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“What Is a Producer?”: Hollywood Facing Existential Crisis As 86 Producers Unite for Change
Plus, why Paramount makes more sense for Sony and Zendaya's new movie proved to be a marketing challenge.
Jeff Sneider
April 29, 2024
Happy Monday, everyone! Get ready for a long one…
Last night, I finished reading comedian Gary Gulman’s memoir, Misfit, which is truly a special book. Gary’s career reached new heights with his 2019 HBO special The Great Depresh, which chronicled his battle with depression, and as a Jew from Boston who has also struggled with depression from time to time, I don’t think I’ve ever related more to a book. I’ve been a fan of Gary’s stand-up for a long, long time now, but Misfit helped me see him differently now that I know where his sense of humor comes from. It’s a very, very special book, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Speaking of reading, you should also check out Jake Kanter’s extremely well-reported Deadline story about Kenny Huang, the Chinese financier who came to town, got everyone excited about his H Collective, and then left a lot of people high and dry. This business attracts the world’s best and brightest, but unfortunately, it also draws a lot of scumbags who will do anything to be around the best and the brightest in order to bask in their glow. Huang, it seems, was the latter — a sad poser, who is now on the run and said to be dying of cancer.
But I have no sympathy for scumbags, and the fact that one of Kanter’s sources refused to discuss Huang for fear of upsetting a crazy billionaire sure is sad. See, I’m not afraid whatsoever, but then again, I’m crazy too, and have nothing to lose. That’s why you read me, after all…
In tonight’s newsletter, you’ll read about Producers United, a new group of 86 producers fighting for change in Hollywood, and you’ll also get the latest on the wacky sale of Paramount Global, which saw its CEO step down today.
Elsewhere, Zendaya’s new movie proves to be a marketing challenge; the Mystery Inc. gang returns to live-action; Kraven the Hunter heads to Christmas; Jeff Bridges returns to Tron; Michael B. Jordan sets up another project at Amazon MGM; Sam Raimi finds a new director for the Evil Dead franchise; and Mufasa: The Lion King could lead to bigger and better things for director Barry Jenkins.
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