Iger Disney town hall / AMC Networks layoffs / Johansson joins "Just Cause" / Burnett exits MGM

Plus today's calendar, "That '90s Show" trailer, "God Forbid" is Hulu's #1 doc, Nancy Pelosi HBO film, and more

Inside.com Part of   Network November 29, 2022

Presented by

Returning Disney CEO Bob Iger held a town hall for employees at the company's Burbank HQ. The 71-year-old dubbed himself a "boomerang CEO" and said that the hiring freeze announced by his predecessor Bob Chapek would remain in effect. More: Iger also told staffers that recent reports about potential mergers or deals with Apple were "pure speculation," and said he wasn't planning any major acquisitions for the near future. Following some brief introductory remarks, Iger mainly took questions from employees scattered around the globe. Iger has given himself 24 months to turn the company around before again passing the reins to another successor. Asked about Disney's current view of Florida's controversial "Don't Say Gay" law, Iger responded that "one of the core values of our storytelling is inclusion, and acceptance and tolerance." Disney's next high-profile release is James Cameron's sci-fi sequel "Avatar: The Way of Water" on December 16. DEADLINE

AMC's "The Walking Dead" In a letter sent on Tuesday, James Dolan -- CEO of AMC Networks' parent company, MSG Entertainment -- warned staffers about "large-scale layoffs" set to begin soon. Dolan cited the loss of cable subscribers due to cord-cutting as the primary reason behind the downsizing. More: According to Dolan, AMC executives had predicted that new streaming subscriptions would offset cord-cutting losses, but this turned out not to be the case. Dolan wrote: "We are primarily a content company and the mechanisms for monetization of content are in disarray." AMC also announced that CEO Christina Spade would step down after less than three months in the position. AMC owns a line-up of niche streaming services that are available as standalone apps and across a variety of platforms, including AMC+, Acorn TV, Sundance Now, IFC, and Shudder. INDIEWIRE

A message from SEGMENT.IO Segment is now free for Startups! Segment helps over 15,000 startups get analytics right. We collect, unify and send data to all of the tools you use, giving you consistent data, everywhere.  Collect: Use our analytics API to collect data across web (Javascript), mobile (SDK) and server-side data sources. Send: Send that data to 300+ destinations, including data warehouses, analytics & BI, marketing platforms, A/B testing,  and more. Send data to new tools with the flip of a switch, no implementation required. Keep your engineers working on core product, not integrations or internal requests. Qualifying companies get: $50,000 in Segment credits for up to 2 years Access to our dealbook of over $1M in other software deals Expedited support, access to our webinars and content to help startups get analytics right See if you qualify for our startup program. Apply Now

DAILY CALENDAR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 REINDEER IN HERE: Debut animated CBS holiday special, based on the children's book by Adam Reed. Adam Devine voices Blizzard, a young reindeer inventor who joins forces with a lonely 10-year-old boy on a mission to save Christmas. The voice cast also includes Jim Gaffigan, Melissa Villaseñor, Henry Winkler, and Candace Cameron Bure. [Paramount+] CASEY ANTHONY: WHERE THE TRUTH LIES: True-crime docuseries looking back on the 2008 death of 2-year-old Caylee Anthony. For the first time, the three-part series relates the story from the perspective of Anthony's mother, Casey, who was ultimately acquitted of first-degree murder, manslaughter, and child abuse charges in the case. [Peacock] HOMICIDE FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Oxygen network true-crime series examining murders that were committed during the Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas seasons. Season 5 comes to Peacock today. [Peacock] MY SO-CALLED HIGH SCHOOL RANK: Documentary examining the story of "Ranked," an original musical theater production that was first performed at Sacramento, California's Granite Bay High School in the weeks following the "Varsity Blues" college admissions scandal. The play -- which deals with the pressures high school students face during the college admissions process -- became a nationwide hit; the film features insights from the show's original creators and cast, and looks at spinoff performances from three different schools. [HBO Max] PIANO Y MUJER II: Original concert special featuring pianist Arthur Hanlon performing along with a collection of Latina singers, including Ivy Queen, Ha*Ash, Catalina García, Debi Nova, and Lupita Infante. A companion album from Sony Music Latin is now is stores. [HBO Max] PLANET SEX WITH CARA DELEVINGNE: Debut six-episode docuseries, produced by BBC Three, in which the actor and model poses big questions about human sexuality -- including tips for healthy relationships, the nature of sex appeal, and the popularity of pornography -- and then investigates the answers along with help from researchers and experts. [Hulu] CHRISTMAS AT THE DRIVE-IN: Holiday rom-com from Great American Family (GAC) about the romance that's sparked between a lawyer and the owner of her town's beloved local drive-in theater, who's attempting to sell the property. Danica McKellar and Neal Bledsoe co-star. [Hulu] CRIME SCENE: THE TEXAS KILLING FIELDS: The "Crime Scene" true-crime anthology docuseries returns with a look at a group of murder victims whose bodies were discovered on the same stretch of land in League City, Texas, over the course of several decades. Jessica Dimmock ("Without") directed; Joe Berlinger produced. [Netflix] ROMESH RANGANATHAN: THE CYNIC: The British comedian's first Netflix special was edited together from three performances at the Hawth Theatre in his hometown of Crawley, England. Subjects include veganism and his parenting philosophy. [Netflix] THE CREATURE CASES: Educational animated series for young kids in which brilliant investigators Sam Snow and Kit Casey solve mysteries with the help of their extensive zoological knowledge. Season 2 hits Netflix today. [Netflix] ANGEL FALLS CHRISTMAS: 2021 holiday romantic comedy-drama -- originally produced for GAC Family -- about a workaholic couple that breaks up just before the holidays, and the angel who sets out to bring them back together. Chad Michael Murray, Jessica Lowndes, and David Reale co-star. [Amazon]

Scarlett Johansson signed on for a lead role in the Amazon limited series "Just Cause," based on a 1992 novel by John Katzenbach. This will mark Johansson's first major TV role. More: The same novel previously inspired a 1995 feature film starring Sean Connery; a young Johansson also appeared in that film as the daughter of Connery's character. In the new series, she'll star as a Florida reporter who's assigned to cover the final days in the life of a death row inmate, but comes to believe that he's actually innocent of the crime. Christy Hall ("I Am Not Okay with This") is writing the adaptation for Warner Bros. TV. Johansson is currently in production on the new film "Project Artemis" with co-star Chris Evans and director Jason Bateman. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Mark Burnett, the current chairman of MGM's Worldwide Television Group, announced plans to exit the position and return to work as an independent TV producer. Burnett will continue to oversee his "legacy series" at the studio, including the reality juggernauts "Survivor," "Shark Tank," and "The Voice." More: Burnett started working at MGM eight years ago, after the studio acquired majority stakes at his companies One Three Media and LightWorkers Media; MGM later purchased those companies outright. Burnett's current contract is up at the end of the year. Amazon acquired MGM in an $8.5 billion deal earlier this year. DEADLINE

Netflix's 10-episode "That '70s Show" follow-up series -- "That '90s Show" -- premieres on January 19. Original "That '70s Show" creators Bonnie and Terry Turner returned to oversee the reboot, along with original writer Gregg Mettler. More: Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp reprise their "70s Show" roles as Red and Kitty Forman, who host their 15-year-old granddaughter Leia (Callie Haverda) for the summer in their Wisconsin home. A number of "70s Show" actors will also make guest appearances, including Topher Grace, Laura Prepon (who also directed some episodes), Wilmer Valderrama, Ashton Kutcher, and Mila Kunis. Actor Danny Masterson, who is currently on trial for rape, was not invited to take part in the new series. VARIETY

"God Forbid" According to Hulu, the true-crime documentary "God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty" is now the streamer's most-watched documentary film of all time. The Disney-owned platform released no specific numbers, but stated that "God Forbid" recently overtook the viewership record set by 2019's "Fyre Fest" in its first three weeks online. More: Directed by "Cocaine Cowboys" vet Billy Corben, "God Forbid" examines the relationship between Evangelical leader and Donald Trump supporter Jerry Falwell Jr.; his wife, Becki; and Giancarlo Granda, a pool attendant they'd met at Miami's Fontainebleau Hotel. Filmmaker Adam McKay executive produced the project. Hulu's next high-profile true-crime doc will be "Stolen Youth," which looks into abuse allegations against a man named Larry Ray made by a number of Sarah Lawrence College students. VARIETY

Alexandra Pelosi's next film, a profile of her mother -- outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- will debut on HBO and HBO Max on December 13. "Pelosi in the House" surveys the entirety of Nancy's political career, culminating in the inauguration of President Joe Biden in January 2021 and the ensuing attack on the US Capitol. More: Alexandra Pelosi's cameras were following her mother during the events of January 6; some of the footage she captured has already aired on CNN. The documentary contains footage shot over the course of three decades, and traces Nancy Pelosi's political career back to her first election to Congress in 1987.  This is Alexandra Pelosi's 14th film for HBO; she served as director, producer, cinematographer, and co-editor, along with Geof Bartz. DEADLINE

Disney+ released a trailer for the new animated "Night at the Museum" sequel, subtitled "Kahmunrah Rises Again." Shawn Levy, who directed all three live-action entries in the film franchise, is onboard the new entry as an executive producer. More: The new film premieres on Disney+ on December 9. Zachary Levi provides the voice of museum security guard Larry Daley, who was played by Ben Stiller in the films; the new movie shifts focus from Larry to his son, Nick (Joshua Bassett). Thomas Lennon, the co-writer of the first two "Night at the Museum" films, is a part of the new entry's voice cast, along with Jamie Demetriou, Joseph Kamal, Gillian Jacobs, Jack Whitehall, Bowen Yang, and Steve Zahn. Collectively, the "Night at the Museum" films grossed over $1 billion at the global box office; the series is based on a children's book by Milan Trenc. SYFY

QUICK HITS HubSpot and Brandwatch partnered this year to survey over 1,000 individuals across the U.S to better understand consumer purchasing habits, thoughts and behaviors.* According to Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer, all 23 main Oscar categories will be presented live during the main televised ceremony this year, in a reversal of 2022's controversial format change. A rumor first posted by the "Witcher" fan site Redanian Intelligence suggests that Netflix may be planning an additional spinoff series, centered around the collective of bandits known as "The Rats." Star Jenna Ortega's bizarre dance from the new Netflix series "Wednesday" has gone viral on TikTok, with hundreds of creators attempting to recreate her herky-jerky moves to The Cramps' song "Goo Goo Much." Peacock posted the new musical intro for Season 2 of the reality competition series "Baking It," featuring hosts Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler singing an original tune about holiday treats. Amazon ordered a first season for the Spanish-language supernatural horror series "Romancero" from "Verónica" vet Fernando Navarro. Tech innovation is surging in education, finance, health care, and other industries. See what your competitors are building with Crowdbotics.* *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.

Segment is an API-first analytics solution that empowers 15,000+ startups to scale their data infrastructure.

767 Bryant St. #203, San Francisco, CA 94107 Copyright © 2022 Inside.com

Did someone forward this email to you? Head over to inside.com to get your very own free subscription! You received this email because you subscribed to Inside Streaming. Click here to unsubscribe from Inside Streaming list or manage your subscriptions.