For one thing, they met some of the Hail Mary crew on Solo. "We met Neal Scanlan and the creature shop team that we worked with to make Rocky, for example. We had such a great experience with them, making these aliens and robots together.” - The New York Times
Will this argument play? "Whether it is computer chips, the energy sector or pharmaceuticals, this is something that is standard in the United States. … In terms of our nation, Hollywood and its ability to tell the story of America, it is something worth saving.” - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
The Seattle Times analyses Tow, claiming that “it’s the right story at the right time, speaking to a Seattle that’s grown increasingly unaffordable for many of its residents.” - Seattle Times
“I didn’t want my kids in 10 or 15 years to look at my work and say, ‘Oh, Papa was so cynical.’ I wanted them to feel as if I tried to build something, to bring light, to bring hope.” - The Guardian (UK)
“I firmly believe that uniting Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery presents a unique opportunity to build a true champion for the creative community, one that can and will bring more stories to life, support filmmakers and talent with real scale, and compete effectively on the global stage as an independent media leader,” Ellison said. - The Hollywood Reporter
“It’s the second round of layoffs in six months at CBS News (a round in October canceled some streaming shows and overhauled the Saturday morning show), but these are the first in pursuit of (editor-in-chief Bari) Weiss’s new strategy, which she outlined to staff earlier this year.” - The Hollywood Reporter
Since WRLH ended its affiliation with NPR last October 1, the station has lost 75% of its listenership. This is notwithstanding the fact that the station continues to air programming from PRX, American Public Media and the BBC. - Michael Krall
First Line Films announced Wednesday that Kilmer has posthumously joined the cast of a film titled As Deep as the Grave. The producers said that, before his death, Kilmer had signed on to perform in the movie but was unable to because of his health. - CBC
“On Kinopoisk, Russia’s largest film-and-TV database and ratings site, it sits at 8.3/10 with more than 60,000 ratings. … As a scholar of Russian culture and someone who grew up there, I keep wondering why Heated Rivalry hits with such force in Russia.” - Los Angeles Review of Books
“Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, has agreed an additional £11m a year for the next three years on the government’s grant to the service … after ministers concluded it was needed to counter the rise of global disinformation.” - The Guardian
“From New Jersey to California to Louisiana, weather journalists are leaving traditional TV newsrooms to form all-digital platforms. … The Digital Weather Network, … which started in 2022, now has nineteen members, … working from well-equipped studios or from their homes,” with dozens more interested in joining. - Columbia Journalism Review
For its entire history, Britain’s public broadcaster has had to have its charter renewed by Parliament every ten years; in effect, the BBC must renegotiate its existence every decade. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has promised “to future-proof this vital institution … (against) the ongoing, exhausting culture wars.” - The Guardian