A big weekend is coming up for the box office, with Wicked and Gladiator II expected to bring in a combined $200 million. CNBC’s Julia Boorstin explains the stakes and the marketing blitzes for both movies. Puck’s Matt Belloni discusses Wicked-ator and Comcast’s rationale for “SpinCo,” its cable spinoff. Restaurant review platform The Infatuation is out with its best new restaurants of the year. CEO Paul Needham highlights recent dining trends, including “rip and dip” bagels and mini martinis. Plus, DirecTV scraps its merger with Dish, SEC Chair Gary Gensler will resign once President-elect Trump takes office, and Matt Gaetz is out and Pam Bondi is in for Trump’s attorney general pick.

Megan Cassella - 03:52

Julia Boorstin - 19:00

Matt Belloni - 22:21

Paul Needham - 32:35

In this episode:

Julia Boorstin, @JBoorstin

Matt Belloni, @MattBelloni

Paul Needham, @paul_needham

Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin

Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

NHL legend Wayne Gretzky is readying a congratulations for Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals player set to break one of Gretzky’s many career records. The Great One weighs in on the recent growth of the sport, as well as the impact of his most famous quotes. Bitcoin is cruising toward its 100k milestone; Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) is a crypto enthusiast, and she’s supporting a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve. As President-elect Donald Trump assembles his cabinet picks, Sen. Lummis explains what she needs to hear from Attorney General contender Matt Gaetz. Plus, AI demand drove Nvidia’s earnings above expectations, and the Department of Justice is aiming for a Google Chrome spinoff.

Jake Sherman - 09:21

Sen. Cynthia Lummis - 21:00

Wayne Gretzky - 31:30

In this episode:

Jake Sherman, @JakeSherman

Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin

Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Comcast plans to spin off its cable networks, including CNBC, E!, and MSNBC. CNBC’s founder and NBC Cable’s first president Tom Rogers is optimistic about the move and the influx of resources it might present for cable channels. Delta CEO Ed Bastian joins ahead of the airline’s 100-year anniversary and Delta’s annual investor day. Despite retailers like Target reporting inflation-conscious customers, Bastian says consumers are still spending on travel. While Bastian is confident that Boeing’s new CEO is working on the supplier’s many issues, for now, Delta is “an Airbus customer.” Plus, Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan’s NFL team is partnering up with Hallmark! Donovan discusses the Taylor Swift tailwinds for his fandom.

Tom Rogers - 2:21

Ed Bastian - 17:09

Mark Donovan - 28:02

In this episode:

Mark Donovan, @Chiefs

Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie