Netflix moves up ad launch / Valenti exits WB / Sapochnik departs "Dragon" / "The Crown" casts William and Kate

Plus the weekend calendar, Amazon's "Citadel" budget woes, "Bardo" to theaters, Bateman joins "Carry On," and more

Inside.com Part of   Network September 02, 2022

According to Variety, Netflix has moved up the launch of its lower-cost, ad-supported tier to November of this year. According to sources who spoke with Variety, the goal was to get ahead of the launch of Disney+'s ad-supposed tier on December 8. More: Netflix had originally told advertisers the ad tier would launch in early 2023. Now, the streamer plans to begin streaming ads in a number of countries, including the US, on November 1. Disney has already announced that a Disney+ Basic subscription with ads will cost $7.99/month; Netflix hasn't yet announced the price specifics for its new plans. Netflix and its ad partner Microsoft have asked advertisers to submit their initial bids next week, with a starting CPM (cost per thousand views) of $65; this price is "soft," meaning it's up for negotiation, and some ad buyers believe it's overly ambitious. Netflix ads will have limited targeting ability at first; sponsors can choose between the streamer's Top 10 most-viewed series and between genres, but not based on geography (other than country), age, gender, or other viewing behavior. VARIETY

Warner Bros. Pictures president of production and development, Courtenay Valenti, will leave her position after 33 years at the company. Valenti's departure is apparently by choice and not part of any layoffs or restructuring plan within Warner Bros Discovery. More: Valenti will depart her post at the end of October. Some of the projects she's shepherded during her time in the studio include the "Harry Potter" and "LEGO" franchises, "Mad Max: Fury Road," and this year's hit musical biopic "Elvis." Valenti was named WB President of Production in May 2017. DEADLINE

WEEKEND CALENDAR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 PANTHEON: Debut animated sci-fi drama series, based on the short story collection by author Ken Liu. Katie Chang stars as a bullied teen who discovers that her recently-deceased father (Daniel Dae-Kim) uploaded his consciousness to the internet via an experimental brain scan procedure, putting her on the front lines of a new global struggle. Craig Silverstein ("TURN: Washington's Spies") created and wrote the series and serves as showrunner; "Big City" and "Beavis and Butt-head" studio Titmouse handled the animation. [AMC+] THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS: Australian psychological thriller series, based on the novel by Michael Robotham, about the complicated web of intrigue and violence that's set off by a chance meeting between two pregnant women (Laura Carmichael and Jessica De Gouw) in Sydney. Season 2 premiered earlier this summer on Paramount+ in Australia and arrived Thursday on Sundance now and AMC+ in the US. [Sundance Now / AMC+] WHO INVITED THEM: Horror comedy from writer/director Duncan Birmingham ("Maron," "Blunt Talk") -- making his feature debut -- about a couple hosting a housewarming party who suspect that two of their supposed "neighbors" have been lying to them all night. Ryan Hansen, Melissa Tang, Timothy Granaderos, and Perry Mattfeld co-star. [Shudder] SAMURAI RABBIT: THE USAGI CHRONICLES: The animated action-comedy series, based on the "Usagi Yojimbo" comics by Stan Sakai, returns today for a second season. The story follows an anthropomorphic rabbit teenager (Darren Barnet) in the distant future as he and his companions protect the city of Neo Edo. [Netflix] SAM MORRIL: SAME TIME TOMORROW: The stand-up comedian -- whose specials, "I Got This" and "Up on the Roof" can be found on YouTube -- brings his latest hour to Netflix today. He previously appeared in the David Letterman Netflix comedy and interview showcase "That's My Time." [Netflix] LOVE IN THE VILLA: Romantic comedy feature starring Kat Graham as a woman who takes a post-breakup solo vacation to Verona, Italy, only to find that, due to a scheduling mix-up, she's stuck sharing her rental home with a cynical stranger (Tom Hopper). Mark Steven Johnson ("Love, Guaranteed") wrote and directed. [Netflix] OFF THE HOOK (DÉTOX): Debut comedy series from France about two roommates (Manon Azem and Tiphaine Daviot) with unhealthy relationships with their devices, and agree to remain offline together for 30 days. [Netflix] FAST AND FEEL LOVE: Thai romantic comedy feature from writer/director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, about a competitive cup stacker (Nat Kitcharit) whose obsessive training schedule puts a strain on his relationship with his girlfriend (Urassaya Sperbund). [Netflix] FENCED IN (VIZINHOS): Comedy film from Brazil starring Leandro Hassum as a stressed-out city-dweller who moves to the countryside following a nervous breakdown, only to immediately clash with his loud and obnoxious new neighbors. Roberto Santucci ("Just Another Christmas") directed. [Netflix] LOVE AT FIRST STREAM: 2021 Tagalog-language teen romantic comedy film from the Philippines about a group of very different young people whose online friendships and relationships help them escape their real-world problems. Cathy Garcia-Molina directed. [Netflix] THE MIGHTY ONES: Animated series from DreamWorks about the adventures of a talking twig, pebble, leaf, and strawberry who live in the backyard of some unruly and unpredictable humans. Season 3 debuts on Hulu today. [Hulu] UNPLUGGING: 2022 indie comedy starring Eva Longoria and Matt Walsh as a couple who set off for a "digital detox" weekend together in the mountains which quickly spirals out of control. Walsh co-wrote the script with Brad Morris; longtime Hollywood editor Debra Neil-Fisher made her directorial debut with the film. [Hulu] A&E, LIFETIME, FYI, AND HISTORY SERIES: Multiple seasons of a number of series that aired over the last few years on cable's A&E, Lifetime, and History networks all debut on Hulu today, including "Ax Men," "Biography: KISStory," "The Cars That Built the World," "Dance Moms," "Flip This House," "Forged in Fire," "Man vs. Child: Chef Showdown," "Married at First Sight," "Paranormal Cops," "Swamp People," "The Titans That Built America," and "The UnXplained with William Shatner." [Hulu] ANAÏS IN LOVE (LES AMOURS D'ANAÏS): 2021 French comedy feature from writer/director Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet, starring Anaïs Demoustier as a free-spirited woman who simultaneously falls in love with a married man (Denis Podalydès) and his novelist wife (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi). [Hulu] FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER: Debut epic fantasy series, based on the writings of author J.R.R. Tolkien, and set during the Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years before the action of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings." The cast includes Morfydd Clark, Nazanin Boniadi, Peter Mullan, Benjamin Walker, Robert Aramayo, Lenny Henry, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and Ismae Cruz Cordova. The first two episodes -- from director J.A. Bayona ("Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom") -- hit Prime Video on Friday. [Amazon] HONK FOR JESUS. SAVE YOUR SOUL.: Comedy mockumentary film starring Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown as Trinitie and Lee-Curtis Childs, the disgraced leaders of a prominent Southern Baptist mega-church attempting to rebuild their congregation following a massive scandal. Adamma Ebo wrote and directed, based on her 2018 short. [Peacock] HOUSE OF HAMMER: Three-part docuseries looking into the allegations of sexual abuse against actor Armie Hammer, while also tracing the extensive history of similar accusations against five generations of men from his prominent and wealthy family. [Discovery+] DEVIL IN OHIO: Eight-episode suspense series, based on the YA book by Daria Polantin, which itself was inspired by actual events. Emily Deschanel stars as a hospital psychiatrist who invites a mysterious recent cult escapee (Madeleine Arthur) to come stay at her house, without realizing she's put herself and her family in danger. [Netflix] BUY MY HOUSE: First-year reality series with a new twist on the "Shark Tank" formula, in which homeowners pitch their properties to a panel of four real estate tycoons in the hopes of making a sale. The panel includes Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman, Corcoran Group CEO Pamela Liebman, investment property magnate Danisha Wrighster, and NFL linebacker Brandon Copeland (who's an experienced house flipper on the side). Nina Parker hosts. [Netflix] DATED & RELATED: Debut dating reality series that follows the traditional format, sending a group of sexy singles to live together at a beach house in the South of France, hoping to find a new partner. The awkward twist here is that everyone is bringing a sibling along who's on the same mission. [Netflix] FAKES: Canadian teen comedy series from "Warrior Nun" vet David Turko, starring Jennifer Tong and Emilija Baranac as two best friends who start their own fake ID business, only to see their criminal empire quickly spiral out of their control. [Netflix] IVY + BEAN: Live-action kids film -- based on the books by Annie Barrows -- about two young neighbors (Madison Skye Validum and Keslee Blalock) who become close friends despite their many differences. The cast also includes Jane Lynch, Nia Vardalos, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. [Netflix] FABULOUS LIVES OF BOLLYWOOD WIVES: Indian reality series following the personal and professional lives of Neelam Kothari, Maheep Kapoor, Bhavna Pandey, and Seema Khan, the wives of Bollywood actors Samir Soni, Sanjay Kapoor, Chunky Pandey, and Sohail Khan. Season 2 comes to Netflix in the US today. [Netflix] COLLISION COURSE: English-language action-drama film from Nigeria about the events that immediately precede and follow a chance encounter on the street between a struggling police officer and an up-and-coming artist. Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha, Ade Laoye, Kenneth Okolie, and Daniel Etim Effiong co-star; Bolanle Austen-Peters directs. [Netflix] THE FESTIVAL OF TROUBADOURS (ÂŞIKLAR BAYRAMI): Turkish drama feature starring Settar Tanriögen and Kivanç Tatlitug as a traveling musician and the adult son he never got to know who take a road trip together to a music festival. [Netflix] YOU'RE NOTHING SPECIAL (TÚ NO ERES ESPECIAL): YA fantasy comedy series from Spain starring Délia Brufau as a bored teen who starts developing magical powers, possibly inherited from her late grandmother, an alleged witch. [Netflix] LIFE BY ELLA: Debut YA drama series starring Lily Brooks O'Briant a 13-year-old cancer survivor who finds that her experience has majorly shifted her perspective on life and relationships. "Bunk'd" vet Jeff Hodsden wrote and created the series; Artyon Celestine and Vanessa Carrasco co-star. [Apple TV+] CLUB CUMMING PRESENTS A QUEER COMEDY EXTRAVAGANZA!: Cabaret-style showcase featuring seven up-and-coming queer comedians, including Joe Castle Baker, Julia Shiplett, the duo of Zach Teague & Drew Lausch, Nori Reed, Pat Regan, and Larry Owens. Alan Cumming hosts. [Showtime] 30 FOR 30: Some recent installments of the ESPN sports documentary anthology come to Disney+ today, including "Al Davis vs. The NFL," "Dickie V," and "Year of the Scab." [Disney+] SIEMPRE FUI YO, DETRÁS DE LA HISTORIA: "Siempre Fui Yo" is a Spanish-language teen drama series from Colombia, starring Karol Sevilla as a teen from Mexico who travels to Cartagena and enders a music competition as part of an investigation into her father's death. This new special takes viewers behind-the-scenes, to look at the making of the show's first season; it's been renewed for Season 2. [Disney+] CUTTPUTLLI: Hindi-language crime thriller series from India starring Akshay Kumar as a Kasauli cop on the trail of an unpredictable serial killer. [Hulu] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 TAYLOR HAWKINS TRIBUTE CONCERT: Musicians will gather for two concerts on Saturday -- one at London's Wembley Stadium and the other at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles -- honoring late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who passed away suddenly in March at age 50. Performers include Travis Barker, Josh Freese, Brian Johnson, Kesha, Lars Ulrich, Stewart Copeland, Liam Gallagher, Brian May, Geddy Lee, Krist Novoselic, Nile Rodgers, Supergrass, and Hawkins' band, Chevy Metal. The events stream live on Paramount+ and MTV's YouTube channels starting Saturday at 11: 30 am ET. [Paramount+ / YouTube] JACK OSBOURNE'S NIGHT OF TERROR: UFOs: In this reality special, Jack Osbourne and celebrity pals Jason Mewes and Jamie Kennedy investigate reports of unexplained aerial phenomena around Utah's Uinta Basin. [Discovery+] SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 MCENROE: Documentary profile of the legendary tennis champion, in which the man himself reflects on his tumultuous career and personal life, while looking back at an archive of classic matches along with home video footage. McEnroe's wife Patty Smyth and children provide insights, along with Billie Jean King, Bjorn Borg, and Keith Richards. Barney Douglas ("The Edge") directed. [Showtime]

"House of the Dragon" director and co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik announced plans to exit the hit series after its first season. His co-creator, Ryan Condal, will now serve as the show's lone showrunner. More: Sapochnik, a veteran of "Game of Thrones," has been working on "House of the Dragon" behind the scenes for three years. He'll remain an executive producer on the series, and will continue developing new projects for HBO and HBO Max. Another "Thrones" vet, Alan Taylor, will join "House of the Dragon" as an executive producer and showrunner for Season 2. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Kampa, McVey, Bellamy Three actors have been cast in the roles of Prince William and Kate Middleton for Season 6 of Netflix's royal drama series "The Crown." Rufus Kampa will play William at age 15, while actor Ed McVey will take over the role as the prince ages into his 20s. More: Meg Bellamy will portray Kate Middleton throughout the season. These are debut TV roles for all three young actors. The sixth and final season of "The Crown" will feature plotlines centering around the death of Princess Diana in 1997 and William's courtship of Kate, starting in 2001. Season 5 of "The Crown" will debut in November with Imelda Staunton taking over the role of Queen Elizabeth. DEADLINE

Joe and Anthony Russo The budget for the Amazon Studios event series "Citadel" has ballooned to over $200 million, making it one of the most expensive TV shows of all time. The seven-episode spy thriller series comes from "Avengers: Endgame" and "Gray Man" filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" vets Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec. More: The series centers around a group of elite operatives from various nations who team up for the ultimate spy mission across a number of international locations; the cast includes Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the spiraling costs are due to a number of factors, including the exit of a significant portion of the creative team and a round of costly reshoots. The original budget of $160 million has apparently been expanded by $75 million. Amazon released its "Lord of the Rings" TV adaptation this week, which remains the most expensive series ever produced. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Iñárritu and his wife, Maria Eladia Hagerman Netflix agreed to open the new film "Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths," from director Alejandro González Iñárritu, in US and Mexican theaters before debuting it online. The three-hour semi-autobiographical epic debuted this week at the Venice Film Festival. More: The film centers on a Mexican journalist who's looking back at his path through life. "Bardo" is Iñárritu's first new film since 2015's "The Revenant," for which he won the Oscar for Best Director; it's also his first project for Netflix. Netflix will open "Bardo" in Mexican theaters on October 27 and US theaters starting November 4; the film debuts on Netflix on December 16. NBC NEWS

QUICK HITS Fix your email overload for as little as $7.00 a month.* Jason Bateman will co-star alongside Taron Egerton in Netflix's "Carry On," a new action-thriller film from "Jungle Cruise" director Jaume Collet-Serra. Three "Saturday Night Live" cast members -- Alex Moffat, Melissa Villaseñor, and Aristotle Athari -- announced plans to exit the ensemble ahead of the show's upcoming 48th season, joining departing stars Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney, and Pete Davidson. The second film in Lindsay Lohan's Netflix deal will be the romantic comedy "Irish Wish"; Lohan's first collaboration with the streamer, the holiday rom-com "Falling for Christmas," debuts on November 10. Carla Gugino signed on for a lead role in the HBO Max political drama series "The Girls on the Bus"; she'll co-star alongside Melissa Benoist, Natasha Behnam and Christina Elmore. Amazon dropped a teaser for "The English," a six-part period Western drama starring Emily Blunt from "Honourable Woman" creator Hugo Blick; it arrives on Prime Video in the US on November 11. "Cattywumpus," an animated film about cats from outer space from "Rango" vet Gore Verbinski, will be shopped around to other studios after being developed for Netflix. "Catastrophe" vet Rob Delaney joined the cast of "Black Mirror" ahead of the show's sixth season. "Bros" co-writer and star Billy Eichner apologized on Twitter for recent comments he made to Variety, in which he referred to the gay romantic comedy as "not an indie movie [or] some streaming thing which feels disposable, or which is like one of a million Netflix shows"; Eichner's comments were widely seen as an insult to streaming LGBTQ-themed rom-coms like "Fire Island" and "Happiest Season." Netflix unveiled its most ambitious slate of Indonesian originals to date, including new films from Timo Tjahjanto ("The Night Comes for Us") and Kamila Andini ("Before, Now & Then"). Amid the shifting landscape of embedded systems, developers turn to real-time operating systems when "good enough" isn't good enough.* *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 Eduardo Garcia is a writer and editor based in New York. He is the author of "Things You Can Do," an illustrated book about climate action. Bylines in The New York Times, The Guardian, Slate, Scientific American, and others. In one of his previous lives, Eduardo worked as a Reuters correspondent in Latin America for nearly a decade.

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