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15 articles
China's Surprise Tax Prompts Hollywood Standoff
9 hours ago
This story first appeared in the May 10 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. As Iron Man 3 rolls outs in China, it's unclear whether Marvel will hurry to cash any checks from the country. Marvel's parent Disney could be caught in a controversy over revenue that threatens a landmark trade agreement reached last year between U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and China President Xi Jinping. The studios hailed the deal for loosening restrictions on Hollywood films in the booming market. Now they contend that China's attempt to impose a value-added tax that would reduce their profit violates the agreement.
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- Kim Masters , Pamela McClintock
'Two and a Half Men': Jon Cryer Gets a Raise, Ashton Kutcher Doesn't
9 hours ago
Loyalty and patience is paying off for Jon Cryer on Two and a Half Men. Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the Emmy-winning actor, who often serves as the butt of jokes on the hit CBS sitcom, will make about $620,000 an episode (when including perks) to return for the show's 11th season. That's still not on par with Ashton Kutcher's $700,000 fee for each of Men's 22 episodes (translation: $15.4 million, which makes Kutcher the highest-paid sitcom actor on television).
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- Matthew Belloni
Italian Industry Players Discuss Challenges for New Culture Minister
9 hours ago
Rome – Few of the ministers appointed to their posts by newly-installed Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta were familiar to Italians when they were selected to form a government charged with extracting Italy from its protracted political and economic crisis. But among the newest in a group of new faces was Massimo Bray, the country’s new minister of culture. The 54-year-old Bray, a well-regarded former magazine and encyclopedia editor best known for his blog on the Italian-language version of the Huffington Post, is charged with leading a ministry that in Italy has a sprawling mandate. His
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- Eric J. Lyman
Barry Diller's IAC Posts Higher First-Quarter Financials
10 hours ago
Barry Diller's IAC late Tuesday reported higher first-quarter financials as its media assets posted mixed results. The Internet company posted earnings of $53.6 million, up 56 percent from the year-ago period. Revenue rose 16 percent to $742.2 million. The company also detailed mixed financials for its media business, which includes content producers Electus, CollegeHumor and Notional, online video platform Vimeo and the former Newsweek Daily Beast, which is now known as News_Beast. First-quarter media revenue roughly tripled from $15.9 million to $45.3 million. But the media unit's operating loss expanded from $6.7
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- Georg Szalai
'Downton Abbey' Ramps Up Cast for Season 4
12 hours ago
London – Downton Abbey is ramping up its roster of fresh cast, inking a deal with Gary Carr (TV's Death In Paradise) for the hit British costume drama's fourth season. Carr will be the show's first recurring black cast member, playing a "charming and charismatic" young jazz singer. Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes said in November that it would be “rather nice to open it up ethnically a bit,” amid criticism from some over the lack of ethnic diversity among the cast. Carr joins fellow newbie cast members Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Tom Cullen, Julian Ovenden, Nigel Harman, Joanna
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- Stuart Kemp
NBCUniversal Posts Higher First-Quarter Operating Cash Flow
12 hours ago
Comcast on Wednesday reported higher first-quarter operating cash flow for entertainment arm NBCUniversal, even though the company's broadcast business posted weaker results in part due to the year-ago broadcast of the Super Bowl on NBC. The entertainment giant, led by CEO Steve Burke, had operating cash flow of $953 million in the opening quarter of 2013. That was up 17 percent from the $813 million in the year-ago period. Its quarterly revenue came in at $5.34 billion, down 2.4 percent. But adjusting for last year's Super Bowl revenue of $259 million, revenue would have been
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- Georg Szalai
Time Warner Reports Higher First-Quarter Earnings
13 hours ago
Time Warner on Wednesday reported higher first-quarter earnings that exceeded Wall Street expectations. The entertainment conglomerate, led by chairman and CEO Jeffrey Bewkes, posted earnings of $720 million, up 24 percent from the $583 million in the year-ago period. Wall Street had on average predicted a profit of $710 million. Story: Time Warner CEO: 'Nobody' Will Pay for Aereo Service Quarterly revenue amounted to $6.94 billion, down less than 1 percent from $6.98 billion in the year-ago period. Analysts had on average expected $7.15 billion though. Time Warner, which recently said it would spin
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- Georg Szalai
Viacom Quarterly Earnings Decline, Ad Revenue Rises
13 hours ago
Viacom on Wednesday reported lower earnings for its fiscal second quarter, but the company's cable networks unit returned to advertising growth after a period of quarterly declines. The entertainment company, led by CEO Philippe Dauman, said its adjusted profit from continuing operations of $481 million was down from $535 million in the same period a year earlier. Wall Street had on average expected earnings of $475 million, with cost control measures helping the company exceed projections. Story: Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman Slams Cablevision's Lawsuit as 'Frivolous' Revenue came in at $3.14 billion, down 6 percent from the $3.33
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- Georg Szalai
Deanna Durbin, 1930s Child Star, Dies at 91
15 hours ago
Deanna Durbin, who attained worldwide popularity as a child star in the 1930s while starring in a series of musicals, has died. She was 91. The actress' son, Peter H. David, was quoted in a Deanna Durbin Society newsletter saying his mother had died several days ago. He did not provide additional details and thanked her fans for respecting her privacy. Nurtured and promoted by producer Joe Pasternak, the blue-eyed, brown-haired Durbin had been discovered in junior high school in Los Angeles and cast in a series of warm musical comedies. By age 17, she was one of Hollywood's hottest stars.
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- Duane Byrge
'New Girl' Creator Liz Meriwether Talks Flashbacks, Finales and Fornication
17 hours ago
With its romantic arc clipping along at a pace that would make other chemistry-inclined comedies blush, New Girl delivered another watershed moment during Tuesday's episode. The Hollywood Reporter chatted with creator and ep Liz Meriwether about "Virgins" and where it leaves the show as it heads towards the May 14 finale. As they say, spoiler alert. After breaking the romantic tension between Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and Nick (Jake Johnson) with a kiss just three months ago, New Girl ended Tuesday's episode with the awkward duo in bed. It was appropriate, given the episode focused largely on flashbacks to how
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- Michael O'Connell
Amanda Knox's First Interview: 'I Could Have Been More Sensitive'
17 hours ago
After six years of silence, two murder trials and 1,400 days in jail, Amanda Knox finally spoke. Story: Lawyer Bob Barnett: Amanda Knox Book Will 'Shock You to the Core' The Seattle college student who was caught up in the murder of her British roommate Meredith Kercher six weeks after arriving in Perugia, Italy, for a study abroad program gave her first televised interview tonight. She appeared on a one-hour primetime special on ABC hosted by Diane Sawyer. The special coincides with the release today of her memoir, Waiting to Be Heard. Literary Agents:
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- Andy Lewis
Milken Conference: Al Gore Rocks Crowd With Global Warming Speech
19 hours ago
Al Gore, one of Hollywood's favorite sons because of his commitment to the environment, rocked a large crowd in Beverly Hills on Tuesday with an impassioned plea to solve the "climate change crisis," part of which is getting media right. Gore lamented that a modern-day Thomas Paine would not be able to get his "Common Sense" message to the masses today because he couldn't afford TV airtime, and he criticized the "rise of television at the expense of the printing press." Photos: 20 Biggest Political Players in Hollywood But he was most animated, his voice pitching higher and lower and the volume
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- Paul Bond
Melissa McCarthy's 'Tammy' to Hit Theaters July 2014
20 hours ago
Melissa McCarthy's raunchy road trip romp Tammy is set to open in theaters July 2, 2014, hoping to prosper over the long Independence Day holiday. It creates a comedy showdown, since that's the same date that Sex Tape, starring Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz, is set to debut. Photos: Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone's Valentine's Day Photo Shoot From New Line and Warner Bros., Tammy also stars Kathy Bates, while Susan Sarandon is in final talks to board the cast. McCarthy co-wrote the script with husband Ben Falcone, who is directing. Will Ferrell and Adam McKay are producing, along
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- Pamela McClintock
The Power Rankings! The King Stays the King! 'Mad Men' Can't 'Rectify' its Fall! Plus: A Pope in the House!
20 hours ago
Welcome to The Power Rankings! for the week ending April 28. It wasn't a particularly messy week because Game of Thrones had no intention of moving off the seat of power, no matter how strong Rectify was. Mad Men didn't put up much effort this week, but still improved with a glimmer hope. Vikings clings on in its final week, The Americans is still, well, all U-s-a,! U-s-a! and Orphan Black is still an ass-kicker. Next week, I open the doors to some comedies. Let flux and whimsy go on a rampage! And here's
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- Tim Goodman
Analysts Debate Entertainment Stocks Ahead of Earnings Reports
21 hours ago
Analysts debated the outlook for entertainment stocks early this week ahead of Hollywood conglomerates earnings season, which is set to kick off with a big bang Wednesday. In an unusual occurrence, four entertainment giants will report their latest quarterly figures on the same day. Viacom, Time Warner and NBCUniversal owner Comcast will post their financials and hold earnings conference calls in the morning, with CBS Corp. scheduled to present its first-quarter results after the market close. Walt Disney, News Corp. and Sony Corp. will wrap up earnings season by reporting on three separate days next week. With most of
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- Georg Szalai
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