HBO’s EUPHORIA Second Special Episode to Premiere Early on HBO Max January 22 – The HBO Max Premiere (9pm/ET on Friday, January 22) will be in advance of its HBO premier on Sunday January 24.
The episode is titled “F*ck Anyone Who’s Not A Sea Blob.” Features Jules (Hunter Schafer) “over the Christmas holiday as she reflects on the year.” Schafer was co-executive producer on the second special episode, which she co-wrote with series creator Sam Levinson. [Warner]
TNT’s “Snowpiercer” Receives Third Season Order – “TNT has ordered a third season of its hit sci-fi thriller “Snowpiercer,” cable’s #1 new drama series. Season two premieres on Monday, January 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on TNT.” “Snowpiercer” season two stars Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly, Grammy and Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs, Sean Bean, Rowan Blanchard, Emmy nominee Alison Wright, Mickey Sumner, Iddo Goldberg, Katie McGuinness, Tony Award winner and Grammy nominee Lena Hall, Annalise Basso, Sam Otto, Roberto Urbina, Sheila Vand, and Steven Ogg [Warner]
BLACK ART: IN THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT premiers on HBO February 9 – This is a “vital and illuminating introduction to the work of some of the foremost African American visual artists working today. Artists featured include Theaster Gates, Kerry James Marshall, Faith Ringgold, Amy Sherald and Carrie Mae Weems. [Warner]
Discovery Plus Chief Lisa Holme: Walking the Line Between Bold Disruption and Saving What’s Left of Pay TV – “While other conglomerates are going all-in with video streaming, disrupting traditional revenue streams like linear pay TV and theatrical distribution, the executive in charge of Discovery Plus, Lisa Holme, Discovery group SVP of content and commercial strategy, and direct-to-consumer, describes a more measured approach to over-the-top distribution.” [Next TV]
“Churn” Is a Problem For Streaming Services – “According to Deloitte’s survey of 1,100 people in October, 46% of respondents canceled at least one streaming service in the last six months. That’s a dramatic increase from the 20% who said in a similar January survey that they’d canceled a service in the previous year. Of the people surveyed who canceled a streaming subscription, 62% did so because they finished the show or movie that they had signed up to see, Deloitte said.” [LA Times]
Sim racing filled the gap when COVID-19 shut down racing. Can it hold on to fans and sponsors when sports get back to normal? – “Sim racing gives teams a new source of revenue, gives sponsors a more accountable form of marketing and has interested a young audience that motorsports have struggled to capture. Soon sim racing will face the real test: Can it retain fans and sponsors when real cars are back on real tracks and real spectators are in the stands?” [NYT]
Industry experts weight in on when comic cons will return – “As of right now, the two big CCI programs, WonderCon in Anaheim and SDCC, are still on the calendar for March and July, respectively. Those dates are tenuous for a number of reasons, the most important being that it is impossible to determine where the state of California will be in the months to come in regards to its battle with COVID-19. At the moment, the state is the epicenter of the nation’s coronavirus crisis. Given the unpredictable nature of the virus’ spread, organizers have to accept the reality that a show could be postponed at a moment’s notice.” [IGN]
Football (Soccer) Comes Alive in Fortnite – Fortnite has partnered with Brazilian superstar, Pelé, to bring his iconic celebration into the game. His Air Punch Emote will be available in the Fortnite Item Shop on January 23.
The Pelé Cup happens January 20. Fortnite has also partnered with 23 football clubs on in-game outfits. [Fortnite]
