Showbiz Sandbox 331: Apparently Warner Bros. Needs to Start Making Donuts
August 16, 2016
In a scathing open letter published last week, an alleged ex-Warner Bros. employee took the studio and its chairman Kevin Tsujihara to task for a number of recent missteps. The author mocks studio brass for doubling down on the talent delivering critical duds such as “Batman v Superman” and their inability to make a hit movie, despite somehow managing to keep their jobs.
Though the veracity of the letter is questionable, it caused ripples in Hollywood not because it revealed a trove of inside secrets, but more due to the fact that it publicly stated what so many have been whispering about Warner Bros. lately; a lack of leadership and a confused executive team have led to a year of mixed results.
Meanwhile, we’ve been watching the Rio Olympics, along with three or four billion viewers around the world. Despite audience figures that are down from the London games in numerous territories, the Summer Olympics is arguably still a ratings juggernaut hard to compete against, giving networks broadcasting the event a serious advantage.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including how a Netflix documentary helped overturn a murder conviction, why Thomas Gibson got fired from “Criminal Minds” and Comedy Central cancels “The Nightly Show”.
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comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of August 14, 2016
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-august-14-2016-300313183.html
‘Ghostbusters’ Heading for $70M-Plus Loss, Sequel Unlikely
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ghostbusters-heading-70m-loss-sequel-918515
Korea’s Smash Summer Hit is a Zombie Movie That Strikes a Deep Chord
http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-korea-zombie-movie-snap-story.html
Box-office France : Suicide Squad Passe Déjà le Cap du Million de Spectateurs
http://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle=18655007.html
NBC Sports Chief Says Olympics Advertisers “Happy” With Ratings; Another $30 Million Booked
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/nbc-sports-chief-says-olympics-918938
Rio Olympics Shatters Multi-Platform Viewing Records
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2016081243953/rio-olympics-shatters-multi-platform-viewing-records.html
Olympics Viewership Soars for Michael Phelps’ Final Event
https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/tv-ratings-olympics-michael-phelps-final-event-1201837152/
As Olympic Viewership Falls, NBC Thinks of the Bigger Picture
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/sports/olympics/tv-ratings-for-olympics-on-nbc-down-20-percent-from-london-games.html
TV Ratings: NBC’s Olympic Coverage Adds 10 Million on Sunday, Narrowing Wide Gap With London
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-nbcs-olympic-coverage-917949
Rio Olympics Struggle to Match London Games in Key European TV Markets
https://variety.com/2016/tv/global/rio-olympics-london-games-europe-1201832763/
JO de Rio 2016 : 1,6 Million de Téléspectateurs Pour le Coup d’Envoi de la Compétition
http://www.ozap.com/actu/jo-de-rio-2016-1-6-million-de-telespectateurs-pour-le-coup-d-envoi-de-la-competition/504455
JO de Rio : Pourquoi les Téléspectateurs Américains Sont-ils Avantagés ?
http://www.lefilmfrancais.com/television/128967/jo-de-rio-bilan-satisfaisant-pour-france-tv-mais-moins-de-telespectateurs-que-pour-les-jeux-de-londres
Arianna Huffington Is Leaving Huffington Post
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/12/business/arianna-huffington-post.html
Adele Says She Declined Offer to Perform at 2017 Super Bowl Halftime Show
https://variety.com/2016/music/news/adele-super-bowl-halftime-1201837170/
Robert Downey Jr., Nic Pizzolatto Eyeing TV Project at HBO
https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/robert-downey-jr-nic-pizzolatto-hbo-tv-1201836724/
De La Soul’s Legacy Is Trapped in Digital Limbo
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/arts/music/de-la-soul-digital-albums.html
Nate Parker’s College Rape Trial Raises Questions for ‘The Birth of a Nation’ Release
https://variety.com/2016/film/news/nate-parker-rape-allegations-birth-of-a-nation-1201837461/
Why Nate Parker’s College Rape Accusations Resurfacing Isn’t Because of Some Conspiracy
http://verysmartbrothas.com/why-nate-parkers-college-rape-accusation-resurfacing-isnt-because-of-some-conspiracy-explained/
‘Making a Murderer’s’ Brendan Dassey Has Conviction Overturned
https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/brendan-dassey-making-a-murderer-conviction-overturned-1201836661/
‘Cursed Child’ Sells More than 3.3 Million Copies in North America
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/newsbrief/index.html
Bookstore Sales Up 6.1% In First Half of 2016
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/71190-bookstore-sales-up-6-1-in-first-half-of-2016.html
How Cirque du Soleil Is Changing Its Broadway Show ‘Paramour’
https://variety.com/2016/legit/news/paramour-cirque-du-soleil-changes-broadway-1201836435/
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo Next Up To Make Broadway Musical Bow
https://deadline.com/2016/08/pat-benatar-neil-giraldo-broadway-musical-gary-lennon-1201800741/
Thomas Gibson Fired From ‘Criminal Minds’ After Violent Incident
https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/thomas-gibson-criminal-minds-fired-violent-incident-1201836440/
Thomas Gibson Mulls Lawsuit Over ‘Criminal Minds’ Firing as New Details Emerge
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/thomas-gibson-mulls-lawsuit-criminal-919367
Harassment Crisis Builds at Fox News, Despite Its Swift Response
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/business/media/harassment-crisis-builds-at-fox-news-despite-its-swift-moves.html
Fox News Appoints Ailes Deputies to Lead Network
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2016081443968/fox-news-appoints-ailes-deputies-to-lead-network.html
‘Game of Thrones’ Concert Series Coming to 28 U.S. Cities
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/game-thrones-concert-series-coming-918189
Charles Aznavour, 92, to play five North American shows in October
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-charles-aznavour-tour-north-america-20160805-snap-story.html
Larry Wilmore’s ‘Nightly Show’ Cancelled at Comedy Central
https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/larry-wilmore-nightly-show-canceled-comedy-central-1201837298/
An Open Letter To Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara About Layoffs, Zack Snyder, and Donuts
http://www.pajiba.com/think_pieces/an-open-letter-to-warner-bros-ceo-kevin-tsujihara-about-layoffs-zack-snyder-and-donuts.php
About That Open Letter To Warner Bros…
http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/08/14/about-that-open-letter-to-warner-bros
I defend the Warner Bros. film division from a mocking (but anonymous) letter making the rounds of Hollywood. It was easy: their movies may (mostly) suck, but they’re making money. I don’t defend Ryan Lochte, even though he’s a former Gator like me, because well, how could I? But I do defend the Olympics as still a massive ratings draw, especially in an era of so much competition. I’m just glad I wasn’t going up against Robert Downey Jr, who is about to join the prosecution as Perry Mason!