Netflix layoffs / Sarandos at Cannes / McGregor on more "Obi-Wan" / "What We Do in the Shadows" S4

Plus today's calendar, Peacock's "They/Them" trailer, Stalter's "Church Girls" pilot, "Killing It" renewed, and more

Inside.com Part of   Network June 23, 2022

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Netflix announced layoffs for more than 300 additional employees. This brings the company's total eliminated positions to around 450 since April. More: According to Deadline, the legal and product divisions were hit by the latest round of terminations. Netflix has a global workforce of around 11,000 staffers. After the company announced the loss of net 200,000 subscribers during the first quarter of 2022, the company's stock took a serious hit, dropping around 72% to date. Investors have not yet reacted significantly to the layoff news. DEADLINE

Ted Sarandos discussed Netflix's plans for an ad-supported, lower-cost tier during the Cannes Lions marketing festival in France. Sarandos told moderator Kara Swisher that the company had left behind a large segment of potential customers, for whom the service is too great a monthly expense. More: This is the first year that Netflix has attended the Cannes Lions event; Sarandos is also being honored as "Entertainment Person of the Year." Sarandos conceded that Netflix may be a target for a buyout, but added that he feels the company can continue to grow on its own, despite the recent stock drop. Sarandos also spoke about his decision to feature controversial comedy specials from Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais on the service, labeling the move as "programming to people with a real variety of tastes and sensibilities" and pointing out that "the beauty of on-demand" means viewers can switch off content they don't enjoy. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

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DAILY CALENDAR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22 DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS: Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role as the powerful sorcerer Stephen Strange in this 2022 Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) entry, which finds the Doctor looking after a teen (Xochitl Gomez) with the power to travel between realities. Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, and Rachel McAdams co-star; "Spider-Man" vet Sam Raimi directs. [Disney+] THE VILLAINS OF VALLEY VIEW: Disney Channel sitcom about two supervillain parents (James Patrick Stuart and Lucy Davis) and their collection of three evil children who find themselves pushed out of the League of Villains and forced to live undercover as an ordinary Texas family. The first five episodes come to Disney+ today. [Disney+] G.O.A.T.: Disney XD series compiling viral videos from around the world, many of them centered on outrageous animal tricks and stunts. Season 1 hits Disney+ today. [Disney+] THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY: The fantasy superhero series -- based on the comics by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá -- returned on Wednesday for a third season. The new episodes find the Umbrella Academy tangling with their counterparts, the Sparrow Academy, from an alternate timeline. The cast includes Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, Emmy Raver-Lampman, David Castañeda, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, and Colm Feore. [Netflix] SING 2: 2021 animated musical comedy feature from "Minions" studio Illumination, following up on their 2016 hit, "Sing." The new film features koala Buster Moon and his animal pals putting on a huge show in Redshore City, in the hopes of impressing an important entertainment mogul. The voice cast includes Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Bobby Cannavale, Nick Kroll, and Pharrell Williams. [Netflix] SNOWFLAKE MOUNTAIN: Humorous reality series in which 10 spoiled young adults are tricked into attending a challenging wilderness retreat, requiring them to brave the elements, work together, and go without their smartphones. [Netflix] LOVE & GELATO: Teen rom-com feature, based on the novel by Jenna Evans Welch, starring Susanna Skaggs as an American high school senior who spends the summer before college in Rome, at the request of her sick mother. Brandon Camp (Netflix's "Benji") wrote the adaptation and directed. [Netflix] THE HIDDEN LIVES OF PETS: Educational series from the UK exploring how animals like dogs and cats perceive the world, and what science has to say about their various physical abilities and sensory experiences. "Downton Abbey" star Hugh Bonneville narrates. [Netflix] BRUNA LOUISE: DEMOLITION (BRUNA LOUISE: DEMOLIÇÃO): The irreverent Brazilian stand-up's new Netflix special takes on the world of dating and terrible relationships. [Netflix] CHERNOBYL: THE LOST TAPES: Debut documentary feature taking a look back at the Chernobyl nuclear disaster through the use of newly-uncovered footage and original interviews with eyewitnesses. "Frontline" vet James Jones directed. [HBO Max] ALL AMERICAN: HOMECOMING: The CW sports drama series, a spin-off of "All American," follows Simone Hicks (Geffri Maya) as she leaves Los Angeles to attend Bringston University in Atlanta, and pursue her dreams of becoming a tennis pro. The cast also features Peyton Alex Smith, Kelly Jenrette, and Cory Hardrict. Season 1 comes to HBO Max today. [HBO Max] MOTHERLAND: FORT SALEM: Freeform's supernatural drama series takes place in a world in which witches and humans co-exist, and centers on a group of three magic users (Taylor Hickson, Ashley Nicole Williams, and Jessica Sutton) who are conscripted into the US Army. The third and final season debuted last night on cable; new episodes will stream on Hulu on Wednesdays. [Hulu] THURSDAY, JUNE 23 BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD DO THE UNIVERSE: New animated sci-fi comedy feature from original "Beavis and Butt-head" creator, director, writer and voice-over actor Mike Judge, in which the teenage doofuses attend Space Camp in 1998, pilot the space shuttle through a black hole, and re-emerge in the present day. A new animated series featuring Beavis and Butt-head, following up on the events of this film, is also in development at Paramount+. [Paramount+] GORDITA CHRONICLES: Debut family comedy series from creator Claudia Forestieri ("Selena The Series"), inspired by her own life. Olivia Goncalves stars as precocious 12-year-old Dominican immigrant Cucu Castelli, who's adjusting to her new life in '80s Miami. Eva Longoria directed the pilot and executive produces; Zoe Saldaña is also onboard as a producer. [HBO Max] MENUDO: FOREVER YOUNG: Four-part documentary series chronicling the rise and fall of the iconic Latin American boy band, which formed in 1977 and ultimately launched the careers of Rocky Martin, Draco Rosa, and others. The film will look at the group's history and impact, along with the sexual abuse allegations against creator and producer Edgardo Díaz. Angel Manuel Soto ("Charm City Kings") and Kristofer Ríos ("Havana Skate Days") directed. [HBO Max] WELLINGTON PARANORMAL: Mockumentary comedy-horror series from New Zealand, spun off from the 2014 film "What We Do in the Shadows." Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary reprise their roles as Wellington cops, who investigate monster attacks and other supernatural goings-on in a disinterested fashion. Season 3 debuted on the CW on Wednesday; new episodes come to HBO Max and the CW app on Thursdays. [HBO Max and CW] LITTLE ELLEN: Animated series for young kids, exploring the world through the eyes of an unpredictable seven-year-old version of Ellen DeGeneres (Laurel Emory). Season 3 debuts today in HBO Max's Cartoonito hub. [HBO Max] THE BEAR: Freshman comedy-drama series from FX, starring Jeremy Allen White as a fine-dining chef who moves back to Chicago to run his family's struggling sandwich shop. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Abby Elliot, Ayo Edebiri, and Chris Witaska co-star; celebrity chef Matty Matheson serves as a consulting producer, and will also feature in a recurring role. All Season 1 episodes debut today on FX. [Hulu] THE BURNING SEA (NORDSJØEN): In this 2021 disaster film from Norway, a team of researchers investigates the collapse of an offshore oil platform, only to discover an unexpected and potentially apocalyptic threat. The film reunites several of the creators behind the international hits "The Wave" and "The Quake." [Hulu] THE REAL HOUSEWIVES ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP: EX-WIVES CLUB: Spin-off of Bravo's "Real Housewives" reality franchise in which eight veterans reunite for a vacation together. For the new second season, hitting Peacock today, the ladies move into Dorinda Medley's sprawling Blue Stone Manor estate in Great Barrington, Massachusets. In addition to Medley, the cast includes Tamra Judge, Vicki Gunvalson, Jill Zarin, Phaedra Parks, Eva Marcille, Taylor Armstrong, and Brandi Glanville. [Peacock] ANCIENT EARTH: DINOSAURS OF THE FROZEN CONTINENT: Two-part nature series following a team of paleontologists on an Antarctic expedition to learn more about how dinosaurs and prehistoric forests once thrived there. [CuriosityStream] THE SPLIT: British legal drama series centered on The Defoes, a family made up of various divorce attorneys, some of whom work for rival firms. Abi Morgan ("The Iron Lady") created the series and writes the scripts. The third and final season aired earlier this year in the UK and debuts on Sundance Now in the US today. [Sundance Now] BEST OF THE FESTIVAL: Comedy special featuring highlights from across May's "Netflix is a Joke" comedy festival in Los Angeles, which included a total of 295 shows and 336 participating comedians. [Netflix] QUEEN (KRÓLOWA): Limited drama series from Poland, starring Andrzej Seweryn as a Parisian tailor and drag queen who returns to his Polish hometown, where he hopes to make amends with his estranged daughter (Maria Peszek). [Netflix] FIRST CLASS: Debut reality series from Spain, chronicling the extravagant lifestyles of a group of wealthy young friends from Barcelona. [Netflix] BID FOR LOVE: Original drama feature starring Dawn Halfkenny as Sasha, who's sent to prison due to the actions of her drug trafficking ex-boyfriend (Blue Kimble). Upon release, she falls for Malik (Adrian Lockett) only to discover that he, too, has a dark side. Arthur Muhammad ("The Starter Marriage") directed. [BET+]

Though Ewan McGregor has spoken positively about returning for more "Obi-Wan Kenobi" seasons, nothing has yet been confirmed. McGregor told British GQ prior to the season finale: "I really hope we do another. If I could do one of these every now and again – I'd just be happy about it." More: Hayden Christensen, who reprised his role as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in the series, has also indicated that he's open to returning to the "Star Wars" franchise in the future. Series director Deborah Chow told "Entertainment Tonight" that the show was envisioned as a limited series, and she'd only want to move forward with more "if there was a real reason for another one." Lucasfilm President and "Obi-Wan" executive producer Kathleen Kennedy echoed Chow's comments, saying that she'd consider producing more episodes based on the fan response to Season 1. VARIETY

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FX posted a trailer for the upcoming fourth season of the horror-comedy mockumentary series "What We Do in the Shadows ." New episodes debut on FX on July 12 and will come to Hulu the following day. More: The series centers on a group of four vampires and their human familiar living together in a house on Staten Island. Season 4 will revolve around the characters "raising" their roommate Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch), who died in Season 3 and has been reborn as a man-like baby. The cast also includes Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, and Harvey Guillén. It's based on a 2014 film of the same name, which also inspired the New Zealand series "Wellington Paranormal." NERDIST

Peacock posted a trailer for the upcoming Blumhouse horror film "They/Them." Kevin Bacon stars as a brutal conversion camp counselor whose facility is being stalked by a mysterious killer. More: "Gladiator" and "Skyfall" vet John Logan wrote the script and makes his feature directorial debut with the film. The cast also includes Carrie Preston, Anna Chlumsky, Theo Germaine, Quei Tann, and Anna Lore. The film debuts on Peacock on August 5. UPROXX

HBO Max ordered a semi-autobiographical comedy pilot, "Church Girls," from "Hacks" co-star Meg Stalter. The new series was inspired by Stalter's real-life upbringing, and will star the actor and comedian as a 20-year-old Christian and closeted lesbian in suburban Ohio who's wrestling with her faith and sexuality. More: No writer has yet been attached to the project; Stalter will executive produce in addition to starring. Stalter plays Kayla, a largely unhelpful Hollywood assistant, on "Hacks," which has been renewed for a third season; she also has a guest role on Peacock's "Queer as Folk" reboot. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

QUICK HITS During uncertain times, customer-centric businesses stay afloat. Find out why in this deep dive.* Peacock renewed the comedy series "Killing It" -- starring Craig Robinson as an amateur snake hunter in Florida -- for a second season. HBO released a new poster for the "Game of Thrones" prequel series "House of the Dragon," featuring Emma D'Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Roku renewed the comedy courtroom series "Chrissy's Court" -- which it originally acquired from defunct mobile streaming service Quibi -- for a third season. Apple dropped a teaser for "Five Days at Memorial," a limited series based on the 2013 book by journalist Sheri Fink, and set at a New Orleans hospital in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Elliot Page spoke about his "Umbrella Academy" character's Season 3 transition, and the public's "obsession with the binary and how we're all supposed to live our lives," during an appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" this week. A recorded version of Steve Coogan's stage show "Alan Partridge Live: Stratagem" -- shot at London's O2 Arena in May -- will stream later this year on Amazon Prime UK, before coming to more international markets. HBO's series adaptation of the sci-fi novel "3 Body Problem" added four actors to its cast, including Jonathan Pryce, Rosalind Chao, Ben Schnetzer, and Eve Ridley. NBC released a trailer for the new season of "Who Do You Think You Are?," in which six new celebrity guests -- including Billy Porter, Allison Janney, and Nick Offerman -- will research their family backgrounds with the help from a family historian and genealogist; new episodes debut on Sunday, July 10 and will come to Peacock on Mondays. Jason Alan Carvell ("NCIS: New Orleans") will join the cast of the Epix crime drama series "Godfather of Harlem" as iconic civil rights leader Malcolm X. Disney+ dropped a trailer for the original musical "Zombies 3," the third installment of the franchise which originally kicked off on cable's Disney Channel; the film debuts on July 15. During an appearance on "Today," "Bridgerton" narrator Julie Andrews -- who provides voiceover in character as Lady Whistledown -- revealed that she has never met any members of the show's primary cast. The comedy feature "Not Okay" -- starring Zoey Deutch as an aspiring writer who fakes a trip to Paris for social media clout -- hits Hulu on July 29. Season 3 of the British comedy series "Trying" comes to Apple TV+ in the US on July 22. During a panel discussion at the Television Academy, "Yellowstone" star Kevin Costner teased the show's upcoming fifth season, currently in production in Montana's Bitterroot Valley; Costner also spoke this week about plans for his four-part "event television movie" titled "Horizon." Netflix joined the Latinx List screenwriting initiative and will offer script deals to two selected contenders. Concerned about your SME’s security? Discover what a Zero Trust strategy entails — and how to use it to your advantage.* *This is sponsored content

Lon Harris is the writer and editor of Inside Streaming and was the very first person to ever write an Inside newsletter. He lives in Los Angeles, California, and also writes about TV and film for Fandom, Screen Junkies, Rotten Tomatoes, Gamma Ray and others. Plus he has a Game of Thrones podcast called "Casterly Talk" and competes on The Movie Trivia Schmoedown as "The Professor." Editor Jonathan Harris is a writer and editor who lives in Los Angeles.

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