifting explanations." Kamala Harris and Tim Walz sat down with CBS' 60 Minutes on Monday night, but Donald Trump and JD Vance were a no-show. 60 Minutes' Scott Pelley took some time out of the show to explain why the Trump campaign reneged on an agreed upon interview, revealing that among other things Trump did not want to be fact checked and that he expected an apology from Leslie Stahl for his 2020 sit down with the newsmagazine. [The story.]( —"We can’t go back." Sally Field shared her “horrific story” of the illegal abortion she underwent when she found herself pregnant at the age of 17 before the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Roe v. Wade. In an Instagram video, the two-time Oscar winner indicated that the experience is a reason to support the Democratic presidential ticket of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, whom Field has endorsed, as well as other candidates and ballot initiatives “that could protect reproductive freedom,” she writes in the caption accompanying the video. [The story.]( —"Guns don’t protect our free speech." Jon Stewart excoriated "Dark MAGA" Elon Musk on Monday's episode of The Daily Show, for the errant oligarch's comments about free speech at a recent Trump rally. After Musk suggested that the Second Amendment would be used to reinforce the First Amendment, Stewart went on a passionate take-down of the X owner's dangerous beliefs: "Guns, from what I can tell, seem to mostly protect the speech of the people holding the gun. It’s a tool of intimidation." [The recap.]( Real 'Megalopolis' Architect Is Billionaire Bill Ackman's Wife ►Much talked about. THR's [Gary Baum]( writes that to conjure the Megalopolis' striking biomorphic cityscape, Francis Ford Coppola worked with Neri Oxman, a lauded 48-year-old Israeli-American interdisciplinary designer known for her practice in “material ecology,” but also someone who has been at the center of multiple recent controversies. [The story.]( —The good news. U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 is promising “groundbreaking” coverage of the upcoming U.S. presidential election thanks to a partnership with CNN and a lineup of guests including Succession star Brian Cox, Caitlyn Jenner, Stormy Daniels, Boris Johnson, and more for its first U.S. election overnight coverage in 32 years. The British broadcaster will provide eight hours of live programming hosted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Emily Maitlis from Washington DC. [The story.]( —The bad news. Also on Tuesday, Channel 4 reported a record full-year 2023 loss of $68m amid what it called a sharp and “prolonged” advertising downturn that saw U.K. ad revenue fall 9 percent. The declines were partially due to a correction after the post-COVID boom, as well as a “strategic decision” to keep spending on its digital transformation and continued investment in original content. The public service broadcaster predicted a narrowed deficit for 2024 and a return to breakeven “over the mid-term,” while also touting signs of success in its digital push. [The results.]( —New plan. SkyShowtime, the European streaming joint venture of Comcast and Paramount Global, on Tuesday unveiled the upcoming launch of a new ad-free premium plan, which will be offered alongside its existing “Standard With Ads” and standard, previously named “Standard Plus,” plans. The introduction of SkyShowtime Premium follows the launch earlier this year of the ad tier and will become available in all the streamer’s markets simultaneously on Oct. 29, including Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. [The story.]( Michael Bay in Talks to Direct Will Smith Action Movie ►Bayhem incoming. Michael Bay is in talks to direct Will Smith in Netflix's Fast and Loose. The action film focuses on a crime boss who loses his memory after an attack and gradually learns that he was leading a double life as a CIA agent. Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Chris Bremner and Eric Pearson worked on the screenplay. The movie has been in the works since before Smith’s infamous slap of Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars ceremony. THR previously reported that David Leitch had exited the project the week before the fated Academy Awards telecast to start work on The Fall Guy. [The story.]( —Snapped up. Universal has landed the movie rights to Reminders of Him, the bestseller by It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover, which became a box office hit starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. The adaptation of Reminders of Him will be penned by Hoover and Lauren Levine. The deal comes after the film adaptation of It Ends With Us earned over $300m in global ticket sales. Reminders of Him centers on Keena Rowan, a troubled young mother who yearns for a shot at redemption in her life after a tragic mistake. Hoover and Levine will produce through their Heartbones Entertainment banner, with Universal planning to release the movie theatrically on Feb. 13, 2026. [The story.]( —Shut up, and take my money! THR's [Borys Kit]( has the scoop on Lionsgate picking up The Professionals, an original feature for the action pros at 87Eleven Entertainment to produce along with Mandalay Pictures. Hunter Perot, the grandson of Ross Perot, wrote the initial draft of the Clue meets John Wick screenplay, which is now being penned by Madison Turner. Chad Stahelski, the stunt maestro-turned-filmmaker behind the John Wick movies, is producing along with his 87Eleven partners Alex Young and Jason Spitz. [The story.]( ABC Special to Tackle Diddy Arrest, Allegations ►"New reporting and new details." More celebrities from Sean “Diddy” Combs’ inner circle are set to talk about the disgraced hip-hop mogul in a 20/20 primetime special from ABC to air Wednesday night. Secret Life of Diddy — A Special Edition of 20/20, from ABC News Studios, will feature singer, rapper and actor Ray J in an interview to address recent criminal charges brought against Diddy, who remains in jail awaiting a trial. Also interviewed as part of the Oct. 9 special is Lizzette Martinez, who survived abuse by R. Kelly and will talk about an encounter she claims she had with Diddy. [The story.]( —Heading to the small screen. THR's [Rick Porter]( has the scoop on Amazon MGM Studios teaming up with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos for its next series project, an adaptation of Marie Still's book My Darlings. Ripa and Consuelos' Milojo Productions snagged the rights to the novel and will serve as executive producers. My Darlings is described as a satirical thriller that centers on Eloise Williams, an interior designer, doting wife and mother, and queen bee of her social circle — who is also a serial killer. Justin W. Lo and Leo Richardson are adapting the book and will also serve as executive producers; James Griffiths is attached to direct and exec produce. [The story.]( —🎭 Three more 🎭 Rick also has the scoop on Netflix's series adaptation of Man on Fire adding to its cast. Alice Braga has joined the drama as a series regular, and Scoot McNairy and Paul Ben-Victor will have recurring roles. Man on Fire is based on novels by A.J. Quinnell, which previously served as source material for a 2004 feature film starring Denzel Washington and a 1987 Italian film with Scott Glenn. The series, which Netflix ordered in March 2023, centers on John Creasy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a former special forces mercenary now suffering intense PTSD. Determined to overcome his personal demons, he sets out on a path to redemption. [The story.]( —"Show was always taken for granted." Tom Selleck is still working out how to say goodbye to Frank Reagan. In a new interview, the actor revealed that he’s still “frustrated” by CBS‘ decision to cancel Blue Bloods after a stellar 14-year run. “During those last eight shows, I haven’t wanted to talk about an ending for Blue Bloods but about it still being wildly successful,” said Selleck, who played the NYPD commissioner in the CBS drama. Selleck went on to cite an unspecified list of top shows from 2023-24, saying, “if you discount the three football shows, we’re #6!” Selleck did acknowledge that he didn't want to "turn into a bitter old guy" about the show's demise. [The story.]( —🎭 Filling out 🎭 Rafe Spall will join Kelly Reilly as the lead in Sky Original’s new crime thriller, Under Salt Marsh, now in production. Welsh actor Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Yang and Joker 2's Harry Lawtey will also feature in the six-part limited event series created and directed by Claire Oakley. Set in the fictional Welsh town of Morfa Halen, Under Salt Marsh tells the story of a tight-knit community nestled between towering mountains and a sea that threatens its very existence, a once-in-a-generation storm begins to gather. [The story.]( Michael Rainey Jr. on His 'Power' Evolution ►"I’m just ready for the next chapter." For THR, Ronda Racha Penrice spoke to Michael Rainey Jr. about the season four finale of Starz's Power Book II: Ghost. A decade after debuting his character Tariq, Rainey Jr. discusses the legacy of the sprawling crime franchise and if he's now headed to the other Power spinoff. Warning: Spoilers! [The interview.]( —"This story is far from over." THR's queen of chat [Jackie Strause]( spoke to Ross Dinerstein and Rebecca Evans, the producing team behind Netflix's new documentary on the Menendez brothers. The duo discuss their hopes to continue interviewing the brothers, their correspondence with attorney Leslie Abramson and their response to criticism about the doc focusing on the defense. [The interview.]( —"Writing something and being the one to execute it and then additionally seeing it through post, it’s the ultimate." THR's [Brian Davids]( spoke to creator/showrunner/director/executive producer Jac Schaeffer about her latest Disney+ show Agatha All Along. Schaeffer also explains why she stepped back from the upcoming Vision show starring Paul Bettany. Warning: Spoilers! [The interview.]( In other news... —The Diplomat S2 trailer: [Keri Russell investigates cliffhanger explosion]( —Somebody Somewhere [final season trailer grapples with change]( —The Seed of the Sacred Fig trailer: [Family faces repression in Iran]( —Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid t[railer and poster unveiled]( —Tom Segura [sets 2025 tour dates, donates $100k to World Central Kitchen]( —Dateline names [Blayne Alexander new true crime correspondent]( —Skybound [hires Nachie Marsham as senior editor]( —The 50+ [best Amazon Prime Big Deal Days steals to shop before they sell out]( ​​​What else we're reading... —Helen Lewis looks at what going on the Call Her Daddy podcast did for Kamala Harris [[Atlantic]( —Max Tani reports that Substack is looking to shift its business to become more like Patreon as a hub for creators [[Semafor]( —Rachel Brodsky talks to Sum 41 vocalist Deryck Whibley about his new memoir, in which he alleges that he was groomed and sexually abused by the band's first manager [[LAT]( —Denise Chow writes that Hurricane Milton's rapid intensification is part of a worrying climate crisis-fueled trend [[NBC News]( —As a blizzard of lawsuits hit Sean Combs, Craig Jenkins writes that the online discourse which is raking over every little tidbit and lore related to the disgraced mogul is getting out of control [[Vulture]( Today... ...in 2010, Disney released Randall Wallace's Secretariat in theaters. The sports biopic about the legendary titular race horse made $60m at the box office. [The original review.]( Today's birthdays: Sigourney Weaver (75), Matt Damon (54), Martin Henderson (50), [Paul Hogan]( (85), Karyn Parsons (58), Edward Zwick (72), Nick Cannon (44), David Yates (61), Bruno Mars (39), Anne-Marie Duff (54), Bella Thorne (27), Molly C. Quinn (31), Kristanna Loken (45), Percy Hynes White (23), Jeremy Davies (55), Ian Hart (60), Emily Procter (56), Chevy Chase (81), Angus T. Jones (31), Peter Greene (59), Travis Wester (47), Stephanie Zimbalist (68), Ardal O'Hanlon (59), Michael Dudikoff (70), Barbara Palvin (31), Dylan Neal (55), J.R. Ramirez (44), Susanna Fogel (44), Eddie Hargitay (46), Tom Rhys Harries (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿32), Nick Bakay (65), Darrell Hammond (69), R.L. Stine (81), Amy Beth Hayes (42) Cissy Houston, the mother of the late Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, died Monday. She was 91. [The obituary.]( ADVERTISEMENT This email was sent to {EMAIL} by The Hollywood Reporter. Please add email@email.hollywoodreporter.com to your address book to ensure delivery to your inbox. Visit the [Preferences Center]( to update your profile and customize what email alerts and newsletters you receive. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 11175 Santa Monica Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90025 [View in Browser]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Your Privacy Rights]( | [Ad Choices]( | [Terms of Use]( | [Unsubscribe](