632 stories from 22 sources
The week in Entertainment and Media
Click on a headline to see stories that shaped it.
Threads
8 threads
Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s tour expanded into withdrawals by support acts, competing humanitarian claims, public statements from Sheeran, and protests outside his concerts. The dispute made political expression part of the tour’s operations, audience experience, and reputational risk.
Resident Evil moved from strong early reactions to the highest Rotten Tomatoes score recorded for a video game film, while its sequel-ready ending preserved franchise options. Its $108.3 million worldwide opening then converted critical momentum into clear commercial success.
Paramount’s proposed Warner Bros. Discovery takeover gained an FCC ownership waiver and remained alive through possible state settlements, but regulators continued demanding stronger antitrust conditions. The deal therefore advanced procedurally without resolving its broader consolidation risks.
The week connected Netflix’s concerns about retention and breakout content with a broader shift toward advertising, bundles, scheduled programming, and linear feeds. Free streaming access for Ghosts and the cancellation of Ride or Die showed both the reach of ad-supported distribution and the short runway for weaker originals.
Widow’s Bay won 14 Emmys across the top comedy, acting, writing, directing, and supporting categories, making it the ceremony’s clearest platform victory. The ceremony itself also regained momentum, while Matthew Rhys and Jean Smart added individual historical milestones.
Entertainment leaders shifted the AI debate toward practical workflows, rights, consent, likenesses, creative ownership, and job security. Tilly Norwood’s failed attempt to perform as a conventional celebrity exposed the credibility problems facing synthetic entertainment.
American Idol’s move to Georgia reinforced Los Angeles’s production decline even as the summer box office recovered strongly. The continuing flight of productions prompted renewed appeals to bring filming and its economic activity back to the city.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day briefly lost the box-office lead to a legacy sequel before becoming the highest-grossing film in domestic history. The week therefore moved the film’s story from vulnerability in weekly competition to a historic case for established intellectual property.
Day’s Recap