NWSL streaming rights / Geeked Week announcements / Verizon streaming bundle / "House of Usher" topples "Suits"

Plus the weekend calendar, Peacock layoffs, Malone on loss of "localism," WBD shelves "Coyote vs. Acme," "Big Brother Reindeer Games," and more

Inside Streaming For November 10, 2023

Good morning/afternoon and thanks for reading Inside Streaming.  The internet is pretty upset with Warner Bros. Discovery and CEO David Zaslav today, following the news that the studio plans to shelve the completed film "Coyote Vs. Acme." The live-action/animated hybrid -- co-starring John Cena and the Looney Tunes -- had received positive buzz from filmmakers and at test screenings, but instead of hitting theaters (or Max), it will go into the vault as a $30 million tax write-down. We all realize Hollywood is a business, and these companies are going to follow the money. That's their job, and responsibility to their shareholders. Still, it's pretty hard to make a real case that throwing away a $72 million movie with major stars that has a good chance of finding an enthusiastic audience is smart business. Zaslav clearly needed a financial boost in Q3, and canceling this project now lets him retroactively apply the savings to the previous quarter. It's an accounting strategy to cook the books and sort of fool shareholders, but almost definitely not what's actually best for the company Warner Bros. Discovery long-term. After not just WBD but Disney and others have taken advantage of these tax loopholes in the past year or two, it might make sense for lawmakers or regulators to actually close them. It doesn't seem like this trick benefits anyone but the CEOs of media companies. Shareholders are getting a skewed view of how the business is actually doing, consumers are getting denied access to content they want to see, and the creatives who made the film or show have their hard work thrown away for nothing! Lon p/lon-harris

1 On Thursday, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) announced new four-year licensing contracts, starting in 2024. The deals are valued at $60 million per year, or $240 million for all four years. More: In total, the deals secure 118 national windows for NWSL games, which the league said would mean "record-breaking distribution and revenue." Regular-season Friday night matches will stream on Prime Video, followed by two Saturday night games on the Scripps-owned ION broadcast network. A package of regular-season matches will also air on CBS and stream live on Paramount+. ESPN also secured a package of matches that will air across its various cable networks and stream on ESPN+.

2 During its annual "Geeked Week" promotional event, Netflix revealed trailers, teases, and first looks at a number of upcoming shows and films. "Arcane," the first streaming series in history to win the Emmy for Best Animated Program, returns for a second season in November 2024; it's based on Riot Games' "League of Legends" video game franchise. More: The live-action series adaptation of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" debuts on February 22 of next year; Netflix unveiled an initial teaser. The streamer also revealed the upcoming DreamWorks Animation spinoff "Jurassic World: Chaos Theory" -- a sequel to the "Camp Cretaceous" series -- arriving sometime next year. A new spin on the classic Japanese superhero character "Ultraman," titled "Ultraman: Rising," also got a new teaser; it was co-written and directed by "Kubo and the Two Strings" and "Lost Ollie" vet Shannon Tindle. A new "Umbrella Academy" featurette introduces some new characters and villains ahead of the fourth and final season, which lands next year. The DreamWorks animated film "Orion and the Dark" -- based on Emma Yarlett's book, with a screenplay by "Being John Malkovich" vet Charlie Kaufman -- arrives on February 2.

3 WEEKEND CALENDAR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 FOR ALL MANKIND: The sci-fi drama series is set in an alternate reality in which the Soviet Union sent a crew to the Moon first. The new fourth season takes place in 2003, with international space programs now focused on capturing and mining mineral-rich asteroids. Joel Kinnaman, Wrenn Schmidt, Krys Marshall, Edi Gathegi, Cynthy Wu, and Coral Peña return from prior seasons; newcomers this year include Toby Kebbell, Tyner Rushing, Daniel Stern, and Svetlana Efremova. [Apple TV+] THE KILLER: Psychological crime thriller from filmmaker David Fincher, based on a French graphic novel series by Alexis "Matz" Nolent and Luc Jacamon. Michael Fassbender stars as a skilled professional assassin who becomes a target himself after botching a job. Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Kerry O'Malley, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte, and Tilda Swinton co-star; Fincher's "Seven" collaborator Andrew Kevin Walker wrote the adaptation. [Netflix] AT THE MOMENT: Romantic anthology drama series from Taiwan, featuring 10 stories about unexpected love that blossomed in different cities during the pandemic. Dee Hsu, Wu Kang-ren, Kelly Lin, Ruby Lin, Gingle Wang, Alyssa Chia, and many others co-star. [Netflix] THE CURSE: Debut comedy series from Showtime and creator/writers Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie. Fielder and Emma Stone co-star as a newly-married couple making an HGTV renovation show about their new, allegedly cursed home. Safdie, Corbin Bernsen, Barkhad Abdi, and Constance Shulman co-star. The series debuts Friday on Paramount+ with Showtime, and airs Sunday night on the Showtime cable network. [Paramount+] 007: ROAD TO A MILLION: Debut reality competition series in which 9 pairs of everyday people embark on an epic, global adventure and participate in a string of James Bond-inspired challenges for a shot at a £1,000,000 grand prize. Brian Cox hosts as "The Controller." [Amazon] DINA HASHEM: DARK LITTLE WHISPERS: The comedian and "Daily Show" writer's first hour-long special features material on death threats, relationship problems, anti-quiet people bigotry, and growing up as a first-generation Arab-American. [Amazon] BIRTH/REBIRTH: 2023 psychological horror film from first-time co-writer/director Laura Moss, inspired by Mary Shelley's classic novel "Frankenstein." Marin Ireland stars as a morgue technician who successfully reanimates the body of a young girl, but then must make a dark sacrifice to keep her creation alive. Judy Reyes, A.J. Lister, Breeda Wool, and LaChanze co-star. The film premiered at this year's Sundance. [Shudder] FOOL'S PARADISE: This 2023 satirical comedy film is actor Charlie Day's debut as a writer/director. Day also stars as a mute John Doe with the mental capacity of a child who's hired as a stand-in for a well-known Method actor. Ken Jeong, Kate Beckinsale, Adrien Brody, Jason Sudeikis, Edie Falco, Jason Bateman, Common, Ray Liotta, and John Malkovich co-star. [Hulu] ONE TRUE LOVES: 2023 direct-to-VOD romantic comedy-drama, based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid (whose work previously inspired Amazon's "Daisy Jones & the Six.") Phillipa Soo stars as Emma, who finds solace after her husband's disappearance in the arms of an old friend (Simu Liu). The situation gets more complicated when her husband (Luke Bracey) returns, very much alive. Andy Fickman ("She's the Man") directs. [Hulu] MYSTERY ON MISTLETOE LANE: Original holiday film from Hallmark, starring Erica Cerra as a single mom who stumbles into a Christmas-themed mystery after moving with her kids into a historic home. Victor Webster co-stars. [Peacock] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11 ALBERT BROOKS: DEFENDING MY LIFE: Documentary profile of actor, comedian, and filmmaker Albert Brooks, directed by his long-time friend Rob Reiner. The film features Brooks and Reiner in conversation about his life and career, along with insights from Judd Apatow, James L. Brooks, Larry David, Nikki Glaser, Jonah Hill, Conan O'Brien, Chris Rock, Steven Spielberg, Ben Stiller, Sarah Silverman, and many others. [Max] THE CRAFTSMAN: PRESERVING THE LAST HIGGINS BOAT: Magnolia Network special in which Eric Hollenbeck works to preserve one of the last surviving Higgins Boats used in WWII for display at the Nebraska National Guard Museum. (These are the famed amphibious landing crafts used by Allied forces on D-Day.) [Max] EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS: Romantic comedy from Hallmark starring Cindy Busy and Katherine Barrell as friends with very different takes on the holidays who embark on a road trip to a town where it's Christmas all year round. Corey Sevier co-stars. [Peacock] SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12 BEACON 23: Debut sci-fi thriller series, based on short stories by author Hugh Howey, whose work also inspired Apple's series "Silo." It's set on a remote "lighthouse" in space in the 23rd Century; Stephan James plays a beacon keeper who's visited by a mysterious stranger (Lena Headey). Zak Penn ("Alphas," "Ready Player One") created. [MGM+] AMERICAN MONSTER: The Investigation Discovery true-crime docuseries looks back at cases in which terrifying criminals hid in plain side, posing as ordinary or even upstanding members of their communities. Season 9 premieres this week on both Max and cable. [Max] KIDS BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP: SWEETS-GIVING: Special edition of the Food Network reality competition series in which four kid bakers prepare Thanksgiving-themed treats, for a shot at a $10,000 prize package of baking tools and equipment. Duff Goldman and Kardea Brown co-host. [Max] CHRISTMAS ISLAND: Holiday rom-com from Hallmark starring Rachel Skarsten as a pilot whose first-ever private flight gets diverted by a snowstorm, forcing her to work closely with a charming air traffic controller (Andrew W. Walker). [Peacock] ASSASSIN CLUB: 2023 direct-to-VOD action thriller starring Henry Golding as a skilled assassin who's hired to take out 7 targets around the globe, then discovers they've also been tasked with killing him. Noomi Rapace, Daniela Melchior, and Sam Neill co-star; Camille Delamarre ("Brick Mansions") directed. [Paramount+]

4 According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Verizon plans to offer a discounted streaming bundle featuring access to both Netflix and Max. The joint package -- featuring ad-supported access to both streamers -- will cost just $10 a month for Verizon customers, rather than the $17/month it would cost to sign up individually. More: As new streaming sign-ups have slowed, and churn rates increase, platforms have been searching for new ways to find and retain subscribers. Bundled offerings through cable companies often have slower rates of churn than standalone subscriptions. Bundles are particularly appealing for ad-supported platforms, which need to quickly grow a large subscriber base to appeal to potential sponsors. According to WSJ, Verizon will officially announce the bundle over the next few weeks.

5 According to Nielsen, Netflix's "The Fall of the House of Usher" was the #1 most-watched streaming title between the week of October 9-15. This was only the second week since mid-June that the USA Network legal drama "Suits" failed to claim the top spot. More: The horror drama from writer/director Mike Flanagan was viewed for around 1.23 billion minutes on this week, topping "Suits," with 1.13 billion minutes. "Suits" has now been viewed for around 44.4 billion minutes, or 739.8 million hours, since June across both Netflix and Peacock. Nielsen also noted that "Suits" ninth and final season -- which is only streaming on Peacock -- accounted for 6% of the total weekly tally, its highest share to date; this indicates that many fans are finishing up their binges. Disney's "Goosebumps" -- which streams on both Disney+ and Hulu in the US -- was viewed for 553 million minutes in its first three days; that was good enough for seventh place among "acquired series."

6 NBCUniversal laid off around 50 employees this week. The staffers came from three divisions: Peacock's marketing team, NBCUniversal Entertainment, and ad sales. More: Most of the cuts -- between 30 and 40 -- came from Peacock, and were part of a restructuring of the company by CMO Shannon Willett. Willett's intention is not simply to cut costs, but revamp the organization of Peacock's marketing department. The team will now be split into five divisions: Brand Creative and Marketing; Title Creative and Marketingl; Marketing Strategy, Planning, Analysis, and Performance Media; Growth and Lifecycle Marketing; and Publicity, Events, and Talent Engagement.

7 During a keynote at the Paley International Council Summit this week, billionaire media mogul John Malone raised concerns about the loss of "localism" in TV news and sports. Malone argued that massive tech platforms will always be able to outbid conventional cable companies for live sports and other events, and that the tech industry will swallow legacy media without regulation. More: Malone suggested that the streaming business will improve with further consolidation; consumers will have more choices when all streaming content is controlled by "a handful of successful enterprises" in his view. He predicted that some legacy media companies will likely merge, and predicted that Paramount would be among them. Malone also anticipates more deals like the agreement between Charter and Disney, which offers Disney+ content as part of a traditional cable package.

8 QUICK HITS Bike Friday is on! Upway sells discounted e-bikes from top brands, rigorously inspected and certified by master mechanics. Get discounts of up to $1000 on a selection of e-Bikes!* Warner Bros. Discovery no longer plans to release the animated/live-action hybrid film "Coyote Vs. Acme," which was originally developed for HBO Max; the film, which cost around $72 million to make and starred John Cena, will instead serve as a tax write-down for Q3. CBS announced a holiday-themed "Big Brother" special -- "Big Brother Reindeer Games" -- which will bring back houseguests from past seasons; the special airs on CBS and streams on Paramount+ on December 11. Entertainment Weekly got an early look at "Death and Other Details," a new Hulu mystery series starring Mandy Patinkin as brilliant detective Rufus Cotesworth; the first season debuts on January 16. A new deal between Paramount and Microsoft will bring the Paramount+ app to Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles in a number of international markets, including Australia, Canada, Latin America, the UK, and much of Western Europe. ABC canceled "The Rookie: Feds" after a single season, and also shut down plans for a "Good Doctor" spinoff, "The Good Lawyer." "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" -- the year's second highest-grossing film, after "Barbie" -- will exit Peacock and jump over to Netflix on December 3. Variety chatted with Dave Wiskus, the CEO behind the creator-focused streaming service Nebula; Wiskus said that he sees YouTube as an ally and Netflix as his true competitor. Design UIs in seconds with Uizard's AI. Generate screens from text, convert screenshots to wireframes, and handoff to collaborators. Try it free!* *This is sponsored content

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Knowledge Hub Term of the Day Inferior good: Inferior goods are goods whose demand decreases when income increases, as opposed to normal goods whose demand increases when income increases. Read More Question of the Week What perks would convince you to return to the office? Join the conversation

Lon Harris Writer 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." This newsletter was edited by Lon Harris

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