EDITORIAL

APPLE TV
Jessica Chastain will star in “The Savant,” a new limited series ordered by Apple TV+. The eight-episode miniseries will be written and showrun by Melissa James Gibson, an Emmy nominee for producing “House of Cards” in 2017; she also wrote for the series and “The Americans,” and created and wrote last year’s Netflix limited series “Anatomy of a Scandal” with David E. Kelley. Matthew Heineman, an Oscar nominee and Emmy winner for his 2015 documentary “Cartel Land,” will direct the series...

If AI Seinfeld didn’t terrify you enough, another beloved comedy series is getting the Twitch artificial intelligence treatment. Earlier this month, the channel ai_sponge launched on the video livestream service, introducing the world to a more demented version of “SpongeBob Squarepants.” Like AI Seinfeld (officially known as “Nothing, Forever”), which used the bones of “Seinfeld” as dressing for a rambling AI fever dream, ai_sponge takes the iconic characters of the Nickelodeon animated series — including SpongeBob himself, his best friend Patrick, his boss Mr. Krabs, and nemesis Squidward. It puts them in a series of wild meandering conversations....

In 2022, streamers couldn’t wait to tell you how much they spend on content. A year later, the same platforms don’t want to open their wallets, let alone discuss it. Total media-industry content cash spending is growing to $136.4 billion in 2023. That sounds huge, but it represents an increase of just 1 percent from 2022. That’s what financial analysts like to call “flat,” especially compared to the 14 percent increase in 2022 or the 25 percent jump a year prior....

New York State lawmakers are considering putting the state sales tax on streaming services — such as Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, and others — in the state’s new budget. Under a proposed version of the budget submitted by the New York State Assembly, a 4 percent state sales tax would be applied to digital streaming products, which would result in, for example, $.80 charges on Netflix’s $19.99 per month premium subscription. A 4 percent local sales tax already applies to Netflix subscribers in New York. This also wouldn’t be the first state to tax someone’s streaming bill; Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Washington are among the two dozen or so states that apply sales taxes on streamers. The reasoning behind the proposed tax is unique, as it’s reportedly being floated in New York state budget discussions as a way to prevent fares from rising on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s New York City subway systems....

All of the “John Wick” movies use Chad Stahelski favorites musicals like “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Easter Parade” as structural models, and “John Wick: Chapter 4” is no exception. The 14 action sequences serve the same function as the dance numbers in those classic MGM musicals, moving the story forward and expressing character through movement and gesture. Yet for Stahelski, the influence goes deeper, including how star Keanu Reeves trained for the films. “The way we train people is very dance-oriented,” Stahelski said. “A lot of stunt teams will train their cast members to hit focus mitts, which is a martial arts mentality. Punching the heavy bag is great, but if you can’t remember your moves, it doesn’t matter how hard you can punch or kick.”...

Several decades and a few controversies later, Francis Ford Coppola's long-gestating passion project Megalopolis has officially wrapped production. The multiple Oscar winner first conceived the idea for the ambitious project in 1980. However, atypical with the passion projects of acclaimed auteurs, the high-concept project required heavy financing which was one of the many hurdles that inhibited its swift progress. Against all odds, Coppola was able to get the film off the ground and running, and it's now only a matter of months before we witness what promises to be an immersive cinema experience. The announcement was made via a newly created official Instagram handle for the movie which is quickly gaining traction, a reflection of just how eager fans are to experience another one of Coppola's masterpieces. "That’s a wrap," read the caption of a photo of a giant clapperboard bearing the film's title as seen on the page....

After over six decades and nearly 50 films to his name as an actor and director, it looks like Clint Eastwood may be about to call time on his legendary career. Eastwood is beginning the process of directing what is being called his final film. The film is reported to land at Warner Bros, where Eastwood has been developing projects for nearly 50 years. Since the release of Gran Torino in 2008, Eastwood has directed exclusively for Warner Bros, directing 10 more films for the studio including Invictus, Sully, American Sniper and Richard Jewell. His most recent film, Cry Macho, was released by HBOMax and Warner Bros in September 2021. As for the details regarding Eastwood's latest project, it is rumored to be a thriller currently titled Juror #2. The story is said to focus on a juror on a murder trial who realizes that he may be the murderer and struggles with the dilemma of turning himself in or manipulating the jury to get away with the crime...

Apple is aiming at a $1 billion a year investment on theatrical film releases, with as much as fifteen titles making their way to the big screen per year. The plan is part of a coordinated action to make the brand more present across Hollywood, and convert new users to Apple TV+, the final destination for whichever movie Apple premieres in theaters. With the promise of their movies getting a theatrical run of at least a month, movie industry professionals are expected to flock to Apple. The reason is simple: A theatrical run suggests that their work will have the potential to reach bigger audiences and create a bigger impact in the business — and in their careers. And the names attached to some of those projects are already huge box office draws: Legendary director Martin Scorsese is hard at work on his thriller Killers of the Flower Moon with Leonardo DiCaprio at the lead, and Ridley Scott is bringing to life the historical epic Napoleon with none other than Academy Award-winning Joker star Joaquin Phoenix...