When a fire ripped through Universal Studios in Los Angeles back in 2008 it was initially feared that all of the historic films and music locked away in the vaults that burned were lost forever. At the time Universal reported that, quite miraculously, very little damage had occurred and that few, if any, of the master recordings in the vaults were damaged.
However, in an in-depth investigative piece The New York Times reports that the fire actually wiped out hundreds of thousands of invaluable masters of legendary recording artists such as Louis Armstrong, Chuck Berry, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Elton John, Nirvana and possibly hundreds of others. Universal Music Group continues to insist the loss is overstated, but artists are clamoring for more information and the first class action lawsuit has already been filed.
Meanwhile talks between the Writers Guild of America and the Association of Talent Agents over packaging fees and affiliate productions have stalled and now lawsuits have started to fly.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including which Broadway shows got a post-Tony Awards bump in grosses, J.J. Abrams lands at WarnerMedia and Celine Dion is leaving Las Vegas.

China Box Office Drops in First Half Despite 14.5 Percent Jump in Hollywood Revenue
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-drops-first-hollywood-jump-1221663
Box Office Blues: 2019 Revenue Down Nearly 10 Percent Midyear
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-blues-2019-revenue-down-10-percent-midyear-1221934
Regal To Launch Unlimited Movie Subscription
https://deadline.com/2019/07/regal-cinemas-unlimited-movie-ticket-subscription-program-cineworld-1202640441/
WGA Talks Move To One on One
https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/writers-guild-agents-talks-end-packaging-1203248689/
WME Alleges Writers Guild Leading an Illegal Boycott in Antitrust Lawsuit
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/wme-alleges-writers-guild-leading-an-illegal-boycott-antitrust-lawsuit-1220562
Scribes Petition WGA On Strategy, Conflicts, Endgame
https://deadline.com/2019/06/wga-ata-20-writers-send-petition-leadership-endgame-ata-1202635478/
Abrams Artists Agency Agrees To Broad Terms of WGA
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/abrams-artists-agency-breaks-ranks-offers-drop-packaging-fees-1222186
Woody Allen’s Next Film Confirmed For July Shoot In Spain With Christoph Waltz, Louis Garrel & Elena Anaya
https://deadline.com/2019/06/woody-allen-cast-next-film-spain-christoph-waltz-louis-garrel-gina-gershon-1202626540/
Max Landis Dropped by Management in Wake of Sexual Misconduct Allegati...