At least the studios and writers are talking

And 'Barbie' is coming to digital sooner than we thought

What to know

• The writers and the studios are negotiating, but a deal remains elusive… After months of zero communication, the AMPTP and the WGA are back at the table. This is a good sign, but based on the latest reports, a deal is still a ways off as the two parties remain far apart on key issues. It seems proceedings sped up after Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Disney CEO Bob Iger both took a personal interest in ending the strike. Let’s hope things continue to progress. As for the actors, they remain on the picket line and await an invitation back to the table from the studios. 🪧

• Margot Robbie will make $50 million from Barbie, Greta Gerwig is now the highest grossing woman director, film surpasses Dark Knight as WB’s biggest domestic hit ever… The Barbie train rolls on. Robbie and Gerwig certainly earned that payday and record, respectively. And here’s the really good news: The movie is coming to digital on September 5! So if you haven’t gotten a chance to get out to a theater, it will be there for you at home. It’s surprising that WB is putting it out on VOD so soon, as it could continue making money at the box office — but from a consumer standpoint, I’m not complaining. 💄

• Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin eyeing 4 seasons… Last we heard, adapting the second game would span 2 seasons, bringing the total to 3 — but now Mazin thinks 4 will be the “sweet spot.” Thankfully it doesn’t sound like they’re going to go past the second game and create new storylines (a la Game of Thrones). 🍄

• A Disney+ password sharing crackdown is coming… Once Netflix’s crackdown proved successful, it was only a matter of time until the other streamers followed suit. I didn’t expect it so soon, but here it is. Get ready to pay up. 🐭

• Sacha Baron Cohen is reportedly planning an Ali G stand up tour… That makes a little more sense than a new movie or TV show. Though I suspect a tour could be turned into a road documentary/mockumentary. 🎤

• Universal had two different Dracula movies flop at the box office this year… Renfield and The Last Voyage of the Demeter. Poor critical receptions and high budgets will do that. Also who cares about Dracula anymore? 🧛‍♀️

• Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour becomes first to break $1 billion in ticket sales… No surprises there, and I bet she keeps touring until it breaks $2B. 🎸

• Mattel meeting with directors for Hot Wheels movie… As Randall Park recently said, Hollywood is taking the wrong lessons from Barbie. 🚘

• Wonder Woman 3 is reportedly not happening in new DCU… Yeah, that makes more sense. ❌

• Florence Pugh is the rumored top choice for Disney’s live-action Tangled… That would work. 👱🏻‍♀️

• The 2023 Emmys are officially set for Monday, Jan. 15, 2024… So strange. 🏆

• Zach Levi criticizes “garbage” coming out of Hollywood… Ironic. 👀

• Joy Ride is now available on demand… Get on it. ▶️

Upgrade to a full Pop Culture Brain Daily subscription for $1/month or $6/year.

What’s new

• The Monkey King — Aug 18 | Netflix animated movie | 🍅 64%

• Blue Beetle — Aug 18 | DC superhero movie in theaters | 🍅 82%

• Strays — Aug 18 | Raunchy dog comedy in theaters | 🍅 55%

• Returning: Killing It s2, Solar Opposites s4

---

What to watch

Trailer: Maestro — Nov. 22 (limited theaters), Dec. 20 (Netflix)

Directed by Bradley Cooper, written by Cooper and Josh Singer, starring Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Michael Urie, Miriam Shor, and Sarah Silverman.

This is a subtler trailer than I was expecting from Cooper. After A Star Is Born’s pure bravado, I expected something more tense and agitated — that focused on the genius man and his creative struggles. Instead, Netflix and Cooper are presenting an understated romantic drama about a marriage. That’s perhaps even more interesting. The stylistic choices and visual shifts here are thrilling. It appears the entire movie is in letterbox, which along with the black and white sequences plus the score, presents a pastiche of bygone eras. But when we switch to color, we see how Cooper will jump through time, not unlike Christopher Nolan just did with Oppenheimer. There’s some really beautiful photography in this trailer as well. Namely, the shot of Mulligan in Cooper’s shadow at :28. It’s a metaphor, you see. And then there’s the prosthetic makeup, which has been criticized for exaggerating the nose on Bernstein, a Jewish man. It doesn’t bother me much, but I can see why it has upset some. I’d like to give Cooper the benefit of the doubt that within the context of the full film, the makeup looks more natural. This will be a must-see this winter and a likely awards contender.

For all past ‘what to watch’ recommendations, see the full list here!