Tarantino's Dilemma; Endeavor's IPO Risks; Netflix's Big Legal Setback; Disney+ Survey; Comedy Showrunner Roundtable

What's news: The new questions about Endeavor's IPO gamble. Plus: Will Tarantino recut Hollywood? U.S. indies are threatened in a China trade war, a look at the demos for Disney+ and behind Netflix's big legal setback. — Erik Hayden. June 06, 2019 What's news: The new questions about Endeavor's IPO gamble. Plus: Will Tarantino recut Hollywood? U.S. indies are threatened in a China trade war, a look at the demos for Disney+ and behind Netflix's big legal setback. — Erik Hayden. Endeavor's Risky IPO If CEO Ari Emanuel's gamble proves a Wall Street success, it may encourage more big-money giants to invest billions in Hollywood representation — or it could all blow up in his face, Rebecca Sun writes: + Open questions: Is Endeavor's odd amalgam of sexy assets enough to convince Wall Street to downplay $4.6 billion in debt? Is a volatile talent business (one currently under siege by the Writers Guild) something that can be projected on a quarterly basis? And when the dust settles, will Endeavor or its rivals survive, and in what form? + What to watch: If Endeavor's primary backer Silver Lake Partners, which has invested more than $1 billion in the company, turns a profit on the IPO, mid-tier agencies could become attractive targets for investment or for M&A activity. [Full story.]( Netflix's big legal setback vs. Disney... + Eriq Gardner writes: On Wednesday, a Los Angeles Superior Court became the scene of a consequential fight between 20th Century Fox Film and Netflix. In reality, thanks to Rupert Murdoch selling studio assets, this legal battle pits Netflix against Disney, which is priming its own streaming service for launch later this year. + The back story: Back in 2016, Fox filed suit against Netflix for recruiting production executive Tara Flynn and marketing executive Marcos Waltenberg. Fox alleged that Netflix induced these executives to break their contracts to join Netflix. + Outlook: Per a tentative decision from Judge Marc Gross, Fox has proven that Netflix caused Flynn and Waltenberg to breach their contracts. It now appears as though Fox is headed for a huge victory that [could chill executive poaching.]( Meanwhile... ► Who will subscribe to Disney+? A new survey by research group Ampere Analysis, shared with THR, found a significant portion of the U.S. audience is eager to subscribe to Disney's upcoming subscription VOD service: + Key Disney demographics: Of the more than 1,000 people surveyed, just over a fifth (22 percent) said they were likely or highly likely to subscribe to Disney+. But that figure jumps among 18-24 year-olds and households with children. + 34 percent of 18-24 year-old respondents said they intended to subscribe to Disney+, while 36 percent of households with children (a group nearly twice the size of the 18-24 year-old demo) agreed. [Full survey.]( ► "YouTube to remove thousands of videos pushing extreme views." "The whiplash-inducing deliberations illustrated a central theme that has defined the moderation struggles of social media companies: Making rules is often easier than enforcing them," Kevin Roose and Kate Conger write. [[New York Times](] Elsewhere in TV... *[Emmys profile: Stephen Root.]( The actor, who has nearly 800 TV episodes and 100 films on his résumé but has never been nominated for a major acting award, is getting attention for his role in HBO's Barry as Monroe Fuches. ^Changes in Emmys eligibility rules ignite category confusion. Scott Feinberg writes: "the academy's tweaks can create unusual bedfellows, like late-night host James Corden competing against Beyoncé and Springsteen."[Story.]( ► WarnerMedia names new chief marketing officer. HBO marketing executive Chris Spadaccini is moving up the ladder. He'll now add TNT, TBS and TruTV to his portfolio, along with the company's upcoming streaming [platform.]( ► CBS' Entertainment Tonight finds new exec producer. Erin Johnson has been named the new exec producer for the show. She replaces Sharon Hoffman, who is exiting after three years in the role to return to the East Coast. [Details.]( ► Nat Geo's Hot Zone brings ratings win. The limited series averaged just under 2 million viewers in three-day Nielsen tallies and boosted Nat Geo's primetime viewership by more than 350 percent over the previous six-week [average.]( ► ITV settles Duck Dynasty dispute with co-creators. Scott and Deirdre Gurney will sell their remaining stake in the company they founded as part of the deal. ITV: "we wish Scott and Deirdre success with their [next venture."]( ► Comedy Central to roast Alec {NAME}. The roast will tape in New York this summer and air on a date to be determined. {NAME}: "Getting roasted will be the greatest honor of [my lifetime..."]( ► Showtime's Shameless adds series regular. Kate Miner, who recurred in season nine, has been upped to a series regular for the dramedy's tenth season. She will continue her role as Tami, [Lip's girlfriend.]( ► Ubisoft reveals women's fellowship participants. From a pool of 150 applicants, fiction writer Heather Quinn was chosen for film and screenwriter Nneka Gerstle for TV. They will search the Ubisoft library for development [opportunities.]( *Noted: In a move certain to please the U.S. studios and major television networks worldwide, international television market MIPTV will decouple from its sister event MIPCOM ahead of MIPTV's relaunch next year. [Details.]( Emmys landscape heading in to nomination voting. In his latest check-in, Feinberg has Game of Thrones, Killing Eve, This Is Us, Better Call Saul, Ozark, Homecoming and Pose as the frontrunners in the best drama series category. [Feinberg Forecast.]( Tarantino's Dilemma After Cannes, will the filmmaker recut his star-studded Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ahead of its July release? Tatiana Siegel writes: + Cut or not? Sources say the director, who headed out on vacation after the Cannes closing ceremony May 25, hasn't indicated that he will shorten or lengthen the film, which is currently 159 minutes, or make any changes. + Budget revealed: The R-rated Once Upon a Time marks a gamble for the studio considering that its budget came in at $90 million, sources tell THR, after qualifying for the California tax credit and recouping more than $15 million. [Full story.]( Elsewhere in film... ► U.S. indie films threatened by Trump's China trade war. Chinese buyers' sudden avoidance of U.S. filmmaking was palpably on display at Cannes in May; in 2019, there were virtually none. + China's streaming giants — iQiyi, Tencent Video and Alibaba's Youku — also have stopped acquiring new U.S. film and TV content, Beijing industry players say. + Ruby Xie, director of international acquisitions for Rise Culture, which invests in theatrical rights to international films, notes: "Acquiring titles from Europe or other parts of Asia is a much safer investment for us right now." [More.]( ► Japan quietly launches production incentives. The first scheme offering financial aid for overseas movie shoots has barely been promoted, and information is available only in Japanese. [Details.]( ^Review: Framing John DeLorean (out on Friday). Alec {NAME} plays the disgraced entrepreneur in Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce's doc/biopic hybrid. John DeFore writes: "Pairing feature and doc elements serves neither side [very well."]( ► CEO of U.K. regulator Ofcom stepping down. Sharon White joined Ofcom in March 2015 from the British Treasury. She is leaving to become chairman of The John Lewis Partnership and is expected to depart towards the [end of the year.]( ► Mark Gordon to part ways with Entertainment One. Toronto-based eOne said the veteran Hollywood producer remains with the company as president and chief content officer for film, television and digital. But he's in talks[to leave.]( ► Warner Bros to skip Hall H at Comic-Con. That means the studio's next such offerings such as The Joker, Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman 1984 won’t be debuting new footage. An exception:[It: Chapter Two...]( ► To All the Boys filmmakers reteam for YA adaptation. Producer Matt Kaplan will pair Michael Fimognari for an adaptation of Lauren Oliver's best-selling novel Replica. Production to begin early [next year.]( Prodigy PR promotes two to partner. The entertainment-focused firm has named longtime employees Rob Fleming and Jason Kasperski to partner status. [Details.]( Comedy Showrunner Roundtable New: Bill Hader, David Mandel and Ali Rushfield join Alan Yang, Tanya Saracho and Jerrod Carmichael to let loose with Lacey Rose on secrets of the writers room and the horrors of marketing posters... Q: There's that adage, "Write what you know." What are the most personal things you've put into these shows and characters? ALI RUSHFIELD "I named the dog in Shrill after my dog." DAVID MANDEL "I did a joke where Selina complains about why The New York Times covers modern dance so much that I am very proud of. Because they really, really do. They cover modern dance more than they cover the Yankees." JERROD CARMICHAEL "Nothing on Ramy because it's not about me, but I had a show [NBC's The Carmichael Show] and talked about my dad's illegitimate kids and stuff." [Full Comedy Showrunner Roundtable.]( What else we're reading... — "Local florist feuding with the new Sofia Coppola movie." Nate Jones writes: to florist Julia Testa, "who had previously rented out her entire space for companies like Hennessey, the initial offer seemed insultingly low. " [[New York](] — "As writers battle their agents, finding a judge becomes a challenge." David Ng notes: "two sides are contending with an unforeseen challenge: finding a judge who doesn’t have personal ties to the entertainment industry." [[Los Angeles Times](] — "David Harbour has had his own trip to the upside down and back." Maximillian Potter's profile: the Stranger Things actor "has been trying to keep the law - and a hold on reality - in the streets of Hawkins, Indiana." [[Esquire](] — "'Bitter Sweet Symphony' returns to charts after songwriting dispute resolved." Kevin Rutherford writes: After the Rolling Stones relinquished royalties, the song garnered "a 7% lift to 2.5 million U.S. streams." [[Billboard](] — "Michelin Guide’s not entirely welcome return to L.A." Helen Rosner writes: "restaurateurs have been infuriated by the guide's decade-long neglect of the city. But Michelin's absence may have benefitted the city." [[New Yorker](] — "How Celine Dion changed Las Vegas." Kevin Fallon writes: "The icon will belt her last note at The Colosseum this weekend, 16 years after a gamble on Vegas that forever changed her career, the city, the industry, and fandom." [[Daily Beast](] — "Best films of 2019 so far." Early staff picks from overseas: "Charlize Theron flips into funny with Seth Rogen, Mel Gibson picks Vince Vaughn as his accomplice and Avengers reach their Endgame." [[The Guardian](] Last night on late night... + "Zachary Quinto on stealing Spock ears." [[Kimmel](] + "James Corden rates Trump's royal performance." [[Colbert](] From the archives... + Today in 1998: On June 6, 1998, HBO introduced Carrie Bradshaw and Sex and the City to television audiences, with THR's critic calling the first episode "choppy and burdened with impossible dialogue." [Flashback review.]( Today's birthdays: Jonathan Nolan, 43, Danny Strong, 45, Paul Giamatti, 52, Jason Isaacs, 56, Hirokazu Koreeda, 57, Harvey Fierstein, 65, Robert Englund, 72. Follow The News Is this email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( ©2019 The Hollywood Reporter. 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 All rights reserved. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Preferences]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Use]( June 6, 2019