Endeavor Nixing Saudi Deal; HBO's New CFO; CBS Selling TV City; Reboot Fatigue (Poll); Oscars' Best Acting Dilemma

What's news: Ari Emanuel's Endeavor is working to close off its $400 million investment by the Saudi Arabian government. Plus: Exclusive polling that doesn't shine well on TV reboots, movie ticket prices fall this quarter and studios struggle submitting for the Oscars' best acting categories. — Will Robinson [The Hollywood Reporter - Today In Entertainment]( October 16, 2018 What's news: Ari Emanuel's Endeavor is working to close off its $400 million investment by the Saudi Arabian government. Plus: Exclusive polling that doesn't shine well on TV reboots, movie ticket prices fall this quarter and studios struggle submitting for the Oscars' best acting categories. — Will Robinson ^Pulling the plug: Endeavor is extricating itself from a deal with the Saudi government to invest $400 million into the company as pressure mounts for Hollywood to take a stand against the kingdom in the wake of the possible murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Kim Masters and Tatiana Siegel report: + In the works: Sources say paperwork is being drawn up that would terminate the deal for the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund, which was created by the government to back projects at home and abroad, to take a 5-10 percent stake in Endeavor. + Conflicted clients: WME represents a number of high-profile journalists like Ronan Farrow, Soledad O'Brien and Joe Scarborough. Sources say many had been putting pressure on Emanuel to cut ties with Saudi Arabia. "This wasn't a reaction to the clients. The company would have gone this path regardless," says a knowledgeable source. + Hard right turn: Monday's move by Endeavor comes in sharp contrast to the treatment the Crown Prince received when he visited Hollywood in April. During his stay, he was feted by everyone from Disney's Bob Iger to Rupert Murdoch, who hosted a dinner party at his Bel Air estate that drew the likes of Universal film chairman Jeff Shell, Fox TV exec Peter Rice and film studio chief Stacey Snider. [Full story.]( The government turns its wheels... + Saudis preparing admission to Khashoggi death: Officials are preparing a report detailing that Khashoggi's killing was unsanctioned and was part of an interrogation gone wrong, Clarissa Ward and Tim Lister report. [[CNN](] Reboot Fatigue Been there, done that: Viewers say they're more interested in original shows, though a majority of respondents in a new Hollywood Reporter/Morning Consult would still like to see a revival of one particular NBC sitcom, Rick Porter reports: + Revivals over reboots: Seventy-five percent said they would be very or somewhat likely to watch a reboot with the original cast that picks up where the original series left off; 63 percent would watch a revival with the original cast in a new storyline. In contrast, only 35 percent said they'd be very or somewhat likely to watch a reboot with a new cast and storyline vs. 51 percent who would be unlikely to do so. + Demand for more: Among shows that have not been rebooted (yet), Friends got the most favorable response, with 52 percent saying they would likely watch a revival. (The show's creators, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, have said that will "never happen.") Near-majorities said they would also watch reboots of Family Matters, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Home Improvement. [Survey results.]( Elsewhere in TV... ► Jessica Holscott to serve as new CFO at HBO. She will [replace]( Joe Tarulli, who is retiring following a 27-year run at the premium cable network. Holscott previously spent 16 years at General Electric Co., working her way up to CFO of GE Asset Management, where she led all financial operations. ► CBS selling iconic Television City. The company has selected Hackman Capital as its winning bidder in what's expected to be a deal worth over $700 million, Roger Vincent reports. [[Los Angeles Times](] ► Fremantle signs Saudi Arabia format deal with Middle East producer. The indie TV giant said on Monday that the pact with M for Media [predates]( the disappearance of Saudi exile Jamal Khashoggi. "We don’t have a comment as the deal predates the news and has no impact," the Fremantle spokesman said. ► Sneaker culture show from Lena Waithe is next for Jeffrey Katzenberg's Quibi. Unscripted entry You Ain't Got These [joins]( a roster of shortform content from producers including Guillermo Del Toro and Antoine Fuqua, among others. ► Univision sues Dish Network for false advertising, trademark infringement. A license agreement has [expired](, but Dish still tells its subscribers they can get Univision, according to new counterclaims filed. ► The Jim Henson Company boards fantasy drama Knights of Panterra. Continuum creator Simon Barry will executive produce, with Zach Lipovsky (Mech-X4) attached to [direct]( the Canadian kids series. ► Gotham boss casts his Alfred for Epix Batman prequel Pennyworth. Jack Bannon (The Imitation Game) will [take on]( the title role in Bruno Heller's 10-episode scripted drama based on the DC Comics character. ► Brandon Thomas Lee joins The Hills reboot. The son of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee has been [named]( the reality series revival's latest star. Sinclair's power... ► Long read: How Sinclair became a conservative media giant. Sheelah Kolhatkar reports on the broadcaster's takeover of local news: "There are regulations that prevent any single company from controlling too large a share of the press, in order to protect competition and the free exchange of ideas. Sinclair has achieved its formidable reach by exploiting loopholes in these regulations." [[The New Yorker](] [Quoted:]( "I can't believe that we're still having a conversation about unlikable women on television. It doesn't matter if you like our lead character. It truly doesn't matter. What matters is that you relate and you understand." — Lena Dunham, on criticism levied against Jennifer Garner's lead character in HBO's Camping. ^RIP Paul Allen: Allen, the man who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates and the owner of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers, died Monday from complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was 65. + Family statement: "Paul’s family and friends were blessed to experience his wit, warmth, his generosity and deep concern," his sister, Jody, said. "For all the demands on his schedule, there was always time for family and friends. At this time of loss and grief for us — and so many others — we are profoundly grateful for the care and concern he demonstrated every day.” + Co-founding Microsoft: Born in Seattle, Allen attended high school with Bill Gates and the two bonded over their interest in computers. The two later went on to start Microsoft together in the late 1970s, though Allen later wrote in his memoir, Idea Man, that he effectively left the company in 1982 after he was diagnosed with lymphoma. He stepped down from the board of directors in 2000. [Full obit.]( MIPCOM deals... ► Samuel L. Jackson to host African slavery doc series Enslaved. Fremantle [nabbed]( the global rights to the six-parter that reveals the horrors of New World slavery through underwater archaeology. ► The Crown director Christian Schwochow boards Children of Mars. Beta Film and Neuesuper will [produce]( the eight-hour sci-fi miniseries about a mission to colonize the red planet. ► Adam Shankman boards remake of Japanese hit series as ep. Everybody Loves Raymond's Phil Rosenthal and Tucker Cawley will [pen]( Train Man based on a show from Japan's Fuji Television. Honorees... ► Dominic West receives CanneSeries Excellence Award. The Golden Globe nominee was [presented]( the award by Cannes Mayor David Lisnard, conference organizer ReedMidem CEO Paul Zilk and CanneSeries director Benoit Louvet in the grand hall of the Palais. Digital digest... ► Jaunt lays off "significant" portion of staff in pivot to AR. The company has [raised]( $100 million from Disney, Evolution Media and other investors to create virtual reality products and content. ► Mark Strong joins Battlefield V cast. The English actor will [voice]( the prologue and epilogue of EA Dice's upcoming World War II shooter. ► Jennette McCurdy makes directorial debut with short film. YouTube's "Kenny" [offers up]( a darkly comic twist on the well-trod grief genre, influenced by the actress losing her mother to cancer in 2013. Latest reviews... ► ABC's The Alec {NAME} Show, reviewed. "The premiere, which technically followed a test pilot that aired after the Oscars, was an OK showcase for the throwback aesthetic {NAME} aspires to, a questionable showcase for his gifts as an interviewer and a reminder that when {NAME} dabbles, he still dabbles with full commitment," Daniel Fienberg writes. [Full review.]( * {NAME} bombs in debut. Sunday's new show premiere had the night's lowest 18-49 rating at 0.4, [outpaced]( by The CW's Charmed reboot (0.5) and NBC's Sunday Night Football juggernaut (14.6). Talking points... ► Donald Trump beats Stormy Daniels defamation lawsuit. A judge sees Trump's tweet about a "con job" as "rhetorical hyperbole" and [orders]( the porn queen to pay his attorneys fees. Why Shonda Rhimes embraces "highest-paid showrunner" title. The Netflix-working Rhimes was among a long list of A-list honorees at Elle magazine's Women in Hollywood celebration in Beverly Hills, joined by Lady Gaga, Charlize Theron, Angela Bassett, Keira Knightley and Mia Farrow., Chris Gardner reports. [Insider details.]( Shifting Studios New home found: The Fox News biopic is set to be picked up Lionsgate after Annapurna was beset by financial woes and an executive shake-up, Abid Rahman reports: + Other suitors: After Annapurna pulled out, sources told THR that Focus Features, Amblin and Participant Media were in the mix to acquire the movie, but all seem to have passed. Lionsgate, which sees the project as an opportunity to become involved with a star-studded vehicle, now looks like the front-runner. [Full story.]( + Money problems: A source told Tatiana Siegel that Annapurna was required to take out a completion bond for the Fox News film, which would be highly unusual for a company with Megan Ellison's funds (the daughter of Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison is said to have poured some $200 million into the company). [Background.]( Elsewhere in film... ► Average movie ticket price falls to $8.83 in Q3. In the second quarter, a moviegoer paid $9.38 on average to enter a cinema in the U.S. For the year so far, the average price for a cinema ticket is $9.14, [versus]( $8.97 for all of 2017. ► Tim Story in talks to direct Tom & Jerry for Warner Bros. Story (Shaft reboot) [will helm]( the live-action hybrid set around the famed cartoon cat and mouse frenemies. Filmmaker Chris Columbus has also come aboard to produce a new Scooby-Doo animated movie. ► Universal unveils 2018 Director Initiative participant list. Launched in 2017 as a weeklong intensive in collaboration with Sundance Institute’s FilmTwo Initiative and AFI Directing Workshop for Women, the initiative will now be [expanding]( to a yearlong program. ► Roadside Attractions acquires Tim Tebow-produced Run the Race. Roadside recently [released]( faith-based drama I Can Only Imagine, which grossed $83.5 million at the domestic box office. Run the Race opens Feb. 22, 2019. ► Viggo Mortensen sets Falling as directorial debut. The film, [written]( by Mortensen, has been billed as an "intimate drama about a son's relationship with his aging father." Mortensen will star in one of the two lead roles alongside three-time Golden Globe nominee Lance Henriksen (Aliens) and Sverrir Gudnason (The Girl in the Spider's Web). ► Venom becomes Sony's highest-grossing movie in Russia. Venom has [grossed]( 1.59 billion rubles ($24 million), which makes it this year's second-highest-grossing movie locally, behind Disney's Avengers: Infinity War. The latter, which came out in Russia on May 3, has grossed 2.16 billion rubles ($32.7 million). ► Endeavor hires Kerry D. Chandler as chief human resources officer. She [replaces]( Carole Katz, who, after 18 years at the company, will take an advisory role. Chandler is coming from Under Armour, where she had been chief HR officer since 2015. ► Judge rejects John DeLorean widow's attempt at Back to the Future royalties. A New Jersey judge [ruled]( that Sally DeLorean gave up the right to assert royalty claims when settling a prior trademark fight with the DeLorean Motor Company. ► #MeToo founder plans website for survivors. Tarana Burke's website will provide resources for victims of sexual assault as well as give a platform for them to share their stories: "One of the things I want to do at some point soon is to call for a healing. We rally around causes, and we protest and we march, but we don’t ever take time to just sit and focus on what we personally need." [[New York Times](] ► Michael Ironside on why he won't be in Top Gun sequel. "I'm not going to be in this film. The one person still in charge is Jerry Bruckheimer, and Mr. Bruckheimer and I don’t really get along," Ironside told THR. [Watch.]( [Quoted:]( "I got married very young, but it definitely wasn’t power for me — it was protection. I married for love, but being married to an extremely powerful man kept me from being sexually harassed. I would work, but I was still very much cocooned." — Nicole Kidman, reflecting on her marriage to Tom Cruise. ^Categorical debates: With the Oct. 22 SAG Awards submission deadline right around the corner, actors and actresses, directors, publicists and distributors are being forced to make some tough decisions about submitting to lead or supporting characters, Scott Feinberg reports: + Harder than usual: This season, there is an unusually high number of "close calls" — talent who could just as plausibly be pushed in one category as another. + Key distinctions: The Favourite's Olivia Colman will be the film's sole lead actress competitor, while Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz will both go supporting. Mahershala Ali has opted to go supporting for Green Book, in recognition of the fact that his character is never seen onscreen without Viggo Mortensen's, whereas Mortensen's has 16 minutes of additional screen time. [Sorting through cases.]( For your consideration... ► Free Solo leads Critics' Choice Documentary Awards noms. Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi's doc Free Solo — which follows mountaineer Alex Honnold as he scales Yosemite's El Capitan without a rope — garnered a total of six noms, while Minding the Gap and Wild Wild Country tallied five nods each. [Nominees.]( Honorees... ► Olivia Munn feted at Girl Hero Awards for speaking on The Predator controversy. "Is it worth losing a little bit of my soul, my integrity, [compromising]( my own self identity?" Munn said of staying silent, while being honored by the UN's Girl Up, along with Yara Shahidi, Chrissy Metz and Eighth Grade. ► Robin Wright to be honored by Marrakech Film Festival. Legendary French New Wave director Agnes Varda will also [receive]( the fest's Gold Star prize for her work. The 90-year-old filmmaker received her first Oscar nomination for Faces, Places just last year. In memoriam... ► RIP Jonathan Skow. The Los Angeles-based designer behind the exuberant Mr. Turk line and the husband to L.A. fashion designer Trina Turk died Saturday after suffering a spinal cord injury in Hawaii over Labor Day weekend while in the ocean bodysurfing. He was 55. [Full obit.]( Coming attractions... ► Trailer: Ansel Elgort juggles dual personalities in Jonathan. The Baby Driver actor struggles with a personality disorder in the sci-fi drama directed by Bill Oliver. [Watch.]( Diane Lane signs with WME. The Oscar nominee, previously with UTA, will be seen in both House of Cards and The Romanoffs this fall. Lane continues to be [represented]( by attorney Stan Coleman of Weintraub Tobin. Rome Embraces Netflix Europe's streamer war: Despite the protests of local exhibitors upset over Alfonso Cuaron's top prize win at Venice for his film Roma, fest organizers in Rome are embracing the disruption, Ariston Anderson reports: + Countrywide crossroads: Cinema owners are up in arms that Italy's premiere festival would give so much exposure to a movie that will primarily be seen on the small screen. But Rome, like Venice, is having none of this Netflix bashing. "Netflix is a disrupter. It's like being against the car if you have a horse," says Rome festival director Antonio Monda. "I think the theater owners should deal and cope with that." + Cracking down: Italy, together with the rest of the European Union, is finalizing new quotas for streaming companies that would force Netflix to invest in local content. The legislation, which would require streamers to dedicate at least 30 percent of their total online catalog in each region to European productions, is expected to pass this year. [Full story.]( + Hollywood eyes Naples: The region has become a go-to locale for projects seeking a gritty alternative to the glamour of Rome, Ariston reports. ["This ground is like a magnet for me."]( What else we're reading... — "How Netflix Expanded to 190 Countries in 7 Years." Louis Brennan reports: "Netflix did not try to enter all markets at once. Rather, it carefully selected its initial adjacent markets in terms of geography and psychic distance, or perceived differences between markets." [[Harvard Business Review](] — "Netflix May Not Win Best Picture, But We'll Win Better Movies." Brian Raftery muses: "Netflix’s prestige-lust is forcing the company to invest in writer-directors with deep creative cred and risky original ideas–the kinds of ideas the big studios seem too skittish to back nowadays." [[WIRED](] — "How the West Was Digitized." Harold Goldberg details the making of Rockstar's blockbuster game Red Dead Redemption 2: "Bringing the script to life meant 2,200 days of motion-capture work — compared with just five for Grand Theft Auto III — requiring 1,200 actors, all SAG-AFTRA, 700 of them with dialogue." [[Vulture](] — "First Man Is Astonishingly Accurate." Stefanie Waldek details how NASA helped: "Using NASA’s plans, models—and in some cases, the actual equipment—the crew physically built models of spacecraft, planes, and other machinery for the film." [[Popular Science](] — "How Instagram Saved Poetry." Faith Hill and Karen Yuan detail: "According to one market-research group, 12 of the top 20 best-selling poets last year were Insta-poets, who combined their written work with shareable posts for social media; nearly half of poetry books sold in the United States last year were written by these poets." [[The Atlantic](] What else we're watching... + "Melissa McCarthy has intense game nights with Octavia Spencer." [[Late Show](] + "Jennifer Aniston & Bono love Adam Sandler's new comedy special." [[Jimmy Kimmel](] + "Jon Hamm & Judy Greer were Halloween candy hounds." [[Late Late Show](] From the archives... + On Oct. 16, 1973, Sydney Pollack's romantic drama The Way We Were held its premiere in New York at Loew's State 1 theater. The Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford film went on to be nominated for six Oscars at the 46th Academy Awards, fueled by Streisand's strong performance as "an intelligent, educated, committed woman for the first time in her career." [Flashback review.]( Today's birthdays: Caterina Scorsone, 37, Flea, 56, Kenneth Lonergan, 56, Kim Wayans, 57, Tim Robbins, 60, David Zucker, 71, Suzanne Somers, 72, Angela Lansbury, 93. Follow The News Is this email not displaying correctly? 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