EXCLUSIVE: Laura Henshaw & Steph Miller on the importance of using social platforms for good

SPOILER ALERT – Do not read ahead if you have not watched the new episode of The Masked Singer!

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer With major cost-saving initiatives in effect at Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix, Amazon, Paramount and more mega media companies and economic uncertainty on Wall Street, the content spend free-for-all is definitely over. Today, the focus is turning to scalable franchises that work for in a multiplatform media world where Hollywood will get the biggest bang for more limited bucks. According to Perkins Miller, CEO of media company Fandom, the financial focus for the next 18 months should be on mining IP and franchises for all their worth. “My view is that, you don’t want to stifle innovation, I think creativity is incredibly important and you want to see that breakout show that is interesting or that movie that was greenlit because the story was so remarkable that it breaks the mold,” Miller said on the latest episode of Variety‘s “Strictly Business” podcast. “And I wouldn’t suggest that anybody should stop those kinds of activities. I think that are important, obviously, from a creative standpoint. But from an economic one, which is the question you’re asking, what is the most economically smart thing to do, I think the most economically smart thing to do is to focus on franchises and figure out your scaled production against them.”

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EXCLUSIVE: Fiona Shaw (Andor), Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice) and Chaske Spencer (The English) have entered production in NYC on Park Avenue, a new indie drama from Sundance alum Gaby Dellal (On a Clear Day), who directs from her script written with Tina Alexis Allen.

EXCLUSIVE: Peacock is developing a pilot for a raunchy social experiment format titled Sex in the Dark.

Defender Richard Taylor will remain a Buddie after St Mirren decided to keep hold of the centre back for another two years.

Matthew Lawrence is opening up. The actor, while reflecting on the #MeToo movement in Hollywood, shared his own experiences with people in power trying to sexually exploit him.During a new episode of his podcast, released on Friday, Matthew spoke with his co-hosts — brothers Joey and Andrew Lawrence — and claimed that he was «fired» by his agent after refusing to get naked for, as he said, a «prominent» director.«There have been many times in my life where I’ve been propositioned to get a huge role,» Matthew said during the episode, adding that in one instance it all turned out very badly.«I lost my agency because I went to the hotel room — which I can't believe they would send me to — of a very prominent Oscar award-winning director who showed up in his robe, asked me to take my clothes off and said he needed to take polaroids of me,» Matthew alleged.Without naming the director, the 43-year-old actor claimed that he was told, «If I did X, Y and Z, I would be the next Marvel character.»According to Matthew, he left the director's room without complying and was subsequently fired by his talent agency — which he also did not identify by name.

TOWIE fans were treated to some heartbreaking scenes on Sunday’s edition of the popular ITVBe show, when Elma Pazar and her love interest Diags decided to call time on their romance, despite her having previously dumped her former flame in order to be with him. The couple had initially gotten off to a good start in the early stages of their relationship, but that soon came crashing down on Sunday’s episode, when the pair decided that things weren’t working out between them.The first to broach the subject was Elma as she set out to end their romance before it had even truly had a chance to blossom.

It’s never too late! Keesha Sharp believes in finding happiness at any age — which is why her new film Spring Breakthrough felt like the perfect fit.

Matthew Lawrence got candid about a horrible experience with an award-winning director.

Actor Matthew Lawrence opened up on the latest episode of his "Brotherly Love" podcast about his own sexual harassment experience in Hollywood, sharing he was fired from an agency after he refused to strip for a director involved in a Marvel project.  The 43-year-old actor recounted his experience during Friday's episode, where he and his co-hosts, brothers and fellow actors Joey and Andrew Lawrence, delved into the dark side of the Hollywood entertainment industry. "There have been many times in my life where I’ve been propositioned to get a huge role," Lawrence said on the podcast.

prepares to sign off after nine seasons on The CW, some of Barry Allen's closest friends are coming back to help him say goodbye.Stephen Amell makes his return to the Arrowverse on Wednesday, more than three years after his final bow as Oliver Queen, aka the Green Arrow, on. After the rest of Barry's (Grant Gustin) friends and family are poisoned by Bloodwork (Sendhil Ramamurthy), Oliver drops by to help him fight the villain, as well as a brainwashed Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale).«It was amazing,» Amell told ET of returning for the episode.

Anton du Beke paid tribute to his late friend and former co-star Len Goodman, as he shared some advice Len had given him when he first joined Strictly Come Dancing. Len passed away over the weekend at the age of 78, with his agent sharing the heartbreaking news in a statement on Monday morning, which read: "It is with great sadness to announce that Len Goodman has passed away peacefully, aged 78.

in the world without federal paid family or maternity leave. One in four women have had to return to work .

Katcy Stephan A new crop of couples are ready to lay it all on the line in the new season of Netflix’s dating experiment “The Ultimatum.” This time around, the streamer is highlighting queer romance in an edition they’re calling “The Ultimatum: Queer Love.” “‘The Ultimatum’ universe is expanding to showcase more stories of love, relationships and the ups and the downs of commitment. In ‘The Ultimatum: Queer Love,’ five new couples, made up of women and nonbinary people, are at a crossroads in their relationship,” the official synopsis from Netflix reads. “One partner is ready for marriage, the other may have doubts. An ultimatum is issued. And in just over eight weeks, each couple will either get married, or get out, after they each choose new potential partners in a life-changing opportunity to get a glimpse of two different futures.”

Jennifer Garner and Reese Witherspoon are celebrating the premiere of their new Apple TV+ series!

The gang’s all here! Kristin Cavallari pulled off an epic Laguna Beach reunion to celebrate her new Uncommon James summer 2023 collection. 

In Disney+’s latest series, The Crossover, the teenage intricacies of first love, drama, and aspiring stardom reign supreme on and off the court. Based on the critically acclaimed best-selling verse novel by Kwame Alexander, who also serves as the TV adaptation’s creator, EP, co-writer and co-showrunner, the series follows the lives of two teen brothers, Josh (Jalyn Hall) and Jordan Bell (Amir O’Neil) as they navigate life’s many uncertainties from boyhood to manhood. Though primarily focused on the boy’s relationship with basketball, a sport engrained in them at birth thanks to their former professional basketball-playing father (Derek Luke), the series unabashedly tackles serious issues regarding teenage rebellion, self-discovery, disability, and mental health challenges.

Finding new love is not in the cards for Reese Witherspoon right now!

A new trailer for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” was unveiled at Star Wars Celebration Europe, currently underway in London.