1 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 1: Welcome to Daily Variety, your daily dose of news and 2 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: analysis for entertainment industry insiders. It's Wednesday, July twenty third, 3 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five. I'm your host, Cynthia Lyttleton. I am 4 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 1: co editor in chief of Variety alongside Ramin Setuda. I'm 5 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: in LA He's in New York, and Variety has reporters 6 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: around the world covering the business of entertainment. In today's episode, 7 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: we'll talk to Dan Didario, Variety's chief correspondent, for our 8 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: cover story segment in this week's print edition. Dan dives 9 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: into the world of FX and showrunner Noah Holly to 10 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: capture all that is on the line for both with 11 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,559 Speaker 1: the dawn of Alien Earth on August twelfth, and we 12 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,319 Speaker 1: hear from Adam b Veri about what to expect when 13 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: San Diego Comic Con begins tomorrow. He also gives us 14 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: some color on his recent interview with Marvel chief Kevin Feige. 15 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: It was an unusually candid session. Feigi acknowledged head on 16 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: that marl has simply been over extended in recent years. 17 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: But before we get to that, here are a few 18 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: headlines just in this morning that you need to know. 19 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: Variety has unveiled. This year's Power of Young Hollywood honorees. 20 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: Singer Tyler Stranger Things, star Finn Wolfhard and Sam Novola 21 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: of White Lotus Fame will be saluted on August sixth 22 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,399 Speaker 1: in our print edition, on digital and at our invite 23 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: only event the following day. Series orders have been flying. 24 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: Netflix has renewed Wednesday for season three. NBC has given 25 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,839 Speaker 1: a series order to cheerleading comedy Stumble from Universal Television, 26 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: and Stars has given an eighteen episode order to Power Origins, 27 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 1: a prequel series revolving around the characters of Ghost and 28 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: Tommy and Rip Ozzy Osbourne, who died Tuesday at age 29 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: seventy six. What a career. Our music team is working 30 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: hard to pay tribute to the legendary artist who define 31 00:01:55,480 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: the sound of hard rock vocals for many decades. Now 32 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: we turn to conversations with Variety journalists about news and 33 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: trends in show business. For today's cover story segment, Chief 34 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: correspondent Dan Didario details his epic journey into Noah Hollyland 35 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: with his inside look at Alien Earth. Dan Didario, Chief 36 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: correspondent for Variety, Thank you so much for joining me. Well, 37 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: thanks for having me, Dan, You wrote this week's cover 38 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: story all about Alien Earth, which is a truly big, 39 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: big bet that FX is making on another event series. 40 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: Tell me, as you've covered many shows, you've reviewed many 41 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: shows for us in your previous life as a chief 42 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: TV critic. From what you learned about the production and 43 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,640 Speaker 1: the backstory, what stands out to you as unique about 44 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: Alien Earth. 45 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 2: Well, I think that in the years since FX became 46 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 2: part of the Walt Disney Company after the twenty nineteen merger, 47 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 2: they've gone from the scrappy upstart network that punched above 48 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 2: weight to a network that has the capability to make 49 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: really big investments in things. You saw this last year 50 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 2: with Shogun, which was an international production of sunning levels 51 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 2: of craft. This show is even bigger. FX's president of Entertainment, 52 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 2: Gena Bialien, told me that it was a larger investment 53 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:20,360 Speaker 2: of cash of capital, and also it is just as 54 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 2: big as it gets. I mean, Shogun was an international 55 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,119 Speaker 2: production that had dazzling levels of craft and a huge, 56 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 2: sprawling cast. This is that, but also with alien spaceships 57 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:33,519 Speaker 2: crashing into cities and the Xenomorph, the famous creature from 58 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: Ridley Scott's Alien film from nineteen seventy nine. And its sequels, 59 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 2: prowling around, eviscerating people. It is a level of ambition 60 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 2: that recalls Game of Thrones a decade ago, and it's 61 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 2: exciting that something so truly cinematic. 62 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: FX is known for its signature, for its stylish look. 63 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: You know what an FX show is, and it'll be 64 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: interesting to see how they apply that to Alien a 65 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: well established you know, a welles dablished franchise that has 66 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: tent poles and pillars in the minds of fans. So 67 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: it's a swing for them in a number of ways. 68 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: Let me ask you from your vantage points. So you 69 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 1: talked to everybody, you did the three sixty reporting, from 70 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: the executives, to the creatives, to the stars, But from 71 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: what was your sense from FX executives? There's so much 72 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: on the line, and again the bar is high. With Shogun, 73 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: did you get a sense of nervousness? Did you get 74 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 1: a sense of real confidence? They can't wait to get 75 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: this out. 76 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 2: I would say the differentiation is that with Shogun there 77 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 2: was a sense of nervousness. I think that that's no secret. 78 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 2: I think with this there was a sense of excitement. 79 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 2: I think that they proved they could do it. With 80 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 2: Shogun granted a very different thing, but they hijacked the 81 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: zeitgeist with this piece of IP and transformed it and 82 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 2: made it new and made it fit for television. I 83 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 2: think they believe they've done it again. 84 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: Of course, you're reminding me as we're speaking that you 85 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: also did a great piece on Shogun just before it's launched, 86 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:00,840 Speaker 1: So you are the perfect or to put this all 87 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: into perspective for FX. But yes, FX and Showgun really 88 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,360 Speaker 1: worked around the world for Disney. Plus you segue nicely 89 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: into Noah Hawley. Why did FX pick Noah Hawley as 90 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: the person to adapt Alien? 91 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 2: Well, Noah is an idea machine. He said something interesting 92 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 2: when we spoke that didn't there wasn't room for it 93 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 2: to make it into the story, which is years and 94 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 2: years ago. Eight years ago, FX approached him and said, 95 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 2: if we could ever, if we ever got the rights 96 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 2: and the stars aligned, would you have an idea for 97 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 2: an Alien show? And he said something along the lines 98 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 2: up if you ask me if I'm going to have 99 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 2: an idea, I will. And so he just has the 100 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 2: capacity to think expansively about this universe. As he pointed 101 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: out to me, Alien unlike Star Wars, unlike Star Trek. 102 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 2: There's not a lot of mythology to it. So that 103 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 2: provides a clear, flat, clear flat plane in which you 104 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 2: can build anything you want. We know there are alien creatures, 105 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 2: we know there is commercial space, commercial space exploration, and commerce. 106 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 2: That's pretty much it. And so into this universe he's 107 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 2: extrapolated the way the government works. There is no more government. 108 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,239 Speaker 2: The world is ruled by corporations. In a literal sense. 109 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 2: It is a hot, wet world because that's how he extrapolates. 110 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 2: The climate will change and AI, that incidentally, which has 111 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 2: become the defining issue of our time, is completely transforming 112 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 2: every aspect of life, down to the protagonist played by 113 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 2: Sidney Chandler, who is a human's consciousness inside a robotic shell. 114 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 2: I suppose it's not AI, it's real intelligence, it's artificial being. 115 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: I was saying that what you're describing is sounding less 116 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: and less like science fiction now reads. 117 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 2: Like the newspaper. Gina Baialien told me he wrote up, 118 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 2: you know, five pages, as just a pitch. If he 119 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 2: were ever able to do this eight years ago, at 120 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 2: every element in his pitch made it to the show 121 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 2: in its final form. He's a novelist He's written and 122 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 2: directed feature films, and he has the ability to hop 123 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 2: through is IP world without having it feel like a 124 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 2: crass brand extension. It's alien, but it is fundamentally a 125 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 2: Noah Holy show as well. 126 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: Players here are Sidney Chandler, who plays the lead character 127 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: Timothy Olifant, who is also no stranger to FX from 128 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: the Justified universe. He's back. He is in this series 129 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: as a key role. What is your sense of the 130 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: kind of the ensemble here. Do you think that this 131 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: is going to be a star making machine for some 132 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: of the ensemble players? 133 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 2: Yes, I do. I think that a key element of 134 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 2: the show is that Sidney Chandler, who is the show's lead, 135 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 2: plays effectively the leader of a troop of children in 136 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 2: adult bodies. She goes by Wendy and they are her 137 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 2: lost boys, as in Neverland. And that ensemble of young 138 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 2: adult actors recalls to me, say Mazie Williams and Sophie 139 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 2: Turner and Kit Harrington on Game of Thrones, or more 140 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 2: to the present day, the younger actors on House of 141 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 2: the Dragon. It is a lineup of killer actors. I 142 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 2: would also spotlight Babu Sisea, who has fantastic role as 143 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 2: he begins the series on a ship kind of like 144 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 2: the one Sigourney Weaver traverses the universe on in the 145 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 2: Alien films, and he has complex motivations that would be 146 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 2: unfair to spoil, but he gets a very big spotlight. 147 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 2: He's a fantastic actor with whom I was not familiar 148 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 2: and he does a really great job. Oliphant and Sie Davis, 149 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 2: who played a key role in the film The Baba Duok, 150 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 2: are the known quantities. And as with shows like Game 151 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 2: of Thrones or The Last of Us, Chandler inhabits. As 152 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 2: Holly pointed out to me, it is a franchise that 153 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 2: has historically been fronted by e laite actress. The same 154 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 2: was true in last summer's Alien film with Kaylee Spainey, 155 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 2: and now Chandler steps into that role. 156 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 1: You're wedding my appetite to check this out. I want 157 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: to address it's it's in your cover story. It's a 158 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 1: prominent part of your cover story. There was a bit 159 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 1: of a hiccup with our cover photo shoot session with 160 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: Sidney Chandler. We had very much hoped and planned to 161 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 1: have her on the cover. There was a number of 162 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 1: things that came up in some conversations that were had, 163 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: and the upshot was that she did not participate in 164 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 1: the photo shoot. We were disappointed, but of course respect 165 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: her decision as an artist to make the choice that 166 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: she needs to and draw the boundaries that she needs 167 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 1: to in this world. We absolutely, I think we all 168 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: have to respect that. 169 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:31,959 Speaker 2: We had already spoken Sydney and I for what I 170 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 2: thought was going to be our only conversation for the piece, 171 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 2: and she was enthusiastic about the show, enthusiastic about her experience, 172 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 2: but very clear eyed about the fact that it had 173 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 2: been a challenge for her. She described her experience as difficult, 174 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 2: and I kind of chalked it up to production being 175 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 2: challenging in the best of times. This did give me 176 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 2: a moment of pause that she was taking a step 177 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 2: back from the promotion. Was able to get back on 178 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 2: the phone with her, and she made clear that there 179 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 2: were certain boundaries. She is a performer who wants to 180 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 2: be known for the quality of her work and not 181 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 2: for elements of her life. I would describe both of 182 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 2: our conversations as very thoughtful, unusually so. Chandler, who incidentally 183 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 2: grew up in Austin, not Hollywood with her parents. Her 184 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 2: father is the actor Kyle Chandler, always intended to be 185 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 2: a writer, not an actor, and has a recognized spirit 186 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 2: of a writer of pensiveness, and we, of course as 187 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 2: an institutional, respect her decision. It is unfortunate that the 188 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 2: lead of the show isn't on the cover, and we 189 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 2: felt we had to address it and talk about it, 190 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 2: and it gives a new perspective on that. Yes, it 191 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 2: was challenging for her to be part of the production. 192 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,199 Speaker 2: It doesn't mean she disavows the show, and if the 193 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 2: show goes more seasons, she and Noah Hollywood want for 194 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 2: her to be a part of it. So I think 195 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 2: this is the beginning of a long career for someone 196 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 2: who is super talented. 197 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: Let me conclude Dan by asking you, drawing on your 198 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: background as as a TV critic, how do you think 199 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: this is going to perform for efics? Do you think 200 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 1: their investment will be well placed? 201 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 2: I believe so. I think this has the makings of 202 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 2: a huge hit. I think there is such a core 203 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 2: affection for the Alien franchise that even film entries in 204 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 2: recent years that have been have been of varying quality, 205 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,559 Speaker 2: have been embraced by the fandom, and I think this 206 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 2: is of high quality. I think that fans will not 207 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 2: be disappointed. They will get everything they love about the franchise, 208 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 2: plus the secret sauce of Holly's extrapolations and visions of 209 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 2: the future. So I think there is a lot to 210 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 2: appreciate in this and I think that it will go 211 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 2: duly appreciated by people who are looking forward to it. 212 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 2: I think they have a lot to look forward to. 213 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 2: And thank you so much. 214 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: Listeners, Please run, go get a print copy of Variety, 215 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: or go find the story on writey dot com. Dan 216 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: as ever, thank you for your reporting. 217 00:11:57,160 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me. I appreciate the chance to get 218 00:11:59,160 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 2: to do this story. 219 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: Next up, we'll hear from Adam Baveri on what's happening 220 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: and what's not happening this year at ComicCon. He also 221 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 1: shares impressions of his recent sit down with Marvel chief 222 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 1: Kevin Feige. Adam b Veri, thanks for joining me. 223 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 3: Thank you for having me here. 224 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: You are getting ready for your super Bowl, which is 225 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: San Diego Comic Con, and you and Angelique Jackson sat 226 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 1: down for Variety with Kevin Figi, the main man of Marvel, 227 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 1: who has been steering the MCU to great heights for 228 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 1: nearly a decade, but there have been some stumbles in 229 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: recent years. Adam, what did you find? What did Figy 230 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: want to get across to you? 231 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, he met with. 232 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 4: A group of journalists at Marvel headquarters in Burbank, and 233 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 4: it's a first of all, it was just a rare 234 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 4: thing that you know, basically, any syllable that Kevin Figee 235 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 4: utters makes news. So he's become more and more careful 236 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 4: about when and how he gives interviews. But privately, Marvel 237 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 4: executives have been talking for a while now about how 238 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 4: much they've needed to change course, and this was the 239 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 4: first time Figie had really gone on the record in 240 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 4: a real robust way to address all of the difficulties 241 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:16,719 Speaker 4: they've been having and you know, make his assessment of 242 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 4: what has been going wrong and how they're going to 243 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 4: be sort of riding the ship as it were, and 244 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 4: looking to their future. 245 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,720 Speaker 1: What was Figi's diagnosis for kind of what set them 246 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: off track? 247 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 4: He basically confirmed in a way what Disney's CEO Bob 248 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 4: Iger has been saying multiple times for a while noo actually, 249 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 4: which is that they made too much. You know, he 250 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 4: cited that the what's called the Infinity Saga, the series 251 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 4: of movies that came out between two thousand and eight 252 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 4: and twenty nineteen, that was about fifty hours worth of content. 253 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,680 Speaker 4: But since then, because of the advent of Disney plus 254 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 4: they've made including animation, I think over one hundred and 255 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 4: twenty hours of content in half the time. And fig, 256 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 4: he said, flatley, that's too much. And you know, he 257 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 4: said that after the enormous triumph that was Avengers Endgame, 258 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 4: they wanted to enter a period and the way he 259 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 4: phrased it was a experimentation and evolution. That's how you 260 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 4: get movies like Eternals with Khoijao or Shang Chi and 261 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 4: the Legend of Ted and Rings. Whereas they were making 262 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 4: at most three movies a year at all, like and 263 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 4: that was it. They're you know, sometimes they had upwards 264 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 4: of nine to ten titles on film and television coming 265 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 4: out in a calendar year, and that just massive increase 266 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 4: in volume. Really, you know, diluted the brand, diluted their quality. 267 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 4: It's one point, he said, you know, for the first time, 268 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 4: quantity trumped quality. And you know, that's a pretty blunt 269 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,080 Speaker 4: assessment for what went wrong. I think the crux of 270 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 4: what had been going wrong for. 271 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 1: Them, Disney, as we know, has shifted a lot of 272 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: gears to put so much into Disney. Plus, we know 273 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: that the increase came because of the real need to 274 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: feed Disney Plus, so very interesting. Business school students will 275 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: no doubt be parsing, be parsing these words. What did 276 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: he say in terms of here's what we're going to 277 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: do to kind of get back into that sort of 278 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: that sweet spot of fans love it. 279 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 4: A lot of it is just sort of turning the 280 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 4: hose down, as it were. You know, he said, at most, 281 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 4: you know, they'll be making three movies a year, sometimes 282 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 4: only two or one. And on the live action television front, 283 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 4: he said they'll be years where they'll only have one show, 284 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 4: and I think in fact, next year that will likely 285 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 4: be the case. They'll have a show based on the 286 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 4: character of Vision, headed by Paul Bettany. I don't think 287 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 4: they have anything else on the docket for them, but 288 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 4: I think more than that, they also have the benefit 289 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 4: of being able to start making X Men movies. The 290 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 4: X Men I think are next to you know, Spider Man, 291 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 4: just sort of like across the board, separate from anything 292 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 4: that else Marvel's most popular characters, but those characters belonged 293 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 4: to twenty century Fox for a long time. Once Disney 294 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 4: acquired twenty Century Fox in twenty nineteen, those characters came 295 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 4: over to Marvel. 296 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 1: So segueing into comic Con, now that starts Thursday, runs 297 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: through Sunday, what are you expecting this year? 298 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 4: Well, as I said, you know, Marvel's not going, and 299 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 4: Marvel is always the sort of eight hundred pound gorilla 300 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 4: comic Con, so their absence makes it a quieter festival. 301 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 3: DC is also not going to have a large presence there. 302 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 4: They're only going to bring one of their shows, Peacemaker 303 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 4: season two, which James Gunn is a major architect for 304 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 4: James Gunn being the co chief of the new DC Studios, 305 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 4: so he'll be there to show that off. But they 306 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 4: may take a bit of a victory lap about Superman 307 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 4: at that panel, but. 308 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 1: I would bet on it. 309 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 3: I would bet on it. But you won't see. 310 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 4: I don't think we should anticipate seeing preview of Supergirl, 311 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 4: which is their movie coming out next year. They're going 312 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 4: to have a sort of a very quiet presence too, 313 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,879 Speaker 4: so it's just generally going to be a little bit 314 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:12,359 Speaker 4: of a quieter comic Con. There's a Ryan Gossling movie 315 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:15,679 Speaker 4: called Project Hail Mary, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. 316 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 4: They're going to have a big preview there. And then 317 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 4: I think the thing that's going to be big for 318 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 4: the kind of geeks is there's a remake of a 319 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 4: movie called The Toxic Avenger. If you're a big sort 320 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 4: of like you know, grade Z genre fan, you'll know 321 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 4: that property. It's by a company called Troma, and Peter 322 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 4: Dinklic is playing The Toxic Avenger. And on the TV front, 323 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 4: Alien Earth is going to have a big presence. They're 324 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 4: going to premiere the first episode and then have a panel. 325 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:47,199 Speaker 4: The Star Trek two Star Trek shows are going to 326 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 4: be there, Star Trek Strange New Worlds and the new 327 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 4: show Star Trek's Starfleet Academy, and that people get their 328 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 4: first look at that. There'll be the second season of 329 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 4: gen V, the spinoff of the Boys. There'll be fun 330 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,199 Speaker 4: things here in but overall, I think you won't expect 331 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 4: the kind of sort of titanic news that usually comes 332 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:05,680 Speaker 4: out of Comic Con. 333 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 1: You can have a little more contemplative time as you 334 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: walk around hallh and everything else, Adam, thank you as 335 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 1: ever for keeping all of this mythology and characters and 336 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 1: brands and capes and tights, keeping all that straight. We 337 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 1: really appreciate it. 338 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 3: Of course, thank you for having me. 339 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 1: As we close out today's episode, here's a few things 340 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: we're watching for the Netflix documentary The Truth About Jesse 341 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: Smolla is generating a lot of advance buzz. The doc 342 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: from the documentary Shop Raw revisits the twenty nineteen incident 343 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: involving the Empire Star. It's set to bow August twenty second. 344 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 1: Buckingham Nicks returns. The legendary nineteen seventy three album released 345 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 1: by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham shortly before they joined Fleetwood. 346 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: Mac has been out of print for more than forty years. 347 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:59,400 Speaker 1: It'll be re released by Rhino Records on September nineteenth. Woohoo, 348 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: before we go, congrats to Anaka Jones. She's joined Maxine 349 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: Productions as Executive VP of Development and Current. She was 350 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: previously Chief Content Officer for Left Right Productions. Maxine Productions 351 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: is part of the Unscripted group at Sony Pictures TV. 352 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,120 Speaker 1: This episode was written and reported by me Cynthia Littleton, 353 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: with contributions from Dan Didario and Adam Baveri. It was 354 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: edited by Aaron Greenwald Stix Nix hick Picks. Thanks for listening, 355 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: Please leave us a review at the podcast platform of 356 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: your choice, and please tune in tomorrow for another episode 357 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:42,360 Speaker 1: of Daily Variety