Roku launches smart TVs / Comcast on Hulu sale / Apple grabs "Echo Valley" / Widenfels talks WB Discovery cuts

Plus today's calendar, Lucasfilm lawsuit, Bakish on Showtime plans, "Beavis and Butt-Head" returns, and more

Inside.com Part of   Network March 09, 2023

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Roku OS 12 Roku's line of smart TVs go on sale today exclusively via Best Buy. Roku TVs come in 11 different models, ranging from 24- to 75-inches; the cheapest models retail at around $120, while the upgraded "Plus TVs" start at $650. More: Plus TV features include QLED, 4K Dolby Vision, automatic brightness based on ambient light, and Roku's hands-free Voice Remote Pro system. Roku also plans to roll out its latest interface -- OS 12 -- along with the new TVs over the next few weeks. Considering the low price point, Gizmodo suggests Roku's strategy is likely focused on getting more Roku devices into more US homes -- and thus driving more advertising revenue to the platform -- rather than profiting specifically on hardware sales. GIZMODO

Speaking at a Morgan Stanley media conference this week, Comcast President Mike Cavanagh said the company would be "very happy" to sell its remaining stake in Hulu to Disney in 2024. Cavanagh also indicated that the company would be willing to consider other options or proposals. More: In 2019, Disney and Comcast signed a "put-call agreement"; under its terms, Comcast could force Disney to buy out its stake, or Disney could force Comcast to sell, as early as next year. Disney CEO Bob Iger has indicated that purchasing Hulu outright from Comcast isn't a top priority for the company. Under the terms of the agreement, Hulu's guaranteed minimum valuation is set at $27.5 billion; that values Comcast's 33% stake at around $9 billion. DEADLINE

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DAILY CALENDAR THURSDAY, MARCH 9 YOU: The psychological thriller series returns today for the second half of its fourth season, following serial killer Joe (Penn Badgley) to London, where he's posing as a college professor. Victoria Pedretti, Tati Gabrielle, Lukas Gage, Charlotte Ritchie, and Tilly Keeper co-star. [Netflix] SCHOOL SPIRITS: Debut teen supernatural drama series from first-time creators Nate and Megan Trinrud, based on their graphic novel. Peyton List stars as a recently deceased high school student who teams up with more ghosts and a few still-living classmates to investigate her own murder. Milo Manheim, Maria Dizzia, Josh Zuckerman, Sarah Yarkin, and Spencer Macpherson co-star. [Paramount+] FARMER WANTS A WIFE: US remake of an international hit reality franchise, in which hunky farmers meet and romance a group of eligible single women from the big city. Variations on "Farmer Wants a Wife" air in 35 countries, and have apparently resulted in 180 marriages to date. New episodes air Wednesday nights on Fox and hit Hulu on Thursdays. [Hulu] THE SECRET OF SKINWALKER RANCH: The History Channel docuseries features experts, scientists, and paranormal researchers investigating Skinwalker Ranch, an infamous Utah property that's been the site of numerous UFO sightings and other inexplicable events. Season 3 aired last year on cable and comes to Hulu today. [Hulu] THE INHABITANT: 2022 direct-to-VOD psychological thriller starring Odessa A'zion as a teenage descendant of alleged axe killer Lizzie Borden, who begins to suspect that her family line may be cursed. Leslie Bibb and Dermot Mulroney co-star. [Hulu]

Apple Studios greenlit the thriller film "Echo Valley" from "Mare of Easttown" creator Brad Inglesby. Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney co-star as an estranged mother and daughter who must work together to stay ahead of the authorities after a violent tragedy. More: "Beast" vet Michael Pearce will direct the film, which was written by Inglesby. Filmmaker Ridley Scott is attached to produce through his company, Scott Free. Production begins on the film this summer. Moore has previously starred in two high-profile projects for Apple: the Stephen King series "Lisey's Story" and the neo-noir thriller "Sharper." VARIETY

WB Discovery CFO Gunnar Widenfels said the most challenging steps of the WarnerMedia/Discovery merger are now completed. Speaking at a Morgan Stanley investor conference this week, Widenfels referred to 2022 as a "tough year," but said the company was heading into 2023 with "a little bit of a tailwind from all the tough decisions that we made." More: Widenfels clarified that WB Discovery continues to heavily invest in new content, referring to 2022 cuts as "shav[ing] off that excess." He added that the company didn't "abandon anything that made sense strategically or financially," and pointed to competitors making similar cost-cutting decisions. Widenfels promised more details about the combined HBO Max/Discovery+ streaming service will arrive during an April 12 "media day" event. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Producer Karyn McCarthy filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Lucasfilm. The Disney division had hired McCarthy to produce the upcoming "Star Wars" series "The Acolyte" before reversing their decision. More: In order to accept the job on "Acolyte," McCarthy claims she passed on an opportunity to work on the upcoming Apple drama series "Sugar." By the time Lucasfilm dismissed her from the project, Apple had already hired a different executive producer for "Sugar." McCarthy further claims that Lucasfilm failed to compensate her for work on "The Acolyte" prior to her termination, after making an "anemic and insulting offer" of $5,000 for her services to date. Representatives from Lucasfilm did not comment on the lawsuit. "The Acolyte" comes from "Russian Doll" vet Leslye Headland, and is set to star Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-jae. DEADLINE

"Ray Donovan" Speaking at this week's Morgan Stanley conference, Paramount CEO Bob Bakish discussed the company's future plans for the Showtime brand. According to Bakish, Showtime will move forward with a leaner, less expensive slate that's focused on "franchises." More: In addition to already-announced spinoffs based on "Dexter" and "Billions," Bakish also hinted at a potential return for "Ray Donovan." Bakish referred to the merging of Paramount+ and Showtime as a "win-win-win" for consumers, the company, and shareholders. Integrating the two services into one high-quality platform, Bakish argued, allows them to subscription fees, making the businesses profitable more quickly. DEADLINE

Paramount+'s "Beavis and Butt-Head" revival returns with new episodes on April 20 in the US and Canada, and April 21 in Australia and the UK. The show initially received a two-season pick-up when it was first announced. More: Original creator Mike Judge returned for the revival; he executive produces and voices both main characters. The duo originally debuted in the animated short "Frog Baseball" in 1992, which was broadcast on MTV as part of the network's "Liquid Television" anthology. Paramount+ also has a remastered edition of the original "Beavis and Butt-Head" series, plus two films -- 1996's "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America" and last year's follow-up "Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe" -- available to stream. DEADLINE

Netflix's "Wednesday" Netflix introduced a new feature allowing TV viewers to customize subtitles and closed captions from a variety of options. Users now have three options for subtitle sizing as well as four colors, and the ability to add options like drop shadow or colored backgrounds. More: The new options are expected to roll out internationally by the end of the day on Thursday. These options were previously available to Netflix viewers via the web, but not on TVs. In a 2019 study, 80% of Americans said they were more likely to finish watching a video if it has captions available. TECHCRUNCH

QUICK HITS Demonstrating security and compliance can be time-consuming and expensive. Until you use Vanta. Start a free trial.* HBO's controversial upcoming series "The Idol" -- from "Euphoria" creator Sam Levinson and R&B star The Weeknd -- could debut at this year's Cannes Film Festival in May. The latest trailer for "Yellowjackets" Season 2 features a new cover of No Doubt's 1995 classic "Just a Girl" by Florence + The Machine. The US International Trade Commission banned imports of Peloton and iFit fitness devices with video-streaming capabilities this week, after a judge ruled that they infringe on Dish Network Corp. patents. CBS Sports will bring a free ad-supported channel dedicated to soccer coverage -- CBS Sports Golazo Network -- to both Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Subscribers to Verizon's +Play hub will receive a year of Netflix for free if they sign up for at least one more streaming service through the platform. Daniel Brühl will portray late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld in a new six-part biographical series, "Kaiser Karl," for Disney+. The 2022 Kickstarter-funded season of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" -- previously available only through its proprietary streaming platform The Gizmoplex -- is now streaming for free on Pluto TV's dedicated MST3K channel. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) responded to comments made by Netflix co-CEO Reed Hastings this week, pointing out that European public broadcast networks continue to outspend Netflix on local content. Netflix UK viewership for non-English language programming has surged by 90% over the last three years, largely driven by younger users. Fan favorite "Queer Eye" guest Tom Jackson died on Friday at age 63 from metastatic adenocarcinoma, a form of cancer. *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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