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New York Post
33 minutes ago
- New York Post
‘Smash' abruptly announces final show after Tony Awards drama in Broadway shocker
Behind every musical is a hot mess. 'Smash,' the Broadway play that opened at the Imperial Theatre on April 10, has abruptly announced its final show date after struggling at the box office and suffering a 2025 Tony Awards shutout. Executive producers Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron made the closing announcement on Tuesday. Playbill confirmed that the comedy's final show date will be June 22 after a total of 32 previews and just 84 regular performances. 6 'Smash' has abruptly announced its final show date after struggling at the box office and suffering a 2025 Tony Awards shutout. Matthew Murphy 6 Producers Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron made the closing announcement on Tuesday. Matthew Murphy Inspired by the canceled NBC series of the same name, 'Smash' is a musical about the making of a musical. Directed by Susan Stroman and featuring music by Marc Shaiman, it follows a group of theater artists as they try to create a Broadway production about Marilyn Monroe called 'Bombshell.' But the box office numbers were not in the play's favor, and the New York Times reported that the meta musical's weekly grosses were down from $1 million at its peak to $656K the week ending June 8. 6 Directed by Susan Stroman and featuring music by Marc Shaiman, 'Smash' follows a group of theater artists as they try to create a Broadway production about Marilyn Monroe called 'Bombshell.' Matthew Murphy The outlet also reported that $20 million was invested to bringing 'Smash' in Broadway to life, and so far, that money has not been recouped. This marks the first Broadway production to shutter after leaving empty-handed at the 2025 Tony Awards on Sunday. Although 'Smash' was nominated for Best Choreography and Best Featured Actor, it didn't win either. 6 This marks the first Broadway production to shutter after leaving empty-handed at the 2025 Tony Awards. Matthew Murphy Spielberg, Greenblatt, and Meron's decision to close the musical after less than three months of regular performances comes after some behind-the-scenes drama unfolded at the Tonys. Both 'Smash' and 'Boop! The Betty Boop Musical' were left fuming because the award show's producers refused to let either play perform during the three-hour broadcast on CBS Sunday night. 'It's bizarre,' one Broadway producer said, although neither 'Smash' nor 'Boop!' was nominated for Best Musical this year. 6 Although 'Smash' was nominated for both Best Choreography and Best Featured Actor at the 2025 Tony Awards, it didn't win either. Matthew Murphy The Post exclusively confirmed that both productions were willing to pay the $300K that a Tony Awards appearance costs but were still rejected by the award show's producers. Spielberg, Greenblatt and Meron first announced that 'Smash' was heading to Broadway in 2020, seven years after the NBC series ended in 2013 after just two seasons. The trio also served as producers of the original show. 6 'Smash' was inspired by the canceled NBC series of the same name. Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic ''Smash' is near and dear to my heart, and it was always my hope that a musical inspired by the show would eventually come to the stage,' Spielberg, 78, said in 2023. 'We think we've come up with something the die-hard series fans will love but that will also be exciting for people who never saw an episode of the show,' Meron, 69, added. 'And above all else,' he continued, 'it will be a valentine to the Broadway musical and the exhilarating rollercoaster ride of bringing one to life.'
Buzz Feed
2 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Tom Felton's Viral Comments On J.K. Rowling & Harry Potter Are Bad — Here's Why
Tom Felton is facing a ton of backlash right now, but I actually think it's fully deserved, so let's get into it. If you don't know, Tom played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies, and he's about to return as Draco again for his Broadway debut in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the end of this year. However, while attending the Tony Awards on Sunday, he was asked about J.K. Rowling's disgusting anti-trans comments over the years. (For reference, she also just launched an organization to help fund anti-trans legislation, which is described as a "legal fighting fund for women protecting their sex-based rights.") Tom was specifically questioned about how Rowling's controversies and anti-trans views have impacted him and his work. The full question was: "Does the sort of Twitterverse controversy around J.K. Rowling's views impact you at all or impact your work on the world at all?" First of all, it's incredible how bad that response is. It's even more embarrassing when you realize that a PR rep probably prepared it for him. Like, he's had years of media training and should have anticipated that every interviewer's first question would be about J.K. Rowling. And if this response ~wasn't~ prepped, then, well, double shame on him. Anyway, Tom has expressed similar sentiments over the years, like in 2022 when he claimed to "not know enough about the specifics" in reference to Rowling's constant blows against trans people. He continued by saying, "My dog takes up far too much time for me to go into such matters," as if that was a valid excuse. He then backtracked a little, saying, 'I mean, the obvious things to say are that I'm pro-choice, pro-discussion, pro-human rights across the board, and pro-love. And anything that is not those things, I don't really have much time for." However, in that same interview, Tom also talked about how it's okay for people to have differing opinions and that he doesn't "take any pleasure in putting crosshairs on people that may have said things that we disagree with." The issue I have with this, though, is that basic human rights do not warrant differing opinions. It's disheartening for him to suggest otherwise. Like, we can disagree about favorite colors and movies and foods, but not about the existence and support of trans people. Tom's response is a verrrrry different tune from his Harry Potter co-stars. For example, Daniel Radcliffe wrote an op-ed back in 2020 where he correctly stated that trans women are women. He also called out J.K. Rowling specifically, saying, "Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I." Emma Watson has done the same, sharing her support for the trans community in 2020. She also tweeted directly to her trans fans and followers, saying, "I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are." And Rupert Grint has also followed suit, declaring that he "firmly stands with the trans community and echoes the sentiments expressed by many of my peers." All three of these actors' 2020 comments were in response to J.K. Rowling's lengthy essay about trans issues that she published during Pride Month that same year. Since then, Rowling has taken aim at all three Harry Potter stars for speaking out against her. She also "jokingly" implied that Dan, Emma, and Rupert are three actors who instantly ruin any movie for her when they appear in it. And this is why Tom Felton's refusal to acknowledge J.K. Rowling's comments is so gross and disappointing. To me, it says that he won't speak out against bigotry or injustice simply because it benefits him. After all, in addition to starring in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway, Tom also implied that he'll have a part in HBO's new Harry Potter TV show. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said, "I'll definitely be sneaking into a background shot as an extra." There's also speculation that he'll have a larger behind-the-scenes role on the production side of the series as well. Many veteran actors who've been cast in this new HBO show have also been asked about Rowling's anti-trans views. For example, Nick Frost, who was recently cast as Hagrid, said, "She's allowed her opinion and I'm allowed mine, they just don't align in any way, shape or form."And John Lithgow, who was literally nominated for an Oscar for portraying a trans woman in the 1982 movie The World According to Garp, said he never expected any criticism after accepting the role of Albus Dumbledore. Then, when asked if that backlash made him question his choice, he exclaimed, 'Oh, heavens no.'In case you're curious, Lox Pratt has been cast as Draco Malfoy, the role Tom Felton originated, and Johnny Flynn has been cast as Lucius Malfoy, Draco's dad (aka the role some people thought Tom might play, as he's now 37 years old). Now, my personal relationship with Harry Potter has changed over the years, especially as a queer person. I'm a fan of the series, and though I sometimes struggle with the notion of separating art from the artist, I've distanced myself more and more from the franchise due to Rowling's comments (which is unfortunate because so many people have found a home in it!). I do believe the world of Harry Potter is bigger than Rowling herself, which is why I can understand when some of the stars publicly share praise for what she's built, especially since it helped launch their careers. However, it's possible (and necessary) to stand up for what's right and draw the line between criticism and blind loyalty. That's exactly what Daniel Radcliffe did in 2024, saying: "Jo [Rowling], obviously Harry Potter would not have happened without her, so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person. But that doesn't mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life." Tom Felton, however, is actively choosing to ignore the elephant in the room. It's disingenuous to pretend that Rowling's statements don't affect him, especially since her very comments endanger the lives of people in the trans and queer community, many of whom are his fans. To me, this implies that Tom cares more about collecting a paycheck than standing up for trans rights, which are human rights, and I desperately need him to do better. Looking for more LGBTQ+ or Pride content? Check out all of BuzzFeed's posts celebrating Pride 2025.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Goofus in Charge of HBO Max Is Out of Ideas—and It's a Crisis for American Culture
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. This weekend seemed like a good one for Warner Bros. Discovery. Having secured national broadcasting rights for Good Night, and Good Luck—the megahit Broadway play adapted from George Clooney's 2005 film—the entertainment giant scheduled a much-anticipated, widely accessible livestream of the show's penultimate performance on Saturday night. Interested audiences could catch it on CNN's cable broadcast, stream it via HBO Max (fka Max, fka HBO Max), or, if they subscribed to neither service, view it for free on CNN's website. Making history as the first Broadway play to ever get a live telecast on American TV, Good Night, and Good Luck reintroduced the righteous saga of Edward R. Murrow's battle against McCarthyism at a timely moment—and transmitted the story through both traditional and digital means, crystallizing the corporate synergy between the Cable News Network and its name-shifting digital counterpart, (HBO) Max, with the express approval of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. Or so it seemed. On Monday, Zaslav and WBD CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels announced to investors that CNN and HBO would no longer operate under the same parent. The whole dealmaking process that fused WarnerMedia with Discovery Inc. just three years ago and brought their intellectual property under Zaslav's watch has been effectively nullified, as WBD will be split back into two separate companies by summer 2026. The first company, to be known as Streaming & Studios and headed by Zaslav, will consist of Warner Bros.' film and television properties, HBO's TV and streaming services, and the DC Studios library. The second, to be known as Global Networks and headed by Wiedenfels, will take over the company's cable assets, including Discovery, CNN, Turner Classic Movies, Animal Planet, TLC, Food Network, TBS, TNT Sports, Bleacher Report, U.S. broadcast rights for sports like NCAA basketball, and various European channels. It'll also assume a heaping stack of corporate debt worth tens of billions of dollars. Coupled with the HBO Max reversion that occurred just last month, the redivision of WBD might be yet another obvious indication that Zaslav should probably not have custody of so much American cultural history. Zaslav had been CEO of Discovery Communications for 16 years before the merger with WarnerMedia closed in 2022. Now, however, he's given up everything from Discovery, just two years after his HBO Max–to–Max rebranding set the stage for HBO and Discovery properties to exist together online. After admitting last month that maybe that wasn't the best idea, David Zaslav is just dumping Discovery wholesale and nabbing the prestigious divisions for himself. That's not the only fishy part. After the 2024 presidential election, Zaslav expressed some unsubtle optimism that a second Donald Trump presidency would allow a more favorable business environment for media-industry deals—like the potential WBD merger with Paramount he'd explored in 2023. But then the economic uncertainty engendered by the Trump 2.0 tariff chaos got to him, not least because so much WBD revenue stems from movie releases in China, and Zaslav began trimming employee perks as a result. Now he's even un-consolidating his media empire, instead of consolidating further—likely so he can hoard the company's current and future moneymakers as a bulwark against economic headwinds, and also no longer worry about the debt accrued during the $43 billion acquisition, whose payback installments are still subject to those high interest rates. It's only been a few months into this Trump term. As I noted late last year, Zaslav had already spent much of his 2024 chipping away at the Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio. Beyond purging classic titles like Looney Tunes from the HBO Max corpus (and then taking advantage of the tax write-offs), the WBD executive suite started selling off many of its international cable channels and canceling ongoing arrangements with institutions like Sesame Street. On top of that, Zaslav demonstrated his explicit contempt for one of WBD's most pricey, yet valuable, advantages: domestic rights for NBA broadcasts via TNT. First he claimed WBD didn't need the NBA, then got pissed and sued the league when it understandably turned to Amazon for future broadcast rights. The fallout: a November settlement that allowed TNT Sports and Bleacher Report to broadcast games in certain international markets, but no more rights to televise live games in the United States. (The NBA's new deal gives those rights to Disney, Comcast, and Amazon for the next 10 years.) A lot of notable people got pissed off along the way, including NBA commissioner Adam Silver and TNT panelist Charles Barkley, both of whom likely noticed that Zaslav is a frequent courtside attendee at Knicks games. But now, looking at the proposed split-up, it's clear Zaslav has nothing but contempt for the sporting world that, for now, remains one of traditional TV's last solid revenue sources. (Zaslav's excuse is that sports apparently don't drive HBO Max subscriptions; I'm less convinced that that's why some customers may be avoiding Max.) All the athletics are now Gunnar Wiedenfels' problem at Global Networks, along with the cable channels and (most) of the monetary debt accrued during the 2022 merger and Zaslav's subsequent rule. Surging viewership for March Madness might be able to help Wiedenfels out there, but he'll no longer have domestic NBA live games as his major trump card for other negotiations. And he's ended up with one of Zaslav's more politically inconvenient offerings: CNN, aka President Donald Trump's least favorite news channel. Zaslav might have agreed to spread the pro-freedom-of-the-press message of Good Night, and Good Luck on George Clooney's behalf—but he probably didn't want to deal with the Trump administration's relentless persecution of news outlets that the president deems 'very unfair' to him. Especially when, as in Paramount's case, that may interfere with the broader company's ability to make deals. The thing is, WBD's move doesn't run counter to broader entertainment trends. Last year saw Paramount shut down and lay off staffers from its in-house TV studio, while devaluing the worth of its cable offerings by billions of dollars. (Just this week, the embattled studio axed another 3.5 percent of its American workforce following an executive shakeup.) Comcast spun off the bulk of its traditional TV assets—minus Bravo and Telemundo and the core NBC brand—into a 'SpinCo' firm (now known as Versant), while pointedly keeping its streaming and cinema ventures, Peacock and Universal, inside the house. So Zaslav has a more focused media group via Streaming & Studios, but leaving HBO Max in his hands will inevitably winnow down its once rich library even further. (Zaslav himself has admitted that the TV networks he's spinning off collectively make for a quarter of HBO Max viewership.) The future of Warner Bros.' film-and-TV biz is even less certain. To his credit, Zaslav did what other studios wouldn't and bid for Ryan Coogler's Sinners in spite of the director's controversial film-ownership demands, ultimately giving Warner Bros. the highest-grossing non-IP movie of the decade thus far. (Perhaps a suitable complement to the actual second-highest-grossing flick of the year, the WBD video game adaptation known as A Minecraft Movie.) But much of his time has been defined by completed movies that get axed prior to release, the halfhearted releases of new projects from veterans like Clint Eastwood, the typical overreliance on IP that Zaslav has made clear will continue, and the arbitrary favors called in for personal friends—like Nicholas Pileggi, the Goodfellas-inspiring author whose latest Zaslav-approved film, The Alto Knights, bombed pretty drastically. So maybe Zaslav thinks he'll get the haters and the feds off his back by offloading his news and sports holdings, along with his cable-channel stack, and granting them all to 'Global Networks' along with a hefty helping of debt. But the entire saga of his WBD takeover, his decisions and backtracks, and now, finally, the unwinding of the media megamerger he was supposed to build up even further—there's no reason to believe he'll do any better in the future. The guy is all out of ideas, and it's American culture that has suffered for it. Good night, and good luck, to all of us.
