Lachlan gets FOX empire / NETFLIX, 'Black Mirror' creator re-team / UNRIVALED 🏀 gets new investment
Mornin!This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LINKEDIN here if ya likeor email me atseanmcnultynyc@gmail.com),and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know onTuesday, September 9, 2025.
Where congrats toKendallLachlan on the big day**inheriting the FOX empire. Let’s hopeRoman, Shiv and ConnorJames, Liz andPrue** put their new $1.1B checks to good use — I hear we should keep an eye out for something called**THE HUNDRED**. 🤫
But, stay tuned forSuccessioned Again! on HBO AI in 2040 (HBO MAX, you had a good run), when Lachlan’s little sistersGrace andChloe, who are currently in their early 20s, make a bid to take over the new trust that has been created with the 3 of them, containing the majority holdings of FOX CORP and NEWS CORP.
But, uh . . . we’ll just have to take some artistic liberties, as the daughters have non-voting shares in that trust, which**expires in 2050** — Rupert isn’t falling for that one again.
Well. Certain members. Via Giphy
AND: If you’re wondering where one comes up with $3.3B to pay off your kids / siblings 🙋♂️ — they’ll each become beneficiaries of new trusts, whose cash**is being derived from sales of billions of Class B FOX CORP and NEWS CORP shares essentially**, which Lachlan’s firm is**arranging a $1B loan to fund**, putting up stock it owns in both companies to secure it.
Thus, a**dilution in share ownership** by the Murdoch family in both companies (although the new Lachlan-run trust will still maintain voting control):
FOX CORP goes from 43% to 36%
NEWS CORP goes from 40% to 33%
The 3 bought-out children are also prevented from amassing any shares of those companies in the future, in case they had any funny ideas.
THEN: Ryan Reynolds is taking the AMAZON MGM John Candy doc that he produced on tour for a series of screenings and Q&As starting Sept. 23 through Oct. 14 (tix on sale here tomorrow).
YUP: Here is your first round of Emmy presenters, including aGilmore Girls reunion #Happy25thAnniversary.
WELL: First, the PREMIER LEAGUE teams, and now the pubs — yes, the U.K.’s American billionaire invasion continues as**PARAMOUNT entrepreneur Larry Ellison is now a pub owner**. 🍻
He’s now the proprietor of one of Oxford’s oldest pubs called The Eagle and Child, whereJ.R.R. Tolkien andC.S. Lewis used to grab pints in the 1930s — paying a cool $10.7M for it, which I think he already made back in the time it’s taken me to write this item.
Conveniently, it’s only 4 miles away from a $1.3B for-profit research center that ORACLE is building nearby, so if the price of a pint soon goes up to a more American-like $9 . . . you’ll know why.
OH: Enjoy yournew iPhone announcement afternoon from APPLE, likely including something called**an iPhone Air**, which you justknow this guy 👇 will be getting (and yes, Gen Z — I can feel your stares of confusion and disdain).
Via Reddit
SO: The inter-generational battle for “Who has it worst?” got another data point today for #TeamGenZ — the percentage of the**workforce at publicly traded tech companies that is 21 to 25**, according to compensation platform PAVE:
January 2023: 15%
July 2025: 6.7%
Don’t worry, I’m sure all those jobs that AI will create will come along eventually.
ALSO: Trump lost his federal court appeal in the $83M verdict against him in theE. Jean Caroll defamation case.
AH: TESLA’s U.S. market share of electric vehicle sales is now below 40%. It was around 75% three years ago. Man, what happened?
PLUS: The 5.5-year mark of Covid is bringing out all the RTO vibes, as**NBC NEWS is joining PAR in the increased office attendance chorus** — raising the mandate to 4 days a week according toBI.
AND: Mike Cavanagh is on stage at the GOLDMAN conference today at 11:10 a.m. (link in his name to listen).
IN THIS EDITION
All the key comp’s and elements to consider around YOUTUBE’s NFL audience results, as UNRIVALED’s 🏀 valuation goes up a notch.
Another busy movie day, from The Rock to SEARCHLIGHT, NETFLIX, AMAZON MGM, LIONSGATE, DISNEY and more making deals.
NETFLIX was no slouch on the TV side yesterday either, plus what’s up with that new CBS NEWS Ombudsman, AMAZON’s Ad biz departure and much more.
THANKS!
To the MPA for the invite to come check out the MPA Awards in D.C. last night! But no thanks are going to AMTRAK for a 2-hour delay on the way down. Thankfully, I still made it in time (ish).
Great to meet more folks from the studio biz’s representation in D.C. and giveJon M. Chu an unsolicited vote of confidence that theCrazy Rich Asians series gets picked up.
NBC NEWS’ Kristen Welker interviewing MPA Award recipient andWicked director, Jon M. Chu. Via my phone
🎥THE SILVER SCREEN
Time for the celebratory toast . . . Via Giphy