Showbiz Sandbox 377: Disney Breaks Up With Netflix To Launch Solo Streaming Service

After years of licensing their movies to Netflix, Disney announced last week that it will be launching their own streaming service when their current deal expires. Then in a true reordering of the media landscape, Disney also revealed it will be creating a standalone subscription streaming service for ESPN. Realistically though Disney might be one of the few entertainment companies that could successfully pull off direct-to-consumer strategy on such a grand scale.

Perhaps Disney felt threatened by content distributors like Netflix and felt compelled to make a move. After all, just days after making their announcement Netflix said it had lured producer Shonda Rhimes away from Disney’s ABC Studios to make original programming for its own service. Netflix also stole hitmaker Chuck Lorre away from CBS and cut a deal with the Coen Brothers to make one of their next projects.

Meanwhile, there’s lots of drama on Broadway, literally and figuratively. Everyone is talking about the collapse of the musical “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812,” which has charges of racism, unprofessionalism and bad management swirling around it. Now the show is closing long before its $12 million budget was recouped.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including how Warner Music Group posted big revenue gains thanks to streaming, Bruce Springsteen heads to Broadway and the emergence of a new Chinese media magnate.

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comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of August 13, 2017
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-august-13-2017-300503553.html

‘Wolf Warriors II’ Takes All-Time China Box Office Record
http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/wolf-warriors-takes-all-time-china-box-office-record-1202518683/

Time to Panic: Inside the Movie Business’ Summer of Hell
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/summer-movie-business-1202519863/

‘Spotlight’ Studio Open Road To take ‘Bigger Swings’ After Sale to Tang Media
http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-open-road-sale-20170807-story.html

Former Lionsgate Film Executive Rob Friedman Joins Tang Media
http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-rob-friedman-tang-20170808-story.html

The Education of a Coroner by John Bateson – BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2016/11/02/the-education-of-a-coroner/

Spectacular ‘Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812’ Crashes In Wake Of Casting Contretemps
http://deadline.com/2017/08/natasha-pierre-the-great-comet-of-1812-sets-closing-1202145024/

It’s Official: ‘Great Comet’ Will Close Sept. 3
http://nypost.com/2017/08/08/its-official-great-comet-will-close-sept-3/

‘Hamilton’ Juggernaut Lands In L.A. With Record Sales, $600 Tix
http://deadline.com/2017/08/hamilton-tickets-los-angeles-hollywood-pantages-lin-manuel-miranda-michael-luwoye-joshua-henry-1202143266/

Stephen Adly Guirgis Speaks Out After Shutting Down Theatre for Unauthorized Cuts to Judas Iscariot
http://www.playbill.com/article/stephen-adly-guirgis-speaks-out-after-shutting-down-theatre-for-unauthorized-cuts-to-judas-iscariot

‘Jersey Boys’ Is to Reopen Off Broadway
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/10/theater/jersey-boys-off-broadway-new-world-stages.html

Bruce Springsteen Is Bringing His Music and His Memories to Broadway
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/09/arts/music/bruce-springsteen-broadway-concerts.html

Warner Posts Biggest Revenues in Over 14 Years as Q3 Streaming Cash Jumps 59%
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/warner-posts-biggest-revenues-in-over-14-years-as-streaming-cash-jumps-59/

Hacker Leaks ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Episodes, Other HBO Series
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/hacker-leaks-curb-your-enthusiasm-episodes-other-hbo-series-1202526233/

SAG-AFTRA Members Approve New Contract
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sag-aftra-members-approve-new-contract-1027544

Academy Board Elects Cinematographer John Bailey President
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/academy-board-elects-cinematographer-john-bailey-president-1027913

CNN Cuts Loose Pro-Trump Pundit Jeffrey Lord After Nazi Tweet
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jeffrey-lord-let-go-by-cnn-tweeting-nazi-salute-1028620

Bill O’Reilly Says He Wants to Make Appearance on CNN
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/bill-oreilly-cnn-smerconish-1202522631/

SoundCloud Officially Secures $170 Million Investment, Names New CEO
http://variety.com/2017/music/news/its-official-soundcloud-secures-new-investment-names-new-ceo-1202523832/

Hugo Awards 2017: NK Jemisin Wins Best Novel for Second Year In a Row
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/11/hugo-awards-2017-nk-jemisin-repeats-best-novel-win-the-obelisk

Ava DuVernay, Charles D. King’s Macro & Victoria Mahoney To Adapt Octavia E. Butler’s Sci-Fi Novel ‘Dawn’ For TV
http://deadline.com/2017/08/ava-duvernay-octavia-butler-dawn-tv-series-victoria-mahoney-macro-1202145539/

CBS All Access, Showtime OTT to Top 4 Million Subscribers, Expand Internationally and Add Sports Channel
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/cps-all-access-showtime-4-million-subscribers-1202518063/

CBS Unveils ‘All Access’ Expansion, New Digital Sports Network
https://www.wsj.com/articles/cbs-sales-surge-on-basketball-streaming-services-1502140379

Disney Unveils New Streaming Services, to End Netflix Deal
https://www.wsj.com/articles/disney-unveils-new-streaming-services-1502226133

Disney Thinks It Is Better Off Alone
https://www.wsj.com/articles/disney-thinks-it-is-better-off-alone-1502241441

Amid Weaknesses in Cable, Disney’s Third-Quarter Earnings Buoyed by Theme Parks
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/disney-third-quarter-earnings-1202519766/

How Disney Wants to Take On Netflix With Its Own Streaming Services
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/business/media/disney-streaming-service.html

Shonda Rhimes Moves to Netflix From ABC With Huge Overall Deal
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/shonda-rhimes-moves-abc-netflix-huge-deal-1029142

David Letterman Will Return to TV in a New Netflix Series
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/arts/television/david-letterman-netflix-new-series.html

Michael Douglas, Alan Arkin to Star in Chuck Lorre Comedy Series for Netflix
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/michael-douglas-alan-arkin-star-chuck-lorre-comedy-series-netflix-1029246

Coen Brothers’ TV Project ‘Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ Lands at Netflix
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/coen-brothers-tv-series-netflix-1202520874/

Facebook Unveils Shows From 30-Plus Partners Including Univision, MLB, NBA, Hearst, Time Inc.
http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/facebook-premium-shows-launch-1202521520/

Seeso Officially Shutting Down This Year
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/seeso-officially-shutting-down-year-1028119

FX’s John Landgraf Sounds Alarm on ‘Titanic Struggle’ in Entertainment Economy
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/fx-john-landgraf-tca-1202520845/

Glen Campbell, Whose Hit Songs Bridged Country and Pop, Dies at 81
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/arts/music/glen-campbell-dead.html

Barbara Cook, Broadway Star Who Became a Cabaret Mainstay, Dies at 89
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/theater/barbara-cook-dead.html

‘Deadpool 2’ Stunt Person Dies on Set; Police Investigating
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/deadpool-2-stunt-person-dies-set-1029260