'Rust' Armorer Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter; Bob Iger's Next Big Battle; Wall Street's War on Soho House; 'Kung Fu Panda 4' Review

[View on web]( [New reader? Subscribe]( March 07, 2024 What's news: Netflix will live stream Jake Paul's fight with Mike Tyson. Sony Pictures has named Ravi Ahuja president and COO. Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik will appear in the Young Sheldon series finale. Amazon's Upload will end with a fourth and final season. Netflix has renewed Avatar: The Last Airbender for two seasons. Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal are set to star in Othello on Broadway. The late Sacheen Littlefeather may have had Indigenous ancestry after all. — [Abid Rahman]( Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at [tips@thr.com](. 'Rust' Armorer Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter ►Convicted. Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter over the accidental on set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021. But in a split verdict, a 12-member jury in Santa Fe declined on Wednesday to convict her on evidence tampering charges. Jurors returned the decision after less than three hours of deliberating. The 26-year-old Arizona woman faces up to 18 months in prison for her role in the death of Hutchins. [The story.]( —Request for dismissal. The criminal sexual assault case against filmmaker Paul Haggis in Italy could be coming to an end, with prosecutors in the Southern Italy city Brindisi, where Haggis was charged with sexual assault, requesting that the case be dismissed. The case dates back to June 2022, when the Crash writer-director was booked and placed under house arrest following the complaint of a British woman who was attending the Allora Film Fest with Haggis. [The story.]( —Going to trial. Dominique Boutonnat, the president of France's National Film Board, the CNC, will go to court this summer over allegations he sexually assaulted his godson. The public prosecutor’s office in Nanterre, a prefecture in the western suburbs of Paris, has set a trial date for June 14. Boutonnat is accused of assaulting his godson in August 2020 when the latter was 21 years old. The younger man accused Boutonnat of non-consensual touching and trying to fellate him against his will. Boutonnat denies all charges. [The story.]( Bob Iger's Next Big Battle ►"Iger is looking to reassert his authority and define his legacy at Disney." The last time Disney faced a full-fledged proxy fight was 20 years ago. More than 40 percent of shareholders voted against the Disney board and its then-CEO, Michael Eisner. THR's [Alex Weprin]( writes that Disney's annual meeting on April 3 will prove just as pivotal as CEO Bob Iger and his activist opponents maneuver for shareholder votes. [The analysis.]( —Big change up top. Sony Pictures Entertainment has named Ravi Ahuja president and COO, according to a memo to staff Wednesday from SPE CEO Tony Vinciquerra. Ahuja is taking on the new role “to work more closely with me and our entire leadership team as we chart our path forward through a rapidly changing and increasingly complex entertainment industry.” Ahuja, currently chairman of Sony Pictures Television and head of corporate development, will also continue to oversee the company’s TV business in his elevated role. [The story.]( —Shuttering. Warner Bros. Discovery's animation, comedy and gaming studio Rooster Teeth is shutting down. The company, which is headquartered in Austin, Texas, was founded in 2003 and began with the launch of the web series Red vs. Blue, based on the video game Halo, and then evolved to include the podcast network. The Roost Podcast Network, which contains more than 80 podcasts, will remain in operation, as WBD looks for outside interest in acquiring the network. [The story.]( —"We have seen outstanding creative deliveries from recent talent deals and acquisitions." U.K. TV giant ITV reported record results for its ITV Studios production unit and an 8 percent ad revenue decline for 2023, compared with 2022. ITV also saw total external revenue drop 2 percent in the latest full year to $5.43b. Adjusted profit before tax for the year fell 41 percent to $504m. [The results.]( Wall Street's War on Soho House ►Full house? Private members club Soho House owes much of its runaway success to conjuring spaces for the creative class that are so enticing that far less fashionable finance folks became desperate to join. Hungry for growth, the publicly-traded company has opened clubs around the world and welcomed those very same finance types at the expense of artsy exclusivity. Now with short-sellers on the attack, THR's [Gary Baum]( and [Lachlan Cartwritght]( report that class-action lawyers are circling, and the besieged brand is considering going private again. [The story.]( —"Men in rage strike those that wish them best." Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal are set to star in Othello on Broadway in spring 2025. The production, which will see Washington in the title role and Gyllenhaal as Iago, will be directed by Kenny Leon, who previously directed Washington in A Raisin in the Sun and Fences. The production is scheduled to open at an as-yet unnamed Shubert theater. [The story.]( —🤝 First-look deal 🤝 John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski has signed a first-look production deal with Lionsgate. Stahelski and his 87Eleven Entertainment banner will bring the Hollywood studio original action movies to collaborate on, with an eye to establishing future movie franchises. The production agreement is separate from a recently announced deal with Lionsgate that gives Stahelski oversight of two franchises: Highlander and John Wick. [The story.]( —🎭 Romantic lead 🎭 Sadie Stanley, one of the stars of Freeform teen drama Cruel Summer, has joined the growing cast of Karate Kid, Sony Pictures’ latest installment of its martial arts coming-of-age franchise. The actress will play the romantic lead opposite Ben Wang, the American Born Chinese actor who is toplining the feature. [The story.]( —[📅]( Coming to America [📅]( Jeanne du Barry , the Johnny Depp starring period drama that opened the Cannes Film Festival, has gotten a U.S. release date. Vertical, which landed the domestic rights to the film following its Cannes debut, is partnering with Fathom to release the film beginning on May 2 in 500 theaters. Maïwenn directed and co-stars in the film that sees Depp play King Louis XV and follows his relationship with Jeanne Vaubernier, a working-class woman who rises to the level of the king’s mistress. [The story.]( Netflix to Live Stream Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul Fight ►Bread and circuses. Netflix is getting into combat sports in a major way, picking up what it is calling a “boxing mega-event” that will see the controversial former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson face off against YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul. Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions is partnering with Netflix on the event, which will stream live on the platform July 20 from AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The match will be included for all Netflix subscribers, though tickets will be sold to fill the 80,000-seat arena. [The story.]( —Bazinga! Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik will reprise their roles as The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler in the May 16 series finale of prequel series Young Sheldon. Additional details about the onscreen couple’s appearance are being kept under wraps. Parsons, who exec produces and provides voiceover for Young Sheldon, and Bialik last appeared onscreen together in the May 2019 series finale of The Big Bang Theory, during which Sheldon and Amy won the Nobel Prize in physics. [The story.]( —"Everything we love about daytime drama." CBS is developing a soap opera that could become the first daytime TV drama with a predominately Black cast in decades. The Gates follows the lives of a wealthy Black family living in a posh, gated community. The show will be produced by a CBS Studios/NAACP production venture in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. The Gates will be written by Emmy-winning daytime veteran Michele Val Jean (The Bold & the Beautiful), who will also serve as showrunner. [The story.]( —Making Office space. Amazon Prime Video has renewed its Greg Daniels sci-fi comedy Upload for a fourth and final season. The decision to conclude the show comes as Daniels is inching closer to a new take on The Office. Upload, starring Robbie Amell and Andy Allo, wrapped its third season late last year and will get a proper farewell at the streamer. Amazon landed Upload after Daniels originally sold the show to HBO under former head of originals Michael Lombardo. [The story.]( —Doubling down. Netflix has renewed Avatar: The Last Airbender, the lavish live-action adaptation of the Nickelodeon series, for two more seasons. The order will conclude the story of Aang’s journey to become the Avatar in the fantastical world. Despite mixed reviews, since the show’s Feb. 22 debut the series has been Netflix’s top English-language TV show with 41.1m views, according to the streamer. [The story.]( —Back to the Alphabet. Tim Allen is returning to ABC to topline the multicamera comedy pilot Shifting Gears. The former Last Man Standing star will play Matt, a stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When Matt’s estranged daughter and her teenage kids move into his house, the real restoration begins. Mike and Julie Scully will co-write the script and exec produce the pilot alongside Allen and Last Man Standing’s Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Richard Baker and Rick Messina. [The story.]( —Strong out the gate. The premiere of FX's Shōgun delivered a sizable streaming audience worldwide to go along with solid on-air numbers in the U.S. Over its first six days of release, the limited series’ first episode gathered 9m streaming views globally on Hulu, Disney+ and Star+. According to Disney, that’s the best worldwide debut to date for a Disney General Entertainment scripted series (i.e., one that doesn’t fall under the Marvel, Star Wars, Disney Branded TV, Pixar or National Geographic banners). [The ratings.]( The Complex Case of Sacheen Littlefeather's Claim to Native Ancestry ►New research. Nearly a year and a half ago, the late Sacheen Littlefeather became the face of Native identity fraud when skepticism about her background was publicized shortly after her death in October 2022. THR's [Rebecca Sun]( reports that newly publicized research indicates the activist, most famous for her controversial appearance at the 1973 Oscars, may have Indigenous roots after all. [The story.]( —"The industry in America… I find it harsh on women." Léa Seydoux shared that she finds it “easier” to work as an actor in Europe compared to America. In a new interview, the Dune: Part Two star said of working as an actress in America, "It’s hard for women to age. I don’t want to be afraid not to be desirable or to lose my contract." [The story.]( —"Understanding the threat illuminates a necessary path toward their elimination." Ahead of the Oscars, the Nuclear Threat Initiative launched its “Make Nukes History” campaign in L.A., using Oppenheimer to expand the conversation on nuclear threats. The campaign involves billboards, an art installation, street posters and an open letter signed by various stars. Those who signed the open letter include Matthew Modine, Jane Fonda, Tony Goldwyn, Michael Douglas, Alan Cumming, Bill Nye, Lily Tomlin, Julianne Moore, Lisa Rinna, Harry Hamlin, Emma Thompson, Rosanna Arquette, Viggo Mortensen and J. Robert Oppenheimer’s grandson, Charles Oppenheimer. [The story.]( Film Review: 'Kung Fu Panda 4' ►"The moves are getting a bit rusty, but there's still plenty of fun." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Mike Mitchell's Kung Fu Panda 4. Po the Dragon Warrior kicks more butt in this fourth installment of the hit animated film series, featuring the voices of Jack Black, Awkwafina, Bryan Cranston, James Hong, Ian McShane, Ke Huy Quan, Ronny Chieng, Lori Tan Chinn, Dustin Hoffman and Viola Davis. [The review.]( —"Past its expiration date." THR's chief film critic [David Rooney]( reviews Peter Farrelly's Ricky Stanicky. Three friends get more than they bargained for when they hire a low-rent celebrity impersonator to pose as the imaginary buddy who has served as their scapegoat since childhood, starring Zac Efron and John Cena. [The review.]( In other news... —Anne Hathaway [falls for a pop star in The Idea of You trailer]( —Colman Domingo [leads a theater troupe of inmates in A24’s Sing Sing trailer]( —Josh Brolin [channels his inner Thanos while shooting hoops in SNL promo]( —LeVar Burton [reflects on Reading Rainbow journey in Butterfly in the Sky doc trailer]( —Jerrod Carmichael [tries to "self-Truman Show" in trailer for HBO series]( —STEVE! (Martin) a Documentary in Two Pieces trailer: [Comedian was “scared out of my mind” due to fame]( —Kathleen Kennedy [to receive a top producing award at Austin Film Festival]( ​​​What else we're reading... —Sam Schechner and Kim Mackrael look into how Apple stands to lose from Europe’s new tech law and how Google stands to gain [[WSJ]( —Rosalind Jana talks to Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine, the leads in Starz's new period drama Mary & George, and digs deeper into the real history of social climbers Mary and George Villiers [[BBC]( —Ben Lindbergh considers how much further WB/Legendary can venture into the Dune universe, and feels it all hinges on how long Denis Villeneuve plans on sticking around [[Ringer]( —Carlos Morales writes that the enthusiastic critical and audience response to Dune 2 says more about the current problems with Hollywood tentpoles [[IGN]( —Daisuke Wakabayashi and Mike Isaac report that Big Tech is raking in the profits as Chinese brands Shein and Temu spend big to sell their wares to Americans [[NYT]( Today... ...in 2014, Searchlight Pictures released Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel in North American theaters. The ensemble comedy, featuring an all-timer performance by Ralph Fiennes, was nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning four. [The original review.]( Today's birthdays: [Greta Lee]( (41), Rachel Weisz (54), Bryan Cranston (68), Sarayu Blue (49), Jenna Fischer (50), Peter Sarsgaard (53), Andrew Haigh (51), Matthew Vaughn (53), Wanda Sykes (60), Jay Duplass (51), Brandon T. Jackson (40), Anupam Kher (69), Bret Easton Ellis (60), Tobias Menzies (50), Bel Powley (32), Daisy Head (33), Haley Lu Richardson (29), Laura Prepon (44), Donna Murphy (65), Sophie Skelton (30), Sarah Sherman (31), Giselle Eisenberg (17), Maxim Roy (52), Audrey Marie Anderson (49), Daniel J. Travanti (84), Emma Davies (54), Dan Grimaldi (78), Jolie Jenkins (50), Jonathan Del Arco (58), Hettienne Park (41), Freddie Thorp (30), Richard Lawson (77), Shakira Barrera (34), Diana Gómez (35) Jim Beard, a Grammy-winning keyboardist, composer and member of Steely Dan since 2008, has died. He was 63. 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