No. 1Washington
Justice Department probes networks over White House press pool suspension
The Justice Department is investigating whether the networks' decision to pause the White House TV pool amounts to an illegal group boycott under the Sherman Act. A spokeswoman said the Antitrust Division is "simply investigating." A network source says the DOJ asked Friday for communications about the decision. The pause came after the White House barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the grounds on Sept. 18 and restricted CNN's pool role. CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox then sat out their rotation for about four days, during Xi Jinping's visit. The Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press calls the probe a pretext. Judge Timothy Kelly is expected to rule by Tuesday on whether to extend the access order for the three outlets.
No. 2Busan
Five Asian producer groups launch cross-border alliance at Busan
Independent producer groups from South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Taiwan launched the Asian Producers Alliance on Sunday at Busan's Asian Contents & Film Market. "Squid Game" producer Kim Ji-yeon read the founding declaration. The alliance has no studios, conglomerates or state bodies as members. It will start as a consultative coalition focused on co-production and creators' IP rights, with the aim of building a formal decision-making structure. Other producer organizations can join during its first year. Members will meet online quarterly and hold an annual assembly at ACFM. A second seminar, on creators' IP, is set for December at the JAFF Market in Yogyakarta.
Why it mattersYou get an early look at how Asia's independent producers plan to pool leverage as streaming reshapes the business.
Full story at Variety →No. 3AI
Netflix says AI has touched about 300 titles
Netflix has used AI on roughly 300 titles, said Sung Q Lee, its senior production director for Asia-Pacific, at a Busan panel on Saturday. He listed previsualization, production design, set-dressing concepts, editing and VFX as uses. He stressed that human creativity still matters most for emotion. Director Kang Yun-sung estimated AI tools could cut costs on his action film "The Gulf of Aden" by about 40 percent. His earlier AI-assisted feature "Run to the West" earned only about $100,000. Wētā FX's Kimball Thurston described its AI use as "assistive." The panel also showed that Asian creators tend to see AI as an opportunity, while Hollywood remains wary.
No. 4Streaming
'Blade Runner 2099' trailer arrives, with premiere set for Nov. 25
Prime Video released a new trailer and key art for "Blade Runner 2099" at New York Comic Con. The eight-episode limited series premieres in full on Nov. 25. It is set 50 years after "2049," in a world where the replicant uprising has succeeded. Michelle Yeoh plays Olwen, a replicant Blade Runner who is days from dying. Hunter Schafer plays Cora, a fugitive who goes undercover as a Blade Runner. Showrunner Silka Luisa described it as a mystery built around a missing Blade Runner. Yeoh's character's blue-tinged nail beds mark her decline, a nod to the original film.
No. 5Deals
Globo and Endemol Shine Brasil team up on new unscripted formats
Globo and Endemol Shine Brasil, part of Banijay Latin America, have struck a strategic partnership to develop original non-scripted formats from Brazil. The two already worked together on "Big Brother Brasil," "The Masked Singer" and "The Wall." Globo gets priority rights to the new formats on its channels and platforms. Endemol Shine Brasil will lead international expansion through Banijay's network of more than 170 labels across 25 territories. Globo says its content reaches more than 70 million people daily. Both companies will be at Mipcom, which runs Oct. 10-15.
Why it mattersYou should watch for Brazilian formats that could become the next global unscripted exports.
Full story at Variety →No. 6Awards
'Golden' wins best song at World Soundtrack Awards
"Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters" took best original song at the World Soundtrack Awards on Saturday in Ghent, Belgium. It adds to a Golden Globe, a Grammy and an Oscar, and it spent eight weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. Daniel Pemberton won film composer of the year, and Jeff Russo won television composer of the year. Hannah Peel won discovery of the year, and Kevin Smithers' "Soy Frankelda" score took the public choice award. "Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss" won game music, and Trevor Jones received the lifetime achievement award.
No. 7Reviews
Chris Rock's 'Misty Green' turns a bitter eye on Hollywood
Chris Rock's fourth film as writer-director, "Misty Green," premiered at the New York Film Festival this month. It follows a washed-up actress through a rough week in Los Angeles as she faces losing her housing. The Hollywood Reporter's review says the standout is Rosalind Eleazar, calling it a starmaking turn. Anna Kendrick, Adam Driver and Daniel Kaluuya also appear. The review is less keen on a serial killer subplot involving Kaluuya's character. Rock described L.A. as both the best and worst of America.