Globes' Ratings Collapse; Starz Movie Deal; Virtual Comic-Con; AT&T Cuts Losses on DirecTV

[The Hollywood Reporter]( Today In Entertainment MARCH 02, 2021 What's news: Golden Globe ratings freefall, Disney and ViacomCBS CEOs talk shortened theatrical windows, Lionsgate sending its movies to Starz, Scarface remake among films set to shoot in Hollywood this year, why China's huge theatrical recovery doesn't mean big business in Berlin, Sarah Cooper's CBS show moves forward. Plus: BBC Three to be revived as a broadcaster, and reviews of Raya and the Last Dragon and Tina. --Alex Weprin [Golden Globes Ratings Collapse] Golden Globes Ratings Collapse ►Ratings for the Golden Globes crashed hard Sunday, with early numbers for the ceremony coming in far below last year's telecast. Fast national ratings — which aren't fully time zone-adjusted and not entirely accurate — show NBC's broadcast averaging just 5.42 million viewers and a 1.2 rating in the key ad demographic of adults 18-49. Both are down more than 60 percent from the preliminary figures from last year (14.76 million and 3.8). --The 2020 Golden Globes, which aired in early January and had an NFL playoff game as a lead-in, averaged [18.33 million viewers]( and a 4.7 in the 18-49 demographic in the finals. The early numbers for Sunday don't include viewing of the live show in the Pacific time zone or any out of home viewing. Those figures will be included in the final same-day tally released today and will likely push the numbers up some, but nowhere near enough to bring it up close to recent years. [The story](. ►Disney CEO Bob Chapek hinted that the company may shorten its theatrical windows. Speaking at a virtual Morgan Stanley conference Monday evening, Chapek said “The consumer is probably more impatient than they’ve ever been before,” noting that they now can watch any movie they want at home, through a streaming service like Disney+. "So, I’m not sure there’s going back. But we certainly don’t want to do anything like cut the legs off a theatrical exhibition run.” Universal is among the distributors that have pushed to shorten most windows, while leaving some tentpoles in theaters longer. --Chapek also discussed ESPN+, saying that any sports rights deals ESPN strikes in the future will include ESPN+. "We won't contemplate rights deals going forward that don't envision ESPN+ being a major player in those rights content... ESPN+ will be a critical component to any deal we make in the future." +ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish addressed the matter too: "I believe this is a sustainable offer," Bakish said at the conference Tuesday, calling it the "right model for the future." He said he has talked about it a lot with Paramount boss Jim Gianopulos, talent and other constituents. --He also compared it to other entertainment giants' windowing and streaming-only release strategies, saying: "Some of these other film moves that have been made, it is not clear to me they are sustainable. But this move ... puts the titles in the theaters, so if people want to go and get a big-screen experience, they can do that." [The story](. +And Lionsgate is hoping to boost its own Starz streaming service with a new windowing deal. The company is signing a multiyear theatrical output agreement with its premium subscription platform for Lionsgate and Summit label films. As part of the deal, Starz will get an exclusive first window for Lionsgate label films when the current distribution agreement with Hulu expires at the end of 2021. And Summit label films will land on Starz when the current deal with HBO through to the end of 2022 expires. [The story](. [Hollywood Film Revival] Hollywood Film Revival ►Nearly a year from the industry-wide production shutdown, Hollywood is plotting a major return to filming. The California Film Commission has revealed that 22 feature films have been selected for the latest round of tax credits under the state’s incentives program. That includes 11 indies and 11 studio movies representing a wide range of budgets, genres and locations. --Among the most notable projects are Netflix's Here Comes the Flood, written by Simon Kinberg and to be directed by Jason Bateman; Steven Soderbergh's HBO Max film Kimi, starring Zoe Kravitz; and Universal's Scarface remake, written by the Coen Brothers and to be helmed by Luca Guadagnino. [The story](. ►Why China's huge theatrical recovery doesn't mean big business in Berlin. China's theatrical market soared over Chinese New Year, with two blockbusters earning more than $650 million, but the country's importers of indie films are facing myriad challenges, including financial difficulties, changing local tastes and a sharp uptick in censorship. [The story](. +In other Berlin news: Minamata director Andrew Levitas reflects on a turbulent year since the film's premiere at the 2020 Berlinale. The prolific filmmaker, painter, sculptor, producer, photographer and writer discusses working with Johnny Depp, keeping busy during the pandemic and why he'll next be tackling Fellini. [More](. +Meanwhile in Cannes: As the ongoing pandemic continues to challenge planning for a physical Cannes Film Festival in July, the marquee movie showcase is weighing plans for pre-festival market screenings in May and June. [More](. [In TV News...] In TV News... ►CBS is adding a pair of comedies to its 2021 pilot slate. The broadcast network is moving forward with its untitled Sarah Cooper comedy inspired by the TikTok favorite's book How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings. The network has also picked up a bowling comedy based on the life of pro bowler Tom Smallwood. [The story](. +Spike Lee and HBO will mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 with a multi-part documentary chronicling the way New York has survived the past two decades. The project, titled NYC Epicenters 9/11→ 2021½, is in production and will offer a portrait of New Yorkers as they rebuild and rebound, whether from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 or the coronavirus pandemic of the past year. Lee will marshal what HBO calls a "staggering amount of visual imagery" and the first-hand accounts of people from all walks of life. The documentary will air on HBO and stream on HBO Max later this year to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the attacks. [The story](. +The executive producers of The Bachelor franchise are publicly supporting Rachel Lindsay after the franchise alum has been subjected to online harassment, "which, more often than not, has been rooted in racism." Lindsay, who has been thrust into the center of the [ABC franchise's ongoing racism controversy](, deactivated her Instagram account over the weekend after finding herself on the receiving end of abusive messages. --On Monday night, the official account of The Bachelor executive producers posted a statement to denounce the "severe" online bullying. "As executive producers of The Bachelor franchise we would like to make it perfectly clear that any harassment directed towards Rachel Lindsay in the aftermath of her interview with Chris Harrison is completely inexcusable," read the statement. [The story](. +The BBC has confirmed that BBC Three, its youth-skewed brand that was discontinued as a dedicated broadcast channel in 2016 due to cutbacks, is to return to TV screens. The idea had been mooted since 2020, with the BBC confirming Tuesday that BBC Three would return in January 2022. [More](. +HBO Max, the BBC and 42 are heading to One Folgate Street. The three companies will co-produce an adaptation of J.P. Delaney's global best-selling psychological thriller The Girl Before. [More](. ►A lawyer seeking criminal charges in a couple of states against rapper T.I. and his wife, Tiny, for alleged sexual abuse and assault against several women, detailed some of the allegations in a media video conference Monday morning. Attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn told reporters he requested authorities in California and Georgia open investigations on behalf of 11 total alleged victims of the couple (real names Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. and Tameka Dianne Harris). The alleged incidents span 2005 to 2018. [The story](. +The couple are also being sued for defamation amid claims that they drugged and sexually assaulted multiple women, though the two situations are unrelated. Sabrina Peterson on Monday sued the couple, along with Shekinah Jones, a hairstylist who has appeared on their reality television series. [The story](. +Meanwhile: T.I. will not be returning for Marvel Studios' upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The embattled rapper and actor is not a part of the cast, but it's unclear whether this is related to the accusations. [The story](. ►AT&T cuts losses on DirecTV as Wall Street wonders if a Dish merger is next. The telecom giants get to "lock DirecTV in the basement in the hope that no one remembers it’s down there,” one analyst says, while TPG gets a 30 percent stake in a legacy business with robust cash flows for just $1.8 billion. [The story](. ►Awards roundup: The Producers Guild of America [has determined]( that Stacey Abrams, who is also one of the credited producers of the film All In: The Fight For Democracy, merits "the PGA mark" for her contributions to the project, making her Oscars eligible... Universal's News of the World and Amazon's Sound of Metal [lead the feature competition]( of the 68th annual Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards, with three nominations apiece... Late-night hosts [weighed in]( on 2021's controversy-filled Golden Globes Awards on their shows on Monday night... ►Film reviews: Inkoo Kang reviews Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon, writing: "Set in a magical land called Kumandra that’s heavily inspired by the verdant lushness and cultural artifacts of Southeast Asia, the action-packed quest adventure is streaked with teal and violet whimsies, punctuated by Indiana Jones-style obstacles and dotted by eerie, life-sized statues of people with their arms outstretched and their hands forming a shallow bowl, ready to receive grace." [The review](. +David Rooney reviews the documentary Tina, writing that "the takeaway from this uplifting look back over [Tina] Turner's tumultuous life and five-decade career in music is that she got where she is not by relying on the help of others but through her own remarkable resilience and self-determination." [More](. +TV review: Daniel Fienberg reviews Netflix's Murder Among the Mormons, writing that "Jared Hess (Yes, the Napoleon Dynamite director) and Tyler Measom's examination of the 1985 bombings in Salt Lake City tackles a pretty great story — one that mainstream audiences may not know at all — but never quite finds the tone or focus to properly tell it." [The review](. Revolving door: Producers Guild of America national executive director Vance Van Petten is [set to step down]( in mid-2021. Susan Sprung, who was promoted to national executive director alongside Van Petten in April 2019, will take over all national executive director duties when Van Petten exits... United Talent Agency [has tapped]( Jean-Rene Zetrenne as its chief people officer and partner, to oversee human resources at the Hollywood talent agency across its global offices...Dionne Harmon [has been promoted]( at Jesse Collins Entertainment, where she will now serve as executive vice president of content and strategy... Casting roundup: Game of Thrones and For Life veteran Indira Varma [will star]( in the Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi series opposite Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christiansen... Ariana Greenblatt [has joined]( the A-list cast of Borderlands, Lionsgate’s adaptation of the popular video game being directed by Eli Roth. In other news... -- For the second year in a row, fans will not be swarming the San Diego Convention Center as part of July's annual Comic-Con celebration. Comic-Con International [announced Monday]( that the upcoming con will be virtual as uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic continues to make large-scale gatherings a dangerous proposition. A free, three-day Comic-Con@Home virtual event will take place July 23-25 as was the case last year. --Greenwich Entertainment [has acquired]( the U.S. distribution rights to writer and director Ted Braun’s new documentary ¡Viva Maestro! --The streaming platform Roku has [agreed to buy]( Nielsen's Advanced Video Advertising (AVA) business, part of a strategic effort to grow its video advertising revenues. --Six Dr. Seuss books — including And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and If I Ran the Zoo — [will stop being published]( because of racist and insensitive imagery, the business that preserves and protects the author's legacy said Tuesday. --Rudy Giuliani [has been suspended]( from YouTube again for continuing to push falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election. --Netflix's new series Ginny & Georgia [drew the ire of Taylor Swift fans]( over the weekend as they objected to the series featuring a joke about the superstar singer-songwriter's love life. And on Monday, the first day of Women's History Month, Swift also objected to what she called a "lazy, deeply sexist joke." What else we're reading... --"David Muir's new role at ABC News leads to drama with George Stephanopoulos and a visit from Bob Iger" [[CNN Business](] --"The Golden Globes were. anedge-of-your-seat psychological thriller" [[Vulture](] --"Altice USA CEO says cable TV will die and broadband and wireless companies should merge" [[CNBC](] --"The Netflix Biggie doc has a very specific story to tell" [[The Ringer](] Today's birthdays: Method Man, 50, Chris Martin, 44, Jon Bon Jovi, 59, Bryce Dallas Howard, 40, Rebel Wilson, 41. [Image] [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( Is this e-mail not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( ©2021 The Hollywood Reporter, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. 11175 Santa Monica Boulevard Los Angeles, CA, 90025 All rights reserved. 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