The 30-Year Journey to AMC's 'Dark Winds'

►On the cover. Back in 1986, Robert Redford acquired the rights to Tony Hillerman’s best-selling mystery novels that feature the characters Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, a pair of Navajo tribal police detectives. After an arduous journey to the small screen, AMC will finally debut the $5 million-an-episode Dark Winds on June 12, the most ambitious Native-led TV show ever made.

THR's Rebecca Keegan traces the steps the show, executive produced by Redford and Games of Thrones author George R.R. Martin, has taken and how the series filmed in three different sovereign nations, written by five Indigenous writers and shot by a crew that is 85 percent Native American spotlights indigenous talent, including stars Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon and Jessica Matten. The cover story. 

—From casino to studio. With Hollywood production booming in New Mexico, Rebecca looks at how the Tesuque Pueblo reservation converted its 1950s-era gambling destination into Camel Rock Studios, booking AMC’s Dark Winds as its first high-profile project. The story. 

'Obi-Wan Kenobi' Star Moses Ingram Faces Racist Online Attacks

►"Don’t choose to be racist." The official social media accounts for Star Wars late Monday issued a statement defending Obi-Wan Kenobi star Moses Ingram from racist attacks. Ingram, who plays Reva Sevander, aka the Third Sister, in the new Disney+ series, shared on her Instagram stories several of the absolutely horrendous online messages aimed at her, some of which included the N-word. Series star Ewan McGregor also posted a message of support and said people sending her abuse were "no Star Wars fan in my mind." The story.

—"I didn’t particularly feel served by Star Wars because it was predominantly male." THR's Ryan Parker spoke to Obi-Wan Kenobi star Indira Varma about her complicated relationship with Star Wars. Varma also (slightly) teased her work in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, and the upcoming, star-studded Apple TV+ series Extrapolations. Warning spoilers. The interview. 

—Slow Horses win the race. Apple TV+ has picked up two additional seasons of the spy drama Slow Horses starring Gary Oldman. The renewal will take the show through its fourth season — and the fourth book in the series of novels by Mick Herron on which it’s based. Season two of the show is set to premiere later this year. The story. 

—Catherine the Great. French icon Catherine Deneuve is set to add another lifetime achievement honor to her already well-stocked awards cabinet. The acclaimed actress will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 79th Venice Film Festival, where her 1967 drama Belle de Jour won the Golden Lion in 1967. The story. 

—This time it's personal. Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen are reuniting for Book Club 2 – The Next Chapter. The comedy from Focus Features, Endeavor Content and Makeready has started production on the sequel to the 2018 comedy Book Club, about friends who undergo romantic awakenings after reading Fifty Shades of Grey. The story. 

—ICYMI. Endeavor founder and CEO Ari Emanuel wed fashion designer Sarah Staudinger in Saint-Tropez this past weekend. Emanuel’s client Larry David served as the officiant at the star-packed wedding, attended by Emily Ratajkowski, Elon Musk, Sean Combs, Mark Wahlberg, Tyler Perry and Rahm Emanuel, Ari’s brother and former Chicago mayor who is now the U.S. ambassador to Japan. The story. 

Behind Netflix's Leaner Movie Mandate

►Bigger, fewer and better. THR's Borys Kit on how Netflix's movie division is adjusting to a new set of realities as it readies a $200 million-plus release of The Gray Man from Avengers: Endgame helmers the Russo Brothers and a pricey set of Knives Out sequels from Rian Johnson. The analysis. 

—Some good news at last. Netflix subscribers spent a record-setting amount of time watching Stranger Things’ super-sized fourth season over the weekend. According to the streamer’s internal measurement, Stranger Things racked up 286.79 million hours of viewing time worldwide from May 25-27. That blows past the previous record holder, season two of Bridgerton, which had 193 million hours of watch time over its opening weekend in March. The story. 

—It'll “punch you right in the heart." THR's Christy Piña spoke to Stranger Things executive producer Shawn Levy on balancing the darkness and horror elements of season four. Levy, who directed two big episodes, also teases how the final installments, releasing in July, will tee up the Netflix hit's endgame. Warning spoilers. The interview. 

—Bush fire. “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” Kate Bush’s classic 1985 single, has received an explosion of new interest thanks to its use in the fourth season of Stranger Things. According to data collected by Spotify on Monday, the song posted an 8,700 percent increase in global streams compared to its total on Thursday, and sits at No. 2 on the music streamer's top 50 U.S. chart and No. 4 on its top 200 global chart. The story. 

—Doing some good. THR's Lacey Rose has the scoop on Shonda Rhimes' Shondaland and Netflix rolling out two new DEI initiatives. The Producers Inclusion Initiative and The Ladder are two new, paid programs with an eye toward expanding the pipeline for below-the-line talent from underrepresented communities across film and TV. The story. 

How 'Top Gun 2' Set Off a Box Office Sonic Boom

►"It opens the door to what is possible." Despite delays, the three-decade gap from the original film and lingering COVID worries, Top Gun: Maverick more than delivered when flying into theaters over the long Memorial Day weekend, earning a massive $160.5 million to secure the biggest opening of all time for the holiday. THR's Pamela McClintock writes that the film's success, particularly with moviegoers over the age of 35, could prove to be a game-changer for the beleaguered box office as Hollywood emerges from the pandemic. The analysis.

—"Visceral thrill ride." If you've seen Top Gun: Maverick you are probably wondering how they pulled off all those incredible aerial shots. Wonder no more! THR's Ryan Parker chats to the film's aerial coordinator Kevin LaRosa who reveals the intense g-force training the cast went through and explained why it was vital. Warning spoilers. The interview.

—First look. Bradley Cooper is transformed in the first photos from his upcoming Netflix film Maestro. The Oscar nominee plays master composer Leonard Bernstein in the biopic, which also marks Cooper's directorial followup to A Star Is Born. Carey Mulligan plays Bernstein’s wife, Felicia Montealegre, in the film, which chronicles the conductor over the span of 30 years. The pictures. 

—"I think I was actually offered even less." Arden Cho is weighing in about her decision not to appear in Paramount+’s upcoming Teen Wolf movie. Cho and Dylan O’Brien will not return for the movie, with Cho, the only woman of color among the show’s four female regulars, having turned down the film due to having been offered half the per-episode salary of the three other actresses during the show's run. The story. 

—Martin's time to shine. Showtime is teaming up with the producers of Fleabag for a new comedy series. Brett Gelman, who memorably played Martin in Fleabag, will star in and exec produce Entitled, which Showtime is co-producing with the U.K.’s Channel 4 in association with All3Media International. The story. 

Film Review: 'Mediterranean Fever'

►"A bittersweet seaside story." THR film critic Leslie Felperin reviews Maha Haj's Cannes Un Certain Regard selection Mediterranean Fever. Winner of the UCR best screenplay award, the Palestinian writer-director's follow up to Personal Affairs stars Amer Hlehel and Ashraf Farah as frenemy neighbors in Haifa. The review.

—"Will light a lot of fires." Leslie reviews João Pedro Rodrigues' Cannes Directors’ Fortnight selection Will-o’-the-Wisp (Fogo-Fatuo). The Portuguese writer-director's queer fantasy sci-fi musical stars Mauro Costa as a royal prince who learns the ways of firefighting from Andre Cabral's hunky hose jockey. The review. 

—This Week in TV. THR's Rick Porter runs down the TV premieres, returns and specials over the next seven days. Among the things to look out for over the coming week include the NBA finals, season three debuts of Amazon's The Boys and Hulu's The Orville, South Park’s latest special for Paramount+, Netflix's revival of cult Danish drama Borgen and OWN's revival of CBS' troubled court drama All Rise. The full guide.  

In other news...

—Disney drops teaser trailer for live-action Pinocchio

—Study: Disney+ Hotstar leads Q1 subscriber growth in Southeast Asia

—Warner Bros. Discovery-BT Sports joint venture being probed by U.K. government

—Amanda de Cadenet inks 3-year podcast deal with iHeartMedia

—UTA promotes 26 staffers to partner, its largest class

—Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull joins Baobab Studios board

—ARRI launches new Alexa 35 camera with first productions underway

What else we're reading...

—Monica Lewinsky gives her verdict on the Johnny Depp–Amber Heard trial [VF]

—Rafael Motamayor on the growing challenge of accurately translating hit international shows like Squid Game, and all that's lost when it goes wrong [Vulture]

—As the crowds flock back to the movies, Erich Schwartzel reveals that supply issues is leading to shortages at the concession stand [WSJ]

—On the 20th anniversary of The Wire, Jonathan Abrams interviews creators David Simon and Ed Burns on the legacy of the iconic show [NYT]

—Adrian Horton on the explosion in prestige docudramas that feel like Wikipedia entries [Guardian]

Today...  

...in 1992, Columbia lined up Penny Marshall's A League of Their Own for its big screen debut. Starring Geena Davis, Madonna, Lori Petty and Tom Hanks, the baseball film went on to be a summer hit, grossing $107 million stateside and later spawned two TV adaptations. The original review.

Today's birthdays: Tom Holland (26), Morgan Freeman (85), Brian Cox (76), Sofia Hublitz (23), Teri Polo (53), Sylvia Hoeks (39), Jonathan Pryce (75), Amy Schumer (41), Nikki Glaser (38), Melissa Sagemiller (48), Sarah Wayne Callies (45), Adam Garcia (49), Willow Shields (22), Taylor Handley (38), Gareth Edwards (47), Lisa Hartman (66), Alanis Morissette (48), Heidi Klum (49)