| | | | | | What's news: The Teamsters are calling on the DOJ to block the Paramount-WBD merger. Paul Roeder is set to be Disney's chief communications officer. KPop Demon Hunters 2 is officially a go at Netflix and Sony. CBS has renewed Yellowstone spinoff Marshals. And Fox has given a two-season order to Family Guy spinoff Stewie. — Abid Rahman
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Oscars: Who Will Win Vs. Who Should Win ►Not long now. As always, THR's awards expert Scott Feinberg and chief film critic David Rooney weigh in on the probable and preferred victors, respectively, ahead of the Academy Awards. The story.
—ICYMI. Here again is Ben Zauzmer's final Oscar picks, all based on math. THR's resident number cruncher takes a category-by-category look at odds on favorites, per a mathematical formula that factors in awards season data and historical trends. The predictions.
—Everything you need to know before Sunday’s show. The nominees! The performers! The parties! THR has gathered together all the key details on the 2026 Oscars and put them all in one place. Simple. The guide.
—About those parties... THR's Kirsten Chuba has a more detailed list of all the A-list parties and events leading up to Oscar night. The parties.
—Where to watch the Oscars around the world. With the 2026 Academy Awards unspooling in L.A. on Sunday, THR has put together a handy guide of TV networks and online outlets across the globe that will cover all the glitz and glamour from Hollywood's biggest night. The guide.
—When COVID almost canceled the Oscars. Scott Feinberg looks back at a surreal night from a surreal period of American history, when the 2021 Academy Awards almost never happened due to the pandemic. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Steven Soderbergh, Chloé Zhao and Chadwick Boseman’s widow — among dozens of others — speak out in the definitive oral history of a ceremony that was both a fiasco and a miracle: "I’m going to just spill all secrets." The oral history. |
Leaked Audio Reveals Rebel Wilson's PR Team Plotted to Smear Producer ►It Ends With Us connections. Behind closed doors, Rebel Wilson‘s crisis public relations team discussed plans to create anonymous websites that accused the producer of The Deb of sex trafficking as part of an alleged smear campaign solicited by the actress. In a recording obtained by THR , digital fixer Jed Wallace instructed top entertainment publicist Melissa Nathan to assert without evidence that the producer, Amanda Ghost, is a “madame” whose work involves procuring young women for wealthy and powerful men. At one point in the private conversation, Wallace references the involvement of Hollywood power lawyer Bryan Freedman, Wilson’s then-counsel, in the plan. The discovery of communications implicating Wallace, Nathan and Freedman can be traced back to the It Ends With Us legal saga. The story.
—✊ "This merger threatens the livelihoods of the very workers who built these studios into industry giants." ✊ Leadership of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is calling on the DOJ to block the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. merger unless worker protections are put in place. Union leaders announced on Thursday that they had filed a report outlining key concerns about the $111b mega-transaction with the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and that they are pushing for the transaction to be blocked unless their concerns are addressed. The union’s input is especially consequential because Teamster general president Sean O’Brien is a labor ally of Donald Trump and previously played a role in the nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Labor secretary. The story.
—Upped. Incoming Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro has found his communications chief. Disney said Thursday that Paul Roeder would be elevated to senior executive VP and chief communications officer, a critical role that oversees Disney’s global communications and public relations strategy, public affairs, and corporate social responsibility, as well as serving as the lead spokesperson for the company. Roeder is a 25-year veteran of Disney, most recently serving as executive VP of communications for Disney Entertainment Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and International, including oversight of communications and publicity for Disney’s important theatrical film business. The story.
—New kids on the block. As the independent film marketplace continues to experience headwinds, a new feature film finance and production outfit is popping up with the intention of guiding emerging filmmakers from development to distribution. Danielle Lauder’s Act 4 Artists is officially entering the narrative feature film space, launching with the SXSW premiere of director Will Ropp’s high school comedy Brian. The company financed and produced the film from writer Mike Scollins. In addition to Lauder, who is the great-granddaughter of cosmetics giant Estée Lauder, Act 4 Artists is run by Casey Hanley and Steven Sachs, who serve as co-heads of development and production, and Camila Keller Sarmiento, head of event programming and creative producer. The story. |
'Family Guy': Stewie Spinoff a Go at Fox ►What the deuce?! Nearly two decades after the first Family Guy spinoff premiered, a second one will join Fox’s lineup. The network has given a two-season order to Stewie, a show focused on the youngest member of the Griffin family. The series from Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane and Kirker Butler, a longtime writer and producer on the show, is set to premiere in the 2027-28 season. Like Family Guy, Stewie will be produced by 20th Television Animation. MacFarlane will continue voicing the lead character. The show is the second spinoff of Family Guy after The Cleveland Show, which ran for four seasons from 2009-13. The story.
—Quick on the draw. After a big premiere — and a second episode that held onto most of that audience — CBS’ Yellowstone spinoff Marshals is getting a second season. The network announced a speedy renewal for Marshals on Thursday, 12 days after its series debut. The pickup comes after the best start for a scripted network series in several years. Marshals joins a host of other CBS series, including fellow first-year dramas Sheriff Country and Boston Blue, in the network’s lineup for 2026-27. Marshals opened with 9.52m viewers for its initial airing on CBS March 1 and grew to an eye-popping 20.6m viewers after a week of streaming and other delayed viewing. The story.
—🤝 No-brainer. 🤝 The BBC has struck a new three-year deal for the British versions of The Traitors and Celebrity Traitors. The pact will keep the hit show on the BBC until at least 2030. The BBC revealed that Celebrity Traitors, which debuted in October 2025, boasted an average audience of 14.9m across its run with a peak of 15.4m for the finale. Set in and among the grounds of Ardross Castle in Scotland, the U.K. versions of both show are hosted by Claudia Winkleman. The story.
—Double bubble. The Burbs and The Traitors both made Nielsen’s top 10 chart for original streaming shows in the week of Feb. 9-15, marking a relatively rare double for Peacock. Burbs gathered 712m minutes of watch time the week after its Super Bowl Sunday premiere (which was promoted during NBC and Peacock’s telecast of the Super Bowl), good for sixth among original series and eighth overall. Traitors, meanwhile, continued its strong season four run with 637m viewing minutes, up 15 percent week to week. The Lincoln Lawyer held the top overall ranking for the second week in a row with 2.54b minutes of viewing for Netflix — its biggest week to date over four seasons. The Pitt was the only other show to beat the 1b-minute mark, recording 1.04b minutes on HBO Max. The streaming rankings.
—War dividend. Cable news ratings spiked on Feb. 28 with the beginning of military strikes against Iran, and they’ve stayed above their usual levels in the nearly two weeks since then. The three biggest cable news channels — Fox News, MS Now and CNN — are running well ahead of their season-to-date averages in primetime. Smaller outlets like Newsmax and NewsNation are up too. Year-to-year comparisons are a little more complicated due partly to the timing of Donald Trump’s last two addresses to Congress. The ratings. |
'Demon Hunters 2' Officially a Go From Netflix, Sony ►Huntrix don't quit! Just days before Kpop Demon Hunters is expected to be golden at the Oscars, Netflix has closed deals for directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans to return for the sequel as part of a new, multi-year writing and directing pact. Sony Pictures Animation is behind the sequel as well as the original animated film, which became the most watched movie in Netflix history and spawned numerous hit songs. No date has been set for a sequel, though a previously reported date of 2029 is unlikely given how many years it takes to make an animated project of this size. Kang and Appelhans are said to only be in the early stages, and will turn their attention to the movie in earnest after awards season. The story.
—🎭 PACE planning. 🎭 Aaron Pierre, who is playing Green Lantern hero John Stewart in HBO’s upcoming DC series Lanterns, is joining the cast of Man of Tomorrow, James Gunn’s sequel to Superman. Gunn wrote the script and is directing Man of Tomorrow, which is due to begin production this summer in Atlanta. David Corenswet is back as Superman and Nicholas Hoult returns as Lex Luthor in a story that sees the two team up to fight the technological alien threat known as Brainiac. German actor Lars Eidinger is playing the latter, one of Superman’s classic villains. The story.
—Scribe found. Jenna Ortega and Taylor Russell are bringing a 1990s thriller favorite back to life. 3000 Pictures, a division of Sony Pictures, has hired Bodies Bodies Bodies screenwriter Sarah DeLappe to pen the script for Single Female, with Ortega and Russell attached to star. The project is a remake of the 1992 feature Single White Female that adapted author John Lutz’s novel SWF Seeks Same and starred Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Ortega and Russell serve as producers alongside Stacey Sher and Marisa Paiva. The story.
—"I’ll probably step back and just be a part of the family again." Scream franchise creator Kevin Williamson has no plans to take a stab at leading the series’ next movie. In a new interview, the filmmaker said that he does not expect to write or direct Scream 8, the potential follow-up for the Paramount Pictures horror property. Williamson, who penned the script for director Wes Craven’s original Scream that debuted in 1996, returned to the franchise to co-write and direct Scream 7, which hit theaters last month. The story.
—Slate reveal. The Next Narrative Africa Fund, the $50m investment vehicle aimed at scaling film and television production across Africa and its diaspora, has unveiled its inaugural slate of development projects, featuring work from talent including Trevor Noah, Rapman, André Holland, Thuso Mbedu and the filmmaking duo Arie and Chuko Esiri. The first round of projects — nine films and series selected from more than 2,000 submissions spanning 80 countries — lays out the ambition of the startup fund, which is attempting to position African storytelling as a globally investable sector rather than a niche cultural export. The story. |
TV Review: 'The Madison' ►"A good show and a bad show, smushed together." THR's chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg reviews Paramount+'s The Madison. Kurt Russell plays a Montana-loving financier and Michelle Pfeiffer his Big Apple-loyal wife in the six-episode first season. Also starring Patrick J. Adams, Elle Chapman, Beau Garrett, Amiah Miller, Ben Schnetzer and Kevin Zegers. Created by Taylor Sheridan. The review.
—"Warm, welcoming and well-acted." THR's Angie Han reviews Apple TV's Margo's Got Money Troubles. In this David E. Kelley-created series, a young woman starts an unusual OnlyFans account to support her new baby. Starring Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Greg Kinnear, Thaddea Graham, Michael Angarano and Nicole Kidman. Created by David E. Kelley, based on the novel by Rufi Thorpe. The review.
—"Dark and twisty." Angie reviews Peter Warren's Kill Me. After waking up from a suicide attempt he can't remember making, a man sets out to solve his own would-be murder in Warren's directorial debut, premiering at SXSW. Starring Charlie Day, Allison Williams, Giancarlo Esposito, Aya Cash, Jessica Harper, David Krumholtz and Tony Cavalero. Written by Peter Warren. The review.
—"A literally world-changing kind of love." Angie reviews Graham Parkes' Wishful Thinking. Parkes' directorial debut, premiering at SXSW, centers on a bickering couple whose karmic energy has the ability to trigger storms, stock market bounces and more. Starring Maya Hawke, Lewis Pullman, Amita Rao, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Jake Shane, Randall Park, Eric Rahill, Kate Berlant and Sophie Lachman. Written by Graham Parkes. The review. |
Film Review: 'I Love Boosters' ►"Wild, weird and delightfully unique." THR's Angie Han reviews Boots Riley's I Love Boosters. The SXSW-premiering comedy follows a band of Bay Area shoplifters who get swept up in a larger global scheme. Starring Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter and Demi Moore. Written by Boots Riley. The review.
—"Brimming with compelling characters." THR's Sheri Linden reviews Marq Evans' Capturing Bigfoot. Premiering at SXSW, this doc delves into the debate surrounding a famous piece of footage and offers an answer to the question of whether it’s genuine. Written by Marq Evans and Michelle M. Witten. The review.
—"Puts a sharp spin on a well-traveled genre." Sheri reviews Brian Tetsuro Ivie's Anima. Ivie’s first narrative feature is the story of a dying man and a tech employee who has barely acknowledged her own grief. Starring Sydney Chandler, Takehiro Hira, Marin Ireland, Lili Taylor, Tom McCarthy, Maria Dizzia and Maximilian Lee Piazza. Written by Brian Tetsuro Ivie. The review.
—"Sympathetic, though dispiriting." THR's Leslie Felperin reviews Alyse Walsh and Jackie Jesko's Baby/Girls. Premiering at SXSW, the documentary profiles several young mothers who spend time at a charitable Christian group home. The review. |
Thank Pod It's Friday ►All the latest content from THR's podcast studio.
—Awards Chatter. THR's executive awards editor Scott Feinberg talks to the great and the good of Hollywood. In this live episode Scott spoke to Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy. The co-chairs/co-CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group reflect on their paths through the business as producers and execs over the last three decades; their crazy 2025, during which they went from almost losing their jobs to presiding over one of the most successful years any studio has ever had; and what it's like being behind both horses in a two-horse best picture Oscar race, Sinners and One Battle After Another. The podcast.
—Awards Chatter. In this episode Scott spoke to Billy Idol. The legendary punk and rock singer/songwriter, who was a key part of the MTV-driven “Second British Invasion” back in the ’80s and has been a major figure on the global music scene ever since, reflects on coming to America, his greatest hits and the new documentary about his rollercoaster journey. The podcast.
—I’m Having an Episode. THR’s Mikey O’Connell attempts to stay on top of the latest TV and entertainment news with a little help from his friends, colleagues and a revolving door of actors, writers, showrunners and filmmakers. In this episode, Mikey interviews Shrinking actor Michael Urie, who opens up about being the only Broadway actor not on the Gilded Age and legacy of Ugly Betty. Also Vanity Fair's Rebecca Ford helps Mikey construct a mostly fool-proof ballot for your Oscar pool. The podcast.
In other news...
—Bryan Cranston gets a body hair trim in Malcolm in The Middle revival trailer
—Mistakes are made in trailer for Dan Levy’s Netflix comedy Big Mistakes
—CAA adds executives to entertainment partnerships team
—Kris Heller elevated to partner at Independent Artist Group
—Ernie Anastos, longtime New York City TV news anchor, dies at 82
What else we're reading...
—Daniel Falatko has a deep dive on how rapper NBA Youngboy, according to raw numbers, is arguably the biggest music star in the world [The Metropolitan Review]
—Alexis Soloski unpacks why Hollywood has become obsessed with the works of novelist Colleen Hoover [NYT]
—David S. Cloud, Georgi Kantchev, Omar Abdel-Baqui and Caitlin McCabe look at how the Iran War unraveled the Gulf’s image as a luxurious safe haven [WSJ]
—A lengthy but rewarding investigative piece from Simon Gardner, James Pearson and Blake Morrison about Banksy's true identity [Reuters]
—Here's your Friday list: Every Christian Bale movie performance, ranked [Vulture]
Today...
...in 2009, Disney released Andy Fickman's Race to Witch Mountain in theaters. The reboot of the Witch Mountain franchise, which starred Dwayne Johnson, was a critical failure and only a moderate box office success. The original review.
Today's birthdays: William H. Macy (76), Common (54), Kaya Scodelario (34), George MacKay (34), Tim Story (56), Jack Harlow (28), Dana Delany (70), Annabeth Gish (55), Noel Fisher (42), Emile Hirsch (41), Emory Cohen (36), Corinne Massiah (23), Lucy Fry (34), Michael Hogan (77), Gigi Rice (61), Adina Porter (55), Nimrat Kaur (44), Leigh-Allyn Baker (54), Pierre Niney (37), Lee Jun-hyuk (42), Steve Bacic (61), Laura Berlin (36), Shane Taylor (52), Robin Duke (72), Rachael Bella (42), Julian Cihi (39), Kim Nam-gil (46), Kira Miró (46), Bentley Green (25) |
| Jane Lapotaire, the British stage veteran whose “heart-stopping” turn as the tragic French singer Édith Piaf won her Tony and Olivier awards, died March 5. She was 81. The obituary. |
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