Oscar Producers Assess Ceremony; Bank Collapse Stuns Broadway; SXSW Highlights; 'John Wick 4' Review

[View on web]( [New reader? Subscribe]( March 14, 2023 What's news: Oscar ratings hit a three-year high. Sean "Diddy" Combs is exploring a BET bid. Keanu Reeves surprises SXSW with a John Wick 4 screening and Q&A. Vanity Fair's Academy Awards party included long lines and Justin Bieber wearing a blanket. — [Ryan Gajewski]( Oscar Producers Talk Jimmy Kimmel, Will Smith, More ►"There was such a nice buzz in the room." THR's awards expert Scott Feinberg chats with Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner, who served as executive producers of the 2023 Oscars telecast. They discuss how they felt about host Jimmy Kimmel and his approach to the infamous slap, how Lady Gaga's performance came together at the last minute and what they made of Tom Cruise and James Cameron's absences. [The interview.]( —Marks a 12.5 percent improvement in viewers from 2022. The Oscars TV audience grew for the second consecutive year, scoring the highest ratings for the show since 2020. THR's [Rick Porter]( reports that Sunday's broadcast of the 95th Academy Awards averaged 18.7 million viewers and a 4.0 rating among adults 18-49 on ABC, according to time zone-adjusted fast national ratings from Nielsen (the numbers include out-of-home viewing). [The ratings.]( —"It would be great if it was a little more flexible." THR's [Carolyn Giardina]( talks to the sound team behind Top Gun: Maverick, who landed this year's Academy Award. The interview focuses on their reactions to the fact that not everyone who worked on sound for Maverick was invited to take the podium. [The story.]( —"This is a whole situation." THR's nicest man [Chris Gardner]( reports on everything that happened inside Vanity Fair's annual post-Oscars party. Highlights included A-listers munching on In-N-Out burgers, Billie Eilish receiving a NSFW compliment and Justin Bieber wearing a blanket. [The story.]( ✨ SXSW Highlights ✨ ►"It's a new world." THR's [Mia Galuppo]( reports from the SXSW film festival, where Tilda Swinton premiered her new movie Problemista, in which she stars opposite Julio Torres. Swinton offered her thoughts on Everything Everywhere All at Once's Oscars triumph and working with SNL alum Torres for his feature directorial debut. [The story.]( —Retirement is overrated. Keanu Reeves surprised fans with a secret SXSW screening of Lionsgate's John Wick: Chapter 4, treating the audience to three hours of violent mayhem featuring his not-so-retired hitman. THR's [James Hibberd]( attended the event where Reeves fielded audience questions, which included responding to one supporter who was convinced the star must not age. [The story.]( —Five musicians to catch. Even as SXSW has expanded its scope, the festival continues to be a testing ground for promising talent. THR's [Mesfin Fekadu]( picks five performers worth checking out, from social media darling Jade Novah to budding country singer Emily Nelli. [The story.]( —"Builds a portrait of her various dichotomies." THR's [Daniel Fienberg]( reviews HBO's documentary Being Mary Tyler Moore following its SXSW debut. James Adolphus' film uses archival footage and audio interviews with peers, loved ones and admirers to put the spotlight on Moore as a star, a trailblazer and a person. [The review.]( —"Doesn't end up anywhere." THR's [Lovia Gyarkye]( reviews Rightor Doyle's queer comedy Down Low, which premiered at SXSW. Zachary Quinto and Lukas Gage star in the film about an unlikely friendship between a repressed middle-aged gay man and a young masseur. [The review.]( Signature Bank Collapse Stuns Broadway ►"Broadway owes the federal government another thank you note." The news of Signature Bank's failure Sunday sent alarm bells throughout the Broadway industry, as general managers, producers and accountants worked to make sure that shows could make their weekly payroll. THR's [Caitlin Huston]( talks to insiders about losing one of the two main banks to work with Broadway productions. [The story.]( —He joins possible buyers Tyler Perry and Byron Allen. There's another potential bidder for Paramount's BET businesses. THR's [Alex Weprin]( reports that music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs is exploring the opportunity to acquire a majority stake in the business, which includes BET, VH1, BET Studios and the streaming service BET+. [The story.]( —"We love Neve, and we love Sidney." THR's [Brian Davids]( interviews Scream VI filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett and Chad Villella, collectively known as Radio Silence. The film's team talks about the secrets behind the latest installment and reveals they are holding out hope for a missing star to return in a seventh installment. [The interview.]( 'John Wick' Filmmaker Chad Stahelski Talks Sequels, Stunts and Guns ►"Keanu and I are done for the moment." THR's [Mikey O'Connell]( interviews stuntman-turned-director Chad Stahelski, the filmmaker behind the John Wick movies. Ahead of John Wick: Chapter 4's release later this month, the director chatted about the uncertain future of the franchise and offered his experienced take on why firearms have no place on a Hollywood set. [The interview.]( —"There's no short of talent, just opportunity." For a THR interview, [Cori Murray]( talks to Shamier Anderson about starring in John Wick: Chapter 4 and Hulu's Bruiser. The Toronto-born actor chats about founding the Legacy Awards to showcase Black Canadians in entertainment and his moonlighting gigs as DJ Shamgod. [The interview.]( —"Lays the groundwork for more heartbreak to come." Did the Last of Us finale make the right choice? THR's TV critics Daniel Fienberg and [Angie Han]( look back at the first season of HBO's video game adaptation, and they break down that devastating final season one episode. [The critics' conversation.]( —"I had a hard day on set that day." THR's Brian Davids speaks with The Last of Us star Merle Dandridge about the season finale. The actress, who reprised her video game role as Marlene, discusses the conflicting emotions of the episode's tragic flashback. [The interview.]( Film Review: 'John Wick: Chapter 4' ►"Bigger, badder, bolder, longer." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Chad Stahelski's John Wick: Chapter 4. The action film stars Keanu Reeves as the titular hitman who just can't stay successfully retired. [The review.]( —"The show's own identity tends to get a little lost." THR's Angie Han reviews The CW's Gotham Knights. The series focuses on Bruce Wayne's son teaming up with the children of several classic Batman villains to catch the famed superhero's killer. [The review.]( In other news... —With Everything Everywhere, SXSW [became an Oscars launchpad]( —BuzzFeed posts $106.2 million quarterly [loss over impairment charge]( —The Weeknd [sweeps 2023 Juno Awards]( What else we're reading... —Hoai-Tran Bui writes that Everything Everywhere's Oscar win exposes the bland reality of Marvel movies [[Inverse]( —Dave Schilling wonders why Oscars menswear was so drab this year [[LAT]( —Stuart Heritage compares Hugh Grant's pre-Oscars chat with Ashley Graham to history's other awkward red carpet interviews [[Guardian]( —Mark Keizer explores why a blockbuster may never win a best picture Oscar again, 25 years after Titanic's triumph [[AV Club]( —Irin Carmon talks to 17 women in TV news about Barbara Walters' legacy and navigating the industry [[Cut]( Today... Today's birthdays: Quincy Jones (90), Michael Caine (90), Jamie Bell (37), Grace Park (49), Billy Crystal (75), Rhiannon Fish (32), Penny Johnson Jerald (62), Corey Stoll (47), Laila Robins (64), Gary Anthony Williams (57), Betsy Brandt (50), Johnny Flynn (40), Daniel Gillies (47), Kevin Williamson (58), Meredith Salenger (53), Abby Ryder Fortson (15) Rolly Crump, the pioneering Walt Disney Imagineer who helped design It's a Small World, the Enchanted Tiki Room, The Haunted Mansion and other attractions for Disneyland, has died. He was 93. [The obituary.]( Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at [tips@thr.com](mailto:tips@thr.com?subject=). This email was sent to {EMAIL} by Penske Media Corporation. 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. 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