4 months ago
The truth location were 2 New Year’s shot drops successful Times Square this year, 1 for 2026 and 1 for America 250, says a batch astir what’s coming nan adjacent 12 months.
Yet, hype, patriotism, and this weekend’s US subject actions successful Venezuela aside, really America will observe nan large day beyond a planned UFC lucifer astatine nan White House is conscionable 1 of nan large stories that will predominate headlines and algorithms.
Who will beryllium nan adjacent leader of nan Walt Disney Company? What will spell down erstwhile Bad Bunny takes nan Super Bowl halftime show stage? Have nan Rolling Stones deed nan extremity of nan roadworthy because of Keith Richards‘ health? With truthful galore group retired of activity and accumulation still reeling, what’s connected nan array for nan upcoming statement talks betwixt nan studios and streamers pinch nan Hollywood guilds? When will nan LA County DA determine if prosecutors will activity nan decease punishment for Nick Reiner? And of course, will it beryllium Netflix aliases Paramount who ends up plunking down billions and billions to ain Warner Bros Discovery aft all?
All those questions will surely beryllium answered earlier 2027, and astir apt a fewer much nary 1 has considered yet – that’s correct AI, we weren’t ignoring you. So, successful nary peculiar order, are nan stories that will really matter successful nan media and intermezo worlds this year, truthful far.
THE NEXT DISNEY CEO IS …
With an announcement expected successful nan adjacent fewer weeks if Dana Walden, Josh D’Amaro aliases personification other are getting nan apical gig, it’s beautiful adjacent to presume astatine this constituent Bob Iger and House of Mouse committee bossJames Gorman cognize who will beryllium succeeding nan two-time Disney CEO atop nan Magic Kingdom astatine nan extremity of this year. Still, contempt a rumor mill grinding harder than a Haunted Mansion thrust astatine Disneyland, that personification aliases persons will beryllium nan openly campaigning Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment aliases nan soft parks section moving Chairman of Disney Experiences is simply a determination that’s been kept person to nan thorax that an Oscar letter cover connected Hollywood’s large nighttime (which BTW, won’t beryllium thing immoderate Disney CEO will person to interest astir travel 2029 and YouTube taking complete nan ceremony).
Benefiting aliases burdening by her adjacent relationship pinch Kamala Harris and her progressive domiciled successful Jimmy Kimmel’s weeklong September suspension, Walden has publically said portion of nan CEO process is she doesn’t for illustration “being pit against my colleagues, I don’t admit because we person unthinkable relationships.” At nan aforesaid time, nary 1 is going to responsibility nan very circumspect Gorman and pack from doing everything humanly imaginable to debar nan fumbles, egos and backstabbing of Bob Chapek’s short-lived reign arsenic Iger’s first successor from 2020 to 2022. If nan AI-investing 74-year-old Iger really does exit (are you a betting person?) erstwhile his existent statement is up astatine nan extremity of 2026, nan caller CEO will look immoderate of nan biggest challenges of nan manufacture successful decades – particularly if Netflix gobbles up Warner Bros’ studio, HBO and streaming assets.
Which is why connection connected nan thoroughfare and nan Burbank batch is heavy and superior information has gone into taking a page retired of nan streamer’s book and installing co-CEO’s for illustration Netflix has pinch nan cautiously coordinated Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters. To paraphrase, Walden, that would beryllium an “incredible relationship” to spot successful action pinch her and D’Amaro moving nan shop. It would make immoderate history, play to everyone strengths and guarantee stableness successful an era of thing but – so, enactment tuned. – DP
AMERICA 250
The quarter-millennium day of nan United States will person a batch of nan aboveground hoopla of nan Bicentennial 50 years ago, but apt a batch of nan aforesaid media contemplation of 1976: How agreed are we? The aftermath of Watergate and nan Vietnam War threatened to colour America’s day arsenic forced patriotism, but nan enduring image of nan ceremony turned retired to beryllium nan beauty of nan gangly ships sailing successful New York harbor. Likewise, Donald Trump‘s divisive presidency raises doubts arsenic to really celebratory nan full of America will be. The Trump facet has raised discord moreover connected nan U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, nan bipartisan assemblage group up by Congress to scheme charismatic celebrations. As divided arsenic nan state was 50 years ago, things seemed to autumn into spot successful nan months starring up to July 4, pinch Americans getting a nightly history refresher via CBS’s Bicentennial Minutes and everything from occurrence hydrants to elephantine dams painted successful nan red, achromatic and blue. What will nan enduring image beryllium of 2026? UFC fights astatine nan White House, planned for Trump’s birthday, June 14? – TJ
KEITH RICHARDS ROLLING NO MORE?
The mid-December missive that nan Rolling Stones were pulling nan plug connected a planned but not officially announced 2026 UK and European circuit sent shutters that not only had nan top rock’n’roll set of each clip had reached nan extremity of nan road, but that mortality had caught up pinch nan seemingly indestructible Keith Richards. Having conscionable turned 82 and suffering from arthritis gnarled hands, nan guitarist/legendary hedonist apparently informed Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood that he conscionable wasn’t up for nan rigors of different multi-city stint. Even though nan “Human Riff” had showed up successful good shape for a Bruce Willis honoring mini-set astatine NYC’s Soho Sessions successful November, worries that Richards was successful dire wellness ran rampant.
To that, to defang nan obit writers, a smiling and sturdy Keef posted a “one love” affirming NYD greeting online nan different day.
On nan flip side, nan Stones, including nan world’s top still surviving hit guitarist Richards, person laid down caller euphony to beryllium released this twelvemonth successful a travel up to 2023’s acclaimed Hackney Diamonds – which nan set toured down successful 2024. So perhaps, nan six-string pirate and nan aged boys are readying a typical one-off to show they tin still rustle everyone’s wigs off. Time mightiness conscionable still beryllium connected their side – DP
CAA‘S HOME NOT ON THE RANGE
In our ever shaking and quaking media landscape, nan instauration and early of nan agencies often gets overlooked – which is much than okay pinch nan self-styled masters of nan universes astatine CAA, WME, UTA …and Range. The dealmakers for illustration to do astir of their business nether nan screen of darkness, for amended aliases worse. However, this twelvemonth we whitethorn spot a seismic displacement successful some nan agency biz, who controls nan purse and what an agency really is. For nan agelong warring Bryan Lourd and Peter Micelli tally firms successful peculiar that alteration will travel courtesy of nan courts. Locked successful conflict some down nan closed (but overmuch leaking) doors of arbitration and successful nan nationalist sphere of LA Superior Court, CAA & Range Media Partners (which has immoderate very crisp ex-CAA staffers among its precocious ranks) person abandoned nan ubiquitous aerial of Marquess of Queensberry Rules everyone likes to dress to adhere to successful nationalist and gone bare knuckles.
Will nan arbitrator determine David Bugliari, Michael Cooper, Michael Sullivan and Jack Whigham are owed nan “tens of millions of dollars of nan erstwhile agents’ vested equity” that CAA clawed backmost erstwhile they jumped vessel backmost successful 2020? Will a assemblage determine nan “unlawful” (according to CAA’s first 2024 lawsuit) and seemingly afloat loaded Range are really a talent agency masquerading arsenic a guidance group? Will nan aforesaid assemblage besides find Range blameworthy of poaching staff, talent and intel for its creation, arsenic CAA alleges, aliases will they trim CAA down to size for usurpation of unfair title rule and tortious interference, arsenic Range’s November 2025 countersuit claims?
Certain to spell done rounds of appeals sloppy of really wins first successful nan coming months, nan results will apt besides spot rivals-down-the-road WME gloat astatine what immoderate person called a CAA self-inflicted wound. Either way, nary matter nan last costs and verdict, location will beryllium a culling and location will beryllium blood. – DP
NETFLIX BE DAMNED, PARAMOUNT’S PURSUIT OF WARNER BROS DISCOVERY ISN’T OVER
Warner Bros. Discovery heads into 2026 pinch a Netflix woody successful manus and Paramount Skydance pounding astatine nan doorway successful a precocious stakes takeover conflict pinch momentous consequences for TV, film, theatrical accumulation and streaming. Netflix’s accepted connection of $27.75 successful rate and banal for Warner Bros. Studios, HBO and HBO Max. has an equity worth of $72 billion and an endeavor worth (including nett debt) of $82.7 cardinal As nan would-be parters activity basal approvals, WBD is moving up pinch a spinoff of its linear tv assets into a caller institution called Discovery Global.
David Ellison launched his WBD violative soon aft closing nan Paramount Skydance merger successful August pinch a trio of unsolicited offers for nan full company, each rejected. Warner opened nan process to different bidders and chose Netflix. The array was group for this showdown successful 2022 erstwhile Zaslav-led Discovery acquired overmuch larger Warner Media for $43 billion. That saddled nan mixed institution pinch an untenable $50 cardinal successful indebtedness moreover arsenic cablegram networks cratered and viewers flocked to streaming.
These are large numbers. Paramount’s $30 a stock all-cash bid reflects an equity worth of $77.9 cardinal and endeavor worth of $108.4 billion. Rebuffed, David and his begetter Larry Ellison went dispute and person taken 2 offers straight to WBD stockholders, who person until Jan. 21 to tender their shares. WBD rejected nan first and looks group to disregard nan 2nd astatine a committee gathering adjacent week.
The Netflix and Paramount offers whitethorn not beryllium that acold isolated financially. Paramount insists it has a amended changeable astatine regulatory approval. It has hinted astatine ineligible action, accusing WBD’s committee of abandoning “the semblance and reality of a adjacent transaction process, thereby abdicating its duties to stockholders,” which WBD denies. Entertainment insiders are astatine a spot of a nonaccomplishment complete who to backmost successful this horserace.
But expect fireworks including a imaginable bidding warfare successful 2026. Or, it could each spell sideways. An unpredictable President Donald Trump, who has a superior beef pinch nan news media including Paramount’s CBS and WBD’s CNN, has said he plans to beryllium progressive successful a decision. The FTC and European regulators will measurement antitrust issues. The DOJ and authorities AGs whitethorn measurement in. So, location are monolithic breakup fees here. Both Netflix and Paramount agreed to salary WBD $5.8 cardinal if a woody fails to get regulatory approval. – JG
NICK REINER & THE DEATH PENALTY
Right now, pending a past infinitesimal pause, nan January 7th scheduled proceeding successful DTLA for Nick Reiner for the December 14 sidesplitting of his parents Rob and Michele Reiner is still connected nan calendar. However, 3 unknowns still linger successful this calamity that has seen nan addiction addled youngest kid of nan Misery head and his photographer spouse accused of 2 counts of first-degree execution pinch “special circumstances.”
The first is what nan 32-year-old’s intelligence wellness is evaluated to person been astatine nan clip of nan fatal attacks, and is he competent to guidelines trial? In now sealed aesculapian records, Nick Reiner is said to person inflicted “multiple crisp unit injuries” connected his parents successful their Brentwood location connected nan time of their deaths. The second, depending connected what plea nan Alan Jackson defended Nick Reiner enters adjacent week, is erstwhile and whether location really will beryllium a trial? And, thirdly and lastly, erstwhile will nan LA County District Attorney’s agency determine if they are going to activity life imprisonment without nan anticipation of parole for nan Being Charlie co-writer aliases nan decease penalty?
DA Nathan Hochman said erstwhile announcing nan charges against Nick Reiner connected December 16 that he wanted to talk nan imaginable choices pinch nan family earlier coming to immoderate conclusions – arsenic it is, that galore person to hap sooner alternatively than later.
“We are prepared for nan arraignment whether it happens aliases not will beryllium decided by a judge,” Venusse Dunn of nan DA’s agency told Deadline. “We are communicating pinch nan victim’s family. As pinch each victims of crime, we support ongoing interaction pinch those affected to support them informed passim nan ineligible process and to supply support during this difficult time.”
Indeed. – DP
NFL VS MAGA: BAD BUNNY PLAYS THE SUPER BOWL
Man, did MAGA suffer their sh*t erstwhile nan NFL, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, and Apple Music revealed successful September that Bad Bunny would beryllium headlining nan halftime show astatine Super Bowl LX connected February 8.
In fact, pinch Donald Trump and various aides and furniture members pouring anti-immigrant, ICE threatening and racist substance connected their ain fire, nan MAGA meltdown continues. As NFL main Roger Goodell recovered himself successful October having to publically back “one of nan starring and astir celebrated entertainers successful nan world” being successful nan Super Bowl spotlight, nan now Erika Kirk-run TurningPoint USA person organized their unironically named All-American Halftime Show to antagonistic programme Bad Bunny connected shape successful Santa Clara, CA adjacent month.
Here’s nan thing, MAGA really stepped successful it here.
The starring contender to expanse this year’s Grammys, nan Puerto Rico-born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio hasn’t shied distant from nan controversy, nor has Bad Bunny abruptly unopen up astir his guidance to MAGA and its policies arsenic his 1 US show of this twelvemonth looms.
Set to execute nan first each successful Spanish Super Bowl set, Bad Bunny is besides a Super Bowl vet. He joined JLo and Shakira successful their 2020 halftime show successful Miami. So, nan existent mobility has to beryllium is MAGA opposed to capitalism, shot and rewarding success? Asking for 19.8 cardinal streams worldwide successful 2025 unsocial …or as Bad Bunny said successful Spanish connected SNL connected October 4, addressing nan rumor and nan contributions of Latinos to American culture: “If you didn’t understand what I conscionable said, you person 4 months to learn.” – DP
AMPTP VS. WGA, SAG-AFTRA & DGA: NEW RULES, HEALTH MONEY?
Hollywood is still recovering aft nan historically agelong writers and actors strikes that defined 2023’s bargaining rhythm betwixt nan awesome studios and nan above-the-line unions. While nan 100-plus-day activity stoppages resulted successful aggregate hard-won statement achievements, they besides greatly accelerated a world accumulation contraction that has upended nan movie and tv industry. Nevertheless, nan WGA, DGA and SAG-AFTRA will beryllium down pinch nan Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers early adjacent twelvemonth to hopefully hammer retired a caller statement earlier nan existent contracts expire mid-year.
SAG-AFTRA will caput to nan bargaining array first successful early February.
Plenty of tantalizing topics, including nan encroachment of AI and nan pending waste of Warner Bros., are judge to grace nan conversation, but they’ll almost surely return a backseat to nan financial realities nan guilds are facing correct now.
To that, nan priorities are looking overmuch different than 3 years agone arsenic each 3 guilds will request to attraction connected 1 point and 1 point only: jobs, jobs, and much jobs. Well, and, relatedly, their dwindling wellness and pension funds, which we perceive are successful dire straits aft respective years of expanding unemployment astir town. Deadline exclusively reported past month that nan AMPTP is consenting to connection nan guilds a $110M rate infusion to get nan costs backmost successful nan black, but successful return they’re hoping to get nan unions to work together to a five-year statement alternatively of nan accustomed three, aiming to bring much stableness to what is, astatine present, an incredibly unstable industry. Time will show really things shingle out, and astir of Tinsel Town will watch these negotiations pinch bated breath, but don’t expect different 12-round knockout conflict successful 2026. Just astir nan only point that’s definite successful Hollywood correct now is that nary 1 tin spend different strike. – KC
THE MIDTERMS VERDICT ON TRUMP 2.0
Democrats are conscionable a fewer seats distant from taking power of nan House, but a world distant from really achieving it. There are still 11 months until nan November elections, and immoderate awesome electoral rhythm featuring Donald Trump arsenic a campaigner aliases awesome subordinate is fraught pinch unpredictable twists and turns. That won’t extremity a twelvemonth of polling, prognostication and punditry, arsenic news networks and upstarts pursuit aft imaginable renewed assemblage interest. The statement retired of powerfulness tends to do very good successful a midterm rhythm of nan president’s 2nd term, but nan situation for media outlets is successful explaining nan variables this year, including redistricting, caller voting restrictions and nan imaginable for post-election challenges. The stakes are whether Trump will person to grapple pinch a legislature cheque connected his power, but nan predetermination besides will spell a agelong measurement toward defining his eventual legacy. – TJ
STEPHEN COLBERT’S NEXT ACT
Pink slipped past July by Paramount on a beautiful flimsy pretense of costs cutting conscionable earlier David Ellison took complete nan CBS-parent company, Stephen Colbert big and the Late Night franchise itself will exit nan Ed Sullivan Theater and our mini screens successful May 2026. No one, possibly moreover Emmy victor Colbert himself, is saying what will travel next.
Looking to beryllium swinging and kicking against nan pricks until nan very extremity of his CBS tally and intelligibly not intending to bent up his gloves, Colbert jokingly threw his readiness retired location successful August pinch a “Netflix, telephone me. I’m disposable successful June. I will besides entertain offers from Amazon.”
Now, pinch nan erstwhile astir to jump done various regulatory hoops to get nan Colbert-hating Trump administration’s support connected its WB deal, and nan latter, well, heavy successful Melanialand, Netflix and Amazon whitethorn not beryllium nan contiguous adjacent enactment for nan Late Nighter. However, possibly nan champion denotation of wherever Colbert could extremity up (and he will extremity up somewhere) is what nan man himself earnestly told Deadline’s Peter White a mates of months ago.
“I emotion creating things and I still want to activity pinch nan group I activity with. I don’t cognize really you activity pinch 200 people, 210, thing for illustration that, right? It’s an tremendous magnitude of people. I emotion them. And I want to proceed to do that pinch them to nan grade that I can. And I want to find that pinch different group too. I conscionable emotion making things,” Colbert said.
