R. Kelly Backlash; Unkrich Leaving Pixar; 'Glass' Falling Short; 'SMILF' Tax Problems; 'The First' Canceled

The Weekender: Pixar loses a big name in its filmmaking ranks. Plus: SMILF is at risk of losing its Massachusetts tax credit, Glass is behind projections and Toby Emmerich reflects on Warner Bros.' big 2018. — Will Robinson [The Hollywood Reporter - Today In Entertainment]( January 19, 2019 The Weekender: Pixar loses a big name in its filmmaking ranks. Plus: SMILF is at risk of losing its Massachusetts tax credit, Glass is behind projections and Toby Emmerich reflects on Warner Bros.' big 2018. — Will Robinson ^R. Kelly backlash: After years of reports and further uproar spurred from Lifetime's Surviving R. Kelly docuseries, Sony and the musician have agreed to part ways, Dan Rys and Hannah Karp report. + Longtime home: "Kelly had been signed to Jive since the beginning of his career in the early 1990s, and when Jive became part of Sony BMG, he became part of the Sony umbrella. He has been under contract at RCA, a Sony subsidiary, since 2012. Kelly's catalog will remain with RCA/Sony and his music is still available on digital retailers and streaming services." + Protests sparked: "After the debut of the Lifetime series, protests against Kelly began to ramp up, with #MuteRKelly protests outside the Sony building in Manhattan on Wednesday, and artists such as Lady Gaga, Chance The Rapper and Phoenix apologizing for collaborating with the singer. (Gaga removed her Kelly collaboration, "Do What U Want," from streaming services and digital retailers last week.)" [[Billboard](] + Surviving's draw: Lifetime's six-part docuseries narrates stories and allegations from a number of women, including his ex-wife Andrea Lee, former underage partner Lizzette Martinez and former backup singer Jovante Cunningham. The three-night, six-hour series averaged 2.1 million viewers, [far bigger]( than the cable channel's usual viewership, Lexy Perez notes. Man believed to be R. Kelly's former manager arrested, accused of threatening Savage family. Henry James Mason is accused of [making threats]( to the family of Joycelyn Savage, one of the women who Kelly is allegedly holding against her will. Savage has maintained she is with R. Kelly of her own free will; her family, who participated in the documentary, are fighting for her return. 'SMILF' Tax Trouble Credits cut?: Massachusetts lawmakers are calling for any and all tax breaks to the Showtime comedy to be suspended pending an investigation into star and creator Frankie Shaw's on-set behavior, Bryn Elise Sandberg reports: + Reactions: "As someone in the legislature and a woman of color, I found the allegations concerning ABC’s production of the show SMILF — which was based in our city — to be appalling," said state representative Liz Miranda, who signed the letter. "To me, if this production has applied for any tax credits, I feel like there needs to be a pause and there needs to be an independent investigation conducted by our AG." + What this would mean: The move would impact the show's most recent second season. It was filmed in the state in 2018, which means the studio must apply for the tax credits in 2019. Projects that film in the state and spend more than $50,000 in qualified expenditures are eligible to receive a 25 percent tax credit. [Full story.]( Elsewhere in TV... ► Top Ryan Seacrest exec Kelly Mullens Brown to exit. During her seven years in-house as president of Ryan Seacrest Enterprises, Brown [oversaw]( corporate strategy, brand innovation and strategic alliances as well as Seacrest's many business and philanthropic interests. ► Hulu cancels Sean Penn-starrer The First. The space drama [launched]( its first and only season in September to lackluster reviews. The First becomes Hulu's latest high-profile one-and-done series to date. ► Netflix rebooting Unsolved Mysteries with original producers. The streaming service [adds]( to its docuseries roster with a reworking of the show that originally aired on NBC in the 1980s. ► Wendy Williams taking "extended break" from talk show to focus on health. The TV host is going on another hiatus after [experiencing]( complications from Graves' disease. Williams has been on hiatus since December, when the TV host and author slurred her words and apologized to fans for a "less than stellar" show. -> The Other Two bosses discuss the "exhaustion and sadness" of writing political jokes. SNL alums Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider, showrunners on Comedy Central's new series, open up about the family comedy — which follows two struggling siblings navigating their younger brother's instant fame as a pop star: "Tiny humiliations [really make us laugh](." ^This week's TV's Top 5: West Coast TV editor Lesley Goldberg and chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg discuss what the return topic for Game of Thrones means for its Emmy chances, Comcast's new streamer and the value of franchise IP on new streamers (like Star Trek for CBS). [Listen]( | [Subscribe]( * How the Star Trek: Discovery premiere begins the search for Spock. The season two premiere introduced the famous Vulcan to Discovery, as well as his mysterious mission, writes. [Spoilers.]( Latest reviews... ► Hulu's Butterfly. "So much of Butterfly relies on the viewpoints of [lead character] Max's warring parents, the narrative probably could have focused on any childhood trauma and still felt like a sensitive, if sensationalized, public service announcement," Robyn Bahr writes. [Full review.]( ► BBC's Dynasties. "A lot of scripted dramas don't have the emotional impact and, yes, dramatic arcs, that are on display in the latest stunning natural history documentary series from the producers of Planet Earth II and the BBC," Tim Goodman praises. [Full review.]( From the Live Feed... ► How Black Monday blends Wall Street fact and fiction. The cast and creators of Showtime’s dark comedy [discuss]( satirizing 1980s Wall Street and putting a supervillain twist on the Lehman brothers, Emma Dibdin reports. ► The Punisher's Ben Barnes talks season two transformation. “It felt inevitable” Barnes says of the last confrontation between Frank Castle and Billy Russo. [Spoilers.]( A weekend at speedrunning marathon Awesome Games Done Quick. Pete Keeley attended the weeklong charity event in Washington D.C. that raised over $2.3 million earlier this month for the Prevent Cancer Foundation and has [gathered over]( $19 million for charities since 2010. 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](. WB's 'Crazy Rich' Year Victory lap: Ahead of Saturday's PGA Awards, Warner Bros. film chief Toby Emmerich discusses why he's OK with Disney being No. 1 and what Aquaman's success means for the DC Universe, Pamela McClintock reports: + Crazy Rich Asians' China concern: "We're not counting on any box office from China [even though it'll be filmed there]. Maybe we can crack it, and maybe they will come to the party. I'm not giving up, but we're assuming the second movie will do the same as the first in China [$1.7 million]." + On Aquaman's wild success: "We all feel like we've turned a corner now. We're playing by the DC playbook, which is very different than the Marvel playbook. We are far less focused on a shared universe. We take it one movie at a time. Each movie is its own equation and own creative entity. If you had to say one thing about us, it's that it always has to be about the directors." [Full interview.]( Elsewhere in film... ► Toy Story 3, Coco director Lee Unkrich leaving Pixar after 25 years. The filmmaker [informed]( Pixar employees on Friday of his decision. "I'm not leaving to make films at another studio; instead, I look forward to spending much-needed time with my family and pursuing interests that have long been back-burnered,” said Unkrich, 51, in a statement to THR. ► Glass now heading for $45M-$50M debut. M. Night Shyamalan's supernatural thriller is coming in behind expectations, with a projected Friday take of $15 million. The Universal pic [was pegged]( to earn $60 million-$70 million during the three-day weekend. ► Imagine's doc unit strikes first-look deal with Apple. The longtime Imagine partners [launched]( their new documentary unit last June, bringing on Justin Wilkes, former president of RadicalMedia to serve as its president, and former HBO exec Sarah Bernstein as executive vp. ► Kevin Hart sets post-Jumanji feature Fatherhood. Based on a memoir, the story [follows]( a man whose wife dies shortly after childbirth, leaving him to raise their daughter on his own. ► Keegan-Michael Key, John Leguizamo joining John Cena in Playing With Fire. Paramount [has set]( a March 20, 2020 date for the family comedy that follows wildfire fighters that spend Christmas weekend at the station taking care of three rambunctious kids they rescued. Sundance developments... ► Showtime takes Wu-Tang Clan docuseries. The first two episodes of the series about the seminal hip-hop group from director Sacha Jenkins will premiere at the festival, and then the entire series [will air]( on the cable network in the spring. Hollywood & the Saudis... -> Whatever happened to the "Seinfeld of Saudi Arabia"? The disappearance of Fahad Albutairi — a rising name who had [already caught]( Hollywood's eye and looked set to become part of Saudi's cultural reforms — has recently been brought into the spotlight, Alex Ritman reports. ^Why is the new Ghostbusters ignoring the all-female reboot? The new Jason Reitman project will bypass the 2016 film, a move that is sparking debate, Kyle Kizu details: + "The past is safe": "There's an element of gatekeeperism where fans of the original want things to be how they were in the good old days, which ties into this nostalgia, but it's 2019," says writer Hannah Woodhead, "and we're too far gone to make the same films over and over.” [Full story.]( For your consideration... ► MPSE Golden Reel Awards: First Man, A Quiet Place among sound editors noms. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Isle of Dogs lead the field of animated movies. Winners will be presented Feb. 17. [Nominees.]( Honorees... ► Visual Effects Society to fete Illumination's Chris Meledandri. The CEO, who has steered Illumination through the release of films including Despicable Me, Sing and The Grinch, [will be honored]( Feb. 5 for his "unique ability to bring animation into the lives of audiences worldwide and create unforgettable characters." Around town... ► NoHo cars vandalized; Trump graffiti sprayed on pavement. Eight cars had windows smashed and were [spray-painted](. The word "Trump" was also spray-painted on the pavement near the cars, police said. It is unclear if the act was pro-Trump or anti-Trump. From the stage... ► Matthew Broderick to make London stage debut in Kenneth Lonergan's The Starry Messenger. Broderick [will play]( an astronomer in the comic-drama, which opens May 16, starring opposite Downton Abbey's Elizabeth McGovern. The arts scene... ► Art Los Angeles Contemporary reveals exhibitors, new look for 10th edition. L.A.'s international contemporary art fair, which in 2018 [welcomed]( star patrons like Leonardo DiCaprio, returns to Santa Monica's Barker Hangar for five days starting Feb. 13. In memoriam... ► RIP Stefanos Miltsakakis. The powerful martial arts muscleman who squared off against Jean-Claude Van Damme in Maximum Risk, The Quest and three other action films died Jan. 10 at 59. [Obit.]( How a production designer created Isle of Dogs' miniature world. Size [mattered]( as Oscar winner Adam Stockhausen traveled from Wes Anderson's stop-motion movie, shot on miniature sets, to Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, which required a sky-high shantytown as well as a virtual reality escape, Carolyn Giardina reports. The Existentialism of 'Wilfred' Hidden gem: All four seasons of the FX series starring Jason Gann and Elijah Wood are now on Hulu, waiting to be rediscovered, Tim Goodman hails: + Held multitudes: The show was ridiculously crude and funny — Wilfred was in a sexual relationship with a stuffed bear called "Bear" and constantly made vile jokes and flew into fits of hilarious rage at other dogs or people. At the same time, Wilfred was an existential philosopher and life coach for Ryan (Wood) and Gann could always deliver the goods on both + Easily shifts moods: After re-watching some episodes to freshen up my memories (Wilfred ran from 2011 to 2014), what I most appreciated was the consistency of Gann's humor and how he could shift over so effortlessly to the serious parts, mirrored by Wood's ability to be sweet and suffering at the same time. [Full column.]( What to watch this weekend... THR critic Daniel Fienberg sends his recommendation: Grab yourself a stale cheese sandwich and some sunscreen, throw a Ja Rule album on in the other room and take lots of selfies as you spend the weekend pondering millennial insecurities, social media stardom and the nightmare that was Fyre Festival. And don't stop yourself with just Hulu's Fyre Fraud — featuring a truly shady Billy McFarland — or just Netflix's Fyre. No, life is a compare-contrast essay and you won't be able to hold your end at the watercooler on Monday if you can't debate all of the key stylistic and ethical differences between [these two documentaries](. What else we're reading... — "'It’s Fair to Criticize Anybody on a Public Stage.'" Michael Hogan chats with Judd Apatow about comedy: "I will take an endless amount of criticism from certain people who just think I should never comment on any joke ever. But sometimes your humanity is more important than some theory of comedy." [[Vanity Fair](] — "Bruce Willis Gets No Respect." Adam Neyman considers the actor's career: "Willis has done his share of quiet glaring onscreen, and probably played a few too many cops for his own (or anyone’s) good, but it would be a mischaracterization to peg him simply as the strong, silent type." [[The Ringer](] — "The Mixed Reception of the Hamilton Premiere in Puerto Rico." Daniel Pollack-Pelzner reports from San Juan: "The musical that had been celebrated for the revolutionary diversity of its cast was now being aligned with the American political establishment that Hamilton had tried to reimagine." [[The Atlantic](] — "Anne Hathaway Dares You Not to Look Away." Kathryn Shattuck interviews the actress — on Time's Up: "All I can represent is my own experience, which is I was ignorant of all the effort that has gone into keeping women separated. And now that I’ve found my sisters and my arms are linked with them, I’m never letting go." [[The New York Times](] — "How Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Changed the Animation Game." Charles Bramesco details: "Achieving a distinctive look with a basis in the old school required some technological advances from the new school — and a team of digital artists with the skill to shrink the space between the two until it vanished completely" [[Vulture](] What else we're watching... + "Late-Night Lately: Fallon in Puerto Rico, Kimmel pitches YouTube, presidential plans." [[THR](] What we're listening to... + "Aaron Sorkin discusses his career." [[The Ringer](] From the archives... + Today in 1953: CBS' I Love Lucy aired a TV event for the ages: Lucille Ball's character gave birth to Little Ricky, the same day the real-life Ball had a cesarean section to give birth to her son Desi Jr. with co-star and then-husband, Desi Arnaz: "It is said that water supplies nationwide dropped dangerously when it concluded, because no one had wanted to use the bathroom until Lucy had Little Ricky." [[EW](] Today's birthdays: Logan Lerman, 27, Damien Chazelle, 34, Jodie Sweetin, 37, Elizabeth Tulloch, 38, Rob Delaney, 42, Drea de Matteo, 47, Katey Sagal, 65, Dolly Parton, 73, Tippi Hedren, 89. Follow The News Is this email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( ©2019 The Hollywood Reporter. 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 All rights reserved. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Preferences]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Use]( January 19, 2019