RJ Mitte, who notably starred as Walter White Jr. on the hit AMC drama “Breaking Bad,” died Monday at the age of 34, TheWrap has learned.
Like his character on “Breaking Bad,” Mitte had cerebral palsy. He starred as Walt Jr. throughout the duration of the five-season crime drama from Vince Gilligan. No cause of death was immediately shared.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte,” the actor’s reps shared in a statement.
Eighteen years into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “VisionQuest” feels like a lost artform. Something phased out by the pressures of an exhausted and evolving industry, and therefore an anomalous feat of superhero storytelling made infinitely more rich by the groundwork laid in front of it with careful intention, not commercial need.
In the lead up to the new series, fronted by Paul Bettany’s all-knowing AI synth Vision, Disney+ billed it as the “final vision of the groundbreaking trilogy,” a reference to its predecessors in 2021’s wildly inventive “Wandavision” and 2024’s supremely kooky “Agatha All Along.” This is the endcap to a story started at the dawn of Disney+ and in the wake of “Avengers: Endgame,” and that’s why “VisionQuest” and its trilogy are such a miracle — it’s a long game Marvel rarely plays anymore.
How did we get here, you ask? In “Wandavision,” the future Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) handled her grief over losing Vision in the fight against Thanos by disappearing into the manageable monotony of her favorite TV sitcoms, creating from them a world in which she magically resurrects her synthetic partner and conjures up twins boys for them to play out the happy ending they never got. But inside her hex, she unknowingly trapped a witch named Agatha (Kathryn Hahn), who forced her to face the extent of her power. In “Agatha All Along,” said witch finds herself sauntering down the fabled Witches Road alongside a mismatched coven, but it’s all just another magic simulation, summoned by Billy (Joe Locke), Wanda’s son who took a human host after she collapsed the hex. Get all that?
Paul Bettany in “VisionQuest.”(Marvel)
“VisionQuest” is created by writer Terry Matalas (“Star Trek: Picard”), a successor of Jac Schaeffer who ran the previous two series. In “VisionQuest,” all eight episodes of which were provided to critics, the titular AI is in search of himself, having been rebuilt by S.W.O.R.D. as a killing machine to stop Wanda’s hex. The only thing they couldn’t recreate were his deceased predecessor’s memories. He looks like Vision, gets flashes of the “Wandavision” story that was, and keeps being told he is Vision by all the other colorful Marvel AI programs he has shoved into his frontal cortex, but he doesn’t quite feel like a real boy yet.
That Pinocchio-inspired sentiment is perhaps better applied to the loudest AI voice in his head –– Ultron (James Spader), his predecessor AI who went rogue with his disdain for human life in “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” The threat of him and the newly recruited Wanda are why Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) created OG Vision in the first place. But when they defeated him, Vision stuffed Ultron’s digital code in his own head for reasons he is still trying to understand.
At the start of “VisionQuest,” Vision is essentially in standby mode, working as a barback at the Scottish pub the OG Vision and Wanda used to frequent. In his head though, he lives a more vibrantly chatty life, having built a retro-inspired mansion populated by the AI systems created by Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) — J.A.R.V.I.S. (James D.Arcy), F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Orla Brady) and E.D.I.T.H. (Emily Hampshire), among them. He makes them wear human avatars, giving him the performance of human interaction, even if it’s all just ones and zeros. This includes Spader, previously only heard as Ultron, but here in the flesh as the digital devil on Vision’s shoulder.
Paul Bettany and Emily Hampshire in “VisionQuest.”(Marvel)
Bettany walks more of a tight rope than ever before with this rebooted Vision. He needs to be cold, but thawing. Overly literal, but with flourishes of personality. Despite Vision’s insistence that emotions aren’t part of his programming, an electric Bettany brings a warmth to the role to which his AI has to rise.
Spader, on the other hand, is almost too good as the menacing figure fixated on coaxing out the human in Vision, because he sees humanity as flawed and inevitably easier to manipulate. There are few actors who can make a four-course meal out of a line of dialogue like Spader. It’s extraordinary to watch him feast on what could be –– and sometimes are –– amusing but terribly cheesy lines like, “The power of code compels you.” This series leaves no digital pun unspoken, in fact. When one AI character infiltrates another’s database, they are greeted with a, “Look what the wi-fi dragged in.” When Hampshire’s delightfully bubbly E.D.I.T.H. tries to expel an invasive AI, she conducts an exorcism with the words, “Control-alt-delete thee from this place.”
It makes “VisionQuest” a surprisingly silly affair. Given the technicolor tragedy that was “Wandavision,” this series could have been an equally dour dive into the digital world. Instead, it is remarkably light on its feet, which sometimes causes it to float away from a more focused story. In addition to its dialogue, “VisionQuest” leans heavily on a literalization of the digital world. At one point, “someone” takes control of a synth body and is seen gripping the wheel of a sea-battered ship. In order to hack a firewall, Vision and Ultron play the part of detectives asked to prove their humanity by picking which of nine photos has a fire hydrant.
Paul Bettany and Ruaridh Mollica in “VisionQuest.”(Marvel)
At this point in the MCU, there is something refreshing about a property, one that could have a stiff upper lip given its less-than-human characters, reveling in the fun of its own conceit. Bettany remains a great match for this tone with his deadpan deliveries, while Spader is still a master as the menacing drawl and Hampshire is endlessly engaging as the adventure-seeking AI who gives Vision the courage to break free of his own digital guardrails. On the human side of things, this is the other half to “Agatha All Along,” in that Vision is suddenly confronted with the human teenager who received the soul of his other son, Tommy (Ruaridh Mollica). Could the pains and pleasures of fatherhood be what finally cracks open Vision’s code? While Locke was a darker familiar for Agatha, Tommy is more spirited in his efforts to wring a father figure out of Vision. Mollica brings an endearing and energetic spirit to the task, given it’s about as easy as getting blood from a stone.
“VisionQuest” is fun, which doesn’t sound as effusive as it could be. But after years of illegible Marvel films and series, that is the highest compliment. It’s well crafted, even if it’s saddled with one or 20 too many metaphors. Its heartfelt emotion is well earned, and feels cut from the same cloth of empathetic storytelling as its fellow trilogy mates.
For a series that could be as banal as the ones and zeros that power it, “VisionQuest” is among the more humane and hopeful things Marvel has produced, and gives the “Wandavision” trilogy a sendoff as solid as the vibranium build of its hero.
Amanda Seyfried’s views on sex scenes onscreen have evolved in recent years, to the point where she even turned down a TV project for requiring too much intimacy and “being naked with a stranger.”
The revelation came in a sit-down panel between the “The Housemaid” star and Alec Baldwin at the Hamptons International Film Festival. She didn’t share additional details of the project she turned down, but added that it “doesn’t matter” who the scene would be with — she doesn’t want to do onscreen sex scenes at this stage of her career.
“I passed on a show where I would have to have sex all the time because of the sex,” she said. “Doesn’t matter [who it’s with] … I don’t wanna do it. I’m uncomfortable with it. I’m not into it right now.”
But just as her stance on sex scenes have changed over the years — she’s done quite revealing work previously in “Chloe” (2009), “Lovelace” (2013) and last year’s “The Testament of Ann Lee” (2025) — she kept the door open to revisit onscreen intimacy in future projects.
“Maybe if [the project] came along again [at a later point], maybe I’d be in a different space,” she admitted. “But I don’t wanna deal with being naked with a stranger.”
Seyfried, who’s 40, further explained that acting “gets weirder” as she gotten older and had to fake intimate relationships with her co-stars — often essential strangers.
“We have to be romantic with people that we’re not romantic with. Sometimes it’s great. Sometimes it’s really uncomfortable,” she said. “But I can’t believe back in the day I was just like, ‘We gotta make out. Great! This is awesome. I know how to make out’ And it used to be so fun. It was a non-thing. It was like, ‘I get to make out with a hot person today … And they’re paying me.’”
The actress in part credited being a mother to a 9 and 7 year old to her newfound ability to set boundaries with what she agrees to do for a role.
“I have kids now who are paying attention to what I do, and so I have to be less of a pushover,” she told Baldwin. “The other day — this is so silly — but Nina, my daughter, and I were walking across the street [in Manhattan] … and a person on our side of the street asked for a picture, and I looked at my daughter, and I said, ‘No, I’m sorry.’ And then we walked across the street and I was like, ‘How was that for you, Nina? Was that OK?’ She’s like, ‘I’m very proud of you, mama,’ And then we go to the coffee shop, and the coffee shop barista was like, ‘Can I have a picture?’ And I was like, ‘No, I’ll come back later.’ My daughter’s like, ‘I’m so proud of you for saying no.’ And I was, ‘What the f–k? She shouldn’t be saying this to me. I should be saying no.’”
People first reported on the Oct. 4 Hamptons International Film Festival panel.
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In che modo posso accertare che Crusado Casino sia davvero controllato con audit regolari?
Il sito visualizza i sigilli degli enti di controllo e i certificati RNG in una parte riservata alla sicurezza o al gioco equo. Facendo clic sui sigilli si viene indirizzati ai report di sintesi con date ed esito dell’ultima verifica. Il numero di licenza a piè di pagina porta al registro dell’autorità, dove lo stato della concessione è costantemente aggiornato.
Che documenti sono necessari per completare la verifica KYC?
Servono un documento d’identità valido, come passaporto, carta d’identità o patente, e una prova di residenza recente, ad esempio una bolletta o un estratto conto. In alcuni casi si richiede una verifica del metodo di pagamento. I formati accettati e le istruzioni sono riportati nella sezione di verifica dell’account.
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La versione per dispositivi mobili è sottoposta alle stesse verifiche di quella desktop?
Sì, i revisori eseguono test di sicurezza, funzionamento dell’RNG e rispetto dei limiti su entrambe le piattaforme, perché il back-end è unico. Viene accertato che la crittografia sia attiva anche su rete mobile e che deposito e prelievo adottino procedure identiche. La compatibilità mobile rientra nel rapporto di audit complessivo.
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Se l’audit rileva una carenza, Crusado Casino deve correggerla entro il termine stabilito dall’autorità di licenza. La non conformità può essere tecnica, procedurale o documentale. Nei casi gravi, l’autorità può applicare sanzioni o sospendere la licenza. Per questo il casinò applica un approccio preventivo e aggiorna costantemente i protocolli.
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Qualsiasi movimento di denaro, in entrata o in uscita, passa attraverso due fasi di controllo: il reparto finanziario interno e i revisori esterni incaricati di controllare la conformità antiriciclaggio. Ogni transazione viene annotata con data e ora, importo, metodo impiegato e ID del conto beneficiario, creando una pista di audit completa. Crusado Casino riceve pagamenti esclusivamente attraverso circuiti omologati e verificati, come carte rilasciate da istituti regolamentati, portafogli elettronici con licenza e bonifici tracciabili, evitando canali anonimi. I revisori esaminano le pratiche di prelievo per assicurare che i fondi dei giocatori rimangano segregati dai conti operativi e che i tempi di elaborazione corrispondano con quelli dichiarati. La rapidità dell’erogazione non può mai prescindere dalla verifica del titolare del conto beneficiario.
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La conformità tecnica interessa anche l’uso da smartphone e tablet. Crusado Casino ha un’interfaccia responsive che si adatta a qualsiasi schermo, evitando di app native, eliminando il rischio di installare versioni non ufficiali. I test di compatibilità riguardano iOS, Android e Windows, e i report di audit accertano che l’accesso da mobile sia equivalente a quello da desktop. Le procedure di KYC, i limiti di deposito e gli strumenti di autoesclusione rimangono identici perché il back-end è unico. Il giocatore può spostarsi da un dispositivo all’altro recuperando saldo, cronologia e impostazioni di sicurezza. La crittografia resta attiva anche su rete cellulare e i campi dei dati sensibili sono protetti. Così si scongiurano quelle differenze che in passato hanno avvantaggiato operatori poco trasparenti.
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Un controllo periodico ha senso solo se si basa su fondamenta normative robuste. Crusado Casino svolge la sua attività con una licenza internazionale che richiede obblighi precisi: verifiche, tutela dei giocatori e trasparenza finanziaria. La concessione non è un via libera passivo: esige fondi distinti, solidità patrimoniale e ispezioni ricorrenti effettuate da revisori accreditati. Sul sito compaiono il numero di licenza e il link al registro pubblico, così chiunque può verificare in tempo reale lo stato della concessione. L’autorità competente mette a disposizione anche canali di mediazione e ricorso, che Crusado Casino segue in modo ufficiale. Il permesso, inoltre, impone l’uso di software omologato e norme antiriciclaggio. Chi gioca interagisce con un operatore costantemente controllato, non con una piattaforma che si autodichiara. Di conseguenza, la conformità normativa si trasforma come uno strumento di controllo diretto nelle mani dell’utente. Il quadro normativo non è un aspetto amministrativo: è il presupposto di ogni sicurezza fornita dalla piattaforma.
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Celine — and Céline — dominated a particularly starry Spring 2027 Paris women’s fashion week, where Hollywood once again gave models a run for their money. Plus, belts, skirts, gray hair and the rest of the trends to know. And back in L.A., “Huguette Caland: A Life in a Few Lines” is a must-see, while LACMA and Erewhon make it official.
A guest wearing a Céline Dion graphic T-shirt at Paris Fashion Week Oct. 3, 2026. Source: Getty
In Paris, Stars Nearly Outshine the Show
Two of the biggest obsessions at Paris Fashion Week were Céline and Celine.
Michael Rider’s Spring 2027 collection for the French fashion house Celine was a blockbuster (more on that below). And Céline Dion’s blockbuster run of Paris concerts was an unofficial after-hours attraction. Editors, designers and other fashion people squeezed in performances between shows, making Dion concert tees a major street style statement.
Celine Dion on the runway during the Le Défilé L’Oréal Paris show Sept. 28, 2026. Source: Getty
Dion herself joined the fashion week circus, briefly. At L’Oréal’s annual runway extravaganza beneath the Eiffel Tower, she made a surprise appearance in a black Schiaparelli gown to sing “I’m Alive,” which was broadcast live on giant screens for the public.
Joining her on the runway were L’Oréal ambassadors Jane Fonda, Viola Davis, Kendall Jenner, Eva Longoria, Cara Delevingne and Andie MacDowell, setting the tone for a particularly star-studded week.
Nicole Kidman and Faith Urban at the Chanel Spring 2027 show. Source: Getty
Star Turns
Hollywood stars and their famous offspring gave professional models a run for their money. Apple Martin, the 22-year-old daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, made her runway debut, looking every inch a Chloé girl in a billowing white broderie anglaise dress and towering wooden platform shoes, after fronting the house’s summer campaign.
Apple Martin walks the runway at the Chloé Spring 2027 show. Source: Getty
Natasha Lyonne also took her first runway turn at Vivienne Westwood, while Ciara was the surprise star model at Junya Watanabe, making three trips down the runway in a collection aptly titled “Funky.”
Her most provocative look was chandelier-like, but I loved her in one of Watanabe’s genius takes on the biker jacket.
Ciara walks the runway at the Junya Watanabe Womenswear Spring 2027 show. Source: Getty
Famous Offspring
And then there was Miu Miu, where Hollywood stunt casting has become a house signature.
Oscar winner Olivia Colman led the charge in a black leather skirt suit alongside a wonderfully random cast that included Jamie Bell, Emma Corrin, Noah Jupe, Louisa Jacobson (the youngest daughter of Meryl Streep), Katherine Waterston (daughter of actor Sam Waterston) and Ella Bleu Travolta (daughter of John Travolta).
Olivia Colman walks the runway at the Miu Miu Spring 2027 show. Source: Getty
A Family Affair
Meanwhile, Nicole Kidman made the much-anticipated Chanel show a family outing, attending with her 15-year-old daughter, Faith Margaret Kidman Urban. They were twinning in coordinating shades of gray.
There was another Kidman Urban daughter in the fashion-week mix, too: 18-year-old Sunday Rose walked the Valentino show in a stunning black gown, pink gloves and gobs of jewelry.
Sunday Rose Kidman Urban walks the runway at the Valentino Spring 2027 show. Source: Getty
As usual, the Chanel front row was stacked, with Kidman, Dua Lipa, Pedro Pascal, Ayo Edebiri, Kristen Wiig, Sandra Hüller, Stephen Colbert and Olivia Wilde, among others.
Chanel’s New Man
But perhaps the most intriguing arrival was John Malkovich in a pale peach Chanel shirt, jeans and one of the house’s coveted Maxi Flap bags. After Chanel’s convincing courtship of Pascal, could Malkovich be the next Chanel man? He certainly made the clothes his own.
John Malkovich attends the Chanel Spring 2027 show. Source: Getty
Directors and Divas
On the director side, Tim Burton made a rare fashion-week appearance at Loewe with his 18-year-old daughter, Nell, both dressed in Burtonesque black and seated next to Bernard Arnault’s daughter, Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture.
Nell Burton, Tim Burton and Delphine Arnault at the Loewe Spring 2027 show. Source: Getty
Jennifer Lopez went big (and animal-friendly) at Stella McCartney, wearing a dramatic faux fur and netted veil.
Jennifer Lopez at the Stella McCartney Spring 2027 show. Source: Getty
And at Louis Vuitton, it was so nice, Zendaya wore it twice. She arrived on the arm of longtime stylist Law Roach, wearing jeans with the same ruffly white lace jacket she wore in July to the Paris premiere of “The Odyssey,” joining Emma Stone, Saoirse Ronan, Blackpink’s Lisa, Sophie Turner and the eternally chic Catherine Deneuve.
Zendaya and Law Roach attend the Louis Vuitton Womenswear Spring 2027 show. Source: Getty
Front Row Pro
If there was a prize for front-row stamina, it would go to Cynthia Erivo. She seemed to be everywhere, ricocheting from shows to the Roger Vivier and Christian Louboutin presentations and dressing for each one along the way.
Cynthia Erivo at the Dior, Chloé and Valentino Spring 2027 shows. Source: Getty
At Dior, she wore a white shirt and black balloon pants (the week’s trendiest pants silhouette), joining a celebrity lineup including Rihanna, Jennifer Lawrence, Anya Taylor-Joy, Rosalía and Jisoo.
At Chloé, she went full bohemian. And at Valentino, she arrived in an au courant bra top carrying James Baldwin’s “Giovanni’s Room,” after guests were asked to bring a favorite book to be donated to Paris libraries, and sat alongside Colman Domingo and Alexander Skarsgård.
By the time she turned up at Louis Vuitton on the final day, Erivo had become something of a one-woman Paris fashion show. Give her a guest editorship of Vogue already!
Celine Spring 2027. Source: Celine
Spring Fashion to Try Now
What will we be wearing come springtime?
Michael Rider’s fabulous Celine show may have provided the clearest picture of where fashion is heading. It’s less about head-to-toe looks than the pleasure of putting clothes together.
In many of the Paris collections, styling was as important as design, and there were ideas to copy immediately — layering necklaces, piling on belts, mixing bright Yves Klein blue, tomato red, golden yellow and other vivid colors, and considering a new shoe.
Celine Spring 2027. Source: Celine
Rider’s “emotional dressing,” as he called it, translated to effortless-looking tailoring, little black dresses and bohemian accent pieces, cut in interesting proportions and brought to life with hats, hair bows, ribbons, headbands, necklaces, quirky sunglasses and belts, belts and more belts.
Celine Spring 2027. Source: Celine
Cinch It
Skinny, extra-wide, chain, cords and sometimes several belts at once gave polish and personality to otherwise familiar clothes.
There was a harder commercial reality behind all the runway accessorizing, of course. With prices soaring and the luxury market struggling to regain momentum, Paris was overflowing with little luxuries, including belts, jewelry and, especially, shoes.
Celine Spring 2027. Source: Celine
Vintage Currency
Ironically, at Chanel, the bag that attracted the most attention wasn’t new at all. Matthieu Blazy sent a model down the runway carrying a circa 1955 vintage quilted 2.55 bag that belonged to Coco Chanel herself, its worn leather and obvious signs of use giving new currency to all those vintage Chanel bags out there that are affordable, at least relatively.
Coco Chanel’s handbag as seen on the Chanel Spring 2027 runway. Source: Getty
The Statement Skirt
Skirts were another major trend, one that started in Milan at Prada and continued in Paris. At Chanel, Blazy showed something for everyone: 1920s drop-waist silhouettes, knee-length pencil skirts and even extreme minis, alongside new stretch tweeds that continued to modernize the house codes and exquisite details both inside and out.
There was also a continued nod to menswear, with new iterations of the Charvet shirts that caused a sensation last season, as well as Degas tulle and celestial-inspired gowns that reinforced the theme of lightness.
Chanel Spring 2027 runway. Source: Getty
At Valentino, Alessandro Michele brought his signature vintage glam to the trend, showing sarongs, mermaid shapes and fur-trimmed skirts with bustier tops, colorful jackets and even a familiar plaid shirt.
Valentino Spring 2027 runway. Source: Getty
Dries Van Noten’s Julian Klausner offered still more variations, with loads of accessory inspiration that I’m already putting into practice by getting out my brooches and belts. I was also taken with the strong two-toned lipstick.
Dries Van Noten Spring 2027 runway. Source: Getty
Meanwhile, at Miu Miu, Miuccia Prada made the skirt feel younger and more casual, pairing it with sneakers. I loved the overall sporty vibe of the collection, including the bra tops, track jackets, lace-front, surf-inspired shorts and jeans with boxers peeking out, all of which should be highly influential.
Miu Miu Spring 2027 runway. Source: Getty
Wear Your Bra on the Outside
Another unmistakably feminine style carried over from recent seasons was underwear as outerwear, which makes some sense in a warming world.
Bra tops were everywhere, from Miu Miu’s sports bras to Stella McCartney’s bandeaus to Dior’s second-skin bralettes, while lingerie dressing took a more romantic turn at Chanel, with corsetry and exposed underpinnings.
Left to right, Chanel, Dior, Miu Miu and Stella McCartney Spring 2027 bra tops. Source: Getty
Feet Forward
It was an unusually strong season for shoes, which have for years seemed almost like a runway afterthought.
Blazy sent all 83 Chanel looks out with a different pair of heels, with new variations on the house’s covetable cap-toes as well as styles with haute embellishments. Celine continued to show its influential jazz shoes but added heels and slipper-like flats. Saint Laurent’s gold snake heels were showstoppers, while Loewe and Dior flirted with bows. And Miu Miu debuted a new New Balance collab that proved the sneaker isn’t going anywhere.
Left to right, Saint Laurent, Celine, Dior and Chanel Spring 2027 shoes. Source: Getty and Celine.
A Silver Lining
There was also a different kind of silver lining on the Paris runways. At Chanel, Blazy continued casting models of all ages and hair colors, while 52-year-old Olivia Colman made her runway debut at Miu Miu with her gray hair swept into a ponytail.
Off the runway, Lisa Bonet arrived at Celine with waist-length silver hair. Meanwhile, in New York City for the opening night of the American Ballet Theater, Sarah Jessica Parker stepped out with a new silver-streaked ’do. Taken together, it made gray seem like simply another beauty choice, and it was a welcome counterpoint to fashion’s fixation on youth.
Chanel Spring 2027 runway. Source: Getty
After a month of shows, the big takeaway was a return to decoration, femininity and individuality without requiring women to throw out their wardrobes and start over (or, blessedly, color their grays!). And for a fashion industry urgently trying to convince consumers to engage again, the most persuasive suggestion was to play.
Gallery view of dresses and mannequins created in the 1970s and ’80s by Huguette Caland, on display as part of Huguette Caland: A Life in a Few Lines at the Hammer Museum. Source: Booth Moore
Huguette Caland Inspires at The Hammer
One of the most incredible exhibitions I have seen in L.A. recently is “Huguette Caland: A Life in a Few Lines” at the Hammer Museum, a sensual, amusing and ultimately inspiring portrait of a woman becoming herself.
Across 150 paintings, drawings, sculptures and textiles, the retrospective traces Caland’s journey from Beirut, where she grew up in the shadow of her father, Lebanon’s first president after independence, Bechara El Khoury, to Venice, Calif., where she became a fixture of the artistic neighborhood.
In 1970, at 39, she left her husband and three teenage children in Beirut and moved alone to Paris, determined to step outside the roles of daughter, wife and mother and discover who she was as an artist and a woman.
You can see that liberation unfolding on the walls. Her figurative work gives way to increasingly abstract, playful explorations of flesh and desire, with suggestive curves and lines that can resemble lips, breasts, buttocks and bodies intertwined. There is eroticism and humor in the works, along with a growing sense of freedom as Caland explored her sexuality and developed a visual language in which the body was celebrated.
Huguette Caland, Bribes de corps, 1973. Oil on linen. Source: Huguette Caland Estate
Among the exhibition highlights are the extraordinary dresses from the 1970s, which bring her ideas onto the body. When Caland dedicated herself to becoming an artist, she abandoned the Western-style clothing expected of a woman of her social class in Beirut in favor of loose-fitting abayas and kaftans that gave her the freedom to move. Following instructions from a tailor in Beirut, she created simple garments with generous space to allow her to animate her drawings. Works such as “Foule (Crowd)” and “Miroir (Mirror),” both from 1974, recall the same bodily shapes in her paintings. And Caland wore them herself, effectively turning her own body into an artwork.
While she wasn’t approaching the kaftan as a designer, fashion came calling. In 1978, Caland walked into Pierre Cardin’s Paris boutique wearing one of her designs. Cardin told her he loved what she was wearing. “So do I,” she replied. He commissioned her to design prototypes for a collection of abayas, kaftans and housewares inspired by Islamic art, which she named “Nour,” Arabic for “light.” It was a smart commercial move at a time when clients from the Gulf states had become increasingly important to a struggling Paris couture industry. But ultimately, fashion wasn’t for Caland.
Huguette Caland in Stone Doorway, France, 1970. Source: Huguette Caland Estate
She eventually made Venice, Calif., her home, becoming part of the artistic community even as widespread recognition remained elusive. Her inclusion in the Hammer’s “Made in L.A.” biennial in 2016 helped change that, introducing her work to a new generation that has since embraced it.
Also inspiring are her later, tapestry-like works. They look almost woven from a distance but are actually made with fabric dye, acrylic paint and markers on canvas, layering lines, dots, faces and figures into dense relief. Her affinity for textiles had deep roots. Caland grew up in Lebanon surrounded by carpets and embroidery, and in 1969 co-founded Inaash, an organization that created paying work for Palestinian refugee women through traditional tatreez embroidery. She even incorporated embroidered patches made through Inaash into one of her dresses. Decades later, the stitch-like marks and intricate patterns resurfaced in an entirely new way.
They read like maps of a life accumulated across decades and continents, and like testaments to how joyfully and completely she created a singular identity for herself.
Huguette Caland with one of her tapestry-like works at her home and studio. Source: Huguette Caland Estate/Souheil Michael KhouryLACMA Erewon smoothie. Source: Erewhon
So L.A. It Hurts
LACMA and Erewhon are making it official, turning the wellness hotspot’s pop-up café in the plaza beneath the new David Geffen Galleries into a permanent fixture and further cementing both as landmarks of contemporary L.A.
The partnership comes as LACMA continues its own cool transformation, while Erewhon has evolved from a local organic grocer into a cultural phenomenon, famous for celebrity smoothie collaborations and stores that have become tourist destinations themselves. Erewhon at LACMA is the company’s first concept café, bringing art, food and wellness together. (And judging from the lines outside the tiny space on weekends, I’d argue an expansion is in order.)
To mark the occasion, there is, naturally, a smoothie. Inspired by Alexander Calder’s colorful “Three Quintains (Hello Girls)” fountain in front of the café, the LACMA Smoothie blends pineapple, mango, strawberry and mandarin with lion’s mane. There’s also a limited-edition sweatshirt, tote and hat featuring hand-painted details inspired by the Calder, with a portion of proceeds supporting LACMA’s education and exhibition programs.
“We could not be prouder to see our partnership with LACMA evolve from a pop-up into a permanent home,” said Erewhon CEO Tony Antoci. “As our first-ever concept café, this marks an important milestone for Erewhon and the beginning of a new chapter in how we bring the Erewhon experience to the communities we serve.”
“This truly feels like a celebration of Los Angeles, bringing Erewhon and LACMA together to nourish and inspire the community,” added Erewhon president Josephine Antoci. “It’s a place for all to gather and make memories for years to come.”
Now that the first of the month has passed, additions to streaming services start to slow down, and that’s true of Prime Video as well. But, fortunately for you, there are still three films that are new to the streamer this week.
It all begins with “Love of Your Life,” starring Margaret Qualley, Gabriel Basso and Aaron Pierre. After that, there’s a new action flick from Stanley Tucci. Rounding things out is “Scream 7,” which first hit theaters in February. We’ve got the details on all of them below.
Here are the three best (and only) new movies on Prime Video this week.
Margaret Qualley in “Love of Your Life” (Credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
Love of Your Life
Directed by Oscar-nominated Rachel Morrison (best known as the cinematographer behind Ryan Coogler’s biggest films before she became a director), “Love of Your Life” is not a rom-com, and you certainly go in expecting it to be. If you do, you’re going to get a very different movie than you’re expecting.
In reality, it’s a romantic drama, that follows Maya, an ER nurse who unexpectedly meets the love of her life thanks to a certain social media marketplace. The two fall hard and fast, but unfortunately, life gets upended. Now, Maya must figure out how to move forward, and if it’s possible to have more than one love of her life.
Fair warning: this movie is emotional, so have comfort nearby. But it’s also got some truly great performances from its three leads.
Prime Video
Masterplan
Sometimes, you just need a new heist movie to fall into for an hour or two. This week, you can thank Stanley Tucci for bringing you one, in the form of “Masterplan.”
In this movie, he plays a long-retired thief, but old habits die hard. He’s got a huge job lined up: stealing the Mona Lisa. To do it, he recruits his own kids, who have never met him or each other until now. It’s fun to imagine a world where just three people could steal one of the most famous works of art of all time, isn’t it?
“Masterplan” hits Prime Video on Oct. 16.
Ghostface in “Scream 7” (Paramount)
Scream 7
Rounding out the week is an option for your Halloween season watchlist, in “Scream 7.”
This is the “Scream” film that was mired in backlash, after franchise star Melissa Barrera was fired for social media posts supporting Palestine amid the war in Gaza. Originally, the movie was set to continue the story of Barrera and Jenna Ortega’s characters, and reveal if Sam (Barrera), who was the daughter of serial killer Billy Loomis, would follow in his footsteps.
Instead, when Barrera was fired, Ortega left the franchise in solidarity, director Christopher Landon quit too, and the story was entirely reworked. Though many original cast members returned, several have since expressed regret.
TheWrap’s William Bibbiani noted in his review that “If you skip ‘Scream 7,’ you’re not missing the best film in the franchise.” But for those still wanting to check it out and see how the women’s absences were addressed, it begins streaming on Prime Video on Oct. 16.
Fantasy book series “Artemis Fowl” will get the TV adaptation treatment at Disney.
The series from author Eoin Colfer will be adapted into an animated TV series on Disney Channel and Disney+, Colfer revealed during the “25 Years of Artemis Fowl” panel at New York Comic Con on Sunday.
Centered on the titular 13-year-old genius, the action-adventure fantasy series follows Artemis Fowl as he discovers an underground world of armed, dangerous and surprisingly high-tech fairies. He hatches a plan to capture one and steal its magic to heal his dying mother and save his family, according to the official logline.
Colfer will executive produce the series alongside Ben Juwono (“Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,” “Big Hero 6: The Series”) and Colleen Evanson (“Prep and Landing: The Snowball Protocol,” “DuckTales”).
“For more than two decades, Eoin Colfer’s ‘Artemis Fowl’ books have captivated readers around the world with unforgettable characters, imaginative world-building and gripping adventures,” Disney kids and family president Ayo Davis said in a statement. “Bringing this beloved franchise to life as an animated series gives us the opportunity to introduce a new generation to Artemis’ world while honoring the longtime fans who have cherished these stories for years.”
“I am proud and delighted to be part of the formidable team that is putting the ‘Artemis Fowl’ animation on screen,” Colfer said. “Everyone is so talented and so positive that I feel certain the fairy world is in excellent hands.”
Since Colfer debuted the first “Artemis Fowl” novel in 2001, the series has sold over 35 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 48 languages.
“Artemis Fowl” joins Disney’s lineup of animated series, which includes “Dragon Striker,” “Phineas and Ferb,” “Big City Greens,” “Messi and the Giants,” “Kingdom Hearts,” “Warrior Cats” and “Journey.”
By the time the credits roll on Prime Video’s “Carrie” adaptation, bloody prom and all, it should be clear to the naysayers why the story was worth being told again for the digital era.
When the show was first announced, plenty took to the Internet wondering why Mike Flanagan would want to adapt Stephen King’s first novel into an 8-episode series when there had already been two theatrical adaptations and a TV movie in the past. For Summer H. Howell and Samantha Sloyan — who play leads Carrie and Margaret White — the hook came from Flanagan’s approach to the mother-daughter relationship compared to what had come before.
“Mike, from the start, had written them to have love between each other,” Howell told TheWrap. “At the end of the day, that’s where all their emotion comes from – loving each other and being confused why they don’t think the same or the conflicts that arise with Carrie in school, and how Margaret feels about all that.”
Summer H. Howell and Samantha Sloyan in “Carrie.” (Prime Video)
Sloyan added that the pair had three weeks of rehearsal to build the relationship between the reclusive mother and daughter, something that is pretty rare. In doing that, they were able to solidify their new takes.
“I, for one, felt once I had seen the Carrie that Summer had created — I mean, it’s incredible — and it really made any questions I had about Margaret make sense to me,” Sloyan said. “The desire to protect, the love, like all of that, really fell into place.”
By the time the finale rolls around, and the show unveils its version on the iconic prom moment, there are plenty of questions raised. Throughout the season, Carrie had befriended a mysterious girl named Emaline (Thalia Dudek), who helped her embrace her telekinetic abilities — and eventually revealed she had her own powers. As things went from bad to worse, Carrie took a backseat to Emaline during a portion of the prom massacre, but Howell does not think that absolved the character of what happened.
“I like to think that Carrie is still seeing it and experiencing it,” Howell said. “She’s so heartbroken that these people, who she thought were finally rooting for her and being kind and doing a nice thing, have just pulled their phones out and they’re recording once again. It’s just kind of back to square one. So letting Emaline take over — they have a rocky relationship in the middle, and so leading up to that, she doesn’t even fully trust Emaline — it’s just like this desperate need to not be in that moment, and so she lets Emaline take over. But I do think she experiences it, and by the time we get to the car, Emaline’s out and she takes part.”
Thalia Dudek in “Carrie” (Prime Video)
But one of the lingering questions as the season closes out, and Carrie rides into sunset and a hopeful feeling of freedom, is whether Emaline can really be trusted or if she was just the latest person trying to push their beliefs on Carrie — calling someone a God after all is rarely the sign of someone with good intentions. Howell thought it was a bit of Column A, a touch of Column B.
“I think, in ways, Emaline helped Carrie a lot,” she said. “Helped her train and learn how powerful she is and what she can do with her powers. I don’t necessarily think Emaline always points her down the right path. If we go further, I’m sure a lot of questions will be answered about this character and their backstory. You’ll see why they are the way they are.”
The real climax of the season doesn’t happen at prom though, but back at the White house. After seeing what her daughter is truly capable of, and worried about the kind of people that will come after her and power, Margaret made the choice to kill her daughter. Unlike in previous adaptations, where the mother is terrified of the daughter, Sloyan saw this as an final (failed) act of love and mercy to keep her safe.
“When Carrie comes home and she’s saying, ‘I’ve killed them,’ and I’ve seen the explosions and I’ve heard the sirens — I just don’t believe that the world will let her get a get away from this,” Sloyan said. “I feel like she’s trying to protect her in the last way that she knows how. Of course, I do not agree but I do think that that is what she’s doing.”
In the end, Margaret failed to give her daughter a merciful death and in a twist change from the book also doesn’t die in Carrie’s anger bringing down their house. Turns out Margaret had a bit of the Shine herself which protected her, and with her daughter on the run she was all the more ready to go out and find her – which is why Kate Siegel’s mysterious character is forced to end the season stopping Margaret’s heart.
“She realizes now that she can’t kill her, so then it’s just she’s going to protect her,” Sloyan said. “She just needs to figure out how to do it. I think that’s honestly her undoing because the other character who’s with Margaret realizes that she’s not going to stop at anything, so they have to stop her.”
Signing up to an online casino is frequently the opening step a player makes when discovering a new site, and the welcome package that welcomes them can influence the entire experience that comes next. For players in the UK, these offers are not just marketing slogans; they constitute a defined set of rules around deposits, wagering, game eligibility and withdrawal limits that immediately affect how much value a new account really delivers. Grasping the mechanics of these offers assists a player decide whether the terms align with their preferred games, budget and playing style before any money changes hands.
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It’s a new week and that means a new round of picking what you want to watch each night. Over on Hulu this week, the options are getting a little scary, but also pretty fun.
This week specifically, there are more shows than movies premiering, so our recommendations are going to pull just a touch from films that hit the streamer earlier this month. The good news is, there are so many options at the start of each month, it’s entirely likely you haven’t made it through all your best options just yet. So, allow us to help whittle it down.
Here are the three best new movies on Hulu this week.
Woody Harrelson and Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” (Credit: Lionsgate)
The Hunger Games Franchise
Realistically, this entire list could’ve been picking our top three “Hunger Games” movies, as the whole franchise hits Hulu this week. But that’s a hard decision to make, so instead, we’re just bundling them into one entry.
Obviously, if you’ve never seen this franchise, you should start at the beginning with just “The Hunger Games.” It really is a trip to realize that that first film is turning 15 years old next year, and see just how young Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson seem in it. It’ll be especially fun to watch it and then work your way up to the most recent film in the franchise, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” ahead of “Sunrise on the Reaping” hitting theaters this November.
Now is the perfect time to start making your way through in order to be ready in time.
Adam Scott in ‘Hokum’ (Credit: Neon)
Hokum
If you’re looking for something that’s scary in the supernatural sense, rather than the shockingly possible dystopian sense, you’re going to want to go with “Hokum.”
The horror film stars Adam Scott as novelist Ohm Bauman, who heads to a remote inn to scatter his parents’ ashes. But, once he’s there, he’s consumed by tales of a witch that haunts the place. Soon enough, he starts having actual visions and must deal with a disappearance that forces him to face his own past.
This one is decidedly a spooky movie, so for the scaredy cats out there, have a whole lot of comfort nearby. For those of you that thrive on horror like this … have fun, I suppose!
Night at the Museum (20th Century)
Night at the Museum
If you just need a good old-fashioned comfort film that’s a little goofy, “Night at the Museum” is going to be the safest option.
It stars Ben Stiller as an inventor who can’t seem to get any ideas off the ground, and is struggling to keep a stable job and living situation to support his young son. In an effort to be less of a problem and get some steady income, he becomes the night guard at the Museum of Natural History. The catch is, everything comes to life at night.
That means Robin Williams is Teddy Roosvelt, Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan are miniatures, and Brad Garrett is a giant stone face who just wants some gum-gum from a dum-dum. Oh, and Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney and Bill Cobbs are the bad guys.
“The reactions have really impressive depth and breadth,” Neiden told me, “but all the reactions I’ve heard have been intense in one way or another. Ultimately, what I’ve taken pride in is hearing that regardless of how people felt about it, that they’ve never experienced anything quite like it. Even if they had seen a lot of experimental theater, maybe the themes in this were different, for instance… Most people that I’ve spoken to have found it in equal measure scary and silly, and maybe cathartic, and that’s the best-case scenario for me.
“Not everyone is going to like it,” Neiden continued. “And sometimes I don’t think there’s any way to fully know if something’s for you before going in. I’ve seen shows that I thought would be 100% up my alley, and then I saw them and it was maybe not so much, versus seeing something that seemed totally out of left field but like, ‘Oh, give it a shot,’ because I heard something good, from someone I trust. This is a place to take a risk, to surrender, and at the very least, to experience something that can only happen for you in that moment — something altogether fleeting that is just yours. You know, the most tangible souvenirs people walk away with from ‘The Pineapple’ are a lei and a memory.”
Rett Keeter, Cece Kelly, Ian Michaels and Evan Neiden star in “The Pineapple,” produced by Candle House in North Hollywood, California
Sona Earnest
His reference to the actual lei that attendees leave with does require some setup, so now’s as good a time as any to attempt a plot summary. (I was about to say “fruitless” attempt, but well, you’ve seen the title.) Everyone exiting the show had a Hawaiian-style plastic flower chain placed around their neck to send the off into the NoHo night, which might seem like an unexpectedly comic touch at the end of a show that is focused on … aliens. Even though the narrative is sci-fi/horror-oriented, and participants are promised an actual alien encounter. It appears the aliens in question have become convinced that one thing all human beings love is beach culture, and that our national or global anthem is the Jimmy Buffett song “Margaritaville.” When an alien baby is finally produced, it takes the form of… a pineapple. So there’s an extent to which you might call the final subgenre the show lands in as, for lack of a better term, tiki horror.
But that’s getting ahead of the initial setup. When you sign up for the show (and sign waivers), you are ostensibly answered a classified ad for someone who needs a fellow believers in UFOs to help participate in a ritual that will bring the aliens out into the open. On the day of your encounter, you start getting texts from the young man who placed the ad, berating you if you don’t seem enthusiastic enough. He also sends coordinates about which back street parking lot to show up in, and which unmarked door to knock on (“underneath the State Farm sign”) at exactly the appointed time. Once admitted, after being sure I’d shown up at the wrong place, he shined a flashlight in my eyes, made certain I knew the safe word, recorded me giving consent, and relieved me of shoes, phone, and ost everything else. I was led into a dingy room that served as his bedroom, with a sleeping bag, walls full of conspiracy theory cutouts connected by thumbtacks and string, and kitchen tools to squeeze pineapple pulp into juice.
Without recounting every amusing or harrowing detail, a good deal of interactive psychological grilling ensued. I was asked questions about living and deceased family members, failed relationships, religious affiliations, etc…. all of which I knew could and would be used against me later. The young man spilled some details of his own, like how he was abandoned in a superstore parking lot when he was 8, and had lived a sad and itinerant life since then before eventually coming to realize that his real family was from space, and now it was time to meet up. My hands were taped together and I was made to crawl on all fours to a bathroom, where another man was soaking in a bloody tube, handcuffed, revealing that he’d been the previous respondent, chosen to be impregnated with an alien baby, but failed the attempt when it turned out he had lied about not having an allergy to pineapple juice. Then he, too, asked me personal details, asked me to hold his hands in prayer, and…
Rett Keeter, Cece Kelly, Ian Michaels and Evan Neiden star in “The Pineapple,” produced by Candle House in North Hollywood, California
Sona Earnest
Perhaps it’s OK to stop there, as things got considerably weirder from there, including the introduction of the cast’s one woman, who is some kind of operative for the aliens… and whose otherworldliness is apparent, apart from the maniacal grin on her face, by the fact that she is wearing a sticker identifying her as “WOMAN.” I had learned ahead of time, from reading the L.A. Times’ review, that my encounter would likely involve some kissing on the lips, massaging and (no lie) spooning. I had a sneaking suspicion all of this would happen with the gnarlier male cast members and not the beautiful woman, which did turn out to be the case. (Names of the very improv-capable cast members were released only after the show concluded its run: Rett Keeter, Cece Kelly, Ian Michaels and Neiden.)
Cece Kelly in “The Pineapple,” produced by Candle House in North Hollywood, California
Sona Earnest
I had expected the show to be frightening, but apart from one moment where a flashlight came on to reveal a figure in the dark inches away, there were no jump scares, or anything that even induced very much anxiety. (The only truly scary moment was when someone pulled some opaque goggles off my face and my brand new $400 glasses went flying off with them. “We want you to have your spectacles,” a voice said quietly when I expressed panic about having them stepped on, and eventually I was able to rejoin the land of the sighted.) I think you can only experience so much fear in a show in which, toward the end, you will be dancing to “Margaritaville.” I laughed out loud a few times… maybe most when, not long after I was played back the recording of myself saying “I consent,” the tables were turned on my tormentor and someone played back his consent recording.
Newsmoviesbollywood Dhamaal 4 Review: Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh Lead This Exhausting Treasure Hunt With No Comic Payoff
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Dhamaal 4 is filled with endless shouting, cartoonish chaos, fat-shaming jokes. The star-studded ensemble fails to elevate the middling screenplay peppered with brand placements.
Dhamaal 4 is now running in cinemas.
Dhamaal 4U/A
2/5
10 July 2026|Hindi2 hrs 23 mins |
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaaferi, Sanjay Mishra, Ravi Kishan, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Anjali Anand, Upendra Limaye and Esha GuptaDirector: Indra KumarMusic: Tanishk Bagchi, Aditya Dev, Neelkamal Singh, Sanju Rathod, Guru Randhawa, Gill Machrai and Rony Ajnali
Dhamaal 4 Movie Review: A pirate ship. A treasure hunt. Endless shouting, stomping and cartoonish chaos. A barrage of fat-shaming jokes. A few meta one-liners that don’t land. A bunch of skeletons. Three octopuses. One tiger. One cobra. One crocodile. Two dolphins with Ajay Devgn riding atop them. And histrionics. That’s Dhamaal 4 in a nutshell.
The fourth instalment in Indra Kumar’s Dhamaal franchise is rattling, loud and ludicrous. It goes above and beyond slapstick and brainrot. But full marks to the makers for their effort! They try every trick in the dusty handbook of comic capers to make you laugh. But somehow, none of the constant bickering, exaggerated movements, comical accidents and confusion land.
Its idea of humour is painfully simple – slap a character, make them fall down, make them trip, hang them off a cliff and shove a knife into their buttocks. The film throws everything at the wall in the hope that something sticks. But very little does. Excess is the film’s guiding principle, which perhaps explains its relentlessly verbose storytelling. Everything is spelt out loud here.
Every gag is explained, every beat underlined and every punchline repeated until there’s nothing left for the audience to discover on their own, proving Dhamaal 4 has little faith in its audience. And when nothing else works, a wrestling match is orchestrated between a plus-sized woman and a vertically challenged man belonging to a tribal community.
In all honesty, Dhamaal 4 operates on a threadbare, one-line plot – a bunch of people on a hunt to unravel some Shaitan Singh’s century-old gold that lies hidden in a cave deep inside a jungle. This is then stretched to form an overlong film. It starts off with an animated montage of a Bambaiya tapori-speaking guru in a ‘guru-cool’ narrating this story of Shaitan Singh.
The montage also has a cameo by Jackie Shroff. Cut to, we’re introduced to a pirate named Adhura and his gang on a mission to steal gold. They get into a scuffle with Prithvi, the only person who has the map to the cave. Enters Guddu, who fights Adhura as he feels only he has the right to own the treasure. In his spare time, Guddu tries to impress his girlfriend’s kids and win their approval.
We’re then introduced to Lallan, who prays for a rich girl with an ‘extra large car’ and ‘extra large bungalow’. God hears him and brings into his life an ‘extra large’ woman named Paro. No, these aren’t our words. And then there’s Adi and Manav. Adi is trying his best to win Rosie back, who had left him a year ago on their wedding night after Manav accidentally had set her on fire.
The common link between all of them? Greed. Greed drives them to meet atop a cliff where Prithvi and Guddu are seen hanging and fighting for their lives. Thereafter, they set out to discover the cave that holds the key to their fortunes and a brighter future behind an ‘M’ shaped rock. On the way, they brave storms and man-eater animals.
If Phool Aur Kaante introduced Ajay balancing on two motorcycles, this film raises the stakes or lowers them depending on your perspective by having him ride on two dolphins in the middle of the choppy ‘Barbarian Sea’. And then, taking a cue from Himmatwala, he fights a tiger as if it’s just another one of his hobbies. This is met with the dialogue, ‘Singham pe Singham chadh gaya.’
But why should Guddu have all the fun? So, in the next sequence, we see Adi, Manav and Rosie fighting a crocodile that has trapped them by clamping Rosie’s water bottle in its jaws. How Manav manages to fool the maneater using a penknife is worth a watch! At 2 hours 23 minutes, Dhamaal 4 is an excrutiatingly exhausting watch that never moves the story beyond square one.
The first half is marked with long, elaborate sequences of ghosts and of people falling, drowning and hanging from the most impossible of places. And then comes the second half. The entire sequence of the gang discovering wealth inside the cave is so gruelling and so endless that it starts to test your patience. And then comes the problematic ‘gags’.
The makers leave no beat to mock Paro for her weight for cheap laughs. She’s constantly made to fall on Lallan with him losing his breath and letting out a prayer to stay alive. Every movement is exaggerated to cartoonish proportions. When she jumps, the ground appears to tremble. When she exhales, it’s treated like a gust powerful enough to trigger a storm.
And then enters a character with dwarfism. His appearance is met with Lallan uttering, ‘Yeh chikoo kam, angoor zyada lag raha hai.’ A tribal community is also brought in to evoke laughter. The constant theatrics and over-the-top dialogue delivery by Riteish Deshmukh’s Lallan, who speaks Bihari and ends every sentence with ‘bey’ doesn’t really help.
How is any of this funny, you’ll end up asking yourself every now and then. And there are constant references made to Dhamaal. If anything, they make you sadder. Only if changing the ‘W’ to ‘M’ could’ve been that one formula to crack a sequel. This is an absolute disservice. By the end of it, Dhamaal 4 becomes yet another instalment that perhaps was only made to milk the franchise value.
The actors, unfortunately, are unable to help elevate the middling screenplay generously peppered with glaring brand placements. Arshad Warsi and Jaaved Jaaferi manage to stand out and truth be told, this duo deserves a spin-off of their own. Ajay and Sanjay Mishra share an easy, lived-in camaraderie that occasionally lands but the film pushes them into such exaggerated histrionics that their performances become less amusing.
Meanwhile, Riteish is saddled with an overcooked Bihari accent that proves more distracting than endearing. Ace actors like Ravi Kishan and Upendra Limaye get the shorter end of the stick and are left stranded on the periphery with little to do beyond making intermittent appearances. But it’s the women, who suffer the most, thanks to their thin characters.
Esha Gupta in a cameo and Sanjeeda Sheikh as Rosie are neither given agency nor purpose. They appear to have been included merely to pad out the ensemble. Anjali Anand as Paro fares the worst of the lot. She bears the brunt of the film’s weakest instincts. Reduced entirely to the butt of fat-shaming jokes, she’s given little to do beyond enduring a stream of outdated punchlines.
Watching her being subjected to such writing is disappointing and disheartening. The tragedy of Dhamaal 4 isn’t that it’s silly. Dhamaal was always meant to be silly. It’s that the film confuses this silliness with a stale cacophony of falling bodies and animal attacks. Much like its characters on a treaure hunt, Dhamaal 4 also searches for something equally elusive – humour that’s not tone-deaf.
Titas Chowdhury is a Special Correspondent at News18 Showsha. She writes about cinema, music and gender in cinema. Interviewing actors and filmmakers, writing about latest trends in showbiz and bringi…Read More
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Hong Kong-based Cappu Films has taken on sales beyond Australia and New Zealand for “Her Last Laugh,” Joy Hopwood’s Australian dramedy featuring Peter Thurnwald (“XO, Kitty”) and Ana Thu Nguyen (“Mortal Kombat II”).
Hopwood wrote, directed and produced the film. Tiana Hogben, Kya Stewart, Lyanna Kea, Tony Goh and Australia’s John Waters round out the cast.
The story centers on Willow and Annika Lim, Chinese Australian sisters who are left their late mother’s casting agency with a catch attached. Unless the business turns a profit inside 12 months, it passes to their estranged uncle. With clients walking out and a competitor putting the agency’s standing at risk, the siblings scramble to save both their income and what their mother built.
Willow, a one-time teen star now employed as a casting assistant, carries most of the strain. Annika parks her own plans to pitch in. A budding romance, along with a set of family diaries the sisters uncover, pushes the pair to rethink their inheritance and what is worth holding onto.
Produced by Joy House Productions, the film extends Hopwood’s run of stories about relationships and Chinese Australian life. Her earlier features include “It’s Our Time,” “The Gift That Gives,” “Get a Life Alright,” “Rhapsody of Love” and “The Script of Life.”
“We are delighted to be represented by Cappu Films and excited about the opportunity to bring ‘Her Last Laugh’ to international audiences through mainstream streaming platforms, following our Australian theatrical release in November,” said Hopwood.
“As an independent Australian filmmaker, I believe it is important to share culturally diverse stories that resonate across borders. Our cast and crew have poured their hearts into this film, and we hope audiences around the world will connect with its humor, heart and celebration of cultural diversity. We are proud to be bringing our 6th Asian Australian story to the global screen,” she added.
Janice Woo of Cappu Films said: “Joy brings humor and warmth to a story about two sisters finding their own way while preserving their mother’s legacy. We look forward to introducing the film to buyers in Busan and working with Joy to reach audiences internationally.”
Cappu is using the market to meet distributors and other possible partners on the title, with available rights to be confirmed on a per-territory basis.
The company’s Busan lineup also includes “Fox Hunt,” toplined by Tony Leung Chiu-wai; Shan Jiang’s Tribeca title “Ephemera”; “Operation Doolittle,” a WWII spy series running nine hourlong episodes; Erica Xia-Hou’s Slamdance selection “Banr”; martial arts film “Lion Fist”; and “Zombie Plane,” an action comedy with Vanilla Ice, Sophie Monk and Chuck Norris.
Marvel Studios officially changed the name of Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom in new Avengers: Doomsday promotional merchandise, which could hint at his game-changing MCU future in the movie. Marketing for Doomsday has heavily pushed Victor von Doom to the forefront, showcasing Doom wearing his heavy armored battle suit while swatting Chris Hemsworth’s Thor aside as if the God of Thunder was a paperweight. The official Special Look trailer of Avengers: Doomsday from D23 implied that Doom was once an ally of the Fantastic Four on Earth-828, after Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm told the assembled heroes that Victor “was always the smartest guy in every room,” and he used to be kind, but it all changed when “everything he loved was taken from him.” This revelation explains Doom’s absence from the United Nations scene in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, implying that it looks less like isolationism and more like grief from the loss of his family.
The present-day Doom is clearly hellbent on making sure that those who wronged him suffer, claiming that a good chunk of the opposition “all lived stolen lives” and they must give them back. Avengers: Doomsday‘s official synopsis confirmed that Doom has evil plans for the Multiverse, which explains why the Avengers, X-Men, and the Fantastic Four need to stop him before it’s too late.
While official footage only showed Doom’s battle-ready suit, Marvel Studios confirmed that the MCU big bad will wear a second costume at the studio’s D23 display, showcasing a more regal take on his classic design. The second, more polished attire could be meant to emphasize his royal Latverian roots, potentially as a way to declare to the Avengers that what they’re dealing with is not just a typical foe.
Funko’s new Concept Series figure officially confirmed a third costume for Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, showcasing a major redesign featuring a Latverian flag on the chest, epaulettes, the cut of a European monarch, and almost no armor. Beyond the new costume, the interesting revelation in this official Avengers: Doomsday merchandise is Doom’s new name on the official label: Lord Doom.
Marvel/Funko
It’s worth noting that this Funko pop vinyl figure is from Funko’s “Concept Series,” meaning that it is based on concept art and may not actually reflect what will happen in the movie. Regardless, Avengers: Doomsday‘s new title of Lord Doom could hint at what’s to come for the villain’s potential future in the MCU crossover.
Marvel/Funko
Whatever the case, this Lord Doom framing on Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom matches the man Sue Storm is describing in the official D23 Expo trailer, which is a ruler of Earth-828’s Latveria before he became the weapon threatening the Multiverse.
Marvel/Funko
Doctor Doom’s second costume with gold accents serves as a preview of Victor’s royal iconography. The third costume, which has a flag-bearing court uniform, would push that further. A separate Bitty Pop set paired the same Lord Doom name with the Doomstadt Tower, meaning that Doomsday will no doubt explore his origin and potentially set the stage for Latveria to be the site of the last stand of the heroes against him in the movie.
Why the Lord Doom Title Sounds Ominous for Avengers: Doomsday
Marvel
The Lord Doom name is more than just a title; it’s a terrifying declaration in Avengers: Doomsday. Lord is the title of a man who already rules, meaning that this is a potential hint that Robert Downey Jr.’s MCU villain will win in the upcoming MCU crossover.
In Marvel Comics, Victor von Doom is monarch of Latveria long before he is God Emperor Doom, the figure who stitches Battleworld out of dead universes in Secret Wars and holds it together with power taken from Franklin Richards. Official merchandise from Avengers: Doomsday, combined with the Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scene, already showed Doom with Franklin, indicating that Reed and Sue’s powerful child is part of his master plan in the MCU.
There is a strong chance that Doom will abandon his classic armor in favor of the Lord Doom attire to announce his victory. The armored suit is for the fight against the combined might of the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four while the Latverian general dress is being positioned for when he would claim the Multiverse (or Battleworld) for himself.
Making a follow-up to The Social Network was always going to be a thankless assignment. David Fincher’s 2010 drama is about as close to universally beloved as modern studio filmmaking gets, a Best Picture nominee that many critics still rank among the century’s finest films, and the idea of revisiting that world without Fincher behind the camera carried obvious risk.
Aaron Sorkin, who won an Oscar for the original’s screenplay, took on directing duties himself for The Social Reckoning, recasting Mark Zuckerberg with Jeremy Strong and building the story around Frances Haugen’s whistleblower saga with Mikey Madison in the role. The reviews out of its New York Film Festival premiere were respectable if not rapturous, and Sony positioned it as a serious awards season player. None of that, it turns out, translated into opening day business, because the film pulled in just $2.1 million on Friday and was actually outgrossed by a horror reboot playing its fourth Friday in theaters.
The Social Reckoning Is Off to a Troubling Start at the Box Office
That horror reboot is Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil, which earned $2.3 million the same day and is now tracking toward an $8 million-plus fourth weekend, a hold that would qualify as an overperformance for the second week running. The optics of that comparison are rough for Sony on both ends, since the studio released both films. Cregger’s film opened to strong numbers in September and has leaned on the same word of mouth that powered his breakouts Barbarian and Weapons, and legs like these in the modern theatrical market tend to signal genuine audience enthusiasm rather than marketing muscle.
The Social Reckoning‘s stumble arguably says less about the film’s quality than about the ceiling for its genre. Adult-skewing dramas have struggled theatrically for years, and even the original Social Network opened to around $22.5 million in 2010 dollars with Fincher’s name, a Trent Reznor score, and a zeitgeist-defining subject working in its favor.
Resident Evil Reboot Is Outgrossing Its Social Network Follow-Up
Sixteen years later, a quasi-sequel about Facebook’s internal failures faces a public that has arguably processed its disillusionment with the platform already, and whistleblower narratives have been covered extensively by documentaries and press coverage since Haugen’s 2021 disclosures. There’s also the recasting question, since asking audiences to accept Strong in a role Jesse Eisenberg defined, however strong the performance reportedly is, adds friction that a conventional sequel wouldn’t have. A sub-$7 million weekend now looks plausible, which would be a genuinely painful result against the film’s reported budget.
An estimated 1.7 million people played Gears of War: E-Day through Game Pass, according to Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliott, making its first-week copy sales only part of the launch picture. Alinea estimates the game sold about 230,000 copies, with Steam accounting for most of them.
Steam led estimated first-week sales
Elliott’s estimate puts Steam sales at 168,000 copies, compared with 62,000 across Xbox consoles and PC. Those figures are estimates, not sales numbers confirmed by Microsoft; GamesRadar independently reported the same platform split.
The distinction between platform access and ownership matters here: E-Day is also available through Game Pass. The 1.7 million figure refers to people who accessed the game through the subscription, not additional copies sold, and it should not be added to the sales total as if each player bought the game.
A cinematic screenshot from Gears of War: E-Day. – Image: Gears of War: E-Day / Steam
Premium upgrades add another revenue stream
Alinea estimates that 722,000 Game Pass players paid $30 for the Premium upgrade, which included five days of early access and extra content. Counting those upgrades, Elliott said nearly 950,000 people paid something to play E-Day, though that is not the same as nearly 950,000 full-game purchases.
The revenue estimate also points to a different balance than the copy count: Xbox generated roughly $26 million of about $37 million overall, while Steam contributed around $11 million. Elliott characterized the figures as soft, but argued that outright sales alone understate the number of players who paid for access or an upgrade.
Game Pass makes the sales total harder to interpret
Elliott contends that Game Pass has reduced premium sales for E-Day and describes the $70 edition as functionally dead on Xbox. That is his assessment, not a confirmed measure of what subscribers would otherwise have bought.
Circana analyst Mat Piscatella offers an important caveat: Game Pass players already pay for the service, and not every subscriber who tried E-Day would have purchased it outright. The launch therefore combines a relatively small estimated copy count with a much larger subscription audience and substantial upgrade revenue, making any single number an incomplete measure of its reach.
A mild-mannered father who has always kept the peace takes on the system after his young daughter is bullied at school in “The Family Table,” a Korean drama from director Lee Hanju.
Gyu-seong, 42, and Seon-gyeong, his 43-year-old wife, are building an unremarkable life with their two kids when they learn that their 12-year-old daughter Ji-woo has been the target of sexually inappropriate comments at school. The school falls back on procedure to keep a lid on things, and a school violence review committee wraps up without a firm finding. Gyu-seong takes legal action. As the fight wears on, money worries and the scrutiny of people around them chip away at the family’s income and its bonds. Then secrets emerge about Chan-yeong, a 12-year-old boy the family has only ever seen as the culprit, and the case swerves. Gyu-seong starts to wonder whether he is really fighting for his daughter or settling scores from a life of swallowed resentment.
Lee says the film grew out of the small and large injustices people tolerate every day to avoid a fight. It started with two questions. “What does it really mean to live as a ‘good person’? And what happens when someone who has always yielded to others and avoided confrontation finally speaks up for something they cannot afford to lose?” Lee says.
Lee wants viewers to keep asking themselves what they would have done, rather than walk away with one answer. “Someone who has been harmed in one relationship may cause harm in another. An action taken in the name of justice can, at some point, inflict another wound on someone we love,” Lee says. The aim was to avoid sorting the characters into heroes and villains and to spend enough time with them to grasp why they chose as they did.
A first draft is complete and the screenplay is being developed further. Though the story comes from Korean society, Lee believes a family’s isolation under institutional pressure and public scrutiny could strike a chord elsewhere, and the team is open to international co-production and even to relocating the story outside Korea.
Producer Kang Jeongwon was struck by the film’s central contradiction, that a fight to protect a family can upend its daily life. “The question that stayed with me was: Why does doing the right thing come at such a high cost?” Kang says. Kang also points to the pairing of family drama with a mystery that keeps forcing audiences to rethink both the characters and their own verdicts.
At the APM, the team is looking for co-production partners experienced in character-driven films that tackle social issues, sales agents to discuss territories, festival positioning and distribution, and investors to help build a financing structure that fits the film’s scale. The goal is to lay the groundwork to start production in the back half of 2027.
Lee is also preparing “Shoot-Off,” a sports mystery set in competitive shooting about two female athletes, each nursing her own wounds, whose rivalry becomes tangled up with pain and compassion. Casting and crew are in place and pre-production is underway, with filming set to begin in December 2026 and the film due to be finished by mid-2027.
As Playmates, an upcoming film following a 13-year-old girl who spends a lot of time in the Playboy Mansion, continues to roll out its cast, at least one person involved with the real place is voicing her discomfort with the whole endeavor. Earlier this week, Jessica Biel was announced to star in the film as a fictional version of one of Hugh Hefner’s multiple real-life ex-wives. And one of those real-life wives, Crystal Harris, is questioning Biel’s decision.
Harris was Hefner’s wife until his death in 2017, and in a message to Biel on Instagram, she writes, “I experienced sexual, emotional, financial and physical abuse in that relationship.” The message continues, “Many other woman have come forward with allegations of rape, coercion, drugging and exploitation as well. There are also deeply troubling concerns involving minors. I hope everyone involved in this film takes the time to listen to the women who lived it before helping Hollywood turn it back into nostalgia.”
While we obviously haven’t seen the movie, these appear to be pretty valid (and, frankly, recurring) concerns based on what we know about its premise. At the very least, the logline—about a 13-year-old who befriends one of the Playmates and “try to help each other get what the other wants most, a magazine cover and a boy”—certainly sounds like it will present an idealized environment, one in which it somehow won’t be deeply disturbing to see a young girl spend a lot of her time. The screenplay is written by Lorraine Nicholson, who is the daughter of Jack Nicholson and based at least partially on her own experiences. Bill Pullman is set to star as Hugh Hefner, with Lily-Rose Depp and Indiana Elle also confirmed in the cast.
Catherine Zeta-Jones wants to see less AI “actors” onscreen and more undiscovered human talents.
The Oscar winner recently commented on actors that have “given themselves over” to artificial intelligence companies, explaining that she prefers “not knowing anything” about the actors she watches in movies and television.
“There’s so many actors already, who have given themselves over to an AI company, and that’s everyone’s choice,” she told the Associated Press. “But I like going to the theater and seeing real people talk.”
Zeta-Jones continued, “I like going to movies and not knowing anything about the actors. I don’t wanna know who they’re sleeping with, what they wore, what they drink in the morning, how they keep their figure. I wanna be taken away and see a character, and that has happened for years.”
The Kill Jackie star’s comments come amid ongoing concerns around AI’s plagiarism of copyrighted materials and the threat it poses to jobs in Hollywood and beyond, as well as recent warnings from those working in AI that continued progress could “cause a billion deaths.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order last month to fast-track stringent oversight and control of AI. Convening “a group of world-leading experts” within the next 60 days, the order lays out a discussion of “safety plans” and “an emergency shutoff, or ‘kill switch,’ for frontier models.”
On a federal level, Trump has brushed off concerns about AI as “a hoax,” insisting the U.S. government “already have tremendous CRIMINAL and REGULATORY power” over AI companies.
It’s Saturday, meaning it’s time for another end-of-week roundup of everything new on Netflix US! We are officially deep into October, and Netflix has delivered a fantastic mid-month haul to keep your weekend viewing schedule packed. Over the past seven days, a whopping 65 new releases (39 movies and 26 series) have touched down on the streaming service.
Whether you’re looking for a quirky indie comedy, a massive licensed crime drama, or something to get you in the Halloween spirit, this week’s lineup truly has something for everyone. For more on what’s still to come throughout October, we’ve got you covered, and we’ve started tracking the November arrivals too. That’s in addition to launching our new calendar list, which will be updated daily with new arrivals we find.
As promised, we are keeping our spooky season tradition alive with dedicated Halloween Highlights. But first, let’s take a look at our top streaming picks for the weekend:
Best New Movies and Shows on Netflix This Week
Save Yourselves! (2020)
Type: Movie Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi | Runtime: 1h 33m
If you are looking for a clever, laugh-out-loud indie comedy, this is an absolute hidden gem. Sunita Mani and John Reynolds star as Su and Jack, a hyper-connected Brooklyn couple who realize their addiction to their phones is ruining their relationship. To reconnect, they head to an isolated cabin in upstate New York and commit to a week completely off the grid. Unfortunately, they pick the exact week that aliens decide to invade Earth. Completely oblivious to the apocalypse happening around them, the couple’s quirky digital detox quickly becomes a hilarious fight for survival.
Mayor of Kingstown (Seasons 1-4)
Type: TV Series Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
As part of Netflix’s unexpected licensing pact with Paramount+, this week saw Taylor Sheridan’s gritty, hard-hitting crime drama officially licensed to Netflix in most regions around the world, including in the US, which provides an opportune time to dive in before season 5 gets back on our screens.
Jeremy Renner stars as Mike McLusky, the unofficial “Mayor” of Kingstown, Michigan—a town where the only thriving industry is the sprawling, corrupt prison system. Serving as a ruthless power broker between the police, the criminals, and the politicians, Mike tries to keep the peace in a city that is constantly on the brink of erupting into chaos.
HALLOWEEN HIGHLIGHTS
The Boogeyman (2023)
Type: Movie Genre: Horror, Mystery | Runtime: 1h 38m
Based on the terrifying short story by Stephen King, this incredibly effective, jump-scare-heavy horror flick is perfect for a dark October night. The film follows two grieving sisters and their widowed therapist father who are struggling to heal from a recent tragedy. When a desperate, deeply disturbed patient unexpectedly shows up at their home, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on their suffering. Make sure you check under the bed before watching this one.
Haunted Hotel (Season 2)
Type: TV Series Genre: Horror, Thriller
Looking for something to binge with the lights off? The terrifying Netflix Original anthology series is officially checking guests back in for its second season of one of the most successful launches for any adult animation (which is really impressive, as Netflix has really struggled in this genre in recent years).
This time around, the show explores a new cursed location with a fresh, unsuspecting batch of unfortunate employees who find themselves trapped in a nightmarish purgatory. In our full review of the new season, we praised the series for “cranking up the atmospheric dread” and delivering “a relentless, deeply unsettling binge that easily surpasses the first season.”
Now, let’s take a look at what people have actually been watching on Netflix US over the past seven days!
Over on the Movies list, true-crime docs and tense thrillers are dominating the top spots. The original thriller The Widower: ‘Til Death Do Us Part jumped into the #1 slot with 73 points, closely followed by the intense drama Doing Life (70 points). Russell Crowe’s UNABOMBER continues to show strong staying power, dropping slightly but still maintaining a fantastic #3 spot (53 points).
However, the real story of the week is the absolute domination of the Ice Age franchise! With the arrival of all five films this week ahead of the new entry in 2027 (courtesy of a new Disney licensing deal), families and nostalgic millennials alike hit the couch for a massive prehistoric marathon. The original 2002 Ice Age took #5 (37 points), followed immediately by Collision Course (#6), Dawn of the Dinosaurs (#8), The Meltdown (#12), and Continental Drift (#15). It’s incredibly rare to see an entire animated franchise completely conquer the middle of the Top 10 list like this!
On the TV Series charts, the highly anticipated John Steinbeck adaptation East of Eden successfully completed its climb to the top, proving that prestige drama is alive and well on Netflix as it locked in the #1 position with 74 points. Last week’s champion, the nostalgic 90s classic A Different World, slid to a very respectable #2 (60 points).
Reality TV mainstays are also holding strong, with The Great British Baking Show (#3) and Wonka’s The Golden Ticket (#4) pulling in huge family viewership numbers. Looking at our new highlights, the massive licensed drop of Mayor of Kingstown is already generating heavy binge sessions, debuting strong at #7 (27 points). And keeping the Halloween spirit alive, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story remains locked in the top 10 as folks gear up for October 31st!
East of Eden (74 points)
A Different World (60 points)
The Great British Baking Show (47 points)
Wonka’s The Golden Ticket (44 points)
Murder in a Small Town (43 points)
Mojo Brookzz: I Know You Lying (28 points)
Mayor of Kingstown (27 points)
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story (26 points)
Raw (18 points)
All American (17 points)
LEGO ONE PIECE (14 points)
The Way Home (14 points)
Below (10 points)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (6 points)
STEEL BALL RUN JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (4 points)
Doc (4 points)
Sam Morril: Incorrect (4 points)
What are you watching on Netflix this weekend? Let us know your top picks down in the comments below!
Aaron Sorkin didn’t want to write another film about Mark Zuckerberg. He’d walked away from the success of “The Social Network,” thinking the Facebook founder/CEO had been a relatively good sport, admiring his $100 million donation to the Newark public education system in response to the backlash caused by Sorkin’s Oscar-winning screenplay.
Sorkin’s point of view changed dramatically after reading books by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White), and former Zuckerberg insider Roger McNamee, all of which opened his eyes to how Facebook knowingly fostered hyper-political polarization for its own financial gain.
“I didn’t want to jump up and down on him again with another movie,” Sorkin said on this week’s episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast. “I don’t feel that way anymore. It’s not about jumping up and down on Mark, it’s about Roger McNamee was right: It’s really dangerous what’s going on.”
That Sorkin name-checks McNamee is significant. Haugen and Horwitz would become “The Social Reckoning‘s” protagonists; McNamee would become its conscience and the inspiration for Bill Burr’s fictional character in the film.
“Roger McNamee is a Silicon Valley VC,” Sorkin said. “He was an early investor in Facebook and became a kind of a consigliere to Mark in the few years right after ‘The Social Network’ takes place, and then the two of them had a falling out.”
The falling out came from McNamee not biting his tongue about the direction Zuckerberg was taking the company. After Zuckerberg froze him out, McNamee wrote “Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe,” which led Sorkin to meet with him several times.
Since “The West Wing,” Sorkin’s magic formula as a writer has been simple: have two very smart people, on opposite ends of an issue, argue. In “The Social Reckoning,” one narrative thread running through the timeline-jumping script is an under-siege Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong) in his war room preparing for his upcoming congressional testimony. Sorkin’s problem was that, in reality, at this point in Facebook’s history, the powerful CEO had pushed out all the Roger McNamees, having suppressed dissent within the company.
Sorkin’s solution was the fictional character Charlie Garrigan (Burr), whom Sorkin admitted was directly inspired by McNamee, and the fantasy that Zuckerberg had reached such a crisis point that he was forced to let a McNamee-like character back in to counsel him. For Burr, that his character, in reality, had been replaced by corporate lackeys explains so much of what’s wrong with the world.
“That is the problem with all of that stuff. I think it’s the problem with the corporate world. It’s the problem with politics,” Burr said in an interview with IndieWire. “There’s always that moment in all business where it’s like, ‘Will you pour it in the water supply?’ And all the people go, ‘No, I would never do that. I wouldn’t do that to my own countrymen, forget about fellow human beings.’ Yeah. And then there’s always one person, ‘I’ll do it,’ and they’re the ones that move up.”
It’s what Burr enjoys about stand-up: No matter how successful and wealthy he’s become in recent years, the audience (especially in clubs, when he’s working out new material) snaps him back to reality.
“I had a tough set the other night,” Burr said, making the counter-analogy to Zuckerberg’s isolation. “Somebody came up to me and was just like, ‘Wow, man, I haven’t seen you struggle like that in a while.’ And I was just like, ‘Dude, it never ends.’ And that’s a really good thing, you take a beating up there every once in a while.”
It’s also what Burr enjoyed about the scenario Sorkin had created: The theater-like setting of the war room (designed to mirror the spotlight of the hearings) became the perfect stage for his character’s debate with Zuckerberg.
“As a comedian, what I liked was you had this whole group of people on one side of the room that were getting paid by this guy, so they had a certain amount of parameters that they could stay in, and I don’t care. I’m not trying to get a job with this guy. I also knew this guy when he wasn’t anybody. So I don’t hold him [in this high regard], he’s just Mark,” Burr said.
Casting Bill Burr — the stand-up, who in recent years has repeatedly gone viral for speaking hard truths right to people’s face with all the bluntness of his blue-collar Boston roots — was a whole other layer of wish fulfillment for Sorkin. “I love the casting Bill because getting Bill Burr [up against] Mark Zuckerberg was interesting, but even more once Jeremy Strong was cast.”
On the podcast, “The Social Reckoning” writer/director went into detail about the lengths Strong went to to embody Zuckerberg and how he stayed in character, capturing the Facebook founder’s implacable, master-of-the-universe mindset, which made Burr the ideal sparring partner.
“It became important to cast someone as Charlie that Jeremy wasn’t just going to blow off the screen. It’s not like any old member of SAG can stand toe-to-toe with him in these scenes. And I knew that Bill would not get blown off the screen by anyone,” Sorkin said. “Moreover, I thought deep down Jeremy Strong will have this resentment that this standup thinks he can be on a screen with me, and Bill Burr will have this resentment of, ‘Who does this method kid think he is? I’m from Boston, for God’s sake. I’m Bill Burr. I sell out the Garden,’ and that that will find its way into these scenes.”
Burr pivoted the discussion away from Strong staying in character (“It’s acting, it’s not real. It’s literally they say ‘action,’ I say what I say and then they say what they say”), and downplayed the importance of how actors behave in between setups. Instead, Burr latched onto the backstory between his and Strong’s characters, which he said lay beneath every line of dialogue.
“My favorite thing was the failed relationship underneath it, the hurt, and the betrayal,” Burr said. “I wasn’t under his thumb, and I also was not afraid of him. If anything, I had to fight enjoying irritating him. Like when he screams, ‘Enough!,’ I’m like, ‘Oh, good, I wound him up there.’ It was like seeing a powerful guy losing his shit because he doesn’t have any power. This person doesn’t care about his power.”
Burr never met McNamee, nor read his book, nor thinks of his character as being based on any one person, but rather an “amalgamation due to legal stuff.” Burr’s North Star in playing Charlie was tapping into a dilemma that is also the underpinning of much of his stand-up act: grappling with his own worst instincts and pettiness.
“I bet my character felt when I left Facebook that, ‘You’re going to see what I brought to this company,’ and then not only did [Facebook] not dip a little, but it went to the stratosphere. I was playing that that probably bruised my professional ego,” Burr said. “I wanted to say a bunch of things to him, but I can’t because I have a goal [to get Zuckerberg to make changes to the platform]. The goal is bigger than my petty stuff with this guy, so that was really fun to play. I don’t know about you, but one of the hardest things about being an adult is being the bigger person, because it’s the right thing to do, but there’s no satisfaction. Nothing feels better in the moment than being petty.”
To hear Aaron Sorkin’s full interview,subscribe to the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also watch the full interview on YouTube.
I still recall the first time I joined a live dealer table from the ease of my own home https://madd.pt/. The red felt, the real-time card shuffle, the friendly dealer welcoming me by name — it seemed like stepping into a high-end casino without the travel. That is just the kind of electric atmosphere Mad Casino delivers, and it accomplishes this with a sharp focus on players who seek a genuine, interactive experience right here in Portugal. From the moment you visit the page, you can tell that this platform was designed to bring live casino action to the forefront. I have explored every corner of the site, sampled the tables, and dug into the details that matter most, and I am genuinely thrilled to walk you through what makes this place stand out.
What Distinguishes Mad Casino Apart from the Crowd
Having experienced at dozens of online casinos, I can sincerely say that Mad Casino stands out by putting live dealer games at the centre of the experience without overlooking everything else. The Portuguese-friendly approach is deeply embedded, from local payment methods and support in Portuguese to dealers who communicate in the language. This is not merely a generic international site with a translated interface; it feels built from the ground up for players who desire a familiar, comfortable environment. The game show selection is notably robust, and I have seldom encountered many competitors provide the same depth of live entertainment under one roof.
Another differentiator is the balance between generous promotions and transparent terms. I have encountered too many casinos that bury restrictive rules in tiny print, but here the key conditions are straightforward to find and understand. The responsible gaming tools are equally upfront, giving you control without requiring you to jump through hoops. Combine that with fast, localised banking and a mobile experience that seldom lags, and you receive a platform that honors your time and your money. For me, that combination of live dealer excellence, Portuguese focus, and player-first policies is what makes Mad Casino a standout choice.
After investing countless hours exploring every corner of Mad Casino, I can with certainty say that it delivers exactly what the homepage pledges: a premium live dealer destination customized for players in Portugal. The live tables are captivating, the game variety keeps things exciting, and the banking and support systems are structured around local needs. If you have been searching for a place where you can join a real blackjack table, spin a live roulette wheel, or enter a buzzing game show without leaving home, this is where you should be. Sign up, claim your welcome offer, and enter the live lobby. The dealer is getting ready, and your seat is reserved.
The Live Dealer Experience at Mad Casino
Live dealer games represent the core of Mad Casino, and the moment you access the live lobby, you will see why. Instead of computer-generated graphics, you are connected to actual tables hosted by skilled croupiers who handle actual cards and turn real wheels. High-definition streams function smoothly, and several camera views enable you track every detail of the action. I find that this setup connects the gap between online convenience and the social buzz of a land-based venue. Whether you are a seasoned table player or testing live games for the first time, the interface makes it easy to place bets, talk to the dealer, and even tip when the moment is appropriate. The whole experience feels immediate and remarkably personal.
What stands out is the sheer variety of live tables. You are not restricted to a single blackjack or roulette room. Mad Casino aggregates feeds from various premium studios, so you can move between classic seven-seat blackjack, speed roulette with rounds every 25 seconds, and immersive baccarat with squeeze control. I have encountered tables with native Portuguese-speaking dealers, which adds a layer of comfort for local players. The streaming technology adjusts to your connection, so even on a standard mobile network, the video stays crisp. Everything is designed to engage you, and the low-latency feed guarantees you always catch a card flip or a wheel spin.
21 , Roulette Game, and Punto Banco Tables
For those who enjoy the thrill of a great blackjack round, there are countless versions available. Standard tables use the classic rules, but there are also choices including Infinite Blackjack, in which many players to join the identical hand, and VIP tables for high rollers for those who wish to increase the wager. Roulette players can choose from European-style, French, plus auto-roulette variants, all with a distinct pace plus betting grid. Those French variants offering the La Partage regulation are a great feature for those who plan since they cut the house edge on even-money wagers. Baccarat variants range from classic Punto Banco to rapid variants that finish deals within moments, great when you want a fast adrenaline boost.
What I appreciate most stays the attention to detail within the interface. You’re able to access roadmaps, see frequency data for numbers, and store your go-to wagers for future sessions. Dealers are trained to ensure smooth play whilst chatting via the chatbox, so you don’t feel like a bystander. I have had sessions in which the croupier celebrated a large win or cracked a light joke, and such details make the experience truly human. If you’re the kind of player who appreciates bonus bets, you’ll come across Perfect Pairs, 21+3, along with other features scattered across numerous blackjack tables, bringing another layer of tactics and thrill.
Live Game Shows and Special Formats
Aside from the traditional table games, Mad Casino has fully embraced the game show phenomenon that has swept live casinos by storm. Titles like Crazy Time, Monopoly Live, and Mega Ball are front and centre, and they deliver a completely different kind of thrill. These games blend RNG elements with live hosts, spinning wheels, and bonus rounds that can increase your stake dramatically. I have watched a Dream Catcher wheel climb to a 7x multiplier while the host whipped up the crowd, and the chat exploded with emojis. It is fast, colourful, and surprisingly addictive, even if you normally keep to blackjack or roulette.
What I enjoy about these formats is how they generate a shared experience. You are not just playing against the house; you are part of a live audience pulling for the same big result. The production values are high, with studio lights, sound effects, and charismatic presenters who keep the energy up. For Portuguese players, the fact that many of these shows run around the clock means you can pop in during a late-night break and still discover a lively table. I recommend setting a session limit before you dive in because the rounds move quickly and the entertainment factor can make you forget time.
Starting Out in a Few Minutes
Creating an account at Mad Casino is a fast process that I finished in under three minutes. The sign-up button is located prominently on the homepage, and the form asks for basic details: email, password, name, date of birth, and address. You will also need to enter a phone number, which is used for security verification and optional SMS alerts. I suggest using accurate information from the start because any discrepancy can delay your first withdrawal. Once you file the form, you receive a confirmation email with a verification link, and clicking it triggers your account instantly.
After logging in, the first thing I perform is navigate to the cashier to make a deposit. As I noted earlier, the options are customized for Portugal, so you can choose the method that suits you best. The deposit screen indicates any minimum and maximum limits, and the transaction completes in real time. Before you begin playing, I highly recommend completing the KYC verification by uploading your ID and proof of address through the secure document upload section. This step may take a few hours to a day for approval, but once it is completed, your future withdrawals will be handled much faster, and you can play with complete peace of mind.
Identity Check and Opening Deposit
The authentication process at Mad Casino follows typical industry practice, and I found it simple. After logging in, navigate to the account settings or verification tab, where you can upload a readable photo of your government-issued ID and a recent utility bill or bank statement showing your address. The documents are encrypted upon upload, and the compliance team generally reviews them within 24 hours. I received an email confirmation once approved, and from that point on, my withdrawal limits were fully unlocked. This one-time effort saves you from delays later, so I treat it as a key step right after registration.
When you are ready to fund your account, the first deposit also triggers the welcome bonus if you opt in. I always check the bonus code field and the opt-in checkbox before confirming the payment. The funds appear instantly, and the bonus is credited either immediately or within a few minutes. I suggest starting with a modest deposit to get a feel for the games and the wagering flow. Once you are comfortable, you can scale up and take advantage of reload offers that reward larger deposits with extra value. The whole onboarding experience feels polished and thoughtfully designed for new players.
Banking Made Straightforward – Deposits and Withdrawals
Shifting money in and out of your casino account ought to be fast and hassle-free, and Mad Casino has definitely built its cashier with Portuguese players in mind. The deposit page supports a range of familiar methods, such as Multibanco, MB Way, and local bank transfers, together with international options like Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, and Neteller. I have used MB Way myself, and the deposit appeared in my balance within seconds. The minimum deposit is normally set at a reasonable level, frequently around €10 to €20, which makes it easy to begin modestly and test the waters without a big commitment.
When it comes to withdrawals, the platform strives to process requests swiftly, though actual times depend on the method you pick. E-wallets like Skrill and Neteller tend to be the fastest, often delivering funds within 24 hours after approval. Card withdrawals can take two to five business days, and bank transfers may stretch a bit longer. I invariably complete the identity verification step right away because that is the main reason for delayed payouts. Mad Casino follows standard KYC procedures, asking for a copy of your ID, proof of address, and sometimes proof of payment method. Once verified, subsequent withdrawals typically sail through without a hitch.
Payment Methods and Instant Funding
The deposit screen at Mad Casino is refreshingly straightforward. You select your method, enter the amount, and confirm. Multibanco generates a reference that you can pay at an ATM or through your online banking, and the funds appear nearly immediately after payment. MB Way is even quicker, requiring just a phone notification confirmation. For those who prefer cards, Visa and Mastercard deposits are processed instantly, and the casino uses secure tokenisation to protect your details. I have also noticed that the platform supports prepaid vouchers like Paysafecard, which is a great option if you want to keep your gambling budget separate from your main bank account.
One thing I always check is whether the casino charges any deposit fees, and I am happy to report that Mad Casino does not add extra charges on its end. Your payment provider might apply a small fee in rare cases, but the casino itself processes the full amount. The deposit limits are flexible enough to accommodate both casual players and high rollers, and you can set your own daily, weekly, or monthly deposit caps directly from the responsible gaming settings. This level of control is something I value deeply because it helps you stay within your entertainment budget without any friction.
FAQ
Is it possible to play live dealer games at Mad Casino for free?
Live dealer games typically require real-money bets because the studios and dealers have operating costs that free-play modes cannot cover. However, Mad Casino sometimes offers live casino bonuses or cashback promotions that allow you to play with bonus funds. I suggest checking the promotions page regularly for deals that successfully reduce your risk. You can likewise observe live tables without placing a bet to understand the pace and interface before committing your own money.
What documents do I need to verify my Mad Casino account?
You will need a readable, unexpired government-issued photo ID like a passport or citizen card, plus a recent proof of address document including a utility bill or bank statement dated within the last three months. If you used a credit or debit card, the casino may likewise ask for a photo of the card with the middle digits covered. Uploading these promptly speeds up your first withdrawal and unlocks full account functionality.
What duration do withdrawals take at Mad Casino?
Withdrawal times depend on your chosen method. E-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller are usually processed within 24 hours after approval. Card withdrawals can take two to five business days, while bank transfers may require three to seven business days. The internal review usually takes under 24 hours if your account is already verified. Completing KYC verification before requesting a withdrawal is the best way to avoid delays.
Does Mad Casino remain Mad Casino licensed and safe for Portuguese players?
Yes, Mad Casino operates under a valid gambling license that requires strict player protection measures, such as fund segregation, fair game audits, and responsible gaming tools. The site uses SSL encryption to secure all data transmissions, and the live dealer studios are regularly audited. You can find the license information in the website footer and verify it with the issuing authority for complete peace of mind.
Security, Safety, and Equitable Gaming
Reliability is the basis of any online casino experience, and Mad Casino accepts that duty diligently. The operator operates under a acknowledged gambling license, which you can verify by navigating to the footer of the homepage. This license mandates the operator to observe strict rules about player fund separation, fair game conclusions, and responsible marketing. I always search for the license seal because it indicates there is an external body you can consult if a dispute ever occurs. In practice, the fact that thousands of players depend on the site daily shows you a lot about its trustworthiness.
On the technical front, the entire site is protected by SSL encryption, so your personal and financial data travel through a secure tunnel that third parties cannot intercept. The live dealer games are broadcast from studios that undergo regular reviews, and the RNG-based games use certified random number generators tested by independent labs. I have personally validated the presence of game fairness certificates by reviewing the information icons within several slot games. Beyond the tech, the casino fosters a healthy gambling setting with deposit limits, reality checks, session timers, and self-exclusion options that you can trigger without needing to notify support.
Safe Gaming Tools
I believe a great casino is one that allows you to play on your own terms, and Mad Casino provides a thorough responsible gaming toolkit. From your account dashboard, you can establish daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits that activate immediately. You can also trigger a reality check that appears after a set period of play, notifying you how long you have been active and presenting your net result for the session. If you need a break, the cooling-off feature lets you to pause your account for a chosen number of days, during which you cannot access or receive promotional communications.
For those who need a longer break, the self-exclusion option is simple and can be implemented for six months, a year, or longer. I recognize that the casino also offers direct links to professional support organizations that focus in problem gambling. These resources are present in Portuguese, which removes language barriers at a critical moment. The entire approach seems proactive rather than just a box-checking exercise, and that provides me confidence that the operator genuinely worries about player wellbeing.
A Casino Floor That Reaches Far Beyond the Live Dealer Tables
While live dealer games are the star feature, the wider game selection at Mad Casino is not just an afterthought. I have devoted time browsing the slot collection, and it offers everything from classic three-reel fruit machines to the latest Megaways releases with cascading reels and six-figure max wins. The search and filter tools allow you to sort by provider, theme, or feature, so you can easily locate titles with bonus buy options, high volatility, or jackpot wheels. I value that new games are added frequently, which keeps the lobby feeling fresh and offers a reason to check back regularly.
Table game purists will also discover a good variety of RNG-powered versions for when you wish to play at your own pace without a live dealer. I have tried the RNG blackjack, roulette, and baccarat tables, and they perform smoothly with fair, certified outcomes. Video poker fans can enjoy popular variants like Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, while scratch cards and virtual sports offer quick-play options for short sessions. The diversity means you can move between high-energy live tables and a relaxed slot session without ever leaving the same account, which makes bankroll management simpler and more enjoyable.
Compete on Any Device Without Skipping a Beat
I carry out most of my gaming on a smartphone, and I suspect many of you also do. Mad Casino has put resources heavily in a mobile-first design that works beautifully across iOS and Android devices without needing a downloadable app. The site loads quickly in a standard browser, and the layout adapts smartly to fit your screen. I have played live roulette on a five-inch phone display, and the betting grid kept its usability, with swipe gestures to zoom in on the wheel. The stream quality is adaptive, so it scales down gracefully if your connection dips, which prevents buffering during crucial moments.
Tablet users receive an even more immersive experience, with the extra screen real estate presenting the chat, game history, and betting options simultaneously. I have also tried the platform on a laptop and desktop, and the larger view allows multi-tabling by opening several live games in different browser tabs. The consistent design language across devices means you never have to relearn the interface when you move from phone to computer. For players who favor a dedicated app, it is worth reviewing the site footer for any native app links, but the browser version is so polished that I hardly feel the need for one.
Promotions and Promotions That Reward Your Play
I always review the promotions page before I settle on a casino, and Mad Casino offers a strong job of balancing a hefty welcome with continuous value. The welcome offer usually pairs a deposit match with a bundle of free spins or a live casino cashback component, providing you a taste of both the slots and the live tables. I appreciate that the terms are presented clearly, so you see exactly what the wagering requirement is and which games count the most. As a first-person tip, I always read the fine print on maximum bet limits during bonus play because going over them can void your winnings, and Mad Casino spells that out.
Once you are beyond the welcome stage, the promotions keep coming. I have observed weekday reload bonuses, weekend cashback on live dealer losses, and slot tournaments with prize pools that bring a competitive edge. There is usually a loyalty or VIP programme that monitors your play and compensates you with points you can convert into bonus cash or other perks. The key is to opt in where needed and monitor the promotions inbox. I have discovered that the most valuable deals are the ones tailored to the games you actually play, so if you are primarily a live casino fan, hunt for cashback offers that exactly cover roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.
Comprehending Wagering Requirements
No bonus discussion is finished unless it includes tackling wagering requirements, and I want to be honest about their mechanics. A common welcome bonus might carry a 35x to 40x playthrough applied to the bonus, sometimes covering the deposit and bonus. This means you have to place bets a specific total prior to withdrawing any bonus-related winnings. At Mad Casino, different games contribute in different ways: slots generally count 100%, while live dealer games and table games may contribute 10% or less. I make sure to check the contribution table since playing the wrong games could slow your progress significantly. The good news is that the platform tracks your wagering progress in real time, so you can see exactly how much is outstanding.
Another detail I pay attention to is the time limit. Most bonuses offer you anywhere from 7 to 30 days to meet the requirements, and if you do not complete them, the bonus and any associated winnings are forfeited. I advise setting a practical plan based on your usual bet size. If you are a occasional player, a bonus with a lower playthrough and lengthier expiry is usually more reachable than a large match with a short deadline. Mad Casino’s support team can clarify any confusion, and I have experienced them quick to reply when I have inquired about specific terms, which is invariably a encouraging sign.
Undefeated rivals face off tonight when the No. 2 Bulldogs face the No. 6 Crimson Tide
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One of the biggest regular-season games of the 2026 college football season is happening tonight when the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs face the No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Date, start time: Saturday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Georgia and Alabama are both looking like powerhouses ahead of tonight’s matchup with nothing in their loss columns. The last time the rivals met, Georgia picked up the 2025 SEC title, and Bama will be hungry to avenge it.
How to Watch Georgia vs. Alabama Game: Date, Time, Channel
The Georgia vs. Alabama game is airing on Saturday, Oct. 10 on ESPN. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
Where to Stream Georgia vs. Alabama Game Online Free
Cord-cutters will be able to livestream the Georgia vs. Alabama game online using any service that carries ESPN, including DirecTV, Fubo, and Hulu + Live TV. DirecTV and Fubo offer a free trial that you can use to watch Georgia vs. Alabama for free online. The game will also be available to stream on ESPN Unlimited, although that one doesn’t currently have a free trial offer. Here are more details on each of these streamers:
DirecTV
ESPN is available in DirecTV’s MySports Genre Pack and all of its larger Signature Packages. All of these start with a five-day free trial — use that to watch tonight’s game at no cost. The plans start at $64.99 a month if you want to keep the service, but you’ll also get an introductory discount for up to three months (depending on which package you choose) before paying that full price.
Fubo
Fubo carries ESPN in both of its English-language packages (Core and Ultra), and it offers a five-day free trial for a free Georgia vs. Alabama stream. After the trial ends, the Core package renews at $63.99 for month one and $88.99 a month after that. The Ultra package costs $68.99 for the first month after the free trial and $98.99 a month starting with month two.
ESPN Unlimited
Another way to stream the Georgia vs. Alabama game is with ESPN Unlimited, which offers everything on ESPN in one app. Subscriptions cost $29.99 a month or $229.99 a year, which makes it the most affordable option on this list, but you don’t get a free trial.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is another great service you can use to stream Georgia vs. Alabama online, offering ESPN in its lineup of 100+ channels. The streamer does not currently offer a free trial, sadly, but you do get 50% off your first month. That means you’ll pay $49.99 for your first month and $99.99 a month thereafter.
Creating an account at Cafe Casino is the entry point to a full range of online casino entertainment that UK players can experience from any device. Because the operator handles real-money wagering, the first steps you complete, setting up a profile, validating your identity, and picking payment methods, determine how smoothly deposits, withdrawals, and gameplay will proceed later. This review covers the entire process in practical detail so you understand exactly what information is needed, how long each stage typically takes, and what to look forward to once you are verified and ready to play.
Funding Options and How Verification Influences Funding Speed
Once verification is completed, the full list of deposit options becomes available in the cashier. UK players typically see Visa and Mastercard debit cards, instant bank transfers via open-banking providers, and several e-wallets. Card deposits generally appear in the account balance within minutes, while open-banking transfers are processed in a single banking day. E-wallet deposits are also virtually instant but may carry a small fee based on the provider.
Verification status directly impacts deposit limits. Unverified accounts are limited to a low daily threshold, often sufficient for testing the platform. After verification the limits increase to standard levels that cater to typical recreational play. If you intend to deposit larger amounts regularly, it is advisable completing verification first so you are not interrupted mid-session by a sudden limit prompt.
Some payment providers also enforce their own verification rules. If you plan to use an e-wallet that you have not before linked to a gambling site, you may need to pass an additional identity check with that provider before the first deposit clears. Leaving extra time for this secondary check prevents last-minute surprises when you are ready to fund your account.
Standard Processing Times for Each Method
Debit card deposits: credited in under two minutes once verification is finished. Open-banking bank transfers: settled within a few hours during banking hours. E-wallet deposits: credited instantly, though the originating wallet may apply its own processing rules. These timeframes are listed in the cashier section so you can select the method that suits your schedule.
Protection Protocols and Licensing That Shield UK Players
Cafe Casino runs under a UK Gambling Commission licence, which applies strict rules on fund isolation, data protection, and fair gaming. The licence number is presented in the footer of every page, allowing you to verify its legitimacy on the Commission’s public register. In addition, the site uses 256-bit SSL encryption for all data transfers and stores sensitive documents in encrypted repositories accessible only to authorised compliance staff.
Regular independent audits test the random-number generators behind each game and confirm that payout percentages match published figures. When you create an account you accept to these standards. The verification process simply confirms that you are a real person entitled to benefit from them. Knowing these protections exist provides reassurance that your personal data and deposited funds are handled according to UK legal requirements rather than solely by the operator’s internal policies.
Players can further strengthen their own security by reviewing the activity log that appears in the account settings. This log lists every login attempt, device used, and withdrawal request. Spotting unfamiliar entries early lets you contact support before any unauthorised transaction occurs, adding a practical layer of protection that reinforces the site’s technical safeguards.
The Importance of Account Verification at Cafe Casino
Verification is not an optional extra. It is the foundation that lets Cafe Casino function within the UK’s strict regulatory environment. Without a fully processed check, players cannot make deposits, withdrawals, or claim any real-money offers. The process benefits both sides. It stops underage access, lowers fraud risk, and meets the licensing requirements that enable the site to present games to UK residents in the first place. Being aware of these rules before starting saves you time and avoids the frustration of having funds delayed later because documents were missing.
Account verification also grants access to all banking features. Once your identity is established, withdrawal requests move from a pending state to processed status without repeated manual reviews. In practice this means that when you ask for a payout via your chosen method, whether a bank transfer or an e-wallet, the transaction can be processed within the standard processing windows rather than being slowed down by additional compliance queries. A verified profile therefore directly influences how quickly you can get your winnings.
Another benefit emerges when you want to utilize seasonal promotions or loyalty rewards. Cafe Casino links many of these offers to verified accounts so that bonus funds and cashback credits are released without extra paperwork. Players who skip verification often find out that their accumulated points cannot be cashed in until the compliance team has cleared the outstanding documents. Completing the process early therefore protects both your balance and any future rewards you may earn through regular play.
Payout Procedure: Schedules, Limits, and Security Checks
Requesting funds goes through a straightforward sequence cafescasino.eu. To start, choose the identical method used for deposit where feasible. This reduces additional verification requests. Type in the amount, verify your details, and submit the request. Cafe Casino then conducts a last compliance check, usually done within one business day, before transferring the funds. The real transfer time depends on the payment provider. Card withdrawals commonly appear on your statement within three to five banking days, while e-wallet withdrawals can arrive in your account the same day.
Day-to-day and monthly withdrawal limits are listed in the cashier after login. These limits scale with your verification level and playing history. If you require a temporary boost, the support team can assess your account and update limits, though such requests are judged individually and never assured. Holding withdrawal requests within published limits sidesteps delays brought on by extra manual reviews.
Common Causes for Pending Withdrawals
Inconsistent names between the account and the payment method.
Unresolved verification documents requested after a large win.
Requests filed on weekends or UK bank holidays when compliance staff are limited.
Numerous rapid withdrawal attempts that set off automatic fraud-prevention flags.
Documents Needed for Identity Verification
UK players are required to submit two separate categories of documents: proof of identity and proof of address. Approved identity documents consist of a valid passport, a photocard driving licence, or a government-issued national identity card. Proof of address may be a utility bill, council tax statement, or bank statement dated within the last three months and clearly showing your name and UK residential address. All documents can be uploaded directly through the member area under the “Verification” tab.
The site accepts common file formats, PDF, JPEG, and PNG, and each file has to be under 5 MB. If a document is rejected because of poor image quality or an expired date, the system sends an email listing the exact issue so you may resubmit without guessing what went wrong. Most UK players get through this stage within 24 hours if they make clear scans or photos in advance.
Before you submit anything, it helps to rename each file with your registered name and the document type. For example, “John-Smith-Passport.jpg” makes it immediately clear to the compliance team which file relates to which requirement. This small organisational step cuts down on back-and-forth emails and maintains your verification timeline on track.
Managing Name Discrepancies
Slight differences between the name on your registration form and the name on your documents are common, especially after marriage or when using a middle name. Cafe Casino permits you to upload a short explanatory note or a marriage certificate alongside the primary documents. The compliance team reviews these cases individually, usually within one additional business day, rather than automatically rejecting reddit.com the application.
Mobile Experience: Setting Up and Verification on the Go
Cafe Casino’s mobile site reflects the desktop registration and verification flow, enabling UK players to complete every step from a smartphone or tablet. The responsive design modifies field sizes for touch input, and document uploads can be made directly with the device camera. No separate app is required. The browser-based platform deals with both gameplay and account management without additional downloads.
Because many players first discover the site through mobile advertising, the operator has optimised load times so the registration form shows up within three seconds on a standard 4G connection. Once logged in, the same two-factor authentication settings are valid across devices, which means a code generated on your phone works for desktop logins as well. This consistency removes friction when switching between screens during a gaming session.
Mobile users should also consider browser permissions. Enabling the site to access your camera makes document uploads faster, while enabling cookies guarantees that your login session remains active if you switch between the casino lobby and the cashier. Configuring these settings once stops repeated prompts each time you return to the site on the same device.
Setting up Your Cafe Casino Profile: Step-by-Step
The registration form is purposefully short and shows up on the homepage as a clearly marked “Join Now” button. Clicking it opens a modal window that requires basic personal details: full legal name, date of birth, residential address including postcode, email address, and a chosen password. Because Cafe Casino targets UK customers, the form recognises a UK postcode format and asks you to select Great Britain as your country, eliminating any ambiguity about which regulatory rules apply.
After the initial details are submitted, the system instantly checks for duplicate accounts and verifies that you are over the legal age of 18. You then receive an automated email containing a verification link. Clicking it activates the profile and logs you into the member area. At this stage the account is active for browsing games and viewing promotions, but any attempt to deposit will trigger the next layer of verification before funds can be accepted.
During this first login you can also set communication preferences. The site inquires whether you would like to receive marketing emails or SMS messages about new games and limited-time offers. You can modify these settings later in the account panel, but selecting your choices early reduces the volume of messages you receive while you are still getting used to the platform.
Choosing a Secure Username and Password
Security starts with the credentials you create. Cafe Casino requires passwords to contain at least eight characters, including one uppercase letter, one number, and one symbol. While the site does not impose periodic password changes, it does provide two-factor authentication via authenticator app once you complete verification. Enabling this option includes an extra six-digit code at each login, substantially reducing the risk of unauthorised access even if your password is compromised elsewhere.
Players who reuse passwords across multiple sites should think about generating a unique string for Cafe Casino. A password manager can keep the new credentials and autofill them on future visits, taking away the temptation to simplify the password for convenience. The extra minute spent creating a strong, unique password is insignificant compared with the time required to recover a locked account after a security incident.
Closing Reflections on Optimizing Your Cafe Casino Setup
Completing account creation and verification at Cafe Casino is a straightforward sequence that rewards preparation. By gathering the correct identity and address documents before you start, most UK players move from initial registration to full verification in less than 48 hours. Once verified, you acquire immediate access to the full range of deposit and withdrawal options, higher transaction limits, and the ability to request any promotional offers that require a confirmed identity. The practical takeaway is simple. Treat verification as the first strategic step rather than an afterthought, and the rest of your experience at Cafe Casino continues without unnecessary interruptions.
Big news for “Naruto” fans: the franchise is getting a new anime TV series and author Masashi Kishimoto is releasing another “Naruto” manga titled “Shadow Rising.”
The news was announced Saturday during a “Naruto” panel at New York Comic Con.
As we began assessing the player protection framework at RivO Kasino Casino, we went past the superficial claims and investigated the real instruments, limits, and help systems that matter most to Swedish players. The Swedish gambling market is closely supervised by Spelinspektionen, and any brand focusing on Sweden must comply with strict player protection rules. That regulatory foundation creates a robust foundation, but the real test is how a brand expands upon those mandates to give you true command. In this review, we examine every player protection feature we could find at RivO Casino, explain how each one works in practice, and highlight what you should do to use them effectively. We center on deposit management, time controls, self‑assessment, cooling‑off and exclusion options, minor protection, and connections to Swedish help organisations. By the end, you will obtain a precise understanding of whether the casino’s safeguards align with your needs and how you can use them to maintain balanced gaming and enjoyable.
Session Duration Monitoring and Reality Check Notifications
Time can fly by unnoticed when you are immersed in slots or live dealer games, which is why session duration tools are so important. RivO Casino allows you to set a session limit in minutes, and once that limit is reached, you are logged out automatically and stopped from logging back in until a set cool‑down period expires. You can pick the session length from a range of options, typically beginning at 30 minutes and reaching several hours. We tested the feature and found the logout to be strict yet courteous: a clear on‑screen message reminds you of the time you have spent and urges you to take a break.
Reality Check Notifications That Keep You Grounded
In addition to strict session limits, the casino offers reality check pop‑ups that appear at intervals you set. These notifications do not disrupt gameplay suddenly; they display a gentle reminder showing your current session duration, total wagered, and net result so far. You can close the pop‑up and continue, or use the chance to step away. We view reality checks one of the most overlooked but powerful tools because they disrupt the autopilot mode that can lead to recovering losses. We advise setting them to 30 or 45 minutes, especially if you play fast‑paced slots. The mix of a reality check every half hour and a hard session cap at two hours creates a rhythm that keeps your play conscious rather than impulsive.
How RivO Casino Manages Responsible Gaming in Sweden
RivO Casino operates under a Swedish gambling licence, which instantly sets a high bar for player protection. The licence requires the operator to provide a mandatory set of responsible gaming tools, covering deposit limits, time limits, and a direct link to the national self‑exclusion register Spelpaus. We observed that RivO Casino does not treat these as a box‑ticking exercise. The responsible gaming section is visibly signposted from the footer of every page, and the language utilized is direct and free of jargon. Instead of concealing the tools in a hard‑to‑find submenu, the casino places them inside a dedicated “Responsible Gaming” hub that you can access with a single click. This transparency is the first clue that the brand views the topic seriously.
What struck us most is how the hub merges self‑service controls with educational content. You will find short, practical explanations of how each tool functions, why it counts, and what to look for when you activate it. There is also a clear declaration that the casino’s staff get training to spot signs of problematic play and can reach out proactively if your behaviour activates certain risk indicators. While we cannot confirm the exact training programme, the existence of this commitment corresponds with the Swedish regulator’s emphasis on duty of care. For a Swedish player, this means you are not left alone with a set of sliders; there is a human safety net behind the digital controls. We recommend spending ten minutes exploring this hub before you deposit, because understanding where the emergency brakes are located helps it much easier to use them when you want them.
Safeguarding Minors and Verification of Identity
Stopping underage gambling is a regulatory mandate in Sweden, and RivO Casino uses a strong identity verification process to enforce it. When you register, you must undergo an electronic identification check using BankID, a method that validates your age and identity against authoritative Swedish population records. This step is compulsory before you can fund your account or access any game, including demo versions. We examined the registration flow and discovered that the BankID integration is smooth and takes less than a minute for anyone with a legitimate Swedish personal identity number.
Aside from the initial check, the casino states that it conducts periodic re‑verification and oversees accounts for indications that a minor might be entering the platform. The responsible gaming page also includes helpful advice for parents and guardians, such as employing parental control software and ensuring login credentials confidential. We value that the casino approaches underage protection as an continuous responsibility rather than a one‑time gate. If you use a device with children, we highly suggest enabling the session time tools we described earlier and always logging out after each session, because even the best verification system cannot replace home-level vigilance.
Cooling-Off Periods and Cooling-off periods
Sometimes you need more than a session limit; you need a complete pause from the casino for a few days or weeks. RivO Casino features a cooling‑off feature that enables you suspend your account for a period you select, varying from 24 hours up to six weeks. During a cooling‑off period, you are unable to log in, deposit, or receive marketing communications. Any pending withdrawals are processed normally, so your money is never trapped. We value that the casino makes it impossible to cancel a cooling‑off once it has been activated. This irreversibility is essential because it eliminates the temptation to reverse the decision during a moment of weakness.
Starting a cooling‑off is straightforward: you select the duration from a dropdown in the responsible gaming section, confirm your choice, and the account is immediately suspended. When the period ends, your account automatically reactivates without requiring you to contact support. We think this is a well‑designed middle ground between a full self‑exclusion and doing nothing. It works especially well after a larger‑than‑expected loss or when you observe that gambling is starting to interfere with your sleep or mood. We recommend using a cooling‑off as a reset button rather than a punishment; a one‑week break can restore perspective faster than any limit adjustment.
Collaboration with Swedish Support Organisations
No responsible gaming framework is complete without solid links to independent help services. RivO Casino prominently features contact information for Stödlinjen, the Swedish national helpline for problem gambling. The phone number, website, and chat link are presented in the responsible gaming hub and also show up in the footer of every page. Stödlinjen provides free, confidential support in Swedish, and its counsellors are trained to help both gamblers and their affected family members. We confirmed that the links direct you to the official Stödlinjen site without any intermediary tracking.
In addition to Stödlinjen, the casino references other resources such as Spelberoendes Riksförbund, a nationwide association that runs self‑help groups and peer support meetings across Sweden. While we could not verify the depth of the casino’s partnership with these organisations, the mere act of surfacing them in a visible way is a positive sign. We would like to see RivO Casino go a step further by hosting joint awareness campaigns or funding research, but for now, the existing signposting provides you a clear path to professional help. If you ever feel that the on‑site tools are not enough, picking up the phone and calling Stödlinjen is a concrete next step that can make a real difference.
Setting Personal Deposit Limits: Daily, Seven-Day, Thirty-Day
Deposit limits serve as the basis of any solid responsible gaming setup, and RivO Casino gives you three time periods to work with: daily, weekly, and monthly caps. When you access the deposit limit panel in your account, you will notice separate fields for each period. We value this multi‑layered strategy because it lets you mirror your actual budget rhythm. If you get paid monthly, you can establish a monthly ceiling that corresponds to your entertainment allowance, then apply a tighter weekly cap to stop front‑loading your play. The daily limit acts as a final safety net, preventing a single session from getting out of hand beyond what you intended.
The Manner Immediate Decreases and Delayed Increases Work
Swedish regulations stipulate that any lowering to a deposit limit becomes effective immediately, while an increase must go through a cooling‑off period. At RivO Casino, we confirmed that lowering a limit stops further deposits above the new threshold right away. If you seek to raise a limit, the system applies a 72‑hour waiting period before the change becomes active. This is a essential protective measure because it takes away the capability to overrule a sensible limit on a whim during a losing streak. We always counsel players to place limits slightly below their absolute maximum, understanding they can lower them instantly but cannot loosen them in the thick of the moment. The interface also displays your remaining available deposit amount for each period, so you never have to carry out mental arithmetic while playing.
Personal Ban and National Self-Exclusion Linking
For Swedish players, the most effective responsible gaming tool is Spelpaus, the national self‑exclusion register managed by Spelinspektionen. RivO Casino is fully linked with Spelpaus, meaning that if you register a self‑exclusion on the Spelpaus website, you will be immediately blocked from accessing your RivO Casino account and from creating a new one. The exclusion can be set for one month, three months, six months, or indefinitely, and it applies to all licensed gambling operators in Sweden. We checked that the casino’s login page clearly describes this connection and provides a direct link to the Spelpaus portal.
Casino‑Specific Self‑Exclusion as an Extra Layer
In addition to Spelpaus, RivO Casino provides its own self‑exclusion option for players who want to block only this particular site. You can request a permanent account closure through the responsible gaming hub or by contacting customer support. Once the closure is processed, the casino will not send you promotional material and will prevent you from opening a new account using the same personal details. We see this as a beneficial complement to Spelpaus if you feel that your play is under control on other sites but want to withdraw from RivO Casino specifically. The process is clearly detailed, and support agents are equipped to handle such requests without pressuring you to stay.
Self-Evaluation Quizzes and Risk Awareness
RivO Casino offers a self‑assessment questionnaire that assists you in evaluating your gambling habits in a structured way. The test is derived from common screening questions used by problem gambling researchers, covering areas such as preoccupation, chasing losses, misrepresenting gambling, and borrowing money to play. You complete a series of yes‑or‑no questions, and the system gives you an immediate score with a plain‑language interpretation. We discovered the feedback to be unbiased and action‑oriented. If your score indicates elevated risk, the result page directs you toward the cooling‑off and self‑exclusion tools, as well as to Stödlinjen.
We suggest taking this test every few months, even if you consider yourself completely in control. Gambling habits can evolve gradually, and a quick check‑in can catch early warning signs before they become serious problems. Some of the red flags the test emphasizes include:
Having to gamble with larger amounts to feel the same excitement.
Feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut down.
Repeatedly trying to win back money you have lost.
Playing to escape from stress, anxiety, or low mood.
Fabricating to family or friends about how much time or money you spend gambling.
If you identify two or more of these behaviours, the test will carefully guide you toward the support resources available both on the site and through Swedish helplines.
FAQ
How can I set a deposit limit at RivO Casino?
You are able to set daily, weekly, and monthly deposit limits directly in your account settings under the responsible gaming section. Select the amount you are satisfied with for each period and store your changes. Any decrease takes effect immediately, while an increase requires a 72‑hour cooling‑off period prior to activation. The interface indicates your remaining available deposit amount so you can always see where you stand.
What exactly is Spelpaus and how it functions with RivO Casino?
Spelpaus is Sweden’s national self‑exclusion register, administered by Spelinspektionen. When you register on the Spelpaus website, you are prevented from all licensed gambling operators in Sweden, such as RivO Casino, for the period you choose. The exclusion cannot be undone early. RivO Casino is completely connected with Spelpaus, so the block takes effect immediately across the website and mobile access alike.
Can I take a short break without fully closing my account?
Absolutely, the cooling‑off feature lets you suspend your account for a period spanning from 24 hours to six weeks. During this time you are not able to log in, deposit, or obtain marketing messages. The suspension is not cancellable once activated, and your account is restored automatically when the chosen period ends. This is perfect if you need a temporary pause to get a fresh perspective.
Does RivO Casino provide reality checks during gameplay?
Absolutely. You can set reality check notifications to show up at intervals you set, such as every 30 or 45 minutes. The pop‑up indicates how long you have been playing, your total wagered amount, and your net result. You can then decide to continue or log out. It is a gentle but effective way to stay aware of your time and spending without breaking the flow of the game.
What occurs if I fail the self‑assessment test?
The self‑assessment test lacks a pass or fail outcome. It provides you a risk score based on your answers and clarifies what that score means. If your score suggests a higher risk of problem gambling, the result page includes direct links to cooling‑off, self‑exclusion, and Stödlinjen. The casino does not limit your account based on the test result alone, but it urges you to use the available tools.
In what way does RivO Casino prevent underage gambling?
Registration requires a mandatory identity check using BankID, which confirms your age against official Swedish records. You may not deposit or play any game until this check is completed. The casino also performs periodic re‑verification and offers guidance for parents on keeping accounts secure. These measures form a strong barrier against minors accessing the platform, though household‑level vigilance continues to be important.
After assessing every responsible gaming tool at RivO Casino, we can say that the operator offers a framework that is both compliant with Swedish law and genuinely functional for players who want to stay in control. The deposit, time, and reality check tools are easy to find and adjust, the cooling‑off and self‑exclusion options encompass the full spectrum from short breaks to permanent blocks, and the integration with Spelpaus and Stödlinjen connects you directly to Sweden’s national safety net. The real value, however, depends on you activating these features before you sense you need them. We encourage you to log into your account right now, set a deposit cap that matches your entertainment budget, and turn on a reality check at 45 minutes. Those two small actions turn the casino’s responsible gaming promise into a personal safety system that works quietly in the background, leaving you free to enjoy the games with a clear mind.
After close to ten years behind scaffolding, the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal is preparing for the grand unveiling of its facade, scheduled for October 25.
While the restoration of the facade is complete, the basilica still has several years of work ahead of it. About 20 per cent of the necessary work has been completed, said Michel Issa, executive director of the Fabrique de la paroisse Notre-Dame de Montréal.
He estimates that work on the exterior of the church will take four years, but said this figure may be optimistic. The interior restoration of the basilica might take another five to ten years, he said.
The total cost of the restoration will add up to $100 million, said Issa. To fund this work, the basilica organizes benefit concerts, generates revenue from its coffee shop, Le Firmament, and holds fundraisers.
A woman walks by Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal, Friday, April 10, 2020, as COVID-19 cases rise in Canada and around the world.
Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
The latest fundraising campaign is based on a new idea: leaving a virtual mark on the church’s stones.
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Donors have the option to “sponsor a stone” and inscribe a digital message on the building’s facade.
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“We would have liked to engrave the stones themselves, but unfortunately, that’s a logistical nightmare that’s impossible to pull off,” said Issa, adding that the process would reduce the stones’ durability.
The messages will be viewable using a cellphone directly on the church’s facade via augmented reality, or elsewhere by projecting a model of the facade onto a flat surface. Issa compared this augmented reality process to the one used by the viral app Pokemon Go.
People can already sponsor a stone, but the messages will not be viewable until early 2027.
The renovations come with this steep price tag because they involve the entire structure of the basilica.
“All the masonry in the building needs to be reinforced and restored,” said Mathieu Verreault, director of tourism and operations for the basilica.
“After years of freezing and thawing, the stone has cracked in several places.”
The stones used to build the basilica came from an old quarry in the Mile End neighbourhood of Montreal. Those placed higher up were salvaged from the bottom of the quarry and were of lower quality, said Verreault.
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On top of that, some were placed “the wrong way.”
“It’s sedimentary stone, so there are layers, and they have to be laid horizontally. If you lay them vertically, the stones are more permeable to rain,” he said.
Some of the mortar that held the stones in place was also replaced with epoxy, which put greater pressure on the stones.
“People were doing the best they could with the knowledge they had at the time, and, of course, in the long run, all these choices — which have proven questionable over time — have led to the situation we see today,” said Verreault.
A woman light a candle during a mass celebrated in solidarity with the Archdiocese of Paris following yesterday’s fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal on Tuesday, April 16, 2019. The Montreal basilica is inspired by the famed Paris cathedral.
Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press
These exterior weaknesses also affect the interior, with water infiltration and moisture problems leading, for example, to the deterioration of painted decorations.
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These are not being repainted. Instead, the parish is attempting to reattach each flake of paint.
“(It’s) very labour-intensive, very time-consuming, but it’s best practice in heritage conservation,” said Verreault.
The basilica’s star-studded blue vault is among the sections that will need to be restored.
“We’re talking about scaffolding about ten storeys high, which means our concerts and tours will most likely be interrupted,” which will cut off the church’s revenue, said Issa.
If all this work is not done, the deterioration threatens to progress exponentially, causing even more problems in the future.
For nearly 50 years, the woman by Mike Ditka’s side was his wife, Diana Ditka. The Chicago Bears legend, who coached the team to its only Super Bowl title, died on October 9, 2026, surrounded by family and friends. While Mike spent decades as one of the loudest voices in football, Diana was the steady presence who kept their home and family grounded, and she became his fiercest protector in his final years.
Keep reading to learn more about Diana, their decades-long marriage and the family Mike leaves behind.
Who Was Mike Ditka’s Wife?
Mike’s wife is Diana Ditka, born Diana Trantham. She largely kept out of the public eye during her husband’s coaching career, even as the Ditka name became a fixture across Chicago. The couple shared a life that stretched from the city’s sidelines to Florida and back again, and Diana was there for every move.
When the family announced Mike’s death, the statement began by honoring him as a husband first, per TMZ.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka.”
How Long Were Mike and Diana Ditka Married?
Diana and Mike tied the knot on July 8, 1977, and they were married for more than 49 years. She married him five years before he took over as head coach of the Bears, so she lived through the whole ride with him, from the team’s famous 1985 season and Super Bowl XX victory to his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 1988.
After their Chicago restaurant closed in 2020, the couple spent a few years living in Florida. They returned to Chicago in 2024, settling back into the same apartment complex they had called home before heading south.
How Did Diana Ditka Care for Mike Before His Death?
Mike’s health declined in his later years after a stroke in 2012 and a major heart attack in 2018. As his memory began to fade, Diana became his voice, often filling in the words he couldn’t find, and the couple brought caretakers into their home to help.
When rumors spread in November 2024 that Mike had entered hospice, Diana shut them down in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, per Fox News.
“But my husband is NOT in hospice.”
Her loyalty stayed with him to the very end. The family’s statement after his death closed with a tribute to the man she spent half her life beside.
“Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever.”
Who Was Mike Ditka’s First Wife?
Before he met Diana, Mike was married to Margery Dougherty. The couple wed on January 28, 1961, and divorced in 1973. Together, they welcomed four children: sons Michael, Mark and Matthew, and daughter Megan.
When Diana married Mike, she became a stepmother to all four, and the family she helped hold together grew to include grandchildren, as the statement made clear. Through every chapter, from Mike’s Pennsylvania roots to his final days in Chicago, Diana remained his anchor, and the tributes from across the NFL, including one from fellow legend Brett Favre, are a reminder of the life they built together.
While the film’s topic may seem like the subject of a dry history lecture, DuVernay viscerally explores how the post-Civil War Constitutional provisions in the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments embody foundational ideals about the U.S. and charts a harrowing look at efforts to challenge the multifaceted 14th Amendment, dating back to Reconstruction and continuing through the political fallout from the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots and present-day immigration raids and mass deportations, not to mention the efforts by President Trump and other Republican leaders to end or restrict the Amendment’s well-known guarantee of birthright citizenship.
At the premiere, DuVernay and documentary participants Stacey Abrams and Sherrilyn Ifill made it clear: The threat to the future of U.S. democracy is upon us, and it’s time to fight.
“I’m not really interested in instilling hope,” DuVernay told The Hollywood Reporter of what she hopes viewers take away from the film. Instead, she said she wanted people to “feel ignited.”
“I’m interested in stirring the fight in people,” she added. “We’ll see what happens.”
Introducing her documentary, which she said she completed two weeks ago to make it as timely as possible, DuVernay sounded the alarm.
“The erosion of democracy doesn’t announce itself,” she said onstage before Friday night’s screening at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. “It happens one day at a time and one exception at a time. Maybe the most dangerous thing about losing democracy is you can live your ordinary life while it’s happening. We need to fight, and I hope you come out of this film wanting to fight hard.”
Though Netflix isn’t releasing14th until after the 2026 midterm elections (it’s slated for a theatrical run starting Nov. 27 followed by a Dec. 4 streaming debut), Abrams and Ifill had urgent messages for voters ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.
“We are in the midst of a competitive authoritarian state. This is no longer a theory,” Abrams, the founder of voting-rights organization Fair Fight Action and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate, told THR ahead of 14th‘s premiere. “The Democracy Index, one of the international measures of democracy, says the U.S. is no longer a true democracy. But that’s not a permanent situation. We have the ability to claim it back. That starts with midterm elections, but it means we also have to understand what we face so that we understand what we can do.”
She added, “It’s going to take this film to remind people that the Constitution is a promise, but it’s also an obligation. And this is also a reminder that we are responsible for holding the Constitution accountable for what it promises, and that is equal protection under the law.”
Ifill stressed the vital importance of this year’s elections, which will determine control of Congress for the final two years of President Trump’s second term.
“I think everything is at stake,” the former head of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund told THR on the 14thred carpet. “This country has fractured in half before. 600,000 Americans were killed. We are at a point of fracture again. What we can learn from the 14th Amendment is our country can be refounded; it can be stitched back together. I would hope we can do it without the loss of life at that scale. I think that everything is on the line.”
Ifill ends the film telling viewers that it’s up to the people of this country to determine the future they want to see.
“We are all founders and framers,” she said. “This is the time, and you are the one.”
Any tongue that rises against Mike Flanagan shall fail. Like many people who hesitantly clicked “play” on Prime Video’s new Carrie series, I had my doubts coming in; the Stephen King thriller is a story that has been told time and time again, and often not well. Thankfully, we can trust Flanagan to usher in a new iteration of the story that moves the narrative to modern times without compromising the intensity and the horror of the original source material. Carrie feels fresh, dark, eerie, and (at times) hard to watch, which is exactly how it’s meant to be. It also helps that moving the show to the social media era elevates the terror of what this young girl felt. He’s done it again.
