The Messenger Shutters After 8 Months, Judge Dismisses Disney First Amendment Suit and 'Avatar' VFX Artists Unionize

Plus: Netflix WWE deal may shake up live sports, Paramount shares climb 8% on Byron Allen bid and Hulu cracks down on password sharing [The Messenger founder and CEO Jimmy Finkelstein (Getty Images)]( [The Messenger to Shutter After Less Than a Year]( By Natalie Korach and Emily Smith The Messenger, the news startup launched by Jimmy Finkelstein less than a year ago, will be closing down. “The entire staff is devastated,” an individual with knowledge of the move told TheWrap on Wednesday. The website, launched in May 2023, hired around 300 staffers to cover politics, culture, breaking news, business, sports, and tech. Some 270 staffers will lose their jobs as a result of the closure on Wednesday, 200 of whom are journalists. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Ron DeSantis and Bob Iger]( [Disney's First Amendment Lawsuit Against Ron DeSantis Dismissed by Judge]( By Jeremy Fuster Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has scored a victory in his battle with Disney, as a federal judge has dismissed the media company’s First Amendment lawsuit filed against him last April. The lawsuit was dismissed “without prejudice,” meaning that Disney is free to submit another lawsuit. A spokesperson for the company signaled in a statement that it will. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Avatar The Way of Water]( ['Avatar' VFX Artists to Unionize With IATSE After 75% Vote in Favor]( By Jeremy Fuster The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees said Wednesday that 75% of a group of 76 VFX artists who work on James Cameron’s “Avatar” film series through Lightstorm Entertainment have voted to unionize with the below-the-line workers guild. The vote marks a major step in IATSE’s efforts to unionize visual effects artists, who are among the largest group of non-union workers in the entertainment industry. This is the first time that a group of VFX artists who work for vendor companies hired by companies have voted to unionize. The artists’ best-known work has been on “Avatar: The Way of Water” and its upcoming 2025 sequel. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Netflix's $5 Billion Rumble Into WWE's ‘Monday Night Raw’ May Shake up Live Sports]( [Paramount Stock Climbs Over 8% After Byron Allen's $30 Billion Bid]( [Hulu to Crack Down on Password Sharing]( [Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel Plan One-Day Strike With 5 Other Tribune Newsrooms]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [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](