Morning Fix: ‘Mr. Peabody & Sherman’ takes bath. Cable execs gather in L.A.
After the coffee. Before getting my financing together for a Clippers bid.
The Skinny: I got through day one of the Cable Show in one piece. There are lots of panels to see, executives to schmooze and technology to sample, and just about everything flies over my head. Today’s roundup includes a recap of the cable show. Also, DreamWorks Animation took a bath on “Mr. Peabody & Sherman†and the cast of the next “Star Wars†movie is unveiled.
Daily Dose: Sports radio personality and NBC broadcaster Dan Patrick has always talked about wanting to succeed Alex Trebek as host of “Jeopardy.†That may happen one day but for now Patrick will have to be satisfied to host a sports version of the quiz show for Crackle, Sony’s digital platform that is also home to the popular Jerry Seinfeld online series “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.â€
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. The cable industry is gathering in downtown Los Angeles for its annual convention. The opening day featured lots of talk about cable’s promise and potential. But underneath the optimism are concerns about rising programming costs chasing customers away and increased competition from streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon. More on the topics of discussion at the show from the Los Angeles Times and Variety.
Maybe they can go back in time and kill this movie. DreamWorks Animation said it would take a $57-million write-down on “Mr. Peabody & Sherman,†which flopped at the box office. For the first quarter, DreamWorks Animation lost more than $40 million on revenue of $147.2 million. Last year, the studio took an $87-million write-down on “Rise of the Guardians.†Details from the Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal.
Strong quarter. Thanks to the strong performance of “The Lego Movie,†Time Warner had a strong first quarter with revenue and profits rising. Also boosting the company were increased subscriber fees for its Turner Broadcasting unit and the success of its HBO pay channel. The numbers from Reuters and Bloomberg.
Crashing back to earth. Author Tess Gerritsen sued Warner Bros., alleging that the studio’s hit movie “Gravity†was based at least partially on her book of the same name. Gerritsen already has ties to Warner Bros. as the studio-produced TV series “Rizzoli & Isles†is based on her work. Gerritsen wants 2.5% of the film’s net profit. More on the suit from the New York Times.
Inside the Los Angeles Times: Robert Lloyd on Craig Ferguson’s exit from late night. Here’s a look at the cast for the next “Star Wars†movie.
Follow me on Twitter. I’m a laugh riot. @JBFlint.
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