What to know
Sesame Street is undergoing a format change after 54 years… Starting in 2025, the show will be dropping its “magazine” format of smaller, sketch-like segments and instead switching to a longer-form format that will contain two standalone 11-minute segments, and an animated short between them. Producers say this will allow the show to do more dynamic and sophisticated storytelling. I appreciate the show going longer rather than shorter as the internet rots young people’s attention spans into oblivion. Though as a parent of a toddler who watches Sesame Street, I’ll miss the music videos, the more sketch comedy-esque element, and the recurring songs. 🏙️
Matthew Perry has died at 54… A lot has already been said and written about Perry, so I definitely don’t need to remind you of his comedic talents and struggles with addiction. But I found this interesting clip highlighting some of the advocacy work he did for people with addiction that I think is worth checking out. The tributes poured in all weekend, with fans setting up a memorial in NYC at the building used for exterior establishing shots on Friends. Max has added a tribute as well before seasons of the show on its service. While Nick at Nite is planning a special for the late actor. Perry’s memoir has also hit number one today. ❤️
Five Nights at Freddy’s breaks records with $78M domestic, $130M global opening… Make an event out of a beloved horror property and this is what you get! This is Blumhouse’s biggest opening ever, the biggest horror opening of the year, the 2nd biggest debut of a video game movie ever, the biggest Halloween opening weekend ever, the 3rd biggest horror movie opening ever, and the biggest PG-13 horror movie debut ever. All that AND it premiered simultaneously on Peacock. It’s also the worst-rated video game movie by critics in 7 years — and has one of the biggest gaps between audiences and critics on RT. Not that any of that matters. Universal and Blumhouse got to have the cake and eat it too. 🐻
SAG and the studios are in the final stretch of negotiations… Thank the lord. The two parties took a break today, but will be back at it this week. Deadline says AI and compensation are still up in the air. It seems like it’s almost done, but who knows. A clear sign the strike is almost over: SAG is giving The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbird and Snakes, which is ostensibly a studio film under Lionsgate, an interim agreement. Though I’m sure the last thing Rachel Zegler wants to do right now is press. 🪧
Mostly audio trailer for Blumhouse’s Imaginary accompanies Freddy’s… Speaking of Blumhouse, I very much want to see this trailer so hopefully they’ll post it online soon. Having a trailer mostly without visuals is such a bold and interesting idea, I’m shocked no one’s done it before. 🔊
True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto to write and direct horror feature for Blumhouse… OK one more Blumhouse story. It’s great to see them getting into more prestige work potentially. 👏
Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney join Jude Law, Ana de Armas, and Daniel Brühl in Ron Howard survival thriller… About the sexiest people alive? 👀
Timothée Chalamet will host the next new SNL on Nov 11… Maybe by then he’ll be able to mention Wonka, the project he’s promoting? 🤔
John Cena’s Freelance joins the RottenTomatoes 0% club… I’m not even mad, that’s just impressive. 🍅
Ryan Gosling’s Ken is becoming a real Ken doll… How did it take this long for that to happen? 😮
It Follows getting sequel They Follow… And maybe a threequel: We all follow? 2️⃣
Poltergeist TV series in the works at Amazon… TV’s IP era rolls on. 👻
What’s new
All the Light We Cannot See — Nov 2 | Netflix drama miniseries | Ⓜ️ 41
Quiz Lady — Nov 2 | Comedy film on Hulu | Ⓜ️ 62
Lawmen: Bass Reeves — Nov 5 | Paramount+ Western series | Ⓜ️
Returning: Behind the Attraction s2, Invincible s2, Planet Earth III
For all past ‘what to watch’ recommendations, see the full list here!