Hulu bids are in. ‘Fast & Furious’ to smoke ‘Hangover III.’
After the coffee. Before deciding what movie not to see this weekend.
The Skinny: I’m going to try to not stuff myself on “Arrested Development” this weekend. Just because Netflix is releasing all the new episodes this weekend doesn’t mean I have to sit glued to this computer watching them all at once like a little kid with a bowl of M&M’s. Friday’s headlines include the box-office preview for the long weekend and the latest on the possible Hulu sale.
Daily Dose: Aereo is not the only new distribution company that broadcasters are trying to shut down. Aereokiller, a knockoff company that also offers broadcast signals via the Internet, is being sued by the networks. On Thursday, Fox, ABC and NBC filed a complaint in federal district court for the District of Columbia accusing Aereokiller of copyright theft. The broadcasters have already had success against Aereokiller in California.
Faster and Louder. “Fast & Furious 6” is expected to smoke “The Hangover III” in the race for the top spot at the box office for this holiday weekend. Industry projections have “Fast & Furious 6” cruising to $100 million while “Hangover III” is expected to pull in around $80 million. The animated movie “Epic” is the only other new major release and it should take in $45 million. Memorial Day weekend box office previews from the Los Angeles Times and Variety.
PHOTOS: Hollywood Backlot moments
Did you get your bid in? A lot of suitors are sniffing around the online video website Hulu. Bids for the company, which is owned by News Corp., Walt Disney Co. and Comcast Corp. came in from Time Warner Cable, DirecTV and Guggenheim Digital Media. The Chernin Co. had already submitted a bid. More on Hulu from the Los Angeles Times and Reuters.
There’s always money in the banana stand. Netflix will debut 15 new episodes of the cult sitcom “Arrested Development” this weekend. The show, which ran on Fox for three seasons, from 2003 to 2006, has grown in popularity since then and its loyal audience has been begging for more shows. The entire cast, which includes Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, is back and there are also a lot of big-name guest stars. A preview from USA Today.
New screening rooms aren’t cheap. United Talent Agency has retained investment banker Moelis & Co. to explore selling a stake in the agency, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Over the last few years, rival agencies CAA and WME also sold stakes in their businesses. UTA clients include Johnny Depp and “Modern Family” co-creator Steve Levitan.
No rest for the weary. It used to be that summer was a time for TV executives to worry about the fall and for viewers to catch up on the shows they missed during the season. But the days of taking three months off and throwing nothing but reruns on are gone. Besides the usual assortment of cable shows coming on in the summer, the broadcast networks also have some big projects. A preview from the New York Times.
Inside the Los Angeles Times: Betsy Sharkey on “Fast & Furious 6” and Can Tyler Perry take Oprah Winfrey’s cable network to the next level?
Follow me on Twitter. It’s just the right thing to do. @JBFlint.
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