WBD subscriber dip / SAG-AFTRA deliberations continue / Netflix film strategy shifts / King Charles III on UK Media Bill

Plus today's calendar, "Lawmen: Bass Reeves" on CBS, "Rebel Moon" in 70mm, NASA+ launches, Crunchyroll mobile games, and more

Inside Streaming For November 08, 2023

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Hello again and thanks for opening today's Inside Streaming brief! Interesting piece from Variety today about Netflix's shift in film strategy. The company's film chief, Scott Stuber, doesn't really tell us anything we didn't know, but it's still nice to hear a Netflix executive come out and concede that they were just cranking out too many movies, very few of which had any kind of wider cultural impact whatsoever. Pumping the brakes a bit and zeroing in on projects that might actually move the needle and get the public's actual attention, rather than an endless string of "Red Notice" and "Gray Man"-level duds, seems at this point not just wise but absolutely essential. Lon p/lon-harris

1 Warner Bros. Discovery's overall streaming subscribers declined in Q3 but revenue was up 5% to $2.4 billion. The revenue boost was largely due to price increases on the Max streaming service. More: WBD's streaming division lost $3 million in Q2, but was back to profitability in Q3, bringing in $111 million. Much of the drop in subscribers came from Discovery+, as part of the migration of users over to the Max platform. The quarter also saw the successful launch of the CNN Max hub, along with an add-on tier from Bleacher Report Sports. Earnings were impacted by both the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike and a soft TV and digital ad market; the box office success of "Barbie" and "The Nun II" helped to offset these losses, but not entirely. In a call with investors, CEO David Zaslav said he's "hopeful" that the SAG-AFTRA strike can be resolved "soon."

2 SAG-AFTRA's negotiating committee will continue deliberating the studio and streamer's latest proposal on Wednesday. The latest offer was delivered by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on Monday evening. More: The focus of the negotiations has apparently shifted to protections against the use of AI in Hollywood productions. While the acting union's initial proposal on AI was only around 4 pages, it has expanded considerably throughout the strike, as negotiators attempt to close any potential loopholes. In an appearance on "CBS Mornings" on Tuesday, mega-producer Tyler Perry suggested that the acting union -- of which he's also a member -- has already "won" the current dispute and should resolve the strike quickly as "this is only a three-year deal." The SAG-AFTRA strike is now in its 117th day.

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3 DAILY CALENDAR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 THE SANTA CLAUSES: The family holiday comedy series -- spun off from the "Santa Clause" films -- features Tim Allen reprising his role as reluctant dad-turned-Santa Scott Calvin. In the new episodes, he faces a challenge from the Magnus Anta, aka Mad Santa (Eric Stonestreet), an ancient incarnation of St. Nick who wants to reclaim the title for himself. Elizabeth Mitchell, Austin Kane, Elizabeth Allen-Dick, Devin Bright, and Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias co-star; Tracy Morgan also makes guest appearances this year as the Easter Bunny. [Disney+] STAR WARS: YOUNG JEDI ADVENTURES: The animated series -- the first-ever "Star Wars" series aimed specifically at young kids -- returns on Wednesday for the second half of its first season. It centers on a group of younglings training to become Jedi Knights during the High Republic era, years before the events of the "Star Wars" films. [Disney+] THE BUCCANEERS: Debut period drama series from the UK, based on the unfinished final novel by author Edith Wharton. It's about the various cultural clashes that emerge when a group of American women enter London high society in the 1870s. Kristine Froseth, Alisha Boe, Josie Totah, Aubri Ibrag, Imogen Waterhouse, and Christina Hendricks co-star; Katherine Jakeways created the series and wrote the adaptation. [Apple TV+] FIXER UPPER: THE HOTEL: Debut renovation reality series from Magnolia Network, in which founders Chip and Joanna Gaines recreate and restore a century-old historic building in downtown Waco, Texas, with the goal of transforming it into a new boutique hotel. [Max] BUYING BACK THE BLOCK: Two-part limited reality series from HGTV, following along as comedian Mike Epps and his wife Kyra purchase and restore a number of homes in Indianapolis, on the same block where he spent his childhood years. The series debuts today on Max and cable. [Max] YOU WERE MY FIRST BOYFRIEND: Hybrid scripted/documentary feature from HBO in which filmmaker Cecilia Aldarondo (who co-directed with Sarah Enid Hagey) dramatically recreates and restages scenes from her teenage life in the 1990s, in an effort to gain new understanding about herself and her origins. The film debuted at this year's SXSW festival. [Max] ARTFULLY DESIGNED: The Magnolia Network home renovation series features designer Natalie Papier, muralist Racheal Jackson, and artist Frankie Zombie creating custom, art-forward home designs for their clients. It's back this week for a second season. [Max] HELP! I WRECKED MY HOUSE: The HGTV reality series is back for a fourth season. It follows along as builder and designer Jasmine Roth and her team help homeowners fix the disastrous results of ill-conceived DIY projects. [Max] ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS MOVIES: A number of original holiday films produced for Discovery+ or WB Discovery's cable networks come to the Max platform today. The list includes "A Christmas For Mary," "A Gingerbread Christmas," "Baking Christmas," "Candy Coated Christmas," "First Christmas," and many more. [Max] ESCAPING TWIN FLAMES: Three-part docuseries exposé focusing on the "Twin Flames Universe" online community, in which former members accuse founders Jeff and Shaleia Ayan of exploitation, manipulation, and abuse. Cecilia Peck and Inbal B. Lessner, the team behind "Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult," directed. Twin Flames was also the subject of a recent Amazon docuseries. [Netflix] ROBBIE WILLIAMS: Four-part docuseries profiling the English singer-songwriter, a former member of the boy band Take That. The series features Williams looking back on his youth and his 25-year solo career from his own perspective. Joe Pearlman ("Lewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling Now") directed; Asif Kapadia ("Amy") executive produced. [Netflix] THE CLAUS FAMILY 3 (DE FAMILIE CLAUS 3): Dutch-language holiday fantasy-comedy, following up on 2020's "The Claus Family" and its 2021 sequel. In the latest installment, Noël Claus (Jan Decleir) runs into some trouble during his annual delivery route, forcing his grandchildren (Mo Bakker and Amber Metdepenningen) to step up and save Christmas. Ruben Vandenborre returns as writer/director. [Netflix] CYBERBUNKER: THE CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD: German true-crime docuseries about a group of hackers from Holland that ran a criminal empire from an abandoned Cold War-era NATO bunker under an idyllic tourist community. [Netflix] THE BILLIONAIRE, THE BUTLER, AND THE BOYFRIEND (L'AFFAIRE BETTENCOURT): True-crime docuseries from France, about a conflict between the world's wealthiest woman and her daughter that exploded into a national scandal. [Netflix] VIGILANTE: Debut crime thriller series from Korea, about a brilliant police academy student who operates as an independent vigilante on the weekends, even as he's being tracked by an elite Metropolitan Investigation unit. Nam Joo-hyuk, Yoo Ji-tae, and Lee Jun-hyuk co-star. [Hulu] ÚLTIMAS FÉRIAS: YA crime thriller series from Brazil about a group of young friends taking a final beach vacation together who stumble into the midst of a murder mystery. Filipe Bragança, Bella Camero, Michel Joelsas, Paulo Miklos, and Luana Nastas co-star; newcomer Santiago Gardinetti created the series. [Hulu]

4 Variety spoke with Scott Stuber, the head of Netflix's film division, about a new shift in the streamer's strategy. The company will produce significantly fewer films a year moving forward, with a sharper focus on individual quality. More: According to Stuber, as Netflix attempted to grow a new studio in direct competition with legacy media companies, the strategy was to aggressively produce a lot of content in a short time frame. While Netflix has been producing around 50 original films annually for the US audience, it will now slow that rate down to 25-30 a year instead. The piece draws attention to several high-profile film projects that Netflix cancelled or declined in recent memory, including the spy comedy "Argylle," the "Exorcist" reboot, a new romantic comedy from long-time veteran Nancy Meyers, and an adaptation of the '80s toy line "Masters of the Universe."

5 In his first King's Speech on Tuesday, England's Charles III discussed plans to introduce a controverisal Media Bill to Parliament during the next legislative period. The bill would force international streaming services operating in the UK to follow rules set by media regulator Ofcom. More: The plans were originally introduced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2022 but have been updated considerably. The bill would apply the same content standards for broadcast networks and streaming platforms; streamers such as Netflix or Disney+ could face fines of up to £250,000 ($308,000) for violations. Netflix -- which generally supports the overall Media Bill -- argued that some of Ofcom's restrictions would cause them to preemptively remove many films and TV shows from their UK service, to avoid potential fines. Traditional broadcasters have largely favored the Bill; ITV's CEO called it "a critical step towards ensuring that public service broadcasters can continue to invest in the brilliant British content our audiences love."

6 The first two episodes of the Paramount+ period drama series "Lawmen: Bass Reeves" will air on CBS on Sunday, November 12. The show comes from producer Taylor Sheridan, whose cable drama "Yellowstone" has also been airing on CBS this year. More: "Bass Reeves" will take over a spot being opened by "Big Brother," which wraps up its current season on Thursday. The Western series -- based on the true story of the legendary Black US Deputy Marshal -- debuted on November 5 on Paramount+; it's the first season in a planned anthology about iconic frontier heroes. "Banshee" and "Ray Donovan" vet Chad Feehan developed the series with Sheridan and serves as showrunner; David Oyelowo stars as Reeves and executive produces.

7 Netflix set a limited one-week theatrical run for the first half of Zack Snyder's sci-fi epic "Rebel Moon." "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" will screen in 70mm from December 15-21 in four international cities. More: The film will play at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, which Netflix co-owns and recently re-opened; it's also coming to New York's Paris Theater (also owned by Netflix), Toronto's TIFF Bell Lightbox, and London's Prince Charles Cinema. The first "Rebel Moon" film then hits Netflix on December 22. Sofia Boutella stars as a young woman who goes on a search for warriors to defend her space colony, which is under threat by a tyrannical despot; Ed Skrein, Cleopatra Coleman, and Cary Elwes co-star. Snyder conceived of "Rebel Moon" as a single film but Netflix balked at the proposed three-hour running time; Part 2 will arrive in 2024. The director also has plans for an extended cut, featuring around an hour of additional footage.

8 QUICK HITS Upway offers discounted e-bikes from top brands with a one-year warranty and 14-day returns. Buy your e-bike by Nov. 9 for a chance to enter a giveaway and receive your money back.* The free NASA+ streaming service launches today on the web, plus iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV devices. Sony's anime streaming service Crunchyroll plans to introduce free mobile games for subscribers, following Netflix's lead; the Crunchyroll Game Vault is now available for subscribers to the app's Mega Fan or Ultimate Fan tiers. A new poster for Netflix's "Avatar: The Last Airbender" series features Aang, Katara, and Sokka on the back of the flying creature Appa; the long-awaited live-action series arrives next year. Debut programmer Free TV Networks teamed with Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, and Gray Television on new streaming channels; the first new channels -- The365 and Outlaw -- will launch on New Year's Day and focus on African-American content and Westerns, respectively. CW owners Nexstar reported Q3 earnings on Wednesday, revealing that TV ad revenue was down 23% for the quarter; the CW network narrowed its losses to $60 million. "The White Lotus" creator Mike White teased the upcoming third season in a chat with Entertainment Weekly, calling it a "supersized" edition that will be "longer, bigger, [and] crazier" than previous seasons. Apple released a full trailer for Season 3 of the espionage comedy-drama series "Slow Horses," debuting on November 29. European broadcaster RTL posted Q3 revenue of around $1.7 billion, a drop of more than 10% over last year's numbers; the company cited a slumping TV ad market. The Netflix adaptation of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "All the Light We Cannot See" hit the Top 10 in 82 countries during its debut week; according to the streamer's internal figures, the WWII limited series was viewed for 9.8 million minutes between October 30 and November 5. Hulu dropped a trailer for "The Artful Dodger," a follow-up to Charles Dickens' novel "Oliver Twist"; Thomas Brodie-Sangster stars as the former pickpocket, who's living a respectable life in Australia until his former mentor Fagin (David Thewlis) re-emerges. An advocate with the Irish Data Protection Commission argued that YouTube's new ad-blocking detection system violates user privacy, making it illegal under EU law. Bring your ideas to life in seconds. App, web and UI design has never been easier with Uizard. You bring the ideas, AI does the rest. Sign up free!* *This is sponsored content

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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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