This past week, Jeremy Renner inspired fans everywhere, Blade added a Goth, and we finally met The Marvels.
This was a happy week for MarvelBlog News.
Renner 1, Snowplow 0
James Devaney / GC IMAGES GETTY IMAGES
We have more significant Marvel stories to cover, but let’s start with the most inspirational one.
Jeremy Renner spent the past 10 days proving to the world that he’s not gonna allow a pesky seven-ton snow plow to beat him.
Renner started a small promotional tour to reassure fans that Hawkeye has stood toe-to-toe with aliens during The Battle of New York.
(Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images)
If he can sit through an entire sitting of Rogers: The Musical, he’s plenty tough enough to allow a snowplow to run over him.
Seriously, Renner invited Diane Sawyer into his home to hold an interview.
In real-time, cameras captured the award-winning journalist’s shock as she recognized just how well Renner is doing.
The interview took place several weeks ago, which means Renner has recovered even more.
(Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for American Cinematheque)
Still, during this fateful discussion, Renner was playing house music and entertaining guests while his physical therapist took him through several exercises.
When Renner spoke to Sawyer, he did acknowledge residual pain and struggled at times.
Overall, the actor appeared stunningly healthy, given the fact that he suffered more than 30 bone breaks at once.
(Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
Sawyer spoke to the neighboring couple who aided in Renner’s rescue.
Notably, this conversation proved his first opportunity to thank them personally.
Renner has recovered in his California home under the close watch of his family, who is obviously close-knit.
Jeremy Renner Instagram Stories
His poor nephew, who was there during the traumatic event, is still obviously shaken up about it.
Meanwhile, for his part, Renner appears embarrassed and seems to feel a bit guilty over the stress he caused his family.
Later, Renner appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and promoted his new Disney+ series, Rennervations.
The actor later walked the red carpet for the series premiere.
You love Renner even more now, don’t you?
Meet The Marvels
That squeal of delight you heard the other day was me watching The Marvels.
After what has felt like an eternity, Disney finally unveiled the first Flerken-riffic trailer. Folks, there are like 30 of those critters. We’re all going to die.
In tandem with the trailer, Marvel finally released details on the film’s villain played by Zawe Ashton.
Photo: Marc Brenner via Vogue
As suspected (and previously mentioned here), Ashton portrays Dar-Benn, a semi-established character from the comics.
In Marvel lore, Dar-Benn started as a disaffected male warrior in the Kree army. However, the character revolted and overthrew the Kree empire.
The leader they killed was named – I kid you not – Clumsy Foulup. Marvel comics were rarely subtle.
Image: Marvel
Anyway, Dar-Benn and others ruled over the Kree for a time after successfully framing Skrulls for Foulup’s murder.
Again, this isn’t a joke. A robotic Silver Surfer (!) performed the killing and made the Skrulls look guilty.
Later, Dar-Benn died and became part of the Supreme Intelligence, which was Annette Bening’s character in Captain Marvel.
Image: Marvel
Obviously, The Marvels will only take the broadest strokes from Dar-Benn’s comic book history.
However, attentive viewers noticed that Dar-Benn is wearing the matching bangle that Kamala Khan discovered in Ms. Marvel.
This trailer sets the table nicely for tons of action and a substantial amount of comedy.
Source: Zavvi/ Marvel
The bangles cause random teleports of the wearer, which leads to Khan meeting Nick Fury for the first time in the most ridiculous way.
This looks like Good Marvel, which is what we need in the wake of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which the overwhelming majority of people will acknowledge was Bad Marvel.
Image: Marvel
Also, Silver Surfer could be coming sooner than we expected…
Blade Goes Goth
Source: Marvel
For the first time in far too long, we finally have movement on Blade.
The film, which should have come out in a matter of months, suffered an extensive delay.
At the time, Marvel nuked the original plan from orbit. It was the poker equivalent of asking for four new cards in Five Card Draw.
Photo: Marvel/Sony
Everyone knew that Mahershala Ali exemplified dream casting as Blade. Everything else about the project qualified as a disaster.
Now, Marvel has taken the time to revamp the project. Reportedly, Kit Harington’s role as The Black Knight has been dialed way down.
In fact, before everything is said and done, the Eternals actor might not even appear.
Photo: Marvel
Who will co-star in the project? The answer is, fittingly enough, Mia Goth.
The vividly named actress has already watched art imitate life with her performances in Suspiria, X, and Pearl. She’s got spooky down cold.
Now, Goth will portray an as-yet-unnamed character in Blade. However, Marvel also tweeted this a few hours after Goth’s announcement:
Mother. Lover. Vampire killer. Get to know Safron Caulder, Blade’s longtime love and Brielle’s mother. https://t.co/UyfvsdHZD8
That…doesn’t strike me as coincidental. In all likelihood, Goth plays Safron Caulder, a character who has gained newfound recognition in 2023 comics.
Caulder is raising a vampire slayer daughter, Brielle. And you can guess who Brielle’s daddy is.
Source: Marvel
If you’ve watched Mia Goth in a movie, she doesn’t scream “great mother” inasmuch as “we should call Child Services on her.”
We’re talking about a terrific actress who should play perfectly off Ali as Blade.
For the first time in ages, I’m genuinely excited about Blade! Marvel may have saved what was previously a doomed project.
Marvel Miscellany
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Photo: Marvel/Disney+
James Gunn has started making the rounds for his final Marvel project, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
The new head of DC Studios has a complicated history with Marvel. For a time, Disney banished him after a series of unfortunate tweets.
Gunn had posted the shock-value comments long before he worked with Marvel, but that didn’t matter.
Source: @JamesGunn
Disney had recently fired comedian Roseanne Barr for something similar. It couldn’t act like it was showing political favoritism.
After Disney banished Gunn, he worked for DC on the failed film, The Suicide Squad.
Then, Disney’s Alan Horn recognized that the punishment didn’t fit the crime. Disney brought back Gunn for the third Guardians film.
Source: @JamesGunn
However, Gunn made enough friends at DC that he recently took charge of the entire film studio. It’s a weird, historically unprecedented series of events.
Still, for a brief time, Gunn found himself jobless and unwanted. He didn’t know how to process his firing from Disney.
Source: Marvel Studios
Who helped the director through his struggles? Gunn recently revealed that Zoe Saldana and her husband came over to cook his dinner the following night.
Also, Pom Klementieff and Karen Gillan “came over just to hang out, to be my friend.”
Photo: Marvel
When you watch the new Marvel movie and notice the friendship between the characters, you should appreciate that it’s real.
These friends genuinely care about one another and stood by Gunn during a dark time.
Finally, we’ve got some Deadpool 3 casting news. Monica Baccarin and Stefan Kapicic will appear in the Marvel film.
Source: @VancityReynolds
That’s intriguing in that both acted in Deadpool as Vanessa and Colossus. Their roles weren’t a part of the MCU, though.
Instead, the two of them came from Fox’s Marvel stories. So, their transition into the MCU is a pleasant surprise.
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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has had a rather challenging production journey amidst all the new changes happening with DC Studios, leading to some major confusion about whether the film is even still happening. Starring Jason Momoa, who will reprise his titular role, it’s been expected that viewers will return to Atlantis now that Arthur Curry has become the undersea nation’s king, ready to face a new danger that threatens the seven seas. However, there have been quite a few challenges that have affected the DC sequel.
According to the synopsis for Aquaman 2, Arthur Curry will join forces with an unlikely ally to protect Atlantis from devastation, the ally in question most likely being Aquaman’s half-brother Orm the Ocean Master (played by Patrick Wilson). Filming ended in January 2022 and the film was expected to release in December of the same year. However, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the film to March 2023 and then again to its current release date of December 25th, 2023. Combined with actor controversies and recent test screenings that were reportedly less than positive, it’s no wonder many are wondering if the film will release at all.
Aquaman 2 Hasn’t Been Cancelled: When It Releases In Theaters
Currently, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is still scheduled for release from DC Studios at the end of 2023. As such, it will still serve as the final film before the new DCU era beings as envisioned by new DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran. Likewise, there have also been reports of reshoots with some involving Ben Affleck’s return as Batman, so perhaps DC Studios is looking to integrate the sequel even further with the greater DCU to be more appealing. Regardless, the film has not been canceled despite the delays and the new DCU era on the way.
Again, it’s not a surprise that there’s been confusion concerning the status of Aquaman 2, especially after the recent cancelation of Batgirl, which was set to release on HBO Max starring Leslie Grace. Likewise, the reports regarding the film’s negative test screenings don’t convey a lot of confidence either. It’s also important to note that Aquaman 2 is now set to release after The Flash, which comes out June 16th. Considering that The Flash is expected to reset the DC Universe and pave the way for the new era, it’s unclear which version of the DCU Aquaman 2 will actually be set in.
In spite of all this, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is still expected to hit theaters this Christmas, even if Momoa himself is seemingly going to be playing a brand-new DC character in the next few years. This would likely mean that he’ll be leaving his role as Atlantis’ king behind following the upcoming sequel. If that’s indeed the case, here’s hoping DC Studios will be able to leave the Aquaman franchise on a high note.
What a relief, I can’t wait till September to play Obey Me: Nightbringer, it’s going to be absolutely epic… Only, what? Thousands of lambs suddenly got notified on April 12th to download the game. This can’t be right. Oh, but it is. It’s already here!
Obey Me! Nightbringer Is Out! ??✨ We were able to release Nightbringer thanks to YOU, our loyal fans around the world. The dev team thanks each and every one of you for all your support. We hope you will try out Nightbringer and let us know what you think! #ObeyMeNightbringerpic.twitter.com/quFNI4xp6A
— Obey Me! Nightbringer Official Download now! (@ObeyMeNB) April 12, 2023
Originally everyone was under the impression that Obey Me: Nightbringer would release sometime in September. That is no longer the case as NTT Solmare released the game in April! As if there wasn’t enough on my plate already. Yes, Obey Me: Nightbringer is available for download on iOS and Android devices.
This game originally started with Obey Me, an otome game that didn’t just remain stagnant with a story to keep its players engaged. Instead, this game implemented card-based battles where you have to level up the demons you get from summoning on grimoires. Naturally, this comes with ultra-rare cards and super rare cards that can give back when leveling such as exclusive costumes, special items for leveling up or for the shop, and more.
Obey Me really caught my attention because it was more than just a book on an app, having multiple tasks to complete such as sending characters to jobs, leveling and extending the talent branches of your strongest or exclusive cards, and you get the unique aspect of doing this all from what looks like a bunch of phone apps. If you’ve started Obey Me: Nightbringer, it doesn’t hurt to check out its first game. It’s not as if it is old or antiquated with its release date. There are many familiar game characteristics between the sister games so if you’re already hungry for more after seeing what this game has to offer, be sure to check out the first one!
Anjul Nigam was an executive producer and a supporting actor in the feature film “Supercell” starring Alec Baldwin, Skeet Ulrich, and Anne Heche. He also was a producer on “Murder At Emigrant Gulch” starring Gabriel Byrne, Thomas Jane and Richard Dreyfuss. Previously, Nigam released Joel Souza’s “Crown Vic,” serving as its lead producer with Alec Baldwin and starring Thomas Jane, Luke Kleintank, Bridget Moynahan and David Krumholtz. The movie had its World Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival, subsequently released theatrically and on all major platforms. Nigam served as the lead producer on the feature film “Bayou Caviar,” Oscar Winner Cuba Gooding Jr.’s directorial debut in which Gooding also stars opposite Oscar Winner Richard Dreyfuss, Famke Janssen, and Katharine McPhee; the movie was released theatrically in 2018. Prior to that Nigam was the lead producer, writer, and a lead actor alongside Jason Lee in the movie “Growing Up Smith” which had a theatrical release in forty cities in the United States and Canada in 2017, receiving TIME Magazine’s “Pick of the Week” designation.
A graduate of New York University Tisch School of Arts / Drama Department, Nigam is a veteran actor, having starred in or had significant roles in a dozen motion pictures and numerous landmark TV series. In addition to appearing in the theatrical film “Trafficked” with Ashley Judd, he was a supporting lead in Focus Features’ “Bad Words” for director/star Jason Bateman; a lead alongside Rosario Dawson in 20th Century Fox’s “The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest”; and a supporting lead in Universal’s “Speaking of Sex” with Bill Murray. Nigam is known for Netflix’s show “Never Have I Ever” created by Mindy Kaling and recurs as Psych Dr. Raj on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” He recurred on HBO’s “True Detective” opposite Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, and Taylor Kitsch. In theater, Nigam starred alongside former NYU classmate and friend, Philip Seymour Hoffman in “The Merchant of Venice” directed by Peter Sellars at the RSC (London) and Goodman Theatre (Chicago).
In a recent interview with Anjul about his eclectic career and impressive credits, here is what he had to say:
How long have you been a producer and how did you get into it?
ANJUL: I’ve been a professional actor for over three decades (got my Screen Actors Guild card back in 1987… 35 years ago, jeez!!). I produced my first feature film “Growing Up Smith” in 2014 (which took me only ten years to get off the ground:) and after a 25-festival run, it was released in theaters in 2017. I initially became involved with the project as the original writer of the screenplay was interested in me for one of the leads (I played Smith’s father) and I knew that to get the project made, I would need to take the bull by the horns, that is, immerse myself into getting it made.
Producing is one of the hardest jobs in film, as it’s so difficult to find financing. What is the best advice you can give to a beginning producer?
ANJUL: Reverse engineer the process. Think of it as constructing a house and start by knowing your end goal… that is, who’s going to buy your house, where will it be located, how much will you spend. From there, work backwards in determining the building blocks you’ll need to achieve the house you’re going to build.
You have worked on films like “Growing Up Smith” and “Murder at Yellowstone”. Do you have a project you have worked on that you are most proud of?
ANJUL: “Growing Up Smith” was certainly one of the projects I’m most proud of, and for many reasons. In the process of building it, I had several roles: I was one of the lead actors (as mentioned, I played Smith’s father), I was the projects lead producer, and I was one of the writers. Working on it for so many years and turning every rock, learning which rocks to avoid, which ones were too heavy, which ones were Styrofoam, which ones were worthy, it all required a lot of patience and perseverance. Ultimately, though, it all came together, and it was immensely rewarding to see the vision of so many involved culminate into a living, breathing moving picture on the silver screen.
You are also a prolific actor. What have been your most treasured roles you have played in your career?
ANJUL: Wouldn’t you know it, some of the most significant, starring roles have been my most treasured! To name a few of my favorites… one of the leads in Showtime’s “Silver Strand”, one of the leads with Rosario Dawson and Jake Busey in “The First $20 Million is Always the Hardest” (still is for me!), one of the supporting leads with Bill Murray in “Speaking of Sex” (even though it was never released), one of the supporting leads in Tom Clancy’s “Netforce” starring Scott Bakula, Brian Dennehy and Kris Kristofferson, one of the supporting leads with Blythe Danner, Peter Fonda and Faye Dunaway in “Back When We Were Grownups”, one of the supporting leads with my college buddy Philip Seymour Hoffman in “The Merchant of Venice” (at the RSC in London).
How has being an actor helped you become a successful producer?
ANJUL: I understand the actor’s professional and creative process because I am one. And so, I believe there’s a certain level of trust that other actors, including star name talent, have with me. This is immensely valuable in packaging a project.
Do you have a favorite and worst moment you can think of, in your career?
ANJUL: Favorite moment: every time I’m recognized at a grocery store in front of my kids, who don’t believe that I’m somebody (they think I’m just some nobody, which they remind me daily.
You recently started a production company with Alec Baldwin. Can you tell us about your relationship with him and how that started?
ANJUL: We’ve done several movies together, starting with “Crown Vic”, which we both produced, and which went to Tribeca Film Festival where we received numerous distribution offers. Since then, we’ve been actors together on two films, “Supercell” which just released last month (March 2023) and the upcoming “97 Minutes”, both of which I’ve been an executive producer on. And of course, we are producers on “Rust”, which is in the process of being completed in honor of Halyna Hutchins.
What’s next in the pipeline for you?
ANJUL: I am in development on my directorial debut that I co-wrote, and I am producing with Alec Baldwin for our Persona Entertainment.
In Netrunner, one player takes the role of the Corp, whose tools include corporate assets and defensive programs called “ice”. Using tools like these and the element of surprise, the Corp aims to advance their agendas to completion. Across the table, the Runner‘s objective is to infiltrate the Corp’s servers and steal their agendas, and they’ll draw on their resources, specialty hardware, and programs to do so. Of course, the Runner is no threat if they’re dead, so a canny Corp may also attempt to “flatline” their opponent through damage—while the Runner’s secondary path to victory is stalling the Corp long enough that they run out of opportunities.
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Netrunner is a game designed for customization. Players can pick from dozens of Runner and Corp identity cards, each with their own unique abilities, and build custom decks around them. A unique “influence” system allows players to import a small number of cards into their deck from different factions, with the more distinctive cards typically costing more of that scarce deckbuilding resource. A meticulous Criminal might adopt an Anarch’s destructive tools, but they can’t take them all—they must carefully select what’s most important to their strategy!
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Can the Runner see through the Corp’s bluffs and emerge victorious from their netspace siege, or will the Corp tighten their grip upon the world? Find out by playing Netrunner.
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Null Signal Games is not associated with, produced by, or endorsed by Fantasy Flight Games, R. Talsorian Games, or Wizards of the Coast.
System Gateway is NISEI’s foundational set. It is designed as an out-of-the-box learning experience and provides everything you need to start playing Netrunner. The cards in the set are straightforward, yet powerful, and will form the cornerstone of any player’s collection.
This is a bundle purchase containing both the Starter Pack and the Deckbuilding Pack, making a full playset of every card in System Gateway.
Compatible with Android: Netrunner. Not associated with, produced by, or endorsed by Fantasy Flight Games, R. Talsorian Games, or Wizards of the Coast.
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You can access System Gateway Starter & Deckbuilding Bundle here at DriveThruRPG
Midnight Sun is an expansion compatible with Netrunner, the asymmetric competitive card game. In this pack you will find 5 new identities, plus 180 cards (3 copies each of 60 different cards) for the game’s seven factions.
Play as Runners, diverse hackers fighting for a cause or a payday within the warming regions of the Artic, or as Corps advancing their agendas to exploit the largest caches of untouched resources on Earth.
Not associated with, produced by, or endorsed by Fantasy Flight Games, R. Talsorian Games, or Wizards of the Coast.
Parhelion is an expansion compatible with Netrunner, the asymmetric competitive card game. In this pack you will find 4 new identities, plus 180 cards (3 copies each of 58 different cards and 6 copies of 1 program).
Play as Runners, diverse hackers fighting for a cause or a payday within the warming regions of the Arctic, or as Corps advancing their agendas to exploit the largest caches of untouched resources on Earth.
Not associated with, produced by, or endorsed by Fantasy Flight Games, R. Talsorian Games, or Wizards of the Coast.
Null Signal Games is a games publisher operating as a registered nonprofit company. Their only current product is the expandable card game Netrunner, which they are continuing following the end of its support by its previous publisher, Fantasy Flight Games.
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As an actor, Betty Gilpin says the gigs that “are painful to do are the ones where you feel like you’re only being asked to do five percent of what you can do” as a performer. Enter Mrs. Davis.
Peacock’s new series casts the GLOW alum as a nun named Simone who is intent on destroying the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence, aka Mrs. Davis. It’s not a spoiler to say that the series — created by Lost guru Damon Lindelof with TheBig Bang Theory vet Tara Hernandez — was the opposite of painful because it activates all of Gilpin’s talents. It’s a genre-blending mashup (think drama and wacky comedy mixed with sci-fi and action) with a host of themes (best explained here) and Gilpin says she was more than ready.
“This job asks 100 percent of me and I immediately was like, ‘I’ve been waiting my whole life for this,’” she told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday night while standing on the blue carpet inside L.A.’s DGA Theatre for the premiere. “It feels like a thousand genres in one and so it was like a cat toy for my brain, really.”
A big reason for that is while Simone may be a nun on a mission, she has a layered backstory that unfolds as the season goes to reveal a depth that Gilpin found thrilling. It would be spoiling the plot to go into detail, so best leave it to Gilpin to explain it in broad strokes. “I feel like I either play these hardened, sarcastic, sardonic or wry characters or characters who have their arms wide open and are vulnerable and hopeful. This character really is both,” Gilpin said. “She may have started as the first kind but her faith really changed her as a person. We see a lot of flashbacks to what she was like before she was a person of faith. For myself, not being a person of faith, it was an experiment to figure out what it would be like if I really believe in something this deeply and I found that really joyful.”
Jake McDorman, Damon Lindelof, Betty Gilpin, Tara Hernandez andn Andy McQueen at the premiere.
Randy Shropshire/Peacock
Speaking of deep beliefs, Lindelof told THR that the series “doesn’t work without Betty.” He had a relationship with the actress after she starred in The Hunt, the 2020 feature film that was written by Lindelof with Nick Cuse.
“When we first started talking about Simone, Betty was on the very early list but she was unavailable, I think, because she’d just had her daughter,” he recalled while standing next to Hernandez, whose initial script inspired the series. “That was a bummer but we moved on, and then when we wrote the pilot and set it up at Peacock, everyone started asking, ‘Who is Simone going to be?’ We kept saying that it was a Betty Gilpin-type if we could get her. The question became, ‘Well, has anyone asked her?’ So I emailed her and said, ‘Look, we won’t get our feelings hurt but this thing is perfect for you. Would you be willing to read the script?’”
Lindelof said Gilpin responded a day or two later and they set up a Zoom meeting: “The three of us ended up talking for like two hours and we started writing the show for her. We had a habit that needed to be altered quite intensely in order to accommodate Betty’s tremendous talent.”
Mrs. Davis premieres on April 20.
Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof introduce the series ahead of the screening. “When I had my deal at Warner Bros., they presented a list of potential collaborators and asked me who I would love to work with,” Hernandez recalled of the project’s origin to THR. “I did my homework and there were a lot of amazing names on that list. I wrote back and added Damon Lindelof, wink wink. Thinking that as the sky is blue, that would never happen. When I got the call, it was surreal as if I were being punk’d. Do people still use that word?”
Randy Shropshire/Peacock
Betty Gilpin’s GLOW costar Marc Maron turned up to the premiere for a surprise reunion.
Randy Shropshire/Peacock
Peacock cast a group of nuns to pose on the blue carpet with influencers and premiere guests.
Randy Shropshire/Peacock
Chris Diamantopoulos said he didn’t hesitate to jump in when the project came his way. “I had a meeting with Tara and Damon to talk about the world and the character,” recalled Diamantopoulos, who plays JQ. “I already wanted in because I’ve been such a fan of Damon’s for so long. When I heard that Betty was involved, I really wanted to throw my hat in the ring. They mentioned her name and I said, ‘I want to read right now.’ They said they could give me more time but I just knew I was right for this and really wanted to do it. So, I did. In that session on Zoom, I tried accents and different things I said it wouldn’t be polished because I hadn’t prepared, but I know viscerally what this guy needed to be.”
Randy Shropshire/Peacock
David Arquette told THR that he did magic tricks during his audition to help land the part of a Simone’s father. “I sent in the video just like a thousand others that I never hear back from. But this one, they called to say, ‘Hey, you got it.’ I was like, ‘What? Are you kidding me? This is a dream come true.’”
Randy Shropshire/Peacock
“I have a very psychedelic brain, so what was written on the page, I could definitely go with, but it it’s a kooky page,” Elizabeth Marvel said of first reading Mrs. Davis. “It definitely appealed to me, and what I read was sort of a cross between Monty Python and Ordinary People. I’ve never seen anyone try to make something like that before.”
Randy Shropshire/Peacock
Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group; Lisa Katz, president of scripted content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming; Susan Rovner, chairman of entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming; actor Jake McDorman, Damon Lindelof, Betty Gilpin, Tara Hernandez; actor Andy McQueen; Alex Sepiol, executive vp of scripted development; and Brett Paul, president of Warner Bros. Television and Warner Horizon Scripted Television.
The massive success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie means other video game movies have become more likely. The Super Mario Bros. Movie has been breaking box-office records left and right, with Illumination Entertainment’s hit film putting the spotlight on the iconic Nintendo franchise once again. As it typically goes in Hollywood, the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie most likely means that tons of other studios will start developing family-friendly video game projects. So, here are nine video game franchises that are more likely to get a movie after The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Video game adaptations have always struggled, with them often being fairly poor translations of the source material. While there are still some bad video game movies and TV shows that release today, things have gotten a lot better, with projects like The Last of Us, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Castlevania proving that the genre isn’t fundamentally broken. The Super Mario Bros. Movie, however, is one of the biggest successes, with the film’s box office and critical reception proving that these movies can work in the right hands. While some gaming adaptations are already in the works, these franchises in the same vein as Mario just got a lot more likely.
While Donkey Kong and his friends do appear in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Nintendo frequently treats the Donkey Kong series as a completely separate franchise. However, there have been heavy rumors that Illumination is eyeing a Donkey Kong spin-off movie, and the success of the first Mario film makes this spin-off even more likely. The world of the Kongs has already been proven to work, and a spin-off like this could have a quick turnaround time, allowing Illumination to capitalize on the Mario craze. There is plenty of Donkey Kong source material to pull from, and a Donkey Kong Country movie adaptation seems more likely than ever.
8 The Legend Of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s biggest franchises, and with Mario proving to be a huge success, Nintendo may look into bringing Link’s fantasy world of Hyrule to the big screen. The tone and target demographic of The Legend of Zelda switches frequently, and while a more adult movie would be fun, that probably won’t happen. Instead, it would make more sense for Nintendo to continue their partnership making family movies with Illumination, meaning a film in the style of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is far more likely. The world of Zelda has a pretty dense story, making it ripe for a film adaptation.
Nintendo may also be interested in jumping from the bright, colorful world of Mario to the bright, colorful world of Kirby. Kirby has always been big, with new games coming out nearly every year. The recognizable pink puffball could easily carry his own movie. After all, the franchise was already adapted into an anime called Kirby: Right Back At Ya! that concluded with a TV movie. The Kirby series has proven itself big enough to warrant a film adaptation, and if Nintendo wishes to keep expanding into the film work, a Kirby movie would be the perfect choice.
6 Pac-Man
Although it isn’t a Nintendo franchise, Bandai-Namco’s beloved Pac-Man franchise could also be seeing a movie adaptation after the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Pac-Man is one of the most recognizable gaming mascots of all time, and although the game is fairly simple, the franchise has a surprisingly large expanded universe. There have been Pac-Man TV shows for decades now, as well as comics and gaming spin-offs. A Pac-Man movie could easily sell tickets, with the yellow ghost muncher being just as recognizable as Mario.
5 Splatoon
Although it’s a more recent franchise, Nintendo’s Splatoon series would also make sense for a video game movie. Splatoon has been a huge hit since its 2015 debut, with the series managing to rise above the failing Wii U console that it appeared on. The lore of Splatoon is incredibly deep, with the action-packed shooter actually taking place in a post-apocalyptic aquatic world. Splatoon has mass appeal, and with Nintendo still releasing games in the franchise on a regular basis, it has proven to be a continued success. While Splatoon may not be as popular as Mario, a video game adaptation could bring it up to Mario‘s level.
4 Animal Crossing
Nintendo’s life-simulating series Animal Crossing has always been big, but it recently garnered a surge in popularity with the release of its most recent entry, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Animal Crossing‘s sandbox world has the potential to tell all kinds of stories, featuring many of the beloved villagers from the video game series. Animal Crossing has already been adapted into a 2006 anime film, proving that the series works as a movie. Animal Crossing is now bigger than ever, meaning that Nintendo needs to get on making a movie quickly.
3 Star Fox
Star Fox is another major Nintendo series, and while it has the same target demographic as The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it is unique enough that it would stand out in its field. Star Fox is an intergalactic space drama centering on a group of pilots that are tasked with taking down a dangerous scientist. The scale of Star Fox is massive, with it easily having enough content to get sequels of its own. Star Fox even has a 2016 anime short film, with it acting as the perfect proof of concept for a full-length feature film.
2 Mega Man
A Mega Man movie has been in talks, and while nothing has come to fruition yet, The Super Mario Bros. Movie might revitalize the concept. Capcom’s action platformer has been featured in several TV shows and comics of its own, proving that it has appeal across a variety of genres. Netflix is currently developing a live-action Mega Man movie (per The Verge), and while that is neat, it’s not really what fans want. An animated movie would be the perfect way to capture the spirit of Mega Man, and it just may happen after the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
1 Detective Pikachu 2
Despite the critical and commercial success of the original 2019 film, Detective Pikachu 2 still hasn’t happened. The sequel has been in development hell for a while, with not much news coming out about the film for several years. However, Deadline reported that the film was finally moving forward in March 2023, and the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie may be just the incentive the film needs to finally get made.
Patrick Stewart can still remember the feedback he got in 1987 when he was offered the chance to first play Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
“I was advised by people who knew our industry very well that there was little chance that this show, whether I did it or not, was going to be a success,” Stewart recalled Saturday during a panel for Paramount+’s Star Trek: Picard at Deadline’s Contenders Television. “You cannot revive an iconic show like Star Trek, you can’t do it. You’ll be lucky to make it halfway through the season.”
But Stewart relished the idea of coming to California to “get a sun tan and meet some girls.” More importantly, he was about to make some money for the first time in his life “which I had never done. I was a stage actor. I was happy to be working. Based on what I was being advised, that I was not going to complete the first season, I said yes. it’s the smartest thing, except for marrying my American wife, that I have ever made.”
And now Picard will wrap its third and final season this coming Thursday.
“We all love one another very much,” Stewart said of the cast. “You can’t be part of this show, even though for 20 years we didn’t make Star Trek, we were away from it for a very long time. It has held on. It’s been strong. That’s a lot of people who are responsible for that. We’ve been very, very lucky with the people writing and directing our shows. It has been extraordinary.”
Produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, Terry Matalas is showrunner and exec produces Star Trek: Picard alongside Alex Kurtzman, Stewart, Akiva Goldsman, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Doug Aarniokoski and Dylan Massin.
The second day of Coachella delivered its own set of surprise guest appearances, like Rauw Alejandro and Billie Eilish — the latter of whom live debuted her “Never Felt So Alone” collaboration with Labrinth during his set. Plus, the day included Jai Paul‘s first-ever live performance as well as BLACKPINK‘s historic headlining set.
For those at home, YouTube streamed live from all stages of the festival — and will continue to do so throughout this weekend and during the fest’s round two April 21-23. On Sunday night, April 16, Frank Ocean will close out the festival with his highly anticipated headlining performance and first live performance in six years.
As for BLACKPINK’s headlining performance, the beloved foursome reflected on the beginning of their Coachella journey in 2019, when they became the first K-pop girl group to perform at the U.S. festival when they were booked over at the Sahara Tent. Fast forward four years later and global superstars Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa were taking over the main stage and making history as the first Korean act to headline the festival. Almost two hours later, Calvin Harris returned to the main stage for the first time in seven years to bang out the hits and, by a “Miracle,” play a new one with an old friend, Ellie Goulding.
Check out Billboard‘s eight best moments from day two of Coachella 2023 below.
Charli XCX’s Sexy Set
Even though the day had gradually cooled off by the time Charli XCX hit the main Coachella Stage, she unabashedly dialed the intensity all the way back up. While donning a studded black leather bodysuit and matching knee-high boots, Charli asked the audience, “Who’s getting sexy this weekend?” before launching into “Baby.” After performing “Beg For You” sans Rina Sawayama, Charli led a “We’re really, really hot! I’m really, really hot!” chant as her way of “begging” Troye Sivan to come out for their “1999” collaboration — which he gladly did.
But it was her performance of “Track 10” that was especially electrifying, as it offered a hyper-pop escape from the heartbreak. To really drive it home, the singer gyrated at the same frenetic pulse of the music before crawling across the stage in a beautifully bizarre manner that captured her vulnerability and passion all in the name of love. Only the chilling whisper of her own name could resurrect her body that by now was sprawled out on stage, as she revved herself back to life in time for “Vroom Vroom.” — Heran Mamo
Rosalía & Rauw Alejandro Are Couples Goals
Rosalía brought out her fiancé Rauw Alejandro to perform “Beso” and “Vampiros” off their recently-released joint EP. “How many of you have already listened to RR,” the Spanish star asked the crowd. “Four years ago, I came to Coachella, and I came alone. Not this time around.” A few seconds later, the Puerto Rican hitmaker joined his lover onstage where they sang, kissed and twerked. “Qué dice Coachella? Where’s my Latin people?” he asked the roaring crowd. Rauw’s surprise appearance was one of the best moments from Rosalía’s emotional and riveting set, during which she performed music from her albums El Mal Querer and Motomami. — Griselda Flores
Jai Paul’s First-Ever Live Performance
Major anticipation culminated during Jai Paul’s set in the Mojave, where the mysterious experimental singer-producer played the first show of his 12-year career. Known for his 2011 debut track “BTSTU,” the artist recently returned from a seven-year hiatus with a pair of singles “Do You Love Her Now” and “He.” And ahead of his historic set, he released his project of unfinished demos, Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones), on vinyl for the first time following its infamous leak 10 years ago.
Those songs filled his Coachella set, of which he said in a pre-show statement, “I always wanted to do something like this, but yeah, I’m not gonna lie, I am absolutely sh-tting it.” The U.K. artist came onstage 15 minute late, wearing a wig and sunglasses — perhaps part of a plan to put him at ease. He didn’t look entirely comfortable in the spotlight (and his mic could’ve been turned up louder), but he powered through a show that opened with “Higher Res” and later included “BTSTU” — a must for any fan, casual or otherwise. And though the show didn’t entirely dissolve his mystique, the crowd — which included Justin Bieber, Channel Tres and Kaytranada — finally got a sense of what Jai Paul can do. — Katie Bain
Boygenius Supporting Trans Rights
Earlier in the week, supergroup boygenius — Phobe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus — warmed up for Coachella with a performance in Pomona, treating fans to a celebratory set of new music off its debut album, the record. While their stellar songbook was the focus of the band’s festival set, Baker took the opportunity to also voice support for trans rights. “I want to say before we keep going, I don’t know if you’ve been checking the news and seeing the tomfoolery that’s going on in Florida, Missouri, and so many other places. But trans lives matter, trans kids matter,” she said. “We’re going to fight it, and we’re going to win.” — Lyndsey Havens
BLACKPINK’s Historic Headlining Set
“So… let me start off with, four years ago, we were invited to perform here for you at Coachella at the Sahara Tent and that made a mark in all of our hearts,” BLACKPINK’s Rosé affectionately told the crowd. ”I must say, this is a dream come true … the reason all four of us are here is because of you.”
In 2019, BLACKPINK — composed of Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa — became the first K-pop girl group to perform at Coachella — a set that also marked the foursome’s first full U.S. concert. And tonight, in 2023, the global superstars became the first Korean act to headline the festival.
“We are so so happy to be back here,” adds Jennie. “It’s crazy within the four years we made it from Sahara to main stage …. We love you Coachella.” Throughout the set, which featured hits old and new like “Pink Venom,” “Kill This Love,” “Whistle,” “BOOMBAYAH” and “DDU-DU DDU-DU,” each song felt like a grand finale in its own right. The act used the additional set time and main stage prominence to make their distinct personalities and voices known, dedicating time for each artist to perform their solo work. Jennie went first with “You & Me” featuring a new rap verse, followed by Jisoo, who performed her debut single “Flower,” followed by Rosé, who delivered “Gone / On the Ground,” and ending with Lisa’s set (which was introduced using her birth name Lalisa) of an explicit version of “Money.”
The historic and celebratory set tapped into what Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa do best together as BLACKPINK: making Blinks feel seen. And by allowing each member a moment of their own to shine, they allowed their individuality to be seen, too. — L.H.
The Kid LAROI’s Tribute to Late Friends and Special Message For Justin Bieber
“I’m very, very blessed to be on this stage,” echoed The Kid LAROI’s voice throughout the Sahara Tent in the middle of his performance. It was a sincere moment of gratitude considering some of his dearest friends are no longer here, like fellow rappers Juice WRLD and Saiko, whom he honored while performing a new song “about loss and about losing people,” he somberly told the crowd. “It’s very personal to me and very vulnerable.”
The 19-year-old artist’s mature rebranding wasn’t just about cutting off his golden, boyish locks or dropping “The Kid” from his moniker when he introduced himself to the audience. It involved diving deeper into what pains him — in this case, lost loved ones — with piercing lyricism. While crouched atop a beaten up pickup truck, he sang about reflecting on the words he wish he had said to his friends.
And he stuck to his word when he praised his “Stay” collaborator Justin Bieber, who LAROI said was watching from the crowd (immediately shutting down any hope of a surprise onstage appearance; he did, however, later bring out Fivio Foreign, who performed their Far East Movement-sampling pop-drill collaboration “Paris to Tokyo”). “You’re such a special f—king human being…. Everybody here’s gotchu, bro,” he said speaking directly to Bieber. “Thank you for being not only an incredible musician and a collaborator, but thank you for being my f—king friend.” — H.M.
Labrinth and Billie Eilish’s Live Debut of “Never Felt So Alone”
Ahead of Labrinth‘s upcoming album, ENDS & BEGINS, the experimental artist treated fans to songs old and new — including his latest single “Never Felt So Alone,” which features Billie Eilish. His best treat of all? Bringing her out to live debut the song together. “She’s so f–king talented,” Lab said of the star as she exited the stage. “Billie, forever I f–king love you.” Elsewhere in the set he played Euphoria hits like “I’m Tired” (which features Zendaya, who did notcome out during the set) and “Still Don’t Know My Name,” among other fan favorites — all of which showcased his stellar vocals, proving just how much of a powerhouse he is both in the studio and on the stage. — L.H.
Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding’s Live Debut of ‘Miracle’
While other sonic trends blow in and out on the desert winds, dance music is a foundational element of Coachella, with nearly every style of the genre spread across every single stage. This year sets by U.K. icons The Chemical Brothers and Underworld — who both played the first Coachella in 1999 — felt as thrilling and relevant as ever. James Murphy did the lord’s work while DJing Despacio, low key Coachella’s best dance space, and Eric Prydz dazzled on the Outdoor Stage with his technical/sonic masterpiece of a show, HOLO.
But while dance music was everywhere, it’s marquee look was Calvin Harris’ set on the main stage. BLACKPINK was the night’s headliner, but Harris in fact came on after them and played to a crowd as massive and sprawling as nearly any we’ve seen assembled there over the years.
But what does an EDM titan do on this stage a decade after the EDM heyday (and seven years since his last Coachella main stage appearance)? He bangs out the hits, baby — but gets kind of weird, too. Indeed,, Harris throttled through his insane catalog, hitting all the highs — “One Kiss,” “This Is What You Came For,” “Slide,” “Feel So Close,” “Sweet Nothing,” “Summer” — with the audience heard chanting along en masse whenever the Scottish producer turned his volume dial down.
But, unsurprisingly given Harris’ recent forays into acid house and adjacent styles, he also veered off into harder and way ravier territory, with some of these moments not sounding all that different than what Underworld had done hours earlier — demonstrating a throughline across eras of dance music and Coachella lineups.
Interestingly, Harris’ set entirely avoided anything from his most recent album, last summer’s Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2, thus bypassing appearances by any of the massive stars on it. Instead, a resplendent Ellie Goulding helped Harris close the show with the first-ever live performance of their recent hit, “Miracle,” itself a trance throwback anthem. — K.B.
Bhopa’s goal is to have her first child a decade from now, around the age of 35.
“A weight’s been lifted off my shoulder,” said Bhopa, who underwent the egg-freezing procedure at Markham Fertility Centre last month.
“I’ve always wanted to be a mum, and I think that’s one of my purposes in life and … I know that’s not my timing right now,” she told Global News in an interview.
Day 1 egg freezing: my boyfriend on facetime for moral support was MUCH needed – its more a mental barrier than anything else in terms of the actual medication & process. Comment below to start opening up the conversation on fertility & womanhood! #eggfreezing Egg freezing journey Egg freezing Freezing eggs Womanhood Female fertility Fertility journey Day 1 of egg freezing
And in 2021, close to one-quarter (24 per cent) of Canadians aged 15 to 49 changed their fertility plans because of the pandemic, according to Statistics Canada.
Canada is already considered a “late” childbearing nation and its fertility rate, which is an estimate of the average number of live births a female can be expected to have in her lifetime, has dipped over the last decade.
“We have been seeing really since the pandemic started, an increase in the number of women or people with ovaries who are accessing fertility preservation in order to secure their future fertility,” said Carolynn Dubé, executive director with Fertility Matters Canada.
Dubé said this helps alleviate the pressure of a “ticking clock” for women who want to put off starting a family to focus on their professional life.
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“It gives them a greater chance to bring home a baby because their eggs have been frozen … at a younger age,” she said.
Social egg freezing on the rise
Several years ago, big tech companies like Google, Apple and Facebook began paying for female employees to freeze their eggs as a way to attract more young women to their staff.
It’s a growing trend with some companies in Canada now also offering the freezing of eggs or sperm, as part of an expanded suite of fertility and family planning benefits.
Dubé said there is now a great awareness with more women openly having conservations online about their family planning options.
“We’re seeing more and more people through social media sharing, and I feel that this younger generation of women especially are really actively seeking information about their health, their reproductive health.”
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Women’s fertility starts to decline after the age of 30 and more significantly when they cross 35.
That is why egg freezing is a route many take, but it comes with a heavy price – roughly $10,000 or more in Canada for as many eggs as can be retrieved. This includes costs for the medication and procedure and an annual storage fee.
The egg-freezing procedure is similar to the IVF treatment in that the eggs are removed from a woman’s body.
After screening, medication is given to stimulate the ovaries so they produce eggs – a process that can take up to two weeks, said Dr. Togas Tulandi, professor and chair of obstetrics and gynecology at McGill University in Montreal.
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From test-tube to AI: How Canadian science could revolutionize fertility services
After stimulation, an ultrasound-guided procedure takes the eggs out for freezing and storing.
The longer you postpone, the less worthwhile it becomes.
“We have requests of patients who want to … preserve the eggs at a later age, but the problem is not just the number of eggs, but the quality of egg is decreased when you are close to 40 or even after 40 especially,” he said.
Egg freezing is also an “amazing medical option” for young cancer patients who need to undergo treatment that could affect future fertility, Dubé adds.
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For Bhopa, who documented her 11-day egg-freezing journey on social media, the whole process was a “roller-coaster” ride, she says.
The daily medication injections made her body “really sore” and she said her ovaries felt like “going from limes to grapefruits” in size in her mid-section.
Replying to @sara am i too young to be freezing my eggs?whats the prime age range? Lets see what Dr. Garcia has to say #eggfreezingjourney#eggfreezing Egg freezing Egg freezing journey Freezing my eggs Doctor interview Fertility Womenshealth Womens health
While egg freezing is considered a safe and effective process, some women may experience mild symptoms like bloating and headaches, said Dubé.
The procedure can also result in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, when the ovaries become enlarged and cysts are formed due to the medication, said Tulandi.
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But this gets better over time and no surgery is needed, he added.
Symptoms of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome include fatigue, nausea, headaches, abdominal pain, breast tenderness and irritability, according to an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
There is no expiry date for the frozen eggs, which remain at the same age they were originally stored, but many patients don’t come back to use them.
Shania Bhopa said her egg-freezing process took 11 days that felt like a ‘roller-coaster.’.
Photo supplied
Bhopa says when the time comes, she will try having a baby naturally for a couple of months before she goes back to the clinic to use her frozen eggs.
“Knowing that my likelihood, especially with my career goals, (that) I can have a happy, healthy baby potentially closer to 35, so that is very refreshing.”
Japanese electronics giant, Sony has opened a virtual production studio in Shanghai, China, that it says can be used for shooting film, TV and commercials.
The studio opened last month and is jointly operated with Gwantsi, one of China’s largest commercials production companies.
Virtual production involves the use of high-resolution screens that create a backdrop in front of which actors perform. This can reduce the need for location travel, cut set-up times, shorten post-production and provide a more life-like environment for performers than traditional green-screen environments. VP studios are also well adapted to motion capture production.
“The Mandalorian” is considered a pioneering example of VP, while 2021 movies “The Suicide Squad” and “Dune” used combinations of VP and motion capture. The technology was also given a boost by social distancing requirements and travel restrictions created by COVID.
The Shanghai studio features an 83 square meter screen that uses Sony Black Color Crystal B series LED screens with a height of 5.47 meters and an arc length of 15.2 meters, combined with the company’s CineAltaV 2 movie camera, a Sony 4K HDR monitor and an Epic engine for VP. Other innovations allow wide angle filming, close-up filming, two-camera operation and software that controls the LED’s color temperature.
The screen’s high brightness and low reflection levels mean that studio lights can be used at the same time and that they create little interference.
“Sony aims to empower the creators in virtual production by providing advanced technology, products, and solutions. Sony and Gwantsi share the same vision for the industry and a strong sense of responsibility and mission, both are making joint efforts to build a high-quality virtual production studio in China, and contribute to China’s virtual filming,” Sony said in a statement emailed to Variety.
Virtual production facilities have now been opened in multiple locations around Asia, including those in Korea (Dexter Studios, VA Corp.) and Thailand (Supreme Studios). The unit in Shanghai is the third to be operated by Sony, after it opened others in Japan and the U.S.
Industry-wide collaboration is key to a successful rollout of high dynamic range imagery on all types of cinema display technologies, asserted Universal’s vp of creative technologies Annie Chang during a Future of Cinema Summit, held Saturday during the opening day of the 100th NAB Show in Las Vegas.
Presented by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, the program featured an update on work that’s being done behind the scenes by individual companies and Hollywood-backed organizations, not just to roll out HDR in theaters, but to maximize its creative potential with features such as higher brightness, deeper blacks and a wider range of colors.
HDR isn’t a new concept, but for cinemas, today it’s accomplished with laser projectors. Barco exec Tom Bert estimated that of the roughly 200,000 cinema screens worldwide, roughly 50,000-60,000 auditoriums now offer laser projectors, rather than earlier lamp-based systems. Barco’s head of HDR content workflow Joachim “JZ” Zell asserted that “the train has left the station” and forecast that HDR “will simply become a standard part of cinema.”
Chang outlined the most recent work of Digital Cinema Initiatives (a consortium formed by the Hollywood studios in 2002 to create and maintain a technical blueprint for a consistent and high-quality digital cinema experience), including the introduction of an addendum to its spec to support HDR.
These latest additions to the DCI spec came together through plenty of testing, which involved participants from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, American Society of Cinematographers and National Association of Theater Owners.
“Filmmakers should think of it as a canvas,” Chang emphasized. “They don’t have to use the full range of HDR, but this creates a consistent canvas so that they know that their vision will be presented accurately.” Speakers including Pixar senior scientist Dominic Glynn and director/producer Jay Holben contend that more education is needed to show filmmakers the potential of HDR.
There’s also a new DCI addendum specific to the category known as “direct view” displays, which is the category for LED walls that have been proposed as an alternative to theatrical projection. For these displays, the DCI spec includes requirements for interoperability and consistent image quality. Samsung and LG are among the manufacturers that already offer such DCI-compliant displays.
Samsung’s Bill Mandel urged the industry to begin a discussion about content security for these direct-view systems.
The Summit program also included a nod to large-scale experiences that go beyond the cinema, highlighted by Las Vegas’ MSG Sphere, which is scheduled to open this fall. When completed, the entertainment venue is expected to become the largest spherical structure in the world, housing a 160,000-square-foot wraparound LED display on the interior, while the exterior will be coated with a 580,000-square-foot exterior LED display, both of which could accommodate 16K-by-16K picture resolution.
“The sphere is a unique use case because it’s enormous,” said Roman Sick, CEO of Holoplot, the Berlin-based company that developed the custom spacial audio system that will be used in the Sphere.
“The technology that worked for the old world doesn’t work for the new world,” he warned, reporting that Holoplot’s software-driven tech is aimed at controlling sound with algorithms “to make the experience the same in each seat” inside the Sphere. He related that down the road, the company may look to employ this technology in cinemas.
Rakesh Roshan clarified about rumours regarding Siddarth Anand helming the Krrish sequel.
Rakesh Roshan put the rumours to rest that claimed that Siddarth Anand might be the director of Krrish 4.
Hrithik Roshan starrer Krissh 3 was the third film in the Krrish series, following Koi… Mil Gaya (2003) and Krrish (2006). The story followed Krishna Mehra, a.k.a. Krrish and his scientist father, who face an elaborate conspiracy orchestrated by the evil genius Kaal and his gang of mutants, led by the ruthless Kaya. Upon its release, the film witnessed both commercial and critical success. Amid the buzz for next Krissh film, it was speculated earlier that Siddarth Anand might be taking the reigns of the film. Now Rakesh Roshan has come forward to put those rumours to rest.
The veteran film-naker told Times Of India that the piece of news holds no truth at all. Rakesh Roshan said, “This is the first time I am hearing about this.” On the other hand, a source close to the development explained, “It is very insulting to Rakesh and Hrithik Roshan to presume anyone except Rakesh Roshan would direct the next Krrish film. He has directed the three Krrish films so far. Why would that change now? The Roshans are now working on cracking a plot for Krrish 4. As soon as they find a script, they will announce Krrish 4. And yes it will be directed by Rakesh Roshan, and no one else.”
Previously, it was reported that Hrithik Roshan is on a relentless hunt for a Hollywood director to bring back the superhero drama on screen. The source had shared, “He wants to be Krrish. It’s his inner calling at the moment. He has informed the people around to start looking out for a director. In-fact, he has also actively told his team to even list down a probable name from Hollywood. Who knows, Hrithik might personally fly down to LA to do meetings with some Hollywood names on Krrish,”
Apart from Hrithik Roshan and Vivek Oberoi, Krissh 3 also featured Priyanka Chopra, Kangna Ranaut, Arif Zakaria and Rajpal Yadav in prominent roles. Meanwhile, on the completion of 15 years of Krrish, Hrithik Roshan had teased Krrish 4 via his social media handles on June 23, 2021. Besides being a successful film franchise, Krrish also became a name synonymous with video games and comics.
Yatamanyu is a multi-disciplinary Journalist & Photographer who dabbles in Films, Poetry, Music, Politics, Pop-Culture and everything in between. …Read More
HBO Max’s The Penguin just boarded Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Deirdre O’Connell as additional cast members on the series. Deadline reports that the trio will be joining Colin Farrell on the series. Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti will be leading the ensemble cast as The Penguin and daughter of Gotham mob Sofia Falcone, respectively.
Aside from the three additional cast members, Rhenzy Feliz is also confirmed to join the show. The series will have eight episodes. Aside from Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti’s characters, the roles to be portrayed by the additional cast members are being kept under wraps. The release date of the series is expected to be around early 2024.
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Warner Bros Television is set to produce the series in partnership with DC Studios. The Penguin will continue the storyline of the film. As previously reported, the plot will mainly focus on Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot as the sarcastic Gotham City crime lord rises to the top. The Penguin soon became the power player on the Gotham’s underworld. It was also reported that the series sees the aftermath of the flooding in the Gotham City.
Farrell shared some details on the series. He told Extra as reported by Motion Pictures, “[The Penguin] starts about a week after the film The Batman ends. So Gotham is still somewhat underwater… I read the first script for the first episode, and it opens up with my feet splashing through the water in Falcone’s office. Even just that alone, I read it, I was like, ‘Oh, jeez.’ It’s lovely. It’s so well-written.”
The actor is excited for everyone to see the series. On a separate interview with Radio Times, he said, “The world that Matt Reeves created for The Batman is one that warrants a deeper gaze through the eyes of Oswald Cobblepot. I couldn’t be more excited about continuing this exploration of Oz as he rises through the darkened ranks to become The Penguin. Will be good to get him back on the streets of Gotham for a little madness and a little mayhem.”
The series showrunner Lauren LeFranc added, “I have long been a fan of the world of The Batman, and Matt’s film is such a powerful and bold entry into the canon. I am excited and humbled to continue telling stories in the grimy world of Gotham City – and what better excuse to channel my inner villain than to tell the story of Oswald Cobblepot?”
NoobFeed Editor Jay Claassen writes – Killer Frequency looks like it’s going to be another major hit from Team17. With an enticing story that’ll have you coming back for more as you play, brilliant retro music, and probably the best voice acting the gaming industry has yet to fully see, Killer Frequency’s release on 1 June on Steam is definitely an event to look forward to.
When Pamela Ribon approached me about composing the score for an animated short film based on her memoir, I knew it was going to be a fun time from the moment I heard the title: My Year of Dicks.
The film, which would go on to be nominated for an Academy Award, is a coming-of-age story that catalogs the romantic adventures of a teenage girl in Texas in the early 1990s. It is a heartfelt and personal story about love, friendship, teenage awkwardness, and utter cringiness – and it also happens to be funny as hell.
Pam and I have worked together on a variety of projects over the years. One of my first scoring jobs early in my career was a live stage performance of Pam’s that included some of the material that evolved into her memoir that in turn inspired My Year of Dicks. From those early days, Pam went on to write on films like Moana and Ralph Breaks the Internet for Disney, and was now working with FX and the brilliant Icelandic director/animator Sara Gunnarsdóttir (The Diary of a Teenage Girl) on this tonally unique animated project that required an incredibly diverse score.
‘My Year of Dicks’Credit: Hulu
One of the striking aspects of the film is that as our protagonist (also “Pam”) goes on her various escapades with the titular dicks through the film’s five “chapters,” she is constantly processing the world around her through imaginative flights of fancy that also happen to be genre-specific, particularly as reflected in the animation.
The visuals will suddenly morph into sparkly anime, a moody 1960s French film, or a gothic vampire aesthetic before snapping back to a “home-base” of rotoscoped 1990s Houston. It was clear to me that Pam and Sara wanted the music to lean into these rapid and wild genre changes while still maintaining a consistent and cohesive vibe for the world of the film, all while leaving room for an emotional core that is heartfelt and genuine.
‘My Year of Dicks’Credit: Hulu
I had recently scored some genre-bending television projects like Netflix’s Dead to Me and FX’s You’re the Worst, both of which gave me a chance to spread my wings musically. Dead to Me is another very funny comedy that plays into a specific genre (mystery/thriller) while letting the deeply-felt emotion of the show shine through.
On You’re the Worst, I had the opportunity to dive into innumerable genres during the show’s many theme episodes, from Hitchcockian suspense and Eurovision-inspired songs to a twangy Western-tinged episode and a send-up of Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name, replete with original “classical” piano pieces. Needless to say, the genre-hopping aspect of My Year of Dicks was right up my alley.
I’ve always been excited by the process of figuring out what makes a particular musical genre tick: the elements that comprise a specific sound, the production techniques used in a song, and the voicings used in the various instruments.
Pam and Sara gave me a long list of reference tracks that inspired them while working on particular segments of the film, from Sonic Youth and anime-inspired scoring to orchestral versions of U2 songs and Michael Kamen’s score to The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover. Each one was like a tiny nut to crack, as I figured out how to evoke each particular vibe within a matter of seconds while also accompanying the on-screen action from this young woman’s perspective as we shift through styles of animation.
‘My Year of Dicks’Credit: Hulu
I found myself immersed in YouTube videos dissecting Thurston Moore’s guitar rig and playing around with Sonic Youth’s alternate tunings, or rewatching scenes from The Cook, the Thief, focusing primarily on the score. As the animatics would come in from Sara and her stellar team of animators, I would start timing my sketches of music in these genres to the picture. It was inspiring to see the animation progress with each edit, and each new visual detail gave more clarity about specific gestures in the music that I could play with.
Pam and Sara fostered the kind of environment that led to me creating an anime-inspired song from the ground up, or (in one of my more memorable scoring moments) repeatedly screaming “THE HORROR!!” into a microphone over a noise rock track while an on-screen character delivers a profanity-laden tirade. I should mention that this was recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown, and I had to give my young kids in the next room a heads-up that dad was going to be screaming into a mic for a while, and not to be alarmed.
Pam and Sara’s unique and imaginative vision for My Year of Dicks is so smart, funny, and genuinely heartfelt. It has been a joy to see how the film has resonated with so many people. The collaboration was a start-to-finish rewarding and fun experience for me, and I’m thrilled and honored to have been a part of the film.
For more than 30 years I have been running specialized self defence courses and seminars. Over that time I have shown thousands of people how to protect and look after themselves.
Increasing personal safety ALWAYS commences with awareness.
Since most men may be attacked in almost any situation and for a wide-ranging variety of reasons I offer the following advice.
Here is a list of ten simple things that you can do immediately that will increase your safety:
1 – Most men get involved in physical trouble as a result of saying something rude, offensive, tactless, stupid or hurtful. Controlling what comes out of your mouth can keep it in good shape. Think before you speak.
2 – If a fight breaks out in a bar – leave immediately. Go before all the drunks and brawlers start swinging chairs, bottles, glasses and punches. A “free for all” usually starts with just two protagonists. Innocent bystanders often get hit. Those who leave all the fools to bash each other do not. A selbstverteidigung ratingen requires consideration of physical ability, mental and emotional factors, situational awareness, and the effectiveness of specific techniques.
3 – NEVER attempt to mediate an argument between a man and a woman. Both will cease arguing or fighting with each other and turn on you – the common enemy. If you fear for the woman’s safety, call the police.
4 – Understand that many people these days have a cocktail of drugs and booze in their veins. It makes them argumentative, aggressive and “Mike Tyson-esque.” Avoid people who are “off the planet.” Even a casual glance at them can set them off. Leave them with their own demons.
5 – Don’t make the fatal mistake of thinking that ANYBODY fights “fair” any more. Those days are over – they have been since the John Wayne era! Expect multiple attackers, weapons, possibly both.
6 – The cemeteries are full of dead heroes. Don’t add to their number. Run if you can. There is no shame in avoiding a fight. In fact, running away is smart.
7 – Recognize objects in every room of your home that could be used as makeshift weapons. Home invasion is a growing curse these days due to the unwillingness of our governments to protect their citizens. A selbstverteidigung für frauen ratingen should take into account techniques tailored to their physical attributes and potential vulnerabilities, as well as situational awareness and avoidance tactics.
8 – THIS IS MORE OF A LEGAL WARNING: Understand that if you allow yourself to be placed in a “compromising” position with a woman, particularly one who is “under-age,” then the woman’s version of events will usually be believed over the man’s version. Do not allow yourself to get into such situations.
9 – Negotiation is a far higher art form than physical confrontation. Do anything reasonable to avoid a fight. NOTHING good ever comes out of conflict. War is proof of that.
10 – When all else fails, your back is to the wall and there is absolutely no other alternative left remember… “it is better to be tried by twelve than carried by six.”
Remember my opening words – “increasing personal safety ALWAYS commences with awareness.” Increase your awareness, mind your manners, know your surroundings and you will certainly improve your safety. The selbstverteidigung düsseldorf can be found through a variety of martial arts schools and fitness centers.
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The Sands International Film Festival, Scotland’s burgeoning film event, opened its second edition this weekend with the world premiere screening of Citadel, the much-talked-about Prime Video series from Marvel auteurs Anthony and Joe Russo.
Two episodes of varying length, but both well under the hour mark, played as a surprise screening for the packed opening night crowd. The response from the audience, which comprised a mix of industry professionals and students from the University of St. Andrews, a co-organizer of the fest, was jubilant with heavy laughs and gasps for the surprisingly funny yet tricky spy thriller.
The ambitious series is led by Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden, who play members of a secret global spy agency called Citadel. After a deadly attack, the agency is disbanded, and its elite agents are wiped of their memories. With Citadel out the way, a new powerful syndicate, Manticore, is rising in the void. And it’s now up to former Citadel overlord Bernard Orlick, played by Stanley Tucci, to reform the agency and stop Manticore from establishing a new world order.
Anthony and Joe Russo’s AGBO production outfit created the series for Amazon, and the brothers serve as executive producers alongside Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Scott Nemes, with David Weil as showrunner and executive producer. Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, Scott Rosenberg, Newton Thomas Sigel, and Patrick Moran are also executive producers. In addition to the mothership series, headlined by Chopra Jonas and Madden, Citadel also has local language offshoots in India and Italy.
The opening night screening was introduced by Joe Russo, who is among the primary backers of Sands, alongside Screen Scotland. Shortly after the premiere, Russo spoke with Deadline about the creation of Citadel, working with Amazon head exec Jennifer Salke, and his plan to make Sands an annual pre-Cannes stop on the festival calendar.
DEADLINE: How did the Citadel screening go? And why bring the series here to Sands?
JOE RUSSO: We’re here to support the festival. Sands is a festival about emerging filmmakers in an incredible academic setting in a corner of the world that I have a strong affection for and a family history with.
DEADLINE: That family history, your daughter graduated from St Andrews?
RUSSO: She did. She graduated a couple of years ago. But subsequently, I had a nephew and two nieces go here. And a very close friend is now sending their children here. So we have a strong connection to the university.
DEADLINE: And what place does cinema occupy here at St Andrews? What’s the goal for Sands?
RUSSO: The ultimate goal for me would be to keep expanding the festival and start including other forms of media. My brother and I are technologists and futurists. We’re interested in what is next. I think there are a lot of creators that are emerging in the social media space that are compelling. They’re self-starters, and Gen Z has a very different philosophy about what media is and where to find information. To them, a story can be a 30-second TikTok, and I’m not here to judge that. I’m here to celebrate interesting work that I see. I want to start bringing in emerging voices from all forms of media. Not just in film.
DEADLINE: How much of a commitment to Citadel has Amazon made?
RUSSO: The most important aspect of this project is that Jennifer Salke came to us with a very brave and noble idea, which was, hey, why don’t we tell a story that is rich enough that we can splinter it off into series and other markets where we can find the best artists and storytellers in those regions to tell their own version of the story in their own language. It was an incredible idea. And as guys who spent a long time communicating globally with audiences with Marvel, that idea spoke to us.
We love collaborating with people. We love hearing from different voices. We grow tired of hearing from the same voices over and over. So if we can use our platform and Amazon’s resources, and Jen is willing to use Amazon’s platform to help artists and other regions around the world tell their stories at a scale, we’re all here for it.
DEADLINE: The first two episodes of Citadel were directed by Newton Thomas Sigel. Do you and Anthony get behind the camera at any point?
RUSSO: We certainly could. It’s just a function of scheduling for us. But we’re very invested. I was on set with Tom [Sigel] for most of the shooting he did. Tom’s brilliant. He’s been in the business for a long time and has one of the most incredible resumes. We worked with him on Extraction, which was a difficult shoot. He even functioned as a de facto producer on Extraction because of his experience. Then he worked with us on Cherry. He has the ability to tell big stories and highly experimental stories. We wanted to give him an opportunity to direct because we could see it in him, and he crushed it.
DEADLINE: How did you land on Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden?
RUSSO: We met Madden because we loved him in Bodyguard. We sat down with him and joked about the potential for him to play James Bond. A few months later, the concept of Citadel was born. We called Madden and said forget what we said about Bond, we think we’ve got something over here for you. With Priyanka, Citadel is built for international appeal, and very few stars have her pedigree and ability to cross markets. Jen Salke actually recommended her, and we thought it was a fantastic idea.
DEADLINE: Was there a specific moment during your time working on the Marvel projects that influenced your desire to tell cross-cultural stories?
RUSSO: When you work in this business and most of your time is spent in Hollywood, you can be insulated from different points of view. You can have a lack of understanding of how the rest of the world thinks. The global market, without question, is the most significant market moving forward. It’s significant theatrically, and for streamers, it’s where their expansion will come from.
So working with Marvel and that massive publicity machine, we were fortunate enough to travel the world for months on end to promote those movies where you would meet with fans and other filmmakers. We were exposed to new cultures and film industries, where we found relationships that opened up our perspective to global storytelling. As a guy with kids, I’m concerned by the trajectory of the world, and without global connection, we’re in a lot of trouble. So taking from that experience, we have turned our gaze outward towards other markets to try and help platform them in ways that Steven Soderbergh did for us all those years ago.
DEADLINE: With that philosophy, what would the best version of Hollywood look like to you?
RUSSO: Certainly a more diverse version and one that’s more international. Bollywood, for instance, is one of the more significant film businesses in the world but it has extremely minimal exposure outside of India. Thank God for movies like RRR, using a level of technical genius, visual effects, and mythological storytelling to appeal to a much wider audience. We learn about other cultures from movies like that. So, I guess, our goal would be empowerment. We want to support other markets as much as possible so their stories can get through in a broader way.
DEADLINE: This is the second year of Sands. What has the experience of running a festival been like? What have you learned?
RUSSO: I love it. The goal should be to expand slightly every year and grow organically over time. Every time I come to St Andrews, I can’t get over how incredible the setting is for a film festival. It’s a town that’s built to support a festival, and it has a lot more infrastructure than what we’re using right now.
DEADLINE: Do you want the festival to evolve into a market?
RUSSO: A market is always helpful in supporting a festival. It’s been helpful to Cannes and other festivals around the world. So I think we could support a market, but it’s about how we can create a market that is forward-thinking. It wouldn’t have to be a huge market but just a compelling market that attracts the right material.
DEADLINE: Will you keep Sands at this date in April?
RUSSO: Yeah, I don’t think we’re going to move it.
DEADLINE: Last year it was earlier, right?
RUSSO: Yes. We intentionally moved it forward this year to get closer to Cannes. And we may move it even a weekend closer next year.
DEADLINE: Why is that? It’s hard to compete against Cannes for films.
RUSSO: It is hard to compete with Cannes, but there’s also always space for some counter-programming. If you look underneath Sundance, there was Slamdance. And if you look at the filmmakers that came out of Slamdance: us, Chris Nolan, Rian Johnson, so pound for pound, you’ve got some filmmakers that have significant impact to come out of that festival. So there’s always a way to counter-program.
DEADLINE: Looking at all the festivals on the calendar right now, is there one template you would like to emulate?
RUSSO: I think South by Southwest is the most forward-thinking festival in the world. I love how it embraces all the different aspects of media and brings them together for a conversation. I’d love to follow a similar trajectory because that’s what a modern festival looks like. We have to start somewhere. But as we slowly expand, I want to include music, video games, and social media content creators to create a hub for people to gather and talk about what’s going on in the arts.
There are only a handful of directors working in popular cinema who have a visually distinct sensibility. One of these is acclaimed Mexican director Guillermo del Toro. The modern-day king of the monster movie, del Toro is probably best known for his creatures. From Pan’s Labyrinth to The Shape of Water, his unique creature designs have always been the most striking aspect of his filmography.
Additionally, his scripts frequently question and deconstruct commonly held assumptions towards monstrosity. Where audiences would typically repulse at bugs, ghosts, and hairy beasts, del Toro delights in making them consider the nature of these associations, and by extension, the place of monstrosity in our cultural imagination.
That’s not to say that all his movies have been flawless, however. Many of his films have drawn ire and discontent from all kinds of audiences, and many have suffered from constricting production guidelines. Here are all of Guillermo del Toro’s movies, ranked.
13 Mimic
Miramax Films
Genetically engineered bugs gain the ability to transform their carapaces to mimic humans. Mimic is exactly as terrifying as you would expect with such a macabre premise. Despite being almost 24 years old, Guillermo del Toro’s signature ability to interweave beauty and monstrosity through the cinematography, set design, and costuming is on full display.
Unfortunately, the film went through many iterations of rewrites at the behest of studio executives, diluting the director’s initial vision. Today, it doesn’t quite stand up to the flair that would characterize his later work.
12 Blade II
New Line Cinema
Blade II presented a unique challenge: take a stylish, campy, vampire action flick and build on the character groundwork laid by Wesley Snipes’ infamous portrayal of the titular character. While del Toro infuses the Blade franchise with his eye for creative visuals and brings a little more personality out of the protagonist, the plot remains a mostly nonsensical, repetitive slog. That said, fans of the iconic Marvel character will undoubtedly find an enjoyable action story with a well-realized aesthetic.
11 Hellboy
Sony Pictures Releasing
At this point in del Toro’s career, his films began to hone in on stylistic action elements with the confidence of a director realizing his talents. Ron Perlman’s depiction of Hellboy reached a well-deserved legend status; his dry wit and class-conscious sensibility brought the spawn of Satan to brilliant life. There are some slower moments here where Hellboy slows down and indulges in the maintenance of his relationships, making for an action film with more heart than expected.
10 Cronos
October Films
Cronos succeeds in a place where other vampire stories fail. By exploring the nature of what it means to be more than human, and asking viewers to consider the spiritual cost of violence, this movie is a time-tested standout in the genre.
There’s a unique mythology behind the story’s presentation of vampires that continues to intrigue after the credits roll. And despite being a horror film, the dramatic elements and horror elements strike a confident balance in partnership with a script that is equally indulgent in philosophy as it is in gore. Cronos is a must-watch for fans of vampire movies.
9 Pacific Rim
Legendary Pictures
Critics and audiences alike found a lot to love in Pacific Rim. The characterization leaves a lot to be desired, but several elements of the script fall secondary to an irresistible sense of fun presented by the visuals and action sequences. Drawing inspiration from Japan’s canon of giant Kaiju and mechas across a rich history in both live-action and animation, this is a movie that rises above the sum of seemingly disparate parts. The result is a driven, bombastic thrill ride that is sure to entertain.
8 Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Universal Pictures
Bigger and more beautiful thanthe previous film, Hellboy II: The Golden Army is yet another triumph for the director, who presents another one of his characteristically uncompromising visions for a strange and captivating world. The Hollywood Reporter noted that del Toro was given free rein to let his imagination run wild, and the film is every bit more engaging as a result. Ron Perlman refines his performance and del Toro seamlessly blends CGI and practical effects for a visual set that exceeds the first film.
7 Cabinet of Curiosities
Netflix
Prior to del Toro’s collaboration with Netflix for his take on Pinocchio, the auteur curiously dipped his toe into the world of the Netflix series for the eight-part Cabinet of Curiosities. The Mexican’s fascination and record with fantasy horror is there for all to see, and Cabinet of Curiosities draws upon elements from his past works and combines them with new, nightmarish ideas in eight individual stories.
With meticulousness aplenty, creatively unique visuals, beautiful light composition, and a smattering of exceptional performances, the Netflix Original series relies heavily on its production value, but nevertheless a thoroughly well-made show.
6 Nightmare Alley
Searchlight Pictures
Del Toro’s Nightmare Alley is a film noir loosely based on the 1947 novel and ’40s film of the same name. The story centers around Stanton Carlile, a sorrowful carny that joins forces with a mysterious psychiatrist to swindle the rich and bring wealth to his traveling carnival.
The atmosphere hangs dark and heavy, complete with a well-realized noir aesthetic balanced with a romantic sensibility from the director. The plot’s slow pacing and opaque subtext will not work for all, but this is another work in del Toro’s filmography that reaches new heights thanks to the expression of its wondrous and exciting world.
5 Crimson Peak
Universal Pictures
The trailers for Crimson Peak promised a grim, claustrophobic tale taking place inside a haunted mansion. What the movie delivered, against audience expectations, was more of a doomed romance against a paranoia-filled, gothic horror backdrop. The divide in expectations created somewhat of a confusing reception, but the film offers a tightly-acted, sorrowful atmosphere with plenty of scares. It manages to subvert expectations of the genre while retaining the cohesive visual flair that has come to be so closely associated with Guillermo del Toro.
4 Pan’s Labyrinth
Warner Bros.
Pan’s Labyrinthconfidently engages in a broad range of political, philosophical, and supernatural subject matter while balancing all three elements flawlessly. The combination of these elements blooms into a brilliant story of magic and brutality from the mind of a director working through the collective trauma imposed by the Spanish Civil War.
Borrowing popular iconography from Christianity and the director’s own internal depravity, the creatures in this story are absolutely unforgettable. Still, the source of evil in this world is more mysterious, deferring to the mind of the viewer to decide whether real monstrosity is supernatural, or a product of our own minds.
3 The Shape of Water
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Yes, The Shape of Water is that movie that teased the fish-man hybrid having sex. Yes, it did win the Oscar for best picture in 2018. Both are true. And, maybe unbelievably, this film managed to make something profound out of the unholy union between a fish man and human woman. This is del Toro’s greatest party trick — to ask with a wide grin for us to untangle the associations we have between monstrosity and evil.
This is a film that shows us just how truly bizarre our capacity for empathy and great cruelty is. With a timeless aesthetic, beautiful set design, and a haunting, melodic score, The Shape of Water is strange for its ridiculous ideas, and strange for how much you might come to love it.
2 Pinocchio
Netflix
2021’s severely underrated Nightmare Alley signaled the end of del Toro’s four-year filmmaking hiatus, luckily, it was just a year until his next directorial feature in the form of his stop-motion animation adaptation of the children’s literary classic, Pinocchio. The Netflix-backed production is a joyous exhibition of hand-craftsmanship and copious amounts of attentive detail.
Telling the tale of the wooden boy in his own, unique way, del Toro sets it against the backdrop of Mussolini’s Italy, a departure from Carlo Collodi’s 19th-century setting. After Geppetto’s son is killed during an air raid in WWI, he longs for his boy, with his wishes coming true in the form of Pinocchio. More than just a kid’s film, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio confronts issues of fascism, the human condition, and lack of control.
1 The Devil’s Backbone
Warner Sogefilms
Similar themes flow through most of Guillermo del Toro’s work, but in The Devil’s Backbone, the characters, the supernatural elements, and the politics on display combine to create a story with many levels of commentary. It’s a story of childhood innocence lost as well as it is a story of the horrors of war leaving deep, real scars on survivors.
As one of del Toro’s earlier works, there isn’t a huge production budget or his usual arrangement of grandiose visual elements. Instead, this is a stripped, somewhat simpler story relying on great actors and a script with lots of heart. Among his canon of films, this is the one that best realizes his vision: for juxtaposing the grotesque aspects of the world with the grotesque aspects of human nature, to help us acknowledge the capacity for great good and evil inside all of us.
The lead stars of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies made an appearance at Deadline’s Contenders Television awards-season event to talk about their experiences on the musical.
Marisa Davila, who plays Jane Facciano in the Paramount+ series, said she might have been a little too young to have watched the 1978 film for the first time, but most of its themes were going over her head.
“Considering it’s a period piece, it really hasn’t gone too much out of style,” Davila said. “I’ve definitely known the music longer than I can even remember the first time I saw it.”
Davila added: “I don’t really know if you meet a lot of people that haven’t seen Grease these days. We’re just adding to the history of that universe and, I mean, what an honor. We’re just really grateful that this is a project that we get to be a part of.”
Set in the 1950s, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies takes place four years before the events of the film that starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. The prequel series cast a diverse group of women to give visibility to viewers, something Tricia Fukuhara mentioned.
She noted the diversity of the cast by recalling that when she was a little girl, she dreamed of playing the lead character in Annie. However, her father said that she would not be able to play her because Annie had red hair and was white.
Fukuhara added that her father suggested she play Molly instead and was able to make it happen.
“I think that’s why we are also so honored and grateful to be here because I feel like growing up we never thought that we could be Pink Ladies or that the Pink Ladies could look like us, and here we are,” she said.
Cheyenne Isabel Wells added that the show is “beautiful” and wants the audience to “find their own character to follow within this whole series. There are so many storylines … so I’m excited for everyone to find their favorite and follow along.”
Ari Notartomaso noted that each episode is like its own full-length movie musical, “which is pretty epic that we were able to do that in seven months.”
Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday unveiled Max, its refreshed streaming service combining programming from both the original HBO Max streaming service and Discovery+. Launching May 23, Max will cost $15.99 a month ($149.99/year) for the ad-free version and $9.99 per month ($99.99/year) for the ad-supported tier. A third “ultimate” ad-free version with 4K UHD resolution, 100 offline downloads and Dolby Atmos sound will be available for $19.99 a month ($199.99/year).
In unveiling the updated product at an event at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, JB Perrette, WBD’s president and CEO of streaming and games, said Max will feature personalized recommendations across platforms for users after they finish watching a TV show or film. Previously, this was only available on the HBO Max home page. App and video start times are also expected to be 20 to 30 percent faster, depending on device, Perrette said, to help address glitchiness that viewers have long taken issue with on the preceding HBO Max platform.
Existing HBO Max subscribers will maintain their access to the rebranded Max at the same price, with profiles, watch history and other viewer settings porting over to Max. Discovery+ subscribers will not be impacted by the launch of Max, though they will be given the opportunity to upgrade their subscriptions to Max.
The Max launch comes a year after WarnerMedia and Discovery completed its $43 billion merger, with the combined company led by CEO David Zaslav. Part of Zaslav’s pitch to Hollywood was the creation of a streaming service that could compete with Netflix and Disney+ by combining the best of HBO’s high-brow scripted fare with Discovery’s more low-brow but profitable lifestyle and reality programming.
By removing HBO from Max’s branding, WBD is also hoping to appeal to a wider audience that may have previously turned away from the streaming service due to HBO’s high-brow reputation and higher price point. Perrette said removing HBO from the branding was a part of “preserving and protecting the most iconic trailblazing brand in entertainment.”
“HBO is not TV. HBO is HBO. It needs to stay that way, which is why we will privilege it in the product experience and also not push it to the breaking point by forcing it to take on the full breadth of this new content proposition,” Perrette said.
To date, WBD has 96.1 million streaming subscribers across HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+. The company has not broken out its subscriber numbers per service, though Zaslav has said Discovery+ — which will remain a standalone service — is profitable and has low churn.
“Black History Month is an insult. You’re going to relegate my history to a month?”
And he added:
“Also ‘African-American’ is an insult. I don’t subscribe to that title. Black people have had different titles all the way back to then-word and I do not know how these things get such a grip, but everyone uses ‘African-American’. What does it really mean? Most black people in this part of the world are mongrels. And you say Africa as if it’s a country when it’s a continent, like Europe.”
Freeman told The Times that he had been inspired growing up by seeing Sidney Poitier on screen, only years later to talk to the veteran actor in person. Freeman revealed: “I spoke with Sidney way back. He said, ‘I wanted to be like you.’”
For Freeman, the man he would have liked to be is his friend Denzel Washington. “I am so very envious of Denzel’s career, because he’s doing what I wanted to do.”
He added: “Generationally, though, I do think we’re moving ahead in leaps and bounds… LGBTQ, Asians, black, white, interracial marriages, interracial relationships. All represented. You see them all on screen now and that is a huge jump.”
It is a few years now from the glory days of Freeman’s career, including The Shawshank Redemption, Unforgiven, Glory, Invictus, Driving Miss Daisy, Seven and Million Dollar Baby, which brought him his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2004.
By contrast, the actor, now 85, played down the success of his career in recent years, reflecting:
I’ve done much in the last ten years that was much different. Driving Miss Daisy and Glory were different. Now? It’s just . . . me. The character will adapt itself to you rather than the other way round, so I do what piques my interest. Sometimes it’s just the money alone.”
Saturday’s headliner is K-pop girl group Blackpink, one of the three nonwhite headliners this year, a first for Coachella. Last night culminated in an electrifying and historic two-hour set from Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny, while Sunday night will bring the looooong anticipated return to the stage of Frank Ocean.
Also on today’s bill: indie-rock supergroup boygenius, Rosalía, Charli XCX, Eric Prydz presents Holo, the Breeders, Underworld, the Linda Lindas, Jai Paul and many more.
Among our favorite performances on Friday: the Weeknd joining Metro Boomin’s all-star set (other special guests: Future, Don Toliver, 21 Savage and Diddy); boygenius backing up their friends Muna; De La Soul rapping with Gorillaz; the return of Blink-182; and impeccable new wave from Debbie Harry and Blondie.
All weekend, The Times’ Mikael Wood, August Brown, Suzy Exposito, Kenan Draughorne and Vanessa Franko will be roaming the grounds of Indio’s Empire Polo Club and reporting on all the action as it happens.
3:46 p.m. And we’re back!
Last night was a late one, but Coachella waits for no fan, which is why music is already wafting across the Polo Grounds (along with a considerable amount of dust).
Day 2’s headliner is the K-pop girl group Blackpink, though EDM survivor Calvin Harris is playing after Blackpink on the main stage in a slot Coachella is calling “returning to the desert.” (Contracts, y’all!) Also on the bill today: Rosalía, boygenius, Ethel Cain and Underworld, among many others. Stick with us to hear all about it. — Mikael Wood
4:05 p.m. Old Coachella heads love to whine about the festival’s move away from the alternative rock of its early years, but Saturday’s bill is actually long on fuzzy guitars and hand-smacked drums with performances by boygenius, the Breeders, the Linda Lindas and Snail Mail, whose Lindsey Jordan told the crowd in the Mojave Tent that she’d pondered her options for a splashy surprise guest before ultimately deciding against it. “We’re like the definition of a band that’s just happy to be here,” she said. Her slyly confessional songs — dreamy and tuneful yet rhythmically wound tight — were a welcome throwback. — M.W.
4:08 p.m. Well, if I wasn’t awake when I got here, I certainly am now! Marc Rebillet built a devoted following by Twitchstreaming his kooky, half-naked electro-funk DJ sets from his New York City apartment. On Saturday, the French American mix artiste supersized his living-room show for the Coachella main stage. His act is a frenetic techno stream-of-consciousness, improvised with hip-hop beats and synth loops — not to mention comedic outbursts. “Who’s ready for Blackpink? … What the f— am I doing up here naked?!” he screamed, well aware that a sizable chunk of the audience was comprised of early-bird Blackpink fans. They were pogo-ing along excitedly by the end of the show. — Suzy Exposito
4:12 p.m. Flo Milli heated up the Sahara Tent early, making full use of the venue’s all-encompassing screens in the process. Flanked by four dancers sporting all-pink outfits, the rapper brought enough energy to get the crowd moving. Near the end, she was joined by a pregnant Monaleo for her song “We Not Humping.” And if there was any doubt how happy Milli was to play her first Coachella, she took a selfie with the crowd before launching into her hit “Conceited.” — Kenan Draughorne
4:15 p.m. Pete Acevedo, 30, from Fontana, Calif., has been coming to Coachella for seven years. He says he’s figured out the ultimate way to do the festival with his friends.
“Get a campsite and an off-site as well. Use the campsite as a home base to go back and forth. At the end of the day, make sure you’re out of the parking lot by 2 a.m., check out, go to your Airbnb, sleep, come back and do it all again the next day,” he said.
He also had a tip for anyone rolling out to Coachella, no matter where you’re staying: “Stay hydrated and bring the energy.” — Vanessa Franko
Dinner Party performs at Coachella.
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
5:23 p.m. After losing best R&B album at the 2023 Grammys, Chris Brown hit his Instagram stories to question the winner’s credentials; during Dinner Party’s afternoon set, award-winner Robert Glasper gave a thunderous reminder during an incomparable piano solo. Backed by drone footage capped high above Crenshaw Boulevard, the R&B supergroup known as a Dinner Party — Glasper, Terrace Martin, Kamasi Washington and 9th Wonder — played improv-filled renditions from their lush self-titled 2020 EP, bringing out singer Arin Ray and Watts rapper Daylyt to boost their instrumentals with added melody and wordplay. — K.D.
Hiatus Kaiyote performs at Coachella.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
5:45 p.m. Hiatus Kaiyote opened its set at the outdoor stage with “Rose Water,” alerting the sparse yet passionate crowd of the explosive blend of genres that was to come. The trippy Australian band delighted with colorful cuts from its most recent album, “Mood Valiant,“ its first full-length release since 2015. And I couldn’t stop smiling at lead singer Nai Palm’s day-glo, striped tunic, one of my favorite get-ups of the weekend so far. — K.D.
Ethel Cain performs at Coachella.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
5:53 p.m. One of the main reasons to attend Coachella is to catch rising acts just as the wave is about to crest. For Ethel Cain, the captivatingly eerie, 25-year-old singer-songwriter, that meant performing at an absolutely packed Sonora Tent at the very un-Southern-Gothic hour of 4:30 p.m.
Over a few years, via some stark EPs and the 2022 full-length “Preacher’s Daughter,” Cain has cultivated an ominous mystique and a dedicated online stan scene. Both would mean little without the songs and performance to back up the aura.
Starting with the moody, vicious “Family Tree” — with its poster-worthy promise, “I’m just a child but I’m not above violence” — Cain’s grim rural noir took on the grandeur of festival rock. Dressed in a cherry-red cheerleader outfit, Cain proved she can both model for Miu Miu and sing with a gospel-worthy range. “A House in Nebraska” was probably the most ransacked ballad to hit the desert all weekend, but the Sonora crowd treated it like a magic-hour hit.
And then there’s “American Teenager,” which I simply will not shut up about: It’s the best rock song of the 2020s. Cain played it early in the set, but it’s the moment when she looks like she’s having the most fun onstage, twirling and howling its hooks with a loopy fervor. It can’t be easy to be a face-tatted young trans woman in Alabama these days, and Cain has earned every single moment of joy she takes from being onstage. Lucky for us that she gives it back in spades. — August Brown
6:30 p.m. As far as I can tell, the point of being a Charli XCX fan is the promise that one day you’ll be able to tell everyone that you knew before other people that she’d be a global pop superstar. But nothing about the English singer’s main-stage set suggested that she’s destined for bigger things other than a (very respectable!) early-evening festival slot. Dressed for the part in a cutout leotard and geometric shades, twerking with skill but no apparent joy, Charli came on like an AI’s take on a post-post-post-Madonna club diva. Basically: great attitude, crummy songs. (Troye Sivan joined her for “1999.”) One exception was her snarling rendition of Icona Pop’s gleefully profane “I Love It,” which she co-wrote for that forgotten Swedish duo back in 2012. “You’re from the ‘70s, but I’m a ‘90s bitch,” she sang — still one of the sickest burns ever, and maybe the reason I’m unpersuaded by her act. — M.W.
6:37 p.m. I have found the 40-something white dads at Coachella, and they are sipping Heinekens as they wait for the Breeders inside the air-conditioned Sonora Tent. — M.W.
The Linda Lindas perform at Coachella.
(Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
6:54 p.m. L.A. teen squad the Linda Lindas dropped a power-pop compassion bomb in the Sonora Tent. Addressing the wave of bills targeting transgender communities across the country, guitarist Lucia de Garza remarked, overwhelmed by the onslaught: “All this anti-trans legislation is not it. It’s just not fun!”
Fellow guitarist Bela Salazar, who emerged with shocking pink bangs, ramped up the body positivity by taking the lead on their feel-good song in Spanish, “Cuántas Veces,” or “How Many Times,” singing: “Todos somos perfectos / En todas formas y hechos.” (“We’re all perfect / In every form and fact.”) It’s hard not to walk away from the set feeling like we need to leave a better world for the Linda Lindas and their Gen Z peers. — S.E.
7:30 p.m. Speaking of leaving a better world for future generations, I happened upon Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost shaking hands with festival-goers during the midafternoon Dinner Party set. As the first Gen-Z congressperson — who, incidentally, was once a seasonal employee in Coachella’s control center — Frost came to the fest today to present two panels on climate change and activism.
His first featured a chat on water scarcity with Jaden Smith and Drew Fitzgerald, who founded the climate-conscious nonprofit 501CTHREE with Jaden’s dad, actor Will Smith. The organization has helped get safe drinking water to underserved communities, including those in Flint, Mich. “There’s a difference between shaming apathy and inspiring action,” says Frost. “Shame is not what people are voting for; people want something to vote for, not against.”
Frost enjoyed several acts so far this weekend, including Muna and Bad Bunny on Friday; he seemed most jazzed to see Charli XCX, boygenius and Frank Ocean’s return on Sunday. Said Frost: “I’m ready to cry, but in a good way!” — S.E.
7:36 p.m. A dispatch from the press tent: Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, has gotten the reporters in here quite as stoked this weekend as Sofi Tukker blasting a club remix of the “White Lotus” theme song. — S.E.
Kim Deal of the Breeders performs at Coachella.
(Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
7:46 p.m. Does it count as nostalgia if an old song makes you think about new things? Playing tunes from 1993’s alt-rock classic “Last Splash,” the Breeders were so tightly dialed into their sound — seriously, no other band (or band-ish entity) has been tighter this weekend — that they made you realize how delightfully bizarre “Hag” and “New Year” and “Cannonball” are in a structural sense. Frontwoman Kim Deal, a true rock-vocal powerhouse at age 61, ended the band’s set with a ripping version of “Gigantic” by her old group, the Pixies. — M.W.
Fans watch Diljit Dosanjh’s performance at Coachella.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
8:53 p.m. “This is where all the Indian baddies will be,” one South Asian guy told his buddy as they waited for Jai Paul, the acclaimed U.K. singer and producer. Hard to tell if he was right, but he got the gist of the importance of Paul’s set tonight in the Mojave Tent. For one, it was Paul’s live debut — not just at Coachella, but his first show ever, anywhere. After a hotly awaited collection of funk and glitch-driven demos leaked online, he peaced out from public life for a decade.
Everyone from Beyoncé and Drake (who have sampled his “BTSTU” ) down to the most conspiracy-crazed Redditors have probably wondered when they were going to get a chance to see him perform. Tonight was the night.
Paul was late — he lost around 15 minutes of his set to stage fussing. But when he arrived, he came dressed in wraparound shades and a white coat, looking the part of the avant-garde R&B star he’s been for years in the shadows. In the lead-up to the show, he admitted to being pulverizingly nervous to finally make stage his debut. With a small but formidable backing band, tasteful white lighting and some ominous-looking sculptures behind him, he made a great case for Paul Institute, his amorphous creative firm.
He’s still finding his sea legs as a live singer — totally fair for a first timer! — but older cuts like “Genevieve” felt as fresh as they did when they tore up the internet in the Obama years. — A.B.
Boygenius’ Phoebe Bridgers performs at Coachella.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
9:01 p.m. Award for best walk-on music of the weekend goes to boygenius, who set the mood for their exuberant Outdoor Theatre set with Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back in Town,” then kept that same energy with “$20” and “Satanist,” the two highest-energy tunes from the indie-rock supergroup’s excellent new debut, “The Record.” After that, the trio of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker — each dressed in crisp black-and-white suits like a winking Reservoir Dog — mellowed out for the more Laurel Canyon-ish parts of their catalog. What’s gratifying about seeing the band live is how intuitively the women blend their voices in complicated harmonies that physicalize the intimate friendships they sing about — a real (and rare) embodiment of the supergroup ideal. Also moving: Dacus’ pronouncement that “trans lives matter” and “trans kids matter,” which Bridgers punctuated with a message of her own: “F— Ron DeSantis.” — M.W.
9:35 p.m. Rosalía’s entrance was preceded by the loud rumble of motorcycles; after dozens of dancers took their statuesque places onstage, the Spanish singer emerged to perform “Saoko.” Fans even in the back of the crowd felt like they were onstage with Rosalía, thanks to stellar work from the videographer who rarely strayed more than five feet from the singer.
Meanwhile, those closer to the stage erupted with loud applause when she brought out boyfriend and reggaeton superstar Rauw Alejandro, and the two performed songs from their recent joint EP, “RR.” Before that, however, she took a moment to thank her choreographer, Compton’s Charm La’Donna, who’s worked with everyone from Dua Lipa to Kendrick Lamar. — K.D.
Eladio Carrión performs at Coachella.
(Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
9:42 p.m. On his new album “3MEN2 KBRN,” Puerto Rican trap lord Eladio Carrión shows reverence to gritty American rap idols such as Lil Wayne and Future. But at Coachella’s Gobi Stage, he flaunted his own star quality with a high-energy solo set. Real ones may recall him from his Vine comedy bits; realer ones from his days as a competitive swimmer. That athleticism informs his breath control and stamina on stage, not to mention a touch of fancy footwork on brisk tracks like his Bizarrap session, or his buoyant number with Bad Bunny, “Coco Chanel.” Even though El Conejo didn’t show up to lend a voice, the crowd sure did. — S.E.
10:45 p.m. Nia Archives became the latest to suffer from sound issues at the Sonora stage — the speakers weren’t working for a whole three minutes — but once everything was connected, it was full speed ahead. The U.K. DJ spun a furious mix of jungle and drum-and-bass music, and she even upstaged the crowd with her own dance moves behind her controller. — K.D.
Blackpink performs at Coachella.
(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images for Coachella)
10:50 p.m. “Did you notice the wind stop?” Blackpink’s Rosé asked an ebullient Main Stage crowd during a charged pause in the group’s headline performance. “I think it was all the Blinks.”
The K-pop superstars’ fanbase was indeed out in full force on Saturday night — some lined up at the stage barricades the second the gates parted. But winds of change were definitely still blowing through Coachella, as the tastemaking fest hosted its first K-pop headliner and its first all-female group atop the bill.
Coachella is long removed from being an indie- and alt-rock-driven festival, having embraced pop and hip-hop for aesthetic, financial and generational reasons years back. But from the minute Blackpink counted down to “Pink Venom” after a formidable aerial drone swarm, their set felt different — a scale, skill and intensity of pop craftsmanship bigger than anything else that’s graced this stage since Beyoncé made history in 2018.
Jennie, Rosé, Jisoo and Lisa easily nailed a mix of Coachella cool and K-pop razzle-dazzle. On “Kill This Love,” “Kick It” and “How You Like That,” they stomped and sassed beneath a towering temple roof and made the most of the gigantic stage. It’s rare to see an act as good on its feet as its backup dancers, but Blackpink is in a class of its own as physical performers, too.
Every finger flick, every hip thrust, every hair flip during “Boombayah” and “DDU-DU DDU-DU” was choreographed to the microsecond; their vocals sounded immaculate despite the aerobic demands of their dancing.
After tonight’s set, even BTS’ Jungkook (reportedly on the grounds Saturday) would probably admit: Blackpink is the best group in K-pop, and it made Coachella bigger, better and more relevant by being here. — A.B.
11:11 p.m. A perfect genetic splice of Blink-182, Post Malone and Justin Bieber, Australia’s the Kid Laroi spent a good 35% of his Sahara Tent set demonstrating that he’s figured out how to say both “f—“ and “motherf—“ in a very convincing American accent. Toward the end he sang his and Bieber’s crisp new wave bop, “Stay,” which he dedicated to his duet partner, whom he was pretty sure was in the house. “Justin, thank you for changing my f—ing life, man,” Laroi said. “You’re such a special human being.” — M.W.
11:13 p.m. As Blackpink brought the bubblegum, across the field, club kids across generations assembled inside the Mojave Tent for the U.K. group Underworld, dancing wild amid a thick layer of smoke and a rainbow glow. With producer Rick Smith as his co-pilot, vocalist Karl Hyde steered mammoth ‘90s techno anthems like “Cowgirl” with his signature rugged snarl, then dedicated “Born Slippy” — famously featured in the 1996 movie-slash-anti-drug PSA “Trainspotting” — to the Swedish rapper Yung Lean. — S.E.
11:29 p.m. Everyone in the Gobi Tent is dancing to the funky beats of Chromeo, who just brought out LaRoux as a special guest and did a bit of “Bulletproof” during her appearance. — Vanessa Franko
With SnyderCon, the aptly named convention regarding Zack Snyder‘s DCEU universe, just a couple of weeks away, the director raised the hype for the event with a brand new poster.
With the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League and a promising post-credit scene in Black Adam, fans have been vying for a continuation of the Snyder-envisioned DC cinematic universe.
However, with the hiring of James Gunn and Peter Safran to head the new, mostly rebooted DC universe, much of that hope was shattered (despite a campaign to sell the SnyderVerse to Netflix buzzing around internet circles).
Even though his films seem to be over, however, Snyder is hosting a SnyderCon event on April 28-30 in Pasadena, California celebrating his films and the universe before fans say goodbye for what might be ever.
New SnyderVerse Poster Ahead of SnyderCon
Before SnyderCon hits Pasadena in just about two weeks, former DCEU director Zack Snyder shared on Twitter a poster for the event, featuring his Justice League roster in all its glory.
The bottom of the poster sees a JL logo, along with the title Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Above the black-and-white drawn characters are various symbols, and the word AEQUITAS, a Latin word fittingly speaking to justice and equity.
Sales of T-shirts with the poster design, according to Snyder’s Tweet, will be going toward the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
A Powerful Goodbye to the DCEU
The Snydercon event ultimately is unlikely to host major announcements of future developments for what is confirmed to be a defunct cinematic universe. However, if the art in the poster is anything to go by, the event will not be given the short end of any stick because of it.
Just because there is not more to come does not mean love and care will not be given to the event, and to the fans attending and supporting the films it inspired.
Beyond that, the event is supporting an important cause in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, an act anyone, regardless of their feelings toward the movies the convention is focusing on, could get behind.
SnyderCon will take place in Pasadena, California from April 28-30.
The Federal Aviation Administration has given SpaceX final regulatory approval to carry out Starship’s first orbital flight test. Per Ars Technica, the FAA on late Friday afternoon issued the company a license to launch its next-generation rocket from South Texas. “After a comprehensive license evaluation process, the FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental, policy, payload, airspace integration and financial responsibility requirements,” the agency said in a statement. “The license is valid for five years.”
As of Friday, SpaceX said it would attempt to carry out the long-awaited test on Monday morning, with the launch window opening at 7AM local time. Per Ars Technica’s Eric Berger, the forecast for the Monday launch attempt looks ideal, with moderate winds and clear skies expected. If SpaceX calls the test off, the company has backup opportunities available on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The forecast for Monday morning’s Starship launch attempt looks amazing at the South Texas launch site: Moderate easterly winds, temperatures in the upper 60s (~20°C), and clear skies. Relative humidity is high at the opening of the window, but dropping through the morning.
Getting to this point has been a long road for SpaceX. In addition to all the technical hurdles it has had to overcome, the FAA put the company’s Boca Chica facility through a comprehensive environmental assessment. Located near the Gulf of Mexico, the launch site is surrounded by wetlands that are home to hundreds of thousands of shorebirds. Last June, the FAA gave SpaceX a list of 75 actions it had to complete to protect the local wildlife around the facility. With those out of the way, now all the company needs to worry about are any remaining technical issues affecting Starship.
The “Air” director has come a long way since his failed attempt at playing Basketball Player #10 in the 1992 movie “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
Ben Affleck is on top of the world right now. His latest directorial outing, “Air,” was both a massive critical success and a key piece of evidence that the new business model he and Matt Damon are utilizing through their Artists Equity production company can be viable. But even in the midst of all of his success, the filmmaker is still willing to look back at his humble beginnings.
Appearing on “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” Affleck reminisced about one of his earliest film roles in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” He had one line of dialogue as Basketball Player #10 in Fran Rubel Kuzui’s 1992 film (which was written by Joss Whedon and inspired his TV series of the same name). Affleck told Corden that he thought he did a good job of delivering his line about the grave threat that a werewolf posed to this basketball game — but the production team apparently disagreed.
“I was feeling it. I felt authentically afraid,” Affleck said “And then I went and saw the movie with friends… and I sounded very different. And I realized right then they re-recorded my line.”
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While embarrassed about the ordeal, he now admits that dubbing over his poor performance was probably the right call.
“I was so bad,” he said. “They needed me to be in the scene, but the director obviously [was like], ‘I can’t hear the voice again!’ They had to pay someone to come in and say, ‘Hey man, take it.’ Because apparently, I couldn’t say that convincingly enough.”
Fans of Affleck shouldn’t be particularly surprised to hear him speaking negatively about one of his own roles. The famously candid actor has no problem voicing his opinions about films that didn’t turn out well. He recently opened up about how the unpleasant experience of making “Justice League” caused him to reevaluate his career.
“I just thought, ‘This isn’t the life I want. My kids aren’t here. I’m miserable,’” he said of the “Justice League” shoot. “You want to go to work and find something interesting to hang onto, rather than just wearing a rubber suit, and most of it you’re just standing against the computer screen going, ‘If this nuclear waste gets loose, we’ll…’ That’s fine. I don’t condescend to that or put it down, but I got to a point where I found it creatively not satisfying. Also just, you’re sweaty and exhausted. And I thought, ‘I don’t want to participate in this in any way. And I don’t want to squander any more of my life, of which I have a limited amount.’”
Oscar winner Rachel Weisz, and Rachel Weisz, dominated Canneseries on Saturday, as the audience gathered at the Lumière Auditorium in Cannes broke into spontaneous applause after the first scene of her new show “Dead Ringers.”
Premiering in main competition, the six-episode limited Prime Video series – created by Alice Birch – played with the viewers’ emotions all throughout its first two episodes, eliciting frequent laughs and delivering more expletives than Logan Roy monologues, but also causing a few walk-outs, seemingly provoked by its detailed depictions of childbirth and medical procedures.
“Dead Ringers” sees Rachel Weisz play twin sisters Beverly and Elliot.
Courtesy of Prime Video
A brand new take on the novel “Twins” by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland, later adapted by David Cronenberg in 1988 and starring Jeremy Irons, “Dead Ringers” sees Weisz as ambitious New York obstetricians – and twin sisters – Beverly and Elliot.
Introduced while verbally destroying an especially clumsy suitor they viciously nickname as “Larry” (Kevin Anton), the Mantle twins clearly suffer no fools, but they also have dreams of their own. Having witnessed way too much suffering and loss in their line of work, they want to create a birthing center that would change the existing system once and for all.
As they set out to turn it into reality, and even find a wealthy patron in Jennifer Ehle’s Rebecca, their differences start to outweigh even the most striking similarities. But before that, there will be drugs, sex and fancy kombucha, and Weisz giving it her absolute all. Both as restrained Beverly, trying to become a mother herself, and as meat-loving, foul-mouthed spitfire Elliot.
Known for “Lady Macbeth” and “The Wonder,” both starring Florence Pugh, Birch has already scored an Emmy nomination for “Normal People” and a WGA Award for “Succession,” and penned another Sally Rooney adaptation, “Conversations With Friends.”
The British playwright and screenwriter, who walked Canneseries’ pink carpet in a suitably pink ensemble, was joined in France by Weisz and “The Umbrella Academy” star Britne Oldford, cast as Beverly’s love interest, that puts the sisters’ relationship to the test.
Ming Peiffer, Rachel De-Lahay, Susan Soon He Stanton and Miriam Battye co-wrote the show, with Sean Durkin, Karena Evans, Lauren Wolkstein and Karyn Kusama directing. Poppy Liu, Michael Chernus and Emily Meade round up the cast.
Weisz, who already won an Oscar for “The Constant Gardener” and has continued to combine arthouse fare (“The Favourite”) with more audience-friendly films (“Black Widow,” “The Mummy”), also serves as an executive producer.
Produced by Amazon Studios and Annapurna Television, “Dead Ringers” will premiere on April 21.
Twenty years after leaving her medical career, a housewife returns as a first-year resident — struggling to find her footing in a job full of surprises.
Certificate:TV-14 Parents strongly cautioned. May not be suitable for ages under 14.
Year: 2023
Duration: 16 Episodes
Audio: Korean – Audio Description, Korean [Original]
Subtitles: English, Filipino, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
Deadlines Contenders Television kicked off its annual weekend event on Saturday, April 15, with talent arrivals at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles. Day 1 of the in-person event features creatives from 20 buzzworthy series taking the stage including Natasha Lyonne, Dominique Fishback, Riley Keough, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Hahn Evan Peters, Niecy Nash-Betts, Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Patrick Stewart, Zahn McClarnon, Marc Maron and Melanie Lynskey.
Talent took to the stage today from the TV shows Poker Face, Mrs. Davis, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Daisy Jones & The Six, Schmigadoon!, Beef, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Yellowjackets and many more.
Marc Maron speaks onstage during the Deadline Contenders Television panel for Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Dominic Patten and Marc Maron speak onstage during Deadline Contenders Television panel for Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Zahn McClarnon speaks onstage during the Deadline Contenders Television panel for Dark Winds.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Patrick Stewart attends Deadline Contenders Television at Directors Guild Of America on April 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Patrick Stewart speaks onstage during the Star Trek: Picard panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Marc Maron and Patrick Stewart.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Marc Maron
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Pete Hammond, Marisa Davila, Cheyenne Isabel Wells, Tricia Fukuhara and Ari Notartomaso speak onstage during the Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Marisa Davila, Tricia Fukuhara, Ari Notartomaso and Cheyenne Isabel Wells.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Cheyenne Isabel Wells
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Ari Notartomaso
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Marisa Davila
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Tricia Fukuhara
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Peter White, Vella Lovell and Joel McHale during the panel for Animal Control.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Vella Lovell and Joel McHale.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Joel McHale
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Melanie Lynskey and Ike Barinholtz.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Liz Garbus, Sophie Nélisse and Melanie Lynskey speak onstage during the Yellowjackets.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Liz Garbus, Sophie Nélisse and Melanie Lynskey.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Melanie Lynskey
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Sophie Nélisse and Melanie Lynskey.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Peter White, Rose McIver, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Joe Wiseman and Joe Port attend speak onstage during the Ghosts panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Rose McIver
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Joe Wiseman, Rose McIver, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Joe Port.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline via Getty Images
Antonia Blyth, Kathryn Hahn, Liz Tigelaar and Cheryl Strayed speak onstage during Tiny Beautiful Things panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Kathryn Hahn
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Kathryn Hahn, Liz Tigelaar and Cheryl Strayed.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Liz Tigelaar, Cheryl Strayed and Kathryn Hahn.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Rosy Cordero, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen and Wanda Sykes speak onstage during the History of the World, Part II panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Wanda Sykes
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
David Stassen and Wanda Sykes.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Ike Barinholtz
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Wanda Sykes
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Kathryn Hahn
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
David Stassen, Wanda Sykes and Ike Barinholtz.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Evan Peters speaks onstage during the Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Peter White, Evan Peters, Niecy Nash-Betts and Paris Barclay speak onstage during the Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Niecy Nash-Betts
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun attend Deadline Contenders Television for the Beef panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Steven Yeun attend Deadline Contenders Television for the Beef panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Ali Wong
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Steven Yeun, Ali Wong and Lee Sung Jin.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Steven Yeun and Ali Wong.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Michael Ellenberg, Dorothy Fortenberry and Scott Z. Burns.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Tituss Burgess and Niecy Nash-Betts.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Cinco Paul, Keegan-Michael Key, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski and Kristin Chenoweth speak onstage at the Schmigadoon! panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Tituss Burgess
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski and Kristin Chenoweth.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Keegan-Michael Key
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Jane Krakowski
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Keegan-Michael Key
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Kristin Chenoweth
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Tituss Burgess
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Cinco Paul, Kristin Chenoweth, Keegan-Michael Key, Jane Krakowski and Tituss Burgess attend Deadline Contenders Television.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Evan Peters and Niecy Nash-Betts.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Niecy Nash-Betts
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Evan Peters, Niecy Nash-Betts and Paris Barclay.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Evan Peters
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Jane Krakowski and Ali Wong.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Steven Yeun
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Eugene Levy, Keegan-Michael Key and Elle Key.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Eugene Levy speaks onstage during Deadline Contenders Television at Directors Guild Of America on April 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Deadline via Getty Images)
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Eugene Levy speaks onstage during Deadline Contenders Television for The Reluctant Traveler.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Eugene Levy
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Joan Rater speaks onstage during Deadline Contenders Television at Directors Guild Of America.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Joan Rater
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Riley Keough speaks onstage during Deadline Contenders Television for Daisy Jones & The Six.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Camila Morrone speaks onstage during the panel for Daisy Jones & The Six.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Riley Keough, Camila Morrone and Scott Neustadter speak onstage during Deadline Contenders Television panel for Daisy Jones & The Six.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Camila Morrone and Riley Keough.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Camila Morrone
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Dominique Fishback speaks onstage during Deadline Contenders Television for Swarm.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Janine Nabers and Dominique Fishback.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Bear McCreary and Ramsey Avery speak onstage during Deadline Contenders Television for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Betty Gilpin speaks onstage during Deadline Contenders Television for Mrs. Davis panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Damon Lindelof and Betty Gilpin.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Tara Hernandez, Damon Lindelof and Betty Gilpin.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Joe Utichi, Rian Johnson (onscreen) and Natasha Lyonne speak during the Poker Face panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Joe Utichi and Natasha Lyonne onstage during the Poker Face panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Deadline
Natasha Lyonne onstage during the Poker Face panel.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Poker Face‘s Natasha Lyonne, left, and Swarm‘s Dominique Fishback.
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Natasha Lyonne and Dominique Fishback
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Swarm writer-producer Janine Nabers, left, and producer-star Dominique Fishback
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Dominique Fishback
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
Mrs. Davis star Betty Gilpin
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
From left: Mrs. Davis‘ Damon Lindelof, Betty Gilpin and Tara Hernandez
Deadline Contenders Television – Day 1
Image Credit: Randy Shropshire/Deadline
The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power production designer Ramsey Avery, left, and composer Bear McCreary
The WeekndPhoto: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Live Nation
The Coachella music festival has launched itself yet again this weekend, its return heralded in the usual way: By us getting a lot of ad-ish press statements in our inboxes from various Coachella-adjacent companies, none of which are legally allowed to say the trademarked word“Coachella,” and thus have to talk at length about “Indio,” “festival season,” etc.
3 moments worth watching from Ryan Seacrest’s “Live! With Kelly & Ryan” finale
Over the last few years, though, there’s been a weird mutation in the world of Coachella headliners: The idea that, for every moderately famous musical artist on the bill, there’s a decent chance you’ll see a few more equally (and sometimes even more) famous performers showing up for their set as a “surprise guest.” It’s become a regular enough occurrence at this point that it’s paradoxically expected; give or take a Frank Ocean here or there—who’s headlining this Sunday, in his first live performance since 2017, and thus really doesn’t need the hype help—half the interest any particular artist sparks at this point is the question of who they might bring with.
Last night’s kick-off performances, headlined by Bad Bunny, were no different: Bad Bunny’s set included an appearance from Post Malone; meanwhile, a reunited set from Blink-182 could arguably be counted as a surprise all its own, given that it wasn’t added to the festival schedule until Wednesday of this week. The biggest surprise, though, probably has to go to DJ and producer Metro Boomin, who brought out The Weeknd during this set—surprising in so far as you, like us, presumably only think of The Weeknd as a serious television actor these days.
But don’t worry, Weeknd acting fans: The Dawn FM star’s drop-in contained at least one hefty reference to his upcoming HBO TV series The Idol. That came in the form of “Double Fantasy,” apparently written for the series, in which The Weeknd plays a “guru” who inserts himself into the life of a young starlet.
Not a phone This tablet has a beautiful 10.1″ HD screen, 32GB of memory, and can be used for social media, streaming services, and even for some work and games.
No word yet on who the surprise guests at Saturday’s shows will be, as that is not how surprises work. BLACKPINK is set to headline.
Inflation and fears about the direction of the economy are putting a chill in most Canadians’ summer travel plans, according to new polling.
But experts tell Global News “budget-conscious” vacations are still in the cards for many looking to get away.
Roughly six in 10 Canadians are scaling back their vacation plans due to inflation or the uncertain economic content, according to an Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News.
The results of the survey released Sunday show that almost a quarter of Canadians feel there is no way a summer vacation would be affordable.
“Just as inflation was the ‘Grinch that stole Christmas’, so too it’s rearing its ugly head again and it’s impacting the summer vacation plans for a lot of Canadians,” says Sean Simpson, senior vice-president of Ipsos Global Affairs.
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While overall inflation has eased from highs seen last summer, price pressures have been particularly sticky on the services side of the equation, affecting how much Canadians pay for hotels, dining out and other travel-related expenses.
Canadians spending record hours worrying about their finances
And after a year that saw rising interest rates push up costs Canadians are paying on their debt, roughly six in 10 respondents say they’re prioritizing other expenses over vacations this year.
But for many Canadians, vacations are out of reach when they matter most.
Some 71 per cent of respondents to the poll say they really need a vacation this summer, rising to 83 per cent of households with kids. But among those who say they’re in dire need of a getaway, almost a third say they’ll be unable to afford one.
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Spring staycation ideas around Calgary
Simpson theorizes that Canadians who need a break from the daily grind this summer will look closer to home rather than heading too far out of the country or overseas.
“They’re going to need to find something to do. And I think those things … are readily available in our backyard,” he says. “I think we’ll see some of the local spots being quite, quite popular this year.”
‘Budget-conscious’ travel still possible
Omar Kaywan, co-founder of travel app Goose Insurance, says Canadians are likely to be more “cognizant” of their vacation budgets this year.
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He agrees that popular destinations like Europe might be off the table in lieu of domestic or cross-border travel in the United States this summer. But he also tells Global News that travellers are able to find more affordable deals in destinations where the Canadian dollar is stretching a bit further, such as the Caribbean or South Asia.
Kaywan recommends that any Canadians who have built up travel reward points with hotels or airlines make use of them when they can. Loyalty programs are changing more often these days with acquisitions and mergers, and there’s always a chance that today’s points aren’t as valuable tomorrow.
“A great example would be if you were with Starwood before, now it’s Marriott Bonvoy and the redemption points and the levels have changed,” Kaywan points out.
“So it is a good idea for you to be using your points whenever you can before the value on them changes significantly.”
Kaywan also recommends taking a holistic look at your travel budget, rather than dividing your expenses into buckets. For example, staying at a short-term rental might affect your food budget as well if you’re able to meal plan and cook for yourself while abroad, rather than dining out.
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For some vacation-starved Canadians, getting in a summer escape seems to be worth sacrifices.
Some 27 per cent of respondents to the Ipsos poll said that with some more saving, they should be able to afford a vacation; the same proportion said that though it will be a challenge, they should be able to fit in a vacation this year if they cut spending elsewhere.
Simpson suggests that with the Bank of Canada maintaining its pause on rate hikes in its recent announcement and inflation showing signs of declining, some Canadians might be feeling secure enough today to plan something for the summer.
What’s next as Bank of Canada’s key interest rate holds steady
“With interest rates tapering, with inflation rates starting to decline, some may see a rosier picture in the summer months than they did in the winter months. And they’re going to travel anyways,” he says.
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Kaywan agrees that while it might not be the typical summer vacation many Canadians are used to — it could be closer to home or shorter in length — customers he’s hearing from are finding a vacation is possible with a bit of extra planning.
“We are seeing a different type of travel season,” he says. “Canadians are still continuing to travel from what we’re seeing … but they’re just a little bit more budget conscious.”
— with files from Global News’ Anne Gaviola
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between March 20 to 22, 2023, on behalf of Global News. For this survey, a sample of 1,001 Canadians aged 18+ was interviewed. Quotas and weighting were employed to ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the Canadian population according to census parameters. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within ± 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadians aged 18+ been polled. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.
EXCLUSIVE: Studiocanal has sold Spanish drama The Vowinto Italy and the show has been commissioned for a second season.
On the eve of Mip TV, the producer-distributor has struck a deal with Italy’s Mediaset, which will air The Vow on Canale 5 later this year.
Created by Josep Cister Rubio and airing on TVE’s La1 in Spain, The Vow takes place at the beginning of the turbulent 20th century amongst the stunning landscapes of Southern Spain. Jana, a maid working at the waning yet ruthless House of Luján, seeks revenge for her mother’s murder, but there is one element she did not anticipate, falling in love with Manuel, son of the Count of Luján. TVE has just renewed for a second season.
The move comes around 18 months after Mediaset acquired Two Lives (Das Vidas). Both dramas are produced by Studiocanal-backed Bambú Producciones and Studiocanal has been shopping worldwide since last year’s Mipcom.
“The Vow combines premium production values, beautiful photography, stunning costumes and a bouquet of characters that will connect immediately with international audiences around the world,” said Beatriz Campos, Studiocanal’s SVP Global Sales and Production Financing
The Vow stars Ana Garcés, Arturo Sancho (Heirs to the Land), Jordi Coll (El Secreto de Puente Viejo, Acacias 38), Eva Martín (Amar es para siempre), Manuel Regueiro (Acacias 38) María Castro (Seis Hermanas) and Antonio Velázquez (Cable Girls, Tierra de lobos). It is written by Cister Rubio, Susana Prieto, Ruth García and Carmen Llano.
The deal with Mediaset was brokered by Studiocanal Sales Director Claudia Ramos.
It’s time for your daily dose of Quordle hints. And you might need them – because this popular online game takes the Wordle format and quadruples the difficulty. So if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you’ll probably need some for Quordle too.
I’m a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who’s been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #447 and bookmark this page so you can easily return.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
Your Quordle expert
Your Quordle expert
Marc McLaren
Marc is TechRadar’s UK Editor in Chief and has been playing Wordle and Quordle for more than a year. He’s authored dozens of articles on the game for TechRadar and its sister site Tom’s Guide, including a detailed analysis of the most common letters in every position. His Wordle streak recently reached the 450 mark and he’ll be inconsolable if he loses it. Yes, he takes it all too seriously.
Quordle today (game #447) – hint #1 – Vowels
How many different vowels are in Quordle today?
• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.
* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).
Quordle today (game #447) – hint #2 – total vowels
What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?
• The total number of vowels across today’s Quordle answers is 6.
Quordle today (game #447) – hint #3 – repeated letters
Do any of today’s Quordle answers contain repeated letters?
• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.
Quordle today (game #447) – hint #4 – total letters
How many different letters are used in Quordle today?
• The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 14.
Quordle today (game #447) – hint #5 – uncommon letters
Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?
• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today’s Quordle answers.
What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with?
• S
• B
• Q
• F
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #447) – the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today’s Quordle, game #447, are…
I found today’s Quordle answers to be on the slightly harder side. QUASH has an uncommon Q in it, and isn’t a word that readily springs to mind. FOGGY, meanwhile, has a repeated G and in my case at least could have been one of several answers: BOBBY, BOGGY, BOOBY, BOOGY, BOOZY, GOOFY, KOOKY, MOMMY, WOOZY and so on.
I faced a similar situation with BENCH – which could have been WENCH. The solution was to play a ‘throwaway’ word that couldn’t be the answer but which would help me narrow down both words. I played WOMBY, which is a word previously unknown to me but which Quordle accepted! It gave me a yellow B, which meant the answer to one had to be BENCH, and that for the other I now had just a couple to choose from, GOOFY, KOOKY or FOGGY. I still had two guesses remaining, so played FOGGY knowing that it would point me in the right direction either way, and as it happened it was correct.
Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar.
As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you’re competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.
The website also includes a practice mode – which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! – and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements – specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.
Oh, and it’s difficult. Really difficult.
What are the Quordle rules?
The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.
1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.
2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow.
3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…
4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two.
5. Answers are never plural.
6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.
7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle’s dictionary. You can’t guess ABCDE, for instance.
8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle’s Hard mode.
9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.
10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.
What is a good Quordle strategy?
Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can’t blindly throw letters at it and expect to win – you’ll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.
That’s the case in Wordle too, of course, but it’s even more important in Quordle.
There are two key things to remember.
1. Use several starting words
Firstly, you won’t want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words.
The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.
For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options – you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe – but something like that should do the trick.
If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!
2. Narrow things down
Secondly, if you’re faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options – for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH – you’ll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options.
In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It’s risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it’s the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure – you simply don’t have enough guesses.
In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.
Samantha Geimer is once again defending Roman Polanski, who raped her in 1977 when she was 13 years old. Geimer has often spoken out in support of Polanski, although this time she did it in an interview with France’s Le Point magazine that was conducted by none other than Polanski’s wife, the actor Emmanuelle Seigner.
Polanski was arrested in 1977 for having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. He accepted a plea bargain and only served 42 days in prison. He fled the United States in 1978 while still under probation after his legal team got word that he was going to face imprisonment on additional charges. He was detained by Swiss police decades later in 2009 while traveling to the Zurich Film Festival in an attempt by the United States to extradite him. The Swiss court ultimately rejected the request and released Polanski.
“Let me be very clear: what happened with Polanski was never a big problem for me,” Geimer told Seigner (via a translation by IndieWire). “I didn’t even know it was illegal, that someone could be arrested for it. I was fine, I’m still fine. The fact that we’ve made this [a big deal] weighs on me terribly. To have to constantly repeat that it wasn’t a big deal, it’s a terrible burden.”
“The extradition attempt, the fact that Roman was arrested like that, it was so unfair and so in opposition to justice,” Geimer also said in the Le Pointe interview. “Everyone should know by now that Roman has served his sentence. Which was… long, if you want my opinion. From my side, nobody wanted him to go to jail, but he did and it was enough. He paid his debt to society. There, end of story. He did everything that was asked of him until the situation went berserk he had no other choice but to flee. Anyone who thinks that he deserves to be in prison is wrong. It isn’t the case today and it wasn’t the case yesterday.”
Geimer acknowledged in a 2018 interview with IndieWire that her encounter with Polasnki was “rape,” but she maintained at the time that Polanski had taken responsibility for his actions.
“He wrote me a handwritten letter and said, ‘I’m sorry, it was my fault, not your mom’s fault, and I’m sorry for what you went through.’ I was like, ‘Well, I knew that,’” Geimer said at the time. “I felt like he was sorry the minute he got arrested. My whole life, I assumed, of course he’s sorry. I didn’t feel like I needed that. But then when he sent that apology, I could tell it made a big difference to my mom, and my husband, some of my friends, and my kids. It gave my mom some kind of relief. It was really meaningful to the other people around me who care about me, which then made it really meaningful to me. Anything that can make my mom feel better is something I’m grateful for.”
As Variety reported earlier this year, Polanski has a new movie, “The Palace,” waiting for release. The director won the the Grand Jury Prize at the 2019 Venice Film Festival with “An Officer and a Spy,” but that film reignited attention in the press around his 1977 rape conviction and left a majority of the French film industry cold on the director. No French financier, producer or broadcaster touched “The Palace,” for instance (the project was backed by Italy’s RAI Cinema), and the film was not included in the Cannes 2023 lineup despite being considered.
Kareena Kapoor had confirmed Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor’s then-relationship back in 2013.
An old video of Kareena Kapoor Khan has resurfaced on social media in which she can be heard talking about Katrina Kaif.
Kareena Kapoor Khan is undoubtedly of the most outspoken actresses in Bollywood. Time and again, her statements cause a stir on the internet, especially when she talks about other celebs. In one of the episodes from season 4 of Koffee With Karan, Kareena had revealed that she would rather have a gay encounter with Katrina Kaif at gunpoint than anybody else.
Back in 2013, the brother-sister duo Ranbir Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan appeared on the famous couch of Koffee With Karan. During that time the Brahmastra actor was dating Katrina Kaif. In the rapid-fire round, Karan asked many quirky questions to Kareena. When asked which Bollywood actress she would like to have a gay encounter with, Kareena mentioned Katrina’s name and tagged her as ‘future sister-in-law’. “I will be more comfortable with my sister-in-law, so I would say, Katrina Kaif,” she said.
Technically, Bebo had then confirmed Ranbir and Katrina’s relationship when it was out as rumour in the industry. Even Ranbir was left stunned by Kareena’s response. Have a look at the video:
Ranbir and Katrina dated for almost 7 years, before calling it quits. The former is now married to Alia Bhatt. They tied the knot on April 14 last year. Katrina, on the other hand, married Vicky Kaushal on December 9, 2021.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Kareena Kapoor Khan will next be seen in The Crew. Helmed by Rhea Kapoor, the film also stars Tabu and Kriti Sanon in key roles. Besides this, Kareena also has Sujoy Ghosh’s The Devotion of Suspect X with Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma in her pipeline. She also has Hansal Mehta’s untitled next. She was last seen in Laal Singh Chaddha with Aamir Khan.
Ranbir Kapoor, on the other hand, recently starred in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar with Shraddha Kapoor. He will next be seen Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal with Rashmika Mandanna, Bobby Deol and Anil Kapoor.
Aditi Giri, Senior Sub-Editor at News18. She is a Bollywood and Biryani enthusiast. She loves talking to your favourite BTown celebrities, and brings …Read More
In the final moments of this week’s “Weekend Update” segment on “Saturday Night Live,” co-anchor Michael Che used the sketch show’s platform to address recent legislation in Republican-dominated states like Florida, Kansas and Missouri, which would heavily restrict gender-affirming healthcare for transgender kids.
“Since the start of this year, over 400 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced across the country, many of which directly target trans youth,” Che said, taking on a more serious tone. “Here to talk about it is someone with their own introduction.”
“Introducing ‘SNL’s’ first non-binary cast-member,’ a disembodied voice foreshadowed as featured player Molly Kearney was lowered from the ceiling on ropes, clad in a vibrant purple jumpsuit. “This harness is pretty tight and my groin area is beefed,” Kearney joked about the strappy contraption. “I have been hung up on my genitals for far too long, and I’m starting to feel like a freaking Republican lawmaker.”
“At one point I heard a crew guy say, ‘Is she gonna die up there?’ And then another crew guy was like, ‘ You mean, are they gonna die up there?’ And then they both walked away and didn’t help which feels a lot how trans people are being treated right now,” Kearney said.
Che proceeded to steer the conversation back toward the ongoing bans, explaining that 14 states have passed bills restricting healthcare for trans youth as of this week.
“Restricting healthcare for kids — for some reason there’s something about the word trans that makes people forget the word ‘kids.’ If you don’t care about trans kids’ lives, it means you don’t care about friggin’ kids lives,” Kearney added.
“People need to wake up,” Kearney continued. “We are making trans kids grow up too fast. We should be keeping them safe and we need to be lifting them up.”
On cue, Kearney was promptly lifted back up into the “‘SNL’ sky” where they glided across the frame for the remainder of the segment.
Originally airing between 2003 and 2012, One Tree Hillbecame one of the most popular teen and young adult drama shows on TV. Running for an impressive nine seasons, the show was nominated for a staggering amount of Teen Choice Awards in that time. Originally airing three seasons on the Warner Brothers TV Network, after its merger with UPN to form the CW Network, the show continued its popularity there for another six seasons.
It was originally conceived as a full length feature film by its creator, the screenwriter Mark Schwahn, but he later decided it would work better as a series. Loosely based on Schwahn’s own experiences, the show followed the trials and tribulations of two Half-brothers as they navigated careers as small town high school basketball stars amid the maelstrom of being teenagers, and later, young adults as well.
Using a sports theme at its core, the show brilliantly merged this element with the emotional roller coasters of teen life – blending in the overt masculinity of the sport with romantic subplots and gritty plot lines that made for some compelling story arcs. The show’s ensemble cast made for a broad range of interlinking characters that kept viewers hooked season after season. The dramatic tropes between these characters traversed themes of friendship, love, betrayal, and even criminality, to make for a sometimes messy, but always entertaining show.
A decade on, with rumors and hopes of a reboot being thrown around, streaming services like Hulu Plus and Prime Video have kept alive the intrigue and drama of the show for a new generation to enjoy. If you’re thinking of catching up on the show, here’s a cast and character guide to get you started.
Chad Michael Murray as Lucas Scott
CW
Lucas Scott is the first of the two Half-brothers who form the core of the show. Lucas was a focal character for the first six seasons and made guest appearances in its final seasons. He was a star of the local basketball team and, at first, wasn’t on good terms with his brother Nathan Scott. Lucas is tragically unable to follow his sporting career when a genetic heart condition inherited from his father forces him to quit.
He cycles through more than one romantic interest in the show and ends up in a love triangle between characters Brooke and Peyton at one point. However, by the later seasons of the show, he realizes with which girl his heart truly lies and pursues her. Lucas is also a talented writer and focuses on this when his sporting career is unceremoniously cut short.
Lucas is played by Chad Michael Murray. By the time One Tree Hill cast him, Murray had already made a few appearances in other popular teen shows such as Gilmore Girls and Dawson’s Creek, but it was his role as Lucas Scott that proved to be his most famous part – one that cemented him as a sex symbol among younger viewers. After One Tree Hill, Murray went on to appear in many other shows, notably appearing in nine episodes of the hit show, Riverdale. He’s also made a fair few appearances in movies such as the horror flick, House of Wax, and has most recently worked with Bruce Willis on a few low budget action films like Fortress.
James Lafferty as Nathan Scott
CW
The second of the brothers from One Tree Hill, Nathan Scott was originally a rival and antagonist in relation to his brother Lucas. When he falls hard for Lucas’s best friend, Haley, the character experiences something of a redemption and grows closer to his brother as a result. Nathan experiences some traumatic incidents and faces many obstacles throughout the show that make him one of its most intriguing characters.
He traverses all of these and usually comes out stronger for this. As the show develops, Nathan grows and eventually has his own family. Nathan held the record at his school for all-time highest points scorer until a poignant moment in the last season sees this change. He’s played by James Lafferty, who has since grown into a successful actor, director, and producer. Lafferty has since made appearances in hit shows like Netlix’s, The Haunting of Hill House and has worked as a director on critically acclaimed shows like All American.
Hilarie Burton as Peyton Sawyer
CW
As one of the main female protagonists in the show, Peyton Sawyer joined in season one as Nathan’s love interests, although the pair share more of an on and off relationship. Peyton is an artist who sometimes uses sketches to express her more complex emotions. Having lost her adoptive mother, her father works out at sea, which means that Peyton is generally on her own – an arc that sometimes fuels her sometimes introspective nature. Peyton experiences many disturbing and complex events that make her something of a tragic character.
The role of Peyton fell to Hilarie Burton, who aside from being an actress, is also an accomplished businesswoman and producer. She’s also well known as a former VJ on MTV’s Total Request Live. Best known for her role in One Tree Hill, Burton has also appeared in shows such as White Collar and Grey’s Anatomy.
Bethany Joy Lenz as Haley James Scott
CW
Since the inception of the show, Haley Scott is introduced as the best friend of Lucas. Nathan and Lucas’ persistent rivalry and agitation with each other initially leads Haley to stay away from Nathan. When he needs help to pick up his grades so he doesn’t get thrown off the team, Haley eventually agrees to help him in exchange for him laying of Lucas. This leads to friction with Lucas but also sparks a romance with between Nathan and Haley that eventually helps redeem Nathan’s worst character flaws.
Bethany Joy Lenz portrays Haley. Lenz has been around the acting world since the mid ’90s. She’s appeared in films such as Stephen King’s Thinner, and has had a recurring role in the hit show Dexter. She is, however, probably best known for her time as Haley on One Tree Hill.
Paul Johansson as Dan Scott
CW
Dan Scott is a series regular until season seven. He thereafter makes guest appearances in seasons eight and nine, until a dramatic twist brings his character’s arc to a rousing end in the last season. He’s the ex-husband of Debbie Lee and is the father of both Lucas and Nathan Scott. Originally an antagonist character, Dan’s evolution throughout the show leads to some striking redemptive moments much later on such placing himself in danger when his family members are threatened.
He’s played by Paul Johansson, who was best known as a soap star in the ’90s for his recurring role in Santa Barbara. He also played John Sears, a recurring character in the iconic ’90s show, Beverly Hills, 90210. As a film actor, Paul has appeared in films like The Notebook and Alpha Dogs. He also directed Part I of the Atlas Shrugged film series based on the infamous Ayn Rand novel of the same name. He later also played the role of the novel’s most iconic character, John Galt, in Part III of the film trilogy.
Barbara Alyn Woods as Deborah Lee
CW
Deb Lee (previously Scott) is Nathan’s mother and Dan’s ex-wife. In an unusual twist, she also becomes good friends with Lucas’s mother, Karen, and they even end up going into business together. Deb faces a checkered time as a character since her arcs cover alcoholism and drug addiction, and even a homicidal moment.
Her sometimes explosive additions to the show’s plot last many seasons, and she also makes a surprise return in later seasons. Deb is played by Barbara Alyn Woods, an accomplished actress who’s been in shows dating back to the ’80s like Star Trek: Next Generation and the sitcom Married with Children. Her film credits include appearances in movies like Striptease.
Sophia Bush as Brooke Davis
CW
Brooke Davis is one of the more significant characters from early seasons. She starts of as a fun-loving party girl and is Peyton’s best friend. However, she later becomes close friends with Lucas and Haley, despite her having also once dated Lucas. She faces betrayal and a destructive path but is ultimately helped and redeemed by her friends.
Actress Sophia Bush does a great job of playing Brooke. Bush was best known for her role in One Tree Hill and later for her recurring role in the hit police procedural show Chicago P.D. She also directed three episodes of One Tree Hill and is known as a producer, and for film roles such as Beth in John Tucker Must Die.
Barry Corbin as Brian “Whitey” Durham
CW
As the show takes place in a town called Tree Hill and features a lot of its plot around the town’s high school basketball team, it was inevitable that the team itself features heavily in the show. Brian Durham, better known as “Whitey”, is the Tree Hill Raven’s basketball coach. He’s often a voice of reason and provides wise advice for his players, students the school, and even some residents of the town too.
Barry Corbin plays Coach Durham. A veteran actor, Corbin has a long and illustrious list of film and TV credits to his name. His most recent claim to fame comes courtesy of a recurring role he’s had on Sylvester Stallone’s hit mob show, Tulsa King.
Craig Sheffer as Keith Scott
CW
For the first half of the show, Keith Scott is a recurring character. To illustrate how convoluted the romantic angles of the show could get, Keith is Dan’s brother, but also becomes a love interest to Karen Roe, Lucas’s mother. Despite this, Keith often cuts a more likable figure than Dan. Keith was a mechanic and taught Lucas a lot about cars because of this.
After leaving the show in season three, Keith makes some appearances in season four, and again in season nine of the show. He’s played by Craig Sheffer who’s shown up in over 50 films such as Hellraiser: Inferno.
Moira Kelly as Karen Roe
CW
Karen Roe is the single mother of Lucas and makes regular appearances that begin to wind down after season four. She has a very estranged relationship with Dan, Lucas’s father, since he left the two of them to attend college. She also experiences friction with Lucas when he learns that Dan tried to get joint custody of him but Karen refused. Adding to all the intrigue is the fact that she later shares a relationship with Keith, who is Dan’s brother and Lucas’s uncle.
Karen is portrayed by Moira Kelly. Kelly is known for her film roles like Cutting Edge in 1992, and her recurring role as Mandy Hampton in the hit show, The West Wing. She’s also directed two episodes of One Tree Hill.
Lee Norris as Marvin “Mouth” McFadden
CW
Mouth McFadden is an old friend of Lucas. After playing a more minor role in the first two seasons, he was given greater prominence in the show from season three. He is close friends with Brooke and Rachel but also has his fair share of tension with them too. He later falls in love with Brooke’s assistant. After Lucas leaves Tree Hill, Mouth also becomes close friends with Nathan.
The intriguing character is played by Lee Norris. Norris is best known for the feature role he played in Boy Meets World. He’s also made appearances in hit shows like Dawson’s Creek and The Walking Dead.
Antwon Tanner as Skills Taylor
CW
A series regular from season four of the show, Antwon “Skills” Taylor is one of Lucas’s best friends from River Court, a popular teen hangout in the town of Tree Hill. After dating a cheerleader, Taylor meets a woman online that turns out to be Nathan’s mother, Debbie. This makes for further intrigue since Skills and Nathan also become good friends before this happens.
He later dates a character named Lauren, moves away, and comes back to find that she’s been dating Mouth, causing tension between the pair who were also friends. Antwon Tanner who plays Skills is a long time actor who’s appeared in films like the edgy 187 with Samuel L. Jackson. Tanner’s also been involved in major shows like NCIS: Los Angeles and Lucifer.
Danneel Harris as Rachel Gatina
CW
Rachel Gatina is introduced to the show midway through and is something of a bad girl figure. She first butts heads with Brookes, but the pair go on to form an unlikely friendship. Before moving to Tree Hill, Rachel used to obese but underwent surgery to change this. A drug user and antagonist at times, Rachel later finds redemptive arcs in the show.
Danneel Harris who plays Rachel is an actress known for acting in crazy and raunchy comedies such as the Harold & Kumar films. She’s also had a recurring role in the hit show Supernatural.
Jackson Brundage as Jamie Scott
CW
Jamie Scott enters the fray in later seasons of the show as Nathan grows to become a father. As Nathan’s 9-year-old son, Jamie’s middle name is Lucas – a name given to him in honor of Nathan’s half-brother, who is also Jamie’s godfather. As an intelligent and lovable child, he’s often the focal point of other characters and shares a close bond with his grandfather, Dan.
Jamie is played by young Jackson Brundage who was a child actor at the time. Jackson went on to have a few other minor roles in films and TV shows after One Tree Hill but has since been officially retired as an actor.
Lisa Goldstein as Millicent Huxtable
CW
Known as Millie, Millicent Huxtable joins the show later on and starts off as Brooke’s assistant. She becomes a full time model which takes its toll on her. Millicent’s other notable arcs in the show comes from her relationship with Mouth McFadden. She’s played by Lisa Goldstein, a retired film, TV, and theater actress who’s other credits include roles on the film, Drop Dead Diva.
Austin Nichols as Julian Baker
CW
Julian Baker is a movie director and producer who shows up late in the show and then becomes a regular. After Peyton and Lucas part ways, Julian later becomes involved with her. He later ends up with Brooke and the pair share some tragic and complex arcs during the course of their relationship.
Austin Nichols plays this role. Nichols has some major film and TV appearances to his name as an actor, including a recurring role in the show Bates Motel.
Tyler Hilton as Chris Keller
CW
Chris Keller plays a recurring role in early seasons of the show and turns up again towards its end. He is known to be arrogant and even refers to himself in the third person. He gets closer to Haley and impresses Peyton too. This leads to some conflict between Nathan and him.
Chris is portrayed by the multi-faceted performer, Tyler Hilton, who is an actor, in addition to being a talented singer and songwriter. Tyler was also known for his recurring role in the show Extant.
Robert Buckley as Clay Evans
CW
Clay Evans is a late entrant to the show. Since the show jumps across timelines that pick up when the characters are sometimes a lot older, Clay is introduced as Nathan’s agent and friend later in his life. He is also close with Nathan’s family but is known to be a womanizer and is fond of flings. Robert Buckley plays Clay. Buckley is mostly known for minor TV roles and appearances in direct-to-video films.
Shantel VanSanten as Quinn James
CW
Quinn James is a photographer who moves to Tree Hill after the breakdown of her marriage. Once there, she later begins a relationship with Clay Evans. After a particularly disturbing story arc, she and Clay end up fighting for their lives. Quinn is one of the characters that forms part of the main cast from season seven until the show’s conclusion.
Shantel VanSanten is the actress that plays Quinn. Shantel is a successful model and actress who has appeared in famous youth magazines such as Teen Vogue. She’s also appeared in films such as The Final Destination and has a recurring role in the show FBI.
Jana Kramer as Alex Dupre
CW
Alex Dupre’s real name was Alice Whitehead. She started off as a recurring character. She butts heads with other characters like Brooke and often comes across as immature and promiscuous. She later grows closer to Millie and other characters.
Alex is played by Jana Kramer, a country singer and actress. She’s signed a recording deal with Elektra records and has had songs that featured in the US Billboard Hot 100 list. As an actress, Kramer has featured in shows like Grey’s Anatomy and movies like Adam Sandler’s Click.
Stephen Colletti as Chase Adams
CW
Chase Adams rounds off the main cast members from the later seasons of One Tree Hill. Chase at one time was close to Brooke and they later dated. Brooke’s antics when she was with Nathan causes friction between her and Chase. Although they break up, he continues having feelings for her. Chase is played by Stephen Colletti, an actor also known for his appearances in another sports show, Hit the Floor.
Over the course of the show which ran for nine seasons, there were also a host of other recurring characters such as Jake Jagielski and Fergie Thompson. The characters above, however, represent the core characters that make up the largest plot lines from One Tree Hill. The show was definitely one that was worth all the acclaim and plaudits it received as a teen drama and young adult series.
More than a decade on from its original airing, many viewers have since been hopefulthat a reboot or spin-off may yet happen. Regardless of whether this pans out, the original show was still one that was well worth the watch. If binging is your thing, One Tree Hill is one of those shows that could easily become your new favorite show for this purpose. Since it’s available to stream on platforms like Hulu Plus, HBO Max, and Prime Video, if you haven’t already, why not take the plunge and see why this great show captured the hearts of so many people in its heyday.
One of the show’s appeal to a contemporary audience may be found in the fact that, despite it celebrating masculinity through its sports angles, the show also provided a nuanced and progressive view of the relationships and interplay between female characters that gave them the kind of depth that went beyond typical teen clichés. To further entice you down the One Tree Hill path, here’s an extract from what Zoya Patel of The Guardianrecently had to say about the show:
“But even more compelling are the friendships that form between the show’s female characters. Where the women would ordinarily be pitted against each other while the male characters get the real story, the girls at Tree Hill High are complex and aren’t just competing for attention from the boys. Of course, there is a bit of that too, but it isn’t the primary focus. Upon rewatching, I was quickly able to pinpoint what exactly about the show was hitting so well. I watched all of The OC not that long ago, and while I enjoyed the rush of nostalgia, I also remembered the way I felt as a teen when I did manage to sneak the occasional episode. Those rich, beautiful characters were so shiny and perfect, and their only problems were rich, beautiful people problems. One Tree Hill does something that only a few shows have ever managed: the teenagers are believable as teenagers. Where The OC had its teens hanging out on yachts, heading to clubs, and crying over their father’s failed money-laundering attempts, the teens in One Tree Hill live ordinary small-town lives, with working parents, daggy clothes and after-school catch ups on the local basketball court.”
Sega could be poised to acquire Rovio Entertainment, the Finnish developer behind the Angry Birds series of games.
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, which cites people familiar with the situation, Sega Sammy Holdings is in talks to buy Rovio in a deal worth around $1 billion.
The report suggests that as long as the talks don’t break down and aren’t drawn out for any reason, the deal could be done in a matter of days.
Rovio had previously been the target of Playtika, an Israel-based mobile developer best known for its casual slot machine, poker and hidden object games.
Update
Rovio is now confirmed that it “is in discussions with Sega Sammy Holdings.
“Rovio and Sega will release further information at an appropriate time,” the company says, adding: There is no certainty as to when the possible tender offer would take place or whether it would take place at all, nor as to the terms of such potential tender offer.”
Playtika announced in January that it had submitted a proposal to acquire Rovio for $810 million.
A few weeks later, Rovio announced that its Board of Directors had started a strategic review and was entering preliminary discussions with various parties, incouding Playtika.
However, Playtika announced last month that its discussions with Rovio had ended with no deal agreed, meaning it doesn’t stand in the way of Sega’s deal.
In recent months, Rovio has been struggling to find a comfortable business model that accommodates both its much-loved Angry Birds game and the rest of its portfolio.
In February, the studio announced that it was removing the Android version of Angry Birds and renaming the iOS version, claiming the popularity of the 2009 mega-hit was impacting the business of its other games.
Angry Birds community manager Shawn Buckelew explained on the game’s Discord server that the popularity of Angry Birds, which costs $0.99 with no microtransactions, was “negatively impacting” its other games.
“If those other games do not improve and grow, then the outlook of the entire company changes,” he claimed. “It’s harder to create new games, or work on new projects. I’m sure that’s not something you would want.”
“Your sword is sharpened by all the people around you,” Renfield director Chris McKay says. If you can let go of control and allow space for playfulness and creativity on set, you will create a great movie. Also, you will become a better filmmaker in the process.
In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and the director of Renfield, Chris McKay, discuss:
Imitating adult filmmaking techniques as a kid
How the stunt coordinator helped to accomplish a complex fight scene in the movie
What is important to consider when selecting your team of collaborators
How everyone on set is more focused when employing practical effects
Maintaining engagement at all times on set
Giving people room to make mistakes and treating them with love and kindness
Your weekly horoscope is here. Solar eclipses, Taurus season, and Mercury retrograde, oh my! This is your final and best chance to truly let go of that one thing impeding your progress, moving on, or trailblazing. Really, throw it into the metaphorical eclipse tunnel, and finalize it already. From Friday, you know the drill, triple-check everything, and don’t assume. When in doubt, ask clarifying questions so we don’t have to change your name to Miss Understood! From Thursday, focus on quality, and align your decisions with core values. Slow down, and smell the flowers.
Read on to discover your weekly horoscope and what’s in store for your sign during the week of April 16 through April 22, 2023.
Aries
Aries, your birthday season ends with plenty of drama as a 2nd new moon in your sign is accompanied by a solar eclipse. Employ a take-no-prisoners approach as you exit the building and slam that door behind you. This is your chance to close a chapter and walk away from something holding power over you. That could be an outlook, how you show up in groups, friendships, alliances you’ve grown out of, or the myriad patriarchy serves. Aries, ignite your luck authentically representing yourself, keep the flame burning with an entrepreneurial spirit, and wear your pioneer heart on your sleeve.
Taurus
Happy birthday, it’s your season, Taurus! Thursday hosts a solar eclipse just hours before the sun enters your sign. So get plenty of rest up to Thursday, and tune in with quick moments of meditation on a felt sense, like the feeling in your tummy or heart. From here, it’s time to shine, so send out your invites and organize friends and family to join you in your favorite things; let’s celebrate you. Mercury is back to its usual tricks through your season, kicking off a three-week retrograde in your sign from Friday. Embrace reflection and subsequent course correction around your idea of self, outlook, or direction. Tweak how you represent yourself for how you want others to perceive you. That could be your greeting style, elevator pitch, or a sharp new look.
After securing her first Oscar nomination, Ana de Armas is a first-time Saturday Night Live host to promote her upcoming action-romance Apple film Ghosted. Earlier this week, de Armas’ frequent co-star Chris Evans discussed his aversion to the “terrifying” prospect of hosting considering himself “not a funny person.” In contrast to his trepidation, de Armas proves to be an enthusiastic and versatile host committing to characters and situations.
Comedian Chris Redd is attacked
Best sketch of the night
Album Recording Session – SNL
A simple concept Yng Spicy, a new rapper, in search of a “sexy and cool” producer tag for his new record, turns into comedy with a series of misunderstandings. A fragile male ego in search of affirmation from a duo of hot women, played by de Armas and Ego Nwodim, the rapper becomes frustrated as they question his intelligence and cleanliness. The duo continues to deflate all the fantasies he wants to project in a hilarious reversal of hip-hop bravado. Each new setup manages to top the last like when the ladies are asked for something sexy and return with a narrative about the realities of delivering a pregnancy. The final dark twist into floating accusations of drugging and sexual impropriety gives the sketch just enough edge.
Worst sketch of the night
Matt Schatt Game Show – SNL
Set in another game show scenario, “Matt Schatt Game Show” as de Armas’ first sketch is a cause for alarm. A lazy sketch that simply fixates on de Armas’ beauty feels superficial and one-note. Fortunately, the remaining sketches allowed de Armas to show greater range. Completely reliant on the discrepancy of attractiveness of the couple, the sketch does not give anyone much to do at all. Perhaps it is best to get this sketch out of the way early in the show, but it sparks a fear that the entire episode would fixate on one aspect of de Armas’ persona.
Not a phone This tablet has a beautiful 10.1″ HD screen, 32GB of memory, and can be used for social media, streaming services, and even for some work and games.
Most uncomfortable sketch of the night
Dog Acting School Commercial – SNL
Sometimes everything going wrong in a sketch is hilarious. Other times, everything going wrong is just uncomfortable. “Dog Acting School” is the latter. It’s a shame because de Armas and Chloe Fineman look like an interesting duo. However, the problem arises when the dogs enter the sketch. In showbusiness, they say never work with animals or kids and this sketch proves why. The dogs were fairly uncooperative and the attempts to get them in position felt like something bad could happen at any moment. Instead of any comedy, the real tension was if someone was going to drop a dog or not.
Right idea, wrong execution of the night
Lisa from Temecula: Wedding – SNL
The original “Lisa from Temecula” became a surprise hit for SNL, so it makes sense to bring her character back. In recent years, SNL has drifted away from recurring characters. Part of that reasoning may have to do with the fear of being redundant. However, in this case it’s not the character, but the setting that is tired. Nwodim still delivers a hilarious performance, but the uninspired switch from a restaurant to a wedding dinner wears quickly. The sketch tries to hit a lot of the same beats from the original, which while funny fail to create anything new. The lesson here would be to continue with Lisa from Temecula, but put her in new and different situations. What would Lisa from Temecula be like in an office meeting, in court, or on an airplane?
MVP of the night: Ego Nwodim
First Warm Day of the Year Red Carpet Cold Open – SNL
Featured in four sketches tonight, Ego Nwodim continues to be one of the best performers on the show. Her presence continues to dominate whenever she is on screen. It is first proven with her excellent portrayal of a lady trying to find someone in the park, even interrupting the classic start to the show. Her skeptical delivery in “Album Recording Session,” anchors the sketch. She provides most of the punchlines for “American Girls,” and it would have been even better with more of her character. Finally, she earns the season’s first recurring character with Lisa from Temcula. The sketch itself is a little too repetitive, but Nwodim’s performance transcends the stale setting and continues to break her sketch partners.
Stray observations:
How are all the SNL wigs so much better than the wig Ana de Armas is wearing in Ghosted?
The fake nipples in “Matt Schatt Game Show” were impressive.
“American Girl Doll Movie Trailer” is a great idea, but it would have been better if they had leaned more into the idea of a prestige drama movie trailer. It has so much potential and was reminiscent of the “Disney Housewives” sketch.
Twenty years after leaving her medical career, a housewife returns as a first-year resident — struggling to find her footing in a job full of surprises.
Certificate:Suitable for ages 15 and up
Year: 2023
Duration: 16 Episodes
Audio: Korean – Audio Description, Korean [Original]
Subtitles: Arabic, English, Filipino, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
The road to HBO’s Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark began during the pandemic, when the comedian began to share his grief with fans via instagram. The longtime comedian and podcaster was broadsided with the sudden death of his girlfriend, Lynn Shelton, and he needed a place to vent.
“It was a way to stay in touch with some sort of audience or community,” Maron recalled during Saturday’s Contenders TV event. “One hundred to 1,000 would watch every day as I moved through breakfast and grief. It was crazy.”
Eventually, Maron developed two years of material that addressed aging, antisemitism and, most important, grief. “It’s not talked about enough,” he said of grief, which he began to talk about in small venues. “Everybody is going to experience it at some point. Grief is always going to be there.”
And now, Maron calls From Bleak to Dark — his first HBO comedy special, which was filmed in front of a live audience at New York City’s Town Hall — his best work ever.
“It’s really tricky to make that stuff work,” Maron said. “It’s the most full piece of work I’ve ever done and the most grounded. Despite the topic matter, it’s the funniest I’ve ever been.”
That’s not to say he didn’t have moments when talking about his late girlfriend was extremely difficult. The writer/director died in 2020.
“I’m talking about losing someone. It wasn’t funny,” Maron recalled when he was first workshopping parts of the special in smaller venues. “It became a support group situation. I would get choked up. How do you balance a joke about visiting her body the night she passed? When working on some of this stuff, it was still very emotional. I had to find that balance.”
“I’m not an arena act,” Maron said. “There’s no way I’ll be that guy. I’m not even sure I got into it to be an entertainer. I [use it] to get to your own personal truth. It was about being seen and making people think about things even differently. It’s a noble profession.”
The supergroup took a stand and showed solidarity while performing songs from their recent album The Record
Boygenius didn’t hold back during their first show together in five years. The supergroup — made up of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker — took the stage at Coachella on Saturday night and immediately charmed the crowd by coming out to “The Boys Are Back in Town,” something that’s become an ongoing joke since they announced they were going on tour.
They were playful throughout the performance, tackling each other during “Salt in the Wound” and cracking jokes. However, their set was also a moment to take a stand: Baker took a few seconds after introducing the band to speak up for trans rights. “I want to say before we keep going, I don’t know if you’ve been checking the news and seeing the tomfoolery that’s going on in Florida, Missouri, and so many other places, but trans lives matter, trans kids matter,” she said. “We’re going to fight it, and we’re going to win.”
Bridgers piped in shortly after, adding, “And abortion rocks, and fuck Ron DeSantis.”
Trending
Boygenius was recently featured on the cover of Rolling Stone. In a wide-ranging interview, they spoke about their close-knit friendship, their inspirations, and working on The Record. The album hit at Number Four on the Billboard 200 when it came out in April, making it the highest-charting entry for any of the members.
In their cover interview, the group talked about getting ready to hit the road together and shared that they were looking forward to touring as friends. “I play to thousands of people a night, and sometimes I’m mentally in a really bad place,” Bridgers says. “It’s so hard to relate to people. Except for those guys. Being with them makes it so much less dark.”
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