FOX WARNS OF IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS ON PROFITS: Fox Corp. is the latest media company to acknowledge that the coronavirus may severely impact its bottom line. The COVID-19 outbreak “could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations over the near to medium term,” Fox said in an SEC filing Monday. Fox added that “the magnitude of the impacts will depend on the duration and extent of COVID-19 and the effect of governmental actions and consumer behavior in response to the pandemic and such governmental actions. The evolving and uncertain nature of this situation makes it challenging for the Company to estimate the future performance of its businesses, particularly over the near to medium term, including the supply and demand for its services, its cash flows and its current and future advertising revenues.”
NORMAL PEOPLE PREMIERE SET: Hulu & the BBC have set the premiere for the Sally Rooney adaptation starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal. All 12 episodes of Normal People will air on BBC Three via its digital service iPlayer on April 26. It will follow on Hulu on April 29.
SONY PUSHES SUMMER MOVIES: With theaters closed with no end in sight and production at a standstill, Sony Pictures has put its projected tentpoles on hold until next year. Among those getting pushed: Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Jared Leto‘s Morbius.
ESPN AND NETFLIX PUSH UP THE LAST DANCE DEBUT: ESPN and Netflix will introduce their long-form documentary about Michael Jordan on April 19th. The Last Dance, which will follow the life of the basketball legend, has been moved up as live sports fans have been left with nothing new to watch amid game and season cancellations. The 10-part series will run through May 17th on ESPN. It was initially set for a summer run. “As society navigates this time without live sports, viewers are still looking to the sports world to escape and enjoy a collective experience. We’ve heard the calls from fans asking us to move up the release date for this series, and we’re happy to announce that we’ve been able to accelerate the production schedule to do just that,” ESPN said in a statement.
HELEN REDDY BIOPIC 411: I Am Woman, the biopic of the Australian vocalist Helen Reddy, has scored several distribution deals. In North America, Jeff Sackman and Berry Meyerowitz's Aqute Media will be handling the film. The film stars Tilda Cobham-Hervey (Hotel Mumbai, 52 Tuesdays), Evan Peters (American Animals, X Men, Deadpool 2) and Danielle Macdonald (Skin, Patti Cake$, Dumplin’), the biopic tells the story of Reddy, whose string of 1970s hits included “I Am Woman,” the unofficial anthem of the feminist movement. “Helen Reddy became a superstar in the U.S., which had always been her dream,” said producer Rosemary Blight. “Goalpost Pictures is thrilled that I Am Woman has found such a passionate home in the U.S. as Aqute, which will steer the film to find the U.S. audience that Helen deserves for her story.”
