Will 'Irishman' Ding B.O.?; DOJ Sides With Agents; Streaming’s Data Problem; Can 'Parasite' Nab Best Picture?

What's news: Could Netflix's The Irishman hurt the Thanksgiving box office? Trump's DOJ backs the talent agencies in legal battle with writers, new streaming services face data privacy rules and slim profit margins, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is tracking for a big debut. Plus: Stephen Galloway on whether Parasite can break through as a best picture contender, and a Thanksgiving TV and movie guide. --Alex Weprin [The Hollywood Reporter]( [The Hollywood Reporter]( Today In Entertainment NOVEMBER 27, 2019 What's news: Could Netflix's The Irishman hurt the Thanksgiving box office? Trump's DOJ backs the talent agencies in legal battle with writers, new streaming services face data privacy rules and slim profit margins, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is tracking for a big debut. Plus: Stephen Galloway on whether Parasite can break through as a best picture contender, and a Thanksgiving TV and movie guide. --Alex Weprin What's news: Could Netflix's The Irishman hurt the Thanksgiving box office? Trump's DOJ backs the talent agencies in legal battle with writers, new streaming services face data privacy rules and slim profit margins, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is tracking for a big debut. Plus: Stephen Galloway on whether Parasite can break through as a best picture contender, and a Thanksgiving TV and movie guide. --Alex Weprin [Will 'The Irishman' Impact The Holiday Box Office?] Will 'The Irishman' Impact The Holiday Box Office? ►Will The Irishman's streaming debut ding the Thanksgiving box office? With its Scorsese pedigree, will the critically acclaimed mob pic keep consumers otherwise occupied and hurt the overall box office? It's a complicated question underscored by the fact that — in addition to Netflix's continued rise — several new high-profile streamers, including Disney+ and Apple TV+, have both launched this month armed with enough original programming aimed at attracting a large subscriber base. Quote: "You have to look at it holistically. I don't think The Irishman will specifically cause people to stay home and away from movie theaters, but I do think it's symbolic of a trend toward great content being available on streaming," says Wall Street analyst Rich Greenfield of LightShed Partners. [The story](. +Al Pacino will guest on THR's first live Awards Chatter podcast episode. The star of The Irishman will join host Scott Feinberg — and 150 ticket-buyers — for a 90-minute conversation about his life and career on Dec. 5. [The details](. Trump's DOJ picks a side in Hollywood's writers-agents war. Eriq Gardner reports that the U.S. government professes neutrality on the ultimate merits, but nevertheless tells a court to greenlight the talent agents' "illegal boycott" claims against the Writer's Guild of America. --The DOJ brief states: "While unions can restrict agent compensation when pursuing a legitimate union goal such as avoiding conflicts of interest, it is not a legitimate goal for a union to exert monopsony power over agents simply to extract additional rents." --The WGA responded in a statement from WGA West president David Goodman: “It’s not surprising that Trump’s Justice Department has filed a brief designed to weaken a labor union’s effort to protect its members and eliminate conflicts of interest by talent agencies. The agencies’ antitrust claims are contrary to Supreme Court precedent, and we remain confident that the court will dismiss them.” [The story](. +CBS settles reporter's gender bias suit. CBS Broadcasting has come to a settlement agreement with Michele Gillen, an Emmy-winning investigative reporter based in Miami who alleged being fired due to her gender and age, Eriq Gardner reports. The resolution heads off a trial that was scheduled to begin on Dec.9. [More](. +In other legal news: Marc Jacobs has doubts that Kurt Cobain created a smiley face design that is the [subject of an ongoing legal fight](. On Tuesday, via counterclaims against Nirvana, the fashion designer seeks a declaration that the band's copyright registration is invalid and unenforceable... A 27-year-old Austin, Texas, man [allegedly stole and leaked]( more than 50 gigabytes of music, some of it unreleased, by impersonating a music executive on social media and hacking two management companies, according to the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office. ►Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker tracking for big debut. Directed by J.J. Abrams, the December tentpole is on course to open to at least $175 million to $200 million in its domestic debut over the Dec. 20-22 weekend, on par with early forecasts for Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Pamela McClintock reports. In December 2015, The Force Awakens — also directed by Abrams — revived the franchise with a then-record domestic debut of $248 million. The Last Jedi debuted to $220 million in December 2017. [The story](. Editor's note: Today In Entertainment will be taking a break for the Thanksgiving weekend. We will be back in your inbox bright and early on Monday, December 2. Have a wonderful holiday, and remember the golden rule: skip the turkey, load up on the sides. Can Parasite break the Oscars best picture barrier? In a new column, Stephen Galloway looks at whether Bong Joon Ho's critically-acclaimed film can overcome Academy traditions and secure a best picture nomination, and what it would need to do take home the top prize. Quote: "[V]oters must be convinced the film has a legitimate chance. Netflix may have shaken the walls with its Roma campaign, says one strategist. 'It allowed people to consider this could be done' — that a foreign entry could become a key contender for best picture. Now Parasite must publicize its critical raves and audience exit scores to prove it's no ordinary film." [The column](. +Also: Scott Feinberg [breaks down](the nomination chances for six comedies and musicals in the running to win the coveted Golden Globe award for best musical or comedy, including Hustlers, Uncut Gems, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. ►Elizabeth Banks to star in and direct the Universal horror movie Invisible Woman. Banks will also produce along husband Max Hendelman via the duo’s Brownstone Productions. The 1940 original was centered on a department store model who becomes the test subject of an invisibility experiment. Upon becoming invisible, she gets back against her mean boss but unwittingly falls into caper involving gangsters. [The story](. ►A Downton Abbey film sequel? "We're having those conversations." Carnival  Films chairman Gareth Neame reveals plans for a sequel after the big-screen spinoff's huge box office success, how his creation paved the way for The Crown and why fans shouldn't be prepping for a big Crawley funeral just yet. [The interview](. Elsewhere in film... --Lionsgate is [heading into space]( with Roland Emmerich after nabbing the North American rights to Moonfall, a $150 million sci-fi epic the Independence Day helmer will direct and co-write. --Making of The Irishman: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino [bring Martin Scorsese's]( 10 years in the making "experiment" to the big screen. --Todd McCarthy [dissects]( Tom Hanks' "specifically American brand of decency." --Beanie Feldstein[doesn't worry]( about getting typecast. --How Frozen [transformed princesses]( to caped crusaders in sequel. --Remember that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker script that ended up on eBay? it was [John Boyega's fault](. --The Dark Waters team on[understanding the people]( at the heart of an environmental battle. Will 'The Irishman' Impact The Holiday Box Office? ►Will The Irishman's streaming debut ding the Thanksgiving box office? With its Scorsese pedigree, will the critically acclaimed mob pic keep consumers otherwise occupied and hurt the overall box office? It's a complicated question underscored by the fact that — in addition to Netflix's continued rise — several new high-profile streamers, including Disney+ and Apple TV+, have both launched this month armed with enough original programming aimed at attracting a large subscriber base. Quote: "You have to look at it holistically. I don't think The Irishman will specifically cause people to stay home and away from movie theaters, but I do think it's symbolic of a trend toward great content being available on streaming," says Wall Street analyst Rich Greenfield of LightShed Partners. [The story](. +Al Pacino will guest on THR's first live Awards Chatter podcast episode. The star of The Irishman will join host Scott Feinberg — and 150 ticket-buyers — for a 90-minute conversation about his life and career on Dec. 5. [The details](. Trump's DOJ picks a side in Hollywood's writers-agents war. Eriq Gardner reports that the U.S. government professes neutrality on the ultimate merits, but nevertheless tells a court to greenlight the talent agents' "illegal boycott" claims against the Writer's Guild of America. --The DOJ brief states: "While unions can restrict agent compensation when pursuing a legitimate union goal such as avoiding conflicts of interest, it is not a legitimate goal for a union to exert monopsony power over agents simply to extract additional rents." --The WGA responded in a statement from WGA West president David Goodman: “It’s not surprising that Trump’s Justice Department has filed a brief designed to weaken a labor union’s effort to protect its members and eliminate conflicts of interest by talent agencies. The agencies’ antitrust claims are contrary to Supreme Court precedent, and we remain confident that the court will dismiss them.” [The story](. +CBS settles reporter's gender bias suit. CBS Broadcasting has come to a settlement agreement with Michele Gillen, an Emmy-winning investigative reporter based in Miami who alleged being fired due to her gender and age, Eriq Gardner reports. The resolution heads off a trial that was scheduled to begin on Dec.9. [More](. +In other legal news: Marc Jacobs has doubts that Kurt Cobain created a smiley face design that is the [subject of an ongoing legal fight](. On Tuesday, via counterclaims against Nirvana, the fashion designer seeks a declaration that the band's copyright registration is invalid and unenforceable... A 27-year-old Austin, Texas, man [allegedly stole and leaked]( more than 50 gigabytes of music, some of it unreleased, by impersonating a music executive on social media and hacking two management companies, according to the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office. ►Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker tracking for big debut. Directed by J.J. Abrams, the December tentpole is on course to open to at least $175 million to $200 million in its domestic debut over the Dec. 20-22 weekend, on par with early forecasts for Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Pamela McClintock reports. In December 2015, The Force Awakens — also directed by Abrams — revived the franchise with a then-record domestic debut of $248 million. The Last Jedi debuted to $220 million in December 2017. [The story](. Editor's note: Today In Entertainment will be taking a break for the Thanksgiving weekend. We will be back in your inbox bright and early on Monday, December 2. Have a wonderful holiday, and remember the golden rule: skip the turkey, load up on the sides. Can Parasite break the Oscars best picture barrier? In a new column, Stephen Galloway looks at whether Bong Joon Ho's critically-acclaimed film can overcome Academy traditions and secure a best picture nomination, and what it would need to do take home the top prize. Quote: "[V]oters must be convinced the film has a legitimate chance. Netflix may have shaken the walls with its Roma campaign, says one strategist. 'It allowed people to consider this could be done' — that a foreign entry could become a key contender for best picture. Now Parasite must publicize its critical raves and audience exit scores to prove it's no ordinary film." [The column](. +Also: Scott Feinberg [breaks down](the nomination chances for six comedies and musicals in the running to win the coveted Golden Globe award for best musical or comedy, including Hustlers, Uncut Gems, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. ►Elizabeth Banks to star in and direct the Universal horror movie Invisible Woman. Banks will also produce along husband Max Hendelman via the duo’s Brownstone Productions. The 1940 original was centered on a department store model who becomes the test subject of an invisibility experiment. Upon becoming invisible, she gets back against her mean boss but unwittingly falls into caper involving gangsters. [The story](. ►A Downton Abbey film sequel? "We're having those conversations." Carnival  Films chairman Gareth Neame reveals plans for a sequel after the big-screen spinoff's huge box office success, how his creation paved the way for The Crown and why fans shouldn't be prepping for a big Crawley funeral just yet. [The interview](. Elsewhere in film... --Lionsgate is [heading into space]( with Roland Emmerich after nabbing the North American rights to Moonfall, a $150 million sci-fi epic the Independence Day helmer will direct and co-write. --Making of The Irishman: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino [bring Martin Scorsese's]( 10 years in the making "experiment" to the big screen. --Todd McCarthy [dissects]( Tom Hanks' "specifically American brand of decency." --Beanie Feldstein[doesn't worry]( about getting typecast. --How Frozen [transformed princesses]( to caped crusaders in sequel. --Remember that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker script that ended up on eBay? it was [John Boyega's fault](. --The Dark Waters team on[understanding the people]( at the heart of an environmental battle. [Streaming Questions] Streaming Questions ►Should streaming services expect razor-thin profit margins? Paul Bond and Georg Szalai report that despite rosy subscriber forecasts from Disney+ and HBO Max, increased content spending may result in a "big shakeout," analysts predict. Quote: "Disney+, CBS All Access, Showtime OTT, HBO Max, Starz OTT and Peacock will all likely be among the survivors based on their positioning," says Cowen media analyst Doug Creutz. "However, we also think that current financial forecasts — where they exist — for those networks probably lean toward the aggressive side." [The story](. +Streaming's next big headache: data compliance. As Hollywood readies a slew of streaming platforms, California legislation takes aim at those collecting user info, Ashley Cullins reports: "Entertainment companies are going to be targets." [The story](. ►HBO plots cyber-war documentary. HBO is at work on a documentary that will delve into the state of cyber warfare as the United States heads toward the 2020 election. The Perfect Weapon, from director and executive producer John Maggio, is based on a best-selling book by New York Times national security correspondent David E. Sanger. The film will explore the rise of cyber conflict as the primary way nations now compete with and sabotage one another. [The story.]( +In other doc news: Showtime has picked up a docu-series following New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams. Gossip Starring Cindy Adams will count Brian Grazer and Ron Howard as executive producers. ►Hallmark Channel struggles to give diversity a home for the holidays. Bill Abbott, the CEO of Hallmark Channel's parent company, speaks with THR's TV's Top 5 podcast about why its 10-year-old "Countdown to Christmas" programming block largely ignores other faiths and inclusion. "[O]nce you start to slice it more finely within individual religions it’s a little bit tougher to necessarily tell that story in a way that doesn’t involve religion and we always want to stay clear of religion or controversy." [More](. Elsewhere in TV... --Skydance Interactive launches Walking Dead [companion podcast](for upcoming VR game. --Hannah Brown returns to The Bachelor in [season 24 trailer](. --Ratings: Fox's 911 [continued its solid fall run Monday](. Although its same-day ratings were off a little, it still will likely end up leading the broadcast pack among adults 18-49 ahead of The Voice and the finale of Dancing With the Stars. --Modern Family actor Eric Stonestreet is now [a part owner]( of the Kansas City Royals baseball team. Streaming Questions ►Should streaming services expect razor-thin profit margins? Paul Bond and Georg Szalai report that despite rosy subscriber forecasts from Disney+ and HBO Max, increased content spending may result in a "big shakeout," analysts predict. Quote: "Disney+, CBS All Access, Showtime OTT, HBO Max, Starz OTT and Peacock will all likely be among the survivors based on their positioning," says Cowen media analyst Doug Creutz. "However, we also think that current financial forecasts — where they exist — for those networks probably lean toward the aggressive side." [The story](. +Streaming's next big headache: data compliance. As Hollywood readies a slew of streaming platforms, California legislation takes aim at those collecting user info, Ashley Cullins reports: "Entertainment companies are going to be targets." [The story](. ►HBO plots cyber-war documentary. HBO is at work on a documentary that will delve into the state of cyber warfare as the United States heads toward the 2020 election. The Perfect Weapon, from director and executive producer John Maggio, is based on a best-selling book by New York Times national security correspondent David E. Sanger. The film will explore the rise of cyber conflict as the primary way nations now compete with and sabotage one another. [The story.]( +In other doc news: Showtime has picked up a docu-series following New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams. Gossip Starring Cindy Adams will count Brian Grazer and Ron Howard as executive producers. ►Hallmark Channel struggles to give diversity a home for the holidays. Bill Abbott, the CEO of Hallmark Channel's parent company, speaks with THR's TV's Top 5 podcast about why its 10-year-old "Countdown to Christmas" programming block largely ignores other faiths and inclusion. "[O]nce you start to slice it more finely within individual religions it’s a little bit tougher to necessarily tell that story in a way that doesn’t involve religion and we always want to stay clear of religion or controversy." [More](. Elsewhere in TV... --Skydance Interactive launches Walking Dead [companion podcast](for upcoming VR game. --Hannah Brown returns to The Bachelor in [season 24 trailer](. --Ratings: Fox's 911 [continued its solid fall run Monday](. Although its same-day ratings were off a little, it still will likely end up leading the broadcast pack among adults 18-49 ahead of The Voice and the finale of Dancing With the Stars. --Modern Family actor Eric Stonestreet is now [a part owner]( of the Kansas City Royals baseball team. [DNC Vice Chair's Fox News Comments] DNC Vice Chair's Fox News Comments ►Democrat who called out Tucker Carlson on Fox News: "We can't be silent about this stuff anymore." Michael Blake, a New York legislator and Democratic National Committee vice chair, speaks to Jeremy Barr and says of the network: "I would welcome them to invite me back on." [The story.]( +Andrew Yang's war with MSNBC is heating up. Over the last several weeks, Yang has publicly called out MSNBC on numerous occasions, most recently accusing the network of not asking him enough questions in last week's Democratic primary debate. He's also complained about his inexplicable absence from on-screen graphics. Jeremy Barr reports that MSNBC reached out to Yang's campaign over the weekend to apologize, try to make peace, and invite him on. Yang very publicly declined. [The story](. +In other political news: Robert Redford [wrote in an op-ed]( that President Trump's "monarchy in disguise" must end... Thanksgiving weekend guide... --Turkey-related TV: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will air on ABC tonight. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on NBC Thursday morning. Rick Porter highlights 88 more specials, series and movies to watch and stream. [The list](. Or: You could stream Martin Scorsese's epic The Irishman, which dropped on Netflix today. --Football: The NFL has a triple-header on Thursday. The Chicago Bears take on the Detroit Lions at 12:30 ET on Fox, the Buffalo Bills take on the Dallas Cowboys at 4:30 ET on CBS, and the New Orleans Saints take on the Atlanta Falcons at 8:20 ET on NBC. --At the movies: Look, you will probably be going to see Frozen 2, or maybe Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. That being said, there are two new films opening today: Rian Johnson's whodunnit Knives Out, and Lena Waithe's drama Queen & Slim. The Two Popes will also be open in limited release. --Also: On Monday, the Guinness World Records organization [honored Mariah Carey]( with not one, not two, but three holiday-themed world records, thanks to the enduring legacy of "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Revolving door: Diane Nelson, head of operations at Quibi,[is exiting](, the latest in a string of high-profile departures ahead of the mobile video company's 2020 launch... Lucy Hale will help Ryan Seacrest [kick off the new year]( as Times Square-based hosts on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest. Billy Porter will host for the first time from the New Orleans-based festivities, while Ciara will return to host the Los Angeles celebration for the third year... Warner Bros. [has tapped]( Albert Hughes to remake 1993 crime drama The Fugitive... ►Facebook acquires Beat Saber game studio. The Czech Republic-based studio joins Oculus Studios, the VR game company acquired by Facebook in 2014 for more than $2 billion, and will remain headquartered in Prague. [More](. Obituaries: [Robert F.X. Sillerman](, the New York businessman who consolidated a number of U.S. concert promoters in the 1990s and created the company that would eventually become Live Nation, died Sunday. He was 71... Taiwanese-Canadian model and actor [Godfrey Gao](, whose star was on the rise in mainland China, died early Wednesday after collapsing during the filming of a popular reality TV show in southeastern China. He was 35... What else we're reading... --"Adam Sandler's everlasting schtick" [[NY Times Magazine](] --"Why The Simpsons matters to Disney+" [[CNN Business](] --"Holiday ad creep comes to influencer marketing" [[WSJ](] --"Nancy Grace joins Fox Nation streaming service" [[AP](] --"How befriending Mister Rogers’ widow allowed me to learn the true meaning of his legacy" [[LA Times](] Today's birthdays: Robin Givens, 55, Bill Nye, 64, Caroline Kennedy, 62, Jaleel White, 43. Have a great Thanksgiving... DNC Vice Chair's Fox News Comments ►Democrat who called out Tucker Carlson on Fox News: "We can't be silent about this stuff anymore." Michael Blake, a New York legislator and Democratic National Committee vice chair, speaks to Jeremy Barr and says of the network: "I would welcome them to invite me back on." [The story.]( +Andrew Yang's war with MSNBC is heating up. Over the last several weeks, Yang has publicly called out MSNBC on numerous occasions, most recently accusing the network of not asking him enough questions in last week's Democratic primary debate. He's also complained about his inexplicable absence from on-screen graphics. Jeremy Barr reports that MSNBC reached out to Yang's campaign over the weekend to apologize, try to make peace, and invite him on. Yang very publicly declined. [The story](. +In other political news: Robert Redford [wrote in an op-ed]( that President Trump's "monarchy in disguise" must end... Thanksgiving weekend guide... --Turkey-related TV: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will air on ABC tonight. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on NBC Thursday morning. Rick Porter highlights 88 more specials, series and movies to watch and stream. [The list](. Or: You could stream Martin Scorsese's epic The Irishman, which dropped on Netflix today. --Football: The NFL has a triple-header on Thursday. The Chicago Bears take on the Detroit Lions at 12:30 ET on Fox, the Buffalo Bills take on the Dallas Cowboys at 4:30 ET on CBS, and the New Orleans Saints take on the Atlanta Falcons at 8:20 ET on NBC. --At the movies: Look, you will probably be going to see Frozen 2, or maybe Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. That being said, there are two new films opening today: Rian Johnson's whodunnit Knives Out, and Lena Waithe's drama Queen & Slim. The Two Popes will also be open in limited release. --Also: On Monday, the Guinness World Records organization [honored Mariah Carey]( with not one, not two, but three holiday-themed world records, thanks to the enduring legacy of "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Revolving door: Diane Nelson, head of operations at Quibi,[is exiting](, the latest in a string of high-profile departures ahead of the mobile video company's 2020 launch... Lucy Hale will help Ryan Seacrest [kick off the new year]( as Times Square-based hosts on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest. Billy Porter will host for the first time from the New Orleans-based festivities, while Ciara will return to host the Los Angeles celebration for the third year... Warner Bros. [has tapped]( Albert Hughes to remake 1993 crime drama The Fugitive... ►Facebook acquires Beat Saber game studio. The Czech Republic-based studio joins Oculus Studios, the VR game company acquired by Facebook in 2014 for more than $2 billion, and will remain headquartered in Prague. [More](. Obituaries: [Robert F.X. Sillerman](, the New York businessman who consolidated a number of U.S. concert promoters in the 1990s and created the company that would eventually become Live Nation, died Sunday. He was 71... Taiwanese-Canadian model and actor [Godfrey Gao](, whose star was on the rise in mainland China, died early Wednesday after collapsing during the filming of a popular reality TV show in southeastern China. He was 35... What else we're reading... --"Adam Sandler's everlasting schtick" [[NY Times Magazine](] --"Why The Simpsons matters to Disney+" [[CNN Business](] --"Holiday ad creep comes to influencer marketing" [[WSJ](] --"Nancy Grace joins Fox Nation streaming service" [[AP](] --"How befriending Mister Rogers’ widow allowed me to learn the true meaning of his legacy" [[LA Times](] Today's birthdays: Robin Givens, 55, Bill Nye, 64, Caroline Kennedy, 62, Jaleel White, 43. Have a great Thanksgiving... [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. 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