China Punishes Box-Office Fraud; 'Spider-Man' Universe Expands; Theaters Bring Back '1984'

What's news: China is cracking down on several hundred theaters for alleged box-office fraud. Plus: The MPAA says international revenue flatlined last year, Sony's Spider-Man universe is expanding and indie theaters are bringing back 1984 as a political protest. — Matthew Belloni, Erik Hayden and Jennifer Konerman. [The Hollywood Reporter - Today In Entertainment]( March 23, 2017 What's news: China is cracking down on several hundred theaters for alleged box-office fraud. Plus: The MPAA says international revenue flatlined last year, Sony's Spider-Man universe is expanding and indie theaters are bringing back 1984 as a political protest. — Matthew Belloni, Erik Hayden and Jennifer Konerman. Box Office: 'Rangers' Uphill Battle Three new films enter the fray at the box office this weekend — Power Rangers, Life and CHiPs — but none are likely to top holdover Beauty and the Beast, Pamela McClintock forecasts: Disney's Beauty and the Beast opened to a historic $174.8M last weekend and could earn $80M or more in its second outing. From Lionsgate, Power Rangers is a re-imagining of the the '90s TV series. The film, rated PG-13, is [projected to earn $30M-$40M]( in its domestic debut. Power Rangers will need a long life at the box office to achieve its goal and launch a new film franchise. Life, starring Jack Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson, should follow with a projected $15M-$20M. CHiPs, an R-rated update of the buddy cop series from the '70s directed by Dax Shepard, who stars opposite Michael Pena, is projected to gross $10M-$12M. Elsewhere in film... ↱ [New: China punishes 326 cinemas for box-office fraud.](Patrick Brzeski writes: After years of suspected impropriety, China's media regulator released a public list of offenders, with one official calling fraud a "chronic disease" holding back the healthy development of the film industry. The offending cinemas have been slapped with screening suspensions and steep fines, depending on the level of their crimes. They also are required to return all misappropriated funds to the film producers and distributors affected. ↲ ► Deadpool 2 eyes Michael Shannon for key role. Borys Kit's scoop: The actor isn't the only one on [the studio’s list]( but is leading the pack at this stage to play Cable in the sequel. Stranger Things actor David Harbour is also on the shortlist. ► New Line's Rebel Wilson rom-com finds director. The project, to be [helmed]( by Todd Strauss-Schulson, centers on a woman who discovers that her life has become a romantic comedy. ► Brie Larson to star as first female presidential candidate. The Room star will play the title character in Victoria Woodhull. Amazon has [bought]( the package that sees Ben Kopit writing the script for the 1872 story. [^Sony’s Spider-Man universe is expanding.](The studio, already in development on villain offshoot Venom, is now developing a feature project centered on the female characters Silver Sable and the Black Cat. Chris Yost, who worked on Thor: Ragnarok, is writing the script. ► Kyle Chandler joins comedy Game Night. Chandler [will star]( with Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams in the New Line comedy, which follows a group of couples whose regularly planned game night goes horribly wrong. ► Laura Dern in Talks for JT Leroy biopic. The actress is [joining]( Kristen Stewart in the film. Justin Kelly is directing based on the book Girl Boy Girl: How I Became JT LeRoy, in which a female writer pretended to be a man who identifies as transgender. ► Issa Rae joins Bill Hader in Empress of Serenity. The Insecure actress [will star]( alongside Hader, who will play a man whose elaborate plan to win back his ex-wife is upended when he is guilted into a cruise with his widowed father. ↱ [MPAA report: International box-office flatlined last year.](The slowdown is due to China and unfavorable exchange rates; thanks to a record showing in North America, worldwide revenue still narrowly achieved a new mark. ↲ ► Gwendoline Christie joins sci-fi thriller Darkest Minds. Amandla Stenberg and Mandy Moore are already onboard the adaptation of the [YA trilogy]( by Alexandra Bracken. ► Steve Carell's drama Beautiful Boy adds to cast. Kaitlyn Dever has joined Carell and up-and-comer Timothee Chalamet in the Amazon Studios drama. Plan B, which produced Moonlight, is [adapting]( the memoir by David Sheff. ► Forest Whitaker to exec produce Angela Davis biopic. Lionsgate’s Codeblack [acquired]( the movie rights last year to Angela Davis: An Autobiography, centering on the life and legacy of the prominent civil rights activist. ► FBI thriller Darker Saints gets optioned. Imagination Worldwide will [develop](and produce Tony Kayden’s screenplay, a taut New Orleans-set title. Producer Scott Schneid brought the project to IWW. Shia LaBeouf moves anti-Trump project. The demonstration, which first launched in New York on Inauguration Day, has found a new home in Liverpool, England. It includes footage of a flag with the words "[HE WILL NOT DIVIDE US](." The Latest 'Empire' Turn The Walking Dead's barbed wire baseball bat Lucille got some serious competition when Empire returned for the second half of its third season Wednesday, Kate Stanhope notes: To break down last night's events, showrunner Ilene Chaiken sat down for [a spoiler-y discussion here](. "The season finale, which is a bit of a ways off although we're shooting it right now, determines a lot about what season four will be," Chaiken said. And about that spinoff: "I'm not sure that we're ready to talk about it yet. Know that it's all very real, but the specifics are yet to be unveiled." Elsewhere in TV... ► USA Network has cast its Sean "Puffy" Combs. Luke James has been [enlisted]( as the famed rapper and mogul in the cabler's drama pilot Unsolved: The Murders of Biggie and Tupac (working title). ► HGTV gives hit Fixer Upper a spinoff. Behind the Design, a half-hour series, will focus on star Joanna Gaines' work on the home renovations show. The show is just one piece of [a broad upfront slate]( unveiled. ► CBS Navy SEAL Drama replaces Jim Caviezel. David Boreanaz has booked his first post-Bones role after Caviezel exited the project over [creative differences](. Ben Cavell (Homeland) penned the script. ↱ [Casting group takes "very disturbing" letter to police.]( Gary Baum's latest: As tensions rise over pay-to-play auditions and arraignment hearings continue against dozens of players charged with violating California’s Krekorian Talent Scam Prevention Act, a provocative anonymous letter sent to several local casting offices has prompted the Casting Society of America to contact police. ↲ [^Trailer watch: Fargo.]( Yep, that's Ewan McGregor. The official trailer for season 3 in April teases more tragedy. ► Love Actually reunion trailer unveiled. The anticipated reunion, with many of the familiar faces from the 2003 film reprising their roles, will air in May as part of Red Nose Day. [Watch here](. ► Fox sets Love Connection reboot, Gordon Ramsay live show. The network unveiled its [summer schedule]( yesterday, including Ramsay's live cooking competition and the Andy Cohen-hosted Love Connection. ► ESPN Films signs deal with O.J.: Made in America filmmaker. Ezra Edelman has signed on to a [first-look deal]( for sports-related nonfiction projects, effectively keeping the in-demand filmmaker in the ESPN fold after his Oscar win. ► CBS workplace comedy adds Kristen Johnston. The 3rd Rock From the Sun alum [has signed on]( for Real Life, exec produced by How I Met Your Mother creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas. In THR, Esq: [Home Improvement]( profits lawsuit against Disney revived ... [Duck Dynasty creators]( gain edge in $100M fight with ITV Studios ... [Netflix]( ordered to pay Relativity more than $800,000 in attorney's fees. Indie Theaters Bring '1984' Back More than 90 indie theaters are gearing up for April 4, when they will screen dystopian drama 1984 as a Trump protest. Patrick Shanley speaks with programmers getting ready for the event: George Orwell is "[the head space we’re all at right now](." What else we're reading... — "A crash course in trash TV." Jeff Ihaza writes: "The country’s soul is exposed in our daytime talk shows. No wonder they’re so hard to watch." [[The Outline](] — "Why we still love hardboiled crime." David Barnett observes: "As political corruption, violence and gender politics gain fresh relevance, pulp noir is attracting new voices and audiences." [[The Guardian](] — "The year of living publicly." Jada Yuan's profile: "Jenny Slate’s got two new films and a new home and, oh, by the way, she’s fresh off a breakup with Captain America." [[New York](] — "John Mayer knows he messed up." Joe Coscarelli's profile: "After more than five years of self-imposed pop exile, this guitar virtuoso wants another blockbuster album. Then he hopes to settle down." [[The New York Times](] — "How the L.A. Phil can stay on top." Alex Ross recommends: "Deborah Borda, the longtime president and C.E.O., is leaving the institution and heading east. But what the L.A. Phil needs is continuity, not change." [[The New Yorker](] — "The media should become a true opposition party." Leah Finnegan writes: "If the press can relinquish its self-regard and battle Trump with Watergate-era gusto, perhaps it might stand for something of value to Americans." [[The New Republic](] Today's Birthdays: Perez Hilton, 39, Daniel Espinosa, 40, Keri Russell, 41, Michelle Monaghan, 41, Catherine Keener, 58, David Milch, 72, Michael Haneke, 75. Follow The News Is this e-mail not displaying correctly? 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