Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade Lays Out New Structure, Future Plans and the Fate of Third-Party Shows Like ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The Morpho machine is shutting down. Apple TV+ has canceled “The Big Door Prize” after two seasons, Variety has confirmed. The series, from Skydance Television and CJ ENM/Studio Dragon, ended its Season 2 run on June 12.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences the org formerly known as Promax that relaunched in February, has revealed its new board of directors, as well as an honorary board of advisors. GEMA, which has expanded from TV to also include verticals devoted to film, music, sports and video game marketing execs, has also announced plans for a two-day event in Los Angeles this fall dubbed “Converge.” The news was announced Thursday by GEMA president Stacy La Cotera.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large AMC Networks has staked its claim for more “Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire.” The series has been renewed for Season 3 on AMC and streaming outlet AMC+, the outlets announced Wednesday. News comes just days before the show’s Season 2 finale (which airs June 30).

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large To paraphrase a long-running network slogan, “It’s Not Max. It’s HBO.” HBO and Max content CEO Casey Bloys is changing the delineation between what an “HBO show” and a “Max show” is, moving most of Max’s upcoming big-budget, tentpole Warner Bros. IP projects to under the HBO umbrella.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The next time you see Dan Harmon on Instagram doing something other than writing the “Community” movie, please don’t yell at him to get back to work. It’s happening, Harmon promises, but there are so many moving parts that there has never been a precise timeline. “When you see me making fart videos on the Internet, don’t worry that it means I’ve given up making the movie,” Harmon tells Variety.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Jamie Kellner, who made his name as the only exec ever to create two broadcast networks — Fox and The WB (both of which also achieved profitability under his watch), died Friday at his home in Montecito, Calif. He was 77.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The Hollywood Creative Alliance has ended its defamation lawsuit against the Critics Choice Association, as both sides announced Friday that they had reached an “amicable agreement.” In a joint announcement between CCA CEO Joey Berlin and HCA CEO Scott Menzel, the two sides said that the Critics Choice Association will once again allow its members to also be a part of the Hollywood Creative Alliance. Also, Berlin has joined HCA’s advisory committee to “provide guidance on the best practices in awards show production and not-for-profit organization management,” and HCA has agreed to advise CCA on “best accessibility practices at its events.” In January, the Hollywood Creative Alliance (which was formerly known as Hollywood Critics Association) sued the Critics Choice Association after that org told its members that they had to resign from the HCA in order to stay members of the CCA.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Todd Harthan has been tapped as the new showrunner and executive producer of ABC’s “High Potential,” starring Kaitlin Olson. Harthan was previously executive producer/showrunner of Fox’s “The Resident,” which ran for six seasons and recently was a hit off-net for Netflix. Harthan replaces previous showrunner Rob Thomas, who departed the project earlier this month.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Those of us who grew up with “Sesame Street” still remember Guy Smiley, the stereotypical game show host as originally voiced by Jim Henson. Guy was loud, boisterous and the host of everything from “Here Is Your Life” and “Beat the Time” to “Name That Sound!” Guy Smiley served a purpose for “Sesame Street,” and so did real-life game show hosts. It was a very specific (and also, very non-diverse) group: Bob Barker, Monty Hall, Jack Berry, Bill Cullen, Wink Martindale, Bob Eubanks, Richard Dawson, Gene Rayburn, Alex Trebek and many more.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Writer/directors Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, who were behind the recent critically acclaimed FX limited series “A Murder At the End of the World,” have struck a deal with indie production shingle Sister to develop, write and produce original film and television projects. The deal, described as a “multi-year creative partnership,” reunites Marling and Batmanglij with Cindy Holland, the global CEO of Sister.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Longtime AMC PR head Marnie Black, whose tenure included overseeing consumer media relations, brand messaging, special events, talent relations and awards campaigns on hit series including “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul” and “The Walking Dead” universe, is departing the company after 13 years. Black will exit at the end of the month to explore the next chapter of her career.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large I think I can say this on behalf of the entire collective of reporters who cover television: Nothing makes us groan more than when a series star or producer refers to the setting as another “character” in their show. (Actually, I take that back, something else causes even heavier eye rolls: When a performer says their co-stars are “like a family.”) And yet, I may have to temper my cynicism.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Former NBCU exec Frances Manfredi, who most recently was president of content acquisition and strategy at Peacock, has joined indie TV studio Future Shack Entertainment as partner and head of distribution and content strategy. The hire was announced Monday by Future Shack Ent. founders Jeff Wachtel, Sam Michaels and Yusik Choi.

Selena Kuznikov “Palm Royale” showrunner Abe Sylvia relied on his “guru” Joni Mitchell (via her song “People’s Parties”) when figuring out the tone for his Apple TV+ comedy: “Laughing and crying are the same release.” “Our show took itself really seriously even as it went absurd,” Sylvia said. “It’s a gay ‘Fantasia,’ right? It’s tone is maximalist gay.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Perhaps the toughest takeaway from Ron Howard’s documentary “Jim Henson Idea Man” is the fact that his sudden death in 1990, at just age 53, robbed us all that “The Muppets” creator might have created in the computer age. Henson was already experimenting with technology before he died — and we can only imagine what he might have done with the tools we now have. “It would have been fantastic,” Howard says.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The fate of CBS owner Paramount Global remains way up in the air, and the future of broadcast TV in general remains a big question mark. But as CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach said on Tuesday at the Banff World Media Festival, that’s not stopping her from plotting her primetime development plans way into the future.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Will Arnett is expanding his relationship with Fox Entertainment. The actor and comedian, who hosts Fox’s “Lego Masters,” has sealed an overall producing deal for his Electric Avenue Prods. to produce fare for the network’s in-house production company.

It looks like Fox is getting ready to say goodbye to the 9-1-1 franchise altogether.

EXCLUSIVE: Production is currently underway on the 12-episode fifth season of 9-1-1: Lone Star amid rampant speculation that this is the show’s final chapter and without one of the series regulars, Sierra McClain, who quietly left following some cast renegotiation drama, Deadline has learned.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large When Peabody holds its 84th awards ceremony on June 9, it will finally be in Los Angeles — after four years of trying. The org had decided in 2020 to move its annual event from New York to the West Coast. And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the ceremony went virtual for three years.