Hollywood Breakdown

For the first time, all of the Olympic Games will be available to watch on NBC’s streaming service Peacock. But how many people will actually tune in?

The standard Netflix plan now costs $15.49 a month — 50 cents more than HBO Max. Some subscribers may cancel, but the price will likely continue to rise as Netflix grows.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek recently sent his staff a memo outlining three “strategic pillars” that will “set the stage” for the company’s future. What do they really mean?

This year’s Golden Globe Awards will still happen in Beverly Hills, but with no red carpet and no media access. It will be a very pared-down, glamor-free ceremony. 

Steven Spielberg’s version of “West Side Story” opens this weekend, and while the film has received strong reviews, it may find trouble at the box office. Because so many movies’ release dates were pushed by the pandemic, it’s extra crowded at the holiday box office this year. And “West Side Story” will likely appeal to an older audience, the group that’s least likely to venture out to see movies in-person. 

When Bob Iger officially leaves Disney at the end of the year, he’ll be succeeded by Susan Arnold, the first woman and first openly gay person to lead the Disney board of directors. Unlike Iger, Arnold does not have a creative background. She worked almost 30 years at Procter & Gamble and also spent time in the world of private equity. 

Big budget action movies with big stars have traditionally been the bread and butter of Hollywood studios. Now, with films like “Red Notice,” Netflix is trying to make its mark on that blockbuster territory. “Red Notice” stars Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, and is on track to become Netflix’s most-watched movie, but is that popularity on streaming enough to capture the cultural conversation and launch a franchise?

In The Hollywood Reporter, Kim Masters and Gary Baum did a deep dive into the shady side of independent filmmaking. They found that four of the same producers on “Rust” worked on a previous film called “The Tiger Rising,” where the crew complained of late or missed payments. The producers seemed to be looking for tax breaks and credits, and did not care about the movie itself or the people making it. “The Tiger Rising,” which stars Dennis Quaid and Queen Latifah, is yet to be released.

Hollywood studios are tightening up their COVID-19 vaccine requirements. This is a safety issue but also a financial one. When unvaccinated actor Miles Teller tested positive on the set of the series “The Offer,” it cost Paramount $6 million to shut down production. Recently Ice Cube dropped out of the Sony comedy “Oh Hell No” because he refused to get vaccinated, giving up a $9 million job. 

With the new movie “Eternals,” Marvel is hoping it can launch a series of films as successful as the “Avengers.” But there’s been skepticism from fans about the new movie, which introduces new characters and is directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao. The launch of “Eternals” will be a test for Marvel to see if the company can have success by going in a different direction.