Rashida Jones Initially Lobbied to Hire Ronna McDaniel, Michael Kassan Sues UTA Lawyer for Defamation and Hollywood Turns to Video Games to Offset Superhero Slump

Plus: Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison, Alamo Drafthouse explores sale and The Atlantic tops 1 million subscribers [A woman in a red sweater (Ronna McDaniel) speaks at a podium. She has light-toned skin.]( [MSNBC President Rashida Jones Initially Lobbied to Put Ronna McDaniel on the Network]( By Natalie Korach As more details are revealed about NBC News’ decision to hire and then subsequently part ways with former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel, it appears MSNBC President Rashida Jones had more of a hand in her hiring than originally perceived. While McDaniel was recruited to contribute to NBC News specifically, she was offered a more lucrative contract after agreeing to appear on MSNBC as well, according to the Washington Post. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [michael-kassan]( [MediaLink Ex-CEO Michael Kassan Sues UTA Lawyer for $125 Million Over Defamation | Exclusive]( By Emily Smith MediaLink founder and advertising rainmaker Michael Kassan is suing United Talent Agency’s attorney Bryan Freedman for $125 million for allegedly trying to destroy his reputation and ability to compete by branding him a “pathological liar” who has a “mental disease,” new court papers show. UTA bought MediaLink from Ascential Plc in December 2021 for the same amount — $125 million — bringing Kassan and the company’s 150 employees into the agency. But things soured between the advertising powerhouse and the agency’s CEO Jeremy Zimmer, allegedly over huge expense accounts and power struggles. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Superhero vs video game adaptations]( [With Superheroes Slumping, Hollywood Turns to Video Games]( By Drew Taylor and Umberto Gonzalez The superhero genre, once the bastion of bankability for studios like Disney, Warner Bros. and Sony, is in a slump. In 2023, all three of Warner Bros.’ DC films vastly underperformed. Sony’s February release “Madame Web” bombed so hard Sydney Sweeney joked on “SNL” that no one saw it. And even Marvel Studios, which routinely cranked out $700 million to $1 billion-grossing hits, stumbled with “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “The Marvels” — both critical and commercial letdowns. The superhero genre isn’t dead — Hollywood is still investing heavily in the years ahead — but it is wavering, which is causing studios to consider the “next big thing” should the genre go the way of the Western. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Sam Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for FTX Fraud]( [Alamo Drafthouse Explores Sale, Reaches Out to Studios for Interest]( [The Atlantic Logo]( [The Atlantic Reaches Profitability, Tops 1 Million Subscribers]( [karlie-kloss-life-magazine]( [Karlie Kloss, Joshua Kushner Strike Deal to Relaunch Life Magazine]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Wrap Pro logo] Discover why entertainment executives and professionals rely on the WrapPRO platform daily for exclusive coverage, analysis, deeper reporting, and access to VIP events & screenings throughout the year. [Subscribe Today]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( TheWrap | 2034 Armacost Ave Los Angeles, CA 90025 [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( [LiveIntent Logo]( [AdChoices Logo](