Duffer Bros. Lineup 'Stranger Things' Spinoff and Stage Play   

►Busy, busy. Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer have unveiled plans for a spinoff series of their blockbuster hit for Netflix. The project, details of which are being kept under wraps, is but one of five projects the siblings have unveiled as part of their nine-figure overall deal for the streamer. 

Other projects include a new stage play set within the world of Stranger Things as well as a series adaptation of Stephen King and Peter Straub’s The Talisman and a live-action take of anime show Death Note. The fifth project in the slate is an original series from Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance duo Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews. The story.

—Clownfall. British Prime Minister, and scandal magnet, Boris Johnson has agreed to resign, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future. Johnson had in recent days rebuffed calls by his Cabinet to step down in the wake of a multitude of ethics scandals. But he gave in after more than 55 ministers quit his government and told him to go. The story.

—Quick as you like. Paramount+ has handed out a speedy season four renewal for Robert and Michelle King’s former CBS drama Evil. The news arrives mere weeks after season three of the series starring Katja Herbers and Mike Colter launched its third season on the platform. The story.

—Hello. Arizona will hand out up to $125m a year in tax breaks to Hollywood, joining the ranks of just a handful of states with nine-figure caps in their incentive programs. Some praise the new program for allowing Arizona to compete with neighboring state New Mexico, though legislative analysts predict that the state will not see a return on its investment. The story. 

—"A lot of this actually happened." The first official trailer for David O. Russell’s highly anticipated film Amsterdam dropped yesterday, featuring a starry, A-list cast led by Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington. The film, which is released Nov. 4, is a crime epic about a tight-knit group of people who find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plots in American history. The trailer.

Amazon Lands Hot Will Ferrell-Reese Witherspoon Wedding Comedy

►Wedding wars. THR's Borys Kit has the scoop on Amazon Studios landing the rights to an untitled wedding comedy from writer-director Nick Stoller that has Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon attached to star. The trio are also producing via their respective banners. Logline details are being kept under the veil, but the premise involves two weddings that are booked at the same venue on the same weekend. The story. 

—Guilty. Jurors found Eric R. Holder Jr. guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday for the 2019 fatal shooting of rapper Nipsey Hussle. The Los Angeles County jury also found Holder guilty of two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter for gunfire that hit other men at the scene. Holder could get life in prison when he’s sentenced on Sept. 15. The story. 

—Sentenced. A federal judge Wednesday sentenced Jerry Harris, a former star of the Netflix documentary series Cheer, to 12 years in prison for coercing teenage boys to send him obscene photos and videos of themselves and soliciting sex from minors at cheerleading competitions. The judge also ordered that the sentence be followed by eight years of court-supervised release. The story.

—"I feel deeply honored to have been chosen for this new role." Jacqueline Stewart, the noted film scholar and Turner Classic Movies host, has been appointed director and president of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, assuming her roles on July 18. She replaces Bill Kramer, who became CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last week. The story. 

—"There was just this gray color in my life." Hayden Panettiere has revealed that she spent years battling an addiction to opioids and alcohol. In a recent interview, the Nashville actress said that she was just 15 when someone on her team gave her “happy pills” ahead of press events to “make [her] peppy during interviews.” She continued drinking and taking opioids as her career flourished with a high-profile starring role on Heroes. The story. 

What Hollywood Can Do After the Reversal of Roe

►"What now?" In a guest column for THR, entertainment attorney Tara Kole and political strategist Hannah Linkenhoker consider the road ahead in the fight for abortion rights, and the stories that Hollywood can tell to "destigmatize our reproductive lives." The column.

—Defining a vision for the company. This week Disney CEO Bob Chapek, joined by dozens of others representing the business and political elite at the annual Sun Valley Conference, just as the executive's new contract gives him breathing room to put his own stamp on the company. THR's Alex Weprin looks at key areas Chapek can focus on, from streaming and theme parks to sports and mega-deals. The analysis.

—"It’s not about how much, it’s about how good." Earlier this week, HBO Max announced it was stopping all original programming in key European markets, including the Nordics and Central Europe, as part of parent company Warner Bros. Discovery's $3b cost cutting drive. THR's business editor Georg Szalai looks at the reasons behind the move and how investors are reacting. The story.   

—Quids in. Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino has inked a new 5-year contract extension with the live events giant, keeping him at the helm of the company through the end of 2027. The deal includes a significant increase in compensation for Rapino, with a $3m per year salary and an annual target payday of $30m if performance metrics are met. The story.

—Residuals increase in tough times. Even as employment and income decreased for writers in 2021, the Writers Guild of America West saw an uptick in residuals going to members across film and television. Guild members received an “an all-time high” of $493.6m in residuals in 2021, representing a 5.4 percent uptick from 2020, according to the WGA West’s latest annual financial report. The story. 

TV Review: 'Moonhaven' 

►"Its overall vibe is crater than the sum of its parts." THR's chief TV critic Dan Fienberg reviews AMC+’s Moonhaven. The technology developed on a moon colony represents Earth's last hope in a drama from Peter Ocko that straddles science fiction, mystery and oddball New Age spirituality. The review. 

—"I want to be real and raw in the moment." THR's Ryan Parker spoke to Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin about that agonizing season finale moment. Caleb also touched on a number of topics, including what he saw as Lucas' master plan when he joined the basketball team. Warning spoilers. The interview.

In other news...

—Viola Davis leads brave warriors into battle in The Woman King trailer

—Kevin Smith unveils Clerks 3 trailer, release date set

—Apple, Skydance animation release first Luck trailer

—Trump 2020 election doc Unprecedented lands July release date, reveals trailer

—Pearlena Igbokwe, Alex Kurtzman to be honored at African American Film Critics Association TV Awards

—Disney elevates Kristen Finney to evp content curation for international group

—Comscore promotes Jon Carpenter to CEO

—David Madden joins Wattpad Webtoon Studios as head of entertainment

—Michelle Visage signs with APA

—San Sebastian Film Fest to open with Modelo 77

What else we're reading...

—Boris Johnson's shameful legacy [Guardian]

—Lila Shapiro profiles Nathan Fielder, arguably the funniest Canadian to have ever lived [Vulture]

—Calum Marsh on why Universal's Minions franchise is so darn popular [NYT]

—Is it 9 kids now? "Elon Musk had twins last year with one of his top executives" [Insider]

—Daniel Chin looks at the evolution of Chris Hemsworth’s Thor [Ringer]

Today...  

Today's birthdays: Shelley Duvall (73), Ringo Starr (82), Robert Eggers (39), Bérénice Bejo (46), Jim Gaffigan (56), Julianna Guill (35), Akiva Goldsman (60), Jack Whitehall (34), Hamish Linklater (46), Billy Campbell (63), Marika Dominczyk (42), Eve Hewson (31), Robin Weigert (53), Jorja Fox (54), Kirsten Vangsness (50), Dylan Sprayberry (24), Tracy Reiner (58), Nina Hoss (47), Martin Wallström (39), Allen Payne (54)