Getty Michael Jackson 's music may very well have a new co-owner if a mega deal is negotiated with Sony worth nearly a billion dollars, but there are strings attached ... TMZ has learned. Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the MJ estate will NEVER sell Michael's historic catalog outright. BUT, we've learned the estate would entertain a 50/50 split, but only if the estate maintains complete management and control. Our sources say the estate would consider selling a 50% interest for around $900 million, and that would cover recordings, publishing rights, etc. Gallery Launch Gallery Getty Here's what we're hearing ... there appears to be talks underway between the estate and Sony. When you think about it, Sony makes a lot of sense ... it's Mike's long-term label. This is a distinction from other huge catalog sales that have gone down -- including from guys like Bruce Springsteen , Bob Dylan , Justin Bieber and more. Those … [Read more...] about Michael Jackson Estate Would Sell 50% of Catalog For Just Under a Billion Dollars
Long term affairs years
Banijay Americas Promotes Ben Samek To CEO As Cris Abrego Steps Down, Stays As Chairman
There’s a change at the top of Banijay’s Americas operation. The company, which houses a slew of production companies that make shows including Fox’s MasterChef and Amazon’s Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls , has promoted Ben Samek to CEO as Cris Abrego moves out of that role but remaining as Chairman. It comes as Banijay Americas officially becomes the holding company that oversees the group’s ten production companies in North and South America, which includes Bunim/Murray Productions, Truly Original and 51 Minds Entertainment. Samek, who was previously President and COO becomes CEO, Banijay Americas with Abrego staying on as Chairman of the Americas. Abrego will now focus on acquisitions and new business ventures. Samek joined Endemol USA in 2014 as COO and transitioned to COO of Endemol Shine North America in 2015. Promoted to President and COO for Endemol Shine North America in January 2018, Samek then expanded his areas of oversight to include the … [Read more...] about Banijay Americas Promotes Ben Samek To CEO As Cris Abrego Steps Down, Stays As Chairman
‘Better Call Saul’ Debut Ratings Break Cable Records, ‘Walking Dead’ Returns Steady
The walkers claimed another one of the survivors last night on the midseason return of the AMC zombie apocalypse blockbuster and the spinoff of that sleazeball lawyer from Breaking Bad premiered with some bite too with the biggest series demo debut in cable history. Coming so soon after the death of Beth Greene in the midseason finale of November 30 last year, it was harsh blow for Rick Grimes and the rest of the gang on The Walking Dead . A great loss in terms of narrative, that is. In terms of ratings, last night saw another big result for the series based on the Robert Kirkman created comics, though it was just short of a high. Sunday’s Walking Dead was watched by 15.6 total million viewers and 10.129 million among adults 18-49. That demo result is just 539,000 behind what the special post Super Bowl episode of NBC’s The Blacklist pulled in on February 1. In an episode that saw the remaining survivors heading to Virginia as well as plethora of past dead … [Read more...] about ‘Better Call Saul’ Debut Ratings Break Cable Records, ‘Walking Dead’ Returns Steady
‘La La Land’ Broadway Musical In The Works
A Broadway musical take of the six-time Oscar-winning, $472 million worldwide-grossing movie La La Land is in development, Emmy- and Tony-winning producer Marc Platt said Tuesday. The show, based on the Damien Chazelle-directed movie, will be helmed by Tony and Drama Desk-winning director Bartlett Sher based on a book written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar and three-time Barrymore Award winner Matthew Decker. The stage adaptation will feature music by the film’s composer and two-time Oscar winner Justin Hurwitz and lyrics by Oscar- and Tony-winning composing team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul . The movie, which starred Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, followed an aspiring actress and a jazz musician as they pursue their dreams in Los Angeles. The pic won Oscars for director, actress in a leading role, production design, cinematography, original score and original song among its 14 nominations. “I’m thrilled to reunite with Lionsgate and the … [Read more...] about ‘La La Land’ Broadway Musical In The Works
Starz Series ‘The Venery Of Samantha Bird’ Adds Henry Czerny & Doug Savant
EXCLUSIVE: Starz ’s eight-episode drama series The Venery of Samantha Bird has added Mission: Impossible actor Henry Czerny and Desperate Housewives actor Doug Savant in recurring roles. Katherine Langford stars as Samantha Bird, who, while visiting family in New England, reconnects with her childhood sweetheart (Finn Jones) and falls headlong into a seemingly perfect storybook romance. But underneath their fever dream lurks a more unsettling interpretation of this affair. The series is described as a haunting portrayal of addictive love and the repercussions that a relationship has on the families in a small New England town. RELATED: 2023 Starz Pilots & Series Orders Czerny will play Teddy, Samantha’s father and a former artist and teacher. Theodore “Teddy” Bird moves to Little Yorn with his wife, Nan, reuniting with their longtime friends, Al and Carol Minot. Savant plays Al Minot, a sharp businessman who is deeply invested in maintaining the … [Read more...] about Starz Series ‘The Venery Of Samantha Bird’ Adds Henry Czerny & Doug Savant
‘The Walking Dead’ EP Gale Anne Hurd Eyeballs Midseason Shocker, Where Season 6 Is Going & More ‘Fear The Walking Dead’
SPOILER ALERT: This story contains details of tonight’s Season 6 midseason return of The Walking Dead The Walking Dead ‘s midseason return tonight had all the drama, spine-chillers and shockers that most series would save for a season finale. Back for the second part of its sixth season, AMC ’s original zombie apocalypse blockbuster finally unleashed one of the most wrenching twists out of the Robert Kirkman comic series on which it is based – and we’re not talking about the arrival of Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan with his barb-wired baseball bat, yet. With explosive results and at great cost, tonight’s Greg Nicotero-directed “No Way Out” picked right up from the post-credits scene of last fall’s winter finale as Negan’s gang make their armed and threatening presence known to Norman Reedus’ Daryl plus Abraham and Sasha, who barely escaped with their lives. As the core survivors remained scattered, Rick Grimes, some of his group and a few of the residents of … [Read more...] about ‘The Walking Dead’ EP Gale Anne Hurd Eyeballs Midseason Shocker, Where Season 6 Is Going & More ‘Fear The Walking Dead’
MLW Founder Court Bauer On His New Partnership With Reelz And His Lawsuit Against WWE: “It’s A Ruthless Business”
Almost two years ago, Major League Wrestling founder Court Bauer had quite literally buried his face in the sand after learning that Tubi had walked away from their deal to broadcast his sporting events. “I was on vacation and I was just shell shocked,” Bauer recalls to Deadline. “We took the family to the beach and I just face-planted into the sand. For two solid days, I was like a computer rebooting. You go through the dance of media rights deals. There are a lot of wrinkles along the way and bumps on the road. So to go through that and then say, ‘we got to start all over again?’ It’s like you’re almost to the top of the summit and then you fall down.” But Bauer got back up and is now ready to start the biggest chapter yet in his pro wrestling career: starting tonight, the MLW will make its debut on Reelz , its biggest platform yet since forming in 2002. But he’s not about to forgive and forget about what happened with Tubi: the discovery period is expected to begin … [Read more...] about MLW Founder Court Bauer On His New Partnership With Reelz And His Lawsuit Against WWE: “It’s A Ruthless Business”
‘Fear The Walking Dead’ Debut Ratings Draw 10.1M Viewers, Shatters Cable Records
Few spinoffs — or “companion series,” as AMC likes to call it — have been as anticipated as Fear The Walking Dead . Well, anticipation of the new show’s August 23 9 PM debut translated into 10.1 million viewers, with 6.3 million among adults 18-49 for a 4.9 rating. Proving the power of the brand, the viewership and demo results are the new highs for any premiere in cable history, according to Nielsen. Apples to apples is hard here, but compared to the premiere of the mothership The Walking Dead , which had 5.35 million total viewers and a strong 2.7/7 demo rating for its October 31, 2010, launch, FearTWD already is a big hit. Of course, 2010 is a whole other era in terms of TV viewing patterns and in terms of the now-blockbuster TWD . The record-breaking Season 5 opener of TWD on October 12 last year had 17.3 million total viewers and 11 million among the 18-49s for an 8.7 rating. The Season 5 finale drew 15.8 million viewers on March 29 with 10.4 million in … [Read more...] about ‘Fear The Walking Dead’ Debut Ratings Draw 10.1M Viewers, Shatters Cable Records
‘Outlander’ EP Ronald D. Moore On Tonight’s Finale, Season 4, Golden Globes & Tobias Menzies Return
SPOILER ALERT: This story contains details of tonight’s Outlander Season 3 finale & Season 4 of the Starz drama EXCLUSIVE: On the eve of the Golden Globe nominations being announced, tonight’s sweeping, sultry and almost human sacrificing Season 3 finale of Outlander has brought Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser to 18 th century America. After a viewership-high hitting season that played out the reunion of the Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan -portrayed lovers over time and space, the Ronald D. Moore -developed Starz series based on Diana Gabaldon’s novels is set to plant a flag on a very different landscape than before. With a move to Sunday nights and a fall premiere this season starting on September 10, the 2015 Golden Globe-nominated Best Drama Series saw double-digit increases overall and a multi-platform average audience of 5.7 million for its 13-episode run. “We saw evidence of people going back and discovering the show for the … [Read more...] about ‘Outlander’ EP Ronald D. Moore On Tonight’s Finale, Season 4, Golden Globes & Tobias Menzies Return
Flo Rida Says $80 Million Lawsuit Windfall Will Open Doors to Philanthropy
TMZ.com Flo Rida just landed a sweet $80 million settlement in his lawsuit against Celsius energy drink, and the "My House" rapper says that means he's about to turn up his charitable efforts in a big way!!! TMZ Hip Hop caught Flo Monday at LAX, fresh off his Grammy weekend where he kept an extra big grin on account of winning his copyright lawsuit against the beverage co. in January. Flo tells us his musical success allowed for retirement several years ago, but this new influx of cash will enable more philanthropic endeavors ... such as his Big Dreams For Kids charity that powers his own Florida Youth Football league. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Flo says his league is over 10,000 players strong, and he flew several of them out to Cali to train with Snoop Dogg , and his famed football league from the Netflix series. He's optimistic the players will grow up to be doctors, lawyers or even professional athletes and says … [Read more...] about Flo Rida Says $80 Million Lawsuit Windfall Will Open Doors to Philanthropy