Entertainment Thursday Roundup: Is Disney Bailing On Big IP Reboots? Plus, The Future Of Netflix’s Film Division And Takeaways From Paramount’s Earnings Call

Earlier this week, it was announced that Sean Bailey, the president of Walt Disney Studios and the man in charge of the entertainment behemoth’s live-action slate of films, was leaving his position after 15 years as its head. David Greenbaum, who formerly led Searchlight Pictures, will now step into a newly-created position of president of Live Action and 20th Century Studios. Richard Rushfield from our entertainment news partner The Ankler notes in a recent piece that there’s no one thing to point to that led to Bailey’s departure, and as far as execution goes the company couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome for its strategy of rebooting big-money IP from its vault. After all, the live action remakes of “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The Lion King” all topped $1 billion in box office sales worldwide. But 2023 was a tough year for Disney -- the live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” grossed half a billion worldwide, and while it was far from a flop, it didn’t see the same success as previous live-action brethren. “The Haunted Mansion” was widely panned by critics (though audiences seemed to love it, giving it an 84 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) and ultimately didn’t perform theatrically to the company’s expectations. Still, Rushfield says, Bailey’s exit and the fact that he was replaced by the head of Searchlight could point to Disney deciding that its strategy of live-action reboots of beloved IP from the vault isn’t working anymore, and that it’s time for a change.

Today on AirTalk, Larry talks with The Ankler’s Sean McNulty about why Disney is reevaluating its film release strategy, plus the implications of Netflix hiring “Lego” film franchise producer Dan Lin to replace its former film chief Scott Suber and what we learned from

Revival House: LA’s Vintage Theaters And Independent Movie Theaters

LA’s vintage and independent movie theaters are having a moment. The Egyptian and The Vista just reopened at 100 years old after extensive remodeling and the Nuart – home to the “midnight movie” – is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. Many of these older theaters, like The Egyptian, helped lay the foundation of Hollywood and put Los Angeles on the proverbial map. From screenings of cult classics to current independent movies to community events and curated talks, these theaters are creating spaces for people to come together and watch a great story unfold onscreen — and you don’t have to be die-hard movie geek to feel welcome. “How to LA” producer Victoria Alejandro, who was also a producer on The Academy Museum Podcast, leads us on a tour of 9 iconic movie spaces, exploring their histories and how they continue to resonate with LA film buffs and serve the broader community. We also want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite indie theater in LA? Call is 866-893-5722 or email is at atcomments@laist.com.

With files from LAist. 

Denis Villeneuve Talks Filming Dune: Part Two

Dune: Part Two is a 2024 science fiction space epic directed by Denis Villeneuve, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jon Spaihts. The sequel to Dune (2021), it is the second of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel “Dune” by Frank Herbert, and follows Paul Atreides as he unites with the Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis to wage war against House Harkonnen. The film stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem reprise their roles from the first film, with Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Léa Seydoux joining the ensemble cast. Joining us today on AirTalk is Academy Award-nominated filmmaker and screenwriter, Denis Villeneuve.

Will Artificial Intelligence Turn The Porn Industry Upside-Down?

A recent piece by Tatum Hunter in the Washington Post examines the future of artificial intelligence in pornography. The industry has always been an early adopter of technology, from the VHS tape to streaming, so it’s no surprise that adult entertainment entrepreneurs are working hard to harness the power of generative AI to make porn. The technology has the potential to disrupt the sprawling and complicated adult entertainment industry, but to what degree? Will performers be able to coexist with AI, or will it put them out of business? Joining us to discuss are Tatum Hunter, consumer technology reporter for the Washington Post, Steve Lightspeed, CEO of porn.ai, and Lexi Luna, adult entertainment performer.

TV-Talk 8 Shows To Watch Including ‘Shogun,’ ‘Extraordinary,’ & More

Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we will try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching with Danette Chavez, editor-in-chief at Primetimer, and Melanie McFarland, TV critic for Salon.

This week’s shows/topics include:

• News Item: Richard Lewis passes away at 76
• News Item: Controversy surrounding Lifetime documentary “Where Is Wendy Williams?”
• Shogun (Hulu & FX)
• Extraordinary [Season 2] (Hulu)
• Avatar The Last Airbender (Netflix)
• The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy (Amazon Prime Video)
• The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (AMC & AMC+)
• The Tourist [Season 2] (Netflix)
• Sense and Sensibility (Hallmark & Hallmark Movies Now)
• The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping (Netflix)