John Oliver Uses Kelsey Grammer Movie ‘Money Plane’ To Highlight Abortion Law Absurdity, Dings Warner Bros. Discovery For Timothée Chalamet’s ‘Wonka’ Reboot

Kelsey Grammer has said that he “did his best” to convince David Hyde Pierce to return in his role of Niles Crane for the recent Frasier reboot. In a new interview with Variety, Grammer revealed that he made every effort to talk his former co-star into coming back, but that it fell on deaf ears. “I really wanted David Hyde Pierce to join us,” he said.

Nearly four decades after playing Frasier Crane in the third season of Cheers and thirty years since Frasier Crane got his own show, Kelsey Grammer is back with a Frasier revival, currently streaming on Paramount+.

Phil Quartararo, a record executive for five decades at A&M, RCA, Island, EMI, Warner Bros. and Virgin Records, died today of pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles. He was 67.

WARNING: This post contains spoilers for The Marvels! Read at your own risk!

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Phil Quartararo, the veteran record executive who played a major role in the success of the Spice Girls, Linkin Park and many others, has died, Variety has confirmed. Billboard reported that the cause of death was pancreatic cancer; he was 67. A familiar and friendly presence at countless concerts across the decades, “Phil Q.” — pictured above with Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks in 2001 — was renowned for his warm personality and firm handshake.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large It’s a chilly February evening on the Paramount lot as Kelsey Grammer transforms into Frasier Crane for the first time in nearly two decades. It’s an emotional moment on set, both nostalgic and anticipatory. The sets are new, as is every cast member besides Grammer.

John Oliver took a jab at Apple TV+ during the latest episode of his HBO show Last Week Tonight.

Warner Bros. Discovery has said British laws that restrict the period distributors can require exhibitors to screen their films may now be “outdated,” and it is time for the UK government to consider repealing the legislation. 

New Zealand has voted the pūteketeke as its “Bird of the Century” after John Oliver announced on his show earlier this month that Last Week Tonight was taking up the mantle of “official campaign manager.”

There’s been an exciting new development for the already filmed movie Coyote vs Acme!

Jaden Thompson Congressman Joaquin Castro has taken to X/Twitter to call out Warner Bros. Discovery for planning to shelve the completed film “Coyote vs. Acme” for the sake of receiving a $30 million tax break.

Texas congressman Joaquin Castro has taken to X to slam Warner Bros Discovery for axing the $70M Coyote vs. Acme for a reported $30M tax writeoff. That said, as we first reported, the studio is changing course this week and screening the film for potential buyers, i.e. Amazon Prime (a leading contender), Apple and Netflix. This pivot by studio brass was made after a weekend in which the studio’s phone rang off the hook by the creative community over the cancelling of the finished film, as well as an outcry by the pic’s composer Steven Price among others online.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “Coyote vs. Acme” is officially on the market. Days after Warner Bros.

EXCLUSIVE: Screenings are being set up this week for streamers Amazon Prime, Apple and Netflix to check out and potentially acquire Warner Bros‘ axed Looney Tunes movie Coyote Vs. Acme after the studio’s phone ran off the hook the entire weekend from angry filmmakers and talent reps over their third feature film kill after Batgirl and Scoob Holiday Haunt! The more egregious Hollywood sin here with Coyote vs. Acme is that it’s a finished film, that was intended for a theatrical release, while the other two movies were still in the works.

John Oliver started off Last Week Tonight talking about the SAG-AFTRA strike ending but then questioning if movies were still needed.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Warner Bros. will be juggling a lot in the Oscar race for best original song. As confirmed by an FYC advertisement sent to Critics Choice Association members, along with the multiple tracks from “Barbie” by Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, the studio will also handle several numbers from their two upcoming holiday movie musicals: “The Color Purple” and “Wonka.” The upcoming adaptation of the musical “The Color Purple” will screen in front of its first official audience of industry voters and journalists next week.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Another Warner Bros. movie bites the dust. The studio no longer plans to release “Coyote vs.

Warner Bros Discovery is reteaming with Taiwanese production company DaMou Entertainment to produce HBO Asia original Fired Up! (working title), an adaptation of hit Kakao webtoon Itaewon Class. 

Christopher Nolan is on the cover of this week’s issue of Variety, out now.

Free TV Networks, a new programming entity with a presence in both over-the-air broadcast and streaming, has enlisted Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate and Gray Television as partners and suppliers.