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Fighting Trump will make or break Disney’s new CEO

2026-05-13T15:15:24-04:00

A week ago, newly appointed Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro was busy regaling investors with plans to turn Disney Plus into the company's "digital centerpiece." By last Friday, though, his attention had presumably shifted to a fight with the Trump administration over free speech.

Disney-owned ABC has now accused the administration of violating its First Amendment rights with an ongoing investigation into The View. D'Amaro - the former head of Disney's parks division - might have wanted his legacy to be defined by corporate synergy and a souped-up version of Disney Plus. But this fight with Donald Trump and the Federal Communications Commission is l …

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Wordle is turning into a primetime TV game show on NBC

2026-05-11T08:54:19-04:00

Wordle could be the next great game show. NBC has greenlit a game show version of The New York Times' popular puzzle game, and it's set to debut in 2027 with Savannah Guthrie as the host. The show will be produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio "in partnership with" Jimmy Fallon's production company and the NYT, according to a press release.

Here's an overview of how the new "fast-paced format" will work in game show form, from the NYT:

The series will feature teams of players competing to solve five-letter word puzzles in a high-energy, collaborative environment, translating the core elements of Wordle into a new kind of view …

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The future of Disney Plus is a confused mess

2026-05-07T20:18:52-04:00

Newly minted CEO Josh D'Amaro says that he wants to turn Disney Plus into "the immersive, interactive digital centerpiece of the company." It used to be that people went to the movies or theme parks to immerse themselves in Disney's fictional worlds. But now, D'Amaro says that he sees Disney Plus becoming "the primary relationship between Disney and its fans."

The general idea that D'Amaro put forth during his call with investors this week is that Disney Plus and Disney's parks are both places that people visit to spend money while engaging with the company's characters and worlds. D'Amaro framed the streaming service and the parks as comp …

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Your guide to sci-fi streaming season

2026-05-01T08:25:59-04:00

I haven't quite figured out the reason why, but for the last few years, summer has become the moment for new science fiction shows on streaming services. And 2026 isn't any different - aside from the fact that premiere dates seem to be moving up a little.

This year, the release schedule is nearly as full in the spring as it is in the summer, which should make it easier to check out everything you want to without having storylines overlap in your brain. In fact, a number of these shows are already streaming now: The alternate future of For All Mankind is currently in the midst of its penultimate season, as is the horror mystery box From. But …

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Apple TV’s new horror series is scarier because it’s also hilarious

2026-05-01T11:40:06-04:00

Matthew Rhys and Stephen Root. | Image: Apple

Kate O'Flynn views comedy and horror as "kind of the same thing." Both are at their best when they surprise - a laugh or a scare that comes out of nowhere hits the hardest. That's why, for the star of the new horror-comedy hybrid Widow's Bay, mixing up the genres makes perfect sense - they heighten each other. "You're never on steady ground," she says. "Your guard is down, and you're vulnerable to a laugh or a cry or a scream. It's all up for grabs."

Widow's Bay, which starts streaming on Apple TV on April 29th, tells the story of the titular island, which sits off the coast of New England. It has a rustic small-town charm and also happens …

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The plan to quietly kill Coyote v. Acme blew up in David Zaslav’s face

2026-04-27T14:35:32-04:00

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on Hollywood trends and streaming culture, follow Charles Pulliam-Moore. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes on Sundays at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here.

How it started

Under David Zaslav's leadership, WBD got very into the practice of shelving its own nearly completed projects in order to cash in on subsequent tax write-offs. To help deal with its looming debt and operating costs, the studio killed Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah's live-action Batgirl feature and the Scoob! Holiday Haunt movie from Michael Kurinsky …

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The person who allegedly leaked Paramount’s new Avatar movie has been arrested

2026-04-24T15:45:01-04:00

Following Paramount Skydance's move to launch an investigation into how its upcoming Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender animated feature leaked onto the internet, a suspect has been taken into custody by police.

The Straits Times reports Singaporean police have arrested a 26-year-old man who is alleged to have uploaded the new Avatar movie (previously titled The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender) online after accessing a server where the project was being held ahead of its scheduled October 9th premiere on Paramount Plus. According to the authorities, a copy of the entire movie was found on the suspect's electronic devices. If he is ultimatel …

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Brendan Carr’s war on wokeness targets inclusive children’s television

2026-04-24T06:06:26-04:00

Under the guidance of consummate bully / chairman Brendan Carr, the FCC is taking steps toward cracking down on children's entertainment that in any way explores the complexities of gender identity.

On Wednesday, the FCC's Media Bureau announced that it is soliciting comments from the public about whether the TV ratings system has made sound decisions regarding children's programming with transgender or nonbinary characters. In a statement about the commenting period the FCC said that it was soliciting feedback due to an alleged uptick in "significant concerns" about whether "controversial gender identity issues are being included or promot …

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Apple TV has another busy summer of sci-fi with Silo season 3 in July

2026-04-21T09:48:44-04:00

Over the last few years Apple TV has established itself as a force in sci-fi, and that trend looks to continue through 2026. Up next: the post-apocalyptic thriller Silo is returning for its third season on July 3rd. The 10 episode-long season will span 10 episodes and wrap up on September 4th, with new episodes streaming on Fridays.

Based on a trilogy of books from author Hugh Howey, Silo follows the residents of an underground city - the titular silo - that live in a tightly-controlled environment amidst a grim and deadly landscape outside their walls. The first season introduced the story as a small-town mystery, before season 2 steadily …

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Japanese man sentenced to prison for posting spoilers

2026-04-20T16:02:58-04:00

Though it's very common for entertainment writers to describe some narrative elements of the films and shows that they're covering, a Japanese court has determined that the practice can sometimes be tantamount to copyright infringement.

Last Thursday, the Tokyo District Court ruled that 39-year-old Wataru Takeuchi was guilty of violating Japanese law that prohibits the creation of "a new work by making creative modifications to the original while preserving its essential characteristics." Takeuchi worked as administrator of a website that published lengthy, spoiler-heavy descriptions from popular movies and series. And two of Takeuchi's "ar …

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