Steve Pond's Blog, page 2040
December 13, 2019
Colbert Wonders if Trump Wants a Space Force to Protect Us From Baby Yoda (Video)
On the last episode of “The Late Show” of the week, Stephen Colbert took a minute to poke some fun at a recent legislative victory Donald Trump enjoyed, and shout out to a popular meme at the same time.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a $738 billion military spending bill that, in addition to being passed without anyone demanding to know how it will be paid for, included funding for Trump’s proposed Space Force wing of the military.
“Lotta high tech threats up there,” Colbert said in his Trump impression. “I hear they’ve been making smaller, and much more portable Yodas.”
But he didn’t just reference successful “Star Wars” merchandising. Colbert also noted how Trump recently bragged about what Space Force would be like in an extremely weird way, calling it “one of the biggest applause of anything.”
“It’s one of the biggest ‘applause’?” Colbert asked incredulously. Then, sliding into his Trump impression, he continued, “I’ll do anything people will clap for. Who wants Free Beer Force? How about Name of the Town I’m In Force?
“But,” Colbert noted, “space isn’t as lofty as it sounds,” mainly because as currently envisioned it will be a sub-branch of the Air Force and staffed by Air Force personnel currently working on space-related business.
But that gave Colbert an in to end the gag on a fun note. “That’s right,” he said as the camera pulled way, way above him. “Space Force’s headquarters will be in PREEXISTING OFFICE SPAAAAAACE.”
Watch the whole clip below:
TONIGHT: Trump is finally getting his….SPAAAAAACCCCEEEEEE FORRRCCCCEEEEE! #LSSC pic.twitter.com/VGEvy64vuS
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) December 14, 2019
Related stories from TheWrap:
House Judiciary Committee Approves Articles of Impeachment Against Trump
Trevor Noah Examines How Much He Thinks the Trumps Are 'A–holes' – and It's a Lot (Video)
Colbert Explains How Trump Impeachment Is Like a Questionable Oscars Winner (Video)
Poppy Montgomery Crime Drama ‘Reef Break’ Canceled on ABC After One Season
ABC has canceled the crime drama “Reef Point,” starring Poppy Montgomery, after just one season.
The hour-long drama starred Montgomery as Cat Chambers, a thief-turned-fixer for the governor of a Pacific Island paradise. The 13-episode first, and now only, season premiered in June. The show was based on an idea of Montgomery’s, with former “Numb3rs” showrunner Ken Sanzel attached to write and executive produce. A French-co-production, “Reef Break” was made by ABC Studios and ABC Studios International in partnership with M6, where it aired in France.
The show’s cancellation comes just a week after a shakeup at ABC Studios International, which produced “Reef Break” alongside Montgomery’s Wild Poppy Entertainment production outfit, as Disney reevaluates its overseas business following the 20th Century Fox purchase. Managing Director Keli Lee stepped down on Dec. 6 and, according to an individual familiar with the matter, Disney Television Studios is seeking to shift the creative direction of its international operation now that 20th Century Fox Television has been added to its portfolio.
Alongside Montgomery, “Reef Break” also starred Ray Stevenson, Desmond Chiam, Melissa Bonne and Tamela Shelton. It was created for ABC by Ken Sanzel and distributed by Disney Media Distribution.
Related stories from TheWrap:
House Judiciary Committee Approves Articles of Impeachment Against Trump
Trevor Noah Examines How Much He Thinks the Trumps Are 'A–holes' – and It's a Lot (Video)
‘Richard Jewell': Reporter Kathy Scruggs’ Editor Pushes Back on Writer Billy Ray’s Criticisms
“Richard Jewell” screenwriter Billy Ray is getting pushback from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution editor of reporter Kathy Scruggs, saying that Ray damaged the reputation of a woman “who can’t do anything at all now to recover” it.
Bert Roughton, who was Scruggs’ editor in verifying her reporting on the Jewell case during the 1996 Olympics, took issue with Clint Eastwood’s film for specifically criticizing and naming her, rather than himself, other managing editors or the news outlet as a whole.
Scruggs died in 2001 of a drug overdose after years of depression that resulted from the paper being sued by Jewell for defamation. The paper ultimately defended and won the lawsuit. Neither she nor Jewell are around to comment on – or defend – their depiction in the film.
Also Read: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff 'Appalled' by 'Richard Jewell' Portrayal of Reporter, Journalism
“If Billy Ray had wanted to write a screenplay that took on the newspaper as an institution and the editors of the newspaper, including me and named me and attacked me and characterized me, that would be one thing, because I can defend myself,” Roughton told TheWrap. “Kathy was doing her job, bringing in a story independent of that. The decision of whether to publish that or name Jewell was not up to Kathy. I think his assertion is absolutely specious. If he wants to take on our decision making or take me on or our managing editor, whomever, he should do that, but that’s not what he did in this film.”
Much of the debate has concerned a moment in the film that suggests Scruggs had sex with an FBI agent in order to get a story tip on Jewell, something the AJC and Roughton say there is no evidence to support.
However, on Thursday, Ray spoke to Deadline and said the AJC was deflecting by focusing on “one single minute in a movie that’s 129 minutes long” and criticized the AJC for its reporting at the time.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.
“The AJC hung Richard Jewell, in public,” Ray said. “They editorialized wildly and printed assumptions as facts. They compared him to noted mass murderer Wayne Williams. And this was after he had saved hundreds of lives. Now a movie comes along 23 years later, a perfect chance for the AJC to atone for what they did to Richard and to admit to their misdeeds. And what do they decide to do? They launch a distraction campaign. They deflect and distort…opting to challenge one assertion in the movie rather than accepting their own role in destroying the life of a good man. The movie isn’t about Kathy Scruggs; it’s about the heroism and hounding of Richard Jewell, and what rushed reporting can do to an innocent man. And by the way, I will stand by every word and assertion in the script.”
Warner Bros. had no comment for this story, and Ray did not immediately respond.
Also Read: Olivia Wilde on 'Richard Jewell': 'I Did Not Have a Say' in Portrayal of Female Reporter
Roughton defended his decision making at the time of choosing to publish the Jewell story and naming him as a suspect as “completely reasonable,” and he says he’s heard “second guessing” from critics for the last 23 years.
“We had an accurate story verified completely that was on a very important public issue involving the public coming down on this one guy. I think it’s absolutely debatable, and I think it’s a great debate to have of when to name people, when we shouldn’t. At that time we decided to name Richard Jewell. And if anyone believes that Richard Jewell’s name would not have been brought up to the public within 24 hours one way or another or dependent on whether we decided to hold our story, wasn’t paying attention. The FBI was outside his house. They were planning to interview him. They were executing warrants. His name would’ve surfaced one way or the other,” Roughton said.
“It’s just some kind of fantasy that had our newspaper decided not to name Richard Jewell that somehow he would’ve been protected and somehow his reputation wouldn’t have been harmed at the time.”
Also Read: Fox News' Jesse Watters Defends 'Richard Jewell': Female Reporters Sleep With Sources 'All the Time'
But Roughton said a movie that aims to clear Richard Jewell’s name and criticize the press should not do so “by damaging a woman who cannot speak for herself and who can’t do anything at all now to recover her reputation.”
“Films are very powerful. They’re dramatic in that they created that film of making Kathy Scruggs to be this force of evil without any conscious of thinking at all about what she was doing and the implication,” Roughton said. “It’s going to linger for a long time. I don’t know how she’ll ever be able to recover her reputation.”
Roughton also defended Scruggs meticulousness as a reporter and said not only was there no evidence to suggest she ever slept with a source but that it would not be her “style.” He said he’s seen “Richard Jewell” twice and disagreed with other scenes in the film, including one in which she obtains a scoop by hiding in the backseat of someone’s car.
Also Read: 'Richard Jewell' Film Review: Clint Eastwood's Wrong-Man Docudrama Muddles Harrowing True Story
“The sequence of events when I was dealing with her on this story, it doesn’t make sense to me. Her conversation with her primary source was very detailed, was the kind of thing that you had to be taking careful, knowing that you had to be paying close attention. And she got in touch with me very quickly after she finished having that conversation. I don’t see anyway that she would’ve had time to stop and have sex with somebody. And it would’ve been out of character for Kathy,” Roughton told TheWrap. “I was absolutely astounded by her depiction as her as a demonic, crazed victim who has not one sense of propriety, was awfully rude to her colleagues, was the kind of person who would bully a managing editor into publishing a story.”
Earlier this month, the AJC sent a letter threatening producers and filmmakers with legal action over the “malicious fabrications,” and called for a boycott of the film. The letter, from the law offices of Lavely & Singer accused the filmmakers of acting “recklessly” and “engaging in constitutional malice” due to the film’s portrayal of Scruggs. The paper demanded that the filmmakers issue a public statement that acknowledges they took dramatic and artistic licenses with the story, and that a prominent disclaimer is added to the film.
On Monday, Warner Bros. issued a statement in response to the AJC’s legal demand saying the film was based “on a wide range of highly credible source material.”
“There is no disputing that Richard Jewell was an innocent man whose reputation and life were shredded by a miscarriage of justice,” the statement read. “It is unfortunate and the ultimate irony that the Atlanta Journal Constitution, having been a part of the rush to judgment of Richard Jewell, is now trying to malign our filmmakers and cast. ‘Richard Jewell’ focuses on the real victim, seeks to tell his story, confirm his innocence and restore his name. The AJC’s claims are baseless and we will vigorously defend against them.”
Further, “Richard Jewell” does conclude with a disclaimer — something that has always been in the film and not added in recent weeks — according to an individual with knowledge of the project.
“The film is based on actual historical events. Dialogue and certain events and characters contained in the film were created for the purposes of dramatization,” the disclaimer reads.
“Richard Jewell” opens in theaters Friday.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Richard Jewell' Faces Boycott Calls Over 'Egregiously Sexist' Depiction of Reporter
Warner Bros. Calls Atlanta Journal-Constitution's 'Richard Jewell' Legal Claims 'Baseless'
Did Clint Eastwood Troll Pro-Impeachment Democrats With 'Quid Pro Quo' Line in 'Richard Jewell'?
‘The Blacklist’ Bosses on What Fall Finale’s Big Red Reveal Means for Katarina and Liz’s Future
(Warning: This story contains spoilers for Friday’s fall finale of “The Blacklist,” titled “Katarina Rostova.”)
“The Blacklist” fans have known for a little while now that Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader) isn’t actually Raymond “Red” Reddington, but Ilya Koslov. And if you had finally come to terms with that shocking reveal within the mythology of the NBC drama, then Friday’s fall finale probably broke your brain, seeing as we met the real (and unconscious) Ilya Koslov — and so did Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone).
And that big identity reveal was actually the second Liz went through during the hour, as the top of the episode opened with a serious chat between her and Katarina Rostova (Laila Robins), her friendly next door neighbor who she just found out is actually her super-spy mom. Once she kinda made her peace with Katarina’s abandonment and lying, that’s when she found out about Red’s lie, as Katarina showed Liz the real Ilya is currently lying in a coma in a hospital bed in her apartment.
Then the episode ended with Red thinking he tracked down and killed Katarina, only for her to contact Liz and reveal she had faked her death and would continue to search for the answers that would help her escape the Townsend Directive — including the truth about Red’s identity. And it looks like Liz is going to keep her mother’s survival a secret and side with her, at least for the time being. But why?
Also Read: 45 Most Shocking TV Character Deaths of 2019, From 'Game of Thrones' to 'Stranger Things' (Photos)
“The short answer is that Liz knows that there are truths out there that Red has withheld from her,” executive producer John Eisendrath told TheWrap. “In fact, the main piece of Katarina’s argument, why Liz should trust her and not Red, is when she brings Liz in to see Ilya in her apartment and to prove to her that Red has been not honest with her about his true identity. And Liz wants answers, not only about that question, but about whatever it is that Katarina has been looking for all year. And I think by the end of the episode, though she does not trust her mother implicitly, she does believe that the answers that she is looking for — that Red clearly remains unwilling to give her — are more likely to come if she helps her mother. So it’s as much out of self interest that Liz helps Katarina as it is out of love for her mother.”
“That reveal that Ilya Koslov is lying in Katarina’s apartment was a big part of Liz’s turn against Red,” creator/executive producer Jon Bokenkamp added. “She’s been led to believe by Dom, and sort of by Red, that Red is Ilya Koslov. And Red never corrected her on that.”
Bokenkamp tells us you shouldn’t hold your breath if you’re hoping for an answer about Red’s identity anytime soon, seeing as “The Blacklist’s” seventh season won’t be back from hiatus until March — and because they don’t plan on revealing his identity quickly.
Also Read: Winter TV 2020: Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows (Photos)
“The truth that Katarina is after, the truth that she believes can save her and call off the Townsend Directive, is connected to his identity and connected to who he really is,” Bokenkamp says. “And if she can unlock this, she can unlock a truth that is at the core of the mythology of the show. So are we going to answer it immediately? Absolutely not. Is it on the front burner and something that is driving everything that is happening? Absolutely.”
Eisendrath added: “I think it’s safe to say you’ll get an answer as to who Raymond Reddington is whenever NBC tells us we will be ending the series.”
Here’s what Bokenkamp would tell us about where the show picks up in the spring: “Because of where we leave off — because Reddington believes that Katarina is dead and it appears to him the genie is back in the bottle and we can go on about business — the dynamic of the show shifts just a little bit. It becomes a little bit lighter, a little bit more fun. We have a great two-parter when we come back in March and we’re gonna have a ton of fun. But boiling underneath all that is this Katarina-Liz relationship that is still growing and is going to take us to some uncharted territory in the show.”
Also Read: Midseason TV 2020: Complete List of Premiere Dates for New and Returning Broadcast Shows
If you’re nervous about that relationship, Bokenkamp says he thinks you “should trust Katarina.”
“I think we have seen in her sort of an emotional resonance or emotional truth, a level of which she’s invested in this — she’s not just a straight-up bad guy,” he said. “She’s obviously pained and tortured by what’s happening and wants justice. And I think sometimes people forget that Reddington is a criminal. He’s a murder. He’s a bad guy. As much as he’s protected Liz and had her best interest at heart, he is still, you know, one of the most wanted men in the world.”
“So we put it in context of who Katarina is and what she’s looking for. I think her intent is right and she wants answers and justice and it’s an interesting, if not potentially dangerous, relationship for Liz to connect to. But I think we can trust her, as much as we can trust anybody on the show.”
“The Blacklist” Season 7 returns in March on NBC.
Related stories from TheWrap:
45 Most Shocking TV Character Deaths of 2019, From 'Game of Thrones' to 'Stranger Things' (Photos)
Winter TV 2020: Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows (Photos)
Here’s Every TV Show We Lost in 2019, From ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ to ‘Mr Robot’ (Photos)
Between the much-savaged final season of “Game of Thrones,” the decimation of Marvel’s TV universe and the dozens of other shows either concluded or canceled, 2019 saw more than its fair share of TV casualties. Here are 117 shows that won’t live to see 2020.
“A Series of Unfortunate Events” (Netflix) Final episode January 1
“Friends from College” (Netflix) Final episode January 11
“Rel” (Fox) Final episode January 13
“Happy Together” (CBS) Final episode January 14
“Wayne” (YouTube Premium) Final episode January 16
“The Punisher” (Netflix) Final episode January 18
“Steven Universe” (Cartoon Network) Final episode January 21
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix) Final episode January 25
“Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television” (YouTube Premium) Final episode January 30
“Counterpart” (Starz) Final episode February 17
“Berlin Station” (Epix) Final episode February 17
“Lethal Weapon” (Fox) Final episode February 26
“The Gifted” (Fox) Final episode February 26
“Crashing” (HBO) Final episode March 10
“The Passage” (Fox) Final episode March 11
“Teachers” (TV Land) Final episode March 19
“Deadly Class” (Syfy) Final episode March 20
“Step Up: High Water” (YouTube Premium) Final episode March 20
“The OA” (Netflix) Final episode March 22
“Hot Streets” (Adult Swim) Final episode March 24
“Broad City” (Comedy Central) Final episode March 28
“Santa Clarita Diet” (Netflix) Final episode March 29
“SMILF” (Showtime) Final episode March 31
“You’re the Worst” (FXX) Final episode April 3
“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (The CW) Final episode April 5
“Those Who Can’t” (truTV) Final episode April 8
“The Tick” (Amazon Video) Final episode April 9
“Splitting Up Together” (ABC) Final episode April 9
“Fam” (CBS) Final episode April 11
“Speechless” (ABC) Final episode April 12
“Being Mary Jane” (BET) Final episode April 23
“Gotham” (Fox) Final episode April 25
“Chambers” (Netflix) Final episode April 26
“Tuca & Bertie” (Netflix) Final episode May 3
“Into the Badlands” (AMC) Final episode May 6
“Shadowhunters” (Freeform) Final episode May 6
“Star” (Fox) Final episode May 8
“Proven Innocent” (Fox) Final episode May 10
“The Cool Kids” (Fox) Final episode May 10
“Sneaky Pete” (Amazon Video) Final episode May 10
“Easy” (Netflix) Final episode May 10
“Veep” (HBO) Final episode May 12
“Now Apocalypse” (Starz) Final episode May 12
“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS) Final episode May 16
“Busy Tonight” (E!) Final episode May 16
“For the People” (ABC) Final episode May 16
“The Red Line” (CBS) Final episode May 19
“Game of Thrones” (HBO) Final episode May 19
“The Enemy Within” (NBC) Final episode May 20
“The Fix” (ABC) Final episode May 20
“The Kids Are Alright” (ABC) Final episode May 21
“The Village” (NBC) Final episode May 21
“Whiskey Cavalier” (ABC) Final episode May 22
“Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists” (Freeform) Final episode May 22
“She’s Gotta Have It” (Netflix) Final episode May 24
“Ransom” (CBS) Final episode May 25
“The Inspectors” (CBS) Final episode May 25
“Last Call with Carson Daly” (NBC) Final episode May 25
“Happy!” (Syfy) Final episode May 29
“Cloak & Dagger” (Freeform) Final Episode May 30
“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” (syndication) Final Episode May 31
“Paradise Hotel” (Fox) Final Episode June 6
“Designated Survivor” (Netflix) Final Episode June 7
“Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas” (HBO) Final Episode June 7
“Abby’s” (NBC) Final Episode June 13
“Jessica Jones” (Netflix) Final Episode June 14
“Steve” (syndication) Final Episode June 26
“Life in Pieces” (CBS) Final Episode June 27
“The Son” (AMC) Final Episode June 29
“Big Little Lies” (HBO) Final Episode July 21
“The Code” (CBS) Final Episode July 22
“Strange Angel” (CBS All Access) Final Episode July 25
“Andi Mack” (Disney Channel) Final Episode July 26
“Orange Is the New Black” (Netflix) Final Episode July 26
“Twelve Forever” (Netflix) Final Episode July 29
“Wahlburgers” (A&E) Final Episode July 31
“Jane the Virgin” (The CW) Final Episode July 31
“iZombie” (The CW) Final Episode August 1
“Swamp Thing” (DC Universe) Final Episode August 2
“Million Dollar Mile” (CBS) Final Episode August 3
“No Good Nick” (Netflix) Final Episode August 5
“Divorce” (HBO) Final Episode August 5
“Legion” (FX) Final Episode August 12
“Krypton” (Syfy) Final Episode August 14
“The InBetween” (NBC) Final Episode August 14
“Elementary” (CBS) Final Episode August 15
“The Detour” (TBS) Final Episode August 20
“Baskets” (FX) Final Episode August 22
“Instinct” (CBS) Final Episode August 25
“Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” (A&E) Final episode August 26
“I Ship It CW” (Seed) Final episode August 29
“Vice News Tonight” (HBO) Final episode September 6
“Grand Hotel” (ABC) Final episode September 9
“Pearson” (USA) Final episode September 11
“BH90210” (Fox) Final episode Spetember 11
“Page Six TV” (syndication) Final episode September 13
“Killjoys” (Syfy) Final episode September 20
“Suits” (USA) Final episode September 25
“Transparent” (Amazon) Final episode September 27
“Preacher” (AMC) Final episode September 29
“Shepard Smith Reporting” (Fox News) Final episode October 11
“Ballers” (HBO) Final episode October 13
“Lodge 49” (AMC) Final episode October 14
“Are You Afraid of the Dark?” (Nickelodeon) Final episode October 25
“The Deuce” (HBO) Final episode October 28
“The Affair” (Showtime) Final episode November 3
“The Man in the High Castle” (Amazon) Final episode November 15
“The Jim Jefferies Show” (Comedy Central) Final episode November 19
“Bluff City Law” (NBC) Final episode November 25
“EastSiders” (Netflix) Final episode December 1
“Sunnyside” (NBC) Final episode December 5
“Silicon Valley” (HBO) Final episode December 8
“Madam Secretary” (CBS) Final episode December 8
“Runaways” (Hulu) Final episode December 8
“Mr. Robot” (USA) Final episode December 29
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Steve Burke’s NBCUniversal Legacy – and How Jeff Shell’s Style Matches Up
NBCUniversal will be heading into the streaming era with a different man at the helm. On Thursday, word broke out that NBCU’s longtime CEO Steve Burke would be stepping down next summer, ending a nearly 10-year tenure running the media conglomerate.
And according to experts and analysts who spoke with TheWrap, Burke leaves behind a long shadow, but one that Jeff Shell, who is expected to succeed Burke, seems capable of filling. Tom Nunan, founder and partner of Bull’s Eye Entertainment and a lecturer at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television, said Burke has been “an iconic figure in broadcasting for his entire career.”
“There are few people with his track record of success,” Nunan said. “He’s definitely in that elite circle that [Disney Chairman Bob] Iger is a part of and a few others.
Also Read: Jeff Shell to Replace NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke
“Frankly, I would be surprised if this is the end of his media career, because he’s still relatively young,” Nunan said, “and he comes from classic TV stock being the son of Dan Burke.” Nunan touted Burke’s “humility” as “one of his great assets.” He called Burke “a smooth operator” and “a steady hand” who “doesn’t overreact to things.”
“He’s not an attention-grabbing star executive the way that [Les] Moonves insisted on being,” Nunan said.
“[Burke] is kind of a classic, old-school executive in that regard,” Nunan said. “When I say old-school executive, I mean more from the corporate mold as opposed to the entertainment mold, which is more the impresario.”
Bob Thompson, Trustee Professor of Television and Popular Culture at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, sees Burke’s legacy in the Comcast/NBCUniversal merger and the much more recent Sky deal. Thompson actually believes Burke’s greatest contribution may be an unsung one: jacking up the price of Disney’s 21st Century Fox takeover.
Also Read: NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke to Step Down in 2020
Thompson also offered another, less-flattering way Burke may be remembered by the general public.
“If anybody knows Steve Burke as a household name, it’s got nothing to do with all of that stuff he did to usher NBCUniversal into the Comcast era, which was a significant job, which I think he did pretty adeptly,” Thompson said. “What most lay people would remember would be his name associated with the likes of… Matt Lauer and reports by Ronan Farrow.”
Perhaps the stress of such an association and the calls for heads to roll at the top made this tough decision a little easier for Burke, Thompson wondered.
Burke’s upcoming departure is timed for next August, which would put it right after the 2020 Summer Olympics from Tokyo, which will air in the U.S. across NBCUniversal. It will also come just a few months after the launch of Peacock, NBCU’s streaming play. For one, Nunan is “surprised” by the Burke news — especially considering how close it would happen after Peacock’s debut.
“Peacock is going to become their most important venture in the next two to three years,” Nunan said. “It seems strange to me that [Burke] would walk away from building that at this time, but maybe his interests lie elsewhere.”
Also Read: NBCUniversal President of Strategy Dave Howe to Leave Company After 18 Years
Whether or not Burke is still around to see Peacock take flight, Thompson’s not sure what took them so long.
“If I’m looking in the grand scheme in the history of the media, they strike me as coming kind of late to that fair,” he said. “It seems like an awful lot of people have crossed the finish line, and everybody’s off watching that stuff and nobody’s even watching the race anymore as Peacock comes waddling through.”
Thompson does not share Nunan’s surprise on Burke’s pending departure.
“It seems to be that things have been put in place, ducks have been placed in a row,” Thompson said of NBCU’s recent restructuring moves. “I don’t think it’s sending any industry people in the know into some kind or surprise tailspin or anything.”
Burke has been the only CEO NBCUniversal has known in its decade-long tenure under Comcast, which acquired NBCU from GE at the end of the last decade (though that deal did not close until 2011). While Burke has overseen NBCU during a time period of massive change for the entertainment industry — one that threatens the traditional cable model that has been the lifeblood of Comcast — he has been more than a net positive for Comcast.
NBCU revenue has grown from just above $21 billion in 2011, when he was installed as CEO, to nearly $36 billion in 2018; Comcast will report full-year earnings for 2019 next month. Under Burke, NBCUniversal bought DreamWorks Animation in 2016 for $3.8 billion. Last year, Comcast bought European pay-TV company Sky in a bidding war with 21st Century Fox.
So no pressure, Jeff. But both men believe NBCUniversal will be in fine hands with Shell. Thompson simply pointed to Shell’s successes running his current entertainment assignments.
Also Read: How 'Runaways' Got Caught in the Middle of Marvel TV's Corporate Restructuring
Shell has served as chairman of the Universal film group since 2013. During his tenure leading the studio, Universal experienced four years of record profit, as well as two of the most profitable years in the studio’s 107-year history thanks, in part, to highly profitable franchises such as “Fast & Furious,” “Jurassic World” and Illumination’s “Despicable Me.” Earlier this year, Shell was was tapped to be chairman of NBCUniversal film and entertainment group, expanding his role beyond the film business to include oversight of NBC Entertainment, Telemundo and NBCU’s international operations.
That new appointment alone appeared to groom Shell for Burke’s job.
Shell is “a lot like Steve,” Nunan said. “He has a low-key style, he’s willing to stay behind the scenes, he likes to push the creative people out in front and give them credit where it’s due and give them support when they need it. That’s the hallmark that’s been handed down from Brian [Roberts, Comcast chairman and CEO] and Steve to the rest of the staff is, ‘You’re allowed to fail. You’re allowed to take big swings and if it doesn’t work, it won’t be off with your head.'”
“I suspect Jeff is just going to try to walk in Steve’s footsteps as successfully as he can,” Nunan said.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Runaways' Showrunners Break Down That 'Cloak & Dagger' Crossover
So Who Wins Saturdays in Primetime Ratings Anyway?
How 'Runaways' Got Caught in the Middle of Marvel TV's Corporate Restructuring
Winter TV 2020: Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows (Photos)
Winter begins Dec. 21 and with it, naturally, comes the start of the Winter TV season. In honor of the return of the colder months and their small-screen offerings, TheWrap has rounded up the premiere dates for not just the new and returning shows on Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS and The CW, but also those of the eagerly anticipated series hitting cable channels and streaming services this winter. Click through our gallery to find out when your favorite shows will be back and when your new favorites will debut. (And yes, just a few of these fall before the new year, but we’re still gonna count ‘em as part of Winter 2020.)
Series: “Lost in Space” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Tuesday, Dec. 24 Time: N/A
Series: “You” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Thursday, Dec. 26 Time: N/A
Series: “Fast & Furious: Spy Racers” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Thursday, Dec. 26 Time: N/A
Series: “Kevin Hart: Don’t F**k This Up” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Dec. 27 Time: N/A
Series: “Flirty Dancing” Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Dec. 29 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Dare Me” Net: USA Network Premiere Date: Sunday, Dec. 29 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Messiah” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 1 Time: N/A
Series: “Spinning Out” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 1 Time: N/A
Series: “My 600-lb. Life” Net: TLC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 1 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Doctor Who” Net: BBC America Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 1 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Married at First Sight” Net: Lifetime Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 1 Time: 8:30 p.m.
Series: “Supernanny” Net: Lifetime Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 1 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Last Man Standing” Net: Fox Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 2 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Deputy” Net: Fox Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 2 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Anne With an E” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 3 Time: N/A
Series: “Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup” Net: WE TV Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 3 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Say Yes to the Dress: America” Net: TLC Premiere Date: Saturday, Jan. 4 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Sister Wives” Net: TLC Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 5 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “America’s Got Talent: The Champions” Net: NBC Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 6 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “The Bachelor” Net: ABC Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 6 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Manifest” Net: NBC Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 6 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Ellen’s Game of Games” Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” Net: TLC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back” Net: Fox Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “The Haves and the Have Nots” Net: OWN Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Schitt’s Creek” Net: Pop TV Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Vanderpump Rules” Net: Bravo Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “FBI: Most Wanted” Net: CBS Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Undercover Boss” Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Criminal Minds” Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “America’s Top Dog” Net: A&E Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Party of Five” Net: Freeform Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Very Cavallari” Net: E! Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 9 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector” Net: NBC Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 10 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “The Outsider” Net: HBO Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 12 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “The New Pope” Net: HBO Premiere Date: Monday, Jan. 13 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “68 Whiskey” Net: Paramount Network Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Listing Impossible” Net: CNBC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Grown-ish” Net: Freeform Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 16 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Everything’s Gonna Be Okay” Net: Freeform Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 16 Time: 8:30 p.m.
Series: “Sex Education” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 17 Time: N/A
Series: “9-1-1: Lone Star” Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Jan. 19 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” Net: The CW Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 21 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens” Net: Comedy Central Premiere Date: Wednesday, Jan. 22 Time: 10:30 p.m.
Series: “Project Blue Book” Net: History Channel Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 21 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Star Trek: Picard” Net: CBS All Access Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 23 Time: N/A
Series: “Station 19” Net: ABC Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 23 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Outmatched” Net: Fox Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 23 Time: 8:30 p.m.
Series: “The Bold Type” Net: Freeform Premiere Date: Thursday, Jan. 23 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Shrill” Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 24 Time: N/A
Series: “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 24 Time: N/A
Series: “The Ranch” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 24 Time: N/A
Series: “Miracle Workers: Dark Ages” Net: TBS Premiere Date: Tuesday, Jan. 28 Time: 10:30 p.m.
Series: “BoJack Horseman” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 31 Time: N/A
Series: “The Masked Singer” Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 2 Time: 10:30 p.m.
Series: “Lego Masters” Net: Fox Premiere Date: Wednesday, Feb. 5 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Katy Keene” Net: The CW Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” Net: NBC Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Indebted” Net: NBC Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 9:30 p.m.
Series: “Tommy” Net: CBS Premiere Date: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Locke & Key” Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 7 Time: N/A
Series: “MacGyver” Net: CBS Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 7 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Homeland” Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 9 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Kidding” Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 9 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “For Life” Net: ABC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Survivor” Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Feb. 12 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “High Fidelity” Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Friday, Feb. 14 Time: N/A
Series: “Outlander” Net: Starz Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “American Idol” Net: ABC Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Duncanville” Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 8:30 p.m.
Series: “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” Net: HGTV Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Good Girls” Net: NBC Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” Net: HBO Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 11 p.m.
Series: “Better Call Saul” Net: AMC Premiere Date: Sunday, Feb. 23 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “The Voice” Net: NBC Premiere Date: Monday, Feb. 24 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: “Dispatches From Elsewhere” Net: AMC Premiere Date: Sunday, March 1 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: “Cosmos: Possible Worlds” Net: Nat Geo Premiere Date: Monday, March 9 Time: 9 p.m.
Series: “Roswell, New Mexico” Net: The CW Premiere Date: Monday, March 16 Time: 9 p.m.
‘Thursday Night Football’ Ratings Improve for 2nd Straight Year on Fox
Fox and “Thursday Night Football” have been good for each other.
The second season of the “TNF” franchise under Fox averaged 14.9 million viewers, an increase of 4% from last year and the highest average viewership since 2016. It should be noted that the 14.9 million accounts for viewership on both Fox and NFL Network, which simulcasts those games.
When factoring in digital platforms, including Amazon and Twitch, that viewership number increases to 15.4 million viewers. In the two years since Fox paid $3.3 billion for “Thursday Night Football,” it has grown 6%. Prior to Fox, “TNF” was split between NBC and CBS, and aired solely on CBS before that.
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The Dec. 5 matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears drew 18.2 million viewers, the most-watched “TNF” game this season.
Here’s the other four:
Sept. 26: Philadelphia Eagles-Green Bay Packers (17.9 million)
Oct. 10: New York Giants-New England Patriots (16.3 million)
Nov. 14: Pittsburgh Steelers-Cleveland Browns (15.6 million)
Oct. 3: Los Angeles Rams-Seattle Seahawks (14.4 million)
The strong NFL numbers for Fox weren’t just limited to Thursday night either. With three weeks left in the season, Fox’s Sunday afternoon package is averaging 19.3 million viewers, pacing ahead by 8% over last year and also the highest average since 2016. Fox also has the Super Bowl next February, which will be held in Miami.
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‘Power Rangers’ Movie Reboot in Development at Paramount From Jonathan Entwistle
Another feature film reboot of the campy ’90s kids show “Power Rangers” is in the works, moving over to Paramount and Hasbro from Lionsgate, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
Jonathan Entwistle, the creator of the series “The End of the F***ing World,” is in early negotiations to direct the film. Patrick Burleigh, who wrote “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway,” will write the script. The new film will involve a time travel element in which modern day kids are sent back to the 1990s and are forced to find their way home.
The ’90s TV show, originally called “The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” was inspired by a Japanese children’s show and was the story of five children who don colorful suits and helmets and would fight supervillains and giant, robot monsters by morphing into their own mech fighters.
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The series received a movie in 1995 but then most recently was rebooted as a gritty, YA property in 2017 as released by Lionsgate and Saban Films. The film made only $142 million on a budget of around $100 million, scrapping hopes for a bigger franchise.
Hasbro’s Allspark Pictures is producing the film after purchasing the property from series creator Haim Saban in 2018.
Entwistle’s teenage dark comedy “The End of the F***ing World” has run for two seasons on Netflix, and he’s next gearing up another Netflix show called “I’m Not Okay With This,” which also involves a teenager dealing with superpowers.
Entwistle is represented by CAA and Grandview.
THR was first to report the news of the reboot.
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The Oscars Original Song Race: Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Elton John and a Whole Lot of Big Ballads
Big choruses. Big beats. And most of all, big ballads — big yearning ballads and big inspirational ballads.
That’s what you’ll find in the 75 songs that qualified in this year’s race for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The Academy used to release its annual list of eligible songs, but it halted that practice last year, when it instituted a 15-film shortlist in the category for the first time. But TheWrap obtained this year’s list of eligible songs and listened to every one of them.
And while the songwriters and performers range from Beyoncé to Thom Yorke, Elton John to Taylor Swift, Jackson Browne to Pharrell Williams, similar themes and similar sounds abound.
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The first round of voting has ended in the category, with all 345 members of the music branch given access to three-minute clips featuring all 75 songs and invited to choose their favorites. On Monday, a shortlist of 15 of those songs will be released by the Academy, along with additional shortlists in eight other categories. A second round of voting in early January will narrow those 15 to the five nominees.
Chances are that while a couple of favorites may be left off the shortlist, there won’t be many surprises showing up on the list. But hope springs eternal, which is why so many films submit their songs for consideration every year.
By the way, the list does not include a number of songs that were thought to be in the running, including Regina Spektor’s “One Little Soldier” from “Bombshell,” Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey and Ariana Grande’s “Don’t Call Me Angel” from “Charlie’s Angels,” Sigrid’s “Home to You” from “The Aeronauts” or anything from the music-heavy punk movie “Her Smell.”
If you just want to see the full list of songs that did qualify, it’s at the end of this story. But if you’d like to know what we thought of them all, keep reading.
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“Frozen II” / Disney
BIG NAMES & PAST WINNERS
I wouldn’t say that most of the Oscar song shortlist is already determined, but more than a dozen songs definitely have a leg up going into the competition, because the songs or their writers are known and admired by the Music Branch. Take Robert Lopez and Kristin-Anderson Lopez, who have already won in this category twice in the last six years, once for “Remember Me” from “Coco” and once for “Let It Go” from “Frozen.” Now they’re back with “Into the Unknown” from “Frozen II” — and like the pop-culture juggernaut that was “Let It Go,” it’s a giant booming ballad belted out by Idina Menzel. It’s also a slightly odder composition, with a recurring motif borrowed from Scandinavian shepherd calls – but if it doesn’t achieve melodic liftoff the way “Let It Go” did, it’s hard to imagine voters not embracing it anyway.
“The Lion King” has a sterling track record at the Oscars, too, which should be good news for Beyonce, who wrote and performs the new song “Spirit” from this year’s “live-action” remake. The other new song in the film, Elton John’s “Never Too Late,” might be truer to the spirit of the original film, with African musician Lebo M doing vocal arrangements that run through John’s infectious uptempo song. But “Spirit” is Beyonce, it soars at the right time and it’s showcased in a striking sequence.
Besides, Elton has another ace in the hole: “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from the movie about his life, “Rocketman.” The brassy uptempo rocker was written to be more autobiographical than most of his material, and is performed with the movie’s star, Taron Egerton.
Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy” lost to “Let It Go” six years ago, and he may have another shot at the “Frozen” franchise if voters go for his “Letter to My Godfather” from “The Black Godfather,” a tribute to pioneering music-industry executive Clarence Avant. The song is inventive musically, powered by a percussive vocal chorus, but a little undernourished lyrically.
Diane Warren is always in the running, with 10 nominations overall and four in the last five years. “I’m Standing With You,” her new song from the faith-based drama “Breakthrough,” is another inspirational anthem in the vein of Warren’s last three nominated songs, “I’ll Fight,” “Stand Up for Something” and “‘Til It Happens to You.” Warren also has a second song in the mix, the slinky “Forward Motion” from “Late Night,” but “I’m Standing With You” is likelier to get attention.
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Speaking of standing, “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo has done double duty this year by also co-writing and performing that film’s “Stand Up,” a soul-gospel number that begins with a stark chant and builds into something bolder.
Past winners in the running this year include 20-time nominee, two-time winner Randy Newman, who has “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from “Toy Story 4.” A bouncy song that stays earnest when you just know that Newman would have veered off into weirdness if he was writing this for one of his own albums, it’s not prime Newman, but it works in the movie and it’s the kind of thing that has won him two Oscars in the past. And Alan Menken, who’s won more competitive Oscars, eight, than any other living person, is in the running with “Speechless” from the new version of “Aladdin,” which he co-wrote with “La La Land” winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Designed to fit alongside the songs from the original Disney musical, it’s effective and Naomi Scott gives it her all, though it won’t make anybody forget “A Whole New World.”
And then there’s “Beautiful Ghosts” from “Cats.” A collaboration between Oscar (and everything else) winner Andrew Lloyd Webber and Taylor Swift, it’s a risky song on the face of it – a sad ballad about looking back at broken dreams to a musical that is already dominated by “Memory,” which is kind of the ultimate song like that. Plus it follows “Memory” and comments on the earlier song. Maybe it’ll serve as a nice bookend, but for me it’s a tough sell.
Indian composer A.R. Rahman, who won an Oscar for his song from “Slumdog Millionaire,” this year provided the score and one new song, “For You My Love (O Bandeya),” for “Blinded by the Light,” Gurinder Chadha’s musical comedy about how Bruce Springsteen changed a Pakistani teen’s life in England in the ’80s. The song is richly melodic and it picks up steam when it shifts into more rhythmic sections, though it’s odd to have a movie about Springsteen represented by Rahman. (Bruce did give the movie an unreleased song, but it wasn’t eligible because he wrote it for “Harry Potter” years ago.)
While we’re talking about rock stars, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke wrote a very non-rock kind of song, “Daily Battles,” for Edward Norton’s “Motherless Brooklyn” — a tense ballad that emphasizes the strain in every note, and is sung in a pained falsetto over a distorted piano. And while we’re talking about real rock stars, “Yesterday” is mostly chock full of Beatles songs, except for the charming but slight “Summer Song.” Before the main character becomes famous singing Beatles songs that almost nobody else on earth remembers, he has a career that is going nowhere — and “Summer Song” is supposed to be the song that was sort of catchy but not good enough to be a hit. And yeah, that’s pretty much what it sounds like.
One thing “Summer Song” has going for it is that we see it performed onscreen in the movie, which often helps boost a song in the eyes of voters who are judging based on film clips. The same goes for “Glasgow” from the wonderful indie “Wild Rose.” The slow-building anthem, co-written by Oscar-winning actress turned songwriter Mary Steenburgen, serves as the marvelous climax to Tom Harper’s story of a young Scottish mother determined to become a country star, and contains a couplet that helps put it at the top of my list of the year’s best movie songs: “Momma, we both know that there’s nothing/ That a little time and Patsy Cline wouldn’t fix.”
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“The Lord of the Rings” composer Howard Shore is another former Oscar winner in the running this year, but his entry is way off the beaten track for this category: It’s “The Song of Names (Cantor Prayer)” from “The Song of Names,” a largely a capella Jewish song of prayer sung in Hebrew by a singer, Daniel Mutlu, with a voice full of mourning.
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” / DreamWorksAnimation/Universal Pictures
TOON TUNES & KID STUFF
Like the film’s title, the three songs from “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” are completely self-conscious decontructions of themselves: Dillon Francis’ “Catchy Song” starts out by boasting, “this song’s gonna get stuck inside your head,” and tries so hard to become an earworm that it ends up being pretty annoying (unlike, say, “Everything Is Awesome” from the first Lego movie, which came by its catchiness a little more honestly); Tiffany Haddish’s “Not Evil” is a portentous animated-villain’s song that in typical “Lego Movie” fashion spends most of its time mocking its own tropes; and Beck’s “Super Cool” is a danceable ditty designed to persuade an audience to stick around and read the credits, which I suppose is an admirable goal but not one designed to give the song much of a life once those credits end.
Given Vic Mizzy’s iconic original “Addams Family” theme song, the songwriters on the new animated feature had a hard act to follow. Christina Aguilera gets brassy and spooky on “Haunted Heart,” which pays tribute to lots of classic Halloween ditties and could well make a few trick-or-treat playlists in the future; as “I Put a Spell on You”-style songs that mix romance and scares go, it’s pretty convincing. Also from that movie is “My Family” from Migos, Karol G., Rock Mafia and Snoop Dogg, who have the good sense to anchor their hip-hop/reggaeton raveup around Mizzy’s theme, which gives it more of an identity than it might otherwise have.
The Icelandic band Sigur Ros’ frontman, Jonsi, in his other job making film music, gets far artier and more atmospheric than most animated-film songs with “Together From Afar” from “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” though it builds to a genuinely rousing climax. And Jonsi’s fellow Nordic musician Zara Larsson, from Sweden, contributed “Invisible” to “Klaus” — and it’s a more typical toon tune, building up a poppy head of steam over an infectious beat without really standing out.
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One of the four songwriters who won an Oscar last year for “Shallow” from “A Star Is Born,” Mark Ronson, teamed with the Last Artful, Dodgr, for “Freak of Nature” from “Spies in Disguise,” the only song from an animated feature this year to talk about “freaky love,” and one of the most infectious of the bunch regardless of subject matter. Ronson also collaborated with Anderson .Paak on another song from the same film, “Then There Were Two,” which is a pretty generic hip-hop/pop hybrid.
“Uglydolls” has two songs in the running. “The Ugly Truth” is a fairly irresistible horn-driven funk tune with a spare snap that sounds as if Nick Jonas has been listening to a lot of Prince and Bruno Mars lately (and some James Brown, too). And I’m not sure what separates “Unbreakable” from all the other big songs about triumphing over adversity, but maybe it’s the fact that it has two lung-busting singers, Janelle Monae and Kelly Clarkson, instead of just one. You get the same kind of sentiment in “Wonder” (the Oscars ballot calls it “Wonder Song”) from “Wonder Park,” though this Rachel Platten song is more interesting rhythmically but less potent vocally.
And after all those big, earnest ballads, it’s refreshing to find a song that treats accomplishments as something to be celebrated by a quick dance and an uptempo song, which is what “Hooray! We Did It” from “Dora and the Lost City of Gold” does.
“Always Be My Maybe” / Netflix
LAUGH TRACKS
This year’s crop is short on songs that are trying to be funny, but “I Punched Keanu Reeves” from “Always Be My Maybe” certainly qualifies. An awkward rap from star Randall Park that spends three minutes talking about, well, how he punched Keanu Reeves, it doesn’t really have anywhere to go after about the first 15 seconds, but I suppose that’s part of the joke.
Meanwhile, “The Dead Don’t Die” from Jim Jarmusch’s horror comedy of the same name is funny mostly because it’s amusing to hear Sturgill Simpson’s classic country voice singing about the zombies with a completely straight face — the walking deadpan, you might say.
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“David Crosby: Remember My Name” / Sony Pictures Classics
DOC ROCK
In surveying songs from nonfiction films, we might as well start with the doc about a musician, “David Crosby: Remember My Name.” The new Crosby song “Glory” qualified from that film, and finds Crosby sharing lead vocals with two of his band members, Becca Stevens and Michelle Willis. In a documentary about regret and mortality, the gentle song reaches for grace, which isn’t unusual for Crosby.
Another rocker who came up late in Crosby’s era, Jackson Browne, is represented by “A Human Touch” from the documentary “5B,” about the nurses in the first AIDS ward in San Francisco in the 1980s. The song is an affecting ballad co-written and beautifully performed by Jackson Browne and Leslie Mendelson. And a musician of slightly more recent vintage, Jon Bon Jovi, contributed “Unbroken” to the documentary “To Be of Service,” about military service dogs. Bon Jovi has the occasional knack for a power ballad, but there’s not much subtlety to this guitar-heavy tribute to the military (and, for a couple of lines, to their service dogs). Musically, it walks the line between hamfisted and effective.
The film “The Apollo” is a celebration of Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater, so of course it includes a song that does the same thing. Robert Glasper and Ledisi’s “Don’t Turn Back Now” is a soul song that starts out as a slow-burner and ends up a barnburner, with an energy that helps compensate for a lack of lyrical subtlety. Another song paying tribute to a vital piece of African American (and just plan American) culture is Kathryn Bostic’s “High Above the Water” from “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am”; this a blues celebration, if that’s not an oxymoron (and it isn’t), updates old gospel songs like “Wade in the Water” and is sultry, playful, eloquent and irresistible.
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On the folk side, the Avett Brothers contribute the banjo-driven “Sun, Flood or Drought,” complete with their trademark close harmonies, to “The Biggest Little Farm,” wearing their hearts on their sleeves throughout the song.
The documentary “The Bronx, USA” points out that the Manhattan borough saw the birth of both doo-wop and hip-hop, so it’s naturally heavy with music, including two original songs: “Da Bronx,” written by Paul Williams and Charles Fox, in which Donald Webber Jr. raps and comedian Robert Klein sings (sort of) a cute, spirited tribute to the borough; and “Gonna Be Alright,” a rap-spiked soul-gospel song from the next generation of Bronx kids.
Other songs from nonfiction films include “A Song From a Woman” from “The Cave,” a ballad that sounds a gentle note after the devastation of the doc’s final stretch, and one that is probably most effective in context; “Master of Myself” from “Roll Red Roll,” a Morgan Kibby song in which the ghostly aura occasionally broken by a skittering beat to give it a distinctive but elusive sound; “Tiny Victories” from “Foster,” a piano-based song in which Christina Perri sings about pain in a melodic and stately setting; and “Quasi Una Fantasia” from “Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements,” with August von Trapp and Lazerbeak conjuring up a mixture of ethereal vocals and electronic beats that hint at Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” but are also striking on their own.
“Clemency” / Neon
R&B & HIP-HOP
The year has brought a strong array of R&B, soul and hip-hop songs, starting with a pair from Chinonye Chukwu’s “Clemency.” “Brighter Dawn” is a stark, gospel-inflected ballad sung by Laura Mvula in a voice and style that clearly owes a debt to Nina Simone, at least until it abruptly shifts gears midway through. And “Slow Train,” by the film’s composer, Kathryn Bostic, is a lonesome acoustic blues that provides suitable atmosphere for a brief, wordless barroom scene.
“Brian Banks” also entered two songs. Gizzle’s “It’s Not Over” is a big, polished song of perseverance, while Romell’s “Pray for a Miracle” has a rougher, grittier sound; it’s loud and angry, which makes it startling when it shifts gears and brings in a gospel chorus.
Instead of the anger you might expect from a song from “Queen & Slim,” the Vince Staples, 6LACK and Mereba collaboration from that film, “Yo Love,” is a slinky jam that runs on currents of sadness, starting with the line “I know you’re probably sick of love songs” and then forging ahead with a pretty moving example of the genre.
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Finally, the R&B duo Chloe x Halle are represented by the “Little” tune “Be Yourself,” a peppy, energetic song that rides a percussive guitar riff and occasional shifts into more atmospheric passages.
“Parasite” / Neon
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
As usual, a number of songs from films not in English have been entered in the race, none more notable than “A Glass of Soju” from “Parasite.” The lyrics to this closing-credits song are written by the film’s director, Bong Joon Ho, who would be in line for an unusual trifecta if he’s also nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. Sung by actor Choi Woo-Sik, the song is a sprightly, melodic and almost country-sounding ditty whose Korean lyrics go untranslated; like everything else about the movie, it’s simultaneously pleasing and a little subversive
Two more songs from other films competing in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film race are also in the running, “Apna Time Aayega” from “Gully Boy” and “Bermula Kita” from “M for Malaysia.” If “Gully Boy” is, as many have said, the Indian “8 Mile,” does that make “Apna Time Aayega” India’s version of Eminem’s Oscar-winning “Lose Yourself?” That’s probably expecting too much from an energetic rap song, performed by Ranveer Singh and Dub Sharma, that doesn’t really stand out musically. For its part, “Bermula Kita” is a stately and grandiose anthem performed by Rendra Zawawi featuring Yuna with the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.
“Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” a critical favorite that was not France’s Oscar entry, includes “La Jeune Fille en Feu” by Para One and Arthur Simonini. It makes sense that a film about the female gaze would be set to the sound of the female voice, and the female chorus that drives this song is simultaneously ethereal but punchy. And the Russian singer Lina Milovich is the voice of “Lullaby” from “Kaddish,” a film whose lead character is himself a musician; Milovich’s haunting vocals are set against a piercing violin for this song of healing that is also a lament of sorts.
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Songs from films that are set in other countries but are largely in English include “One Little Finger” from the film of the same name, which constantly shifts tempos, bringing both Western and Indian touches until it sounds like it can’t make up its mind; the widescreen pop ballad “I’ll Wait for You,” sung by Ariana George from the epic of Greek history, “Cliffs of Freedom”; and “Quezon’s Theme” from “Quezon’s Game,” a film about Filipino efforts to rescue and take in Jews in World War II, which is a stately orchestral ballad sung by the gifted Hassidic tenor Shulem Lemmer with lyrics that are a little too on-the-nose.
“The Holy Fail”
TRIPLE & QUADRUPLE DIPPERS
In addition to “The Lego Movie 2,” which we’ve already covered, one other movie submitted three songs, and two films submitted four each. (The surprise: None of them were Bollywood films, which are known for submitting lots of songs.)
The two with four songs each are the Irish comedy “The Holy Fail” and the U.S. indie “Turnover.” “The Holy Fail” songs, all performed by director Owen Dara and Virginia Williams, include “Magic Made,” a quiet celebration of life’s pleasures that is the standout tune among the four; “Beyond the Path of Compromise,” an uptempo acoustic duet that only gets a single verse and chorus in the film; “Ever Since You’ve Come My Way,” a mournful sounding love song; and “Walk With Me,” a plaintive plea heard behind a comic scene.
The quartet of songs from “Turnover” are “Bon Appetit,” a charming 40-second acoustic ditty; “This Is Your Day,” a wedding song that is also heard briefly in the film; “Little Bit of This,” a rootsy celebration of love and cooking that gets the most substantial placement in the opening credits; “My Silver Lining Is Overdue,” a mildly hopeful acoustic rocker that plays over the closing credits.
Finally, the animated Malaysian film “Upin & Ipin: The Lone Gibbon Kris” submitted three songs: the big ballad “Buai Laju Laju,” which wouldn’t be out of place as a Disney princess song except for occasional Malaysian touches in the arrangement; “Syair,” a slow lullaby from a female singer; and “Keris Sakti,” which sounds like a Malay version of a James Bond song except when the kids chorus comes in near the end.
“Windows on the World”
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Among the remaining songs, one of the most quietly stirring is “Inside of Us All” from “Windows on the World.” The song rides on a deliciously rootsy sound with rich acoustic instrumentation, as you might expect from Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo and blues harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite.
Also Read: 'Windows on the World' Star Edward James Olmos on Playing a 9/11 Survivor Without US Citizenship
“Knew You for a Moment” is an elegant chamber piece sung by Abby Quinn, who also plays a role in the film “After the Wedding” as Julianne Moore’s daughter. “Running for So Long (House a Home)” from “The Peanut Butter Falcon” is a plaintive, acoustic folk song of healing that gets a little repetitive over four and a half minutes (but voters will only get to hear three on their screener clips). “Not Who We Were” is an arty and alluring chamber song performed by Em in the movie “I’m Not Here.” “Fearless,” from “A Dog’s Journey,” is a big, sentimental ballad sung by young country singer Abby Anderson; it’s pretty but it’s also a pretty standard inspirational anthem. And “Hold On” from the film of the same name puts an overtly religious spin on the inspirational ballad, but stands out because of the power of Micayla de Ette’s voice.
And given its title, we should save “Swan Song” for last. English singer-songwriter Dua Lipa whips up some energy on a catchy but nondescript jam from “Alita: Battle Angel,” the only big action movie to enter the race this year.
And here’s the list of eligible songs as they appear on the Oscar ballot:
“Haunted Heart” from “The Addams Family”
“My Family” from “The Addams Family”
“Knew You for a Moment” from “After the Wedding
“Speechless” from “Aladdin”
“Swan Song” from “Alita: Battle Angel
“I Punched Keanu Reeves” from “Always Be My Maybe”
“Don’t Turn Back Now” from “The Apollo”
“Sun, Flood or Drought” from “The Biggest Little Farm”
“Letter to My Godfather” from “The Black Godfather”
“For You My Love (O Bandeya)” from “Blinded by the Light”
“I’m Standing With You” from “Breakthrough
“It’s Not Over” from “Brian Banks”
“Pray for a Miracle” from “Brian Banks”
“Da Bronx” from “The Bronx USA”
“Gonna Be Alright” from “The Bronx USA”
“Beautiful Ghosts” from “Cats
“A Song From a Woman” from “The Cave”
“Brighter Dawn” from “Clemency”
“Slow Train” from “Clemency”
“I’ll Wait for You” from “Cliffs of Freedom”
“Glory” from “David Crosby: Remember My Name
“The Dead Don’t Die” from “The Dead Don’t Die”
“Fearless” from “A Dog’s Journey”
“Hooray! We Did It” from “Dora and the Lost City of Gold”
“A Human Touch” from “5B”
“Tiny Victories” from “Foster”
“Into the Unknown” from “Frozen II”
“Apna Time Aayega” from “Gully Boy
“Stand Up” from “Harriet”
“Hold On” from “Hold On”
“Beyond the Path of Compromise” from “The Holy Fail”
“Ever Since You’ve Come My Way” from “The Holy Fail”
“Magic Made” from “The Holy Fail”
“Walk With Me” from “The Holy Fail”
“Together From Afar” from “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” x
“Not Who We Were” from “I’m Not Here”
“Lullaby” from “Kaddish”
“Invisible” from “Klaus” x
“Forward Motion” from “Late Night”
“Catchy Song” from “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part”
“Not Evil” from “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part”
“Super Cool” from “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part”
“Never Too Late” from “The Lion King”
“Spirit” from “The Lion King”
“Be Yourself” from “Little”
“Bermula Kita” from “M for Malaysia”
“Quasi Una Fantasia” from “Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements”
“Daily Battles” from “Motherless Brooklyn
“One Little Finger” from “One Little Finger”
“A Glass of Soju” from “Parasite”
“Running for So Long (House a Home)” from “The Peanut Butter Falcon”
“La Jeune Fille en Feu” from “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”
“Yo Love” from “Queen & Slim”
“Quezon’s Theme” from “Quezon’s Game”
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from “Rocketman”
“Master of Myself” from “Roll Red Roll”
“The Song of Names (Cantor Prayer)” from “The Song of Names”
“Freak of Nature” from “Spies in Disguise”
“Then There Were Two” from “Spies in Disguise”
“Unbroken” from “To Be of Service”
“High Above the Water” from “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am”
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from “Toy Story 4”
“Bon Appetit” from “Turnover”
“Little Bit of This” from “Turnover”
“My Silver Lining Is Overdue” from “Turnover”
“This Is Your Day” from “Turnover”
“The Ugly Truth” from “Uglydolls”
“Unbreakable” from “Uglydolls”
“Buai Laju Laju” from “Upin & Ipin: The Lone Gibbon Kris”
“Keris Sakti” from “Upin & Ipin: The Lone Gibbon Kris”
“Syair” from “Upin & Ipin: The Lone Gibbon Kris”
“Glasgow” from “Wild Rose”
“Inside of Us All” from “Windows on the World”
“Wonder Song” from “Wonder Park”
“Summer Song” from “Yesterday”
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