The Morning Fix: ‘Power Rangers’ coming back! Rockford probably not. Costs of Cannes. Satellite spinning out of control.
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After the coffee. Before hiring a writer come to up with these things. I’m tired of it.
Will they update those uniforms? While Miramax founders Harvey and Bob Weinstein still struggle to finish a deal with Disney for the baby they sold and now want back, another media mogul -- Haim Saban -- has gotten his biggest contribution to society back from the Mouse House. In a deal valued at about $100 million, Saban has reacquired the rights to ‘Power Rangers,’ the kids’ show that got big ratings and caused big headaches for parents. Nickelodeon has struck a deal for new episodes of the show. Details on the deal from the Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and New York Times. I know, really, we need three different links for this one? Hey, I’m trying to spread the love.
The cost of Cannes The Los Angeles Times looks at the pros and cons of getting your films into Cannes. Sure there’s glitz and glamor but remember: If you bomb there, the thinking is you can bomb anywhere. And then there is the cost. L.A. Times writers John Horn and Steven Zeitchik tell us that when Sony took ‘Marie Antoinette to Cannes, it shelled out $42,000 on director Sofia Coppola’s stylists. More on the festival from Dave Poland’s Hot Blog and the Wrap. Details on the opening of Cannes from Variety.
Danger, Will Robinson, danger! A satellite that is lost in space could potentially mess up cable TV. Apparently an Intelsat satellite has gone rogue and is now drifting close to an SES World Skies satellite whose clients include lots of U.S. cable operators. Uh oh. Fear not, the Wall Street Journal quotes an Intelsat person who says they don’t think there will be any real risk. My question is, if my service was knocked out for a little bit would my cable operator offer a refund or just tell me I was part of a new package that cost more money?
What’s Bob Berney up to? Blogger Anne Thompson catches up with Bob Berney, who surprised the movie biz by bolting Apparition on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival. No, there’s no job with Harvey and Bob Weinstein yet. He’s at Cannes, looking at movies and thinking about work. I do that all the time, just not in France.
Another Stringer. The Daily Beast looks at who Howard Stringer will put in charge of Sony Music. I could be his brother.
Networks gearing up for next week. The broadcast networks are ordering their shows and making their moves for the fall schedules they will unveil next week. For the latest of what Deadline calls pilot panic season (why I don’t know), here you go. More news than you can use from Deadline, Variety, Wall Street Journal and Hollywood Reporter. Oh, still no deal for Charlie Sheen, but Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva tells us the one-half of ‘Two and a Half Men’ has signed a new deal. Summer comes before fall. USA Today’s Gary Levin looks at the summer plans of the networks. Usually that means some crappy reality shows but this time around a few of the networks are trying actual dramas and comedies. Then when none work they’ll tell us summer shows don’t work. Meanwhile cable will continue to have success there.
That 70’s show. Vulture’s Joe Adalian (gonna have to get used to that one) digs into NBC’s apparently ill-fated remake of ‘The Rockford Files,’ which after a lot of buzz is starting to look like a real long shot for the Peacock’s fall schedule. Apparently there’s lots of blame to go around, including Michael Watkins’ direction and star Dermot Mulroney’s take on the classic James Garner character. I didn’t see the pilot (and judging from the way the piece is written it doesn’t seem like Adalian did either), so it’s hard to judge. But I was worried from Day One about a remake of one of my favorite shows growing up. Looks like I don’t have to worry anymore. Meanwhile Adalian also tells us the shocking news that NBC’s ‘Heroes’ is done.
Inside the Los Angeles Times: Sony’s TV chief Steve Mosko has spent the last year circling the globe, buddying up to Oprah Winfrey and trying to create a new TV awards show. Ken Turan says ‘Robin Hood’ takes more than it gives. ‘General Hospital’ cleans up at Daytime Emmy nominations.
-- Joe Flint
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