What's news: The European Commission is expected to approve the Paramount-WBD merger. Ari Emanuel's Mari Group is in talks to buy ATG Entertainment. Live Nation's CEO spoke with Trump before the company had settled its monopoly suit. Paramount+ renewed Dutton Ranch. And the Film Academy has invited 529 people to become members. — Abid Rahman

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►"I’m mid-career and I don’t want to be a dinosaur in my field." In 2023, concerns over the rise of generative AI animated the writers’ and actors’ strikes, with many rank-and-file workers fearful that it could put wide swaths of the entertainment industry out of work. THR's Katie Kilkenny and Steven Zeitchik report that three years later, with those concerns still alive and well, some Hollywood workers have been moonlighting in AI training, working to help improve the tech that may pave the way to their own obsolescence. The story.

 

—✊ First contract! ✊ Katie Kilkenny reports that production assistants on three shows produced by Warner Bros. Television — Abbott Elementary, George & Mandy’s First Marriage and All American — have ratified their first union contracts. The staffers, about 15 in total, unanimously voted to ratify the three separate contracts in a vote that ended Tuesday. Their union, Production Assistants United, is affiliated with the Hollywood laborers’ union LiUNA Local 724. The story.

 

—Jive Nation. Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino spoke with Donald Trump in the weeks before the company had settled with the DOJ in its monopoly lawsuit, Live Nation confirmed in court documents filed earlier this week. In the document, filed in federal court on Monday, Live Nation disclosed numerous communications with representatives at the DOJ and the White House, saying that the company had been in conversations between February of 2025 and March of 2026 to discuss a potential settlement over the antitrust suit first filed in May of 2024. The story. 

—Banana republic latest. Independent country music artist Alexis Wilkins is responding to the controversy over her latest live gig booking at the upcoming Great American State Fair event, part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. Wilkins fired back at her critics, asserting that she has been hired on her merits as a singer and not because she is the long-term girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel. "I was invited to sing this anthem on my own accord, as I have been many other places throughout my career," tweeted Wilkins. The story. 

►🤝 Home stretch. 🤝 Paramount is inching closer to completing its $111b takeover of Warner Bros., a deal that will transform the studio into a theatrical and news behemoth. The European Commission is expected to approve the merger ahead of an upcoming deadline to open an in-depth probe, reported the FT on Wednesday. The greenlight will include a condition designed to address competition concerns in the distribution of films in international markets that Paramount “exit its joint venture with Universal Pictures,” according to two sources familiar with the situation cited in the story. A final decision hasn’t been made. The story. 

—🤝 Almost there. 🤝 Ari Emanuel’s live events company Mari Group is reportedly in talks to acquire major theater owner ATG Entertainment. Mari is in advanced talks with private equity firm Providence, which owns ATG, to buy the theater group. The $6b deal could close within the next month. ATG has 10 theaters on the West End, including the famed Lyceum, as well as seven Broadway theaters. Mari already has a presence in the theater world, after acquiring ticketing company TodayTix in October 2025. The story.

 

—Murdoch making moves. MCH Group, the company behind Art Basel, is pushing into the media events business, backing a new venture called Jupiter Festival. The inaugural Jupiter Festival is currently slated to be held in Miami this October, with speakers that include Tribeca Enterprises CEO Rebecca Glashow, Fox One chief Pete Distad, Inside the NBA host Kenny Smith, YouTube’s Brian Albert, and former 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens. MCH counts James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems as its largest individual shareholder. The story. 

—Brutal. iHeartMedia is undergoing staff cuts as the company embarks on the process of restructuring its radio programming. In a memo sent to employees this week, executives outlined a need to speed up the sales process after building new tech capabilities over the past few years. The memo does not detail the exact number of employees impacted but reports have put it in the dozens. The move also comes after iHeartMedia announced a cost-saving plan that is meant to lead to $50m of savings. The story.

—🤝 Investment deal. 🤝 Sony Pictures Entertainment is making a significant strategic investment into Cosm, the immersive theatrical company that builds domed venues that let attendees watch live events and theatrical content in a new format. Sony is pouring $100m into the business for a minority stake, with SPE chairman and CEO Ravi Ahuja joining its board of directors. Sony joins Fox, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, Marc Lasry and Bolt Ventures as investors in the company. The story.

►The GOAT's place in the age of YouTube filmmakers. After a month that saw 20-something directors Curry Barker (Obsession) and Kane Parsons (Backrooms) make box-office history, THR's Lexi Carson asked young moviegoers whether legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg still carries weight with Zoomers. The story. 

—New class. Actors Jacob Elordi, Teyana Taylor, Bill Skarsgard, Jenna Ortega and Josh O’Connor have been invited to become members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Joining them are other industry notables, including Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro; filmmakers Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie and Zach Cregger; casting director Cassandra Kulukundis; producer Eli Bush; as well as singer/songwriters Sara Bareilles and EJAE. The list of 529 invitees released Wednesday morning by the Academy — which includes 95 Oscar nominees, 21 Oscar winners and three Scientific and Technical Award recipients — follows classes numbering 395 in 2021, 397 in 2022, 398 in 2023 and 487 in 2024 and 534 in 2025. The story.

 

—🤝 Sold! 🤝 Shudder has acquired North American, Australian and New Zealand rights to Nightborn, the latest horror feature from Finnish filmmaker Hanna Bergholm. The film will debut on the genre streamer on July 31. Nightborn stars Seidi Haarla and Rupert Grint as a couple who move into an isolated house deep in the Finnish forest to start a family. After the birth of their son, Saga (Haarla) becomes convinced there is something profoundly wrong with the child, even as those around her dismiss her fears. The story. 

—🤝 Sold! 🤝 Kino Lorber has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the period Chilean mystery The Meltdown, the sophomore feature of actress-turned-writer/director Manuela Martelli, which had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The company will release the movie theatrically in early 2027, followed by a digital, educational, and home video release. The film is a follow-up to writer-director Martelli’s General Augusto Pinochet-era political thriller Chile ‘76. The story.

►No-brainer. Dutton Ranch, the Yellowstone spinoff series starring flagship stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, has been renewed for a second season at Paramount+. The news comes as the series heads into its final two episodes of season one, with the finale releasing on July 3. The renewal comes as little surprise, as the series has been a megahit right out of the gate. It became the biggest original series debut in Paramount+ history with 12.9m viewers globally in the week following its premiere. The story.

 

—"Big boots to fill." THR's queen of chat Jackie Strause spoke to Dutton Ranch duo Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser about the season finale. The co-stars and exec producers also spoke about the exit of their showrunner and why they blew up Beth and Rip's Yellowstone ending to start anew. Warning: Spoilers! The interview.

►It's happening. Absolute Batman, DC’s comic book sensation, is heading to the small screen. The comic is being adapted as an animated series and will have the comic’s creators, writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta, involved with its development. The series is one of three animated projects that show a growing DC-oriented animated slate. Also coming up is DC’s first anime series, Joker: Laugh Riot, which has been greenlit and a new series centered on superdog Krypto going into development. The story. 

 

—There’s more Mary Bennet to come! The BBC and BritBox have confirmed their breakout period drama The Other Bennet Sister is set to return for a three-part Christmas special this year. Screenwriter Sarah Quintrell will pen the upcoming episodes, produced again by Bad Wolf. The wildly popular show is based on Janice Hadlow’s bestselling novel and focuses on the forgotten Bennet sister, Mary (played by Ella Bruccoleri), from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The story.

—📅 Dated! 📅 President Curtis is getting ready to navigate the political landscape as only the Rick and Morty universe can. Adult Swim‘s new series is set to premiere July 26 at 11:30 p.m. The project is a spinoff of Rick and Morty and will debut immediately following the season nine finale of the flagship series. President Curtis episodes will stream the following day on HBO Max. Voicing the titular President Andre Curtis is Keith David, who has been a Rick and Morty staple since debuting as the commander in chief in the “Get Schwifty” episode. The story. 

—📅 Dated! 📅 The world of Snowfall is moving forward into its next decade. FX and Hulu have set a Sept. 8 premiere date for The Drop: A Snowfall Saga, a spinoff that centers on two of the original series’ characters, Wanda (Gail Bean) and Leon (Isaiah John). The Drop, which FX ordered to series in November 2025, will follow Wanda and Leon as they look to reinvent themselves in 1990s Los Angeles, where the aftermath of the crack epidemic is helping fuel the rise of West Coast rap. The show picks up after Snowfall’s 2023 series finale. The story.

►"More stupor than super." THR's chief film critic David Rooney reviews Craig Gillespie's Supergirl. DC Studios' interplanetary action saga stars Milly Alcock as a punkish and chaotic Supergirl helping a orphaned teen to avenge the killing of her family. Also starring Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet and Jason Momoa. Written by Ana Nogueira. The review.

—"Formulaic and familiar, but not without high points." THR's chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg reviews HBO's Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness. The creative team behind Curb Your Enthusiasm use this seven-episode series to add a crotchety Curb sensibility to various historical moments. Starring Larry David, Barack Obama and Jerry Seinfeld. Created by Larry David and Jeff Schaffer. The review.

►"If you can read this, you're too smart for this film." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Jeff Tremaine's Jackass: Best and Last. New, insanely dangerous stunts, as well as past highlights, are featured in this allegedly ultimate film of the longstanding franchise. Starring Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Jason “Wee Man” Acuna, Dave England, Danger Ehren, Preston Lacy, Rachel Wolfson, Jasper Dolphin and Zach Holmes. The review.

 

—"Saving Captain Castle." Frank reviews Rod Davis Lurie's Lucky Strike. Scott Eastwood and Colin Hanks star in this World War II thriller about an American soldier trapped behind enemy lines. Also starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Taylor John Smith. Written by Marc Frydman and Rod Davis Lurie. The review.

 

 

In other news...

—The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip trailer

—Grand Theft Auto VI price finally revealed

 

—Phoebe Bridgers announces new album Lost Weekend

—Mr. Fantasy announces first tour ahead of debut album

—Virginie Efira to receive Locarno Leopard Club Award

—Gary Oldman to receive Edinburgh TV Fest’s Golden Icon Award

 

—Zendaya stuns in vintage $35 Spider-Man t-shirt for Brand New Day event 

What else we're reading...

—Anton Troianovski reports on the vibe shift amongst Republicans who have gone from seeing the Iranian government as "terrible people" to "smart people" [NYT]

—Tom Kludt profiles Jalen Brunson in the aftermath of the Knicks' first championship in 53 years [Intelligencer]

—Josef Adalian goes inside the success of Apple's "crazy" show Widow's Bay that's become a favorite of Hollywood insiders [Vulture]

—Nick Levine looks at why the brutally tortured Saint Sebastian became a gay icon [BBC]

—Kyle Chayka rants against the ubiquity of Claude Design tropes in new websites that lean on "beige- and cream-colored backgrounds, rusty orange-hued accents, and large serif typefaces" [New Yorker] 

Today...  

...in 1982, Warner Bros. brought Blade Runner to theaters. Ridley Scott’s noirish, R-rated, 116-minute sci-fi film, featuring “dynamo” Harrison Ford, became a cult hit. The original review.

Today's birthdays...

 

Linda Cardellini (51), Ricky Gervais (65), Hong Chau (47), Benson Boone (24), Jimmie 'JJ' Walker (79), Mckenna Grace (20), Busy Philipps (47), Rain (44), Megan Burns (40), Tom Lipinski (44), Annaleigh Ashford (41), Jeff Cohen (52), Charlie Carrick (40), Chloe Webb (70), Cameron Cowperthwaite (34), Jason Lewis (55), Sheridan Smith (45), Angela Kinsey (55), Jackie Swanson (63), John Benjamin Hickey (63), Shannon Lucio (46), Kylie Cantrall (21), Erica Gimpel (62), La La Anthony (44), Michael McShane (71), Mason Vale Cotton (24), Sai Tamhankar (40), Karisma Kapoor (52), Eve Gordon (66), Timur Bekmambetov (65), Sunetra Sarker (53), Daman Mills (33), Brandi Burkhardt (47), Ernest R. Dickerson (75), Inma Cuesta (46)