Jemele Hill Talks ESPN Exit; Box Office's Record Pace; Netflix's Interactive Push; California vs. Trump; New THR Podcast

What's news: Jemele Hill opens up about her ESPN exit and what's next for her, including scripted programming plans. Plus: The box office is on pace to break 2016's record year, SNL's premiere ratings are up from 2017 and California Gov. Jerry Brown sets off a net neutrality fight with the Trump administration. — Will Robinson [The Hollywood Reporter - Today In Entertainment]( October 01, 2018 What's news: Jemele Hill opens up about her ESPN exit and what's next for her, including scripted programming plans. Plus: The box office is on pace to break 2016's record year, SNL's premiere ratings are up from 2017 and California Gov. Jerry Brown sets off a net neutrality fight with the Trump administration. — Will Robinson ^Hill waves goodbye to ESPN: In her first interview on her high-profile exit from the Disney-owned network, Jemele Hill explains why politics made sports people nervous, the dressing-down she got from management over anti-Trump tweets and her new role as a "Roman candle" writer for The Atlantic, James Andrew Miller reports: + Outgrown each other: Even with two years left on Hill's contract, and a $5 million-plus buyout as the way out, both sides agreed to move on. “It just kind of became obvious to me that the relationship — as good and as fruitful and as beneficial as it was — had really run its course,” Hill, 42, says now. + Dubbed "political": “Mike (Smith) and I specifically were called political, way before any of the Trump stuff ever happened,” she recalls. “And I always thought that was a very interesting label because frankly, I think that most of the time it was said because we were the two black people." * Path of least resistance: “Looking at it from their viewpoint, of course, it would be easier not having me around,” Hill says. “I don’t even take it personally. But the truth of the matter is that part of the reason they have been swimming endlessly in this narrative that they’re too political is because of me. It’s a dumb narrative, and I knew that my presence contributed to it." + Going Hollywood: Hill has also started a production company with her good friend Kelly Carter and is preparing to sell a half-hour scripted series in collaboration with Gabrielle Union at Sony loosely based on her friendship of over 20 years with Carter. “The best way I can describe it, it’s as if Molly and Issa from Insecure had grown up. Imagine those two characters as fully-grown, accomplished women of color,” Hill explains. [Full story.]( Yearly Box Office Roars Rich September: Thanks to a diverse bumper crop of films and strong holdovers — versus a Goliath-like It in 2017 — September 2018 managed to hit near-record levels, with total ticket sales clocking in at $660 million, according to comScore, Pamela McClintock reports: + Record-breaking pace: The performance of early fall has continued to bolster the overall gain at the yearly box office, with revenue up 8.4 percent over the first nine months of 2017, and 3.5 percent ahead of 2016. At this rate, 2018 could ultimately eclipse the record $11.4 billion earned in 2016 at the domestic box office. + Warners repeats as frontrunner: Leading the September assault was New Line and Warner Bros.' The Nun, which has earned $109 million since its Sept. 7 debut, becoming only the second September title behind It to cross the $100 million mark in the calendar month, not adjusted for inflation. Globally, the film has collected $330 million, the biggest showing ever for any title in the Conjuring universe. + Shocking surprise: "Just a month ago, few could have imagined that September of 2018 would come within $40 million of last year, which was powered by the unprecedented strength of juggernaut It," says comScore analyst Paul Dergarabedian. [Full report.]( Last weekend's haul... + Solid grades: Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish's raucous comedy Night School laughed its way to the top of the box-office chart, beating the overall comedy curse in opening to $28 million from 3,010 theaters. Though its Rotten Tomatoes score sits at 31 percent, it earned an A- CinemaScore. + Strong family outing: Warner Bros.' new animated offering Smallfoot opened in second place with $23 million from 4,131 theaters. The movie, whose voice cast includes Channing Tatum and LeBron James, likewise earned an A- CinemaScore. Nearly half the audience was under the age of 25. + Free Solo's historic opening: National Geographic's critically acclaimed documentary has scored the best screen average of the year to date, $75,201. If estimates hold, it will boast the best opening average ever for a documentary, topping 2006's An Inconvenient Truth ($70,333). [Full analysis.]( Elsewhere in film... ► Hollywood-China dealmakers lament Trump trade war & Beijing crackdowns. At the fifth annual U.S.-China Film & Television Industry Expo in Los Angeles this week, constructive business discussions were [overshadowed]( by difficult geopolitical realities, Patrick Brzeski reports. ► British Film Institute promotes Ben Roberts to deputy CEO. Roberts is currently director of the BFI's film fund. His new position will see him [working]( with CEO Amanda Nevill to a wider remit. ► Asia Argento asks for X Factor job back in Italian TV interview. The Italian actress and director told her version of the Jimmy Bennett story, claiming she was the one assaulted and traumatized by the 2013 hotel meeting. [Details.]( ^New THR podcast: Hosted by senior writer Seth Abramovitch and Emmy-winning TV writer and comedian Chip Pope — and featuring Exorcist director William Friedkin in its debut — It Happened in Hollywood opens the THR vault to revisit an indelible moment from 90 years of entertainment history: + Putting industry in perspective: Much more than pure nostalgia, It Happened in Hollywood sets out to illustrate each month just how cyclical the entertainment business can be. "In other words, how the stars of the next A Star is Born remake have probably not been born yet," says Pope. + Key players share details:F riedkin, 83, describes the exhaustive lengths to which he went to cast his mother and daughter leads; the mysterious soundstage fire that destroyed his set; the Exorcist's real-life serial killer actor that inspired Friedkin's follow-up picture, Cruising; and many more behind-the-scenes secrets of the most terrifying film ever made. [Listen.]( Wedding bells... ► Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk tie the knot. The Goop CEO and actress, 46, [reportedly wed]( the 911 and American Horror Story co-creator, 47, on Saturday in a ceremony in the Hamptons. The wedding took place in the yard of a friend's home, and was attended by celebrities including Robert Downey Jr., Jerry Seinfeld, Cameron Diaz, Benji Madden and Steven Spielberg. On the festival circuit... ► Between Two Waters wins Golden Shell at San Sebastian. Alexander Payne, president of the fest's competition jury, said its members unanimously [voted]( for Spanish filmmaker Isaki Lacuesta film as a poignant “social portrait that invites the viewer into the life of the protagonists” in a story of reconciliation and redemption. ► Robert De Niro set for Marrakech honor. The Oscar winner is the first major honoree to be announced this year. The festival, which has long boasted high-profile juries and stars, will be [relaunching]( later this year after taking a pause in 2017 for a reorganization amid a reported lack of sponsorship. ► Bad Times at the El Royale to open Rome. The new mystery thriller [featuring]( Jeff Bridges, Dakota Johnson, Chris Hemsworth and Jon Hamm will kick off the 13th edition of the event. Rome runs from Oct. 18-28. ► Lorenz Merz's Beast wins Zurich's Filmmaker Award. Lion star Dev Patel [presented]( Merz and producer Simon Hesse with the honor, which comes with $100,000 in funding to complete the project. Coming attractions... ► Trailer: Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly goof around in Holmes and Watson. Columbia Pictures unveiled the first trailer to its comedy. The film sees Step Brothers co-stars Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly reuniting, this time in Victorian London, as the legendary sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his esteemed companion, Dr. John Watson. [Watch.]( Why Smallfoot should have embraced its musical elements. The film isn't being [sold]( for its music, but perhaps it should be, Josh Spiegel contends. 'SNL' Returns All-in on Kavanaugh: SNL's season 44 premiere provided their own take on the week's biggest news, with one sketch envisioning an '80s frat boy party with disastrous future results, while Kate McKinnon played Ruth Bader Ginsburg weighing in on the Kavanaugh hearings in another, Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya writes: + Cold open: Matt Damon [appeared]( as SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh during his Thursday hearing. “I’m a keg is half-filled kind of guy,” Damon’s Kavanaugh said during the sketch, alluding to how often Kavanaugh mentioned beer in his hearing on Thursday. + Jost and Che's focus: "Weekend Update" dealt almost exclusively with Kavanaugh, with co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che pointedly digging into the potential Supreme Court nominee. “I just wanna remind everybody that all this yelling and crying happened at this dude’s job interview,” Che said. [Full recap.]( + Ratings up: Saturday’s episode, [hosted]( by actor Adam Driver and featured musical guest Kanye West, earned a 4.8 overnight rating among metered-market households, a 7 percent improvement from the 2017 opener. The show was up even more among younger viewers, with NBC averaging a 2.3 rating among adults 18-49 in the markets with local people meters. That’s a 10 percent lift from a year ago. + Kanye's cut speech: The rapper, sporting a Make America Great Again hat, reinforced his liking of President Trump, called for more open political dialogue and [hinted]( at a 2020 run. The hat moment earned the president's praise via Twitter. Elsewhere in TV... ► Netflix planning choose-your-own-adventure programming: The experiment will begin with a new episode of Black Mirror, Lucas Shaw reports. "The foray into choose-your-own-adventure programming represents a big bet on a nascent form of entertainment known as interactive TV. As Netflix expands around the world, it’s looking for new ways to lure customers." [[Bloomberg](] ► Fox's Last Man Standing opens big for Fox. The Fox comedy [delivered]( big ratings for its return Friday night, scoring a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49 along with 8.01 million viewers. Its final season on ABC in 2016-17 averaged a 1.2 rating and 6.41 million viewers in the same-day ratings. ► Matthew Weiner doesn't remember alleged sexual misconduct remark. Former Mad Men writer Kater Gordon [accused]( Weiner of telling her she owed it to let him see her naked. "I really don't remember saying that," he says now. "I'm not hedging to say it’s not impossible that I said that, but I really don’t remember saying it." ^Global Citizen Festival goes political: Though the annual event's main focus is ending extreme poverty, many celebrity attendees discussed sexual assault in light of Brett Kavanaugh's potential Supreme Court nomination, Allison Crist reports: + Hold politicians accountable: John Legend emphasized the importance of actually “doing,” rather than just “preaching.” The comments came right after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivered a speech about the need to end the criminalization of poverty and the cash bail system. “We have a lot of work to do. And we can't just talk the talk. We have politicians here talking the talk. But we gonna follow up with them, right?” Legend said. + Go vote: Robert De Niro, Cardi B and others encouraged the audience to register and vote in this November’s midterm elections. “You’re at this amazing concert because you took your responsibility as global citizens seriously…” De Niro said. “Now, we are asking you to take your responsibility as U.S. citizens seriously by voting.” [Recap.]( + Barrier collapse sparks panic: Just before 8 p.m. on Saturday, the police barrier that was meant to keep the crowd in check toppled over, [releasing]( a clanging sound that terrified many spectators, fearing possible gunshots. Jerry Brown's entertainment decrees... ► Sexual harassment in entertainment targeted by new California law. A new law requires talent agencies to [provide]( educational material on sexual harassment, and also on eating disorders common among models, Jonathan Handel reports. ► California governor signs net neutrality law. The bill, which will otherwise take effect Jan. 1, effectively [reverses]( in California a decision last year by Republican appointees to the FCC that eliminated Obama-era rules prohibiting internet providers from blocking or throttling particular websites or content providers based on content or favoring others that pay extra. * Trump administration sues. The complaint filed in the Eastern District of California — the conservative region of the state — alleges that SB-822 is preempted by federal law and therefore violates the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution, Eriq Gardner reports. [Details.]( Biz briefs... ► Elon Musk to step down as Tesla chairman for three years. Musk's car company has also agreed to pay a total of $40 million and make a series of [concessions]( to settle a government lawsuit alleging Musk duped investors. Talking points... ► Kellyanne Conway reveals she is a victim of sexual assault. "I feel very empathetic, frankly, for victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment and rape. I'm a victim of sexual assault," the counselor to President Trump [told]( CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday. DC TV Watch: In spite of the all-new magical creatures coming to The CW's Legends of Tomorrow, executive producer Phil Klemmer [reveals]( to Sydney Bucksbaum that the new big bad is "everyday evil and institutional evil ... people who are good and take a turn for the sinister." Slimane's Debut Backlash Dismissing the past: L.A.-based designer Hedi Slimane's debut collection for luxury house Celine is garnering backlash and a war of words inside the fashion community, Booth Moore reports: + Missing Phoebe Philo: "The Celine store was packed with intellectual women from all over the world yesterday," L.A.-based fashion designer and Philophile Stephanie Danan posted to Facebook on Saturday. "It was powerful and incredibly inspiring. Clothes do and can matter to women. They are our armor. They help us navigate our difficult fight. Especially today. Phoebe knew that." + Talk of the show: Conversation about Slimane's polarizing Celine collection of babydoll dresses, combat boots and slick menswear tailoring has been dominating the front rows of fashion shows, where the outrage seems particularly silly considering the collective experience of seeing designers come and go in what can seem like a never-ending revolving door. + Stick with Philo: To some people for whom buying a $4,000 coat designed by a woman was somehow perceived to be a feminist act, the storyline may be familiar: rob a female of a job she seemed perfect for, and replace her with a man who burns down the house. Anyone who is lamenting the death of Celine can try something really radical: keep wearing their old Celine. [Full story.]( What else we're reading... — "Post-Kevin Spacey, Old Vic 'Guardians' Fight Workplace Abuse." From the AP: "The London theater company said Monday that 20 cultural organizations have joined it in appointing specially trained staff who serve as a first line of defense against bullying, harassment and abuse." [[THR](] — "The Bad, The Good Lawyer: Was David Boies Just Doing Right by Harvey Weinstein?" Andrew Rice reports: "Where once he was heralded as a liberal lion — a champion of marriage equality, a defender of press freedom — now he has been recast as the general counsel for the patriarchy." [[Daily Intelligencer](] — "A Look at the Original Content Boom." Rani Molla details, with charts: "Currently, Netflix is still far in the lead in producing the most shows. It has more than 250 TV shows in its Netflix Originals pipeline for the coming years — more than all of its existing originals combined." [[Recode](] — "Nicolas Cage: ‘If I Don’t Have a Job to Do, I Can Be Very Self-Destructive.'" Hadley Freeman profiles: "Does he fear looking ridiculous? 'All I care about is the transformation so I never think: "Is this ridiculous?" Even though' — he laughs — 'sometimes it is!'" [[The Guardian](] — "The Anti-Prestige Showrunner." Kathryn VanArendonk interviews Jane the Virgin showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman: "On Jane, silliness can be a demonstration of intelligence rather than a negation of it, and the proud ownership of telenovela tropes is a way to claim the importance of women’s stories." [[Vulture](] — "Tha Carter V's Long Journey." Elias Leight details: "The mishmash nature of Tha Carter V ... encompasses extremes: Extensively tinkered-with oldies that have seen multiple years of revisions sit next to fresh-off-the-press beats that only perked Wayne’s attention during a hectic final month of recording." [[Rolling Stone](] What else we're watching... + "John Oliver dedicates whole show on Kavanaugh hearing." [[Last Week Tonight](] What's ahead this week... Monday: CBS debuts two new sitcoms in The Neighborhood and Happy Together. Tuesday: Michael Lewis' book about Trump's presidential transition and his federal government, The Fifth Risk, arrives. Wednesday: Criminal Minds and SEAL Team storm CBS with new seasons. Thursday: NBC returns Will & Grace and Superstore. Friday: Sony unleashes Venom... Warner Bros. bows A Star Is Born... Amazon brings back The Man in the High Castle... Hulu debuts Blumhouse-produced horror anthology Into the Dark... ABC pushes its new Friday block with comedies Fresh Off the Boat and Speechless, and comedic game show Child Support. Sunday: AMC brings back The Walking Dead... Jodie Whittaker debuts as the first female star of Doctor Who on BBC America. From the archives... + On Oct. 1, 1968, George A. Romero and John Russo changed the horror genre with Night of the Living Dead. Though zombies are novel now, they were truly revolutionary 50 years ago: "Romero's survivors made a statement, not that they could beat back death, but that they couldn't. In the flat Pennsylvania landscape of Romero's Night of the Living Dead, survival is measured in minutes, not years." [Retrospective review.]( Today's birthdays: Brie Larson, 29, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, 32, Rupert Friend, 37, Sarah Drew, 38, Katie Aselton, 40, Zach Galifianakis, 49, Esai Morales, 56, Julie Andrews, 83. Follow The News Is this email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( ©2018 The Hollywood Reporter. 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 All rights reserved. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Preferences]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Use]( October 1, 2018