'Poppins' Early Gifts; James Ellroy Revisits Sal Mineo Murder; 'Roma' 70mm Release; LeBron's Lakers Effect

What's news: Mary Poppins Returns begins its box office gifting. Plus: Netflix's PR chief goes to Blumhouse, Amazon snaps up Luke Cage's former showrunner and author James Ellroy re-creates how Los Angeles detectives found Sal Mineo's killer 40 years ago. — Will Robinson [The Hollywood Reporter - Today In Entertainment]( December 21, 2018 What's news: Mary Poppins Returns begins its box office gifting. Plus: Netflix's PR chief goes to Blumhouse, Amazon snaps up Luke Cage's former showrunner and author James Ellroy re-creates how Los Angeles detectives found Sal Mineo's killer 40 years ago. — Will Robinson Cracking the Case Finding Mineo's killer: Writing for THR, best-selling author of L.A. Confidential James Ellroy delves into police files from 1976 and revisits the complicated two-year pursuit of the Oscar-nominated star's killer — told here from the point of view of the detectives who painstakingly worked the case from West Hollywood to Michigan: + Canvassing the scene: We hit the upstairs pads and logged earball-witness statements. It was all overlap. Some neighbors cringed and hid. Some neighbors buzzed the fuzz. Some neighbors ran downstairs and tried to help. Some neighbors trampled and fucked up the crime scene. Note their footprints in the victim’s blood. Said victim was Sal Mineo. He was a halfassed movie star. He played a tortured punk in that florid lox Rebel Without a Cause. + Press finds out: Mineo was just back in town. He’d been up in San Francisco. He was starring in a play there. P.S. Your Cat Is Dead. Word leaked. The press grabbed it and created big woo-woo. It made the late TV and radio news. Actor Mineo Dead. Two-time Oscar Nominee Slain Outside Apartment. Sal’s known associates swung by said apartment. Patrol deputies braced them. + Perpetrator shares account: Lionel said he hid out in a large apartment complex. He intended to rob somebody. The dude parked his car and saw him. He started hollering. Lionel stabbed him. The dude started screaming, "Help me, please!" Lionel got no money. He freaked and got disorientated. He boogied out of there. [Full story.]( Elsewhere in film... ► Mary Poppins Returns sings to $4.8 million on opening day. The year-end holiday film opened on Wednesday to get a jump on the Christmas competition, via 4,090 screens. [Box office analysis.]( * Aquaman swims to $9M in Thursday previews, hits early U.S. total of $13.7M. Normally, that would be considered a muted number for a superhero pic that carries plenty of buzz and has already amassed north of $300 million overseas, much of it from China. But the weekend before Christmas can be [somewhat slow]( as consumers focus on holiday preparations, Pamela McClintock reports. ► Academy names Christine Simmons COO. Formerly president and COO of the Los Angeles Sparks, Simmons [will oversee]( day-to-day management. ► Netflix PR chief Karen Barragan departs for Blumhouse. At Netflix, Barragan was vp publicity for original series and [helped put]( Netflix's programming efforts on the map. ► Netflix's Roma lands limited 70mm runs in six U.S. cities. The 70mm runs will range from two days in Los Angeles at the Egyptian Theater (Jan. 11-12) to six days at the Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn in New York (Jan. 11-17). The film will also show in San Francisco, Chicago, Hartford, Conn. and Austin, Texas. [Dates.]( ► Marisa Tomei, Amber Tamblyn attend Harvey Weinstein court hearing. "This morning we showed up in Criminal court to witness Harvey Weinstein and his case not be dismissed. It is a small victory," wrote Tamblyn in a tweet. "But there's a [long way to go](. We'll be there again on March 7th and look forward to seeing him prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." ► Creed II secures China release. The boxing drama is the eighth installment in the Rocky franchise and the first to be released theatrically in China. It [arrives]( Jan. 4. ► Vanessa Hudgens, Charles Melton join Bad Boys sequel. Alexander Ludwig will [also join]( Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys 4 Life. ► Netflix's Chambers fills out teen cast opposite Uma Thurman, Tony Goldwyn. Newcomer Sivan Alyra Rose [will play]( the lead role as a transplant patient delving into the mystery of how she got her donor heart. ► Darren Aronofsky's VR film Spheres to screen at Rockefeller Center. The film, written and directed by Eliza McNitt, [won]( the Golden Lion for best VR film in Venice. ► Disney faces "Hakuna Matata" copyright fight. "'Hakuna Matata' is a common expression in Swahili, a language spoken in a large part of Africa, and it became popular in the West after the original version of The Lion King was released in 1994. Trademark experts said the issue had been blown out of proportion by confusion over intellectual property rights and what the trademark actually entails." [[The New York Times](] ^After Cannes: Cate Blanchett and 82 women symbolizing the number of female directors selected in the festival's 70-year history (out of 1,800-plus ) — part of THR's year-end Rule Breakers issue — took to the Palais steps to protest a lack of women's voices, Rebecca Keegan reports: + Expectations exceeded: "I thought it was going to be a grassroots gathering," says Julie Huntsinger, Telluride Film Festival exec director. "I realized it was far more organized than that. The French love pomp and circumstance. They had a festival car meet us. They even offered hair and makeup! It was about, ‘We want you to understand that we take this seriously.' " [Full story.]( Box office returns... -> International box office surprises of 2018. A micro-budget zombie film kills in Japan, a pair of basketball films score in Russia and Spain and Germans, ironically, turn away from Never Look Away lead the biggest turns overseas. [Full list.]( ► U.K. cinema admissions poised to hit almost 50-year high. Just 14 million more admissions are [needed to reach]( the 176 million mark for the first time since 1970, according to the U.K. Cinema Association. For your consideration... ► Shortlisted Oscar doc features to screen nationwide. Under the new program, the 15 docs competing for an Oscar nomination will play theaters in 13 cities. [Details.]( On the festival circuit... ► Paddleton, starring Mark Duplass and Ray Romano, added to Sundance. Chiwetel Ejiofor’s The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind was named the winner of the 2019 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize. [Details.]( Honorees... ► Jane Fonda to receive Producers Guild's Stanley Kramer Award. The two-time Oscar winner will be [honored]( for her lifetime of activism and philanthropic work on Jan. 19 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Musical notes... ► Maverick Carter joins Live Nation board. Carter, longtime business manager of LeBron James, is "at the forefront of talent, sports and media and brings [exceptional experience]( and insight," said Greg Maffei, chairman of the Live Nation Board of Directors. Around town... ► LAPD investigating after Trump's Walk of Fame star is vandalized again. Video of the incident shows a man [marking]( Trump's star with multiple swastikas. Trump's star has been vandalized a number of times and completely destroyed on two separate occasions. ► Billy Crystal to be L.A. Clippers analyst for a game. The actor, who has been the team's most [well-known fan]( through the good times and bad, will be the analyst for the Jan. 31 game against the Lakers. In memoriam... ► RIP Peter Masterson. The actor, director and writer from Houston known for his wide-ranging work on The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Trip to Bountiful, The Exorcist and The Stepford Wives, died Wednesday. He was 84. [Obit.]( Coming attractions... ► Trailer: Isabelle Huppert, Chloe Grace Moretz bring the chills in Greta. The trailer for the thriller, written and directed by Oscar-winner Neil Jordan, showcases disturbing images featuring bloody floors, poisonous syringes and bodies wrapped in tarps in basements. [Watch.]( Producer Chris Morgan on Bird Box, and The Rock's Fast and Furious future. The longtime Fast screenwriter explains what [drew him]( to Sandra Bullock's post-apocalyptic film and how Dwayne Johnson's Hobbs and Shaw spinoff could intertwine with the main franchise, Andy Crump reports. 'Timeless' (Finally) Ends End of the road?: The NBC time travel drama managed to cheat death twice, coming back for a second season after being canceled and then, a year later, revived for a two-hour wrap-up movie after being brought back from the dead, Jean Bentley writes: + Fan-fueled comeback: "It's very humbling," showrunner Shawn Ryan says. "When you write for television you want people that feel as passionate about the show as you do watching it, and that's not always the case, even if they enjoy it. In this case it really feels like the fans are almost more passionate than us. Not that we're not passionate — we are! — but it really is amazing the lengths that they'll go to fight for the show. + Played for bigger audience: "We don't want this to only be something that can be viewed by hardcore fans of the show," Ryan says. "If someone never even heard of Timeless before and they're flipping around and they come across NBC at 8 p.m., how can we grab their attention and go, 'OK, I don't know everything that's going on here,' but it's kind of like going and watching a Marvel movie." * Chance to come back?: "There's definitely a door open if someone is interested in opening it further, absolutely," Ryan teases. [Spoiler-filled interview.]( Elsewhere in TV... ► Amazon inks Luke Cage showrunner to overall deal. Under the pact, Cheo Hodari Coker will [develop and produce]( new TV projects for the retail giant and streamer under his Fighting 99th Entertainment banner. Amazon will distribute the content globally in more than 200 countries and territories. ► Showtime renews Ray Donovan. The drama has ascended to become one of the network's most popular series, and will live [to see]( a season seven. ► Comedy Central nabs Parks and Recreation in latest acquisition. The beloved NBC comedy [joins]( recent off-network pickups BoJack Horseman, King of the Hill and The Cleveland Show. ► NBC's The Village casts Tony-winner Katrina Lenk. The Band's Visit star will have a key recurring role on the NBC midseason drama. The Village [will premiere]( March 12, 2019. ► Netflix skating drama Spinning Out adds Johnny Weir. The former Olympian [will play]( an on-ice rival to the show's lead characters, played by Kaya Scodelario and Evan Roderick. ► Netflix's What/If casts Daniella Pineda. The Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom grad will be a [series regular]( in the Renee Zellweger anthology. ► U.K. regulator says Russia's RT broke broadcasting rules. The Kremlin-funded TV service's [breaches]( "represent a serious failure of compliance with our broadcasting rules." ^Inside Spotify's unusual IPO: The music streamer skipped institutional investors and listed directly on the NYSE, to a healthy share price and zero volatility, Natalie Jarvey reports: + Name recognition key: With 87 million paid users, Spotify is already a household name. And it has an easy-to-understand business model that draws comparisons to Netflix. That’s valuable when selling shares directly to the public and without a bank to help drum up interest with investors. [Full story.]( Digital digest... ► "How Snap Originals Beat Facebook, Instagram in Adapting TV to Social Media." Troy Patterson explores why Snap's content has worked best: "Even when trashy or trifling, they’re an earnest experiment in styling serial narratives that alternately pander to Generation Z and endeavor to address its sensibilities with respect." [[The New Yorker](] ► Kardashians, Kendal Jenner shuttering apps, sites. "Although there aren’t specific figures as to how much the sisters have earned from their respective apps, Forbes reported that Kim earned $45.5 million from her website, app, Kimoji emojis and product endorsements in 2016." [[Page Six](] -> Are Fortnite dances illegal? "If Epic turned [rapper 2 Milly] into a playable Fortnite character without his permission, it would be a clear violation of his right of publicity. But the claims are more complicated when it comes to dances." [[The Verge](] Latest reviews... ► Amazon's Vanity Fair. "This adaptation ... is a respectful and fundamentally simple reading of the novel," Daniel Fienberg writes. "Even stretched to seven episodes, it moves fast and hits some of the right notes. Mostly it offers a juicy, well-played role for leading lady Olivia Cooke." [Review.]( From last night... ► Murphy Brown creator wants another (bipartisan) season of CBS comedy. Diane English reveals the story behind Avery's (Jake McDorman) fate, what she accomplished in the first season of her revival and whether the series could work on a streaming service. [Spoilers.]( Honorees... ► Game of Thrones creators to be honored by Visual Effects Society. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss [will receive]( the VES Award for Creative Excellence on Feb. 5 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The tribe has spoken... ► Survivor David vs Goliath winner walks through the path to victory. The season 37 champion surveys the 39 day struggle to win the Sole Survivor title. [Spoilers.]( * Finale tops previous season. David vs. Goliath [averaged]( a 1.5 rating among adults 18-49 and 7.72 million viewers from 8-10 p.m. That's even with a week ago and up slightly from Survivor's spring 2018 finale (1.4, 7.31 million). The season 35 closer delivered a 1.9 in the 18-49 demo and 8.7 million viewers a year ago. Talking points... ► Defense secretary Jim Mattis stepping down after clashes with Trump. Mattis, perhaps the most respected foreign policy official in Trump's administration, [will leave]( by the end of February. Trump said on Twitter that a new secretary of defense will be named soon. Coming attractions... ► Teaser: Netflix shares look at final season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The conclusion of the series' fourth and last season starts streaming on Jan. 25. [Watch.]( TV's Top 5 podcast: The highs and lows of 2018. In this week's supersized episode, hosts Lesley Goldberg and Daniel Fienberg close out the year with a look back at the biggest headlines, cast departures, executive changes and best (and worst) shows of 2018. [Listen]( | [Subscribe]( LeBron Draws Stars Back Showtime returns: After enduring years of low-buzz teams, L.A. fans including Jonah Hill, Adam Sandler and Arnold Schwarzenegger are back in the stands at Staples Center as LeBron James leads "a new era of true Lakers basketball," Natalie Jarvey and Rebecca Sun report: + Demand skyrockets: "It was pretty painful the past few years trying to find people to give tickets away to," says lawyer Jonathan Gardner, whose clients include Ryan Coogler and Boots Riley. "This year people are calling me, trying to see if they can get in." Per Ticketmaster, prices are up 55 percent since last year. Twenty minutes after James' July 1 announcement that he was taking his talents to SoCal, the cheapest set of season tickets on StubHub leaped from $3,499 to $5,800. + Amateur effect: Middle-school gyms in L.A. also are experiencing a LeBron effect (minus the elevated ticket prices): 14-year-old LeBron James Jr., aka Bronny, is a star guard for Santa Monica's Crossroads School. A recent Tuesday away game against the Westside Neighborhood School Jets packed the bleachers and was standing room only, a far cry from the team's normal attendance (Bronny and his team won in a romp, 51-24). [Full story.]( What else we're reading... — "The Fall and Rise of M. Night Shyamalan." Brian Hiatt profiles: "'I felt like was I starting to lose my voice a bit,' he says. 'I’m not really the best person to work in the system.' He would eventually conclude that he’s at his most commercial and accessible when he’s most himself, but not before some considerable pain." [[Rolling Stone](] — "The Necessary Chaos of Weinstein’s Ongoing Court Case." Megan Garber writes: "[Dushku's] allegations are, in that way, very similar to what the women—more than 80 of them—who have made claims against Weinstein have said: The harms involved are not containable, because the harms involved expand and entangle and abide." [[The Atlantic](] — "Dick Van Dyke Is Still Dancing at 93." Margy Rochlin interviews the screen legend: "I’ve taken it on the chin for 60 years about my atrocious Cockney accent in the first movie. No one has ever forgotten it. Because of that, they had a language gal almost handcuffed to me. She made me sound pretty good. They won’t laugh at me on this one." [[The New York Times](] — "A Long Talk With Lin-Manuel Miranda." Chris Smith sits down with the actor and playwright — on saying President Trump is "going straight to hell" in the wake of Hurricane Maria: "I didn’t really snap, because those were not impulsive tweets. They were just the only sane response. The only response I knew how to give to a president who is attacking the first responders in a tragedy. I’d never seen a president do that before." [[Vulture](] — "How the Movies Invented Christmas." Terry Teachout writes: "How, then, to work Christmas into their movies without raising hackles? They split the difference by portraying Christmas in a sincere but secular manner, and their precedent for doing so was A Christmas Carol, in which Scrooge is redeemed not through the operation of divine grace but by his embrace of the social gospel." [[The Wall Street Journal](] What else we're watching... + "Lin-Manuel Miranda stuns Emily Blunt by rapping Hamilton." [[Graham Norton](] + "Felicity Jones shares RBG's reaction to Armie Hammer." [[Tonight Show](] + "Jonathan Van Ness recalls auditioning for Queer Eye." [[Jimmy Kimmel](] + "Will Ferrell wasn't sure about Elf at first." [[Late Late Show](] From the archives... + Today in 1946: Frank Capra and James Stewart held the world premiere for It's a Wonderful Life in New York at the Globe Theater. The film, now a holiday classic and television staple, was nominated for five Oscars at the 19th Academy Awards: "[Capra's] direction of the individual characterizations delivered is also distinctively his, and the performances, from the starring roles of James Stewart and Donna Reed down to the smallest bit, are magnificent. When Capra is at his best, no one can top him." [Flashback review.]( Today's birthdays: Kaitlyn Dever, 22, Steven Yeun, 35, Tom Payne, 36, Julie Delpy, 49, Kiefer Sutherland, 52, Andy Dick, 53, Ray Romano, 61, Jane Kaczmarek, 63, Samuel L. Jackson, 70, Jane Fonda, 81. Enjoy reading this? Six days a week, look for Today in Entertainment in your inbox to stay up-to-date on the industry. Sign up for this newsletter (and others) at [THR.com/Newsletters](. 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