When Only Murders in The Building finishes its run, expect that to be the last you see of Steve Martin on screen:
When this television show is done, I’m not going to seek others. I’m not going to seek other movies. I don’t want to do cameos. This is, weirdly, it.
Martin will likely continue to appear on stage (alongside Marty Short), but he's not anticipating doing another show or movie once the current show is done. And fair enough. He's in his mid-70s, he has been performing comedy for 60 years, and he has a family that he enjoys spending time with. Plus, as I see it, he also made the greatest movie of all time (obviously, I reference Three Amigos). What more could he want to do?
He made the comment as part of a really great feature interview for The Hollywood Reporter.
Mikey O’Connell
Disney passes Netflix in total subscribers*
Disney now has more streaming subscribers than Netflix - but do note that there are caveats in that.
As per Disney, it now has 221.1 million total global subs vs Netflix at 220.67 million. Of course, the devil is in the details. Note that Disney isn't referencing Disney+. That figure includes Disney+, but also Hulu, ESPN, and its Star branded streamers internationally. Also, I'm sure Netflix would probably point to ARPU as well, with Disney making very little revenue per user in markets like India (which isn't to say Netflix don't also have some territories it has launched in where it is similarly undercutting the costs for users).
Jill Goldsmith
Disney hikes US prices
US subscribers will find that the price of their Disney+ accounts will go up in December. But also, Hulu prices are going up in October. The prices for bundles will also see an increase.
The new ad-supported tier launches December 8. The content for the ad-supported Disney+ and the regular ad-free version will be the same.
Emma Roth
Disney revises targets
Remember how I mentioned those subscribers in India? Disney is paying close attention to them, along with analysts on Wall Street.
Disney had projected it would have 230 million to 260 million subscribers by the end of 2024. Note the 221.1 million reported today. Going forward, it will seperate the Disney+ Hotstar brand in India from the overall number.
Why are they doing this? Two reasons:
1) The loss of cricket on Disney+ Hotstar has the potential to interrupt their growth narrative if subscriber numbers go into decline.
2) Strip out that Disney+ Hotstar number and suddenly the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) starts to look incredibly healthy. A great story for investors.
Erik Hayden
Jon Hamm joins The Morning Show
When Apple TV+'s The Morning Show returns for its third season, it will have a new showrunner. Desperately needed as there is a good show in there somewhere that was terribly hampered by the previous seasons writing. Upon its return, the show will also he aided by a Jon Hamm infusion.
That's right fellow Hamm-heads, Mad Men star Jon Hamm is joining the cast for season 3.
Hamm, fresh from starring in Top Gun: Maverick, will play Paul Marks, a corporate titan who sets his sights on UBA, pulling Billy Crudup’s Cory, Jennifer Aniston’s Alex and Reese Witherspoon’s Bradley into his powerful orbit.
As far as I am aware, there is no word on whether season 2 recurring star Julianna Margulies is set to return. I'm not sure my fragile system could handle both in the same series.
Hamm will also lead the new season of Fargo (its 5th season).
Peter White
- Jane Seymour series Harry Wild has been renewed for season 2 by Acorn TV. Did anyone else know this show was a thing? Read: Deadline
- Morgan Neville is making a 2-part documentary for A24 and Tremolo Productions at Apple TV+ about Steve Martin. Read: TV Insider
- Ahead of the Better Call Saul finale, Hollywood is abuzz that creator Vince Gilligan is pitching a new series. Read: Deadline
- A franchise based around French character Fantomas is currently being developed. Read: Variety
- US TV ratings measurement company Nielsen now has 42,000 households being measured for their TV viewing. Read: Next TV
I'm going to tell you something that you will think I am making it up. But it is absolutely true, hand on heart. Pennyworth, a TV show about the young man Alfred Pennyworth who would eventually become Batman's butler, is set to return for a third season. And when it does, it will have a name change...
Returning in October to HBO Max is: Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler.
House of Hammer is a 3-part doco series about Armie Hammer and his questionable exploits. It debuts on Discovery+ Sept 2.
Fakes debuts on Netflix Sept 2.
Catherine Called Birdy debuts on Amazon Prime Video Oct 7. It is the new film from Lena Dunham.
That's it for today. Tomorrow brings with it the end of the week and, generally, way more time to watch some TV. How thrilling!
