FIRST LOOK
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The Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Hollywood talent they represent are getting even more involved in the microseries trend.
-In the year since SAG-AFTRA established its Verticals Agreement, more producers and studios have been inking deals to create microseries with union actors.
-SAG-AFTRA’s Verticals Agreement sets minimum rates that aim to balance production costs with compensation. The agreement caps production budgets for microseries at $300,000, for example, with lead performers receiving a minimum of $250 per eight-hour work day. But union actors can (and do) still negotiate terms for individual deals, including microdrama actor JT Garcia, who rakes in more than $1,200 per day.
-The union told TheWrap it has approved dozens of productions with platforms such as Knockout Shorts, Snow Story Productions and ReelShort. However, SAG-sanctioned projects still constitute a fraction of the microdrama bubble.
–The Takeaway: The union’s Verticals Agreement is creating more legitimacy in the TV microseries economy by offering incentives and protections that encourage recognizable Hollywood names to get involved. With A-list actors and workplace protections present, the lines between TV production and short-form vertical video keep getting blurrier.
(Source: Cynopsis)
AI-based chatbot platform Character.AI declared bankruptcy last week, and Disney aims to absorb some of the company’s workforce and technology patents.
–Court filings suggest Character.AI’s decision to petition for Chapter 11 is the centerpiece of a highly orchestrated agreement with Disney. If the deal wins court approvals, Disney will get the beleaguered company’s workforce and tech stack without having to shoulder the burden of its safety-related legal issues.
-The deal between the two companies involves two transactions. First, Disney paid Character.AI $5.5 million and hired most of its workforce in September, including then-CEO Karandeep Anand. Next is the bankruptcy filing, in which Disney aims to secure licenses for the startup’s character intellectual property and age-prediction software, among other technologies.
-This “reverse-acquihire,” as some industry pundits call it, is not the first for Character.AI. In 2024, Google paid the startup to license its tech and hired its founders. Google was also named a co-defendant alongside Character.AI in several lawsuits involving teen harm and suicide.
–The Takeaway: Consolidation and bankruptcy are part of the circle of life for media and technology conglomerates. The bigger and more pressing question is whether money can buy exemption from liability for the harms caused by AI.
(Source: Cynopsis)
He’s back. After nine years on the sidelines, Apu returned to “The Simpsons” in Sunday night’s episode, now played by Indian actor Sunil Malhotra (“The Legend of Vox Machina”).
-Apu has not been given speaking lines since 2017, after voice actor Hank Azaria gave up the part in response to comedian Hari Kondabolu’s documentary “The Problem with Apu.” The film explored the character’s complicated impact on the South Asian community.
-In 2020, “The Simpsons” began recasting characters of color that were previously voiced by white actors, but held off on doing so with Apu – something the new episode itself alluded to in its dialogue. (“If it’s any consolation, we had so many internal conversations about it,” one character said.)
-Also joining the cast is Janina Gavankar (“The Mysteries of Laura”) as Manjula, Apu’s wife, who was previously voiced by Tress MacNeille (“Animaniacs”) and Jan Hooks (“Saturday Night Live”).
(Source: Cynopsis)
Journalist Christiane Amanpour is leaving CNN in June after 43 years with the network, CEO Mark Thompson told staff on Monday morning. It’s unclear whether her decision was influenced by the recent Skydance acquisition or if she is choosing to retire after a long and storied career. Amanpour also noted in a statement that she will end her daily shows across both CNN and PBS at the end of 2026, but will maintain her CNN weekly show through May.
(Source: Cynopsis)
On the opposite end of the political news spectrum, Jon Stewart will be staying on as a host and executive producer of “The Daily Show” for another two years. This is the first major late-night TV announcement for Skydance since the acquisition closed.
(Source: Cynopsis)
ABC announced a Nov. 11 premiere date for Season 3 of the comedy series “Austin.” Joining the cast this season are Justine Clarke (“Home and Away”) and Stephen Curry (“The Secret Life of Us”).
(Source: Cynopsis)
Actor-turned-movie director Jesse Eisenberg is creating a TV show for A24. The still-unnamed series, which follows the story of a young woman navigating so-called culture wars, is expected to be up for sale in the coming weeks. Joining Eisenberg as co-executive producer is Peter Rice, a Fox and Disney veteran who recently joined Netflix as chief content officer. Rice’s appointment raises questions about whether Netflix will wind up acquiring rights to the show.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Netflix struck a major distribution deal with the Brazilian production studio Globo for rights to a meaty package of movie, telenovelas and TV series. Included in the deal is seven seasons of the Brazilian comedy series “Vai Que Cola” – but only in Brazil.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Netflix also ordered two seasons of “The Apology,” a new thriller series from A24 starring Gwyneth Paltrow (“The Politician”). Oscar-nominated director Thomas Vinterberg (“Another Round”) is also attached.
(Source: Cynopsis)
YouTube signed a deal with Chinese ecommerce platform AliExpress to beef up its affiliate marketing program. The deal builds on YouTube’s international expansion of its Shopping Affiliate Program and aims to give creators access to a wider range of data and products that can help them advertise relevant items to viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)
TV director Tim O’Donnell died of cancer at 77, his wife announced. O’Donnell started his career in news radio before moving on to write and produce sitcoms including “Growing Pains,” “Dave’s World” and “Clueless.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Ron Koslow, creator of the CBS series “Beauty and the Beast” starring Linda Hamilton (“Stranger Things”) and Ron Perlman (“Sons of Anarchy”), died on Oct. 7 at age 81.
(Source: Cynopsis)
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