From the Kardashian dynasty to streamers and theaters getting along, here are your entertainment headlines.
Kardashians Return to E!
After a brief hiatus from the network, the Kardashian crew is set to make a big return to E!.
The family, in concert with NBCUniversal, will release a two-part limited series titled The Kardashians: A Billion Dollar Dynasty. The series will detail how the Hollywood family rose to receive global recognition and their impact on social media.
The news came shortly after the family's Hulu show The Kardashians was renewed on the platform for its third season. The show aired in the UK earlier this year and is set to premiere in several other countries.
"The Kardashians are one of the most identifiable brands in the world so we are thrilled to be able to deliver a series with such impressive global appeal to clients across three continents," Rachel Job, senior VP of non-scripted at All3Media International, told Variety.
The series is slated for a May 1 premiere on E!.
Major Issues
The dark turn in the Jonathan Majors saga continues following the alleged assault of his girlfriend.
In the latest, the actor was dropped by both his publicist and management team, news that broke just hours before it was revealed the Manhattan district attorney was working with more alleged victims of abuse as well.
Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for Majors, claimed that DA Alvin Bragg was already in possession of "irrefutable evidence" that proves her client's innocence.
"We are confident that he will be fully exonerated," she said in a statement.
Following the departure of Majors' publicist and management teams, Chaudhry's husband, Andrew Bourke, stepped in as his "crisis publicist."
So far, the star still has not been dropped from any current major projects. He has been expected to be a major player in phase five of Marvel's cinematic universe.
Streaming to Theaters
The success of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's Air has Amazon Studios reconsidering whether or not they should stick to streaming-first exclusivity for its future projects. The movie about Michale Jordan's iconic sneaker deal with Nike was originally slated to be released solely on Amazon Prime Video, but after its initial screening to rave reviews, the studio, Affleck, and Damon decided to launch it in theaters first — and it's been a hit, raking in $20.2 million in a five-day stretch despite limited promotion compared to other major theatrical releases.
It marked the biggest release ever for a streaming-first film, and now Amazon has plans to send between 12 to 15 projects to theaters first annually.
"We truly think that by putting it into theaters, you just can't otherwise get that kind of word of mouth and press around it," said Kevin Wilson, Amazon Studios and MGM theatrical distribution executive, according to the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, streaming rival Apple TV+ also plans to spend $1 billion annually on movies to hit the cinema first
