$30M For 'Hustlers'?; 'Friends' Creators Talk HBO Max; MoviePass Shuts Down; Iger Resigns From Apple Board

What's news: Hustlers looks to rustle up $30 million this weekend, Friends creators talk HBO Max move, MoviePass shuts down (for good?), Bob Iger resigns from Apple's board of directors, 14 million watched third Democratic debate. Plus: Felicity Huffman gets sentenced, and remembering Eddie Money. --Alex Weprin [The Hollywood Reporter]( [The Hollywood Reporter]( Today In Entertainment SEPTEMBER 14, 2019 What's news: Hustlers looks to rustle up $30 million this weekend, Friends creators talk HBO Max move, MoviePass shuts down (for good?), Bob Iger resigns from Apple's board of directors, 14 million watched third Democratic debate. Plus: Felicity Huffman gets sentenced, and remembering Eddie Money. --Alex Weprin What's news: Hustlers looks to rustle up $30 million this weekend, Friends creators talk HBO Max move, MoviePass shuts down (for good?), Bob Iger resigns from Apple's board of directors, 14 million watched third Democratic debate. Plus: Felicity Huffman gets sentenced, and remembering Eddie Money. --Alex Weprin ['Hustlers' Eyes $30M Weekend] 'Hustlers' Eyes $30M Weekend Box Office: Hustlers is rustling up a stellar box office debut of $30 million this weekend, the best start ever for STXfilm and the best live-action opening of Jennifer Lopez's career, according to early returns. Pamela McClintock writes that Hustlers is looking to come in second for the weekend behind New Line and Warner Bros.' holdover It: Chapter Two, which is on course to earn $40 million or more in its sophomore outing. The Goldfinch, meanwhile, is DOA, with less than $3 million. [The numbers](. ►MoviePass shuts down. The service, run by CEO Mitch Lowe, will shut down seemingly for good on Sept. 14, its parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc, said on Friday. The firm said that "efforts to recapitalize MoviePass have not been successful to date. The Company is unable to predict if or when the MoviePass service will continue." The app once boasted 3 million subscribers at its peak, but shuffled through multiple pricing plans and faced several technical issues that stalled momentum. [The story](. Elsewhere in film... --The Academy Software Foundation [announced Friday]( that Apple and Microsoft have both joined as Premier Members. --Deborah Young reviews [Coming Home](, from TIFF. She also reviews [The Sky Is Pink](. --Fathom announced Friday [it will screen](Bruce Springsteen's Western Stars on Oct. 19 and Oct. 23 in cinemas across the country before Warner Bros. officially opens the documentary Oct. 25. --The Animation is Film Festival announced the preliminary [competition lineup]( for its third annual festival. --Kristen Stewart [compares her activism]( to Jean Seberg's: "I feel like vindicating her." 'Hustlers' Eyes $30M Weekend Box Office: Hustlers is rustling up a stellar box office debut of $30 million this weekend, the best start ever for STXfilm and the best live-action opening of Jennifer Lopez's career, according to early returns. Pamela McClintock writes that Hustlers is looking to come in second for the weekend behind New Line and Warner Bros.' holdover It: Chapter Two, which is on course to earn $40 million or more in its sophomore outing. The Goldfinch, meanwhile, is DOA, with less than $3 million. [The numbers](. ►MoviePass shuts down. The service, run by CEO Mitch Lowe, will shut down seemingly for good on Sept. 14, its parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc, said on Friday. The firm said that "efforts to recapitalize MoviePass have not been successful to date. The Company is unable to predict if or when the MoviePass service will continue." The app once boasted 3 million subscribers at its peak, but shuffled through multiple pricing plans and faced several technical issues that stalled momentum. [The story](. Elsewhere in film... --The Academy Software Foundation [announced Friday]( that Apple and Microsoft have both joined as Premier Members. --Deborah Young reviews [Coming Home](, from TIFF. She also reviews [The Sky Is Pink](. --Fathom announced Friday [it will screen](Bruce Springsteen's Western Stars on Oct. 19 and Oct. 23 in cinemas across the country before Warner Bros. officially opens the documentary Oct. 25. --The Animation is Film Festival announced the preliminary [competition lineup]( for its third annual festival. --Kristen Stewart [compares her activism]( to Jean Seberg's: "I feel like vindicating her." ['Friends' Creators Talk HBO Max Move] 'Friends' Creators Talk HBO Max Move ►Speaking to THR ahead of a 25th anniversary panel at the Tribeca TV Festival, Friends creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman and executive producer Kevin Bright spoke about the comedy's impending move to the HBO Max streaming service, among other topics. "It makes so much sense that we're on HBO Max," Kauffman told Hilary Lewis. "I understand it. I get it. The show is still all around the world in syndication. So I think other people are more upset than we are." Bright added, "In show business there's always change. Where we win on both sides is we feel privileged to be with a company like Netflix to stream us the first time and we're privileged to be with HBO Max in the second run. It's really exciting what they're starting over there and we're happy to be a part of it." More from the panel, including their biggest regrets, and how Mad About You helped create the character of Phoebe. [The story](. Critic's notebook: Todd McCarthy takes stock of the premieres at this year's fall film festivals, and finds "lots of good, but not great" stories and performances. Quote: "Two of the most popular films of the fall festivals this year were Joker, which won the top prize at Venice, and Toronto world premiere A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, about the late folksy and philosophical TV personality Fred Rogers. Both are fronted by outstanding performances, by Joaquin Phoenix and Tom Hanks, respectively. But other than that, they're polar opposites; Rogers could have had 'L-O-V-E' spelled out on his knuckles, while Joker would certainly sport 'H-A-T-E.'" [The column](. ^ABC and Univision scored strong ratings Thursday with their coverage of the third Democratic presidential primary debate. The debate, featuring 10 candidates and current frontrunners Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren sharing the stage for the first time, averaged a combined 14 million viewers on the two broadcast networks. That's down from the first debate in June, which delivered 16.8 million and 18.1 million viewers over its two nights across NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo, but up from CNN's debates in July, which averaged 9.7 million viewers. [The numbers](. +In a memo sent to staff Friday night, ABC News president James Goldston wrote that "It was a very proud night for ABC News, an important step forward in how we approach these major events as an organization, and a journalistic masterclass from our brilliant moderators..." [Read the memo](. +What's next? CNN and The New York Times will co-host the next primary debate, to be held Oct. 15 (and Oct. 16th if necessary). From CNN, anchors Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett will serve as moderators. From the Times, Marc Lacey will moderate. "Format will be announced at a future date," the Democratic National Committee stated on Friday. [More](. +Also: Marianne Williamson held a screening of the debate at the WGA West theater. "I'm not surprised they tried to keep me off that debate stage,” she said after the debate. “When people say that going up on that stage was out of my depth — ladies, and gentleman, there is no depth there.” [More](. In legal news... Felicity Huffman was sentenced to 14 days in prison Friday afternoon in a Boston federal courtroom for her part in the college admissions scandal that rocked the nation earlier this year. [The story](. +In a rather stunning turn of events, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals has revived a lawsuit brought by the parents of slain Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich against Fox News. On Friday, the federal appeals court rejected the cable news outlet's First Amendment arguments with a provocative opinion that suggests media companies can get in trouble for inflicting emotional distress. [The story](. +SAG-AFTRA is putting its weight behind actress Ashley Judd in her legal battle with Harvey Weinstein in a filing that argues exempting their professional relationship from a California law that provides a cause of action for victims of business-related harassment would leave "countless" guild members without recourse against perpetrators. [The story](. +The U.S. Department of Justice's ongoing review on whether the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees should be amended, sunsetted or simply left alone will likely be concluded before the end of the year, according to a comment made Aug. 13 by Makan Delrahim, the DOJ assistant attorney general for the antitrust division. [More](. +TV giants say forcing cable companies to sell "a la carte,” as a new law in Maine requires, violates the First Amendment. [More](. ►In development: Robert Rodriguez and Diego Boneta [are teaming up]( for El Gato Negro, an adaptation of a Mexican comic book being set up at Apple TV+ as a series.... Lupita Nyong'o [has signed on]( to star in a limited series for HBO Max, Americanah. Her Black Panther co-star, Danai Gurira, will serve as showrunner... +Also: Entertainment 360 has hired former Universal Content Productions' Kate Fenske as its president and [added three dramas]( from the likes of Gabriel Sherman (The Loudest Voice), Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and Jay Carson (House of Cards)... CBS is reteaming with 2 Broke Girls creator Michael Patrick King for a new comedy. The network has handed out a sizable [pilot-production commitment]( to multicamera comedy Fun, starring Ugly Betty grads Michael Urie and Becki Newton... Elsewhere in TV... --NBC's A Little Late With Lilly Singh [sets its first guests](, and will get an early YouTube premiere. --Bojack creator's [new show](: "What if we went even weirder?" --How a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation [became Netflix's Unbelievable](. --Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman's Super Dinosaur [heads to Amazon](. 'Friends' Creators Talk HBO Max Move ►Speaking to THR ahead of a 25th anniversary panel at the Tribeca TV Festival, Friends creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman and executive producer Kevin Bright spoke about the comedy's impending move to the HBO Max streaming service, among other topics. "It makes so much sense that we're on HBO Max," Kauffman told Hilary Lewis. "I understand it. I get it. The show is still all around the world in syndication. So I think other people are more upset than we are." Bright added, "In show business there's always change. Where we win on both sides is we feel privileged to be with a company like Netflix to stream us the first time and we're privileged to be with HBO Max in the second run. It's really exciting what they're starting over there and we're happy to be a part of it." More from the panel, including their biggest regrets, and how Mad About You helped create the character of Phoebe. [The story](. Critic's notebook: Todd McCarthy takes stock of the premieres at this year's fall film festivals, and finds "lots of good, but not great" stories and performances. Quote: "Two of the most popular films of the fall festivals this year were Joker, which won the top prize at Venice, and Toronto world premiere A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, about the late folksy and philosophical TV personality Fred Rogers. Both are fronted by outstanding performances, by Joaquin Phoenix and Tom Hanks, respectively. But other than that, they're polar opposites; Rogers could have had 'L-O-V-E' spelled out on his knuckles, while Joker would certainly sport 'H-A-T-E.'" [The column](. ^ABC and Univision scored strong ratings Thursday with their coverage of the third Democratic presidential primary debate. The debate, featuring 10 candidates and current frontrunners Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren sharing the stage for the first time, averaged a combined 14 million viewers on the two broadcast networks. That's down from the first debate in June, which delivered 16.8 million and 18.1 million viewers over its two nights across NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo, but up from CNN's debates in July, which averaged 9.7 million viewers. [The numbers](. +In a memo sent to staff Friday night, ABC News president James Goldston wrote that "It was a very proud night for ABC News, an important step forward in how we approach these major events as an organization, and a journalistic masterclass from our brilliant moderators..." [Read the memo](. +What's next? CNN and The New York Times will co-host the next primary debate, to be held Oct. 15 (and Oct. 16th if necessary). From CNN, anchors Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett will serve as moderators. From the Times, Marc Lacey will moderate. "Format will be announced at a future date," the Democratic National Committee stated on Friday. [More](. +Also: Marianne Williamson held a screening of the debate at the WGA West theater. "I'm not surprised they tried to keep me off that debate stage,” she said after the debate. “When people say that going up on that stage was out of my depth — ladies, and gentleman, there is no depth there.” [More](. In legal news... Felicity Huffman was sentenced to 14 days in prison Friday afternoon in a Boston federal courtroom for her part in the college admissions scandal that rocked the nation earlier this year. [The story](. +In a rather stunning turn of events, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals has revived a lawsuit brought by the parents of slain Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich against Fox News. On Friday, the federal appeals court rejected the cable news outlet's First Amendment arguments with a provocative opinion that suggests media companies can get in trouble for inflicting emotional distress. [The story](. +SAG-AFTRA is putting its weight behind actress Ashley Judd in her legal battle with Harvey Weinstein in a filing that argues exempting their professional relationship from a California law that provides a cause of action for victims of business-related harassment would leave "countless" guild members without recourse against perpetrators. [The story](. +The U.S. Department of Justice's ongoing review on whether the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees should be amended, sunsetted or simply left alone will likely be concluded before the end of the year, according to a comment made Aug. 13 by Makan Delrahim, the DOJ assistant attorney general for the antitrust division. [More](. +TV giants say forcing cable companies to sell "a la carte,” as a new law in Maine requires, violates the First Amendment. [More](. ►In development: Robert Rodriguez and Diego Boneta [are teaming up]( for El Gato Negro, an adaptation of a Mexican comic book being set up at Apple TV+ as a series.... Lupita Nyong'o [has signed on]( to star in a limited series for HBO Max, Americanah. Her Black Panther co-star, Danai Gurira, will serve as showrunner... +Also: Entertainment 360 has hired former Universal Content Productions' Kate Fenske as its president and [added three dramas]( from the likes of Gabriel Sherman (The Loudest Voice), Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and Jay Carson (House of Cards)... CBS is reteaming with 2 Broke Girls creator Michael Patrick King for a new comedy. The network has handed out a sizable [pilot-production commitment]( to multicamera comedy Fun, starring Ugly Betty grads Michael Urie and Becki Newton... Elsewhere in TV... --NBC's A Little Late With Lilly Singh [sets its first guests](, and will get an early YouTube premiere. --Bojack creator's [new show](: "What if we went even weirder?" --How a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation [became Netflix's Unbelievable](. --Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman's Super Dinosaur [heads to Amazon](. [Bob Iger Leaves Apple Board] Bob Iger Leaves Apple Board ►Iger, Disney's CEO, has resigned from Apple's board of directors. The tech company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that Iger resigned Sept. 10, the same day Apple unveiled details on its Apple TV+ streaming video service. "While we will greatly miss his contributions as a board member, we respect his decision and we have every expectation that our relationship with both Bob and Disney will continue far into the future," an Apple statement said. [The story.]( +Revolving door: David S. Goyer, the writer-producer behind The Dark Knight and DaVinci's Demons [has signed]( a multiple-year overall deal with Skydance Television... Veteran marketing executive and spokesperson Marvin Levy is [transitioning into a senior advisory role]( to Steven Spielberg at Amblin Partners, the company said Friday, as Dan Berger comes on board as executive vp and head of communications... ►Hollywood restaurateur was Jeffrey Epstein's private chef. Adam Perry Lang, the prominent L.A. chef whose Hollywood restaurant APL's industry backers include friend Jimmy Kimmel and Joel McHale, acknowledged Friday that he'd worked for the late Jeffrey Epstein as a private chef. "Almost 20 years ago, as a young chef I was hired to work for Jeffrey Epstein," he said in a statement. "My role was limited to meal preparation. I was unaware of the depraved behavior and have great sympathy and admiration for the brave women who have come forward." [The story.]( ►TV Long View: In this week's column, Rick Porter handicaps Sunday nights for the upcoming broadcast TV season. "Per usual on Sundays in the fall, the other networks are playing for second place behind NBC, whose primetime NFL broadcast typically dwarfs everything else. CBS and Fox will get NFL bumps of their own in weeks when they have late-afternoon games, and ABC and The CW will attempt to hold their own with counterprogramming." [The column](. ►Eddie Money is dead. The iconic singer and songwriter best known for the hits “Two Tickets to Paradise" and "Take Me Home Tonight,” died Friday morning. He was 70 years old. “The Money Family regrets to announce that Eddie passed away peacefully early this morning," his family said in a statement. "It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our loving husband and father. We cannot imagine our world without him. We are grateful that he will live on forever through his music.” [The obituary.]( +The music world paid tribute to Money following the news of his passing, with Rick Springfield, Bret Michaels and others sharing their memories of him. [More](. Casting roundup: Toni Collette [has closed]( a deal to join Guillermo del Toro’s all-star ensemble noir thriller, Nightmare Alley... Amanda Seyfried is [in negotiations]( to star in Things Heard & Seen, a supernatural thriller set up at Netflix... Alexander Skarsgard [has joined]( the CBS All Access limited series The Stand as Randall Flagg... Michael Fassbender is in [final talks to star]( in Taika Waititi's next project, Next Goal Wins... Jenny McCarthy [will host](Fox's Emmy red carpet show... Bobby Moynihan has [joined the cast](of Tina Fey and Robert Carlock's untitled comedy at NBC... Rupert Friend [will join](Mark Wahlberg in Antoine Fuqua action-thriller Infinite... ►Behind The Screen podcast. Roger Deakins, one of Hollywood's most respected cinematographers, talks about his work on Warner Bros.' The Goldfinch in the latest episode. [Listen](. What else we're reading... --"AT&T chief laid plans for his exit. That set off an activist challenge" [[WSJ](] --"Vice's next pivot" [[New York magazine](] --"On set with Toni Collette and Merritt Wever" [[Vanity Fair](] --"NASCAR shocks gun industry as it appears to block some firearm ads" [[CNN](] Today's birthdays: Andrew Lincoln, 46, Nas, 46, Sam Neill, 72. Bob Iger Leaves Apple Board ►Iger, Disney's CEO, has resigned from Apple's board of directors. The tech company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that Iger resigned Sept. 10, the same day Apple unveiled details on its Apple TV+ streaming video service. "While we will greatly miss his contributions as a board member, we respect his decision and we have every expectation that our relationship with both Bob and Disney will continue far into the future," an Apple statement said. [The story.]( +Revolving door: David S. Goyer, the writer-producer behind The Dark Knight and DaVinci's Demons [has signed]( a multiple-year overall deal with Skydance Television... Veteran marketing executive and spokesperson Marvin Levy is [transitioning into a senior advisory role]( to Steven Spielberg at Amblin Partners, the company said Friday, as Dan Berger comes on board as executive vp and head of communications... ►Hollywood restaurateur was Jeffrey Epstein's private chef. Adam Perry Lang, the prominent L.A. chef whose Hollywood restaurant APL's industry backers include friend Jimmy Kimmel and Joel McHale, acknowledged Friday that he'd worked for the late Jeffrey Epstein as a private chef. "Almost 20 years ago, as a young chef I was hired to work for Jeffrey Epstein," he said in a statement. "My role was limited to meal preparation. I was unaware of the depraved behavior and have great sympathy and admiration for the brave women who have come forward." [The story.]( ►TV Long View: In this week's column, Rick Porter handicaps Sunday nights for the upcoming broadcast TV season. "Per usual on Sundays in the fall, the other networks are playing for second place behind NBC, whose primetime NFL broadcast typically dwarfs everything else. CBS and Fox will get NFL bumps of their own in weeks when they have late-afternoon games, and ABC and The CW will attempt to hold their own with counterprogramming." [The column](. ►Eddie Money is dead. The iconic singer and songwriter best known for the hits “Two Tickets to Paradise" and "Take Me Home Tonight,” died Friday morning. He was 70 years old. “The Money Family regrets to announce that Eddie passed away peacefully early this morning," his family said in a statement. "It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our loving husband and father. We cannot imagine our world without him. We are grateful that he will live on forever through his music.” [The obituary.]( +The music world paid tribute to Money following the news of his passing, with Rick Springfield, Bret Michaels and others sharing their memories of him. [More](. Casting roundup: Toni Collette [has closed]( a deal to join Guillermo del Toro’s all-star ensemble noir thriller, Nightmare Alley... Amanda Seyfried is [in negotiations]( to star in Things Heard & Seen, a supernatural thriller set up at Netflix... Alexander Skarsgard [has joined]( the CBS All Access limited series The Stand as Randall Flagg... Michael Fassbender is in [final talks to star]( in Taika Waititi's next project, Next Goal Wins... Jenny McCarthy [will host](Fox's Emmy red carpet show... Bobby Moynihan has [joined the cast](of Tina Fey and Robert Carlock's untitled comedy at NBC... Rupert Friend [will join](Mark Wahlberg in Antoine Fuqua action-thriller Infinite... ►Behind The Screen podcast. Roger Deakins, one of Hollywood's most respected cinematographers, talks about his work on Warner Bros.' The Goldfinch in the latest episode. [Listen](. What else we're reading... --"AT&T chief laid plans for his exit. That set off an activist challenge" [[WSJ](] --"Vice's next pivot" [[New York magazine](] --"On set with Toni Collette and Merritt Wever" [[Vanity Fair](] --"NASCAR shocks gun industry as it appears to block some firearm ads" [[CNN](] Today's birthdays: Andrew Lincoln, 46, Nas, 46, Sam Neill, 72. [Image] [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( Is this e-mail not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( ©2019 The Hollywood Reporter. 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 All rights reserved. SEPTEMBER 14, 2019 [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [MANAGE PREFERENCES]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [TERMS OF USE](