Welcome to the first email blast for the year 2024 on my website. Just to remind you, this website is meant to be about my writing. The biggest news is that I’m winding down the last edit of my first manuscript. I will give it to a real editor sometime in March, and they’ll do the final Copy Edit. Simultaneously, I’m narrowing down cover artists and gearing up to self-publish.
Once again, thank you for subscribing to this. If you can, please share my website on social media:
www.zacharyhunchar.com
I will do this more frequently, as there should be plenty more things to share with you. For starters, I did a mock-up of a potential cover through Fiverr. I’d love to get your thoughts on this image.
Now, on to Hollywood thoughts.
The only thing of note this week from Lionsgate was the release of the trailer for the new Guardians Of The—no, sorry. It’s not that film. It’s the Borderlands film they released a trailer for. But you’re not wrong to be confused and think it might be Guardians Of The Galaxy. It sure felt like one. From The Hollywood Reporter:
The trailer has rock ‘n’ roll vibes similar to Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy vibes, with the action set to Electric Light Orchestra’s “Do Ya.”
For a moment, I thought it was Sweet’s Fox On The Run. Even the Wife watched this and commented it was a lot like Guardians. That will help because it seems fun and will probably get people excited. I’m going out on a limb here and assuming that the trailer has all the best parts and the rest of the film will be just okay.
In annoying Hollywood news, one of the more competent members of the worst and most corrupt white house administration of all time continues to purchase equity in my former employer. From IMDB:
Former U.S. treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin has added to his stake in Lionsgate, which now totals nearly $50 million, including last year’s purchases.
In a securities filing Thursday, an equity fund controlled by Mnuchin disclosed a 7.9 percent stake in Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.’s Class A voting shares. That’s a step up from the 5.5 percent holding in the Hollywood studio first acquired by Mnuchin’s fund in fall 2023 for about $30.8 million.
A Lionsgate spokesperson declined comment on Mnuchin’s latest stock accumulation, part of share purchases revealed in the regulatory filing by Liberty Strategic Capital, a private equity fund led by Mnuchin and which has no ties to John Malone’s Liberty Global.
Let’s be honest. Hollywood is a cesspool of sociopaths and bottom-feeders, so his actions stand out. He’s not dumping Saudi money in unless something huge is about to happen with them. This smells very much of a major company getting ready to pounce. Google? Apple? I bet that it will somehow involve Newscorp.
Either way, things won’t be good for the rank-and-file when a creep like Mnuchin gets involved. Especially when his boss is making another run at things.
In lighter movie news, I found the Razzie nominations rather uninspired this year (maybe similar to the Oscars). The reason is apparent: the disruption to filmmaking due to the pandemic and the strikes. There isn’t that much content. But it didn’t stop them from putting crappy movies. Lionsgate had the most prominent nominee with The Expendables 4. From the BBC:
The fourth part in Sylvester Stallone’s franchise, The Expendables, leads the Razzie nominations with seven.
Stallone is nominated for worst supporting actor, with co-star Megan Fox up for worst supporting actress.
You know, I’ve never seen any of the Expendables films. The closest I’ve gotten was a company presentation done in Westwood at the Village Theater about eight or nine years ago. I think the cast from the first or second film showed up to hype the crowd.
I’m not sure it helped. But, whatever.
