In today’s episode, the Cover Story segment features Variety’s Brent Lang and Ramin Setoodeh detailing director Guillermo del Toro’s $120 million bet on a new vision for “Frankenstein” with help from Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac. Variety’s Jennifer Maas reports on the Sun Valley of gaming that is underway in Cologne, Germany. And Brian Steinberg sets the scene for ESPN’s big send off for the streaming app that launches Aug. 21.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We are just shy of ESPN's forty six anniversary, and
since nineteen seventy nine, we've really redefined what's possible in
sports media. Today we are on the verge of another
industry shaping moment.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Welcome to Daily Variety, your daily dose of news and
analysis for entertainment industry insiders. It's Wednesday, August twentieth, twenty
twenty five. I'm your host, Cynthia Littleton. I am co
editor in chief of Variety alongside Ramin Setuda. I'm in
La He's in New York, and Variety has reporters around
the world covering the business of entertainment. In today's episode,
(00:46):
we have our cover story segment. This week's cover is
a doozy with Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac and Germo
del Toro telling everything about how they brought Frankenstein to
life for Netflix. Variety's Brent Lang and my co editor
in chief, Ramin Setuda teamed up to tell the backstory
of this very big movie that Netflix hopes will make
(01:07):
a very big splash next week at the Venice Film Festival.
We also hear from Jennifer Maaz on the sun Valley
of the video game business going on right now in Cologne, Germany,
and as promised in Monday's episode, Brian Steinberg is back
with the report on how Jimmy Petero and company are
selling ESPN's big leap into streaming. But before we get
(01:28):
to that, here are a few headlines just in this
morning that you need to know. Netflix has set a
deal with YouTube star Mark Robert to produce family competition series.
Jimmy Kimmel's Kimmelott Banner will produce The Duffer Brothers have
made it official the Stranger Things pair will move to
Paramount next spring after signing a massive overall deal covering movies,
(01:50):
TV and more. All of these stories and so much
more can be found at Variety dot com. Right now,
it's time for conversations with Friday journalists about news and
trends in show business. In today's cover story segment, we
are talking Frankenstein. My great colleagues Brent Lang and Ramin
Setuda have captured the story of director Guillermo del Toro's
(02:14):
hero's journey to bring this story to the screen with
help from actors Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac. Before we
talk to brenton Ramin. Here's a bit from the Frankenstein trailer.
What manner of creature is stark.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Wolf? Manner of devil?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Lad Ramin Setuda and Brent Lang, We've got the Pollet
Bureau here. You two teamed up on this week's cover
telling the very lengthy backstory almost back to eighteen eighteen
of Frankenstein. How Giirmo del Toro brought this to life
at great expense for Netflix with stars Jacob Belordi and
(02:57):
Oscar Isaac. And it's a big old stew of interesting
movie history, a long ges dating project, two super hot stars.
What better combination could there be for a cover story? Brent,
I'll start with you what stands out to you from
the reporting process, from all the learning about the long
backstory in Giermo del Toro's Frankenstein.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
So what it stands out to me the most is
how much of a passion project this truly is. This
is something he's been thinking about making since he was
a little boy growing up in Mexico. He first saw
the nineteen thirty one James Whale movie and it really
he just said, he responded to it on a deeply
emotional level, and it's something that It's themes and its
message is something that's really stayed with him as he's
(03:39):
gone on to make these movies and said, you know,
Frankenstein is in all my movies. It's in Mike Blade too,
it's in Chronos, It's in all of the things that
I've done. And then he finally gets to do this
after trying to set this up at various studios, through
his first look deal at Netflix, he's been able to
bring this to life and bring it to life on
a really really grand scale.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Undred twenty million dollars scale. What really caught my attention.
So Frankenstein's on the cover of our Venice issue, so
it'll be premiering in Venice. It's one of the most
anticipated movies in Venice. Under Alberto Barbera, the artistic director
of Venice. The film Vessel has really become the official
launch now Awards season. It'll be interesting to see how
the Venice audience responds to this movie. Brendon and I
(04:21):
both liked it very much when I'm allowed to review it,
so we're not reviewing it, but we liked it very much.
It's in scale and in scope, a real big movie.
It's going to have an exclusive theatrical window, and I
think it's going to probably be a big Awards contender,
and so we were excited to be able to tell
the first real, in depth story about the making of
this movie. And I think this will be a movie
that people talk about all a warts season long.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
It's also got one of the hottest young stars in Hollywood,
Jacob Elordi, and he's under a whole lot of makeup.
Your story goes in depth about how much a Lordie
embraced that transformation process. Brent. What stands out to you
about a Lordi's process and how he talked about it.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I think the physical demand of the role and just
the time demands. He was in makeup for ten hours
a day. He'd have to get there the night before
shooting to go through that transformation process. He's a very
serious actor. He takes his craft very seriously.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
I would not have known it was Jacob Elordi. So
if I had gone to this movie cold without opening
credits and watched the film not knowing who was in it,
obviously I recognized Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankstein, the father
of the Monster, but I would not have known or
guessed it was Jacob Lordy. That's the kind of transformation
that he undergoes in this movie.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I also can't wait for folks to see the photographs
because they captured Jacob Elordi without all that makeup. They
captured them in very human conditions.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
Jennifer jorn Are, visual director and I talked about the
look of this and we ended up hiring Platon. He's
a very famous portrait photographer, and his aesthetic and the
look of his photography we thought mirrored the approach that
Guermo takes in adapting Mary Shelley's story. Tonally and visually.
We really want it to match the energy of the film.
(06:01):
It's not a recreation of the characters, but it's the
energy of the film. It's probably one of my favorite
photo shoots of the air.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
The two of you interviewed Jacob Belordi and Oscar Isaac
together at our offices. What was the atmosphere, what was
the vibe between them?
Speaker 5 (06:15):
Greg was very excited that there was a special guest
at our photo shoot because Brett loves dogs and Jacob
brought his dog, Leilah Golden Receiver.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
It was the way to my heart. I would say
this dog is the most mellow animal I've ever seen
in contrast to my own dog.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
So it was wonderful dogs at all photo shoots.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Their bond was very close. They were very, very excited
to finally be able to talk about this movie they've built,
been working on it for years, thinking about it for years.
It was a very long shoot to make the film.
They shot in Scotland and in Toronto. Guermo del Toro
does not use AI. Everything he has built and replicated,
and so they were long shooting days and it was
a big artistic commitment to make this movie. And so
they were both very very hyped to talk about this film,
(06:55):
and they drew off of each other's energy for their
excitement about this film and working with Caermo.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
There's also a discussion in the story about Gierma del Toro.
Is it very much a movie theater guy? And this
movie will play for a few weeks in theaters, but
it is largely going to be seen as a Netflix movie.
Did you get the sense that Giermo or any of
the actors were wrestling with that.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
I think they've made their piece because they'd rather have
the movie made on this scale. But there was a
sense of sadness. I think their preference would be for
people to see this in the theater and the widest
screed possible, and it really warrants that because you know,
you have these catacombs have never looked more catacomby, and
you know there's a grand lab and ships frozen in
(07:36):
the Arctic and wonderful dramatic clashes.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
Netflix is releasing it in theaters for three weeks, and
so their hope is that people will see it in
a movie theater and experience it on the big screen
and then also be able to watch it and stream
it at home later.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Germo del Toro is a brand name director. People will
come to the theater to see his work, So listeners
don't tarry. It'll be three weeks, and I will say,
a terrific story. You covered a lot of ground and
you captured a lot in this story. The two things
that I take away from at one, jacob Elordi is six'
five and number, Two i'm really struck by call me,
(08:12):
corny the power of. Film James whale Makes frankenstein in
nineteen thirty. One gammel Del toro as a kid the late.
Seventies he's seeing it so forty years After James whale
is long. Forgotten his work has the power to spark
incredible creativity in one of the great filmmakers of his.
AGE i think that is as good as it gets
(08:34):
for the power of. Film thank you both for doing
the great. Story and here's to a Fantastic Venice Film
festival and kickoff OF oscar. Season thank, you and we.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
Want everyone to follow along all our reporters on the
ground In venice starting next.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Week now we'll hear From jennifer Mos senior business writer
FOR tv And. Gaming she's reporting On Games, calm a
very big gathering for the gaming business this. Week Jennifer,
moz thanks for joining. Me happy to be. Back, Well,
jenny you are going to be staying close to your
(09:07):
laptop and your phone because this is a big reporting
week for you as our person on the video games.
Beat all the movers and shakers in this world are
gathering In, Cologne germany for Games. Colm jennifer tell us
what this is all. About over the next four. Days
there's going to be, presentations there's going to be closed door,
meetings there's going to be conversations between the top executives
(09:31):
across gaming, companies developers talking about their new projects, together
a lot of, presentations but more, importantly a lot of conversations.
Happening the closest equivalent is Sun. Valley this is like
the gaming industry Sun. Valley this is the, innovators this
is the. Insiders this is people talking and making. Deals
tell us the. Setting is it at a conference, center
(09:53):
is it at a?
Speaker 6 (09:53):
Retreat it's a big convention, center exhibition, showcase and it's
to hold the three hundred and twenty one thousand attendees
that are coming to. This it's a very big.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Event let me ask, you with all this, conversation what
is the conversation in gaming right? Now what are people talking?
Speaker 6 (10:09):
About so there was this whole thing for a while
where people were saying in twenty twenty, four survived to
twenty twenty, five and then there were still, layoffs there's still,
consolidation there's still a lot of leadership and shuffling at
different developers and. Publishers and one of the things that
made the whole survive to twenty twenty, five motto push
through WAS gta six and people thinking that that was
(10:31):
going to land in the, fall and now it's been
moved as we've previously discussed on this. Podcast, now twenty
twenty six is going to be our big. Year SO
gta six is coming, Out Resident evils next game is
going to come out In, february and then.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
This fall there's still big.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
Stuff There's call Of, duty The Black ops seven game is,
Coming goes To yota from PlayStation is, coming and these
are big games and they will lead to a big,
holiday not as big as we were. Expecting but most
of the conversation is going to be around optimism for
twenty twenty.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Six for something like A gta, six such a blockbuster
tent pulled the equivalent of a New Star wars movie
or An avatar. Movie it's the big event that boosts
sampling and can be a boost to sales across the.
Industry so just LIKE i used to brag, that, YES
i do get paid to WATCH, tv you did a
whole bunch of game demos in advance of. Games Con
(11:19):
tell me any couple of, titles anything that stood out to,
you any new functions or new tech in games that
stood out to.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
You, YES i am now allowed to, say because embargo has,
lifted THAT i Played Resident Evil requiem last week for
the first, time very anticipated, Title Big Big deal looks,
great very excited for, it and it's been a long time.
Coming people been waiting for it for quite a. While
you can tell the amount of effort that's gone into
this end and the amount of advanceage just between this
(11:47):
game and the Previous Resident evil.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Game thank, You jenny for being our tour guide into
a new sector that is growing and we are so
happy that you are covering for. Us happy to now
we'll hear From Brian steinberg on ESPN's last big promotional
swing before it hits the upload button on THE espn
streaming App august Twenty, first that WAS espn Chief Jimmy
(12:12):
petero you heard in the cold open describing the significance
of what's about to. Happen brian attended The Worldwide Leaders
media event In New york On. Tuesday here's How petero
described the stakes FOR espn And. Disney and with our.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Incredible reach across, digital across, social and the fact that sports,
fans especially younger, fans see us as a digital first,
brand we have a fantastic opportunity.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Here Brian, steinberg thank you for coming on twice this.
Speaker 7 (12:42):
Week happy to do.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
It, brian you attended a half day event In New.
YORK espn has to sell this new standalone streaming. APP
espn And disney have to sell this To america that
if you're not paying for cable but you WANT, espn
here is your option to do. That they need to
sell it to. Media what were the elements that they
(13:04):
brought to impress all of you media reporters who showed
up to hear about their.
Speaker 7 (13:09):
Plans they had this, show so to, speak in The
New disney headquarters in Downtown New York. City when you
came off the. Elevator their new character Is Nickey mouse
With Donald. Bluck But appy it's AN espn app with
the ready ee a square figure with you, know, hands
and you know it's a guy in a costume, obviously
but you know they theire trying to sell With.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
APPY i Guess disney's going To, disney, right big head.
Speaker 7 (13:31):
Costumes, yes, Exactly he's got the ore arms with the
fee it's A it's a white square with a ready
in the middle of. It it's supposed to be the
animated version of the app you'd see on your.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Smartphone so did you learn a lot what bells and?
Whistles did they wow you?
Speaker 7 (13:45):
With they really talked a lot about their innovations and
features you're going to be able to. Use this deep
dives into, stats, betting, statistics fantasy. Sports you can use
your tablet to both side by. Side you can get
multi they're gonna be able to show. You you, know you
can watch four different feeds of a. Game there is
also a personalizer sports. Center you can almost it's like
(14:06):
a TikTok sports. Center you tell what you, Like i'll
show up clips that have to do with the game last,
night your favorite, team and a couple of four or
five DIFFERENT espn die hards Like Lahannah, storm who will
narrate those clips for you with a combination of their
pronunciation AND. Ai you can see where the new sports
environment is going as streaming comes in the way be WATCHED.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Tv all, right let's walk through this very carefully because
it's confusing even to people like us who have been
covering this for. Decades SO espn is launching THE espn.
App there's around sixty million people in this country that
pay for CABLE tv, service and most of those GET
(14:47):
espn the old fashioned way through the linear. Channel if
you GET espn as part of cable or DIRECT tv
or or YouTube tv or any of, these you will
be able IF i underst you will be able to
sign on through the authentication, password which is a whole other.
Hurdle but if you have your authentication, password you will
(15:10):
be able to sign on to the NEW espn, app
which has considerably more programming baked into, it and you
can access all of that if you pay for old
FASHIONED espn. Linear is that?
Speaker 7 (15:22):
Accurate that's my. Understanding if you are currently a linear
CABLE espn, subscriber you can use your cable cable password
AND id and get Into ESPN's app and get all
the features that you can get if you WATCH espn.
Streaming if you're A Disney plus, subscriber you can get
a certain level OF espn On Disney. Plus they also
(15:43):
discussed a bundle With fox which you have to you,
know Launching fox one On, thursday as well similar sports
and extra, service and also there's going to be A
espn PLUS Nfl premium bundle which will have The Red
zone that they're going to be able to pick up
from in their RECENT nfl. Deals so there are a
lot of different. PACKAGES i don't. Know it's get a little.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Overwhelming that Is ESPN's challenge is to explain exactly what they're.
Getting Jimmy petero the Big. Boss what did you sort
of read from his body? Language they're eager to get it.
OUT i think there's a sense of purpose this has to.
Happen they need to reach people who aren't waunching cable
and that number is. Growing well it thanks to you
for bringing me back some. Audio let's hear a little
(16:24):
bit of What Jimmy petero had to say as he
addressed the media that gathered for the.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
EVENT i also want to take a second just to
mention that the TRADITIONAL mvpd ecosystem is still.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Important this has been very important to our business.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Historically and it's going to Be it's going to continue
to be very important to our business as we move.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Forward you've heard me say. This we are running Parallel.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Paz here fans can CHOOSE, ptv where fans can CHOOSE
Espn direct to, consumer and all subscribers will be able
to ACCESS Espn direct to consumer content app over.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
TIME i want to call out this is not a movie.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Premiere We're we're going to have a really good track
record at opening, movies but we are not going to
judge ourselves based on opening.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Weekend we are building for long term growth.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Here, Okay, brian my last question for you is what
does success look like for? Them did they give any
kind of benchmark of subscriber rates that they're looking for
in the first six months twelve? Months they did.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
Not they kind of took pain to, say we have
we have a lot of features that are in the.
Pipeline it's not fair for us to put a number
on and we're going to keep rolling out new things over.
Time we'll bring different audiences. In they were kind of
careful about not setting an immediate goal for subscriber.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Numbers, brian as, always thank you so much for getting
our eyes and ears in the sports. World this is
definitely a big thing to, watch not just FOR, espn
for all Of. Disney thank. You while we're talking about
The Venice Film, festival it's good to note that The
telluride And toronto fests are also just around the corner
(18:04):
on either side Of Labor. Day we'd like to encourage
you to sign up for this Podcast Daily variety on
major podcast platforms Or variety Dot. Com we've been Publishing
Daily variety episodes on the feed of our long running
interview Podcast Strictly business Since Daily variety debuted On july.
Fourteenth we'll keep doing, that but we'd love to see
(18:26):
listeners sign up directly For Daily variety before we. Go
congrats To Seth, dadowski who has been named executive vice
president and head Of sports And Live content For Jesse Collins.
Entertainment dadowski joins the company after more than a decade
with THE. Nfl thanks for. Listening this episode was written
and reported by Me Cynthia, littleton with contributions From brent Lang, Ramin,
(18:50):
Setuta jennifer mos And Brian. Steinberg it was edited By
Aaron Greenwald Stick's nick's Hick. Picks please leave us a
review at the podcast platf form of your, choice and
please tune in tomorrow for another episode Of Daily variety
We are just shy of ESPN's forty six anniversary, and
since nineteen seventy nine, we've really redefined what's possible in
sports media. Today we are on the verge of another
industry shaping moment.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Welcome to Daily Variety, your daily dose of news and
analysis for entertainment industry insiders. It's Wednesday, August twentieth, twenty
twenty five. I'm your host, Cynthia Littleton. I am co
editor in chief of Variety alongside Ramin Setuda. I'm in
La He's in New York, and Variety has reporters around
the world covering the business of entertainment. In today's episode,
(00:46):
we have our cover story segment. This week's cover is
a doozy with Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac and Germo
del Toro telling everything about how they brought Frankenstein to
life for Netflix. Variety's Brent Lang and my co editor
in chief, Ramin Setuda teamed up to tell the backstory
of this very big movie that Netflix hopes will make
(01:07):
a very big splash next week at the Venice Film Festival.
We also hear from Jennifer Maaz on the sun Valley
of the video game business going on right now in Cologne, Germany,
and as promised in Monday's episode, Brian Steinberg is back
with the report on how Jimmy Petero and company are
selling ESPN's big leap into streaming. But before we get
(01:28):
to that, here are a few headlines just in this
morning that you need to know. Netflix has set a
deal with YouTube star Mark Robert to produce family competition series.
Jimmy Kimmel's Kimmelott Banner will produce The Duffer Brothers have
made it official the Stranger Things pair will move to
Paramount next spring after signing a massive overall deal covering movies,
(01:50):
TV and more. All of these stories and so much
more can be found at Variety dot com. Right now,
it's time for conversations with Friday journalists about news and
trends in show business. In today's cover story segment, we
are talking Frankenstein. My great colleagues Brent Lang and Ramin
Setuda have captured the story of director Guillermo del Toro's
(02:14):
hero's journey to bring this story to the screen with
help from actors Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac. Before we
talk to brenton Ramin. Here's a bit from the Frankenstein trailer.
What manner of creature is stark.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Wolf? Manner of devil?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Lad Ramin Setuda and Brent Lang, We've got the Pollet
Bureau here. You two teamed up on this week's cover
telling the very lengthy backstory almost back to eighteen eighteen
of Frankenstein. How Giirmo del Toro brought this to life
at great expense for Netflix with stars Jacob Belordi and
(02:57):
Oscar Isaac. And it's a big old stew of interesting
movie history, a long ges dating project, two super hot stars.
What better combination could there be for a cover story? Brent,
I'll start with you what stands out to you from
the reporting process, from all the learning about the long
backstory in Giermo del Toro's Frankenstein.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
So what it stands out to me the most is
how much of a passion project this truly is. This
is something he's been thinking about making since he was
a little boy growing up in Mexico. He first saw
the nineteen thirty one James Whale movie and it really
he just said, he responded to it on a deeply
emotional level, and it's something that It's themes and its
message is something that's really stayed with him as he's
(03:39):
gone on to make these movies and said, you know,
Frankenstein is in all my movies. It's in Mike Blade too,
it's in Chronos, It's in all of the things that
I've done. And then he finally gets to do this
after trying to set this up at various studios, through
his first look deal at Netflix, he's been able to
bring this to life and bring it to life on
a really really grand scale.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Undred twenty million dollars scale. What really caught my attention.
So Frankenstein's on the cover of our Venice issue, so
it'll be premiering in Venice. It's one of the most
anticipated movies in Venice. Under Alberto Barbera, the artistic director
of Venice. The film Vessel has really become the official
launch now Awards season. It'll be interesting to see how
the Venice audience responds to this movie. Brendon and I
(04:21):
both liked it very much when I'm allowed to review it,
so we're not reviewing it, but we liked it very much.
It's in scale and in scope, a real big movie.
It's going to have an exclusive theatrical window, and I
think it's going to probably be a big Awards contender,
and so we were excited to be able to tell
the first real, in depth story about the making of
this movie. And I think this will be a movie
that people talk about all a warts season long.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
It's also got one of the hottest young stars in Hollywood,
Jacob Elordi, and he's under a whole lot of makeup.
Your story goes in depth about how much a Lordie
embraced that transformation process. Brent. What stands out to you
about a Lordi's process and how he talked about it.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I think the physical demand of the role and just
the time demands. He was in makeup for ten hours
a day. He'd have to get there the night before
shooting to go through that transformation process. He's a very
serious actor. He takes his craft very seriously.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
I would not have known it was Jacob Elordi. So
if I had gone to this movie cold without opening
credits and watched the film not knowing who was in it,
obviously I recognized Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankstein, the father
of the Monster, but I would not have known or
guessed it was Jacob Lordy. That's the kind of transformation
that he undergoes in this movie.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I also can't wait for folks to see the photographs
because they captured Jacob Elordi without all that makeup. They
captured them in very human conditions.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
Jennifer jorn Are, visual director and I talked about the
look of this and we ended up hiring Platon. He's
a very famous portrait photographer, and his aesthetic and the
look of his photography we thought mirrored the approach that
Guermo takes in adapting Mary Shelley's story. Tonally and visually.
We really want it to match the energy of the film.
(06:01):
It's not a recreation of the characters, but it's the
energy of the film. It's probably one of my favorite
photo shoots of the air.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
The two of you interviewed Jacob Belordi and Oscar Isaac
together at our offices. What was the atmosphere, what was
the vibe between them?
Speaker 5 (06:15):
Greg was very excited that there was a special guest
at our photo shoot because Brett loves dogs and Jacob
brought his dog, Leilah Golden Receiver.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
It was the way to my heart. I would say
this dog is the most mellow animal I've ever seen
in contrast to my own dog.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
So it was wonderful dogs at all photo shoots.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Their bond was very close. They were very, very excited
to finally be able to talk about this movie they've built,
been working on it for years, thinking about it for years.
It was a very long shoot to make the film.
They shot in Scotland and in Toronto. Guermo del Toro
does not use AI. Everything he has built and replicated,
and so they were long shooting days and it was
a big artistic commitment to make this movie. And so
they were both very very hyped to talk about this film,
(06:55):
and they drew off of each other's energy for their
excitement about this film and working with Caermo.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
There's also a discussion in the story about Gierma del Toro.
Is it very much a movie theater guy? And this
movie will play for a few weeks in theaters, but
it is largely going to be seen as a Netflix movie.
Did you get the sense that Giermo or any of
the actors were wrestling with that.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
I think they've made their piece because they'd rather have
the movie made on this scale. But there was a
sense of sadness. I think their preference would be for
people to see this in the theater and the widest
screed possible, and it really warrants that because you know,
you have these catacombs have never looked more catacomby, and
you know there's a grand lab and ships frozen in
(07:36):
the Arctic and wonderful dramatic clashes.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
Netflix is releasing it in theaters for three weeks, and
so their hope is that people will see it in
a movie theater and experience it on the big screen
and then also be able to watch it and stream
it at home later.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Germo del Toro is a brand name director. People will
come to the theater to see his work, So listeners
don't tarry. It'll be three weeks, and I will say,
a terrific story. You covered a lot of ground and
you captured a lot in this story. The two things
that I take away from at one, jacob Elordi is six'
five and number, Two i'm really struck by call me,
(08:12):
corny the power of. Film James whale Makes frankenstein in
nineteen thirty. One gammel Del toro as a kid the late.
Seventies he's seeing it so forty years After James whale
is long. Forgotten his work has the power to spark
incredible creativity in one of the great filmmakers of his.
AGE i think that is as good as it gets
(08:34):
for the power of. Film thank you both for doing
the great. Story and here's to a Fantastic Venice Film
festival and kickoff OF oscar. Season thank, you and we.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
Want everyone to follow along all our reporters on the
ground In venice starting next.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Week now we'll hear From jennifer Mos senior business writer
FOR tv And. Gaming she's reporting On Games, calm a
very big gathering for the gaming business this. Week Jennifer,
moz thanks for joining. Me happy to be. Back, Well,
jenny you are going to be staying close to your
(09:07):
laptop and your phone because this is a big reporting
week for you as our person on the video games.
Beat all the movers and shakers in this world are
gathering In, Cologne germany for Games. Colm jennifer tell us
what this is all. About over the next four. Days
there's going to be, presentations there's going to be closed door,
meetings there's going to be conversations between the top executives
(09:31):
across gaming, companies developers talking about their new projects, together
a lot of, presentations but more, importantly a lot of conversations.
Happening the closest equivalent is Sun. Valley this is like
the gaming industry Sun. Valley this is the, innovators this
is the. Insiders this is people talking and making. Deals
tell us the. Setting is it at a conference, center
(09:53):
is it at a?
Speaker 6 (09:53):
Retreat it's a big convention, center exhibition, showcase and it's
to hold the three hundred and twenty one thousand attendees
that are coming to. This it's a very big.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Event let me ask, you with all this, conversation what
is the conversation in gaming right? Now what are people talking?
Speaker 6 (10:09):
About so there was this whole thing for a while
where people were saying in twenty twenty, four survived to
twenty twenty, five and then there were still, layoffs there's still,
consolidation there's still a lot of leadership and shuffling at
different developers and. Publishers and one of the things that
made the whole survive to twenty twenty, five motto push
through WAS gta six and people thinking that that was
(10:31):
going to land in the, fall and now it's been
moved as we've previously discussed on this. Podcast, now twenty
twenty six is going to be our big. Year SO
gta six is coming, Out Resident evils next game is
going to come out In, february and then.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
This fall there's still big.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
Stuff There's call Of, duty The Black ops seven game is,
Coming goes To yota from PlayStation is, coming and these
are big games and they will lead to a big,
holiday not as big as we were. Expecting but most
of the conversation is going to be around optimism for
twenty twenty.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Six for something like A gta, six such a blockbuster
tent pulled the equivalent of a New Star wars movie
or An avatar. Movie it's the big event that boosts
sampling and can be a boost to sales across the.
Industry so just LIKE i used to brag, that, YES
i do get paid to WATCH, tv you did a
whole bunch of game demos in advance of. Games Con
(11:19):
tell me any couple of, titles anything that stood out to,
you any new functions or new tech in games that
stood out to.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
You, YES i am now allowed to, say because embargo has,
lifted THAT i Played Resident Evil requiem last week for
the first, time very anticipated, Title Big Big deal looks,
great very excited for, it and it's been a long time.
Coming people been waiting for it for quite a. While
you can tell the amount of effort that's gone into
this end and the amount of advanceage just between this
(11:47):
game and the Previous Resident evil.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Game thank, You jenny for being our tour guide into
a new sector that is growing and we are so
happy that you are covering for. Us happy to now
we'll hear From Brian steinberg on ESPN's last big promotional
swing before it hits the upload button on THE espn
streaming App august Twenty, first that WAS espn Chief Jimmy
(12:12):
petero you heard in the cold open describing the significance
of what's about to. Happen brian attended The Worldwide Leaders
media event In New york On. Tuesday here's How petero
described the stakes FOR espn And. Disney and with our.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Incredible reach across, digital across, social and the fact that sports,
fans especially younger, fans see us as a digital first,
brand we have a fantastic opportunity.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Here Brian, steinberg thank you for coming on twice this.
Speaker 7 (12:42):
Week happy to do.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
It, brian you attended a half day event In New.
YORK espn has to sell this new standalone streaming. APP
espn And disney have to sell this To america that
if you're not paying for cable but you WANT, espn
here is your option to do. That they need to
sell it to. Media what were the elements that they
(13:04):
brought to impress all of you media reporters who showed
up to hear about their.
Speaker 7 (13:09):
Plans they had this, show so to, speak in The
New disney headquarters in Downtown New York. City when you
came off the. Elevator their new character Is Nickey mouse
With Donald. Bluck But appy it's AN espn app with
the ready ee a square figure with you, know, hands
and you know it's a guy in a costume, obviously
but you know they theire trying to sell With.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
APPY i Guess disney's going To, disney, right big head.
Speaker 7 (13:31):
Costumes, yes, Exactly he's got the ore arms with the
fee it's A it's a white square with a ready
in the middle of. It it's supposed to be the
animated version of the app you'd see on your.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Smartphone so did you learn a lot what bells and?
Whistles did they wow you?
Speaker 7 (13:45):
With they really talked a lot about their innovations and
features you're going to be able to. Use this deep
dives into, stats, betting, statistics fantasy. Sports you can use
your tablet to both side by. Side you can get
multi they're gonna be able to show. You you, know you
can watch four different feeds of a. Game there is
also a personalizer sports. Center you can almost it's like
(14:06):
a TikTok sports. Center you tell what you, Like i'll
show up clips that have to do with the game last,
night your favorite, team and a couple of four or
five DIFFERENT espn die hards Like Lahannah, storm who will
narrate those clips for you with a combination of their
pronunciation AND. Ai you can see where the new sports
environment is going as streaming comes in the way be WATCHED.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Tv all, right let's walk through this very carefully because
it's confusing even to people like us who have been
covering this for. Decades SO espn is launching THE espn.
App there's around sixty million people in this country that
pay for CABLE tv, service and most of those GET
(14:47):
espn the old fashioned way through the linear. Channel if
you GET espn as part of cable or DIRECT tv
or or YouTube tv or any of, these you will
be able IF i underst you will be able to
sign on through the authentication, password which is a whole other.
Hurdle but if you have your authentication, password you will
(15:10):
be able to sign on to the NEW espn, app
which has considerably more programming baked into, it and you
can access all of that if you pay for old
FASHIONED espn. Linear is that?
Speaker 7 (15:22):
Accurate that's my. Understanding if you are currently a linear
CABLE espn, subscriber you can use your cable cable password
AND id and get Into ESPN's app and get all
the features that you can get if you WATCH espn.
Streaming if you're A Disney plus, subscriber you can get
a certain level OF espn On Disney. Plus they also
(15:43):
discussed a bundle With fox which you have to you,
know Launching fox one On, thursday as well similar sports
and extra, service and also there's going to be A
espn PLUS Nfl premium bundle which will have The Red
zone that they're going to be able to pick up
from in their RECENT nfl. Deals so there are a
lot of different. PACKAGES i don't. Know it's get a little.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Overwhelming that Is ESPN's challenge is to explain exactly what they're.
Getting Jimmy petero the Big. Boss what did you sort
of read from his body? Language they're eager to get it.
OUT i think there's a sense of purpose this has to.
Happen they need to reach people who aren't waunching cable
and that number is. Growing well it thanks to you
for bringing me back some. Audio let's hear a little
(16:24):
bit of What Jimmy petero had to say as he
addressed the media that gathered for the.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
EVENT i also want to take a second just to
mention that the TRADITIONAL mvpd ecosystem is still.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Important this has been very important to our business.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Historically and it's going to Be it's going to continue
to be very important to our business as we move.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Forward you've heard me say. This we are running Parallel.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Paz here fans can CHOOSE, ptv where fans can CHOOSE
Espn direct to, consumer and all subscribers will be able
to ACCESS Espn direct to consumer content app over.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
TIME i want to call out this is not a movie.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Premiere We're we're going to have a really good track
record at opening, movies but we are not going to
judge ourselves based on opening.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Weekend we are building for long term growth.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Here, Okay, brian my last question for you is what
does success look like for? Them did they give any
kind of benchmark of subscriber rates that they're looking for
in the first six months twelve? Months they did.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
Not they kind of took pain to, say we have
we have a lot of features that are in the.
Pipeline it's not fair for us to put a number
on and we're going to keep rolling out new things over.
Time we'll bring different audiences. In they were kind of
careful about not setting an immediate goal for subscriber.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Numbers, brian as, always thank you so much for getting
our eyes and ears in the sports. World this is
definitely a big thing to, watch not just FOR, espn
for all Of. Disney thank. You while we're talking about
The Venice Film, festival it's good to note that The
telluride And toronto fests are also just around the corner
(18:04):
on either side Of Labor. Day we'd like to encourage
you to sign up for this Podcast Daily variety on
major podcast platforms Or variety Dot. Com we've been Publishing
Daily variety episodes on the feed of our long running
interview Podcast Strictly business Since Daily variety debuted On july.
Fourteenth we'll keep doing, that but we'd love to see
(18:26):
listeners sign up directly For Daily variety before we. Go
congrats To Seth, dadowski who has been named executive vice
president and head Of sports And Live content For Jesse Collins.
Entertainment dadowski joins the company after more than a decade
with THE. Nfl thanks for. Listening this episode was written
and reported by Me Cynthia, littleton with contributions From brent Lang, Ramin,
(18:50):
Setuta jennifer mos And Brian. Steinberg it was edited By
Aaron Greenwald Stick's nick's Hick. Picks please leave us a
review at the podcast platf form of your, choice and
please tune in tomorrow for another episode Of Daily variety
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