No. 1Games to Screen
Paramount is developing a 'Cyberpunk 2077' movie
Paramount is making a film based on CD Projekt Red's sci-fi role-playing game, with Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura attached. The game's developer is also producing. The game launched in December 2020 after several delays, and has since sold 40 million copies. Its Phantom Liberty expansion has sold 15 million. Variety notes Paramount seems to be aiming at older audiences than the Mario and Minecraft movies did. The studio also has a Call of Duty film with Peter Berg and Street Fighter, which opens Oct. 16. The reports don't mention a cast, director or release date for Cyberpunk.
No. 2Festivals
Lollapalooza Chile, Argentina and Brazil announce 2027 lineups
The three South American Lollapalooza festivals revealed their 2027 lineups Thursday. Travis Scott, Charli xcx, The Killers, David Guetta, Queens of the Stone Age and The Neighbourhood are set to headline each edition. Chile and Argentina both run March 12-14, in Santiago and Buenos Aires respectively. Brazil follows March 19-21 at Interlagos in São Paulo, marking the 15th anniversary of the Brazilian edition. Each festival adds its own local and international names. Tickets are on sale now.
Why it mattersYou can start planning, or pitching, your March touring and festival-season coverage now.
Full story at Billboard →
No. 3Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift to perform at Academy Museum Gala
Taylor Swift will perform at the Academy Museum Gala on Oct. 17, the museum announced Thursday. The gala is honoring Charlize Theron, Colman Domingo and John Carpenter. It's the museum's sixth annual gala, and last year Bruce Springsteen performed. Her song "I Knew It, I Knew You," from the Toy Story 5 soundtrack, topped the Hot 100 and is drawing Oscar buzz. Billboard thinks she may sing it again, though no setlist has been announced. She also has four new bonus tracks from The Life of a Showgirl, which has spent 13 weeks at No. 1.
No. 4Casting
Sterling K. Brown joins Tom Hanks in baseball drama 'The Comebacker'
Sterling K. Brown has joined The Comebacker, a Sony baseball drama directed by Marielle Heller, who also wrote the script. Brown will play the manager of the New York Mets. Tom Hanks plays the team's pitching coach, and Callum Turner plays a pitcher hit by a line drive on the mound. Patricia Clarkson plays the coach's wife and Amy Madigan plays the team's owner. The film is based on a Dave Eggers short story. Major League Baseball and the Mets are involved in the production.
No. 5TV Ratings
'Lanterns' finale sets series record with 10.5 million global viewers
HBO's Lanterns finale drew 10.5 million global viewers in its first three days, the best of the series. That is up 13% from the premiere's 9.3 million, and includes 7.2 million in the U.S. The season is averaging 19.3 million global viewers and growing. HBO says premiere viewership is nearing 30 million. Deadline understands a Season 2 renewal is pending. The show is from Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King, and stars Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler.
No. 6TV Ratings
'The Traitors: New Blood' adds 7 million new viewers in two weeks
NBCUniversal says The Traitors: New Blood brought more than 7 million new cross-platform viewers to the franchise in its first two weeks. That's a 45% expansion of reach, taking the franchise to more than 22 million total viewers. About 65% of the new show's audience was new to The Traitors. It was the No. 1 next-day broadcast season on streaming for the week of Sept. 21, and has 127 million social video views after three weeks. The all-civilian version airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with episodes on Peacock the next day.
No. 7Media Moves
Turner Classic Movies will sit within Skydance's film group
Deadline understands Turner Classic Movies will be housed in Skydance Motion Picture Group, led by Co-Chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein. That follows Skydance combining Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount. The channel drew attention three years ago, when Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson met David Zaslav about its future. It was previously run by film bosses Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, who left before the deal. Separately, Channing Dungey now oversees all 50-plus cable networks, and Ray Hopkins was named President, Distribution.
Why it mattersYou get a sign of where a beloved classic-film channel stands in a combined company.
Full story at Deadline →