Disney might change 'Bambi's big scene

And Tom Hanks & Robin Williams' daughter rail against AI

What to know

• Is Disney going to change Bambi's most iconic scene in the live action remake?… From Snow White's seven dwarves to the studio's use of color conscious casting, Disney has gotten a lot of flak from certain segments of its audience for altering and updating its animated classics in live action. And this next one could be a doozy. In a new interview with Collider, Lindsey Anderson Beer, the former screenwriter of the Bambi remake, suggests the scene in which Bambi's mother is killed might not appear exactly as it did in the original, because the original is upsetting to children. She says her approach gave the movie more scope — and we don’t know what that means. It doesn't seem to me like they'll just cut Bambi's mom dying. It's the most memorable and arguably most important part of the movie. It would be like Jon Favreau cutting Mufasa's death from The Lion King, which he didn't do. But perhaps they'll approach it in a new way visually, sonically, or maybe put a different context on the scene? Also, it’s worth noting that Beer isn't working on the project anymore. Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster are now writing it for Sarah Polly to direct. And so they might reject Beer's approach entirely and do it exactly like the original. There is one thing we know for sure though. If Disney changes it significantly, people are going to be mad. 🦌

• Tom Hanks warns fans of ad using his AI likeness without permission, Robin Williams’ daughter speaks out against AI… As SAG-AFTRA and the studios finally get back to the table, we’re getting some real world examples of how tricky artificial intelligence could be for actors. The ad that Hanks is warning people about looks like some really poor deepfaking, but the issue remains that he should have control over how his likeness is used. Which is the same argument Zelda Williams is addressing, explaining that it’s especially unfair for AI models to recreated the image and voice of the deceased when they cannot consent to it. Let’s hope the actors get a fair deal on AI in the coming weeks. 🤖

• Paw Patrol 2 wins #SawPatrol weekend with $23M… Give families a familiar franchise and they’ll show up. Likewise for horror fans, as Saw X made $18M with a budget of just $13M. It’ll be profitable in no time. What might not be profitable is The Creator, with its $14M take — sadly showing that original sci-fi is a risky bet. The Creator carries an $80M budget, cheap for this kind of movie, but still a lot. 🐶

• Beyoncé is bringing a Renaissance tour concert to theaters… And she’s doing it exactly like Taylor Swift did, signing a deal for AMC Theaters to distribute the movie directly. I cannot understate how much of a revolution it is for artists like Swift and Beyoncé to be going around the studios. This is great for competition in Hollywood, the health of theaters, and artists. 👏

• Taylor Swift drove a 34% increase in Sunday Night Football ratings this weekend… Because of course she did. 🎸

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What’s new

• The Exorcist: Believer — Oct 6 | Horror movie in theaters | Ⓜ️

• Foe — Oct 6 | Sci fi movie in limited theaters | Ⓜ️ 45

• She Came to Me — Oct 6 | Romantic drama/comedy in theaters | Ⓜ️ 51

• Returning: Loki s2, Our Flag Means Death s2, Lupin s3

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What to watch

From Once to Sing Street, and now Flora and Son, John Carney has mastered the “stealth musical.” That’s what he calls them, by the way. These poignant indies are in fact musicals but they trick you into it with their use of diegetic music. (All of the singing happens in-universe. When they’re singing, they’re actually singing in the story of the film.) This has turned out to be a really effective mode of storytelling, as Carney’s movies are never not emotional. By using diegetic music, Carney keeps the intimate believability of his small world stories intact, but still gets the magical resonance that only comes with rhythm, melody, and harmony — not to mention a person emoting through song. His latest film, now available on Apple TV+, starring Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is no different. Flora and Son is winning in every single way. It’s actually the perfect accompaniment to Apple’s Best Picture winner CODA — if you fell in love with that one, you’ll like this. Carney’s thoroughly Irish script is snappy, funny, and heartwarming, yet still keeps its feet on the ground, representing life as it is. It’s also a loving tribute to the power of music, with Carney and Gary Clark writing some beautiful, catchy tunes. Their songs bring the characters together across thousands of miles both literally and figuratively. All of this is anchored by Eve Hewson, who has finally given a lead performance that accurately displays everything she can do. This movie is all that it is because it has her in the lead role. So while this musical might be a “stealth” one, there’s nothing stealthy about its quality.

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