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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham weren't enough to save “ Expend4bles ” from a debut box office flop. The Lionsgate and Millennium's film, also known as “Expendables 4,” pulled in a mediocre $8.3 million for the big-budget project. It starred several popular names, including Stallone, Statham, Curtis “50 Cent" Jackson, Megan Fox and Dolph Lundgren. It's been nearly a decade since the franchise released a film, which opened with $15.8 million and eventually grossed $214 million globally. But times have certainly changed, as the film barely placed second behind “The Nun 2," a horror movie that earned $8.4 million in its first week.

Persons: — Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham weren't, “, ”, Comscore, Stallone, Statham, Curtis “, Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, It's, Michael Chaves, Venice ”, Kenneth Branagh’s, Agatha Christie, Denzel Washington, “ Barbie, Greta Gerwig, “ Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan Organizations: ANGELES, Lionsgate, Warner Bros, Orient Express, Sony, GameStop, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, Writers Guild of America Locations: Venice

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☆ The agreement could put talk shows back on the air.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Daniel Victor | More About Daniel Victor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As the actors’ strike continues on, most television shows and movies will not be able to resume without them. But late-night and daytime talk shows could return after the resolution of the writers’ strike, potentially bringing relief to one corner of the industry. There were no immediate announcements of shows returning to air. Some shows, including “The View,” have continued to air new episodes filmed without its unionized writers. Though the same was possible at other shows, many network hosts have opted to stay off the air, reluctant to be seen as not supporting the strikes.

Persons: Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Hudson, Bill Maher ”

The short answer is that, yes, it is possible to get a grant to help you pay off your student loan debt. Citizens Bank Student Loan Refinancing is one of many strong options for student loan refinancing, particularly because the company allows you to refinance up to $300,000 and to apply with a co-signer. Bottom lineGetting a grant or some other form of loan forgiveness can make a huge difference in your student loan management journey. Every article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of student loan refinance products. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best student loan refinance companies.

Persons: Harris, refinanced Organizations: Education Data, Biden, CNBC, Citizens Bank Student, Citizens Bank, Loan, Federal Reserve Bank of New, AK, IL, CNBC Select's, Facebook, Twitter Locations: California, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, MN, NH, OH, TN, TX

☆ This Is How A.I. Ruins the Internet - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Julia Angwin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Greg Marston, a British voice actor, recently came across “Connor” online — an A.I.-generated clone of his voice, trained on a recording Mr. Marston had made in 2003. Of course, at that time, Mr. Marston couldn’t envision that IBM would use anything more than the exact utterances he had recorded. Mr. Marston recently discovered his voice emanating from the Wimbledon website during the tennis tournament. Hollywood writers and actors are on strike partly because they want to ensure their work is not fed into A.I. News outlets including The New York Times and CNN have added files to their website to help prevent A.I.

Persons: Greg Marston, “ Connor, Marston, Marston couldn’t Organizations: IBM, Wimbledon, New York Times, CNN Locations: British

☆ A 7-year journey to deliver an asteroid sample to Earth will soon end in Utah
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The cargo van-size spacecraft arrived in orbit around the asteroid Bennu in December 2018, providing detailed views of the spinning top-shaped space rock. Other worldsA training model of the OSIRIS-REx mission's sample return capsule was released from an aircraft in August, simulating the upcoming recovery operations. Keegan Barber/NASAThe OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will fly by Earth this weekend and drop off its precious sample from Bennu. Watch as the sample capsule is set to plunge through Earth’s atmosphere and land in the Utah desert, with NASA’s live coverage beginning at 10 a.m. As the capsule parachutes down, OSIRIS-REx will keep going, embarking on a new adventure to explore the asteroid Apophis.

Persons: CNN —, REx, NASA’s, Keegan Barber, ”, Deutsches, Monopoly, you’re, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Rice University in Texas, Mechanical, Zimbabwe, Bochum, Iron, Swedish Museum of, Publishing, Andromeda Galaxy, CNN Space, Science Locations: Utah, Dürrnberg, Austria, Austrian, Zambia, Tasmania, Stockholm, Western Australia

And when I ran a business selling at craft fairs several years ago, I had liability insurance to protect my business and customers. Check your business insurance rates with top providers through Simply Business. Another way to look at small business insurance is as a stepping stone to a bigger business. Another factor affecting the decision to carry small business insurance is what I stand to lose. If a lawsuit could endanger the home I share with my wife, business insurance might be worth it to protect that investment.

Persons: there's, I've, I'm Organizations: Simply, Insurance Locations: Hayward, California

The DVD business destroyed competitors like Blockbuster and altered the viewing habits of the public. Once Netflix began its streaming business and then started producing original content, it transformed the entire entertainment industry. Even before the strikes, streaming had rendered DVDs obsolete, at least from a business perspective. In comparison, Netflix’s streaming revenue for the same period reached $6.5 billion. (One hundred people at Netflix still work on the DVD side of the business, though most will soon be leaving the company.)

Persons: Catherine Deneuve Organizations: Blockbuster, Netflix Locations: Hollywood, Fremont , Calif, Trenton, N.J, Dallas, Duluth, Ga, Anaheim

☆ WGA strike: Writers Guild and Hollywood studios in ‘final phase’ of negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

SAG-AFTRA actors and Writers Guild of America (WGA) writers walk the picket line outside Disney Studios in Burbank, California, U.S., July 25, 2023. While workers across the entertainment industry waited for word of the outcome, no agreement had been announced as of late Friday, the 144th day of the strike. Representatives for the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the studios, had no comment. Producer and WGA member Al Septien, also picketing outside Netflix on Friday, said he wanted to get back to work, but only under the right terms. We don't want to fold for a less-than-fair and good contract for the writers,” he said.

Persons: Mike Blake, Walt Disney, Bob Iger, Ted Sarandos, David Zaslav, Donna Langley, Matthew Weiner, Weiner, Al Septien, We've, ”, Lisa Richwine, Dawn Chemielewski, Sandra Stojanovic, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Writers Guild of America, Disney Studios, REUTERS, Netflix, Warner Bros Discovery, Comcast's, WGA, Alliance, Television Producers, SAG, Thomson Locations: Burbank , California, U.S, Angeles

A third straight day of marathon negotiations between Hollywood studios and striking screenwriters ended on Friday night without a deal. But the sides made substantial progress, according to three people briefed on the talks. The sides plan to reconvene on Saturday. For the third day in a row, several Hollywood moguls directly participated in the negotiations, which ended a little after 8 p.m.Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chief executive; Donna Langley, NBCUniversal’s chief content officer of Universal Pictures; Ted Sarandos, co-chief executive of Netflix; and David Zaslav, the chief executive of Warner Bros. During the Thursday negotiations, the sides had narrowed their differences, for instance, on the topic of minimum staffing for television show writers’ rooms, a point that studios had been unwilling to engage on before the guild called a strike in early May.

Persons: Robert A, Donna Langley, Ted Sarandos, David Zaslav Organizations: Hollywood, Alliance, Television Producers, Universal Pictures, Netflix, Warner Bros, Discovery Locations: Los Angeles

☆ Lost Truman Capote story published after discovery in notebook
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —An unknown story by Truman Capote has been published for the first time, after it was discovered hiding in plain sight in a red notebook belonging to the acclaimed author. Capote, a famous American writer and novelist, was born in New Orleans in 1924 and died in 1984. “Then in a red notebook, there was a handwritten short story from Truman Capote. “The whole work of finding these unpublished works is something which I have to say is satisfying when it comes to fruition. But generally it’s something very, very frustrating, because you’ll find that you’re always coming up with nothing,” he told CNN.

Persons: Truman Capote, Capote, ”, Andrew F, Gulli, James M, Cain, Iris Greentree, jilts, “ It’s, Ernest Hemmingway, John Steinbeck, H.G, you’re, aren’t Organizations: CNN, of Congress, Truman Locations: American, New Orleans, Washington’s, Sicily, Wells

☆ The Senator’s Shorts and America’s Decline
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Peggy Noonan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Peggy Noonan is an opinion columnist at the Wall Street Journal where her column, "Declarations," has run since 2000. She has been a fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, and has taught in the history department at Yale University. Before entering the Reagan White House, Noonan was a producer and writer at CBS News in New York, and an adjunct professor of Journalism at New York University. She was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up there, in Massapequa Park, Long Island, and in Rutherford, New Jersey. In November, 2016 she was named one of the city's Literary Lions by the New York Public Library.

Persons: Peggy Noonan, ”, ” Noonan, Ronald Reagan, Noonan Organizations: Wall, Journal, NBC News, The, Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, Yale University, Reagan White House, CBS News, Journalism, New York University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Lions, New York Public Library Locations: New York, Brooklyn , New York, Massapequa Park, Long, Rutherford , New Jersey, Rutherford, New York City

☆ Emily Glazer — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Emily Glazer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Emily GlazerEmily Glazer is a reporter focusing on large public company CEOs, board members and corporate governance for The Wall Street Journal's corporate bureau in New York. Her stories often delve into companies going through major changes, such as CEO succession, board shakeups, regulatory investigations or structural shifts. She has covered the evolving role of business leaders impacted by the pandemic and Environmental, Social and Governance factors. Emily also contributes to the Journal’s Personal Board of Directors columns and CEO Council events. Emily has reported for Dow Jones since 2008 in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Persons: Emily Glazer Emily Glazer, Emily, Morgan Chase, Wells, George Polk, Gerald Loeb, Dow Jones Organizations: The, Social, Procter, Gamble, New York Press Club, News Media Alliance, Society of American Business, Facebook, Business, Beat, Public Service, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University Locations: New York, Wells Fargo, Avon, Herbalife, San Francisco, Los Angeles

☆ Warner Bros to expand British studios' production capacity by over 50%
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The exterior of the Warner Bros. REUTERS/Alyssa Pointer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 21 (Reuters) - Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O) on Thursday said it planned to expand production capacity at its Leavesden studios near London by more than 50%, adding 10 new sound stages to the facility where much of the "Barbie" blockbuster and HBO's "House of the Dragon" were filmed. Hunt told Reuters in a telephone interview that the investment would total 245 million pounds ($301 million). Warner Bros said it would increase the value of Leavesden's annual film and television production by 200 million pounds ($245.9 million), bringing it to 600 million pounds ($737.6 million a year, Warner Bros Discovery said. Hunt said the Leavesden project "is a huge vote of confidence in the UK" and will benefit from longstanding British tax breaks for local film and television production.

Persons: Alyssa Pointer, Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, Warner Bros, David Lawder, Chris Reese, Michael Perry Organizations: Warner Bros . Discovery, REUTERS, Warner Bros Discovery, British Finance, Reuters, Warner, Warner Bros, Thomson Locations: Warner Bros . Discovery Atlanta, Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, London, Los Angeles, California, Silicon

☆ A Shamrock partner explains how the $4 billion investment firm stays on top of media and entertainment, where 'every day there's a disruption'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"Every day there's a new article or a story or disruption taking place," Andrew Howard, a partner at Shamrock Capital, told Insider this summer about the firm's media strategies. Shamrock, which is based in California, pursues strategies in the private markets, mainly through equity or debt-based investments. Founded as a family office in the late 1970s for members of the Disney family, the firm has blossomed into an institutional investor exclusively focused on media, entertainment, and communications. Howard likened the speed of today's transformations to the dot-com arms race that defined the Internet landscape two decades ago. "We're coaching kids whose parents are running major studios and companies within media and entertainment," Howard said.

Persons: Andrew Howard, Shamrock, Howard, we're, effectuate Organizations: Shamrock Capital, Disney Locations: California, Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Public support for striking Hollywood actors and writers is broad, but not necessarily deep enough for most people to change their viewing habits, a new poll finds. Half of Americans (50%) approve of writers and actors striking, while 40% are neutral on the topic, and 9% disapprove. About six in 10 Americans have heard “a lot” or “some” about the labor strikes of writers and actors against Hollywood studios. Overall sympathy toward the writers and actors runs much more strongly among Democrats (70%), than Independents (47%) and Republicans (39%). Alternatively, only 10% say it would be good for studios to use AI to help write movies and TV shows.

Persons: “, ”, James Denton, ___, ___ Sanders Organizations: ANGELES, —, Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, Hollywood, Republicans, Guild of America, American Federation of Radio, Television Artists Locations: James Denton of Louisville , Kentucky, Denton, U.S, Washington ,

☆ Podcast: What's next for Murdoch's media empire
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

President Joe Biden promises more aid for Ukraine but must overcome opposition from Republican hardliners. Rupert Murdoch steps down as chairman of Fox and News Corp. Go behind the scenes of Reuters' coverage of the Libya floods. Plus, we visit the flea market in L.A. where striking actors and writers look for other ways to pay the rent. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt out of targeted advertising.

Persons: Joe Biden, Rupert Murdoch, Biden Organizations: Apple, Google, Reuters, Republican, Fox, News Corp, Go, Thomson, Auto, Detroit, Lachlan Striking Hollywood Locations: Ukraine, Libya, L.A, Washington

☆ Zadie Smith Drops In; Drew Barrymore Is Eased Out
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Zadie Smith’s new novel, “The Fraud,” is set in 19th-century England, and introduces a teeming cast of characters at the periphery of a trial in which the central figure claimed to be a long-lost nobleman entitled to a fortune. Smith drew many of the book’s details from the historical record — the trial and the main characters all existed much as they appear in the novel — but as she tells Sarah Lyall on this week’s episode, her archival research was far from dusty or dutiful. “‘Research’ makes it sound really heavy,” Smith says. “It was actually a joy to read about this period and to read books set in the period. We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, and about the Book Review’s podcast in general.

Persons: Zadie, ”, Smith, Sarah Lyall, “, ” Smith, Alexandra Alter, Julia Jacobs, Drew Barrymore, Gilbert Cruz Organizations: Times, Hollywood Locations: England

☆ A Local’s Guide to Portland, Maine and Beyond
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Jessica Battilana | Richard Pedaline | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But Maine’s desirability is nothing new. More recently, the state’s creative spirit has resulted in a dynamic food scene. Kazeem Lawal, the owner of the clothing and accessories store Portland Trading Co., moved from New Jersey to Portland 14 years ago, and has witnessed its stratospheric growth from a small port town to a destination city. “It’s a bit like the Brooklyn of 20 years ago, with old and new coexisting,” he says. “and it’s continuing to grow and evolve, as all cities should and do.”

Persons: Portland’s, Kazeem Lawal, ”, “ Organizations: Artists, of Crafts, Portland Trading Co Locations: Ogunquit, Deer, Rockland, Portland, New Jersey, “, Brooklyn

☆ Warner Bros. to expand UK studios where ‘Barbie’ and ‘Harry Potter’ were filmed
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Warner Bros. Discovery has announced plans for a major expansion of the UK studios where “Barbie” — its biggest movie of all time — was filmed. The “Harry Potter” series and the “House of the Dragon” television show were also shot at the Leavesden studios. News of the UK expansion comes as Warner Bros. CNN is owned by Warner Bros.

Persons: “ Barbie ”, —, ”, Harry Potter, Harry Potter ” Organizations: London CNN — Warner Bros, Discovery, DC Studios, Warner Bros, ’, “, Warner Bros ., Hollywood, Disney, Netflix, CNN, British Film Institute Locations: London, United Kingdom, United States

☆ ‘Sex Education’ Is Back. Here’s What You Need to Know.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Rachel Sherman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

School is back in session for the sweet, sometimes absurd British comedy “Sex Education,” which leans heavily into its streaming-series freedom to portray adolescent sex for what it generally is: awkward, mediocre, part of life. Expect close-ups of patchy pubic hair, belly rolls and many (many) penises — among other physical realities of sex that don’t typically appear in teen stories. Unlike other raunchy teen dramas, like the provocative “Skins” and “Euphoria,” “Sex Education” takes a normalizing, endearingly un-edgy and even occasionally musical approach to the birds and the bees (though the writers would probably choose a more clinical term). In the fourth and final season, now streaming on Netflix, Otis must navigate a new school alongside his effervescent best friend, Eric (Ncuti Gatwa). After the closure of Moordale Secondary School at the end of Season 3, they now face a social hurdle more daunting than trying to become popular: survival as the new kids.

Persons: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, ”, Eric, Ncuti, Moordale Organizations: Otis, Netflix, Moordale Secondary

☆ Striking Hollywood writers, studios to meet again Friday
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Strike signs await striking SAG-AFTRA actors and Writers Guild of America (WGA) outside Disney Studios in Burbank, California, U.S., July 25, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLOS ANGELES, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Negotiators for Hollywood's major studios and striking film and television writers plan to meet again on Friday, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) said in a statement. Roughly 11,500 WGA members walked off the job in May, angered by how working conditions have changed in the streaming TV era. The SAG-AFTRA actors union went on strike in July, putting Hollywood in the midst of two simultaneous work stoppages for the first time in 63 years. Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Kanjyik Ghosh; Editing by Edwina GibbsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mike Blake, Walt Disney, Bob Iger, Ted Sarandos, Donna Langley, David Zaslav, Lisa Richwine, Kanjyik Ghosh, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Writers Guild of America, Disney Studios, REUTERS, CNN, Alliance, Television Producers, WGA, Netflix, Warner Bros Discovery, SAG, Hollywood, Thomson Locations: Burbank , California, U.S

☆ Striking auto workers are highlighting their CEOs' multi-million dollar pay. Here's how much the top bosses at Ford, GM and Stellantis make
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Graham Rapier | Nora Naughton | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

"The reason we ask for 40% pay increases is because in the last four years alone, the CEO pay went up 40%. U.S. companies, in contrast, use grant date value of stock packages awarded to executives during the reporting year. AdvertisementAdvertisementThat's because in some years, talking about a CEO's "realized pay" can obscure exorbitant pay packages approved by company boards. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe CEOs of GM and Ford also saw their compensation packages peak in 2021, before declining slightly in 2022. However you slice the numbers, the gap between CEO pay and rank-and-file workers at all three companies is gigantic.

Persons: Mary Barra's, Shawn Fain, Fain, Mary Barra, James Farley, Jim Hackett, Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, Mike Manley's, Equilar, Tavares, That's, Manley, —, Harry Katz, Tesla, Elon Organizations: UAW, Service, United Auto Workers, Ford, GM, Netflix, Writers Guild of America, WGA, Comcast, Big Three, —, Motors, Chrysler, CBS, Big, General, AP, Equilar, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, French PSA Group, Fiat Chrysler, Institute, Detroit, Cornell University, U.S Locations: Wall, Silicon, Stellantis, American, European

☆ It'll be beginning of 2024 before Hollywood is back to full steam ahead: LightShed's Rich Greenfield
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIt'll be beginning of 2024 before Hollywood is back to full steam ahead: LightShed's Rich GreenfieldRich Greenfield, LightShed Partners co-founder, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the latest in Hollywood writers' strike, as the WGA and heads of multiple studios are expected to head back to the bargaining table today, the chances for an agreement, and more.

Persons: LightShed's Rich Greenfield Rich Greenfield Organizations: Hollywood, LightShed Partners, WGA

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