Showbiz Sandbox 392: Awards Season Begins To Take Shape

You know you’re in the thick of the awards season when you have to complain about who was snubbed and overlooked when the Golden Globe nominations were announced. “The Shape of Water” and “Big Little Lies” led this year’s nominees, as women filmmakers were shut out. Then there is the nomination for “Get Out,” a horror film, in the music and drama category, which makes even less sense.

One filmmaker who probably won’t be attending the Golden Globes this year is Bryan Singer. The filmmaker behind the X-Men franchise was fired from his latest film “Bohemian Rhapsody” after disappearing from the set. Singer cried foul and said he was caring for an ill parent, though it turns out a civil case was filed against him over a 2003 sexually assault of a 17-year-old boy.

Speaking of sexual misconduct, Time magazine named all the women who have come forward to tell their own stories of sexual harassment and assault, especially in Hollywood, as their person of the year. Accusations continue to surface about those in front of and behind the camera with the number of incident showing no sign of abating anytime soon.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including J.K. Rowling defends casting Johnny Depp in the “Fantastic Beasts” movie, why the release of John Travolta’s mobster biopic “Gotti” was delayed and Alec Baldwin preps a talk show.

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comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of December 10, 2017
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-december-10-2017-300569385.html

Iger Likely to Stay On as Disney CEO Past 2019 if Fox Deal Is Reached
https://www.wsj.com/articles/robert-iger-likely-to-extend-tenure-as-disney-ceo-past-2019-1512592562

Bob Iger Prepares to Extend as Disney CEO if Fox Deal Happens, but Comcast Still a Contender
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/bob-iger-disney-21st-century-fox-ceo-contract-1202632349/

DC Shake-Up in the Works After ‘Justice League’ Stumbles
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/dc-films-justice-league-1202632214/

Queen Biopic Finds New Director After Bryan Singer’s Firing
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/queen-biopic-finds-new-director-bryan-singers-firing-1063734

Bryan Singer Fired From Directing Queen Biopic After On-Set Chaos
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/bryan-singer-fired-directing-queen-biopic-set-chaos-1063977

Bryan Singer Claims Fox Refused to Allow Him to Care for “Gravely Ill Parent”
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/bryan-singer-claims-fox-refused-allow-him-care-gravely-ill-parent-1064288

Bryan Singer’s Fox Offices Shut Down
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/bryan-singers-fox-offices-shutting-down-1064305

Bryan Singer Accused of Raping 17-Year-Old Boy in 2003
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/bryan-singer-cesar-sanchez-guzman-1202633573/

Golden Globes: ‘Shape of Water,’ ‘Big Little Lies’ Top Nominations
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/golden-globe-nominations-2018-full-list-nominees-1063937

Quentin Tarantino Hatches ‘Star Trek’ Movie Idea; Paramount, JJ Abrams To Assemble Writers Room
http://deadline.com/2017/12/quentin-tarantino-star-trek-movie-jj-abrams-1202220032/

Mystery Surrounds Fate of John Travolta’s ‘Gotti’ Movie
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mystery-surrounds-fate-john-travoltas-gotti-movie-1065044

U.K. Exhibitor Cineworld to Acquire Regal for $3.6 Billion
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/uk-exhibitor-cineworld-acquire-regal-36-billion-1062402

Alec Baldwin Prepping Talk Show for ABC
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/alec-baldwin-prepping-talk-show-abc-1064274

Eminem Taps Beyonce, Ed Sheeran for New Album ‘Revival’
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/eminem-taps-beyonce-ed-sheeran-for-new-album-revival-w513371

YouTube to Launch New Music Subscription Service in March
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-07/youtube-is-said-to-plan-new-music-subscription-service-for-march

Fox Developing John Green’s ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ Into Movie
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/john-green-turtles-all-the-way-down-1202631473/

The Broadway League Files Lawsuit Against Casting Company Cartel
https://www.broadwayleague.com/press/press-releases/the-broadway-league-files-lawsuit-against-casting-company-cartel/

Broadway Producers Accuse Casting Directors of Conspiracy in New Lawsuit
http://variety.com/2017/legit/news/casting-directors-lawsuit-broadway-producers-1202630829/

Publishers Contribute £3.2bn to Economy, Report Reveals
https://www.thebookseller.com/news/industry-contributed-32bn-uk-economy-2016-683916

AT&T Hit With Antitrust Lawsuit Over “Exorbitant” Price Being Charged for Sports Network
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/at-t-hit-antitrust-lawsuit-exorbitant-price-license-owned-sports-network-1064688

J.K. Rowling Defends Casting of Johnny Depp in ‘Fantastic Beasts’
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/j-k-rowling-warner-bros-defend-johnny-depp-grindelwald-fantastic-beasts-1202632964/

Time Person Of The Year: The Silence Breakers
http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2017-silence-breakers/

New York City Ballet Investigates Sexual Harassment Claim Against Peter Martins
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/04/arts/dance/peter-martins-new-york-city-ballet.html?_r=0

Geoffrey Rush Suing Australian Paper After ‘Inappropriate Behavior’ Allegations
http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/geoffrey-rush-lawsuit-australian-paper-defamation-1202633714/

Terry Crews Sues WME and Agent Adam Venit Over Alleged Assault
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/terry-crews-sues-wme-agent-adam-venit-assault-claim-1064674

WNYC Suspends Leonard Lopate and Jonathan Schwartz
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/business/media/wnyc-leonard-lopate-jonathan-schwartz.html

Paris Review Editor Resigns Amid Inquiry Into His Conduct with Women
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/books/lorin-stein-resigns-the-paris-review.html

New Dustin Hoffman Accuser Claims Harassment and Physical Violation on Broadway
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/new-dustin-hoffman-accuser-claims-harassment-physical-violation-broadway-guest-column-1062349

Disney Music Executive Charged with Child Sex Abuse
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/jon-heely-disney-music-group-child-sex-abuse-1202634502/

Louis C.K. Will Buy Back ‘I Love You, Daddy’
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/10/movies/louis-ck-will-buy-back-i-love-you-daddy.html?_r=0

Mario Batali Steps Away From Restaurants Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/11/dining/mario-batali-sexual-misconduct.html

Producer of UK’s Biggest Pantomimes Scraps Traditional Routine In Wake of Harassment Scandal
https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2017/producer-uks-biggest-pantomimes-michael-harrison-scraps-traditional-routine-wake-harassment-scandal/

Johnny Hallyday, Singer Known as the ‘French Elvis,’ Dies at 74
http://variety.com/2017/music/obituaries-people-news/johnny-hallyday-dead-dies-french-elvis-1202631646/

Shashi Kapoor, Indian Film Star in ’70s and ’80s, Dies at 79
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/04/obituaries/shashi-kapoor-indian-film-star-in-70s-and-80s-dies-at-79.html