Weekend update: A look at a summer of movies without box office superheroes. Plus: Another WarnerMedia executive exit, layoffs hit animation studio Laika, Apple lands another big film and Peacock plans a mystery reboot of Clueless. — Erik Hayden

 A Summer Without Superheroes

Column: For movie buffs who have felt the void left by a lack of blockbusters, Netflix closes out the season with a movie, Project Power, that feels uniquely attuned to the Black Lives Matter conversation, Richard Newby writes: 

+ "Summer movie season is a space typically reserved for the dominance of superhero stories, costume clad beings with incredible power who attempt to shape the world for the better against often garish villains. Yet, summer 2020, as a result of America’s failure to slow the COVID-19 pandemic, has been a summer without superhero movies."

+ "It’s fitting then that in the final days of summer 2020, a season that has been defined by the failure of government leadership, and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, that we find ourselves with a superhero film that feels uniquely situated for our current predicament." Full story.

Film and TV updates...

► Apple lands another star-studded film package. After a bidding war, the tech giant has acquired a feature that has Idris Elba attached to star with Simon Kinberg producing. A romantic spy thriller. 

► Netflix plans doc about civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Kenya Barris is set to produce a feature doc about the attorney that represents the families of victims of police violence. Nadia Hallgreen will direct.

► Laika cuts staff amid pandemic. About 56 employees were impacted at the animation studio, which says it intends to rehire "at a future date when we can expand the number of people we can safely have in our buildings."

Heat Vision update: DC's Jim Lee on the company's future. "There is no pencils down notice," says the exec who weighs in on this week’s major layoffs, digital comics, interim editor-in-chiefs, and a new Batman book from John Ridley. Full story.

► HBO Films, Cinemax and miniseries president exits. Len Amato is exiting the WarnerMedia-owned premium cable network after a 13-year run amid a broad reorganization.

► ABC's The View will welcome back a former host. Sara Haines is close to finalizing a deal to begin her second stint as a co-host of the talker, filling the spot vacated by Abby Huntsman. Story.

► Peacock plans mystery reboot of Clueless. The project, which has been in the works for nearly a year, hails from CBS Television Studios and writers Jordan Reddout and Gus Hickey. Details.

 In THR, Esq: "Truth Hurts" suit against Lizzo dismissed by judge. A California federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against her by two songwriters who say they helped create the Grammy-winning hit song.

+ Supreme Court asked to review "Stairway to Heaven" fight. Led Zeppelin's copyright win is challenged one last time.

 An Emmys Suggestion

Column: The Emmys needs a separate category for sketch comedy performers, Robyn Bahr writes: 

+ "A separate award would solve the problem of throwing the Saturday Night Live actors into the supporting/guest comedy groupings, forcing voters to compare performers representing worlds-apart art forms." Story. 

+ Scott Feinberg breaks down the odds for best actor in a comedy series. Story. 

New Awards Chatter podcast: Tony Shalhoub. The beloved character actor reflects on being one of 10 kids born to Lebanese immigrants, the restless streak that led to his greatest successes and why, in his sixties, he's relishing new challenges. Listen.

What else we're reading...

— "Trying to make it big online? Getting signed isn’t everything." Taylor Lorenz writes: "Young people come to Los Angeles in droves with dreams of fame and fortune. Once they’re discovered, it’s not always sunny." [New York Times]

— "Epic Games’ founder Tim Sweeney is fighting Apple, Google." Sarah E. Needleman notes: "The game’s removal from the App Store and Google Play has become a flashpoint in a long battle between app developers and the tech giants." [Wall Street Journal]

— "Sports-hungry fans are welcoming live events back to TV." Stephen Battaglio writes: "Audiences for hockey and golf are surging, and baseball is bringing in younger viewers, as people look for a break from streaming." [Los Angeles Times]

— "Trump’s incoherent policy on TikTok and China." Sheelah Kolhatkar writes: "The need to address China’s economic practices is clear to Republicans and Democrats alike. But Trump’s fixation on a single social-media site serves only as a distraction." [New Yorker]

— "Shari Redstone readies ViacomCBS streaming rebrand." A three-byline report: "'Paramount+' tops shortlist as battle with Disney moves centre stage in attempt to lift shares." [Financial Times]

— "Cable technicians fear getting Covid from customers who refuse to wear masks." Gerry Smith reports: "U.S. cable companies require employees to wear face coverings on home visits. Many customers don’t do the same." [Bloomberg]

— "The best-kept secret in documentaries? It’s all in the casting." Ann Hornaday writes: "Although documentaries are nonfiction, they are just as dependent on the charisma, appeal and watchability of the people who populate them." [Washington Post]

Today's birthdays: Debra Messing, Anthony Anderson, Ben Affleck, Ben Silverman, Joe Jonas, Jennifer Lawrence.