Sarandos: “I Screwed Up” With Chappelle Memos; Castle Rock Revives Film Studio; Meryl Streep, Kit Harington Sign Up for Apple Climate Change Anthology

[View on web]( [New reader? Subscribe]( October 20, 2021 What's news: Ahead of a virtual walkout by Netflix staff, Ted Sarandos addressed the Chappelle controversy, including his infamous memos. Netflix released solid Q3 earnings and subs numbers. Verizon lost 68,000 pay TV subs. Eternals cast members skipped a Hollywood event after possible exposure to COVID-19. Plus: Casey Affleck and Walton Goggins sign on for a film about Donnie and Joe Emerson — [Abid Rahman]( Sarandos: "I Screwed Up" With Chappelle Memos ►"I 100 percent believe that content on screen can have impact in the real world." Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos apologized for his communications to staff about Dave Chappelle’s latest comedy special The Closer, noting that he “screwed up” and should have acknowledged that his employees were “in pain” by the streaming giant’s decision to air the special. Speaking with THR's [J. Clara Chan]( by phone on Tuesday evening ahead of staffers’ planned walkout and rally planned for today, Sarandos asserted that Chappelle’s special was in line with the company’s stance toward “artistic expression” and said he didn’t believe it would be “appropriate” to add any disclaimer about harmful content ahead of the special. [The interview.]( —214 million subs. It was all Netflix on Tuesday as the streamer released its Q3 results. The company added 4.4 million new subscribers in the period for a total of 214 million paid subscribers, topping forecasts. Revenue in Q3 hit $7.5 billion, representing a 16 percent year-over-year growth and a slight increase from Q2’s reported $7.3 billion in revenue. The average revenue per user in North America saw a slight increase in Q3, hitting $14.68. [The results.]( —The Squid Game effect. Netflix dropped a major piece of news in its Q3 letter to shareholders, with the streamer announcing that it will change the way it publicly reveals viewing data. Going forward, the company will report total hours viewed within 28 days of release, rather than the two-minute 'view' metric it’s used for the past couple of years. Netflix also says it will "more regularly" release hours viewed counts “so our members and the industry can better measure success in the streaming world." [The story.]( Kevin Feige Talks 'Eternals' and That 'Venom' Surprise ►"The whole movie is a love letter." THR's second nicest man [Aaron Couch]( spoke to Marvel's head honcho Kevin Feige about Chloé Zhao's epic Eternals, which the studio boss calls a "love letter" to the late Marvel artist Jack Kirby. He also talks about the end credits scene to Venom: Let There Be Carnage (warning spoilers!) and offers his view on the trailer for Matt Reeves' DC film The Batman. [The story.]( —"Those superheroes are now in super isolation." Eternals stars Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan and Lauren Ridloff skipped Elle's Women In Hollywood event on Tuesday night due to possible exposure to COVID-19. A Disney spokesperson told THR that "while all of our talent have tested negative, out of an abundance of caution, we are pivoting to virtual appearances rather than in-person events." [The story.]( —Revived. Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment is relaunching its storied film division with a $175 million film fund that will allow the company to develop, produce and finance movies for a worldwide audience. The banner has a first-look deal with Warner Bros. for theatrical content, in addition to Warners’ existing deal with Castle Rock for television. [The story.]( —The shift continues. Verizon lost 68,000 net pay TV subscribers for its FiOS consumer video service in the third quarter, compared with a loss of 62,000 in the second quarter and 61,000 in the year-ago period. [The story.]( —"I knocked on the door." Michael Wolff, the best-selling author behind Fire and Fury, the searing book on the Trump White House, returns with Too Famous, a fly-on-the-wall account of some of the most preeminent and notorious figures of our time including Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein, whom he calls "one of the stupidest men I have ever spoken to." Wolff spoke to THR's [Seth Abramovitch]( about his new book and his relationship with these once powerful but now disgraced men. [The story.]( Stellar Cast for Apple Climate Change Anthology ►Marquee names. Apple TV+ has lined up a star-studded cast for a climate change anthology series, Extrapolations. Meryl Streep, Kit Harington and Matthew Rhys will head the ensemble of the eight-episode drama from writer Scott Z. Burns and The Morning Show production company Media Res. The cast also includes Sienna Miller, Gemma Chan, Tahar Rahim, Daveed Diggs, David Schwimmer and Adarsh Gourav, with additional actors to be announced. [The story.]( —Double whammy week. THR's [Alex Weprin]( looks at an extraordinary week for Sinclair Broadcasting Group that began with NBA commissioner Adam Silver and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred publicly criticizing the company’s strategy in the regional sports networks and ended with a ransomware attack that took much of its local programming off the air. [The story.]( —Commitment to diversity. The Grammys will stick to its word with the public release of the full inclusion rider to ensure equity and inclusion in hiring on all levels of production for next year’s ceremony. The eight-page document, unveiled Tuesday, requires producers to recruit and hire more diverse candidates backstage and in front of the camera for the 2022 ceremony. [The story.]( —Exec shuffle. There are more changes at Paramount Pictures under president and CEO Brian Robbins. Courtney D. Armstrong is joining the studio as president of business affairs and administration. Meanwhile, senior executive vp business and legal affairs Stephen Plum is departing. Jay Galston, executive vp strategic planning and business development, is also leaving. [The story.]( —"Of course he’s Irish." After a year away because of the pandemic, the Oscar Wilde Awards is set to return in March with director, producer and Oscar-winning writer Adam McKay unveiled Wednesday as the event’s first honoree. The fun-loving bash celebrates the work of those from Ireland — and some who are not — who contribute to film, television and music. [The story.]( Review: HBO's 'Four Hours at the Capitol' ►"Harrowing, but extremely frustrating in the selectiveness of its access." THR's chief TV critic [Dan Fienberg]( reviews Jamie Roberts’ new HBO documentary, Four Hours at the Capitol. It's only been 10 months since supporters of Donald Trump broke into the Capitol to protest the 2020 election, but if you've forgotten, this documentary relives that infamous day. [The review.]( —Get your freak on. Fox’s ad-supported streaming platform Tubi has snagged its first adult animated series: Freak Brothers, based on the classic underground comic The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers. Woody Harrelson, John Goodman, Tiffany Haddish and Pete Davidson lead the cast for the series, which will premiere Nov. 14. [The story.]( —"Feels so good when I'm near you." Casey Affleck, Beau Bridges and Zooey Deschanel have been cast in Dreamin’ Wild, an indie drama from Bill Pohlad centered on a recently rediscovered and reappraised musical act, Donnie and Joe Emerson. Walton Goggins, Jack Dylan Grazer, Noah Jupe and Chris Messina have also been cast in the project, which is now in production in Spokane, Washington. [The story.]( —Casting news. A flurry of actors are joining Mel Gibson in The Continental, the three-part John Wick TV spinoff. Colin Woodell will star as Winston Scott, the character played by Ian McShane in the films. Also joining the cast are Hubert Point-Du Jour, Jessica Allain, Mishel Prada, Nhung Kate and Ben Robson. [The story.]( —"Our ambitions are large." THR's Asia bureau chief Patrick Brzeski spoke to Luke Kang, Disney's president in Asia-Pacific, on the company's streaming strategy for the region including big plans for Korean content, taking the long view on China and green-lighting 50 Asian originals by 2023. [The interview.]( In other news... —Film review: Amanda Lipitz's [Found](. —[TV ratings]( 911, Dancing With the Stars edge The Voice in demo. —Taraji P. Henson details how [decades-long stomach problems led to finally addressing her health]( —Cameron Boyce’s parents say late son warned them [he “wasn’t going to be his usual self” in thriller Runt]( —Michael Lynton, Josh Berger [join board of Britain’s Secret Cinema]( —Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog [added to AFI Fest lineup]( —[Celine Dion delays Las Vegas show opening]( due to severe, persistent muscle spasms —[Pablo Schreiber]( joins Hulu’s Candy limited series —[Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem go behind the scenes]( of I Love Lucy in Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos —TikTok launches first “Discover List” to [highlight top creators]( —Magnolia nabs Vanessa Kirby starrer [Italian Studies]( —Cable giant [Charter promotes Chris Winfrey to COO]( —Homeland actor Mohammad Bakri cancels Egypt festival visit over [Said Zagha deportation]( —British Independent Film Awards 2021 [new talent longlists unveiled]( What else we're reading... —"What Does Netflix Do Next?" [[Vulture]( —"Facebook Is Planning to Rebrand the Company With A New Name" [[The Verge]( —"Inside Wheel of Time, Amazon’s Huge Gamble on the Next Game of Thrones" [[GQ]( —"Moonstruck Knows That the Best Things in Life Aren’t Chosen" [[New Yorker]( —"Brandy Scored Her "Dream Role" in Queens" [[New York Times]( Today... ...in 1995, MGM unveiled Barry Sonnenfeld’s R-rated crime comedy Get Shorty in theaters. The movie, based on Elmore Leonard's novel of the same name, starred John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito and would go on to gross $115 million globally. [The original review.]( Today's birthdays: John Krasinski (42), Rachel House (50), Snoop Dogg (50), Asante Blackk (20), Viggo Mortensen (63), Alona Tal (38), Kenneth Choi (50), [Danny Boyle]( (65), Dan Fogler (45), William Zabka (56), George Wyner (76), William Russ (71), Thomas Newman (66), Katie Featherston (39), Jennifer Freeman (36) Leslie Bricusse, the British songwriter who won Oscars for “Talk to the Animals” from Doctor Dolittle and for his work alongside Henry Mancini on the score to Victor, Victoria, has died. He was 90. [The obituary.]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} by Penske Media Corporation. Please add email@email.hollywoodreporter.com to your address book to ensure delivery to your inbox. Visit the [Preferences Center]( to update your profile and customize what email alerts and newsletters you receive. Copyright © 2021 The Hollywood Reporter, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. 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