WBD misses revenue target / Lionsgate loses $1.8B / Comcast and Charter's Xumo / AMC ad drop

Plus the weekend calendar, "Jackal" series, Aubrey Plaza joins "Agatha," "Dead to Me" returns, and more

Inside.com Part of   Network November 04, 2022

In its latest earnings report, Warner Bros. Discovery missed expectations on revenue, with the all-important direct-to-consumer (DTC) category dropping 6% to $2.3 billion. The company saw a 5% decrease in revenue as well from its film studio segment. More: Shares of WBD fell by more than 5% in after-hours trading on Thursday. On a conference call with investors, CEO David Zaslav reiterated that the "grand experiment of chasing subscribers at any cost is over," and that the company will continue "to look inside each of our business, and see what's working [and] what's not working." Zaslav also said the company plans to aggressively enter the free, ad-supported streaming marketplace, and will launch a combined HBO Max/Discovery+ service earlier than anticipated, in the spring. CNBC

Lionsgate reported a $1.8 billion operating loss in its most recent fiscal quarter. The company attributed the loss to the international restructuring of its Starz cable network and streaming service. More: Lionsgate reported revenue of $875.2 million, down from $887.8 million during Q3 in 2021. The company's total global subscriber count rose to 37.8 million, up 52% year-over-over from 27.3 million. Lionsgate had originally planned to spin off Starz but is now considering keeping a stake in the company and spinning off other divisions. The rebranded Starz streaming service, now called Lionsgate+, will exit a number of international markets, including France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Spain, and the Nordic countries. CEO Jon Feltheimer told investors the company plans to "stabilize" the Starz business and "reset expectations." VARIETY

WEEKEND CALENDAR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4 WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY: Satire of musical biopics, very loosely based on the life and career of musical parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic (Daniel Radcliffe), from "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and "New Girl" vet Eric Appel. The cast also includes Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna, Rainn Wilson as Dr. Demento, Toby Huss and Julianne Nicholson as Weird Al's parents, and Quinta Brunson as Oprah Winfrey. [Roku] CAUSEWAY: 2022 drama feature starring Jennifer Lawrence as a soldier who suffered a traumatic brain injury while deployed in Afghanistan, following her struggles to re-enter civilian life upon returning home to New Orleans. Brian Tyree Henry, Linda Emond, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Jayne Houdyshell co-star; Lila Neugebauer ("Maid") directed. [Apple TV+] SELENA GOMEZ: MY MIND & ME: Documentary profile of pop star Selena Gomez, following her on a intimate six-year journey as she steps away from the spotlight to focus on her mental health and emotional well-being. Alek Keshishian ("Madonna: Truth or Dare") directed. [Apple TV+] THE MOSQUITO COAST: The drama series, based on the 1981 novel by Paul Theroux, returns to Apple for a second season this week. Justin Theroux (nephew of author Paul) stars as idealistic inventor and family man Allie Fox, who impetuously moves his family to Mexico after growing disillusioned with the US, and ultimately goes on the run from the government. [Apple TV+] SLUMBERKINS: Debut educational series for young kids from the Jim Henson Company, using a combination of puppets and animation to teach kids about "the world of feelings" and emotional wellbeing. [Apple TV+] MANIFEST: The sci-fi drama series, which previously aired on NBC, returns for a fourth and final season as a Netflix exclusive. The story concerns a group of airline passengers who land in New York City, only to discover that they have been mysteriously missing for over five years. Season 4 will be split into two halves; Part 1 consists of 10 episodes and hits Netflix today. [Netflix] ENOLA HOLMES 2: Mystery film following up on the 2020 feature "Enola Holmes," based on the YA books by Nancy Springer. Millie Bobby Brown stars as Enola, the brilliant younger sister of famed sleuth Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) who has decided to set up her own detective-for-hire agency. David Thewlis, Louis Partridge, Susan Wokoma, Adeel Akhtar, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, and Helena Bonham Carter co-star. [Netflix] BUYING BEVERLY HILLS: Debut reality series starring "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" vet Mauricio Umansky, and set among the realtors and clients of his Los Angeles luxury real estate firm, The Agency. Umansky's stepdaughter Farrah and daughter Alexia also make appearances. [Netflix] LOOKISM: Debut anime series from Studio Mir ("DOTA: Dragon's Blood"), based on the Korean internet comic. The action is set in a society where physical attractiveness is considered all-important and centers on a high school outcast who develops the ability to jump between two different bodes: one handsome and the other hideous. [Netflix] THE METAMORPHOSIS OF BIRDS (A METAMORFOSE DOS PÁSSAROS): Experimental documentary from Portuguese filmmaker Catarina Vasconcelos, in which she examines and considers her own family history along with insights from her father, Pedro. The film won the FIPRESCI Prize at Berlin and it's Portugal's submission for this year's Best International Film Academy Award. [Netflix] THE FABULOUS: Debut drama series from South Korea, set within Seoul's fashion industry, and charting the personal and professional lives of a group of eager and ambitious young upstarts. Choi Min-ho and Chae Soo-bin co-star. [Netflix] THE SECRET OF THE GRECO FAMILY (EL SECRETO DE LA FAMILIA GRECO): Spanish-language crime drama series from Mexico -- based on an Argentine original -- about a formerly-wealthy family that resorts to kidnapping in order to maintain their social status and lifestyle. Samantha Siqueiros and Fernando Colunga co-star. [Netflix] ELESIN OBA: THE KING'S HORSEMAN: Yoruba-language period adventure film from Nigeria starring Odunlade Adekola as Elesin, a horseman in the Oyo Empire of the 1940s who has pledged to commit ritual suicide, in order to escort his king to the afterlife. When Elesin declines to go through with the deed, it sets off a series of catastrophic events. [Netflix] SCARLET HILL: Detective thriller series from Vietnam, based on the novel by Di Li, about a family staying at a lavish property to oversee the construction of a new resort who begin to encounter strange and explicable phenomena. Victor Vu co-wrote and directed. [Netflix] MY POLICEMAN: 2022 romantic drama feature, based on the novel by Bethan Roberts. Harry Styles stars as a policeman in 1950s England who marries a schoolteacher (Emma Corrin) while maintaining a homosexual relationship with a museum curator (David Dawson). Linus Roache, Gina McKee, and Rupert Everett co-star; Michael Grandage directed. [Amazon] EL PRESIDENTE: THE CORRUPTION GAME: Chilean drama series from creator Armando Bó ("Birdman"), profiling the rise of former ANFP President Sergio Jadue (Andrés Parra), and examining his role in the 2015 FIFA corruption scandal. The series is produced in Spanish but an English dubbed version is also available; Season 2 comes to Prime Video in the US today. [Amazon] MAGNOLIA TABLE WITH JOANNA GAINES: In this culinary series, the Magnolia Network co-founder shares some of her favorite family recipes along with the backstories behind them. Season 7 debuts on HBO Max today. [HBO Max] SPECTOR: Four-part true-crime docuseries looking back at the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson in the mansion of famed music producer Phil Spector. Spector was ultimately convicted of murder and sentenced to 19 years in prison for the crime. Sheena M. Joyce and Don Argott ("Framing John Delorean") directed. [Showtime] DIRECTOR BY NIGHT: Documentary chronicling the production of the Disney+ special "Werewolf By Night," which also explores the personal background of its first-time director, the film composer Michael Giacchino. Giacchino’s own brother, Anthony, directed. [Disney+] THE GOOD NEIGHBOR: In this direct-to-VOD thriller, a shocking hit-and-run accident brings a sudden and decisive halt to the budding friendship between two very different neighbors. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Luke Kleintank, and Bruce Davison co-star. [Hulu] ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS: 2021 holiday comedy about a group of kids who kidnap a local store's bumbling Santa-for-hire in the hopes of grabbing the actual Santa Claus' attention in time for Christmas. Sean Patrick Flanery and Michael Cervantes co-star. [Hulu] CHRISTMAS ON REPEAT: In this holiday rom-com, a busy ad executive (Jennifer Taylor) realizes she's had her Christmas priorities all screwed up when she gets a one-time chance to restart the holiday season from the top. [Hulu] FUNNY THING ABOUT LOVE: 2021 romantic comedy starring Summer Bellessa as a young woman who brings her new boyfriend home for Thanksgiving, only to find that her family is still determined to get her back together with her ex. Jon Heder, Barry Corbin, Kevan Moezzi, and Jason Gray co-star. [Hulu] GRAND PRIX FIGURE SKATING: NBC Sports' coverage of this year's invitational figure skating tournaments will stream from October through December on Peacock. Coverage begins on Friday with the Men's Short program. [Peacock] ISU WORLD CUP SHORT TRACK: The international speed skating event will stream live on Peacock from Kearns, Utah's Olympic Oval, starting at 2 pm PT on Friday. [Peacock] PREMIERSHIP RUGBY: This weekend's matches include Northampton Saints vs. Exeter Chiefs; London Irish vs. Wasps; and Sale Sharks vs. Gloucester Rugby. These streams are only available to Peacock premium subscribers. [Peacock] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5 WWE CROWN JEWEL: The fourth annual Crown Jewel PPV and livestream event will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's Mrsool Park and features wrestlers from the company's Raw and SmackDown divisions. Matches include Braun Strowman vs. Omos, a steel cage match between Drew McIntyre and Karrion Kross, and Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. [Peacock] YOUNG ROCK: The NBC comedy series is loosely based on the life of professional wrestler and actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and features actors Adrian Groulx, Bradley Constant, and Uli Latukefu all playing him at different stages of life. (Johnson also appears as himself in a bookend story in which he's running for US President.) Season 3 episodes air on Fridays, and come to Peacock on Saturdays. [Peacock] LOPEZ VS. LOPEZ: Debut NBC sitcom starring real-life father-daughter duo George and Mayan Lopez as an estranged parent and child who reunite after several years apart. New episodes air on NBC on Fridays and come to Peacock on Saturdays. [Peacock] BREEDERS' CUP: The world champion horse race will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock from the Keeneland racetrack in Lexington, Kentucky on Saturday, starting at 3:30 pm ET. [Peacock] NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL: The Fighting Irish take on the Clemson Tigers this weekend. Peacock's coverage starts on Saturday at 4:30 pm PT. [Peacock] ORGASM INC.: THE STORY OF ONETASTE: Documentary profiling the sexual wellness company OneTaste, which promoted a practice known as "orgasmic meditation" and was sometimes compared to a cult. Founders Robert Kandell and Nicole Daedone were ultimately accused of human trafficking and fraud, among other crimes. [Netflix] BUGS BUNNY BUILDERS: Animated Cartoon Network series for young kids in which Bugs and Lola Bunny manage an inept crew of builders on behalf of the ACME Construction Company. The second half of the show's first season hits HBO Max today. [HBO Max] SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6 SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: The Tennessee Titans take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9 action on Sunday. NBC Sports' live coverage begins at 7 pm ET. [Peacock] NASCAR CUP: This weekend's championship event will air and stream live from the Phoenix Raceway in Arizona. Peacock's coverage begins at 1:30 pm ET. [Peacock] SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: This week's installment of the variety and comedy series features host Amy Schumer and musical guest Steve Lacy. This is Schumer's third appearance as host. [Peacock] DANGEROUS LIAISONS: Debut historical drama series, based on the classic 18th Century novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. This new reimagining jumps back in time to show the beginning of the relationship between the Marquise de Merteuil (Alice Englert) and the Vicomte de Valmont (Nicholas Denton), years before their mutual climb to the top of aristocratic society. Lesley Manville, Kosar Ali, Carice Van Houten, Hilton Pelser, and Tom Wlaschiha co-star. [Starz] MOOD: Six-part musical drama series from British rapper, writer, and actor Nicôle Lecky, based on her acclaimed play "Superhoe." Lecky stars as a 25-year-old aspiring musician who puts her dreams on hold to pursue a new sideline as a social media influencer. Jordan Duvigneau, Jessica Hynes, Paul Kaye, Mia Jenkins, Mohammad Dalmar, and Lara Peake co-star. The series airs on BBC America in addition to streaming on AMC+. [AMC+]

Comcast and Charter plan to call their joint streaming venture "Xumo." The name originated with an ad-supported streaming service purchased by Comcast two years ago. More: According to a press release, the new Xumo will be an "entire entertainment ecosystem inclusive of streaming devices [and] content." Comcast's Flex streaming device will be rebranded the Xumo Stream Box; the company's XClass smart TVs will become Xumo TVs. The first Xumo-branded devices are expected to hit stores next year. ENGADGET

AMC's "Better Call Saul" AMC Networks announced a 10% drop in US advertising revenue in Q3 of 2022. The company's streaming subscriber base climbed to 11.1 million by the end of September, across all of its various niche services. More: The company owns the AMC, IFC, and BBC America cable networks, along with streamers including AMC+, Acorn TV, and Shudder. CEO Christina Spade said the company anticipates closing out the year with around 12 million subscribers, leaving "a good runway for streaming growth." Executives also stressed that the company will employ a "disciplined" content investment strategy moving forward. The team attributed the revenue drop to lower cable TV ratings -- triggered by an increase in cord-cutting -- and cautious spending by marketers and advertisers. AMC particularly touted the recent success of "Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire," which had the most-viewed AMC+ premiere in history; another Anne Rice adaptation, "Mayfair Witches," arrives on January 8. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Ronan Bennett Sky and Peacock announced a new TV adaptation of the Frederick Forsyth novel "The Day of the Jackal." "Top Boy" vet Ronan Bennett is attached to the project as both writer and showrunner. More: The novel was published in 1971; a highly-esteemed film adaptation, directed by Fred Zinneman, was released in 1973. The story centers on a professional assassin who is hired to kill French President Charles de Gaulle. "Game of Thrones" vet Brian Kirk will direct the series. DEADLINE

"Orgasm Inc" trailer More than 12 people formerly affiliated with the "orgasmic meditation" company OneTaste have filed a lawsuit against an upcoming Netflix documentary about the group. The plaintiffs asked for a temporary restraining order against the film, titled "Orgasm Inc," and want Netflix to blur or remove some imagery to protect their privacy. More: Representatives for the 15 plaintiffs claim that a former OneTaste videographer, Chris Kosley, provided the filmmakers with sexually explicit footage shot at private retreats, classes, and workshops without their consent. Kosley, who is named as a defendant in the suit, was fired by OneTaste in 2016. It is unclear what, if any, actual footage of the plaintiffs made it into the finished film. The film's director, Sarah Gibson, has not commented specifically on the lawsuit; in an interview for Netflix's "fan site" Tudum, she said that all footage in the film had been "legally obtained." "Orgasm Inc." is scheduled to hit Netflix on Saturday. NBC NEWS

QUICK HITS Whether you’re planning to travel, or just feeling the itch to learn something new, now’s the time to start speaking a new language with Babbel. Plus, for a limited time you can get 55% off.* Aubrey Plaza joined the cast of the Disney+ "WandaVision" spinoff "Agatha: Coven of Chaos"; no plot or character details have yet been released. The dark comedy series "Dead to Me" returns to Netflix for its third and final season on November 17. HBO's "The Last of Us" series arrives on January 15, and will stream in 4K on HBO Max. Disney plans to adapt the YA fantasy book "A Crown of Wishes" -- part of author Roshani Chokshi's Hindu mythology-inspired "Star Touched Queen" series -- into a series for Disney+; Avantika ("Spin") is attached to star as Princess Gauri. Apple dropped a trailer for "Sharper," a comic thriller film from A24 about con artists in New York; Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, and John Lithgow co-star. THR chatted with Paramount head of streaming Tom Ryan about the fast growth of free ad-supported Pluto TV service, despite not producing any original content of its own. Disney+ added an extended cut of "The Muppet Christmas Carol," including a musical number, "When Love is Gone," that was famously trimmed from the theatrical version. Comcast and Paramount's joint streaming venture SkyShowtime launches in 7 Central and Eastern European markets on December 14. Actor Johnny Depp makes a surprise guest appearance in Rihanna's latest "Savage X Fenty" fashion showcase, which hits Amazon Prime Video on November 9. Theo James signed on for the lead role in "The Gentlemen," a Netflix crime comedy series based on the 2019 film from director Guy Ritchie. HBO Max canceled plans for a reboot of "Degrassi," the long-running Canadian high school drama; the streamer announced plans for a 10-episode first season back in January. The 20th Century Studios supernatural teen comedy "Darby and the Dead" will stream exclusively on Hulu in the US. Netflix released a trailer for its upcoming film adaptation of the D.H. Lawrence novel "Lady Chatterley's Lover"; the film hits theaters on November 25 and makes its Netflix debut on December 2nd. The "John Wick" prequel series "The Continental" will stream on Amazon outside the US, the Middle East, and Israel; the show will premiere on Peacock in the US. Traditional dog food is packed with harmful filler ingredients, Vet Approved healthy dog food brand “Nom Nom” is offering 50% off a two-week trial to ensure your pup is happy and healthy.* *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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