Steve Pond's Blog, page 15

‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Crew Will Be Paid Next Week as Talks With ABC, Disney Continue for Show’s Return

The crew behind “Jimmy Kimmel Live” will be paid next week as conversations continue between the host and Disney executives to find a path for the late night show’s return, TheWrap has learned.

Staffers were notified Friday by the ABC late night show that they would be compensated next week, despite not having a date set for when “Jimmy Kimmel Live” will be back on the air.

Kimmel, Disney executives and the host’s business and legal representatives continued their extensive talks to get the show back on air on Friday, conversations that devoured most of Thursday in the wake of the outrage from ABC, Nexstar and Sinclair’s decision to pause airings of Kimmel on Wednesday due to his comments regarding Charlie Kirk’s murderer.

As TheWrap previously reported, Kimmel had a plan to address the backlash on Wednesday’s show, though the plug was pulled when the veteran host and Disney couldn’t agree on a way to address the outrage in a way that wouldn’t further ruffle feathers on the right. Now, Disney’s conundrum is whether to deescalate the situation — some Disney employees even received death threats this week — or to talk a stand for free speech.

Kimmel hasn’t commented publicly on the situation, and hasn’t been on air since ABC suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Wednesday, “indefinitely” pulling the program from its typical 11:35 p.m. slot.

ABC’s announcement came after Nexstar Media Group, which has more than 200 owned or partner stations in 116 U.S. markets reaching 220 million people, first said it would preempt “Kimmel” broadcasts. Sinclair Broadcasting, which owns, operates or provides services to 178 television stations in 81 markets, followed suit, and said Kimmel’s suspension is “not enough,” demanding that he issue an apology to the Kirk family and make a “meaningful personal donation” to them and Turning Point USA before he returned to their ABC stations.

The comment ABC, Nexstar and Sinclair are specifically taking issue with was said on Kimmel’s Monday broadcast, and referenced the political affiliation of Kirk’s killer.

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said on Monday.

The post ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Crew Will Be Paid Next Week as Talks With ABC, Disney Continue for Show’s Return appeared first on TheWrap.

Caleb Hearon Talks Calling Out ‘Batsh—t’ Conservatism, Finding Emotional Vulnerability in First Comedy Special

For Caleb Hearon, baring it all on stage doesn’t feel vulnerable — it feels natural.

The comedian’s debut standup special “Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian” premieres Friday on HBO, blending deeply personal stories with biting political commentary. Whether he’s talking about his father’s sudden death or “redneck conservatism,” Hearon uses humor to dissect the contradictions of modern American life.

“It doesn’t feel very vulnerable to me,” Hearon told TheWrap. “It’s natural … I’ve tried to just tell the truth about my life and the world as I see it.”

Originally from rural Missouri, Hearon amassed a following through viral TikTok sketches and his popular podcast “So True.” He’s also appeared in “Sweethearts,” “Overcompensating” and “Jurassic World: Dominion.” But no matter the medium, Hearon said his mission is simple: to make people laugh.

A self-described leftist, Hearon doesn’t shy away from politics in his debut special. But he pushes back against stereotypes that progressives are “insufferable, boring, woke scolds.”

“The trans people, the nonbinary people, and the lefties that I hang out with — we make incredibly f-cked up jokes, and we laugh about everything,” he said.

For Hearon, commentating on the state of the world is an integral part of his comedy, and he does not see that changing for some time. Growing up poor in rural Missouri, he says his worldview was shaped by class struggle, and he’s baffled when people are surprised by his progressive politics.

“To me, the only outcome of that experience is leftism and a disdain for rich and powerful people,” he said.

In debut special, he doesn’t hold back, roasting leading conservative figures — from joking about Vice President JD Vance’s mascara to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “gay voice.”

“I think the response to the time we’re living in being conservatism is batsh—t insane, and I think those guys are clowns,” he said. “I feel like, not only do I have a responsibility, but I just have a deep desire to talk about how silly and insane I think that is.”

“Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian” premieres on HBO (Credit: HBO)

One of his sharpest jokes in the special takes aim at the left’s weak attempts to defend transgender people by simply saying they exist. 

“Well, of course they do. They owe me money,” he joked in the special. 

Preparing for his first comedy special, Hearon said it was crucial to build credibility with his audience especially as he broaches touchy subjects like politics, suicide and homophobia. 

“It’s a real intricate balance of trying to talk about serious subjects, sometimes politically or even about yourself,” he said. “If the goal is first and foremost to make people laugh, you really have to structure it in such a way that you know you’re taking care of the audience and letting them know, ‘Hey, it’s okay to laugh.’”

Hearon joked about his own suicidal ideations as a closeted twenty-something gay guy. Now in his thirties, the comedian joked suicide’s more of a young man’s game. 

The standup filmed his special in Chicago, where he got his start in the comedy world. Hearon said he chose the city not only because of his personal connection to it but also because the city knows comedy and how to engage with it.   

“There’s just some cities in the United States where comedy audiences are locked the f-ck in,” he said. 

During a crowd work section of the show, Hearon asks members of the audience to act like his middle school bully. Hearon said he went back and forth on including the bit in the special, but ultimately felt comfortable doing so because of the relationship he built with his crowd. 

While Hearon’s primary goal is to make audiences laugh, he sees being a standup as a customer service job. 

“You paid money to come out and see me do comedy like relax. Let me take care of you,” he said. “Sometimes they just need the permission.”

“To me, it makes me feel less alone in the world to talk about the serious things that we all experience and have to reckon with during our time on Earth,” he said. “I hope that first and foremost, people will laugh at the fact that we’re talking about that in the way I’m talking about it, but then I hope also that people will just feel seen.

“Ultimately, life is a joke. It’s hilarious that we’re alive, and all this sh-t we have to deal with has to be funny, or else, what would we do?”

“Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian” premieres Friday Sept. 19 on HBO and HBO Max.

The post Caleb Hearon Talks Calling Out ‘Batsh—t’ Conservatism, Finding Emotional Vulnerability in First Comedy Special appeared first on TheWrap.

Jason Bateman Reveals Dr. Phil Was Going to Star in ‘Arrested Development’ Movie as George Sr. | Video

Jason Bateman isn’t hopeful that an “Arrested Development” sequel movie will ever happen, but he revealed Thursday more of the proposed cast for Mitchell Hurwitz’s spinoff anyway, saying that none other than Dr. Phil McGraw was slated to play George Sr., the role originated by Emmy winner Jeffrey Tambor.

“Will Ferrell, I think, was talking to Arnett about playing Job,” Bateman said. “Jonah Hill was maybe going to do Michael Cera’s part because I think they were hanging out from ‘Superbad.’ It was cruising.”

The reveal came on Thursday’s episode of “Hot Ones” while promoting his new Netflix series “Black Rabbit.” In February, he revealed that Matt Damon had pitched himself to play a version of Michael Bluth, the character Bateman originated in 2003.

The premise of the movie, Bateman explained, was that Hollywood producers were making a movie about the central Bluth family, so McGraw, Ferrell, Damon and others would play the actors cast to play members of the Bluth family in the movie-within-a-movie.

“We certainly couldn’t play ourselves, because we’re not actors,” Bateman said on Conan O’Brien’s podcast earlier this year, adding that the premise would have Bateman on Michael “on set, watching Matt Damon play Michael Bluth and be so excited.”

“Of course, David Cross would play Tobias in the film as well, because he was an actor,” Bateman said of the character.

“Arrested Development,” the beloved comedy created by Hurwitz, followed the level-headed son Michael Bluth (Bateman) as his unhinged, elitist family grapples with their patriarch, George Sr.’s, imprisonment. The series ran from 2003 to 2006 on Fox before Netflix revived it for two additional seasons in 2013 and 2019.

Watch the “Black Rabbit” star’s “Hot Ones” exchange below:

The post Jason Bateman Reveals Dr. Phil Was Going to Star in ‘Arrested Development’ Movie as George Sr. | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Chief of War’ Creators Break Down ‘Epic’ Season 1 Finale, Share Season 2 Hopes: ‘It Only Gets Bigger’

Note: This story contains spoilers from “Chief of War” Episode 9.

When “Chief of War” co-creator, co-writer, star and producer Jason Momoa set out to direct the Apple TV+ series’ climactic ninth episode, he did so with just one mission in mind. “I wanted to pull off something epic,” the multi-hyphenate performer told TheWrap.

“Epic” is the right word to describe the resulting episode, titled “The Black Desert.” Episode 9 follows the majority of the show’s core characters as they meet in battle atop blackened, seaside fields of volcanic rock. Momoa’s Kaʻiana leads the armies of Kamehameha I (Kaina Makua) in a long anticipated battle against the forces of Kamehameha’s cousin Keōua (Cliff Curtis) in a fight to determine, once and for all, the true ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.

In the ensuing battle, blood is spilled, tongues are ripped out, spears are thrown and lava erupts all before Kaʻiana and Kamehameha ultimately emerge victorious. The violence and scale of the conflict is vividly rendered, and the entire battle is just made all the more impressive by the fact that Momoa directed and starred in it himself. To some, that might have seemed like biting off more than they could chew. But not him.

“Most people don’t know this about me: I love directing. I’ve been doing it for a long time. I want that responsibility,” Momoa confessed. “I operate best in chaos. I operate at such a high speed all the time that I actually love that. Everything becomes very clear to me in those moments.”

Cliff Curtis in “Chief of War” Episode 9 (Apple TV+)

Momoa meticulously planned out the episode’s battle long before cameras started rolling on it. He knew from the beginning that he wanted it to start in the afternoon and spill into the evening. Pulling that off, however, meant shooting the entire sequence in reverse.

“I wanted it to look like we were going from day into blue light and then in the last sequence, as Cliff and I are staring at each other, for there to be a final bit of violet in the sky with the lava underneath. I wanted that standoff to be precisely at that moment in time,” Momoa explained. “So that final standoff was shot in the morning and we pieced everything we shot together backwards.”

“We got up at 3 a.m. and we were out on set at 4 a.m. making sure we had the light right,” he continued. “We just did French hours, basically working right through the day until 3 p.m., and then we started the next day at 3 a.m. again. We did that for eight days.”

The sequence was shot on the real-life lava fields of Kalapana, Hawai’i. To complicate matters further, the nearby volcano of Mauna Loa erupted for the first time in over three decades as filming was ongoing, an event which Momoa called “very much a blessing.”

In hindsight, the “Chief of War” co-creator is aware that his ambitious plans likely seemed insane to those around him. But he was confident the whole time not only about what he wanted to do, but also that he would actually be able to execute it. 

“I knew strategically how I wanted to shoot it, where I could use certain guys as background [extras] and where I could hide cameras to get certain shots,” he told TheWrap. “I had it all mapped out in my head. I think people were a little bit like, ‘You’re f—king crazy,’ but I wanted to pull off something epic, something where you could see the light change and you could see the hours passing and when every moment of the battle was actually happening.”

Moses Goods, Jason Momoa and Te Kohe Tuhaka in “Chief of War” Episode 9 (Apple TV+)

While “The Black Desert” sees Kaʻiana and Kamehameha vanquish their enemies in Hawaiʻi, the threat of the war-mongering King Kahekili (Temuera Morrison) and his Kingdom of O‘ahu still looms large at the end of the episode. That may come as a surprise to those who thought “Chief of War” was a limited series, but even though Apple has not yet greenlit a second season of the historical epic, Momoa and co-creator Thomas Paʻa Sibbett are hopeful that they will be given a chance to continue its story.

“There’s different endings,” Momoa said, when asked about where “Chief of War” Season 1 leaves things. “I gotta tell you, the place where I would want to end it isn’t where it ends.” The conclusion of “The Black Desert,” in which Kaʻiana’s fight for the Hawaiian Islands is left partly unfinished, was a compromise that Momoa and Sibbett were forced to make in order to bring the series’ first season to life.

“We have the endings that we liked and this is the ending that [Apple] liked,” Momoa admitted. “There’s things that needed to happen, and we were handcuffed to a certain extent. I’m really proud that we’re able to even be up here doing this, but make no mistake: It’s been the biggest fight of my life to maintain as much integrity throughout this show as we can. There’s only so much you can do.”

Should they get to continue “Chief of War,” Momoa and Sibbett already know what they want to do next.

“My goal is that there will not be a moment lost [between the Season 1 finale and the next episode],” Momoa said. “We pick up right there. The things that have happened are still right there and it continues on, so when you watch this show — however many seasons it ends up being — it will never flash forward. It will continue seamlessly between seasons, so you can watch it all together.”

Temuera Morrison in “Chief of War” (Apple TV+)

“It only gets bigger, man,” Sibbett chimed in, teasing the expanded scope of the series’ future episodes, which right now exist only in his and Momoa’s minds. “This story absolutely continues and it absolutely blows up. So if this show is for you, just know that it’s only going to get bigger.” 

“All I want is to turn that goddamn camera off and tell you what we’re doing,” Momoa added, bouncing in his chair. “What happens next is… Oh my God. [Laughs] So, man, just tell people to watch the f—king show. Let us finish this.”

“There’s nothing harder I’ve ever done in my life,” Momoa noted, reflecting on his many roles on the show. “But I hope to do more of it. I’m excited for people to see this and love this so we can get the trust of everyone we need to, and then be given the freedom to just go do what still needs to be done.”

“Chief of War” Season 1 is now streaming on Apple TV+.

The post ‘Chief of War’ Creators Break Down ‘Epic’ Season 1 Finale, Share Season 2 Hopes: ‘It Only Gets Bigger’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Tegna-Owned ABC Affiliate in Sacramento Hit by Gunfire Day After Jimmy Kimmel Protest

An ABC10 news broadcast building in Sacramento was struck by gunfire Friday, one day after a protest against the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel was held outside the Tegna-owned affiliate.

Police were called to the scene off Broadway around 1:30 p.m. Pacific Friday. At least three rounds were shot into the building’s front window. No injuries were reported, but the building was occupied at the time, according to local media. There is no suspect or motive at this time.

“We can confirm that shots were fired into our station at KXTV earlier today. While details are still limited, importantly, all of our employees are safe and unharmed,” representatives for Tegna said in a statement to press. “We are fully cooperating with law enforcement and have taken additional measures to ensure the continued safety of our employees.”

The incident occurred one day after a protest was held at the Sacramento site — one of many held nationwide over ABC pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from the air following pressure from the FCC and media groups Nexstar and Sinclair to punish its host for comments made Monday about the Charlie Kirk assassination.

“People cannot collaborate with fascism, and that’s exactly what ABC and Disney was doing,” Chantelle Piper, an organizer with the Revcom Corps for the Emancipation of Humanity in Los Angeles, told TheWrap at a Wednesday protest outside Disney’s Burbank headquarters. “They’re collaborating with fascism and they’re bending the knee and that cannot be allowed,” Piper said. “It’s important that the industry came out and said, ‘We do not agree with this, we do not support this and we condemn that Kimmel was taken off the air.’”

Tegna, which owns the Sacramento affiliate subject to Friday’s shooting, is currently in talks for a $6.2 billion merger with Nexstar. Such a consolidation is subject to FCC chair Brendan Carr’s approval and brings the pressure campaign from the President Donald Trump appointee and Nexstar under greater scrutiny.

It is unclear whether the gunfire Friday was related to the Kimmel protests. TheWrap will update this story with any developments.

The post Tegna-Owned ABC Affiliate in Sacramento Hit by Gunfire Day After Jimmy Kimmel Protest appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Haunted Hotel’ Cast and Character Guide | Photos

For Netflix’s latest animated series, think “Bob’s Burgers” meets “Ghosts.” The new animated comedy “Haunted Hotel” introduces audiences to a family (living and dead) trying to keep their hotel running, no matter how many ghosts, monsters and other manner of creatures try to trip them up.

Created by “Rick & Morty” alum Matt Roller, the series features some familiar faces behind those voices. Here’s a guide to the cast and characters in “Haunted Hotel.”

Will Forte voices Nathan in “Haunted Hotel” (Netflix / Getty Images)Will Forte as Nathan

Will Forte plays Nathan, Katherine’s brother, whose spirit is trapped in the Undervale. Forte is known for “Saturday Night Live,” “MacGruber,” “The Last Man on Earth,” “Nebraska” and” Sweet Tooth.” His voice credits include “The Great North,” “Gravity Falls,” “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” and “Clone High.”

Eliza Coupe voices Katherine in “Haunted Hotel” (Netflix / Getty Images)Eliza Coupe as Katherine

Eliza Coupe voices Katherine, a single mother who runs the haunted Undervale hotel and moves in with her two children after her brother becomes one of the resident ghosts. Coupe’s best-known credits include “Happy Endings,” “Future Man,” “Scrubs,” “Casual,” “House of Lies,” “Pivoting,” “The Residence” and “The Hunting Party.”

Skyler Gisondo voices Ben in “Haunted Hotel” (Netflix / Getty Images)Skyler Gisondo as Ben

“Superman” scene-stealer Skyler Gisondo voices Ben, Katherine’s son and Esther’s brother. Aside from his turn as Jimmy Olsen, Gisondo is best known for “Booksmart,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Santa Clarita Diet,” “The Righteous Gemstones,” “The Bill Engvall Show” and the 2015 “Vacation” remake.

Natalie Palamides voices Esther in “Haunted Hotel” (Netflix / Getty Images)Natalie Palamides as Esther

Actress, comedian and writer Natalie Palamides voices Esther, Katherine’s daughter and Ben’s sister, who has a knack for the supernatural. Palamides’ best-known work includes her voice performance as Buttercup in the 2016 “Powerpuff Girls” reboot and her innovative stage performance “Nate – A One Man Show,” streaming on Netflix. Additional credits include “Grimsburg,” “Tiny Toons Looniversity” and “Merry Little Batman.”

Jimmi Simpson voices Abaddon in “Haunted Hotel” (Netflix / Getty Images)Jimmi Simpson as Abaddon

Jimmi Simpson voices Abaddon, a demon trapped in a young boy’s body, who resides in the hotel and becomes a companion to the family. Simpson has a robust resume of recognizable appearances, including “Dark Matter,” “Westworld,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Pachinko,” “House of Cards,” as well as the fan-favorite “Black Mirror” episode “USS Callister” and its follow-up “Into Infinity.”

“Haunted Hotel” (Netflix)Additional Voices

“Haunted Hotel” also has a robust roster of familiar names adding their voice to the spooky antics from episode to episode, here’s a guide.

Episode 1Maria BamfordGreg ChunKeith DavidJenifer LewisRiki LindhomeMatt RollerRoger Craig SmithPaul F. TompkinsDuncan TrussellEpisode 2Maria BamfordParvesh CheenaRiki LindhomeSunita ManiMatt RollerFred TatascioreDuncan TrussellCedric YarboughEpisode 3Tony CavaleroGaten MatarazzoBenjamin NorrisRandall ParkBenjamin PlessalaFred TatascioreKari WahlgrenEpisode 4Diedrich BaderEugene CorderoHolley FainJon GlaserBobby MoynihanFred TatascioreEpisode 5Siena EastJan JohnsPhil LaMarrRiki LindhomeSunita ManiMatt RollerRoger Craig Smith“Haunted Hotel” (Netflix)Episode 6Ben BalmacedaMelissa FumeroRiki LindhomeJim RashMatt RollerCarl TartFrew TarverFred TatascioreDuncan TrussellKari WahlgrenPatrick WarburtonCedric YarbroughEpisode 7Greg GallantPhil LaMarrSunita ManiKevin Michael RichardsonMatt RollerDuncan TrussellEpisode 8Diedrich BaderMaria BamfordLauren CuljakBeth GrantBenjamin PlessalaMel RodriguezMatt RollerDavid SobolovDuncan TrussellCedric YarbroughEpisode 9Fred TatascioreMatt RollerEpisode 10Riki LindhomeKumail NanjianiAngourie RiceMatt RollerRoger Craig SmithDuncan Trussell

The post ‘Haunted Hotel’ Cast and Character Guide | Photos appeared first on TheWrap.

Where to Watch ‘Swiped’: Is Lily James’ New Movie in Theaters or Streaming?

The world of dating was forever modernized by apps like Bumble and Tinder, but how exactly did those come to exist? Well, “Swiped” is here to tell you.

Directed and co-written by Rachel Lee Goldenberg, the film introduces viewers to Whitney Wolfe, played by Lily James. Wolfe is the woman who would go on to create these apps, specifically in an effort to help women in the dating scene.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is the release date?

“Swiped” premiered at TIFF on Sept. 9, 2025, but went wide on Friday, Sept. 19.

Is it streaming?

It is indeed. You can watch “Swiped” now on Hulu.

Is “Swiped” in theaters?

No, the film is a streaming exclusive.

Is it based on a true story?

Yes, it is. “Swiped” tells the story of Whitney Wolfe (James), who founded the online dating platform Bumble, as well as Tinder, and became the youngest female self-made billionaire.

Watch the trailer

The post Where to Watch ‘Swiped’: Is Lily James’ New Movie in Theaters or Streaming? appeared first on TheWrap.

Pamela Anderson and Sons Developing ‘Barb Wire’ Series From New Production Company

Pamela Anderson and her sons, Brandon Thomas Lee and Dylan Jagger Lee, are in the midst of developing a series adaptation of “Barb Wire” as a part of their newly launched production company, TheWrap has learned.

The new series, based on the Dark Horse Comics’ comic book character, will mark the first project for Anderson’s new company, which is titled And-Her-Sons. UCP and Dark Horse Entertainment are also on board to produce the series, according to an individual with knowledge of the project. Anderson’s reps did not immediately respond to request for comment and UCP declined to comment.

Anderson is attached to executive produce the series alongside Thomas Lee for And-Her-Sons Productions, though discussions about whether Anderson will appear on screen are still underway. Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg are also attached to EP via Dark Horse Entertainment.

The TV series will center Barbara Kopetski, aka Barb Wire, the baddest bounty hunter on the mean streets of Steel Harbor. “Armed with her arsenal, motorcycle and an attitude that just won’t quit, Barb is willing to right any wrong in Steel Harbor – if the price is right,” per the official logline.

Barb Wire, a character created by Chris Warner, first appeared in “Comics’ Greatest World: Steel Harbor” in 1993, before Anderson starred in 1996 film “Barb Wire” from Dark Horse Entertainment.

“Barb has become an iconic, celebrated character and we are thrilled to partner with Universal and Dark Horse to give her a second chance on-screen,” Thomas Lee wrote in a Friday social media post. “‘Barb Wire’ was my mother’s first lead role in a major feature and the perfect project to launch my family’s And-Her-Sons production company. We are committed to Barb’s legacy and ensuring she gets the moment she deserves. DON’T CALL ME BABE!”

UCP and Dark Horse Entertainment’s past collaborations include “The Umbrella Academy” and “Resident Alien.”

Anderson is represented by CAA and Hansen Jacobson.

The post Pamela Anderson and Sons Developing ‘Barb Wire’ Series From New Production Company appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Black Rabbit’ Creators Unpack the Show’s Heartbreaking Finale: ‘There Was Always a Sense of Inevitability’

Note: This story contains spoilers from the “Black Rabbit” finale.

Jason Bateman and Jude Law may not have always known which character they were going to play in Netflix’s “Black Rabbit,” but their roles were never a mystery to creators Zach Baylin and Kate Susman. “That has been a revelation of this press tour for us,” Susman told TheWrap, in reference to the actors’ recent comments.

Law stars in the eight-part crime drama as Jake Friedkin, the hustling owner of a New York City restaurant that is on the verge of finally becoming one of the city’s premier dining spots. His plans — and life — are thrown into disarray by the return of his estranged, former addict brother Vince (Bateman), whose reemergence catches the attention of a loan shark family he never paid back.

“When we first talked about the project with Jude, he was always Jake to us,” Susman said, remembering Law’s familiarity with the places in New York that partly inspired the series. “Jude right away tapped into the touch points of this world.” As for Bateman, Susman revealed that she and Baylin were excited to not only work with him as a director (he helmed the series’ first two episodes) but also cast him as Vince, an “unhinged wild card” who gave him the chance to play a kind of character “we don’t get to see him do a lot.”

“We all have a relationship with Jason from years of watching him on TV. A lot of times, when we think about him in, say, ‘Arrested Development,’ he’s the character in the family who is shouldering all the burden,” Baylin explained. “It felt very exciting to us to have him be the burden.” That said, both writers were nervous to find out how comfortable Bateman would be going to the places onscreen they wanted Vince to go.

“I remember wondering, ‘Oh, is he gonna be uncomfortable with this? Do we have to back this character up at all?’ Because he’s usually very easy to identify with,” Susman divulged. “But he immediately was like, ‘No, dig in. Make him dirty. Take it there.’ We were like, ‘Great. Let’s push the envelope as far as we can on who this guy is and what he does.'”

Baylin believes the choice greatly helped the show, if only because Bateman made it easier for them — and viewers — to look past Vince’s flaws. “I think Jason is so likable as a person that Vince gets away with a lot more than he would because it’s Jason,” the Oscar-nominated “King Richard” screenwriter said. “That was a kind of revelation to us, too.”

Jason Bateman as Vince Friedkin in “Black Rabbit” (Netflix)

Bateman’s Vince is at the center of the “Black Rabbit” finale. He and Jake spend much of the episode the same way they did the previous seven — running for their lives. At one point, the two brothers are literally sprinting through the streets of New York trying to evade the wrath of Joe Mancuso (Troy Kotsur), the loan shark whose son Vince has killed, but also the police. It all comes to a sudden, halting end, though, once Vince and Jake make it back to the Black Rabbit, the restaurant they bought and founded together.

Once there, Vince comes to realize the destruction and trouble he has wrought on his family’s lives. In an effort to relieve Jake and everyone else of the weight of his problems, he kills himself by leaping off the restaurant’s roof. It is a heartbreaking moment, and it paves the way for the finale’s closing minutes, in which Jake is shown leaving the Rabbit and his penthouse apartment behind in favor of a new life bartending at someone else’s restaurant.

According to Baylin and Susman, this ending was, just like Bateman and Law’s roles in the show, part of their vision for “Black Rabbit” all along.

Jason Bateman in “Black Rabbit” Episode 8 (Netflix)

Vince’s death is tragic, but Jason plays it in a way that feels cathartic for Vince, too. How did his performance shape or reshape the character’s final moments?

Susman: Vince was a much darker character on the page. When we started rehearsals with Jason, we realized that he can’t help himself but be witty and charming. The very first scene, the first day we shot, was the scene with him in the car in Reno, and immediately Zach and I looked at each other behind the monitor and were like, “That’s him. That’s Vince.” It was like we didn’t know exactly who he was before that. And in that moment, we just knew, “We get this. We know exactly who this is now.”

Was he always going to die at the end?

Baylin: That was always the intention. There was always this sense of it being a sacrifice at the end. It’s seeded very early in the show. Vince alludes to [suicidal thoughts] early on, and I think there was always a sense of inevitability to that. When Kate said Vince was originally darker, he was more of a depressive character than Jason actually portrayed him to be. 

He has a lot of confidence in the show for someone who has f—ked up so much. He still feels incredibly emboldened and righteous in his decisions and his way of life. That was something amazing that Jason brought to it. And because Jason is such an engaging and charismatic person, that final act for Vince, I think it feels cathartic and almost giving to Jake in a way that we definitely wanted it to feel, but we weren’t sure we could evoke on the page.

Was there ever a moment when you considered swapping his and Jake’s fates?

Baylin: Back when we pitched it to Jason and Jude and Netflix, this was the ending. Not necessarily the location of where it happens, but the idea was always that Vince was going to try to help his brother in some way he thought he could.

Jude Law in “Black Rabbit” Episode 8 (Netflix)

In the end, are we meant to assume that Jake willingly sells the Rabbit? Or is it forcibly taken away from him?

Baylin: I think he has to sell the restaurant so that it doesn’t exist anymore. He goes on to have a much humbler career, but I think he is also unshackled from that kind of ambition that previously drove him. We built that restaurant. There was a real exterior and then we had an amazing production designer, Alex DiGerlando, who built the three stories of that restaurant on a set. That became like our home. We wrote episodes seven and eight in the restaurant, so it was really heartbreaking when we broke it down. 

Susman: Once Vince is gone and Jake is in that moment outside the restaurant where he is waiting for the detective to come down, it’s kind of like that part of his life is over now. He’s ready to make a break from that.

The Rabbit is such an integral part of the series. Was there a part of you that didn’t want to let it go, either?

Baylin: There was a lot of talk in the writer’s room about what would happen to the restaurant. I remember we were like, ‘We don’t know. Maybe it continues,’ and everyone else said, ‘This restaurant is f—ked. No one is going back to eat at the restaurant where all this happened.’ We were like, ‘Yeah, OK.’ In the end, we had to be like Jake and reluctantly give it up.

Jude Law in “Black Rabbit” (Netflix)

Jake loses almost everything, but he also seems more at peace at the end. How do you feel about where he ends up?

Susman: A lot of the show is about ambition and the ambition of being a New Yorker, for starters. Everyone who lives here, has spent time here, knows exactly what that is and the kind of buzz, armor and blood pressure you have to find to make it in the city. So the story for Jake is really about what end he is pursuing and what that ambition ultimately does to him.

Baylin: When we meet Jake, he’s got a mask on. He’s wearing this black suit and he’s driving this car that is an embodiment of him. He’s on his phone when he should be with his son. It’s not a huge transition, but by the end of it, he’s sort of unshackled himself from some of the veneer from before. He takes the subway. He walks his son to school. I think he’s tried to stop reaching for something that was maybe an ideal of what he wanted his life to be and is trying to be at peace with something simpler.

The finale ends with “Isle of Joy.” Given how much tragedy occurs in “Black Rabbit,” it’d be easy to view that needle drop as a bit cynical. How do you see it?

Baylin: I don’t think that is meant to be viewed as sardonic. I see it as more hopeful — in a kind of yearning and nostalgic way.

The post ‘Black Rabbit’ Creators Unpack the Show’s Heartbreaking Finale: ‘There Was Always a Sense of Inevitability’ appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Weapons’ and ‘Barbarian’ Producer BoulderLight Joins Paramount in New Deal

Producers J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules will be joining Paramount as principals of a new genre label in a landmark deal.

Under the deal, which goes into effect at the expiration of their deal with Warner Bros. in January, Lifshitz and Margules will develop, produce and release a slate of what Paramount describes as “high-concept, boundary-pushing films for which they have become known.” The venture marks Paramount’s continued expansion into the genre space and builds on Lifshitz and Margules’ reputation as two of the most innovative voices in the field.

The duo’s BoulderLight Pictures will have the option to participate as equity co-financiers on projects within the deal.

“J.D. and Rafi have distinguished themselves as two standout visionaries of the ‘premium pulp’ genre, while also proving their prowess across all genres,” Paramount Pictures co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg said in a statement. “With a track record of films that are both critically acclaimed and audience-beloved, we are so thrilled that they’re making their home at Paramount Pictures. Together, we cannot wait to bring moviegoers even more inventive and visceral stories that are like nothing seen before on the big screen.”

“From the moment we first met, we’ve felt a deep connection and alignment with Josh, Dana and David. Their commitment to theatrical volume, passion for cinema and visionary approach to the future of media is inspiring and speaks to our shared values,” Lifshitz and Margules said jointly. “We look forward to working together to build something tremendous for both filmmakers and audiences. We are grateful for David, Mike, Pam, Richard and everyone at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Discovery. We could not be more excited for this next chapter.”

BoulderLight’s slate includes the recent Zach Cregger’s horror hit “Weapons,” Netflix’s “Woman of the Hour” and A24’s comedy “Friendship.” Upcoming projects include the horror film “Buddy” starring Cristin Milioti and WWII thriller “Play Dead” from genre auteur Jaume Collet-Serra.

They are represented by Range Media Partners.

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