MLK Movie Showdown; China Money Fears; Michael Jackson Project Pulled; Oprah's Wellness Diary

What's news: Get ready for an especially crowded MLK weekend at the box office, with Mark Wahlberg's Patriots Day set to trounce Ben Affleck's Live By Night and Martin Scorsese's Silence. Plus: The media's tough lessons from Trump's contentious first press conference, FX makes a ton of announcements and Oprah reveals her 2017 wellness diary. — Matthew Belloni and Erik Hayden. [The Hollywood Reporter - Today In Entertainment] January 13, 2017 What's news: Get ready for an especially crowded MLK weekend at the box office, with Mark Wahlberg's Patriots Day set to trounce Ben Affleck's Live By Night and Martin Scorsese's Silence. Plus: The media's tough lessons from Trump's contentious first press conference, FX makes a ton of announcements and Oprah reveals her 2017 wellness diary. — Matthew Belloni and Erik Hayden. What If China's $$ Stops Flowing? Tighter regulatory scrutiny and rising protectionism in the U.S. and China now have the industry questioning whether the Hollywood deal flow could dry up in 2017, Patrick Brzeski [reports:] In light of the new challenges, analysts predict Hollywood sellers will begin to demand larger breakup fees to test Chinese bidders' confidence in their ability to execute deals. But nobody knows how far-reaching the new regulations will be. "Some think that even the well-established entertainment companies may have trouble closing transactions," says Stanley Rosen, a USC professor of political science. And in the U.S., the deals have caught the attention of Congress and the president-elect. On Nov. 30, incoming Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said in a letter that the takeover of Hollywood companies by China firms should be examined more closely to determine whether they are being orchestrated to serve Chinese government interests. At the same time, Donald Trump's appointment of hawkish economist Peter Navarro — author of such books as Death by China — to head a new White House National Trade Council inspired Chinese state media to warn of a potential "[showdown with the U.S.]" Elsewhere in film... ► Trump’s Treasury pick to sell stake in Warner Bros. films. Steven Mnuchin will divest his interest in about 85 Warner Bros. films including Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Sully. The stakes in those movies could be [up for sale soon.] ► Michael Jackson film pulled after criticism. U.K. broadcaster Sky said it has decided not to air Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon, starring Joseph Fiennes as Jackson, after the pop star's daughter, Paris Jackson, said she was "[incredibly offended]" by the portrayal of the late music star. ► Lost City of Z loses appeal to overturn R rating. Director James Gray and Dede Gardner of Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment had [appeared] before an appeals panel this week in Los Angeles to argue in favor of a friendlier PG-13 rating. The film is set for theaters in April. ► Annapurna Pictures names new president. Chelsea Barnard will [oversee] all film development and production for the Oscar-winning company, while retaining her current title as CCO. Most recently, she served as an executive producer on Mike Mills' 20th Century Women. ↱ In theaters this weekend: The jam-packed MLK Jr. frame includes new entries like Paramount's [Monster Trucks], STX Entertainment's thriller [The Bye Bye Man] and Open Road's drama [Sleepless], while Peter Berg's Boston drama [Patriots Day], Martin Scorsese's [Silence] and Ben Affleck's [Live by Night] are expanding. ↲ ► Ryan Reynolds shares Deadpool "For Your Consideration" clip. Following nominations for the film from the WGA, PGA and DGA, the anti-superhero film is getting an award season reel. [Watch here.] ► DC's Green Lantern Corps movie finds writers. David S. Goyer and Justin Rhodes have been [tapped] by Warner Bros for the script. The film will focus on Hal Jordan and John Stewart, one of DC's most prominent African-American heroes. ► Tessa Thompson, Lily James join modern western Little Woods. The Creed and Cinderella stars are set [to lead] the upcoming indie film, also featuring James Badge Dale. Written and directed by Nia DaCosta, the title is produced by Rachael Fung and Gabrielle Nadig. ► La La Land soundtrack moves to top 5 on Billboard charts. "After the film's record-breaking Golden Globes sweep, industry forecasters suggest the music compilation could move roughly 35,000 album units for the week ending Jan. 12," Keith Caulfield [writes]. Silence producer's joke at airport leads to an, um, sensitive patdown. "The scene was gnarly," says Martin Scorsese's longtime producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff, whose reference to her IUD was mistaken by TSA employees as "IED," leading to an additional [security check.] How TBS' New Shows Are Doing Two-plus years after moving from Fox to Turner, veteran programmer Kevin Reilly can claim bragging rights for reinventing the TBS brand, Lesley Goldberg [reports:] Before his arrival, the cable network was best known for repeats of The Big Bang Theory; Reilly quickly canceled what was left of the live-action scripted comedies and replaced them with a slate of bigger-swing series from a roster of Daily Show grads — Samantha Bee (Full Frontal), Jason Jones (The Detour) and Wyatt Cenac (People of Earth) — as well as established producers (Search Party's Michael Showalter) and new faces (Wrecked's Justin and Jordan Shipley). All five plus Angie Tribeca, which was greenlighted by Reilly predecessor Michael Wright, have been granted additional seasons, and several have generated the type of buzz TBS has never seen. Though TBS' ratings, like most cable networks, are down double digits, the network still managed to round out 2016 as basic cable's No. 2 net among adults 18-to-49 (behind only ESPN). And TBS' median age has dropped from 48 in 2015 to 44 in 2016, affirmation that the network's push to target the "[millennial minded]" is working. Elsewhere in TV (lots of FX news from TCA)... ► The Americans showrunners talk Trump and Russia. When asked about the parallels between the FX drama and the recent revelations about Russia's potential involvement with the 2016 president election, show creator Joe Weisberg [expressed disbelief]of current events. ► The end of Fargo's rather long hiatus is in sight. The actors and executive producer Warren Littlefield met with reporters at TCA in Pasadena to tease out what information they could about the critically adored drama and its often twisted wit. [The details.] ► Ryan Murphy sketches out Feud: Bette and Joan. At TCA, the producer promises that his upcoming anthology series that looks at the making of 1962's What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, and the relationship between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, won't be ["campy.]" ↱[ABC's When We Rise, reviewed.] The Gus Van Sant-directed pilot for Dustin Lance Black's miniseries about the gay rights movement airs February 27. The takeaway: "The subject, more than the execution, will make you want to watch." ↲ ► No American Crime Story for 2017. Confirming what many have suggested, FX's American Crime Story: Katrina won't premiere until roughly two years after People v. O.J. Simpson. Chief John Landgraf: "They're going to have[a long hiatus], and then we're going to get back on cycle." ► American Horror Story renewed for two more seasons. The [pickup] is in addition to the previously announced seventh season of the Fox TV drama and takes the series through a ninth season, likely to 2019. And the franchise could continue past season nine. ↱ [Media memo: Keep Q's simple, specific for Trump.] Next time around, reporters should agree that all questions will be single-part, will require yes-no answers or will seek specific factual information, writes Andrew Tyndall in his latest column. ↲ ► Donald Glover inks overall deal at FX. Under [the pact], Glover will develop projects for FX and other networks/streaming services. He also will continue to write, produce, direct and star on Atlanta. The series will return for its previously announced second season in 2018. ► Nat Geo WILD orders two digital series from Mashable. The series will make use of old footage from National Geographic's [film archives]. The first project will focus on how animals use tools to survive in their habitats and the second is a comedy series. ► R.I.P., Tony Rosato. The Canadian comic actor, a veteran of NBC's Saturday Night Live sketch comedy series, died on Tuesday of a suspected heart attack. He was 62. [Full obit.] ↱ [Steve Harvey's "Asian men" jokes have a disturbing history.] Rebecca Sun writes: The TV host is the latest entertainer to get in hot water over racist punchlines whose origins can be traced all the way to the mid-1800s. ↲ Power Dining sightings: Recently, Jimmy Fallon had dinner at Madeo ... Sandra Bernhard was at The Palm with friends Michele Lee and Sandra Gallin. On a different day, WME's Adam Venit was with Shawn Levy. Jeffrey Katzenberg broke bread with Sherry Lansing. Scott Stuber rendezvoused with Stacey Snider. ... At Mr Chow, Avi Lerner dined with Paradigm's Emanuel Nunez. Oprah Reveals Wellness Diary From sleep to snacking, the best-life guru reveals a routine that begins on an elliptical and ends with "volumes and volumes of gratitude journals." An excerpt of Oprah's new [hour-by-hour guide] told to Jane Carlson: 6:02 A.M. I have never set an alarm, I don't believe in them. They are … alarming! I put the number in my mind and I wake up before that, usually between 6:02 and 6:20, because the dogs are trained to go out around that time. My first thought in the morning is, "Oh, I'm alive. Thank you!" I hop up, brush my teeth and go take the dogs to do their thing. They do the real downward-facing dog! 6:45 A.M. I make a chai tea or skim cappuccino and put on my sneakers. 7:05 A.M. I am in the gym downstairs in my house by the time "Eye Opener" hits on CBS This Morning. I see what Gayle [King] is wearing on "Eye Opener," what kind of crazy-ass necklace she has on! I have a fantastic Octane elliptical machine that is like a power mover — you can increase the length of your stride and your arm movement. I'll do 20 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes walking on the treadmill. I start out at the Level 3 incline setting and then every minute I add to the incline until I get to 12 or 15. And then I do sit-ups. 8 A.M. I do some form of walking or sitting meditation. I like to sit in a window seat in my house or outside on the balcony. If I am in a hotel, I will just sit in a chair. If I have the time, I'll do 20 minutes; if I am in a rush, I'll do at least 10 to 12 minutes. [More: 8:30 A.M. to 10 P.M. entries.] What else we're reading... — New Yorker unveils Trump inauguration cover early. "Every so often, you hear stories on the news about a toddler who somehow manages to start the family car and drive the vehicle across town, where the law finally apprehends him—and it’s almost always a him—before too much damage has taken place," artist Barry Blitt tells the magazine. [[The New Yorker]] — "Scorsese’s Silence may struggle to find audience." "Unless strong word-of-mouth gives Silence new momentum, it could be Mr. Scorsese’s least successful fictional film since 1999’s Nicolas Cage drama Bringing Out the Dead, Ben Fritz writes. [[The Wall Street Journal]] — "Is watching a movie on a phone really so bad?" Critic Glenn Kenny writes: "I thought it would be interesting to watch some 100-year-old Charlie Chaplin pictures on the device." [[The New York Times]] — "High Times magazine is leaving New York for Los Angeles." "'The center of the cannabis universe has moved to California,' said Matt Stang, chief revenue officer at High Times. 'New York used to be a liberal bastion.'" [[Crain's New York]] Today's Birthdays: Liam Hemsworth, 27, Ruth Wilson, 35, Orlando Bloom, 40, Michael Peña, 41, Shonda Rhimes, 47, Patrick Dempsey, 51, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 56. Follow The News Is this e-mail not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.] ©2017 The Hollywood Reporter. 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 All rights reserved. [Unsubscribe] | [Manage Preferences] | [Privacy Policy] | [Terms of Use] January 13, 2017