Renée Zellweger will don the English accent for the revisit to Bridget Jones’ world. In the upcoming fourth movie in the franchise, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the plot is said to “pick up with Bridget in her early fifties, as she navigates the challenges of modern life while juggling the responsibilities of motherhood.” Along with Zellweger, returning players from the past films are set to include Hugh Grant, and Emma Thompson.
Variety has now reported that the new installment has added some notable names to the cast. Isla Fisher will be joining the comedy along with Nico Parker (How to Train Your Dragon), Josette Simon (Anatomy of a Scandal) and Leila Farzad (Black Mirror: Joan is Awful). Additionally, Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones are set to return as Bridget’s mum and dad. Sarah Solemani, Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis will be coming back to reprise...
Variety has now reported that the new installment has added some notable names to the cast. Isla Fisher will be joining the comedy along with Nico Parker (How to Train Your Dragon), Josette Simon (Anatomy of a Scandal) and Leila Farzad (Black Mirror: Joan is Awful). Additionally, Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones are set to return as Bridget’s mum and dad. Sarah Solemani, Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis will be coming back to reprise...
- 5/30/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Isla Fisher, Nico Parker, Josette Simon and Leila Farzad have been added to the cast of ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy.’
Joining them on the cast and reprising their roles are Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent who play Bridget’s mom and dad. Sarah Solemani, Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis will return to reprise their roles as Bridget’s friends. Neil Pearson, Joanna Scanlan and Celia Imrie also return for this latest instalment.
Also returning to the haphazard world of our beloved Bridget are British actors Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson. Franchise newbies will include Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall.
Also in news – Andrew Scott cast in Rian Johnson’s ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’
In the forthcoming film, Hugh Grant is set to reprise his role as Daniel Cleaver. This marks the actor’s return to the film series after his character was...
Joining them on the cast and reprising their roles are Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent who play Bridget’s mom and dad. Sarah Solemani, Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis will return to reprise their roles as Bridget’s friends. Neil Pearson, Joanna Scanlan and Celia Imrie also return for this latest instalment.
Also returning to the haphazard world of our beloved Bridget are British actors Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson. Franchise newbies will include Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall.
Also in news – Andrew Scott cast in Rian Johnson’s ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’
In the forthcoming film, Hugh Grant is set to reprise his role as Daniel Cleaver. This marks the actor’s return to the film series after his character was...
- 5/30/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
“Wedding Crashers” star Isla Fisher, Nico Parker (“How To Train Your Dragon”), Josette Simon (“Anatomy of a Scandal”) and Leila Farzad (“Black Mirror: Joan is Awful”) have joined the cast of “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,” which premieres on Valentine’s Day next year in theaters internationally and on Peacock in the U.S.
Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent return to play Bridget’s mom and dad. Sarah Solemani, Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis will return to reprise their roles as Bridget’s friends. Neil Pearson, Joanna Scanlan and Celia Imrie also return for this latest installment in the “Bridget Jones” series. They join stars Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson as well as newcomers Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall.
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” is based on the third “Bridget Jones” novel by Helen Fielding and will be the fourth movie in the franchise.
Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent return to play Bridget’s mom and dad. Sarah Solemani, Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis will return to reprise their roles as Bridget’s friends. Neil Pearson, Joanna Scanlan and Celia Imrie also return for this latest installment in the “Bridget Jones” series. They join stars Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson as well as newcomers Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall.
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” is based on the third “Bridget Jones” novel by Helen Fielding and will be the fourth movie in the franchise.
- 5/29/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
Universal Pictures and Working Title have announced new and returning cast members for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the fourth installment of the British-based romantic film comedy series.
Joining the cast are Isla Fisher, Josette Simon, Nico Parker and Leila Farzad. Already announced to return is Renée Zellweger to reprise her role as the lovable but flailing-at-life Jones, and Hugh Grant as rascal Daniel Cleaver. Emma Thompson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Leo Woodall were also earlier announced for the film.
In the latest casting news, Universal and Working Title announced Sarah Solemani, Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis will reprise their roles as Bridget’s friends, alongside Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent, who return as Bridget’s mother and father.
Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, also from StudioCanal and Miramax, will additionally see Celia Imrie, Neil Pearson and Joanna Scanlan in returning roles. The film will hit cinemas...
Joining the cast are Isla Fisher, Josette Simon, Nico Parker and Leila Farzad. Already announced to return is Renée Zellweger to reprise her role as the lovable but flailing-at-life Jones, and Hugh Grant as rascal Daniel Cleaver. Emma Thompson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Leo Woodall were also earlier announced for the film.
In the latest casting news, Universal and Working Title announced Sarah Solemani, Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis will reprise their roles as Bridget’s friends, alongside Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent, who return as Bridget’s mother and father.
Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, also from StudioCanal and Miramax, will additionally see Celia Imrie, Neil Pearson and Joanna Scanlan in returning roles. The film will hit cinemas...
- 5/29/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The board room and executive suite drama at Paramount Global escalated on Monday, with Bob Bakish leaving his role as CEO and a trio of executives taking over just days before an exclusive negotiating window for a sale to David Ellison’s SkyDance Media and partners closes.
Veteran company leaders Chris McCarthy, George Cheeks and Brian Robbins will make up an “Office of the CEO,” running Paramount on a day-to-day basis for now. The three will work with the Paramount board and CFO Naveen Chopra.
“We’re finalizing a long-term strategic plan to best position this storied company to reach new and greater heights in our rapidly changing world,” McCarthy told a conference call following Paramount’s first-quarter earnings report after the market close on Monday that lasted just nine minutes and didn’t allow for analysts’ questions. As of 11:15 a.m. Et on Tuesday, Paramount shares were down 4.3 percent,...
Veteran company leaders Chris McCarthy, George Cheeks and Brian Robbins will make up an “Office of the CEO,” running Paramount on a day-to-day basis for now. The three will work with the Paramount board and CFO Naveen Chopra.
“We’re finalizing a long-term strategic plan to best position this storied company to reach new and greater heights in our rapidly changing world,” McCarthy told a conference call following Paramount’s first-quarter earnings report after the market close on Monday that lasted just nine minutes and didn’t allow for analysts’ questions. As of 11:15 a.m. Et on Tuesday, Paramount shares were down 4.3 percent,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hugh Grant has been expanding on his career beyond his famous rom-coms, having starred in last year’s special effects-laden big-budget films Wonka and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Grant will be returning to his popular franchise with Renée Zellweger for the recently announced upcoming fourth film in the Bridget Jones movies, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. The plot is said to “pick up with Bridget in her early fifties, as she navigates the challenges of modern life while juggling the responsibilities of motherhood.”
Grant recently spoke with the publication People as he teases the next installment in the series. The English actor stated,
It is very moving as well as funny. It’s partly based on Helen Fielding’s experiences of bringing up two children by herself after her husband died. And so Bridget is bringing up two kids and wondering whether she should ever go back to dating.
Grant recently spoke with the publication People as he teases the next installment in the series. The English actor stated,
It is very moving as well as funny. It’s partly based on Helen Fielding’s experiences of bringing up two children by herself after her husband died. And so Bridget is bringing up two kids and wondering whether she should ever go back to dating.
- 4/24/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Amazon has leveraged the power of Nielsen ratings for “Thursday Night Football,” and Netflix could do likewise going forward.
After making its first major sports-adjacent deal in its history, there’s officially room to speculate on what sports Netflix could pursue next. Netflix signed a 10-year, $5 billion deal to stream “WWE Raw” starting in 2025 in late January, and industry talking-heads are already wondering what other sports Netflix could go after. But with Netflix’s recent decision to no longer report its subscriber totals to the public, will it still be able to convince sports leagues it wants to partner with that it’s a good potential broadcaster for their games?
Netflix has nearly 270 million customers but will stop reporting its totals publicly in Q1 2025. Company co-ceo Ted Sarandos said Netflix isn’t anti-sports, but pro-growth. Prime Video uses Nielsen ratings to quantify its sports successes, and Netflix could do likewise in the future.
After making its first major sports-adjacent deal in its history, there’s officially room to speculate on what sports Netflix could pursue next. Netflix signed a 10-year, $5 billion deal to stream “WWE Raw” starting in 2025 in late January, and industry talking-heads are already wondering what other sports Netflix could go after. But with Netflix’s recent decision to no longer report its subscriber totals to the public, will it still be able to convince sports leagues it wants to partner with that it’s a good potential broadcaster for their games?
Netflix has nearly 270 million customers but will stop reporting its totals publicly in Q1 2025. Company co-ceo Ted Sarandos said Netflix isn’t anti-sports, but pro-growth. Prime Video uses Nielsen ratings to quantify its sports successes, and Netflix could do likewise in the future.
- 4/24/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
In the stock market, the story is everything.
If you are a public company, you want to tell a story about your business. A story of growth, of ambition, of what your future holds and what your ceiling can be.
When it works, it can send your share price soaring (just look at Nvidia and its status as the hardware company of artificial intelligence). When it doesn’t, it can result in a hasty retreat back to private ownership (see: Endeavor).
It’s something that Netflix knows all too well.
Toward the end of 2021, riding high as consumers flocked to the platform during the Covid-19 pandemic, Netflix shares topped $600. By the end of April 2022, after reporting a surprising loss of subscribers, shares tumbled below $200.
Ever since it launched, Netflix’s growth story was driven by new subscribers. More and more people kept subscribing, and as the company forged ahead with...
If you are a public company, you want to tell a story about your business. A story of growth, of ambition, of what your future holds and what your ceiling can be.
When it works, it can send your share price soaring (just look at Nvidia and its status as the hardware company of artificial intelligence). When it doesn’t, it can result in a hasty retreat back to private ownership (see: Endeavor).
It’s something that Netflix knows all too well.
Toward the end of 2021, riding high as consumers flocked to the platform during the Covid-19 pandemic, Netflix shares topped $600. By the end of April 2022, after reporting a surprising loss of subscribers, shares tumbled below $200.
Ever since it launched, Netflix’s growth story was driven by new subscribers. More and more people kept subscribing, and as the company forged ahead with...
- 4/19/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Will Paramount Global end up looking for a new dance partner, or will David Ellison’s Skydance Media get to clinch a deal and celebrate with a victory dance? Hollywood and Wall Street insiders alike are wondering about questions like these as the future of Shari Redstone’s media and entertainment empire hangs in the balance.
After all, Skydance remains in an exclusive period until early May to possibly finalize a two-step deal to acquire Paramount Global and its controlling shareholder National Amusements (Nai), led by Paramount non-executive chair Shari Redstone. According to a CNBC report, citing sources, Skydance will meet with Paramount management and start its due diligence process next week.
The structure of the proposed transaction has caused concern among some investors, though; they worry that a deal would benefit Redstone but dilute non-voting shareholders of Paramount. The company’s stock closed at $11.97 last Friday but has fallen around 10 percent since then.
After all, Skydance remains in an exclusive period until early May to possibly finalize a two-step deal to acquire Paramount Global and its controlling shareholder National Amusements (Nai), led by Paramount non-executive chair Shari Redstone. According to a CNBC report, citing sources, Skydance will meet with Paramount management and start its due diligence process next week.
The structure of the proposed transaction has caused concern among some investors, though; they worry that a deal would benefit Redstone but dilute non-voting shareholders of Paramount. The company’s stock closed at $11.97 last Friday but has fallen around 10 percent since then.
- 4/11/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Los fans de la conocida saga están de enhorabuena con la vuelta de los entrañables personajes de Bridget Jones.
Según informa Deadline, Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant y Emma Thompson retomarán sus icónicos papeles en una cuarta entrega de la exitosa saga “Bridget Jones”, titulada “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy”, y dirigida por Michael Morris (“To Leslie”).
Basada en el tercer libro de la serie de Fielding, “Mad About the Boy” se sitúa cuatro años después de la película anterior y seguirá a Bridget a principios de los cincuenta, viuda y con dos hijos pequeños.
Al reparto se incorporan los actores Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave”) y Leo Woodall (“The White Lotus”) en papeles aún desconocidos.
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” se estrenará el Día de San Valentín de 2025 en cines internacionales y en Peacock en Estados Unidos.
¡SÍGUENOS!
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
YouTube
Threads
The post ¡Sorpresa para los fans!
Según informa Deadline, Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant y Emma Thompson retomarán sus icónicos papeles en una cuarta entrega de la exitosa saga “Bridget Jones”, titulada “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy”, y dirigida por Michael Morris (“To Leslie”).
Basada en el tercer libro de la serie de Fielding, “Mad About the Boy” se sitúa cuatro años después de la película anterior y seguirá a Bridget a principios de los cincuenta, viuda y con dos hijos pequeños.
Al reparto se incorporan los actores Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave”) y Leo Woodall (“The White Lotus”) en papeles aún desconocidos.
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” se estrenará el Día de San Valentín de 2025 en cines internacionales y en Peacock en Estados Unidos.
¡SÍGUENOS!
TikTok
YouTube
Threads
The post ¡Sorpresa para los fans!
- 4/10/2024
- by Marta Medina
- mundoCine
Renée Zellweger is set to reprise her iconic role in the Helen Fielding adaptation ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’.
Also returning to the haphazard world of our beloved Bridget are British actors Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson. Franchise newbies will include Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall.
In the forthcoming film, Hugh Grant is set to reprise his role as Daniel Cleaver. This marks the actor’s return to the film series after his character was presumed dead in the previous instalment, ‘Bridget Jones’s Baby’, only to be later revealed as alive. Fans of the franchise are eagerly anticipating Grant’s return to the screen and the new twists and turns that his character’s reappearance is sure to bring.
Also in news – Olivia Wilde set to direct comic book adaptation ‘Avengelyne’
Michael Morris will take the helm on the project. Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Jo Wallett will produce through Working Title Films,...
Also returning to the haphazard world of our beloved Bridget are British actors Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson. Franchise newbies will include Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall.
In the forthcoming film, Hugh Grant is set to reprise his role as Daniel Cleaver. This marks the actor’s return to the film series after his character was presumed dead in the previous instalment, ‘Bridget Jones’s Baby’, only to be later revealed as alive. Fans of the franchise are eagerly anticipating Grant’s return to the screen and the new twists and turns that his character’s reappearance is sure to bring.
Also in news – Olivia Wilde set to direct comic book adaptation ‘Avengelyne’
Michael Morris will take the helm on the project. Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Jo Wallett will produce through Working Title Films,...
- 4/10/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Bridget Jones is back in Mad About The Boy, and filming will be getting underway in the spring. Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant leads the returning cast.
The fourth film in the long-running Bridget Jones comedy drama series will be called Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, and it will see Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant reprise their roles. Also returning is Emma Thompson, who will once again write the script with Fielding, will feature in the cast, which also includes Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall. Deadline reports that Michael Morris will direct, Working Title will once again produce the film.
The plot of the book – don’t read on if you don’t want to be spoiled – follows the now 51-year-old single mother of two children as she navigates dating in an era of social media and dating apps.
Helen Fielding’s big knicker wearing, perennial singleton Bridget Jones...
The fourth film in the long-running Bridget Jones comedy drama series will be called Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, and it will see Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant reprise their roles. Also returning is Emma Thompson, who will once again write the script with Fielding, will feature in the cast, which also includes Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall. Deadline reports that Michael Morris will direct, Working Title will once again produce the film.
The plot of the book – don’t read on if you don’t want to be spoiled – follows the now 51-year-old single mother of two children as she navigates dating in an era of social media and dating apps.
Helen Fielding’s big knicker wearing, perennial singleton Bridget Jones...
- 4/10/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson lead the returnees for Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy. More here.
The deals look like they’ve been done for the already-announced Bridget Jones 4, which we can now officially call Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy.
As expected, Renee Zellweger is taking on the title role for the fourth time. She’s also going to be joined by Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson, who each return to the series. Grant’s return is a surprise, Thompson’s less so.
And then there are new additions: Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall have now been announced as joining the ensemble.
We also know who’s going to be directing as well: Michael Morris, who previously called the shots on To Leslie, is stepping behind the camera. It’s the first time one of the Bridget Jones movies has been directed by a male director.
The deals look like they’ve been done for the already-announced Bridget Jones 4, which we can now officially call Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy.
As expected, Renee Zellweger is taking on the title role for the fourth time. She’s also going to be joined by Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson, who each return to the series. Grant’s return is a surprise, Thompson’s less so.
And then there are new additions: Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall have now been announced as joining the ensemble.
We also know who’s going to be directing as well: Michael Morris, who previously called the shots on To Leslie, is stepping behind the camera. It’s the first time one of the Bridget Jones movies has been directed by a male director.
- 4/10/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson will reprise their roles in Universal/Working Title’s upcoming Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, the fourth instalment in the franchise.
Jones is back in the lead as the hapless romantic adored by fans since the first film came out in 2001, while Grant plays the manipulative Daniel Cleaver. Thompson appeared in 2016’s Bridget Jones’s Baby.
Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall are joining the cast. The story is based on series author Helen Fielding’s third novel and finds Jones as a mother in her early fifties.
Michael Morris, who directed Andrea Riseborough drama To Leslie,...
Jones is back in the lead as the hapless romantic adored by fans since the first film came out in 2001, while Grant plays the manipulative Daniel Cleaver. Thompson appeared in 2016’s Bridget Jones’s Baby.
Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall are joining the cast. The story is based on series author Helen Fielding’s third novel and finds Jones as a mother in her early fifties.
Michael Morris, who directed Andrea Riseborough drama To Leslie,...
- 4/9/2024
- ScreenDaily
While word on a fourth Bridget Jones has been floating around, today brings the official word that Renée Zellweger has found space in her diary to return as the title character for the fourth film to be drawn from Helen Fielding's stories. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy will see Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson back, with Chiwetel Ejiofor and One Day's Leo Woodall new to the ensemble.
Michael Morris is in the director's chair this time, with the story finding Bridget navigating motherhood and — spoiler alert! — having to look for love all over again following a tragic death. Yes, this is getting back to counting calories and drink intake while also figuring out nit checks and playdates.
Grant, of course, will be back as the roguish Daniel Cleaver, while Thompson will once more play Dr. Rawlings, who we must assume is still in Bridget's life after delivering her first child.
Michael Morris is in the director's chair this time, with the story finding Bridget navigating motherhood and — spoiler alert! — having to look for love all over again following a tragic death. Yes, this is getting back to counting calories and drink intake while also figuring out nit checks and playdates.
Grant, of course, will be back as the roguish Daniel Cleaver, while Thompson will once more play Dr. Rawlings, who we must assume is still in Bridget's life after delivering her first child.
- 4/9/2024
- by James White
- Empire - Movies
It’s finally happening! Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, and Emma Thompson are returning for another chapter in the Bridget Jones saga with Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Universal Studios and Working Title are the studios, with Michael Morris, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Leo Woodall (The White Lotus) joining the cast.
Inspired by Helen Fielding’s popular novels and a previous column she wrote as the title character for The Independent, the Bridget Jones film series revolves around Zellweger’s Bridget Jones, a hapless single woman lost in love who explores a complex web of relationships. The series began in 2001 with Bridget Jones’s Diary, followed by the sequels Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Bridget Jones’s Baby, debuting in 2004 and 2016. The trilogy was a surprising box office banger with $760 million worldwide in ticket sales.
According to Deadline, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy “picks up with Bridget in her early fifties,...
Inspired by Helen Fielding’s popular novels and a previous column she wrote as the title character for The Independent, the Bridget Jones film series revolves around Zellweger’s Bridget Jones, a hapless single woman lost in love who explores a complex web of relationships. The series began in 2001 with Bridget Jones’s Diary, followed by the sequels Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Bridget Jones’s Baby, debuting in 2004 and 2016. The trilogy was a surprising box office banger with $760 million worldwide in ticket sales.
According to Deadline, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy “picks up with Bridget in her early fifties,...
- 4/9/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Two-time Oscar winner Renée Zellweger is set to return to one of her most beloved roles in Universal Pictures’ and Working Title’s “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,” an adaptation of Helen Fielding’s best-selling novel.
Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson are confirmed to return alongside franchise newcomers Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall.
The film will be directed by Michael Morris. The three “Bridget Jones” films have been massively successful, bringing in more than $760 million at the worldwide box office.
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” will debut in cinemas internationally and on Peacock in the U.S. on Valentine’s Day 2025.
Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Jo Wallett will produce through Working Title Films, and Amelia Granger and Sarah-Jane Wright will executive produce for Working Title Films. Helen Fielding will also executive produce the project. Miramax is co-financing.
Senior executive VP of production development Erik Baiers and creative...
Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson are confirmed to return alongside franchise newcomers Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall.
The film will be directed by Michael Morris. The three “Bridget Jones” films have been massively successful, bringing in more than $760 million at the worldwide box office.
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” will debut in cinemas internationally and on Peacock in the U.S. on Valentine’s Day 2025.
Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Jo Wallett will produce through Working Title Films, and Amelia Granger and Sarah-Jane Wright will executive produce for Working Title Films. Helen Fielding will also executive produce the project. Miramax is co-financing.
Senior executive VP of production development Erik Baiers and creative...
- 4/9/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Renée Zellweger (Judy) has closed a deal to reprise the role that brought her her first Oscar nomination in Universal Pictures and Working Title’s Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Deadline has learned.
Others set to return in the film, from director Michael Morris (To Leslie), include Hugh Grant (Wonka) and Emma Thompson. Newcomers to the cast will include Chiwetel Ejiofor (Rob Peace) and Leo Woodall (The White Lotus).
Based on the beloved novels from Helen Fielding, and a previous column she wrote as the title character for The Independent, the rom-com franchise Bridget Jones centers on Zellweger’s endearing yet perpetually single character of the same name, examining her relationships with the dashing Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), and the roguish Daniel Cleaver (Grant), among others. The original film adaptation, Bridget Jones’s Diary, was released in 2001, with follow-ups Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason...
Others set to return in the film, from director Michael Morris (To Leslie), include Hugh Grant (Wonka) and Emma Thompson. Newcomers to the cast will include Chiwetel Ejiofor (Rob Peace) and Leo Woodall (The White Lotus).
Based on the beloved novels from Helen Fielding, and a previous column she wrote as the title character for The Independent, the rom-com franchise Bridget Jones centers on Zellweger’s endearing yet perpetually single character of the same name, examining her relationships with the dashing Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), and the roguish Daniel Cleaver (Grant), among others. The original film adaptation, Bridget Jones’s Diary, was released in 2001, with follow-ups Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason...
- 4/9/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Bridget Jones is heading back to the screen.
After months of quiet chess pieces moves, Universal Pictures and Working Title have finally put in place the talent for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the fourth installment of the British-based romantic film comedy series.
Renée Zellweger is set to return as the lovable but flailing at life Jones as is Hugh Grant as rapscallion Daniel Cleaver. Emma Thompson, who appeared in the 2016 entry, Bridget Jones’s Baby, is back as well while newcomers include Chiwetel Ejiofor and up-and-comer Leo Woodall, best known for his work in White Lotus season 2.
Michael Morris, who helmed the Andrea Riseborough drama To Leslie, will be sitting in the director’s chair when cameras roll for the feature, which adapts the best-selling 2013 novel by Jones creator Helen Fielding. Fielding also wrote the script.
Readers and audiences have seen Jones have love triangles, find romance and even have a baby,...
After months of quiet chess pieces moves, Universal Pictures and Working Title have finally put in place the talent for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the fourth installment of the British-based romantic film comedy series.
Renée Zellweger is set to return as the lovable but flailing at life Jones as is Hugh Grant as rapscallion Daniel Cleaver. Emma Thompson, who appeared in the 2016 entry, Bridget Jones’s Baby, is back as well while newcomers include Chiwetel Ejiofor and up-and-comer Leo Woodall, best known for his work in White Lotus season 2.
Michael Morris, who helmed the Andrea Riseborough drama To Leslie, will be sitting in the director’s chair when cameras roll for the feature, which adapts the best-selling 2013 novel by Jones creator Helen Fielding. Fielding also wrote the script.
Readers and audiences have seen Jones have love triangles, find romance and even have a baby,...
- 4/9/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Walt Disney Co. is gearing up for a much-anticipated annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, with Wall Street closely watching a showdown between CEO Bob Iger and critical shareholders, led by Nelson Peltz who is pushing for seats on the Hollywood giant’s board.
What will the result mean for the entertainment conglomerate and Disney shares? Guggenheim analyst Michael Morris addressed that topic ahead of the meeting in a Wednesday morning report entitled “All Ears on Shareholder Vote Today,” in which he maintained his “buy” rating, but boosted his Disney stock price target by $15 to $140.
“We expect the Disney-proposed board nominees to win election, though the vote outcome is unlikely to impact near-term operating trends or financial results regardless of outcome,” Morris said. “With this in mind, we update our Walt Disney model to better reflect 1) momentum at the company’s domestic and international parks and experiences, 2) continued pressures at linear networks,...
What will the result mean for the entertainment conglomerate and Disney shares? Guggenheim analyst Michael Morris addressed that topic ahead of the meeting in a Wednesday morning report entitled “All Ears on Shareholder Vote Today,” in which he maintained his “buy” rating, but boosted his Disney stock price target by $15 to $140.
“We expect the Disney-proposed board nominees to win election, though the vote outcome is unlikely to impact near-term operating trends or financial results regardless of outcome,” Morris said. “With this in mind, we update our Walt Disney model to better reflect 1) momentum at the company’s domestic and international parks and experiences, 2) continued pressures at linear networks,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Warner Bros. Discovery share price, already in the dumps, has tumbled another 11% this morning after the company’s latest quarterly numbers showed weak linear advertising and a struggling studio. But the clincher for investors may be what it didn’t show — a full-year 2024 forecast.
The stock is scraping $8.50 late morning as the lack of a number “challenges confidence,” said Michael Morris of Guggenheim Partners in a note.
“The results themselves were not great,” he noted on CNBC, but not all that surprising. “Where I think that people are surprised right now is the lack of full-year 2024 guidance. This is a company that has historically provided formal guidance for its coming year.” On a call with analysts after the numbers, CEO David Zaslav and CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels “talked about a number of qualitative factors, but without that quantitative commitment, it’s hard for investors to make the commitment” either.
With the...
The stock is scraping $8.50 late morning as the lack of a number “challenges confidence,” said Michael Morris of Guggenheim Partners in a note.
“The results themselves were not great,” he noted on CNBC, but not all that surprising. “Where I think that people are surprised right now is the lack of full-year 2024 guidance. This is a company that has historically provided formal guidance for its coming year.” On a call with analysts after the numbers, CEO David Zaslav and CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels “talked about a number of qualitative factors, but without that quantitative commitment, it’s hard for investors to make the commitment” either.
With the...
- 2/23/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros. Discovery and its stock were in Wall Street’s focus Friday as analysts dissected its fourth-quarter and 2023 earnings report and management’s lack of outright 2024 guidance.
Before the market opened, the Hollywood conglomerate reported that it managed to turn a profit for its direct-to-consumer unit, which houses its streaming business, for the full year to the tune of $103 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda), compared with a loss of nearly $2.1 billion for 2022. But its latest overall company earnings fell below Wall Street expectations.
“We have an attack plan for 2024 that includes the rollout of Max in key international markets, a more robust creative pipeline across our film and TV studios, and further progress against our long-range financial goals,” Wbd CEO David Zaslav said in the earnings update.
On the call, management expressed more confidence about the road ahead, but didn’t detail 2024 financial guidance.
Before the market opened, the Hollywood conglomerate reported that it managed to turn a profit for its direct-to-consumer unit, which houses its streaming business, for the full year to the tune of $103 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda), compared with a loss of nearly $2.1 billion for 2022. But its latest overall company earnings fell below Wall Street expectations.
“We have an attack plan for 2024 that includes the rollout of Max in key international markets, a more robust creative pipeline across our film and TV studios, and further progress against our long-range financial goals,” Wbd CEO David Zaslav said in the earnings update.
On the call, management expressed more confidence about the road ahead, but didn’t detail 2024 financial guidance.
- 2/23/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Magic Kingdom is getting its magic back, and Wall Street is elated. Disney’s latest quarterly earnings report is in, along with color from CEO Bob Iger and his team on a new sports streaming joint venture with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, plus news of a $1.5 billion investment in Fortnite parent Epic Games and the fall 2025 launch date for an ESPN stand-alone streaming service.
So, Wall Street analysts had much to digest overnight, but most came away with optimism and increased stock price targets for Disney. In pre-market trading on Thursday, Disney shares were up more than 7 percent above $106.
The upbeat reaction will help Iger as he is facing a proxy fight in early April with activist investors Nelson Peltz, whose Trian Partners is a big Disney investor, and Jason Aintabi’s Blackwells.
Guggenheim Securities analyst Michael Morris lauded a “big quarter” for Disney, reiterated his “buy” rating...
So, Wall Street analysts had much to digest overnight, but most came away with optimism and increased stock price targets for Disney. In pre-market trading on Thursday, Disney shares were up more than 7 percent above $106.
The upbeat reaction will help Iger as he is facing a proxy fight in early April with activist investors Nelson Peltz, whose Trian Partners is a big Disney investor, and Jason Aintabi’s Blackwells.
Guggenheim Securities analyst Michael Morris lauded a “big quarter” for Disney, reiterated his “buy” rating...
- 2/8/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Shares in Endeavor-controlled Tko Group Holdings shot up at the opening bell and were up 15% at mid-day on the news of Netflix acquiring rights to the Raw franchise and other WWE programming.
The stock initially posted a 22% gain before the euphoria eased a bit, to plus-13%. Still, the stock’s trip north of $88 came as a relief to shareholders gutting out a 12% decline over the prior 12 months.
The 10-year rights deal is worth north of $5 billion, Tko confirmed in an SEC filing. It is a major strategic call by Netflix to grab a piece of weekly live-event real estate with a fervent, sports-adjacent fan base whose loyalty has been demonstrated over decades. Tko, formed last year from the merger of WWE and UFC, is getting credit on Wall Street for ushering in the next milestone in the migration of key programming from linear TV to streaming. In the past month alone,...
The stock initially posted a 22% gain before the euphoria eased a bit, to plus-13%. Still, the stock’s trip north of $88 came as a relief to shareholders gutting out a 12% decline over the prior 12 months.
The 10-year rights deal is worth north of $5 billion, Tko confirmed in an SEC filing. It is a major strategic call by Netflix to grab a piece of weekly live-event real estate with a fervent, sports-adjacent fan base whose loyalty has been demonstrated over decades. Tko, formed last year from the merger of WWE and UFC, is getting credit on Wall Street for ushering in the next milestone in the migration of key programming from linear TV to streaming. In the past month alone,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
After six seasons and 53 Emmy nominations, including seven for Outstanding Drama Series, Better Call Saul has left us without a single win.
The critically acclaimed Breaking Bad prequel was nominated for seven Emmys tonight, including Outstanding Drama Series, Lead Actor for Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman, Supporting Actress for Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, as well as Picture Editing, Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series, Sound Mixing and two nominations in the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series category for the “Point and Shoot” episode and series finale, “Saul Gone”, but came up empty for all.
The series somehow, despite its acclaim, never matched the awards success of the mothership series, which won 16 Emmys out of 58 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, four Lead Actor wins for Bryan Cranston, three for Aaron Paul in the supporting actor category and one for Anna Gunn for supporting actress.
Related: Emmy Awards Photos:...
The critically acclaimed Breaking Bad prequel was nominated for seven Emmys tonight, including Outstanding Drama Series, Lead Actor for Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman, Supporting Actress for Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, as well as Picture Editing, Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series, Sound Mixing and two nominations in the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series category for the “Point and Shoot” episode and series finale, “Saul Gone”, but came up empty for all.
The series somehow, despite its acclaim, never matched the awards success of the mothership series, which won 16 Emmys out of 58 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, four Lead Actor wins for Bryan Cranston, three for Aaron Paul in the supporting actor category and one for Anna Gunn for supporting actress.
Related: Emmy Awards Photos:...
- 1/16/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
This year saw a slowdown in terms of media and telecommunications sector dealmaking, but there are signs of a recovery in M&a activity, top accounting and consulting services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers said in a Wednesday report.
Deal talk has returned to the sector with a vengeance, driven by recent talk that Paramount Global and its parent company National Amusements could be in play. And bankers are licking their chops ahead of April 8, 2024 when the Reverse Morris Trust lock-up period of the deal that created Warner Bros. Discovery ends, meaning that the company can get involved in possible M&a without having to worry about a tax penalty.
PwC also sees the end of the Hollywood strikes playing into sector deal ambitions. “As the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes have officially concluded, we expect to see upward momentum in the...
Deal talk has returned to the sector with a vengeance, driven by recent talk that Paramount Global and its parent company National Amusements could be in play. And bankers are licking their chops ahead of April 8, 2024 when the Reverse Morris Trust lock-up period of the deal that created Warner Bros. Discovery ends, meaning that the company can get involved in possible M&a without having to worry about a tax penalty.
PwC also sees the end of the Hollywood strikes playing into sector deal ambitions. “As the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes have officially concluded, we expect to see upward momentum in the...
- 12/13/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A year into the run of Bob Iger 2: Return of the CEO, the Walt Disney Co. has not yet rediscovered its mojo.
For most of Iger’s initial 14-year stint in the corner office, Disney was the pace-setter in media and entertainment, pulling off stunning M&a deals and amassing a sizable competitive advantage. Now, the company has fallen back to the pack as a Biblical series of challenges have come to define a centennial year that many staffers would just as soon forget than commemorate.
On Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. Pt, Iger and a handful of top executives will convene a town hall for cast members (read: employees). There should be no shortage of questions on the minds of those listening to management frame the current circumstances. In addition to Iger, the event will feature top execs Alan Bergman (film), Josh D’Amaro (parks), Jimmy Pitaro (ESPN) and Dana Walden...
For most of Iger’s initial 14-year stint in the corner office, Disney was the pace-setter in media and entertainment, pulling off stunning M&a deals and amassing a sizable competitive advantage. Now, the company has fallen back to the pack as a Biblical series of challenges have come to define a centennial year that many staffers would just as soon forget than commemorate.
On Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. Pt, Iger and a handful of top executives will convene a town hall for cast members (read: employees). There should be no shortage of questions on the minds of those listening to management frame the current circumstances. In addition to Iger, the event will feature top execs Alan Bergman (film), Josh D’Amaro (parks), Jimmy Pitaro (ESPN) and Dana Walden...
- 11/28/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
If the first year of Bob Iger’s sequel era leading Disney was centered on “fixing” (and, in some cases, dismantling former chief Bob Chapek’s org structures, along with 8,000 layoffs), the mogul now wants Wall Street to view Hollywood’s marquee brand as a “building” growth vehicle, premised on righting the ship in direct-to-consumer streaming with Disney+ and Hulu merging, a bright outlook for its Parks and Experiences division and cost-efficiencies found in managing the stagnant to declining linear TV assets like ABC. Also: setting up ESPN for its future transition to streaming as leader in live sports (“ESPN is the number one brand on TikTok,” Iger touted).
It’s a tall order. On a Nov. 8 earnings call after reporting 7 million subscriber adds to Disney+’s core base, which now totals 112.6 million, Iger rattled off that Disney needed to “realign pricing and marketing strategies,” “get the technology right,” merge...
It’s a tall order. On a Nov. 8 earnings call after reporting 7 million subscriber adds to Disney+’s core base, which now totals 112.6 million, Iger rattled off that Disney needed to “realign pricing and marketing strategies,” “get the technology right,” merge...
- 11/9/2023
- by Erik Hayden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After exceeding revenue estimates and topping expectations for how much it could cut losses in its streaming unit (only $238 million in the red is a win right now), Wall Street analysts picked through Paramount Global’s Nov. 2 earnings report for how it’s faring in a battle to survive in a landscape with far larger media and tech giants.
The company, controlled by Shari Redstone and run by Bob Bakish, hit 63 million global streaming subscribers in the latest quarter (a gain of 2 million) and touted that total revenue hit $7.1 billion, up 10 percent year-over-year, with free cash flow at $377 million.
The company’s leadership also believes that 2022 marked the peak investment year for its streaming ambitions — powered by Paramount+ and Pluto TV — and that this year losses will be overall lower than last year, an encouraging sign. Partnerships with Delta and Walmart+ were touted by the company as far as expanding...
The company, controlled by Shari Redstone and run by Bob Bakish, hit 63 million global streaming subscribers in the latest quarter (a gain of 2 million) and touted that total revenue hit $7.1 billion, up 10 percent year-over-year, with free cash flow at $377 million.
The company’s leadership also believes that 2022 marked the peak investment year for its streaming ambitions — powered by Paramount+ and Pluto TV — and that this year losses will be overall lower than last year, an encouraging sign. Partnerships with Delta and Walmart+ were touted by the company as far as expanding...
- 11/3/2023
- by Erik Hayden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix’s third-quarter earnings report on Wednesday had much for Wall Street analysts to sink their teeth into – from better-than-expected subscriber additions of nearly 9 million and a lift in its free cash flow forecast for the full year to management commentary on the impact of the streamer’s rollout of its advertising tier and its ongoing password-sharing crackdown, as well as news of price increases.
The news sent the stock soaring in after-hours and in Thursday pre-market trading, helping it gain well more than 10 percent.
The bounceback came as Wall Street saw the latest performance update from Netflix as a sign that recent investor malaise may have been just as overdone as a previous period of exuberance. The result: more optimism and at least a couple of stock price target boosts, but also some mentions of future questions facing Netflix investors.
Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich reiterated a...
The news sent the stock soaring in after-hours and in Thursday pre-market trading, helping it gain well more than 10 percent.
The bounceback came as Wall Street saw the latest performance update from Netflix as a sign that recent investor malaise may have been just as overdone as a previous period of exuberance. The result: more optimism and at least a couple of stock price target boosts, but also some mentions of future questions facing Netflix investors.
Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich reiterated a...
- 10/19/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
What does Spotify’s big push into audiobooks with a new offering giving paid subscribers 15 hours of free listening per month mean for the music streamer’s business and financials? That was the topic of Wall Street debate following the company’s unveiling of its plan that was rolled out in the U.K. and Australia on Tuesday, with other markets, including the U.S., expected to follow this winter.
Rather than having to buy audiobooks à la carte, premium subscribers will now be able to listen to more than 150,000 audiobooks from all the major publishers up to a limit of 15 hours each month. After that, subscribers can opt to add on 10 more hours or purchase the book. “I’m so excited to bring some of the same tools that have helped the music industry and podcast industry as well now to the audiobook industry,” Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said...
Rather than having to buy audiobooks à la carte, premium subscribers will now be able to listen to more than 150,000 audiobooks from all the major publishers up to a limit of 15 hours each month. After that, subscribers can opt to add on 10 more hours or purchase the book. “I’m so excited to bring some of the same tools that have helped the music industry and podcast industry as well now to the audiobook industry,” Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said...
- 10/4/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Walt Disney’s new carriage agreement with cable giant Charter Communications is widely seen as a game-changer for the pay TV and streaming sectors, creating a new blueprint for how such deals are structured. Analysts and industry sources point to two key pieces of the deal that will likely be felt: ad-supported streaming in the bundle, and a “resizing” of the linear TV business. It’s a deal that NBCUniversal (which owns Peacock), Paramount (which owns Paramount+) and Warner Bros. Discovery (which owns Max) are surely looking at closely given it is widely expected to impact their future carriage deals.
Mark Lazarus, the chairman of NBCUniversal Media group, acknowledged as much at the Img Summit outside London on Sept. 14. In an interview with Endeavor president and COO Mark Shapiro, Lazarus noted that his company shuttered some channels over the past few years (Cloo and Esquire Network in 2017, Nbcsn in 2021), and...
Mark Lazarus, the chairman of NBCUniversal Media group, acknowledged as much at the Img Summit outside London on Sept. 14. In an interview with Endeavor president and COO Mark Shapiro, Lazarus noted that his company shuttered some channels over the past few years (Cloo and Esquire Network in 2017, Nbcsn in 2021), and...
- 9/20/2023
- by Georg Szalai and Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Two industry giants collided in showdown that led to a blackout for millions of pay TV customers — but then still managed to strike a deal. With the Walt Disney Co. and Charter Communications unveiling a new carriage agreement on Monday, both sides could argue success. But Disney executives also acknowledged that the entertainment powerhouse had to give and take to reach the new pact.
Overnight, Wall Street experts started sharing their analysis of where Disney and Charter won, and lost, in the new deal. Here is a closer look at some of their thoughts.
Macquarie analyst Tim Nollen, who has a “neutral” rating on Disney shares with a $94 price target: “a first down for both companies.” Nollen, like many of his peers, expects this arrangement to affect future carriage deals for Disney and other entertainment giants. “In the end this wasn’t as revolutionary a deal as Charter seemed poised to hold out for,...
Overnight, Wall Street experts started sharing their analysis of where Disney and Charter won, and lost, in the new deal. Here is a closer look at some of their thoughts.
Macquarie analyst Tim Nollen, who has a “neutral” rating on Disney shares with a $94 price target: “a first down for both companies.” Nollen, like many of his peers, expects this arrangement to affect future carriage deals for Disney and other entertainment giants. “In the end this wasn’t as revolutionary a deal as Charter seemed poised to hold out for,...
- 9/12/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Just as this summer’s New York City wildfire smoke, Los Angeles’ hurricane and sneaker-melting heat have brought home the reality of climate change, the Disney-Charter carriage battle is foregrounding the fragility of the pay-tv bundle.
Charter’s Spectrum TV service is in its fifth day of darkness as the companies fight over carriage terms, leaving nearly 15 million customers without access to 18 Disney networks, including ESPN, as well as eight ABC stations.
When the fight broke into public view on Thursday, initial reactions raised existential questions about the fate of the bundle. “Is this the video tipping point?” wondered the headline of a research note by Guggenheim analyst Michael Morris, who believes the situation poses “increased and sustained risk for not only Disney but for video economics.”
Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich also sounded the alarm in a note to clients today. “If this posture were to be...
Charter’s Spectrum TV service is in its fifth day of darkness as the companies fight over carriage terms, leaving nearly 15 million customers without access to 18 Disney networks, including ESPN, as well as eight ABC stations.
When the fight broke into public view on Thursday, initial reactions raised existential questions about the fate of the bundle. “Is this the video tipping point?” wondered the headline of a research note by Guggenheim analyst Michael Morris, who believes the situation poses “increased and sustained risk for not only Disney but for video economics.”
Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich also sounded the alarm in a note to clients today. “If this posture were to be...
- 9/5/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
“The end of the end,” Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich called the carriage dispute between Hollywood giant Walt Disney and cable powerhouse Charter Communications in the headline of a Tuesday report. “Breaking up is hard to do,” emphasized Guggenheim analyst Michael Morris before also posing the more ominous question: “Is this the video tipping point?” MoffettNathanson analysts Craig Moffett and Michael Nathanson echoed that, asking: “What is the future of video?” And LightShed Partners’ Rich Greenfield and colleagues went all Star Wars, wondering of the Charter CEO: “Can Chris Winfrey destroy the sports media Death Star?”
The very fact that all these experts used such colorful phrases, worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster film script, shows just how seriously Wall Street is taking the battle of the titans that erupted Aug. 31. The resulting blackout of Disney channels in Charter households hit at a critical time, with ESPN’s networks airing the U.
The very fact that all these experts used such colorful phrases, worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster film script, shows just how seriously Wall Street is taking the battle of the titans that erupted Aug. 31. The resulting blackout of Disney channels in Charter households hit at a critical time, with ESPN’s networks airing the U.
- 9/5/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Warner Bros. Discovery’s progress in making its streaming business profitable and reducing its debt after the mega-merger that created the Hollywood giant was in Wall Street’s focus on Thursday.
With the entertainment conglomerate’s second-quarter results in the book, including a streaming loss of just $3 million, and management commentary, including boosting its post-merger cost-savings target to more than $5 billion, analysts shared their latest takes on the stock, which has gained year-to-date, and its outlook.
Several experts reiterated their confidence in the company’s path and improvements, but at least one analyst swam against the stream, downgrading their stock rating. As of mid-day Thursday, the conglomerate’s shares were down 1.2 percent at $12.40.
Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich had a bullish reaction to the earnings update, maintaining her “buy” rating and $21 stock price target on Warner Bros. Discovery. “Wbd’s second-quarter performance reflects the heavy lifting management has undertaken over the last year,...
With the entertainment conglomerate’s second-quarter results in the book, including a streaming loss of just $3 million, and management commentary, including boosting its post-merger cost-savings target to more than $5 billion, analysts shared their latest takes on the stock, which has gained year-to-date, and its outlook.
Several experts reiterated their confidence in the company’s path and improvements, but at least one analyst swam against the stream, downgrading their stock rating. As of mid-day Thursday, the conglomerate’s shares were down 1.2 percent at $12.40.
Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich had a bullish reaction to the earnings update, maintaining her “buy” rating and $21 stock price target on Warner Bros. Discovery. “Wbd’s second-quarter performance reflects the heavy lifting management has undertaken over the last year,...
- 8/3/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Disney’s disclosure on Wednesday that CEO Bob Iger has signed a contract extension that will keep him at the helm of the Hollywood giant through 2026 didn’t shock Wall Street. But analysts reacted to and analyzed the unanimous board decision and its implications for the company’s transition plan, which, to Disney, “remains a priority for the board.”
The tenor of most finance experts: investors will welcome stability and a venerable CEO in charge at a time of much industry change and many challenges, but Iger and his team will have more work to do to clarify the giant’s future path, including possible acquisitions and divestitures.
MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson, who has an “outperform” rating on Disney, noted in a Thursday report that, “While the challenges are clear for the company, we do not think investors are giving Disney and Iger credit to solve its massively underperforming linear and [direct-to-consumer] profitability.
The tenor of most finance experts: investors will welcome stability and a venerable CEO in charge at a time of much industry change and many challenges, but Iger and his team will have more work to do to clarify the giant’s future path, including possible acquisitions and divestitures.
MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson, who has an “outperform” rating on Disney, noted in a Thursday report that, “While the challenges are clear for the company, we do not think investors are giving Disney and Iger credit to solve its massively underperforming linear and [direct-to-consumer] profitability.
- 7/13/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
During a recent Gold Derby video interview, senior editor Matt Noble spoke in-depth with Giancarlo Esposito (“Better Call Saul”) about the last season of his AMC legal drama, which is eligible at the 2023 Emmys. Watch the full video above and read the complete interview transcript below.
This “Breaking Bad” spin-off closed out its run last spring with one of the most acclaimed final seasons in television history. The series tracked Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) becoming the sleazy but charming lawyer Saul Goodman and included his run-ins with various “Breaking Bad” characters, including Esposito’s popular villain Gustavo Fring.
“In the last couple of years in ‘Better Call Saul,’ I learned to cultivate a certain vulnerability about Gus, which has been an interesting journey,” the actor revealed in our webchat. As the show came to a close, Esposito started “to think about Gus’s life” more and more, even wondering aloud,...
This “Breaking Bad” spin-off closed out its run last spring with one of the most acclaimed final seasons in television history. The series tracked Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) becoming the sleazy but charming lawyer Saul Goodman and included his run-ins with various “Breaking Bad” characters, including Esposito’s popular villain Gustavo Fring.
“In the last couple of years in ‘Better Call Saul,’ I learned to cultivate a certain vulnerability about Gus, which has been an interesting journey,” the actor revealed in our webchat. As the show came to a close, Esposito started “to think about Gus’s life” more and more, even wondering aloud,...
- 6/28/2023
- by Latasha Ford and Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
During a recent Gold Derby video interview, senior editor Matt Noble spoke in-depth with Rhea Seehorn (“Better Call Saul”) about her AMC legal drama, which is eligible at the 2023 Emmys. Watch the full video above and read the complete interview transcript below.
“Better Call Saul” closed out its seven-season run of the AMC series that tracked Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) becoming the “criminal” lawyer Saul Goodman from “Breaking Bad.” The drama also showed the endearing and dangerous romance between Jimmy and Kim Wexler (Seehorn), a relationship that had become the heart of the show. The final season saw tragedy trigger their break-up and then explored their lives after the “Breaking Bad” timeline in black and white.
Seehorn took a deep dive into her relationship with Odenkirk, claiming, “Bob and I innately trusted each other as scene partners from day one. To know each other that much more by the end, there...
“Better Call Saul” closed out its seven-season run of the AMC series that tracked Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) becoming the “criminal” lawyer Saul Goodman from “Breaking Bad.” The drama also showed the endearing and dangerous romance between Jimmy and Kim Wexler (Seehorn), a relationship that had become the heart of the show. The final season saw tragedy trigger their break-up and then explored their lives after the “Breaking Bad” timeline in black and white.
Seehorn took a deep dive into her relationship with Odenkirk, claiming, “Bob and I innately trusted each other as scene partners from day one. To know each other that much more by the end, there...
- 6/21/2023
- by Latasha Ford and Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Netflix’s resurgent stock rose another 3% through mid-day Tuesday, continuing to recoup losses from a major 2022 correction as several Wall Street analysts upgraded their outlook on the company.
Positive early signs from a new password sharing plan, along with the potential for advertising, have been cited by a number of bulls. Several analysts have increased their 12-month price targets in recent days, including two sizable upticks Tuesday from Guggenheim (from $375 to $500) and Bank of America (from $410 to $490). Last Friday, Pivotal Research increased its target to $535, highest on the Street. “Supported by its world-class brand, leading global subscriber base and position as an innovator,” BofA media vet Jessica Reif Ehrlich wrote in a note to clients, “Netflix is poised to outperform.”
Shares in Netflix entered the home stretch of Tuesday’s trading day at around $435, the highest they have been since January 2022. When the company reported softer-than-expected results early last year,...
Positive early signs from a new password sharing plan, along with the potential for advertising, have been cited by a number of bulls. Several analysts have increased their 12-month price targets in recent days, including two sizable upticks Tuesday from Guggenheim (from $375 to $500) and Bank of America (from $410 to $490). Last Friday, Pivotal Research increased its target to $535, highest on the Street. “Supported by its world-class brand, leading global subscriber base and position as an innovator,” BofA media vet Jessica Reif Ehrlich wrote in a note to clients, “Netflix is poised to outperform.”
Shares in Netflix entered the home stretch of Tuesday’s trading day at around $435, the highest they have been since January 2022. When the company reported softer-than-expected results early last year,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
So long, farewell, AFC Richmond! The series finale of “Ted Lasso” topped streaming the week of May 31-June 6, rocketing Apple TV+ to the top of the leaderboard, according to the latest Wrap Report, which provides an exclusive first look at the most-watched movies and TV series from the past week across both streaming and linear television.
The report’s viewership data comes from Samba TV’s panel of more than 3 million households drawn from over 25 million connected TVs balanced to the U.S. Census. The fan-favorite Jason Sudeikis comedy has been a leading hit for the streamer — and its series finale didn’t disappoint.
Top streaming programs, May 31-June 6, 2023, U.S. (Samba TV)
This week, the Wrap Report also debuts a new methodology. The latest week-by-week analysis sourced from Samba TV’s first-party automatic content recognition data will provide a deeper look at the latest streaming hits at the season level.
The report’s viewership data comes from Samba TV’s panel of more than 3 million households drawn from over 25 million connected TVs balanced to the U.S. Census. The fan-favorite Jason Sudeikis comedy has been a leading hit for the streamer — and its series finale didn’t disappoint.
Top streaming programs, May 31-June 6, 2023, U.S. (Samba TV)
This week, the Wrap Report also debuts a new methodology. The latest week-by-week analysis sourced from Samba TV’s first-party automatic content recognition data will provide a deeper look at the latest streaming hits at the season level.
- 6/12/2023
- by Meredith Brace
- The Wrap
In the end, was Spotify’s acquisition of Gimlet and Parcast all a waste?
That’s how unionized staffers at Gimlet and Parcast described Spotify’s decision on Monday to begin shuttering the two podcast studios that the audio giant had purchased in 2019 for 221 million euros. “When Spotify purchased Gimlet and Parcast for nearly $300 million, they acquired an incredible group of talented people with specific and marketable skills. Then, they wasted that opportunity: canceling shows with dedicated audiences, leaving half-finished projects to die on the vine, and giving teams little direction as to what they actually wanted to see produced,” the Gimlet and Parcast unions said. “Gimlet and Parcast were studios with vision that helped shape our industry. Whether Spotify Studios has a vision remains to be seen.”
Four years after their acquisitions, Gimlet and Parcast will sunset this summer as they combine to make Spotify Studios, an in-house studio division led by Julie McNamara.
That’s how unionized staffers at Gimlet and Parcast described Spotify’s decision on Monday to begin shuttering the two podcast studios that the audio giant had purchased in 2019 for 221 million euros. “When Spotify purchased Gimlet and Parcast for nearly $300 million, they acquired an incredible group of talented people with specific and marketable skills. Then, they wasted that opportunity: canceling shows with dedicated audiences, leaving half-finished projects to die on the vine, and giving teams little direction as to what they actually wanted to see produced,” the Gimlet and Parcast unions said. “Gimlet and Parcast were studios with vision that helped shape our industry. Whether Spotify Studios has a vision remains to be seen.”
Four years after their acquisitions, Gimlet and Parcast will sunset this summer as they combine to make Spotify Studios, an in-house studio division led by Julie McNamara.
- 6/6/2023
- by J. Clara Chan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Owen Teague is busy. So much so that even the rising young actor still hasn’t seen his latest film “Eileen” (Neon), co-starring Anne Hathaway and Thomasin McKenzie, which premiered at Sundance in January.
“How is the movie?,” he asked on a recent Zoom call with IndieWire. That’s because he was down in Australia for six months playing Cornelius, the horse-riding chimpanzee lead in the upcoming sequel, “The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”.
Ever since he first moved to California from Florida at age 18, ditching NYU in order to shoot a movie with Gary Oldman (“Mary”) in Alabama, he has lived out of a suitcase. “I was just working. I actually live under a rock and that has gotten worse as time has gone on. I live under a larger rock now than I did two years ago,” he said.
He is proud of his other Sundance feature,...
“How is the movie?,” he asked on a recent Zoom call with IndieWire. That’s because he was down in Australia for six months playing Cornelius, the horse-riding chimpanzee lead in the upcoming sequel, “The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”.
Ever since he first moved to California from Florida at age 18, ditching NYU in order to shoot a movie with Gary Oldman (“Mary”) in Alabama, he has lived out of a suitcase. “I was just working. I actually live under a rock and that has gotten worse as time has gone on. I live under a larger rock now than I did two years ago,” he said.
He is proud of his other Sundance feature,...
- 5/23/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Walt Disney and its CEO Bob Iger mostly earned good grades from analysts on Thursday following the Hollywood conglomerate’s latest quarterly results, but some on Wall Street slightly lowered their stock price targets, saying progress towards streaming profitability and other goals would take more time.
In early February, Iger’s first earnings update since his return as Walt Disney CEO featured the promise of a big restructuring, including a massive 7,000 job cuts and a whopping $3 billion in content cost savings, as well as news that streamer Disney+ had lost subscribers for the first time.
Disney’s latest earnings report and conference call late on May 10 gave analysts more to digest and assess. Quarterly results beat or met Wall Street expectations on most key metrics, including revenue, with the conglomerate’s streaming loss continuing to narrow by hitting $659 million in the latest quarter, down from a loss of $887 million in...
In early February, Iger’s first earnings update since his return as Walt Disney CEO featured the promise of a big restructuring, including a massive 7,000 job cuts and a whopping $3 billion in content cost savings, as well as news that streamer Disney+ had lost subscribers for the first time.
Disney’s latest earnings report and conference call late on May 10 gave analysts more to digest and assess. Quarterly results beat or met Wall Street expectations on most key metrics, including revenue, with the conglomerate’s streaming loss continuing to narrow by hitting $659 million in the latest quarter, down from a loss of $887 million in...
- 5/11/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
AMC Networks, the company behind such cable channel brands as AMC, IFC and Sundance TV, as well as such streaming services as AMC+, Acorn TV and Shudder, said its streaming subscribers dropped by around 300,000 to 11.5 million as of the end of the first quarter.
The figure for the end of March was down from 11.8 million as of the end of 2022 and 11.1 million as of the end of September. Management had previously forecast that subscribers for the firm’s collection of niche-oriented streamers would hit 12 million at the end of 2022, with a target to reach 20 million-25 million by 2025.
Meanwhile, AMC Networks’ U.S. advertising revenue fell 20 percent in the first three months of 2023 after a fourth-quarter drop of 12 percent.
The company said its latest quarterly earnings also included further “restructuring and other related charges” worth $5.93 million following layoffs, believed to have affected around 20 percent of staff, and other cost cuts. AMC...
The figure for the end of March was down from 11.8 million as of the end of 2022 and 11.1 million as of the end of September. Management had previously forecast that subscribers for the firm’s collection of niche-oriented streamers would hit 12 million at the end of 2022, with a target to reach 20 million-25 million by 2025.
Meanwhile, AMC Networks’ U.S. advertising revenue fell 20 percent in the first three months of 2023 after a fourth-quarter drop of 12 percent.
The company said its latest quarterly earnings also included further “restructuring and other related charges” worth $5.93 million following layoffs, believed to have affected around 20 percent of staff, and other cost cuts. AMC...
- 5/9/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The TV Academy better call Rhea when Emmy nominations are announced.
The acclaimed actress has chosen to submit in the supporting drama actress category for the second half of the final season of “Better Call Saul,” Variety has learned exclusively. The actress joins her co-star, Carol Burnett, who will also vie for a nomination in the same category.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.
Despite the AMC “Breaking Bad” spin-off series airing last summer, it’s eligible for this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards, where it hopes to finally take home statuettes after being shut out for each of its six seasons.
Last year, Seehorn finally picked up her first nomination for playing Kim Wexler, Saul Goodman’s confidante and wife. Variety reported Seehorn’s team was mulling over a decision on whether to seek lead actress consideration over the past few weeks.
The acclaimed actress has chosen to submit in the supporting drama actress category for the second half of the final season of “Better Call Saul,” Variety has learned exclusively. The actress joins her co-star, Carol Burnett, who will also vie for a nomination in the same category.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.
Despite the AMC “Breaking Bad” spin-off series airing last summer, it’s eligible for this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards, where it hopes to finally take home statuettes after being shut out for each of its six seasons.
Last year, Seehorn finally picked up her first nomination for playing Kim Wexler, Saul Goodman’s confidante and wife. Variety reported Seehorn’s team was mulling over a decision on whether to seek lead actress consideration over the past few weeks.
- 5/9/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
To Leslie, the acclaimed low-budget drama that landed star Andrea Riseborough a surprise Oscar nomination for best actress (one that sparked no shortage of debate across the industry), has scored multiple international sales for Mister Smith Entertainment.
Having already been given a limited release in the U.S. in October last year with Momentum and a smaller bow in the U.K. in November with eOne, the film — in which Riseborough plays a single mother and alcoholic who squanders all the prize money she received after winning the lottery — has now landed deals for Australia and New Zealand (Kismet Movies), Spain (A Contracorriente Films), Japan (Kadokawa), Latin America (Cine Video y TV), Benelux (Paradiso Filmed Entertainment), Italy (Minerva Pictures), Greece/Cyprus (Femeway), Iceland (Samfilm), Israel (United King Films), the Middle East (Front Row Filmed Entertainment), Poland (M2 Films), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo Audiovisuais), Scandinavia (Nonstop Entertainment), Switzerland (Praesens-Film), Turkey (Filmarti Film...
Having already been given a limited release in the U.S. in October last year with Momentum and a smaller bow in the U.K. in November with eOne, the film — in which Riseborough plays a single mother and alcoholic who squanders all the prize money she received after winning the lottery — has now landed deals for Australia and New Zealand (Kismet Movies), Spain (A Contracorriente Films), Japan (Kadokawa), Latin America (Cine Video y TV), Benelux (Paradiso Filmed Entertainment), Italy (Minerva Pictures), Greece/Cyprus (Femeway), Iceland (Samfilm), Israel (United King Films), the Middle East (Front Row Filmed Entertainment), Poland (M2 Films), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo Audiovisuais), Scandinavia (Nonstop Entertainment), Switzerland (Praesens-Film), Turkey (Filmarti Film...
- 4/24/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix and other big streaming services like to tout that they have something for everyone in their programming offering. Well, the same can be said about the global streamer’s first-quarter results and management’s outlook late on April 18 following much Wall Street talk about the company’s password-sharing crackdown and launch of an advertising tier.
Reporting earnings and other figures for the first time since Reed Hastings moved from the co-ceo to the executive chairman role, Netflix started the year by adding 1.75 million subscribers during the January-March quarter, bringing its global subscriber count to 232.5 million. It was also the first quarter since the streamer stopped providing guidance for subscriber numbers, instead focusing on revenue. And management said that it would be forging ahead with its account-sharing crackdown, which rolled out in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain in February, with the U.S. having its turn beginning in the second quarter.
Reporting earnings and other figures for the first time since Reed Hastings moved from the co-ceo to the executive chairman role, Netflix started the year by adding 1.75 million subscribers during the January-March quarter, bringing its global subscriber count to 232.5 million. It was also the first quarter since the streamer stopped providing guidance for subscriber numbers, instead focusing on revenue. And management said that it would be forging ahead with its account-sharing crackdown, which rolled out in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain in February, with the U.S. having its turn beginning in the second quarter.
- 4/19/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In a virtual appearance today at Deadline’s Contenders TV, Better Call Saul‘s Bob Odenkirk reflected on the opportunity he had to work with screen legend Carol Burnett over the course of the Breaking Bad prequel’s final season.
“She’s just a great actress — completely connected, completely grounded, utterly with it. With somebody who’s a legend like that, someone who’s older, you worry if you’re going to have to work around them a little — and not at all,” the two-time Emmy winner shared. “She was utterly present, ready to rip it up. She knew her lines, she knew her part so well…It was a beautiful performance. She must get nominated now, come on.”
Related: Deadline Contenders Television 2023 Arrivals & Panels Gallery
Burnett’s character, Marion, is a native of Omaha, Nebraska, who meets the man we’ve known as both Slippin’ Jimmy McGill and Saul Goodman,...
“She’s just a great actress — completely connected, completely grounded, utterly with it. With somebody who’s a legend like that, someone who’s older, you worry if you’re going to have to work around them a little — and not at all,” the two-time Emmy winner shared. “She was utterly present, ready to rip it up. She knew her lines, she knew her part so well…It was a beautiful performance. She must get nominated now, come on.”
Related: Deadline Contenders Television 2023 Arrivals & Panels Gallery
Burnett’s character, Marion, is a native of Omaha, Nebraska, who meets the man we’ve known as both Slippin’ Jimmy McGill and Saul Goodman,...
- 4/16/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming rebrand under the Max name had Hollywood and Wall Street all ears late on Wednesday, in line with the streamer’s new tagline “The One to Watch.” And on Thursday, analysts started sharing their takes on what the change would mean for the company and its stock. The early verdict is … well, the jury is still out.
Warner Bros. Discovery has had a starring role as one of the Wall Street darlings among Hollywood stocks so far this year, with its shares gaining more than 50 percent in the first quarter. That set a high bar and made a big jump driven by Wednesday’s unveiling of a streaming strategy for the combined sector giant, and bringing together programming from the current HBO Max and Discovery+ under one umbrella, less likely.
Wbd’s stock actually slid on Wednesday to $14 a share, the day that saw executives,...
Warner Bros. Discovery has had a starring role as one of the Wall Street darlings among Hollywood stocks so far this year, with its shares gaining more than 50 percent in the first quarter. That set a high bar and made a big jump driven by Wednesday’s unveiling of a streaming strategy for the combined sector giant, and bringing together programming from the current HBO Max and Discovery+ under one umbrella, less likely.
Wbd’s stock actually slid on Wednesday to $14 a share, the day that saw executives,...
- 4/13/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.