Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway reported Monday in a securities filing that it has acquired a stake in Paramount Global after acquiring $2.6 billion in Class B shares.
03.05.2022 - 16:47 / variety.com
Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“Jackass” is heading back to the small screen, with a new series from the original creators in the works at Paramount+ after to the immense popularity of “Jackass Forever.”“Based off the success of ‘Jackass Forever,’ we’re working with the creators to continue the partnership with a new series, bringing even more ridiculous antics straight to Paramount+,” Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish said Tuesday during the company’s Q1 earnings call Tuesday.“Jackass Forever,” the fourth film in the long-running franchise, debuted at the top of domestic box office in February with a better-than-expected $23.5 million. The film included classic cast members such as Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Wee Man, Danger Ehren and Preston Lacy, as well as several new faces, including Rachel Wolfson, Sean “Poopies” McInerney and Jasper Dolphin.
The original “Jackass” series was a sensation on MTV for three mini seasons from 2000 to 2001, which launched several spinoff series (including “Wildboyz” and “Viva La Bam”), and a slew of films adjacent to the main four in the franchise.“Jackass” leader Johnny Knoxville spoke to Variety this year about how “Jackass Forever” signals his desire to hand over the reins to a new generation of pranksters.After a particularly gruesome hit from a bull while filming “Forever,” Knoxville said, “Those were big [stunts], and could end as badly. Or worse.
I’ve done enough. I don’t have anything to prove.
I have kids to raise. That’s the most important thing.”“Jackass 4.5,” a film consisting of extra footage shot during the making of “Jackass Forever,” is scheduled to be released May 20 on Netflix.
.Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway reported Monday in a securities filing that it has acquired a stake in Paramount Global after acquiring $2.6 billion in Class B shares.
Paramount Global has handed Marco Nobili and Olivier Jollet key new roles as its seeks to turbo-charge expansion of its international streaming services.
Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterABC has passed on placing series orders for the “LA Law” sequel and Jo Koy comedy “Josep” after both pilots were reviewed by the network, Variety has learned.The Disney-owned broadcaster is interested in potentially redeveloping the Koy project in the future, but “LA Law” will not be moving forward. On Friday, ABC picked up dramas “Alaska” and “The Rookie” spinoff “The Rookie: Feds” to series, as well as comedy “Not Dead Yet.” Four other drama pilots, “Will Trent,” “The Company You Keep,” the Untitled Kay Oyegun drama and an untitled National Park Service project, are all still in contention and will be up for consideration going into July.Starring returning cast members Blair Underwood and Corbin Bernsen reprising their original roles as Jonathan Rollins and Arnie Becker, the pilot for the new iteration of the Emmy-winning series “LA Law” features familiar characters working alongside new ones on the most hot button issues of the day.
Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“Charmed,” “Dynasty,” “Roswell, New Mexico” and “In the Dark” have been canceled at The CW, Variety has learned.Both “Roswell, New Mexico” and “In the Dark” have already completed filming on their upcoming seasons, and will conclude after those episodes have aired.Also canceled Thursday by the younger-skewing broadcast network were “Naomi” and “4400.”Based on the original WB/CW series of the same name, “Charmed” was currently airing its fourth season. The reboot starred Melonie Diaz, Sarah Jeffery, Lucy Barrett, Rupert Evans and Jordan Donica.
Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterNBC drama “The Endgame” starring Morena Baccarin and Ryan Michelle Bathé has been canceled after one season, Variety has learned.Described as “a pulse-pounding high-stakes two-hander,” the series follows Elena Federova (Baccarin), a recently captured international arms dealer and brilliant criminal mastermind who orchestrates a number of coordinated bank heists throughout New York City for a mysterious purpose. Her antagonist is Val Turner (Bathé), the principled, relentless and socially outcast FBI agent who will stop at nothing to foil her ambitious plan. The heist drama ”reveals how far some people will go for love, justice and the most valuable commodity in the world: the truth,” per NBC.
Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterWhile measuring the success of broadcast series has largely been a job for the TV ratings among the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic, that total viewer tally is still powerful and not to be ignored.With the end of the 2021-2022 season fast approaching, Variety has looked at 33 weeks of complete Nielsen data from September to May to assess what the most and least-watched primetime scripted series have been across NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox.The below total viewer averages are season-long for each show and include persons over the age of 2, which is what Nielsen counts as a viewer. The totals are based on Nielsen’s “most current” data stream through May 8, which includes a week’s worth of delayed viewing where available. For the “most” list, it is ranked beginning with the top show.
Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterThe traditional September to May broadcast TV season is coming to a close in a few weeks. Though there are still several finales left to air during that period, including the series closer for NBC’s tearjerker “This Is Us,” it’s pretty clear at this point what the highest and lowest rated shows are that have aired across the so-called “Big 4” broadcast networks throughout the 2021-2022 season.Keeping in mind there could always be slight adjustments to these season-long averages by the end of the month, Variety has sorted through Nielsen’s “most current” data through May 8 to rank ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox’s best and worst performers among adults 18-49.Below are the lists, which count 33 completed weeks of the soon-ending season. These ratings are averages across the shows’ respective seasons and based on a week’s worth of delayed viewing.
Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterHBO’s “Winning Time” scored another series high viewership of 1.6 million viewers across multiple platforms Sunday. That audience tally was up 73% over the drama’s series premiere and 31% from the first season average.Based on the book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s” by Jeff Pearlman, the fast-break series chronicles the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties — a team that defined an era, both on and off the court.“Winning Time” Season 1 stars John C.
Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterCraig Dorfman’s New York-based talent management company Frontline Entertainment has been acquired by Three Six Zero.In acquiring Frontline Entertainment, Three Six Zero is gaining both Dorfman’s clients, including “Bel-Air” star Jabari Banks, and his management team, which will move in-house at the company. As part of the deal, Dorfman has been named a partner at Three Six Zero.Three Six Zero, founded by British businessman Mark Gillespie, has offices in Los Angeles, Miami and London, and represents a variety of talent in the music, film, television and digital content landscape, including Calvin Harris and BloodPop.
Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“House of Gucci” and “Boardwalk Empire” star Jack Huston has joined AMC’s “Mayfair Witches” TV adaptation.Based on Rice’s “Lives of the Mayfair Witches” trilogy, AMC’s “Mayfair Witches” focuses on intuitive young neurosurgeon Dr. Rowan Fielding (Alexandra Daddario ) who discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches.
It’s Friday again, readers. Jesse Whittock here (for the first time, be gentle), taking you through the week’s top headlines.
Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterHBO revealed a fiery “House of the Dragon” teaser trailer and nine character posters featuring the leads for the “Game of Thrones” prequel series Thursday.Set 200 years before the events of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” the new series, premiering Aug. 21, tells the story of House Targaryen.Like its mother series, “House of the Dragon” has a large cast with a smaller core set of characters at the center of its story, including Paddy Considine (as King Viserys I), Emmy D’Arcy (as Princess Rhaenrya, Viserys’ first child and his heir apparent), Matt Smith (as Prince Daemon, Viserys’ younger brother), Rhys Ifans (as Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King), Olivia Cooke (as Lady Alicent Hightower, Otto’s daughter), Fabien Frankel (as Ser Criston Cole, a knight with eyes for Rhaenrya), Steve Toussaint (as Lord Corlys Velaryon a.k.a.
Jackass is set to return with a new TV series at Paramount+.The news was confirmed by Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish during an earnings call, according to Variety.“Based off the success of Jackass Forever, we’re working with the creators to continue the partnership with a new series, bringing even more ridiculous antics straight to Paramount+,” Bakish said yesterday (May 3).No further details on returning cast members or potential stunts have been revealed yet, but the project would be hosted exclusively by Paramount+.Next month, Jackass 4.5 will be released on Netflix, featuring unseen footage from Jackass Forever.Like previous film extensions 2.5 and 3.5, Jackass 4.5 will feature behind-the-scenes footage, outtakes, cast interviews and never-before-seen stunts.Johnny Knoxville has previously said he’s retiring from big stunts – a decision influenced by medical advice from his doctor.Speaking to NME, Knoxville said: “I knew going into this movie that this was going to be the last time I was going to do big stunts because I’ve got kids and I’ve had so many injuries. I feel like I could go out good in this film by being my last with big stunts.
Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterSPOLER ALERT: Do not read if you have not watched “Miguel,” the May 3 episode of “This Is Us.”“Miguel over the years,” was the simple description given for Tuesday’s “This Is Us,” the fourth-to-last episode of Dan Fogelman’s NBC family drama. While accurate, that logline doesn’t do the hour, aptly titled “Miguel,” justice, as it’s really the day-in-the-limelight installment fans of Jon Huertas’ Miguel Rivas have been waiting six seasons for — and also the one in which the character dies.The episode shows viewers Miguel’s origins in Puerto Rico, how he came to Pennsylvania as a boy with his parents and aunt, how he first didn’t get along with his best friend Jack’s (Milo Ventimiglia) wife Rebecca (Mandy Moore), and how years after Jack’s death, Rebecca and Miguel found their way back to each other, this time as romantic partners.
Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish said a new Jackass series is in the works based the recent release of the latest film in the franchise.
Paramount+ is to launch in the UK and South Korea next month and will be in India next year, Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish has revealed in the past hour.
A new “Jackass” series is in the works for Paramount+, with the show’s original creators working to create the new series, Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish announced Tuesday.No other details were immediately available about the series or whether stars Johnny Knoxville and other original stars would be appearing on screen in the series. “Based off the success of ‘Jackass Forever,’ we’re working with the creators to continue the partnership with a new series, bringing even more ridiculous antics straight to Paramount+,” Bakish said Tuesday during the company’s Q1 earnings call.“Jackass Forever” opened in theaters earlier this year and made $80 million at the global box office.
Paramount+ added 6.8 million subscribers last quarter, as Paramount ended the period with 62 million global streaming subs.
the company, led by CEO Bob Bakish, posted revenue of $7.4 billion and adjusted EPS of $1.52, in part because CBS hosted the Super Bowl in early 2021. Paramount’s stock is down 1% in pre-market trading on the New York Stock Exchange following the results.