{"id":5572,"date":"2026-02-28T17:09:05","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T17:09:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/28\/on-the-lot-the-deal-hollywood-fears-most\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T17:09:05","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T17:09:05","slug":"on-the-lot-the-deal-hollywood-fears-most","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/28\/on-the-lot-the-deal-hollywood-fears-most\/","title":{"rendered":"On the Lot: The deal Hollywood fears most"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to <\/em>ON THE LOT,<\/strong><\/em> our weekly newsletter with fresh reporting and analysis on the biggest storylines in Hollywood. <\/em><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s edition: The never-ending twists in the bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, some uninvited guests at the \u201cScream 7\u201d premiere<\/em>, <\/strong><\/em>riding shotgun with stunt driver <\/em>Dee Bryant<\/strong><\/em>,<\/em> <\/strong><\/em>and this week\u2019s recommendations.<\/em> <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Got tips (on how Netflix will spend the $82.7 billion it\u2019s saving on the Warner Bros. deal or how to do my hair like Carolyn Bessette Kennedy\u2019s)? You can reach me at <\/em>rebecca.keegan@nbcuni.com<\/em><\/a> or on Signal at thatrebecca.82.<\/em><\/p>\n

To receive this newsletter in your inbox, sign up for <\/em>an NBC News subscription.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

FROM TUDUM TO WOMP WOMP<\/h3>\n

If the fight over who will own Warner Bros. Discovery were a streaming show, we\u2019d be at about Episode 7 by now \u2014 and shrieking at the plot twists. The latest cliff-hanger, which saw Netflix ceding the bidding war to Paramount<\/a> late Thursday, had Hollywood and the media worlds agog.<\/p>\n

And while the entertainment industry might have initially scoffed at Netflix, it\u2019s not particularly excited about the possibility of an Ellison-family behemoth.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodbye to one bad deal for the business,\u201d one entertainment industry lawyer said. \u201cHello to another.\u201d <\/p>\n

Any industry consolidation is greeted as a grim prospect, but Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos<\/strong>\u2019 charm offensive in recent weeks had converted a lot of Hollywood skeptics to his side. <\/p>\n

There was increasing optimism on the beleaguered Warner Bros. lot<\/a> about the Netflix deal. And sources at two different talent agencies told me Sarandos had had productive conversations with agents there, pledging, among other things, that the streaming giant would allow divisions of the merged company to bid against each other for a project. Sarandos also laid out the case he had been making in the media<\/a>, claiming that the Netflix deal would lead to fewer layoffs than the Paramount one and pledging that he would maintain traditional theatrical windows for Warner Bros. films. <\/p>\n

As of 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, when Sarandos was seen arriving for a meeting with White House staffers, Netflix was seemingly still in the game for WBD. But something changed \u2014 and fast. By 6 p.m. Netflix issued its news release calling the deal \u201cno longer financially attractive.\u201d <\/p>\n

Democrats in Washington<\/a> were quick to pounce on the news, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren<\/strong>, D-Mass., asking, \u201cWhat did Trump officials tell the Netflix CEO today at the White House? A handful of Trump-aligned billionaires are trying to seize control of what you watch and charge you whatever price they want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether it was a regulatory conversation that soured the deal or, as Netflix\u2019s statement suggests, financial prudence, the streamer\u2019s stock price soared in response and stomachs in the entertainment and media industries dropped. <\/p>\n

The mood is particularly funereal at WBD-owned CNN, where staff have watched changes at Paramount-owned CBS News under CEO David Ellison<\/strong>\u2018s new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss<\/strong>, <\/strong>with a wary eye. As one on-air anchor told my colleague, Chloe Melas<\/strong>, \u201cWe were all hoping Netflix would win.\u201d Another staffer said, \u201cNo one wants to work for the Ellisons, and if Bari is going to be running CNN, expect people to leave.\u201d <\/p>\n

One executive told Chloe, \u201cWe\u2019re all worried what this means. Are we going to lose our jobs?\u201d<\/p>\n

If the Justice Department approves the Paramount deal, the next hurdles for Ellison will be regulators in Europe and in states like California, where Attorney General Rob Bonta<\/strong> has pledged to be \u201cvigorous\u201d in his review.<\/p>\n

In a post on X<\/a>, actor Mark Ruffalo<\/strong> called on state AGs to \u201ccircle up\u201d and said the pact will \u201cdrive down wages, and product quality for consumers. There are lots of agents in Hollywood who can tell you how past mergers and consolidations have hurt their clients and business.\u201d<\/p>\n

The view from many in the industry is frustration that Warner Bros. needs to go through another merger at all, just four years after its acquisition by Discovery under CEO David Zaslav<\/strong>. Zaslav stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars if the Paramount deal closes. <\/p>\n

In a WBD town hall Friday, Zaslav acknowledged the strain of the process but told employees they are, \u201cthe envy of everyone in this business,\u201d two sources on the call confirmed.<\/p>\n

One thing is clear: Everyone in Hollywood is seated for Episode 8. <\/p>\n

PROTESTS OVER A SCREAM<\/h3>\n

Actors in Ghostface masks lurking by the DJ booth. A blood-red cake stabbed with a butcher knife on the dessert table. Original \u201cfinal girl\u201d Neve Campbell<\/strong> welcoming guests. The \u201cScream 7\u201d premiere on Wednesday had anything a die-hard fan of the 30-year-old horror franchise could want. Well, almost anything. <\/p>\n

For protesters outside the Paramount lot, an important person in the franchise was missing at the lavish event: actor Melissa Barrera<\/strong>. Carrying signs that read \u201cStand Up for Free Speech\u201d and \u201cCancel Paramount,\u201d the activists told me they\u2019re boycotting the film over the star\u2019s 2023 firing.<\/p>\n

Spyglass Media Group, the production company behind \u201cScream,\u201d parted ways with Barrera after remarks she made on Instagram about the Israel-Hamas war<\/a> that appeared to echo an antisemitic trope about Jewish people. <\/p>\n

In a statement at the time, the company said it has \u201czero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.\u201d <\/p>\n

In response, Barrera, who played Sam Carpenter in two \u201cScream\u201d films, condemned antisemitism and Islamophobia, but said she would continue to speak out when she felt compelled. Her supporters say she deserved better. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe love this film. We love this franchise, but what we\u2019re saying is that it\u2019s not OK to fire someone for speaking out against a genocide,\u201d Nino Testa<\/strong>, one of the organizers, said. \u201cWe can\u2019t accept the censorship of Spyglass or its distributor, Paramount.\u201d Representatives for Spyglass and Paramount did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n

Despite the public backlash, \u201cScream 7\u201d still seems poised to be a hit, largely thanks to fan nostalgia for Campbell and director Kevin Williamson<\/strong>, who wrote the screenplay for the original \u201cScream.\u201d The movie is expected to open to more than $40 million at the domestic box office this weekend. <\/p>\n

Late Wednesday night, in what many interpreted as Barrera acknowledging the boycott, the actor shared an Instagram story that said simply, \u201cI see you,\u201d with a heart emoji.<\/p>\n

BEEP BEEP<\/h3>\n

Good news for Hollywood stunt drivers! I, at least, am not coming for your job. <\/p>\n

This week, I learned how to drift from accomplished stunt performer Dee Bryant<\/strong>, who has doubled for actors like Angela Bassett<\/strong> (\u201c9-1-1\u201d), Kerry Washington<\/strong> (\u201cShadow Force\u201d) and Regina King<\/strong> (\u201cAmerican Crime\u201d). While it was exhilarating to vroom around in a 500-horsepower Mustang Dark Horse deliberately trying to lose traction, it was also clear that the most ambitious stunt I personally should attempt is merging onto the 101 at rush hour. <\/p>\n

Bryant, on the other hand, represents a highly skilled Hollywood craft that is more than a century old and only recently getting its due. Historically, actors have wanted to keep the illusion of their athleticism and daring alive and stunt performers have been instructed to keep their profiles low. But in 2028, the Oscars will debut a category for stunt design. <\/p>\n

\"
<\/span>Courtesy Rebecca Keegan<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been the redheaded stepchild of the business, and we\u2019re always taught to hide our faces, hide who we are,\u201d Bryant told me, as we chatted over the odor of burning rubber. \u201cIt\u2019s just visibility for us. It feels good to finally be able to say, \u2018Give us our flowers.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Bryant, who owns 16 motorcycles and a boat, has performed all kinds of stunts, including an elaborate, high-speed boat chase as Washington in \u201cShadow Force\u201d that is up for multiple other<\/em> stunt awards<\/a> this year. <\/p>\n

But even she said she\u2019s seen production work slow down in L.A. after a series of shocks to the entertainment industry, from Covid to guild strikes. The next potential threat on the horizon is AI. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor years we have had to contend with CGI, which took a lot of work away from us,\u201d Bryant said. \u201cBut now AI is like CGI on crack. It\u2019s scary. I\u2019m not sure what the future holds.\u201d <\/p>\n

Luckily, Bryant is good at steering out of a jam. If you want to watch her try to teach me some of those tricks, check out our video on NBC News\u2019 app, behind the subscriber paywall.<\/p>\n

THE HYPE<\/h3>\n

Why get your recommendations from an algorithm when you could get them from a music icon, the president of the Producers Guild and a fellow NBC News cinephile?<\/em><\/p>\n

Songwriter Diane Warren<\/strong>, who is nominated for her 17th Oscar this year for the original song \u201cDear Me,\u201d performed by Kesha<\/strong> in the documentary \u201cDiane Warren: Relentless,\u201d is watching \u201cOscar movies, \u2018Heated Rivalry\u2019 and \u2018Hacks.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Producers Guild of America co-president Stephanie Allain<\/strong> is listening to Thandiwe Newton<\/strong> reading \u201cJane Eyre\u201d on Audible for Newton\u2019s \u201cmesmerizing performance\u201d and watching \u201cThe Pitt\u201d because \u201cit makes me feel more connected to my body and to the brave folks who save lives and witness death with dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Saba Hamedy<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>NBC News\u2019 culture and trends editor, has been watching FX and Hulu\u2019s \u201cLove Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,\u201d which she said makes her jealous of people who lived in \u201890s New York. (Also a fan? Check out Chloe Melas\u2019 <\/strong>fun story on the show<\/a>). <\/p>\n

THE DIALOGUE<\/h3>\n

\u201cMy tics are not an intention, not a choice and not a reflection of my values.\u201d \u2014 Tourette\u2019s activist John Davidson<\/strong> in an interview with Variety<\/a> following fallout from the BAFTAs<\/a>, during which one of his tics included an outburst of a racial slur while Michael B. Jordan<\/strong> and Delroy Lindo<\/strong> were onstage.<\/p>\n

\u201cHear me out: I understand, and it\u2019s adorable, and he\u2019s breaking my heart. But that being said \u2026 who are we to question the wisdom of the tribe?\u201d \u2014 \u201cThe Daily Show\u201d host Jon Stewart\u2019s<\/strong> hot take<\/a> on Punch the monkey<\/a>, the latest animal that the internet has fallen in love with.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the course of being a witness to the journeys of other people over 25 years, I was quietly shaping my own.\u201d \u2014 \u201cSurvivor\u201d host Jeff Probst<\/strong> to \u201cThe White Lotus\u201d creator\/\u201cSurvivor\u201d alum Mike White<\/strong> in Interview magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a wrap \u2014 see you next week!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to ON THE LOT, our weekly newsletter with fresh reporting and analysis on the biggest storylines in Hollywood. In today\u2019s edition: The never-ending twists in the bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, some uninvited guests at the \u201cScream 7\u201d premiere, riding shotgun with stunt driver Dee Bryant, and this week\u2019s recommendations. Got tips (on <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":5573,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5572","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5572"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5572\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marketsfortress.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}