There’s a new “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Lord of the Rings</a>” movie on the docket for 2026, and this time it’s all about Gollum.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/warner-bros">Warner Bros.</a> announced that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">filmmaker</a> Peter Jackson, who is responsible for the popular “LOTR” trilogy, “will be involved every step of the way,” per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/lord-of-the-rings-movie-2026-release-warner-bros-1235997102/">Variety</a>. Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who co-wrote the screenplays of the LOTR trilogy with Jackson, will serve as producers on the upcoming film.
The studio confirmed in a press release that the new film’s working title is, “Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.” Actor Andy Serkis will both star as Gollum and direct.
“For over two decades, moviegoers have embraced the ‘Lord of the Rings’ film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown towards protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision,” Warner Bros. studio leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy said in a statement Thursday. 
“We are honored they have agreed be our partners on these two new films. With Andy coming aboard to direct ‘Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,’ we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture ahead and further contribute to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ cinematic history.”
Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens said, “It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker — Gollum! As life long fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”
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The original “LOTR” trilogy, which debuted in 2001, grossed more than $3 billion worldwide, the outlet noted. The movies are based on the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. 
Multiple movie spinoffs are currently in the works, including an animated film set 100 years before “The Hobbit” that has a scheduled December 14 release date.

Gollum

Warner Bros. Announces ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie About Gollum: ‘Unfinished Business With That Stinker’

Warner Bros. Announces 'Lord of the Rings' Movie About Gollum: 'Unfinished Business With That Stinker'

Entertainment

Hollywood

Movies

Warner Bros

Director <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tim-burton">Tim Burton</a> will team up with best-selling “Gone Girl” author Gillian Flynn to remake the 1958 sci-fi horror <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">film</a> “Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman.”
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">project</a> will be released with Warner Bros. Studios, according to a report from <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/tim-burton-gillian-flynn-remake-attack-fifty-foot-woman-1235894570/">Variety</a>. The outlet noted how Burton will serve as the film’s director while Flynn is responsible for crafting the script. 
In the original movie, a woman grows to gigantic proportions after an encounter with an alien, and she uses her new size to get revenge on her unfaithful husband.
The original 1958 “Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman” featured Allison Hayes, William Hudson, and Yvette Vickers in leading roles. It had a production of $88,000, the outlet noted. The original film currently has a 71% critic score and 21% audience rating on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1001323-attack_of_the_50_foot_woman">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.
It’s also not immediately apparent what changes will be incorporated into the remake. The movie was remade in 1993 by HBO with Christopher Guest serving as director. There were also several failed or abandoned remakes prior to that, and a few spinoffs, including a parody called “Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold” (1995) and a 3D film called “Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader” in 2012.
Flynn is no stranger to Hollywood. The 52-year-old author wrote and produced the HBO limited series adaptation of another one of her books, “Sharp Objects,” which earned her an Emmy nomination and the Writers Guild of America Award. Flynn was also co-writer on the screenplay for “Widows” (2018) and wrote the screenplay for David Fincher’s 2014 thriller “Gone Girl,” which was based on her book.
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Burton, 65, is a Hollywood mainstay known for his gothic horror and fantasy films. He rose to fame with projects such as “Beetlejuice” (1988) and “Edward Scissorhands” (1990). He has directed a host of other films, including “Batman” (1989), “Batman Returns” (1992), “Corpse Bride” (2005), “Frankenweenie” (2012), “Mars Attacks!” (1996), “Planet of the Apes” (2001), “Sleepy Hollow” (1999), “Big Fish” (2003), “Alice in Wonderland” (2010), “Dark Shadows” (2012), “Dumbo” (2019), plus the musicals “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005) and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (2007).
The director is currently working on the “Beetlejuice” sequel.

Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman

Tim Burton Will Team Up With ‘Gone Girl’ Author For Remake Of Classic ’50s Sci-Fi Movie

Tim Burton Will Team Up With 'Gone Girl' Author For Remake Of Classic '50s Sci-Fi Movie

Horror Movies

Tim Burton

U.S.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tom-cruise">Tom Cruise</a> has signed a deal with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/warner-bros">Warner Bros.</a> Discovery to develop and produce theatrical <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">films</a>, per Variety.
These new projects will be a mix of original <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">productions</a> and franchise films, which will feature the Academy Award winning movie star. The publication <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/tom-cruise-warner-bros-deal-new-movies-1235866282/">noted</a> that the deal is not exclusive and Cruise will still have upcoming projects with Universal, Paramount, and other studios in the future.
It’s been more than 10 years since the last time Cruise did anything with Warner Bros. The actor’s last project with the studio was “Edge of Tomorrow” (2014). Other notable films he’s done with the studio include “Magnolia,” “Rock of Ages,” “Interview With the Vampire,” and “Eyes Wide Shut.” Warner Bros. was also the studio behind Cruise’s breakout hit “Risky Business” (1983).
Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who took over as co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group in 2022, are the execs behind the deal with Cruise. David Zaslav is also being credited as he’s the one who hired De Luca and Abdy, the Variety report noted.
“We are thrilled to be working with Tom, an absolute legend in the film industry,” De Luca and Abdy said in a statement.
“Our vision, from day one, has been to rebuild this iconic studio to the heights of its glory days, and, in fact, when we first sat down with [Warner Bros. Discovery chief] David Zaslav to talk about joining the Warner Bros. Discovery team, he said to us, ‘We are on a mission to bring Warner Bros. back – we have the best resources, storytelling IP, and talent in the business – and we need to bring Tom Cruise back to Warner Bros!’”
They continued, “Today, that becomes a reality and we are one step closer to achieving our ambition. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Tom back to Warner Bros. and look forward to bringing more of his genius to life on screen in the years ahead.”
Cruise also gushed over the partnership in his own statement.
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“I have great respect and admiration for David, Pam, Mike, and the entire team at Warner Bros. Discovery and their commitment to movies, movie fans, and the theatrical experience,” the “Mission: Impossible” actor said. “I look forward to making great movies together!”
Cruise is currently working on the eighth installment of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise with Paramount following the massive success of “Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Inks Deal With Warner Bros. For Ongoing Movie Partnership

Days after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/warner-bros">Warner Bros</a>. announced they’d be permanently shelving “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Coyote vs. Acme</a>” as a tax write-off, the studio did an about-face and is now looking for a buyer after facing backlash in the industry.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">film</a>, which is already complete, is based on a humor piece published in The New Yorker in 1990. It combines live-action and animation to follow the character Wile E. Coyote as he sues the Acme Corporation from the classic “Looney Tunes” cartoons. He blames the corporation for all his failed attempts trying to catch his nemesis, the Road Runner.
“Coyote vs. Acme” is produced and co-written by James Gunn and stars John Cena as Acme’s CEO and Will Forte as Wile E. Coyote’s lawyer.
Warner Bros. was criticized for pulling similar moves with “Batgirl” and “Scoob! Holiday Haunt” when it scrapped almost finished projects in favor of giant tax write-offs in 2022. The difference here was that “Coyote vs. Acme” is fully completed and tested well with audiences, according to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/coyote-vs-acme-wb-warners-canceled-reversal-shop-film-1235645372/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. The studio changed course when a group of Hollywood directors and showrunners banded together to support the film. 
The film’s director Dave Green initially expressed his frustration with the studio’s decision. 
&#8220;For three years, I was lucky enough to make a movie about Wile E. Coyote, the most persistent, passionate, and resilient character of all time,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;I was surrounded by a brilliant team, who poured their souls into this project for years. We were all determined to honor the legacies of these historic characters and actually get them right. Along the ride, we were embraced by test audiences who rewarded us with fantastic scores. I am beyond proud of the final product, and beyond devastated by WB&#8217;s decision. But in the spirit of Wile E. Coyote, resilience and persistence win the day.&#8221;
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Others came to the movie’s defense as well.
“COYOTE V ACME is a great movie,” writer-director BenDavid Grabinski <a href="https://twitter.com/bdgrabinski/status/1722722940335358118" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X. “The best of its kind since [Who Framed] ROGER RABBIT … The leads are super likable. It’s beautifully shot. The animation is great. The ending makes everyone f***ing cry. I thought the goal of this business was to make hit movies?”
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s absolute bullsh** that a studio can and does shelve the creative work of hundreds of people for a f**ing tax break,&#8221; “Doctor Strange” director Scott Derrickson <a href="https://twitter.com/scottderrickson/status/1723096345500901568">wrote</a> of the controversy.
&#8220;I have seen this movie and it is excellent. It also tested in the high 90s repeatedly. It also had interested buyers. The people working at Warner Bros are anti-art and I hope multiple anvils drop on their heads,&#8221; director Brian Duffield <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianDuffield/status/1722716603299885068">agreed</a>.
Duffield told THR, “I don’t know how you see the movie and then go, ‘That couldn’t happen to me.’” He didn’t work on the project himself, but said he is friends with Green and gave him notes. 
Duffield told the outlet that Green stayed on budget, spending $72 million making the film, and even moved to London for 18 months to save the studio money on post-production costs.
“I think Coyote is really similar to Barbie in a lot of ways,” Duffield told the outlet. “They are playing with iconography in a really fun, popcorn kind of way.”

Wile E Coyote

Warner Bros. Won’t Scrap ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ For Tax Write-Off After Extreme Backlash From Hollywood

Warner Bros. Won't Scrap 'Coyote Vs. Acme' For Tax Write-Off After Extreme Backlash From Hollywood

Animation

Warner Bros. Discovery said it will attempt to get <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnn-praises-bidens-maui-speech-where-he-compared-historic-fire-to-small-kitchen-fire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> back into the streaming game a little more than a year after its streaming service CNN+ bombed after a month in operation. 
The media conglomerate is calling its second try at a news streaming platform “CNN Max,” which is slated to launch on September 27. CNN Max will feature some of the network’s existing shows, including “Amanpour,” “Anderson Cooper 360,” “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” and “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,” The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/warner-bros-discovery-adds-cnn-live-news-service-to-max-streaming-platform-9b87e4f2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. CNN Max will also launch new shows “CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta, Rahel Solomon, Amara Walker and Fredricka Whitfield” and “CNN Newsroom with Jim Sciutto.” 
Warner Bros. Discovery said the new streaming service would be different from the subscriber-based CNN+ in that it will be included in the MAX (formerly known as HBO MAX) streaming package at no additional cost to MAX subscribers.
“We have the broadest and highest quality entertainment offering, and now will include world-leading news as a meaningful addition for all Max subscribers, at no extra charge,” said JB Perrette, WarnerBros. Discovery CEO and president of Global Streaming and Games, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4168779-cnns-parent-company-to-launch-new-streaming-news-service/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Hill.
In April 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/warner-bros-discovery-is-shutting-down-cnn-after-new-streaming-service-struggled-to-attract-viewers-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shut down</a> CNN+ after less than a month in operation after the streaming service failed to attract subscribers. Fewer than 10,000 people were streaming CNN+ daily, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/12/cnn-plus-low-viewership-numbers-warner-bros-discovery.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CNBC, even after it signed former Fox News anchor Chris Wallace and gave him a show on the platform.
Then-incoming CEO Chris Licht said the “decision [to shut down CNN+] is in line with WBD’s broader direct-to-consumer strategy. In a complex streaming market, consumers want simplicity and an all-in service, which provides a better experience and more value than stand-alone offerings.”
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Licht <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ceo-chris-licht-out-at-cnn-after-tumultuous-year-controversial-trump-town-hall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stepped down</a> from his position as CEO in June as the media company continued to struggle with attracting a large audience. The former CNN executive faced criticism from his employees after canceling CNN+. The past year for the legacy media outlet has been a rollercoaster. Familiar faces on the network, such as longtime journalist Brian Stelter and host Don Lemon, were axed under Licht’s reign, and the tumultuous leadership of Licht came to a boiling point when the network hosted a town hall with former President Donald Trump in May.

CNN Parent Company Will Attempt Streaming Service Re-Launch After CNN+ Bombed In A Month

Legacy Media

Mainstream Media

Media

It would be easy to believe that a well-produced superhero movie will automatically draw big crowds and earn millions or even billions of dollars. With super mega-hits like the “Avengers: Endgame” ($2.7 billion), “Spider-Man: No Way Home” ($1.9 billion), and “Black Panther” ($1.3 billion), the genre has become synonymous with bringing in boatloads of profits. But not always.
One thing the highest-earning films have in common is that they almost always come from Marvel Studios. In fact, eight out of the top ten highest-grossing superhero films are Marvel properties. One (“The Incredibles 2”, $1.2 billion) is from Pixar. In the tenth spot is DC’s crown jewel, “Aquaman,” which brought in a respectable sum of $1.1 billion for Marvel’s biggest rival.
“Aquaman” came out in 2018. That doesn’t mean the studio hasn’t had any hits since then. But with changing management and a new strategy, the future of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) — which includes the Warner Bros. brand — is anything but certain.
The new president of DC Comics Jim Lee shared his thoughts on why some major superhero films are underperforming expectations.
“Once you hit a certain number of people, it&#8217;s too large for everyone to kind of love everything. And so they, basically, have splintered into different groups. It&#8217;s almost like pro sports at this point,” he told <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/05/25/1178119988/dc-comics-superhero-marvel-films-movies-jim-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NPR</a> in May, echoing what other industry experts said about the reality of “superhero fatigue” at the box office being part of the reason for disappointing box office numbers.
“Like, even when it was Marvel versus DC, I still felt like everyone loved comics. They embraced the storytelling. They embraced the notions of heroism and hope that the stories reflected. And now, it&#8217;s been elevated beyond that. It&#8217;s almost independent of what the storytelling is about. And it&#8217;s more about business factors or political factors, societal sort of discourse. It&#8217;s become highly polarized.”
Lee also mentioned that while smash hits will always rely on drawing in big crowds, studios should remember that they need to cater to their core comic book-loving audience first and foremost. “Yes, you need the broader, more casual audience to really hit those elevated numbers in terms of box office or viewership,” the DC Comics executive said. 
 
“But at the end of the day, if you don&#8217;t have that core fan base that loves and knows the material intimately to help sort of propel and drive that energy, it becomes very challenging.”
The two men in charge of righting the ship for the DCEU are director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran. They’re both serving as co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios as of October 2022. Insiders were shocked when the news broke, with <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dc-movies-james-gunn-peter-safran-to-lead-film-tv-division-1235248438/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hollywood Reporter</a> calling it an “unprecedented move” for the studio to select a director to serve as an executive-level decision-maker.
Gunn and Safran already announced their plans for upcoming projects, which include a reboot of &#8220;Superman.&#8221;
The studio next announced some changes spurred by the new vision for DC. Henry Cavill got booted as “Superman,” which surprised some of the fanbase. “We didn’t fire Henry,” Gunn told <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/01/dc-movies-robert-pattinson-gal-gadot-jason-momoa-future-dc-james-gunn-1235245269/">Deadline</a> when the news broke. “Henry was never cast. He was in a cameo, and that was the end of his story.”
The first project Gunn and Safran announced was “Gods and Monsters.” Beyond that, the duo said in January 2023 that they were remaining open and “flexible” about developing new content.
&#8220;Many of the following projects are already being worked on, but we&#8217;re remaining flexible, and we&#8217;re going to adjust because we&#8217;re never going to put a project into production before the script is right,” Safran <a href="https://collider.com/james-gunn-peter-safran-dcu-future-plans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Gunn had more to say about staying open to change. “I&#8217;ve been around making studio movies now for over 20 years, and the thing that I&#8217;ve seen, the biggest change between the past and today is that — and the reason why I think movies in general are not as good as they used to be — is because too many movies get set into a date, and then they&#8217;re made no matter what,” he said.
“Then you have movies where they don&#8217;t have a third act, and they&#8217;re already shooting, hoping that somehow they&#8217;re going to work it out, even though they didn&#8217;t get it worked out through three years of script. So, we want to really elevate writers, again, make writers as important as they are, and become architects of this story,&#8221; Gunn said of the DC strategy going forward.
And as for the content that will be coming, the new heads of DC are planning to blur the line between good and evil, unlike the storylines of superhero movies in the past. Gunn described the current universe as being filled with “almost saintly people&#8221; like Superman who were always fighting unquestionably evil villains. The future of DC, he explained, will be a lot more nuanced.
&#8220;There&#8217;s all these shades of gray of these different types of character, which allows us to tell more complex storytelling,&#8221; he said of the superhero stories to come.
The recently released DC property “The Flash” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-flash-fizzles-at-box-office-despite-being-called-one-of-the-greatest-superhero-movies-ever-made" target="_blank" rel="noopener">underperformed expectations</a> at the box office over the weekend, earning just $55 million. It’s worth noting that the film was plagued by controversy due to the lead actor, Ezra Miller, facing legal troubles, which meant the studio didn’t do a full-scale promotional tour like they normally would.
Up next, the studio will release “Blue Beetle” in August and then the highly anticipated “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” on December 25. “Joker: Folie à Deux” is slated for a 2024 release, followed by “Superman: Legacy” in 2025.
Will DC be able to compete with Marvel as a true contender in the future? That’s what they’re hoping for.

Los Angeles Premiere Of Warner Bros. “The Flash” – Arrivals

Can Superhero Movies Survive? DC Hopes For Better Days Ahead

Readers Pass

&#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; author J.K. Rowling is reportedly in talks with Warner Bros. Discovery to create a seven-season series based on her books – and trans activists are already planning their boycotts.
No deal has yet been reached, but according to a <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2023/04/10/harry-potter-fans-plan-tv-series-boycott-due-to-jk-rowlings-views-18586903/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the U.K. publication Metro, the proposed series would air on HBO Max and would dedicate one season to each of the seven books — and Rowling would be involved in the process, likely as a producer.
But critics of Rowling&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnn-responds-to-witch-trials-of-j-k-rowling-podcast-by-burning-the-author-at-the-digital-stake" target="_blank" rel="noopener">personal views</a> on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/get-a-bloody-mirror-j-k-rowling-points-out-what-real-misogyny-is-in-one-tweet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sex and gender</a> — namely that biological sex has value and that biological females should be allowed protected spaces where biological males regardless of their gender identities are not allowed — have already promised to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11956199/Harry-Potter-fans-vow-boycott-HBO-TV-series-JK-Rowlings-views-trans-debate.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">avoid the series</a> altogether.
Wizarding News (@HPANA), an outlet that began in 2002 to report on all things related to Harry Potter and now claims to report on the &#8220;demise of J.K. Rowling&#8217;s legacy,&#8221; dug up a tweet from a year earlier in which they &#8220;warned&#8221; Warner Bros. about the possible repercussions of working with Rowling in the future.
&#8220;Warner Bros. Discovery is officially on notice. If they pursue a continued relationship with JK Rowling, we will continue calling for a boycott of their franchise,&#8221; the tweet from May of 2022 read. &#8220;You&#8217;d have thought the embarrassing failure of Fantastic Beasts would be the end of it, but they want more pain.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
If they buy out Rowling and let other creative forces develop new content, that might work.
But anything that includes JK Rowling in any role whatsoever is a nonstarter. She must be fully excised, and the taint of her bigotry must be far, far away.
&mdash; Wizarding News™ (@wizardingnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/wizardingnews/status/1528051705069305856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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They went on to say that they might tolerate a new Harry Potter series if Rowling were bought out and left out of the creative process entirely, adding, &#8220;But anything that includes JK Rowling in any role whatsoever is a nonstarter. She must be fully excised, and the taint of her bigotry must be far, far away.&#8221;
They brought that tweet back last week as news of a possible deal began to circulate, adding, &#8220;Hey @wbd @warnerbros you were already warned about this! Any new Harry Potter TV show made with or by JK Rowling will be met with loud and constant protest. It will not be pleasant, and all of it will be leaked ahead of release anyways,&#8221; they warned again.
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&#8230; and that was *before* JK Rowling defended the leader of a Nazi-supported anti-trans hate rally.
Any purposeful association or relationship with her now is tainted by the fact that she won&#39;t disavow this woman.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarryPotter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HarryPotter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JKRvsLGBTQ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JKRvsLGBTQ</a><a href="https://t.co/Q8sz4WxXZj">https://t.co/Q8sz4WxXZj</a>
&mdash; Wizarding News™ (@wizardingnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/wizardingnews/status/1643065945999523842?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Rowling also faced <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hogwarts-legacy-video-game-rakes-in-850m-in-2-weeks-despite-boycott-attempts-over-j-k-rowling-earning-royalties" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threats of boycotts</a> over the recently released Hogwarts Legacy video game — and some critics even refused to review the game entirely because they opposed her views.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald” UK Premiere – Red Carpet Arrivals

Harry Potter To Get Series Reboot — And Trans Activists Are Already Planning Boycott

boycott

Celebrities

Harry Potter

JK Rowling

Transgender

World

“Lord of the Rings” fans are less than thrilled about the Thursday announcement from Warner Bros. that indicates the company plans to make more films based on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">franchise</a>.
The decision comes less than a year after the big-budget Amazon TV series “The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power” was released to mixed reviews. The television project and all previous <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">film adaptations</a> are based on the epic high-fantasy book series by British author J.R.R. Tolkien.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/warner-bros">Warner Bros.</a> Pictures announced Thursday that they signed a multi-year agreement with Swedish media company Embracer Group to revisit Tolkien&#8217;s work. Director Peter Jackson was behind the “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy in the early 2000s and is apparently part of the new deal as well. 
&#8220;Twenty years ago, New Line took an unprecedented leap of faith to realize the incredible stories, characters and world of &#8216;The Lord of the Rings&#8217; on the big screen. The result was a landmark series of films that have been embraced by generations of fans,&#8221; Warner Bros. Pictures executives Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy said in a statement, according to <a href="https://ew.com/movies/warner-bros-announces-new-lord-of-the-rings-movies/">Entertainment Weekly</a>. 
&#8220;But for all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex and dazzling universe dreamed up by J.R.R. Tolkien remains largely unexplored on film. The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honor, and we are excited to partner with Middle-earth Enterprises and Embracer on this adventure.&#8221;
Social media fans were not happy to hear the announcement. The original trilogy is widely regarded as three of the greatest and most influential films ever made. All three movies were financially successful, raking in close to $3 billion worldwide and earning widespread acclaim from critics and audiences.
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&mdash; Password is Taco (@pw_is_taco1) <a href="https://twitter.com/pw_is_taco1/status/1628877006422134784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“No. No no no no no. Stop wrecking things,” one reaction to the announcement <a href="https://twitter.com/warriorwoman91/status/1628891849023950848">said</a>.
“Part of me feels like this incessant need to remake or reimagine movies we grew up loving is to intentionally demoralize us and taint the good memories we have of certain films,” another Twitter user <a href="https://twitter.com/rcam_tv/status/1628969541228277762">agreed</a>. “I have zero faith they won’t remake this in their woke image.”
<a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-1670">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
“The trilogy was perfect but of course they need to ruin it,” another person <a href="https://twitter.com/StepBackJay77/status/1628918743312093184">echoed</a>.
It hasn’t been announced yet what Jackson’s role in the initiative will be, but the director shared in a statement that he’s excited about being involved. &#8220;Warner Bros. and Embracer have kept us in the loop every step of the way,&#8221; Jackson and his writing partners, Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens, said in a joint statement, per EW. 
&#8220;We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward.&#8221;

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‘Of Course They Need To Ruin It’: Fans Rebel Against New ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Movies Announced By Warner Bros.

Fans Rebel Against New 'Lord Of The Rings' Movies Announced By Warner Bros.

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Batgirl</a>” star Leslie Grace is going public with her thoughts on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/warner-bros">Warner Bros</a>. making the shocking decision to scrap the movie in 2022 and take a tax write-off instead.
The 28-year-old actress said she was never contacted by the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">studio</a> about the decision to cancel. The company spent $90 million on the project but pulled it after poor audience reviews during screening.
“I found out like the rest of you,” Grace told <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/columns/leslie-grace-batgirl-canceled-interview-dc-studios-1235519751/">Variety</a> during a recent interview. “And then my phone just started blowing up.”
“I thought I was getting punked, but it checked out,” co-star Brendan Fraser said of finding out the movie would never reach audiences.
“When we were expecting XYZ amount of support and money to expand scenes — to do pickup shots and those kinds of things — that was a gut punch,” he continued. “But then we learned that it was in the interest of writing down some debt? That part really stung.”
Grace admitted that there were challenges during filming, but not enough to merit the total cancellation, at least in her opinion. 
“I’m not going to lie to you. In every film, there are obstacles, and our film was nothing short of that. Half of the shoot was night shoots in Scotland, where it never stops raining,” she said. “So there were obstacles, but at the end of the day, because of the incredible crew, nothing that ever got in the way of us delivering what we knew we wanted to deliver for this film. At least from what I was able to see.”
The actress said she saw a rough cut of the unfinished movie and still can’t understand why it was never completed.
“I got to see the film as far as it got to; the film wasn’t complete by the time that it was tested,” Grace explained. “There were a bunch of scenes that weren’t even in there. They were at the beginning of the editing process, and they were cut off because of everything going on at the company.”
She concluded: “But the film that I got to see — the scenes that were there — was incredible. There was definitely potential for a good film, in my opinion.”
As for the future of “Batgirl,” Grace says fans shouldn’t give up hope just yet. 
“We’ve definitely had conversations about Batgirl’s future and how Batgirl can make a resurgence. I think fans are looking forward to seeing that,” she said.
“We’ll just see where that takes us; I can’t say one way or the other if that is a reality at this point,” the actress went on, saying she “can’t speak too much about a future for Batgirl or guarantee anything.”
“The last thing that I would want to do is give folks any kind of inkling of something that I have not much control over — as we’ve learned,” Grace said.

The Academy Museum Of Motion Pictures Opening Gala – Arrivals

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'Batgirl' Actress Thinks Canning The Film Pre-Release Was A Mistake

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cnn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> boss Chris Licht laid off numerous high profile employees at the left-wing news network this week and completely gutted its sister network HLN.
Licht cut all live programming on HLN and got rid of the network’s “Morning Express with Robin Meade” and “Weekend Express,” the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/12/01/cnn-boss-chris-licht-guts-hln-amid-cost-cutting-bloodbath/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Other top figures who were laid off include CNN reporters Alison Kosik, Martin Savidge, Alex Field, Mary Ann Fox, and Chris Cillizza, the report said.
CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/01/cnn-lays-off-hundreds-of-staffers-read-the-memo.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> that the network let go of &#8220;hundreds of staffers&#8221; out of the network&#8217;s roughly 4,400 employees.
In memo to employees at the company, Licht said that the goal of the strategic review that led to the layoffs was to &#8220;better align our people, processes and resources with our future priorities, strengthen our ability to deliver on CNN’s core journalistic mission and enable us to innovate in the years ahead.&#8221;
The memo said that the network would focus on programming, news-gathering, and digital.
The broadscale changes that he announced included:
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li>HLN: Beginning December 6, CNN will no longer produce live programming for HLN and instead will simulcast CNN This Morning. HLN Crime programming will move under the WBD Networks led by Kathleen Finch and will be merged with ID. I want to take a moment to thank Robin Meade — she is not only an exceptionally popular anchor, but also one of the longest-running morning hosts in history. I know the HLN audience will miss her and the other HLN talent.</li>
<li>CNN International: CNN International is reorganizing some of its teams and bureaus, and effective immediately, the 5:00-5:30pm ET show will be replaced by a simulcast of CNN US for that half hour.</li>
<li>CNN en Español: CNNE’s linear network will seek to expand its audience by diversifying the network’s programming beyond news. We will continue to produce news for CNNE, and throughout next year, we will look to develop a far more robust digital platform for CNNE with the aim of launching it in 2024. We believe that investment will better serve and significantly grow our Spanish-language news audience, and we will have more to share on that in 2023.</li>
<li>U.S. Newsgathering: We are restructuring across some of our beats, realigning resources to staff up in some units and in more areas around the country. This will help us deliver on our goal of covering the United States more broadly. Many of the staff reductions in Newsgathering will be offset by the addition of new roles to best serve our audience across platforms.</li>
<li>Contributors: We are also shifting our approach to paid contributors. In some areas, we will rely more on our CNN journalists. Overall, we will engage contributors who are subject-matter experts that expand and diversify the viewpoints we bring our audience.</li>
<li>Programming: Our programming teams will see some reductions in show staffs and, in some cases, the combination of teams for our dayside and weekend lineups.</li>
<li>Creative Marketing: The Creative Marketing team will see an overall reduction in size, realigning around in-house production and consolidating creative and strategy roles in New York. Roles will be added to both support that work and expand our digital and growth marketing efforts.</li>
<li>Research: Research is reorganizing to focus resources on CNN’s core businesses and to optimize our recently integrated Digital Analytics and Data Science teams.</li>
<li>Operations: The Operations teams are restructuring to align with the changes to other units across the organization.</li>
<li>CNN Digital: CNN Digital conducted an exercise earlier this fall to ensure they were best structured for the future. They made changes then and, as a result, there are no further impacts in this process.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
Licht said that the changes were needed to make the company stronger and put it in a position to make big investments in the future without worrying about failure, which comes after the network had to cancel its streaming service CNN+ shortly after it launched.
&#8220;To our departing colleagues, I want to express my gratitude for your dedicated and tireless service and for your many contributions to CNN,&#8221; the memo concluded. &#8220;To all employees, I want to underscore the importance of taking the time you need to best be able to move forward. You can find resources to support you now here. I will be holding a town hall on Tuesday to answer your questions, which can be submitted anonymously here.&#8221;

Warner Bros. Discovery WBD at Cannes Lions 2022 – CNN Chairman and CEO Chris Licht in conversation with CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward

CNN Chief Lets Go Of Hundreds Of Employees At Company, Guts Sister Network HLN: Reports

A Warner Bros. exec confirmed that he would like to start making more popular franchise movies, including “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/harry-potter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harry Potter</a>,” and mentioned he wants series creator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jk-rowling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">J.K. Rowling</a> involved. 
“We’re going to focus on franchises,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/warner-bros">Warner Bros.</a> Discovery CEO David Zaslav said during an investor’s call Thursday, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/harry-potter-more-movies-j-k-rowling-1235255333/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per</a> The Hollywood Reporter. 
“We haven’t had a Superman movie in 13 years. We haven’t done a Harry Potter in 15 years. The DC movies and the Harry Potter movies provided a lot of the profits for Warner Bros. …over the past 25 years.”
Zaslav mentioned that the studio owns the rights to “Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter,” so they’d like to expand on those franchises, “if we can do something with J.K. on ‘Harry Potter’ going forward.”
Warner Bros&#8217; eight-movie &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; franchise earned $7.7 billion in box office revenue from 2001 to 2011. The studio has also worked with Rowling on the spinoff series “Fantastic Beasts.&#8221; THR noted that the most recent film, “The Secrets of Dumbledore,” earned more than $405 million following its April premiere.
Rowling has become very controversial in the public sphere thanks to her stance on the trans agenda and her willingness to speak against it. The author has had many actors from the film franchise and former colleagues <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/j-k-rowling-vs-the-trans-agenda-heres-what-harry-potter-cast-members-have-said-about-the-ongoing-battle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">turn on her</a> because of her views.
Most recently, the author was not part of a “Harry Potter” reunion special, which premiered in January of this year. Rowling said “no one said don’t come,” but she still chose not to participate in “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts.”
“Yeah, I was asked to be on that and I decided I didn’t want to do it,” she said during a podcast <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdKPOwCR_sg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> at the time. “I thought it was about the films more than the books, you know, quite rightly. I mean, that was what the anniversary was about.”
By that point, many of the younger stars had been distancing themselves from Rowling amid the trans rights controversy, saying they disagreed with her stance. Daniel Radcliffe recently reiterated his position.
“The reason I was felt very, very much as though I needed to say something when I did was because, particularly since finishing ‘Potter,’ I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter on that,” Radcliffe told IndieWire during an interview.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” World Premiere – Arrivals

Warner Bros. Discovery Exec Wants More ‘Harry Potter’ Movies With J.K. Rowling

Actress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Leslie Grace</a> is letting the world glimpse at some behind-the-scenes clips from the canceled superhero movie, “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Batgirl</a>.”
“I couldn’t resist,” the 27-year-old star shared in the caption of a TikTok montage. The 15-second <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlesliegrace/video/7146999456255249706?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;item_id=7146999456255249706&amp;lang=en">footage</a> includes Grace rehearsing a fight scene, jumping off a ledge while attached to wires, sitting in a makeup chair, and a quick shot of her wearing the Batgirl costume while riding a rocking horse. 
The movie made headlines for being the one of the most expensive projects ever canceled. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/warner-bros">Warner Bros</a>. Discovery invested $90 million in the film, but it never made it to audiences. The exact reasons remain unknown, but insiders note that the project could be used as a tax write-off without a release. 
“The decision to not release ‘Batgirl’ reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max,” a Warner spokesperson stated at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/warner-bros-shelves-batgirl-movie-despite-spending-90-million-shocking-industry">reported</a>.
The statement continued, specifically defending the lead actress’s work and saying she was not the reason for the film never seeing the light of day. “Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance,” the statement continued.
In conclusion, the spokesperson said the studio hoped “to collaborate with everyone again in the near future.”
Grace also expressed how glad she was to be part of “Batgirl” even though it was canceled.
“On the heels of the recent news, about our movie Batgirl, I am proud of the love, hard work and intention all of our incredible cast and tireless crew put into this film over seven months in Scotland,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg0a7lhrtoL/">shared</a> on Instagram. &#8220;I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process!&#8221;
She continued, saying, &#8220;to every Batgirl fan&#8221;: &#8220;THANK YOU for the love and belief, allowing me to take on the cape and become, as Babs said best, &#8216;my own damn hero!&#8217; #Batgirl for life!&#8221;
Last month, film directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/batgirl-director-says-he-tried-to-record-clips-on-his-cell-phone-but-was-blocked-from-warner-bros-servers">said</a> they attempted to salvage some of the footage on their phones only to find themselves locked out of the servers.
Fallah said, “Adil called me and told me, ‘Go ahead! Shoot everything on your phone!’ I went on the server … and everything was blocked. There was no way to access the film. We were: ‘F***ing sh**!’ All the scenes with Batman we didn’t get to keep!”
“It was not a talent problem on our part, the actress, or even the quality of the movie,” Fallah said of the cancellation during an interview with SKRIPT. “We were right in the middle of editing, there was still a lot of work to be done! It was not like the movie was finished. But they told us it was a strategic change. New management. And they could save some cash.”

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