Agents Under Fire; 'Joker’ Trailer; DOJ Backs Netflix; HBO's Post-'Thrones' Future; New THR Cover

What's news: An in-depth look at the war between agents and writers. Plus: What's going on at CinemaCon, HBO's future after Game of Thrones and the DOJ takes Netflix's side in a feud with the Oscars. — Will Robinson and Erik Hayden April 03, 2019 What's news: An in-depth look at the war between agents and writers. Plus: What's going on at CinemaCon, HBO's future after Game of Thrones and the DOJ takes Netflix's side in a feud with the Oscars. — Will Robinson and Erik Hayden [On the cover:]( A Saturday deadline looms for the WGA and talent reps, who are locked in a bitter standoff over fees and who can produce shows, with writers threatening to leave their agents en masse and agencies playing hardball. How did they get here? Jonathan Handel and Rebecca Sun report: + Two big sticking points: The decades-old collection of packaging fees, whereby agencies receive an ongoing sum from studios in exchange for having bundled one or more clients (writers, directors, actors) on a project, and the newer trend of affiliate production, wherein the three largest agencies (WME, CAA and UTA) have developed sister companies that take ownership stakes in content. + Backing away?: More than 800 scribes, including prominent showrunners such as Vince Gilligan, Damon Lindelof and Amy Sherman-Palladino, have signed a Statement of Support pledging that they "will only be represented as writers by agencies franchised by the Guild" — although the careful language indicates that high-level multi­hyphenates such as showrunners, who are writer-producers, might be able to stay with their agencies under their other roles. + "This is not a strike," says truTV's Adam Ruins Everything showrunner and star Adam Conover. "This is a disruption of how we've done business in the past, but there's going to be the same number of jobs and the same number of dollars out there for the same number of writers." [Full cover story]( | [An explainer]( Point-counterpoint. People on both sides of the table make the case for their stances. [How packaging hurts]( | [WGA's baseless claim]( After 'Game of Thrones' Is winter coming for HBO?: TV's most popular show Game of Thrones winds down just as new owner AT&T ramps up pressure to deliver new hits, "successor" spinoffs and greater volume, Michael O'Connell reports: + New regime's effect: Some sources question whether WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey's new regime will allow the patience and lavish expense on Thrones' spinoffs as was allowed on the first series. Stankey has been clear since his arrival that the mandate at HBO is to produce more content to keep up with the crush at Netflix and Amazon. With output only set to climb further, the current industry expectation is that HBO's development timeline will likely tighten. + HBO remains a formidable TV power with or without Thrones. Carriage fees are at an all-time high, averaging $7.77 a month, per S&P Global Market Intelligence. With cord-cutting skyrocketing, the network's OTT service is picking up the slack. Streaming-only HBO Now topped 7 million U.S. subscribers in 2018. That same year, with no new Thrones episodes, the cable channel and its sister streamer pulled an estimated $6.6 billion in revenue and operating income north of $2 billion. [Full story.]( -> Listen: New podcast: In Series Regular, a new show with Josh Wigler, is devoted to deep dives into genre programming, beginning with a closer look at the HBO fantasy epic's final season. [Listen]( | [Subscribe]( Elsewhere in TV... ► Charlie Rose accusers submit affidavits on alleged sexual harassment. Katherine Brooks Harris, Sydney McNeal and Chelsea Wei [fight]( to keep their lawsuit against Rose and respond to the notion they are only dressing up workplace banter. ► America's Funniest Home Videos production company sued over racial, sexual harassment claims. One executive at Vin Di Bona Productions has been [placed on leave]( pending the results of an investigation into a lawsuit filed by three female employees. ► Warner Bros. TV inks Riverdale creator to big overall deal. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa [will stay]( at the studio under a rich new contract that runs into the mid-2020s. ► BET renews Boomerang, American Soul. Both scripted originals [will return]( their second season as the Viacom-owned cable network continues its brand refresh under president Scott Mills. ► Bravo rebooting Blind Date. The series hails from corporate sibling Universal Television Alternative Studio. Casting call... ► Ugly Betty, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend stars to topline NBC comedy. The redeveloped Friends-in-Law [centers]( on two guys who feel threatened when their respective best friends get engaged. On the festival circuit... ► Surviving R. Kelly producers to talk power of Lifetime docuseries at Banff. The infamous R&B singer [largely survived]( the #MeToo movement, until the explosive Lifetime documentary series had a viral debut. Coming attractions... ► Teaser: Game of Thrones' final season promises destructive "aftermath." The final season, premiering April 14, promises ice, fire and blood in a new series of trailers. [Watch.]( ► First look: MTV shows off The Hills: New Beginnings. The reality TV reboot — starring Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt and Mischa Barton, among others old and new — is set to premiere on June 24. [Watch.]( Irena Medavoy's whirlwind Qatar diary. The Hollywood insider (and wife of producer Mike) attends the inaugural Fashion Trust Arabia Awards, a museum opening and an opulent palace party: ["Hotel du Cap on steroids."]( 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](. "I Love Netflix, But F--- Netflix" In Las Vegas: Helen Mirren gave an outspoken tribute to movie theaters at the CinemaCon presentation for her upcoming film The Good Liar on Tuesday, Pamela McClintock writes: “I love Netflix, but fuck Netflix,” she said [to big applause]( from the theater owners gathered in Las Vegas. "There’s nothing like sitting in the cinema and the lights go down." Mirren then added, "I would like to thank you guys for making that environment possible." Also at CinemaCon... + MPAA chief embraces Netflix in address to theater owners. "Here is what I know. We are all stronger advocates for creativity and the entertainment business when we are [working together]( ... all of us," Charles Rivkin said at CinemaCon. + Warner Bros. film chief praises ousted CEO Kevin Tsujihara. Toby Emmerich, who worked under the ousted executive and is chairman of the motion picture group, delivered [an emotional tribute]( upon taking the stage to present the studio’s upcoming slate and celebrate the success of last year. + Theater chains keep pursuing Saudi Arabia deals despite Khashoggi death. National Association of Theatre Owners president and CEO John Fithian on Tuesday said that [at least three chains]( are pursuing attaining licenses to operate cinemas in that country. + First look at Joker trailer. In an era in which comic book movies are generally made to set up shared universes and sequels, Warners has insisted that Joker will be a one-off; there will be no sequels. [Watch.]( + On-demand cinema platform launched by tech firm GDC. GoGoCinema [will debut]( during the second half of the year, initially with a trial in China, Malaysia and Singapore. Elsewhere in film... ► Ashley Judd's lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein paused by judge. The court found Weinstein's Fifth Amendment rights [could be implicated]( if Judd's civil suit proceeds before the producer's criminal trial. ► Abel Ferrara's Pasolini biopic, with Willem Dafoe, lands at Kino Lorber. The film about Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini's last days gets a long-awaited commercial release [after debuting]( at Venice in 2014. ► Tulsa Burning set for feature treatment. Sam Kadi is [attached]( to direct the adaptation. Around town... ► Suspect in Nipsey Hussle killing arrested. Eric Ronald Holder, 29, [was arrested]( in the city of Bellflower, southeast of L.A. by deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He was officially booked at 1:15 p.m. on suspicion of murder. He is being held without bail, according to jail records. Casting call... ► Kumail Nanjiani, Legendary team for historical comedy adventure. Miracle Worker creator Simon Rich [wrote]( the story and Baskets co-creator Jonathan Krisel is attached to direct Any Person, Living or Dead. On the festival circuit... ► Moscow unveils lineup. Outside of the competition, Avengers: Endgame will have a special screening as part of the fest. [Full details.]( Musical notes... ► Cardi B, Travis Scott to headline Jay-Z's Made in America Festival. The festival [will return]( to Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway over Labor Day weekend. Coming attractions... ► Trailer: Zac Efron asserts innocence in Ted Bundy biopic Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Efron embodies the famed serial killer in the Joe Berlinger-directed movie, which is told from the perspective of Bundy's girlfriend, played by Lily Collins. [Watch.]( DOJ backs Netflix in Oscars feud, but is there an antitrust issue? Antitrust laws are meant to promote marketplace competition ultimately to the benefit of consumers. By raising this issue, the DOJ is seemingly taking an indirect path to how consumers ultimately [are impacted]( by Academy Awards, Eriq Gardner and Scott Feinberg report. 'When Harry Met Sally' at 30 Q&A: Billy Crystal spoke with Seth Abramovitch ahead of his historic When Harry Met Sally reunion at the TCM Classic Film Festival later this month. So much has been written about Nora Ephron. Is there a story about her that no one knows? "I remember one night, we were shooting a wedding scene in SoHo. She knew every great place to eat and what to order. And it was this little place on Houston, an Italian place, and we went there for lunch. And so walking down the street, who's walking toward us but John Gotti. With Sammy "The Bull" Gravano and a bodyguard. I know he recognized me, because he sort of nodded. And she just sort of smiled. And I remember as he passes us, she just kept walking and whispered, "Just keep walking, just keep walking, just keep walking …" [Full interview.]( What else we're reading... — "How Rupert Murdoch's empire of influence remade the world." Jonathan Mahler and Jim Rutenberg write: "Murdoch and his children have toppled governments on two continents and destabilized the most important democracy on Earth." [[NYT mag](] — "Musical chairs at CBS News." Joe Pompeo writes: "CBS This Morning drops an anchor, Gayle King is in negotiations, and Jeff Glor in the crosshairs. But 'it’s still upbeat and hopeful,' says an insider." [[Vanity Fair](] — "Music is finally making more money than it was in 2007." Amy X. Wang notes: "IFPI report shows fourth consecutive year of growth in global music sales, with $19.1 billion revenue in 2018." [[Rolling Stone](] — "CBS All Access wants to save One Day at a Time." Josef Adalian writes: "While the canceled Netflix sitcom remains a long shot to survive, producer Sony Pictures Television has had conversations with multiple outlets about ways to keep the series alive." [[Vulture](] From the archives... + Today in 1953: TV Guide published its first issue, graced with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's son, Desi Jr. [[TV Guide](] Today's birthdays: Rachel Bloom, 32, Amanda Bynes, 33, Cobie Smulders, 37, Matthew Goode, 41, Adam Scott, 46, Ben Mendelsohn, 50, Eddie Murphy, 58, David Hyde Pierce, 60, Alec {NAME}, 61. 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]( April 3, 2019