THR at TIFF; Danny Masterson Sentenced to 30 Years to Life for Rapes; Fallon Apologizes to 'Tonight Show' Staff; 'The Boy and the Heron' Review

[View on web]( [New reader? Subscribe]( September 08, 2023 What's news: French billionaire François-Henri Pinault has bought a majority stake in CAA. Disney has narrowed its lawsuit against Ron DeSantis. Country singer Zach Bryan was arrested in Oklahoma. Lionsgate has scored domestic distribution rights to The Crow. — [Abid Rahman]( Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at [tips@thr.com](. Masterson Sentenced to 30 Years to Life for Rapes ►Sentenced. That ’70s Show star Danny Masterson was sentenced on Thursday to 30 years to life in prison for the rapes of two women in 2003, after a trial that drew widespread attention due to allegations that the Church of Scientology dissuaded his accusers from reporting the sexual assaults. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo handed down the sentence after denying a motion from Masterson for a new trial and hearing statements from accusers of how his actions impacted their lives. [The story.]( —First Amendment focus. Disney narrowed a lawsuit against Ron DeSantis that will likely decide the fate of its authority to control development around Disney World, opting to focus solely on First Amendment claims. In a complaint filed on Thursday, Disney amended its suit to drop Contracts Clause, Takings Clause and Due Process Clause violations. It will focus on allegations that the Florida governor retaliated against the company in violation of its free speech rights for opposing the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law. [The story.]( —🤝 New majority owner 🤝 Talent agency CAA has sold a majority stake to Artémis, the investment firm controlled by François-Henri Pinault, the CEO of fashion firm Kering and the billionaire scion of a French luxury goods fortune. CAA’s leadership team of Bryan Lourd, Kevin Huvane and Richard Lovett will remain in place, with all three men signing “long-term commitments to continue leading the agency.” Lourd is expected to be named CEO of the company under its new ownership. Jim Burtson will remain president. [The story.]( Fallon Apologizes to 'Tonight Show' Staff After "Toxic Workplace" Claims ►"Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends." Jimmy Fallon has apologized to his staff at The Tonight Show following a Rolling Stone report that accused the host and late night talk show of creating a “toxic workplace.” Fallon and showrunner Chris Miller held a Zoom meeting Thursday to address the report, and the host apologized profusely for the past behavior cited in the story. [The story.]( —"Emotions got the best of me and I was out of line in the things I said." Country music star Zach Bryan was arrested by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol on Thursday. It is not yet clear what the incident was that led to Bryan’s arrest, but the singer was booked into Craig County Jail on a charge of obstruction of an investigation. In a statement posted on social media, Bryan apologized for his actions and reaffirmed his support for law enforcement. [The story.]( —Going primetime. Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki's MSNBC show Inside with Jen Psaki will now run on the cable news channel on Monday nights at 8 p.m. beginning Sep. 25, replacing an hour of All In with Chris Hayes. Hayes will continue to host his show on Tuesday through Friday nights. Psaki will also continue to host Inside on Sundays at noon, and write her MSNBC political column. [The story.]( —Final chapter. THR's [Alex Ritman]( has the scoop on Brad Anderson taking up directing duties on George A. Romero’s “final zombie movie” Twilight of the Dead. Anderson will helm the “seventh and final installment” of the Living Dead franchise, which is being produced and financed by multi-platform production company Roundtable Entertainment. Roundtable recently announced a partnership with the Romero estate to bring Twilight of the Dead to the screen. Shooting is expected to start later this year. [The story.]( —Finding a home. The Crow is flying over to Lionsgate, which will handle domestic distribution for the long-awaited reboot. Rupert Sanders directed the feature, with Bill Skarsgard starring as the titular character, which originally debuted in the late 1980s comics by James O’Barr. The late Brandon Lee famously played the character in the 1994 film, and was killed during an on-set accident. [The story.]( THR at TIFF 2023 ►Off we go! The 48th Toronto International Film Festival is officially underway and THR's team is on the ground has all the latest. [The day 1 digital daily.]( —Instant contender. Hayao Miyazaki's supposedly final film, The Boy and the Heron, opened TIFF at Roy Thomson Hall on Thursday evening. THR's executive awards editor Scott Feinberg writes that while the film seems unlikely to pose a serious threat to this season's longstanding best animated feature Oscar frontrunner, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, it will almost certainly result in a fourth nomination for its legendary filmmaker. [The analysis.]( —"I’ve practiced through these two shorts to shoot in English, which I feel like I’m also prepared to do now." Scott also spoke to Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar, who is set to be the toast of TIFF where his gay cowboy short Strange Way of Life will have its North American premiere, and he will also receive the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media. Almodóvar also discusses his fond memories of the fest and why he feels ready to make a film in English. [The interview.]( —Industry stress test. THR's [Scott Roxborough]( writes that after robust business in Venice, insiders say TIFF will be the "turning point" for determining whether buyers will still write checks amid the continuing labor disputes: "[It] could be a killer market — or it could be dead." [The analysis.]( —Dicks move. Scott reports that A24’s Dicks — The Musical got the 2023 Midnight Madness section at TIFF off to a raucous, rollicking start as the world premiere of Larry Charles’ campy comedy brought the house down. Dicks, Charles’ adaptation of the off-Broadway musical Fucking Identical Twins by Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson, was the perfect film to kick off the section, said Midnight Madness programmer Peter Kuplowsky, because it is a film “where love is love and dicks are dicks!” [The story.]( —"Her performance, she’s tremendous." THR's [Etan Vlessing]( spoke to Viggo Mortensen about his feminist Western The Dead Don’t Hurt that is set for its world premiere at TIFF. The 1860s-set love story marks the Hollywood actor’s second stint as a director and Mortensen discusses working with Vicky Krieps and securing a SAG-AFTRA waiver to ensure that he and Krieps could go to Toronto for the premiere. [The interview.]( Inside the Fight for Data From Streamers ►Numbers game. Striking writers and actors are pressing a few common issues as they seek better contracts from the studios and streamers. One big one: Both unions want more transparency about how many people are watching streaming series and movies and, along with that, a bigger share of streaming revenue via residuals or success-based metrics. THR's [Rick Porter]( writes that the lack of viewership numbers used to feel like freedom, but as streaming evolves to look more like traditional television, creators want to peek behind the curtain. [The analysis.]( —"Please, do not be confused." Recording Academy chief Harvey Mason Jr. is attempting to clarify “inaccurate information” around the Grammy eligibility of AI songs, after a report viral song "Heart on My Sleeve" that uses fake vocals by Drake and The Weeknd was submitted for awards consideration. Mason posted a video to social media that tried to clear up confusion over the song and flatly denied the track met any of the eligibility requirements. [The story.]( —"Pay her the money." Scream creator Kevin Williamson is hoping Neve Campbell, who played Sidney Prescott in the hit horror films, eventually makes a return to the franchise after she exited last year due to salary disputes. During a recent interview on the Happy Horror Time podcast, the writer-producer-director said he “totally respect[s] her opinion,” but he hopes something can be figured out for future movies. [The story.]( —Back with a bang. The third-season premiere of Only Murders in the Building pushed the comedy to its best showing yet on Nielsen's streaming charts. Suits continued its dominant summer, setting a record for the most consecutive weeks with more than 3b minutes of viewing time. Only Murders in the Building opened its third season on Hulu on Aug. 8, and it drew 719m minutes of watch time for the week of Aug. 7-13. That’s a series high for the show and 24 percent higher than its previous best. [The streaming rankings.]( Film Review: 'The Boy and the Heron' ►"A late gift from a master." THR's chief film critic [David Rooney]( reviews Hayao Miyazaki's final film The Boy and the Heron. The anime legend draws on childhood memories to ruminate on love, loss and the intersection between life and death in a world spinning out of control. [The review.]( —"Anathema." David reviews Pietro Castellitto's Venice competition entry Enea. The writer-director leads a populous ensemble that includes his father, Sergio Castellitto, in a study of generational privilege and emptiness produced by Luca Guadagnino. [The review.]( —"A road movie to be reckoned with." THR's Leslie Felperin reviews Matteo Garrone's Venice competition entry Me Captain. The Gomorrah director's latest stars newcomer Seydou Sarr as a Senegalese teenager who leaves home on a quest to reach Europe. [The review.]( —"An uplifting and eye-opening love letter." THR's [Dan Fienberg]( reviews Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine's Copa 71. The documentary explores the formally unrecognized 1971 Women's World Cup with the trailblazing stars of that soccer showcase. [The review.]( —"Thematically rich, dramatically confused." Dan reviews Apple TV+'s The Changeling. LaKeith Stanfield plays a father taking a journey across New York City in search of answers about his family in this adaptation of Victor LaValle's novel. [The review.]( Film Review: 'Tuesday' ►"Go with it." THR's [Sheri Linden]( reviews Daina O. Pusić's Tuesday. In the writer-director's allegory, Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays the mother of a dying girl and Death appears in the form of a compassionate parrot. [The review.]( —"Predictable but lovely Richard Curtis lite." THR's [Caryn James]( reviews Kristin Scott Thomas' North Star. Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller and Emily Beecham star in the comic mother-daughter drama premiering at the Toronto Film Festival. [The review.]( —"More convincing as a portrait of a fading star than a rising one." THR's [Angie Han]( reviews Patricia Arquette's Gonzo Girl. The Oscar winner's first feature as helmer centers on the dynamic between a Hunter S. Thompson-like scribe (Willem Dafoe) and his new personal assistant (Camila Morrone). [The review.]( —"Nun too original." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Michael Chaves' The Nun II. The demonic sister is back in this latest installment in the Conjuring Universe, starring Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet and Storm Reid. [The review.]( —"Pleasant enough, but may be time to elope." Frank reviews Nia Vardalos' My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. Vardalos and John Corbett return as the Portokalas clan travel to Greece for this third film in the popular film series. [The review.]( Thank Pod It's Friday ► All the latest content from THR's podcast studio. —TV's Top 5. THR's [Lesley Goldberg]( and [Dan Fienberg]( break down the latest TV news. This week's episode begins with the mailbag. There's a segment dedicated to WBTV suspending the overall deals of their star producers. The guys also preview September television and Rolling Stone's chief TV critic Alan Sepinwall drops by to discuss some of the season's standout shows. Finally, Dan reviews Apple’s The Changeling , AMC’s Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and season two of FX’s Welcome to Wrexham. [Listen here.]( In other news... —Netflix’s Nyad trailer: [Annette Bening, Jodie Foster team for epic swimming feat]( —Monarch: Legacy of Monsters: [Apple TV+'s Godzilla TV series releases first trailer]( —Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving teaser: [Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae try to survive the holidays]( —A Happy Day trailer: [Bored refugees, young love and donkey butts]( —Lawmen: Bass Reeves teaser: [Taylor Sheridan’s new drama stars David Oyelowo as Black U.S. Marshal]( —Amazon’s The Burial trailer: [Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones star in courtroom drama]( —Bradley Cooper’s [Maestro to close AFI Fest]( —VMAs: [Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Wayne, Doja Cat, Kelsea Ballerini among performers]( —Andrew Lopez [signs with CAA]( What else we're reading... —Jada Yuan writes that soapy, romantic Virgin River is Netflix at its binge-able best [[WaPo]( —Amid the strikes, Kyle Buchanan tries to imagine what this year’s Oscar season will look like [[NYT]( —In a summer riven by celebrity divorce, Heather Schwedel tries to make sense of the emergence of star couple Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner [[Slate]( —A thoroughly unimpressed Stuart Heritage feels that with Ahsoka, the Star Wars universe is going from bad to worse [[Guardian]( —Here's your Friday list: "The 100 best Hong Kong movies" [[Timeout]( Today... ...in 1997, Fox premiered a new hour-long series, Ally McBeal, which went on to nab 7 Emmy wins and 34 nominations during its five season run. [The original review.]( Today's birthdays: Park So-dam (32), Pink (44), Jonathan Taylor Thomas (42), [Martin Freeman]( (52), Thomas Kretschmann (61), Gaten Matarazzo (21), David Arquette (52), Ray Fisher (36), Larenz Tate (48), Nate Corddry (46), Brad Silberling (60), Dianne Doan (33), Emma Laird (25), Nicolas Cantu (20), Lily Sullivan (29), Lauren Hashian (39), Mitchell Whitfield (59), Rachel Hunter (54), Ella Rae Peck (33), Travis Nelson (33), Brian Huskey (55), Alicia Eriksson (26), Sierra Capri (25), Aimee Mann (63) Jake Bloom, the veteran entertainment talent lawyer who represented the likes of Martin Scorsese, George Lucas and Arnold Schwarzenegger, has died. He was 81. [The obituary.]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} by The Hollywood Reporter. 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. 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