What's news: ICM signs a deal with the Writers Guild as another domino falls, production sluggish to return in L.A., ViacomCBS forecasts more streaming and shorter theatrical windows, Roku's big quarter, Harry Potter jumps to Peacock, inside Netflix's "Strong Black Lead" marketing team, Nia DaCosta tapped for Captain Marvel 2. Plus: High Fidelity canceled at Hulu, and Stephen Colbert and James Corden set return to the studio for next week. --Alex Weprin

 Another Domino Falls

►ICM signs deal with Writers Guild in next major agency breakthrough. "We are looking forward to getting back to work for our writer clients," said ICM co-president Kevin Crotty. "The pandemic has caused tremendous hardship and every facet of our industry is greatly challenged because of it. It was time to bridge this gap and get back to helping our clients tell stories that entertain, enlighten, connect and comfort audiences everywhere."

--ICM is the latest big agency to agree on terms with the guild. On July 15, UTA sent a letter to its clients confirming that it made a deal with the WGA, including on packaging fees, which has been central to the dispute with the guild. The story.

►Los Angeles' film and TV production off to slow restart. FilmLA, a partner film office for the city and county of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions, is offering up some filming stats, beginning when production got underway in the region on June 19, just days after the office got the green light to begin processing film permits on June 15.

--The result? The applications represent only 34 percent of what  FilmLA would expect under normal conditions, and is largely commercial projects (i.e. still photography and commercials). Recently, though, TV Reality production has started to resume. The story.

 Corporate Earnings...

►ViacomCBS ad revenue falls 27 percent, film profit rises helped by Sonic digital release. The media giant, led by CEO Bob Bakish, grew its streaming business further in the second quarter and raised its synergy target for the Viacom-CBS recombination that created it. Domestic streaming and digital video revenue grew 25 percent over the same period last year, while domestic paid streaming subscribers reached the 16.2 million mark after ending the first quarter above 13.5 million. The story.

+And there's more streaming coming: ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) is developing a premium streaming service of its own that will start launching in key international markets next year, targeting "audiences of all ages with a competitively priced and super-sized selection of 'must-see' exclusives, premieres and box sets from ViacomCBS’ much-loved entertainment brands." More.

+ViacomCBS "committed to theatrical," but windows "will probably shorten."  "Studios, including Paramount, are doing some things they wouldn't normally do, because theaters are closed," Bakish said. "We remain committed to theatrical and believe a lot of this reverts once the world normalizes. But we do believe theatrical windows will probably shorten and some of these new monetization paths, including both strategic ones and others, probably will become more [common]." The story.

►Roku had a strong spring, adding more new active accounts during the second quarter than it has in almost every other period. The company, which sells connected TV devices and TV sets, grew its base of active accounts by 41 percent to 43 million, the company revealed Wednesday. Streaming time on its devices grew by 65 percent to 14.6 billion hours. 

--Roku's strong quarter comes after a period in which the company has been locked in negotiations with WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal over bringing their HBO Max and Peacock services, respectively, to its platform. Roku didn't acknowledge the discussions in its shareholder letter but did note that "continued strong growth in streaming hours reinforces Roku's role as an essential distribution partner for content owners who want to scale rapidly." The story.

►ITV first-half studios revenue falls 17 percent, advertising drops 21 percent amid pandemic. The U.K. TV giant reports "materially impacted" results, including "the most severe decline in the history of ITV" in advertising. "This has been one of the most challenging times in the history of ITV," says CEO Carolyn McCall. More.

+Zynga on Wednesday posted the highest revenue in the game developer's history for its second quarter, hitting $452 million, a 47 percent bump year-over-year. More.

►Harry Potter films to stream on NBCUniversal's Peacock in October. The company said Wednesday that they will be available in windows, meaning they will come on and off the platform over the next six months and into 2021. The films were available on HBO Max at the time of its May launch but the company announced in July that they would leave the service in August. 

--The Harry Potter movies are a case study in how complicated the rights negotiations are for crown jewel film and TV properties. Natalie Jarvey explains the deal here.

 Inside Netflix's 'Strong Black Lead' Team

►Netflix's "Strong Black Lead" marketing team shows the power (and business benefit) of amplifying Black voices. The streamer's growing library of Black programming has led to spinoff projects (the #HeyQueen video series and Okay, Now Listen podcast) and necessary conversations on race in the industry, Shamira Ibrahim reports: "It's time to shift the narratives in Hollywood."

--"We're at a time now where people are being very critical and should be very critical of the companies that are creating our content," says Jasmyn Lawson, a manager on the team. "I want our audience to respect us for listening to them, [and know] that we are giving opportunities to Black directors and Black folks behind the scenes." The story.

It was a big day for TV cancelations...

+High Fidelity canceled at Hulu.  The cast, including star Zoe Kravitz, were notified of the decision Wednesday. Picked up to series more than two years ago, the updated take on the 2000 feature and Nick Hornby's novel was originally developed for Disney+. The series, which is produced by ABC Signature Studios, moved to Hulu in April 2019 after Disney acquired full control of the streamer. The story.

+Freeform has put its mermaid drama Siren out to sea. The Disney-owned cable network has canceled the show after three seasons. The move comes some two months after the season three finale on May 28. More.

+The stateside tour of British game show Taskmaster turned out to be exceedingly short. The CW has pulled the series from its Sunday schedule after just a single episode, which drew a very small audience on Aug. 2. Reruns of Supernatural will fill the 9 p.m. Sunday slot for the next few weeks. More.

In other TV news...

►Robert Downey Jr.-produced drama series lands at Apple. The untitled show is based on a Toronto Life article by Michael Lista and centers on a frustrated Canadian detective who takes on a decades-old case in hopes of winning a confession and becoming a hero. More.

+Stephen Colbert and James Corden will be returning to the studio. ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish said the two shows "are scheduled" to originate from their studios in New York and Los Angeles starting next week. There will not be a live audience.

+HBO Max's Flight Attendant eyes return to production. Executive producer and co-showrunner Steve Yockey said Wednesday that the darkly comedic thriller starring Kaley Cuoco is hoping to resume production by the end of August in New York. The show was filming the sixth of its eight episodes when production halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. More.

+Issa Rae producing HBO doc on Black TV pioneers. Seen & Heard, which is in production, will explore the history of Black television through the eyes of trailblazers who produced, created and starred in a number of groundbreaking series. Ark Media is producing. More.

 Nia DaCosta is already helping revive a '90s property with her take on MGM and Universal's upcoming Candyman. Now the filmmaker is taking on the sequel to Marvel Studios' '90s-set movie Captain Marvel. Megan McDonnell, a writer on the upcoming Disney+ Marvel series WandaVision, is penning the script for the sequel, which will once again star Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, fighter pilot turned superhero. The story.

►The Mandalorian most in-demand original across new streaming services. Third-party measurement firm Parrot Analytics has compared the launch weeks of Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max and Peacock, looking at how demand for their original shows stacked up against average demand for U.S. TV shows during that period of time. More.

►Tech entrepreneur Mark Kassen talks initiatives that might aid voters and Hollywood alike. The Like Minded Ventures CEO and producer is testing protocols and technologies to get the entertainment industry safely back to work, he tells Carolyn Giardina. The interview.

►In crime news: The home of YouTube personality Jake Paul was searched by FBI agents Wednesday morning... American Ninja Warrior champ Drew Drechsel has been charged with sex crimes involving minors, the U.S. Attorney's Office of the District of New Jersey announced Tuesday. The show's producers says he was being dropped from the program... Twin brothers who run a YouTube channel with millions of subscribers were charged Wednesday with multiple crimes, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced...

►Beyonce's Black Is King costume designer unpacks cultural references, favorite style moments. Veteran stylist Zerina Akers talks to THR's Chris Gardner about the biggest project of her career, how many outfits the music superstar wore in the Disney+ film and what's up next for her. The interview.

►TV review: Daniel Fienberg reviews the CBS All Access animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, writing that the show is "a largely joke-free missed opportunity to capitalize on a corner of the Federation workforce that has long enticed writers, but continues to await the sort of franchise treatment it deserves." The review.

Obituaries: Pete Hamill, the New York newspaperman who went to bat for the disenfranchised and became a larger-than-life personality during the city's last great era of print journalism, has died. He was 85... Billy Goldenberg, the Emmy-winning composer who collaborated with Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross, wrote the theme songs for Kojak and Rhoda and provided music for Queen of the Stardust Ballroom, Helter Skelter and Steven Spielberg's Duel, has died. He was 84...

►Broadcast TV ratings: A special celebrating 15 years of America's Got Talent helped NBC sweep primetime Tuesday — and drew almost as many viewers as a regular episode a week ago. The CW's Stargirl also grew in total viewers a week ahead of its season finale, and a remembrance of John Lewis drew 3 million people to CBS. The numbers.

Revolving door: Thomas Jane will star in and executive produce an Australian crime drama called Troppo from AGC Television, Essential Media and Beyond Production... A3 Artists Agency has hired Ashley Partington as its new head of commercial and endorsement... Leslye Davis, the filmmaker behind recent Netflix documentary Father Solider Son, has signed with UTA in all areas... Zoe Bell — the veteran stuntwoman and longtime Quentin Tarantino collaborator — has signed with CAA... Two Financial Times reporters, Dan McCrum and Paul Murphy, who investigated and uncovered the Wirecard scandal, are expanding their media profile by signing with WME in all areas...

In other news...

--Joe Biden's presidential campaign says it is spending $280 million to reserve TV and digital advertising time across the country, in what campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon says is the "largest presidential campaign advertising time reservation in history."

--Ryan Reynolds is set to star in a Universal family comedy that will be helmed by Paul King, the director behind the much beloved Paddington movies.

--John Wick director Chad Stahelski is reuniting with that action franchise’s writer, Derek Kolstad, to tackle an English-language remake of The Man from Nowhere, a South Korean action movie set up at New Line.

--The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) will go ahead with a physical event this year, with the 33rd edition taking place on Oct. 31 through Nov. 9... Meanwhile: The San Sebastian Festival has added several new titles to its competition lineup, including new features from British helmers Harry Macqueen and Julien Temple.

--Millennium Media will begin production Thursday on the high-concept thriller Till Death starring Megan Fox at the company's Nu Boyana film studios in Sofia, Bulgaria.

--Facebook has deleted a post by President Donald Trump for the first time, saying it violated its policy against spreading misinformation about the coronavirus.

--HBO Max and WarnerMax hosted a virtual premiere event Tuesday night for the platform's first feature film release, An American Pickle, and though you couldn't actually see all of the stars in the room, dozens were there to check out Seth Rogen's dual performance.

--Women In Film has partnered with The CW network to air its first-ever televised special, a one-hour variety show titled Women in Film Presents: Make it Work!

--The African American Film Critics Association on Wednesday revealed it will honor Viola Davis, Sterling K. Brown, Kenya Barris and more at a virtual celebration in August, hosted by actress August Rodriguez.

--The familiar sound that introduces every Netflix stream — referred to internally as "Ta Dum" — was nearly something very different: a goat's bleat.

What else we're reading...

--"Comcast shelves plan to take on CNN with new international channel" [Financial Times]

--"Quibi tests a free version in Australia and New Zealand" [WSJ]

--"Why Gen Z turned on Lin-Manuel Miranda" [Rolling Stone]

--"NBC News and Noticias Telemundo will team on bilingual reports on Latino community" [LA Times]

Today's birthdays: M. Night Shyamalan, 50; Melissa George, 44, Geri Halliwell, 48, Soleil Moon Frye, 44, Travis Kalanick, 44.