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Every Tuesday, we’ll deliver insights on the top stories and trends, including the competition between Netflix and YouTube, the collapse of the production economy in California, the state of influencer culture on TikTok and the recovery of the box office from COVID-19 shutdowns.
We’ll highlight the best and most awkward marketing tie-ins and the most plausible and implausible explanations for the latest flop. We’ll take you through the nuts and bolts of the biggest stories from our Hollywood Inc. team, including our investigations, scoops, profiles and analyses.
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Your host
I’m Ryan Faughnder, Senior Editor of The Times’ Hollywood Inc. team. I’ve spent my whole life in Southern California, growing up in San Diego before making my way to the entertainment capital.
For more than a decade, I’ve written about the film industry, focusing on the movie studios and their parent companies, including the Walt Disney Co. I’ve covered some of the most significant stories of the last few years, including the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the deadly “Rust” shooting and Bob Iger’s dramatic overhaul of Disney.
I’m a lifelong movie fan, with a special appreciation of horror and comedy (“Let the Right One In” and “Monty Python’s Life of Brian” are favorite rewatches). Though I’m a business reporter by trade, I care deeply about the arts of film, TV and music. When I’m not doing journalism, watching movies or bingeing podcasts, I’m probably practicing a heavy metal guitar solo or running along the glorious L.A. River.
If you’ve got some good gossip or thoughts on the future of entertainment, I’d love to hear from you. Email me at ryan.faughnder@latimes.com, or get in touch on X or LinkedIn.
Latest Wide Shot Newsletters
The biggest hurdle will be overcoming the stain covering the deal itself after the concessions required to get it over the finish line.
Late night shows no longer serve the role they once did — especially for generations raised on social media who don’t subscribe to TV packages. Waiting until 11:30 p.m. to hear the hot takes on the day’s news is antiquated.
The movie has a ways to go before it’s profitable. But importantly, the DC gang managed to make a superhero movie that fans actually enjoyed.
In addition to the megahits and epic bombs at the box office, the entertainment industry has been roiled by chaotic forces, including political interference and movie star scandals.
Theater owners want to see more from Apple at a time when they’re often struggling with a lack of compelling material, especially for grown-ups. With ‘F1,’ they saw a glimpse of hope.
Titmouse founders on how they’ve survived TV animation’s multiple boom and bust cycles. Plus, the latest on Hollywood CEO pay and Pixar originals.
It was only a matter of time before the major Hollywood studios started taking the fight to the artificial intelligence industry over its alleged abuse of intellectual property. Now, it’s on.
Stats compiled by UTA’s data arm suggest that many younger consumers are leaning toward material that soothes the nerves and acts as a warm blanket, rather than ratcheting up the anxiety.
It’s strange to remember now, but during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were serious conversations in the movie business about whether youngsters and their parents would ever return to theaters in full force.
Google’s push to court creative types coincides with a separate initiative to help AI technology overcome its massive public relations problem.
