Hollywood Breakdown

While Disney started laying off 7,000 employees, it also announced the firing of two top Marvel executives this week.

Lionsgate Films needs “John Wick: Chapter 4” to perform well at the box office in order to attract potential buyers. Can the franchise deliver? 

Netflix passed on Nancy Meyers' latest title due to budgetary disagreements. Why did the streamer pull back on a deal with a top filmmaker?

Can stars keep top salaries under current studio's austerity measures? An agency exec proposes it at the Morgan Stanley TMT Conference.

Following Amazon's release of their expensive “Lord of the Rings” series, Warner Bros. Discovery announced they too want to make new films from the  “Lord of the Rings” world.

With its latest movie “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” getting poor reviews, Marvel Studios may have a creative problem.

Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise seem to have reconciled at the Academy Award luncheon. Who benefits from the friendship?

A day after Disney's Q1 report and Bob Iger's restructuring and cost cutting plans, he announced he's open to selling Hulu, and possible exit in two years.

Co-chairs of DC Studios at Warner Bros. Discovery James Gunn and Peter Safran have unveiled a new plan. Will they deliver? 

Will the Academy attract viewers with two nominees having the highest total gross in history? Plus, a look at Oscars surprises and snubs. 

Two 80-year old corporate raiders are wreaking havoc on Disney, with one of them bidding for a board seat at the company and threatening Bob Iger's post. 

After last year's hiatus, the Golden Globes are back, so what's next for the awards show? Will a streaming service pick it up in 2023?

Though the “Top Gun” and “Avatar” sequels provided Hollywood some relief, the industry is not back to normal, and studios have adopted different strategies for survival.

On this special edition of the Hollywood Breakdown, we take a look ahead on whether writers will strike and whether there will be a mega-studio deal in 2023.

Hollywood's top 2022 stories: Netflix changing strategies, the troubled tenure of David Zaslav heading Warner Bros. Discovery, plus Disney's management shakeup.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” opens in the United States and China. With a budget north of $350 million, can it surpass $2 billion at the global box office to succeed? 

Netflix's decision to release “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” to 600 theaters for only a week, brings about the question, “Could it have done better?”

Mark Burnett, the well-known reality TV producer, is departing from his chairman role at MGM months after Amazon acquired the company for $8.5 billion. What's next?

The Walt Disney Company board of directors reinstated Bob Iger as CEO and ousted Bob Chapek on Sunday. Can Iger cope with Disney's many challenges? 

For two decades, producer Eric Weinberg moved from one job to the next. A Hollywood network vouched for him even after he was fired for repeated bad behavior.

Though Disney+ has added 12 million subscribers, the company reports loss and weak Q4 profit outlook.

As streaming service companies report subscriber numbers, Peacock announces weak subs, and implements changes in order to survive. 

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, hires filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran to lead the DC Universe.

“Black Adam” opens in theaters. Will it make DC Films the success that David Zaslav dreams it will be? Plus, who runs DC Films now?

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav cuts more jobs this week. This time, about a quarter of its TV division staff was laid off. 

Alec Baldwin and “Rust” producers settle a lawsuit with cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' family. The film will resume production, and her husband will take an EP role.

Five years after the #MeToo reckoning in Hollywood, Harvey Weinstein's trial is a few weeks away in Los Angeles. Have things really changed in the industry?

“The Woman King” brings in the numbers, “Don't Worry Darling” may have a surprising opening, and what James Cameron's upcoming “Avatar” sequels could mean for Disney.

During the D23 Expo, Disney's CEO Bob Chapek discussed with the press his plans for Hulu and ESPN, as well as the future of an all-in app for the company. 

Disney plays big and offers subscribers more perks on Disney+ Day to entice them to other company products.

HBO and Amazon are competing for which show will attract more viewers: “House of the Dragon,” or “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?”

In two drastic financial moves, AMC Theaters announced a new stock to raise money last week, while Regal Cinemas may file for bankruptcy.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav's decision-making process highlights his lack of experience to run the legacy studio, and he accumulates more problems along the way. 

Disney+ raises subscribers to 152 million, beating expectations, but they will charge $3 more per month for ad-free content.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav shocks the movie industry once again by shelving the nearly-completed $90-milion film “Batgirl.” What does this mean for the company's future?

Movies came back this summer, providing theater owners some relief. However, cinemas could hit a wall, until big blockbusters, such as “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” are released in the fall. Meanwhile, moviegoers will turn to streaming services.

Netflix lost nearly 1 million subscribers in Q2, below expected projections. But Netflix's CEO thinks it's a positive sign. So has the streaming service really turned the page? 

Hulu gets 58 Emmys' nominations this year, but its future as a streaming platform remains unclear. 

“Minions: The Rise of Gru” opens to a huge weekend, and “Lightyear” doesn't meet Disney's expectations. The Business host Kim Masters and Puck News founder Matt Belloni discuss.  

CEO Bob Chapek just renewed his contract with Disney. The company's vote of confidence comes after a turbulent tenure, with some bright spots. 

With Baz Luhrmann and an endorsement from Elvis' estate, Warner Bros. hopes to cash in with their new feature film “Elvis.”

Fearing a US boycott over a same-sex kiss scene on “Lightyear,” Disney lowballs its opening to cap at $70 million. The animated film is Disney's first theatrical release during the pandemic.