Limited Series Writers on Adapting from Novels and Real Life History

The writers and creators behind some of TV’s biggest limited series took to the stage at Variety’s Night in the Writers Room on May 7 to give audiences a glimpse into their production processes and adapting material for television.

Moderated by Variety’s Senior Artisans Editor Jazz Tangcay, this year’s panel featured Annie Weisman of “Imperfect Women,” Connor Hines of “Love Story,” Mike Makowsky of “Death by Lightning” and Ian Brennan of “Monster: The Ed Gein Story.”

The creatives spoke about developing their shows and adapting their respective source material, whether it’s a true story or a novel.

In the case of “Death by Lightning,” which focuses on the assassination of President James Garfield, screenwriter and producer Makowsky said that he first encountered the original novel during a BOGO sale at a Barnes & Noble seven years ago. “I tried to have fun when I was writing [the show], because I didn’t want it to feel like a typical period piece,” said Makowsky. “I wanted it to feel like something that could have resonance in the 21st century, because I think the themes of the show are so relevant even today.”

For Weisman, “Imperfect Women” was brought to her by Elisabeth Moss, who starred in and executive produced the Apple TV drama. While the novel is set in England, Weisman explained certain changes that had to be made to set the story in America, including creating an interracial friendship.

Hines’ “Love Story” and Brennan’s “Monster” are both Ryan Murphy projects and draw from real-life history, albeit very different in nature. Hines mentioned that “The Crown,” which follows the story of Britain’s royal family, sent him “down a rabbit hole” about the closest American counterpart: the Kennedys. Sensitive to the fact that John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were beloved public figures, Hines explained they were “meticulous” in the research process. “What drew me to this project was how much I loved their love story, and how much reverence I had for John and Carolyn and their family… compassion was our North Star in the creative process.”

The story behind “Monster” was “tricky” to land on, according to Brennan, who describes serial killer Ed Gein as having “existed in the background,” making him harder to focus on as a subject. “He’s sort of an enigma, which is an opportunity and an obstacle,” said Brennan. “You’re guessing, but you’re actually trying to tell a fuller story.”

Casting actors to resemble an actual person was a unique process shared by the participants of the panel.

Moss reached out to co-stars Kerry Washington and Kate Mara for “Imperfect Women,” a process Weisman describes as “pleasantly smooth,” which almost never happens. Makowsky gave his actors a challenge, saying, “We cast Michael Shannon as the president, who’s this noble, lawful good, and Matthew Macfadyen as the madman who kills him. Most people would probably assume that you would have Matthew Macfadyen playing the white hat, and Michael Shannon playing the disturbed maniac, so it was really fun to see them both play against the type.”

Brennan referred to his cast of Charlie Hunnam, Laurie Metcalfe, Vicky Krieps and Tom Hollander in “Monster” as “an embarrassment of riches,” sharing an anecdote of Hunnam listening to any audio tapes of Gein he could find to nail his Midwestern accent.

Paul Kelly, who made his acting debut in “Love Story,” was the final piece in the casting puzzle. “It turns out it’s quite tricky, casting one of the most glamorous, magnetic, beautiful, charismatic couples of the 20th century who also have had their images splashed around the world for many years,” said Hines, who added they weren’t just seeking actors but people with an “X factor.” Two weeks before filming began, they had Kelly come in and instantly knew they wanted him to play JFK Jr. “Most importantly, Sarah Pidgeon [who plays Bessette] knew in that moment. She was like, ‘That’s the guy.’”

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Is ‘The WONDERfools’ on Netflix? Where to Watch the Series

Netflix subscription is required to watch on Netflix

Great news! “The WONDERfools” is available to watch on Netflix USA!

Date Added: 15th May 2026

Want to keep forever? Try looking for ‘The WONDERfools’ on Amazon (paid link)

Watch the Limited Series now

Synopsis:

A goofy group of townies stumbles into superpowers and fights rising evil as doomsday panic grows in this wild, turn-of-the-century action comedy.

Certificate: TV-14
Parents strongly cautioned. May not be suitable for ages under 14.

Year: 2026

Duration: Limited Series

Available Seasons: Season 1 (8 Ep)

Audio: German – Audio Description, German, English – Audio Description, English, Spanish (Latin America) – Audio Description, Spanish (Latin America), French – Audio Description, French, Korean – Audio Description, Korean [Original]

Subtitles: English, Spanish (Latin America), Korean, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional)

– English Audio Description

Cast and Crew

Cast: Park Eun-bin, Cha Eun-woo, Choi Dae-hoon, Im Seong-jae, Kim Hae-sook, Son Hyun-joo, Jeong E-suh, Choi Yoon-ji, Bae Na-ra

Production & Season Details:

Status: Ended”The WONDERfools” is a TV show produced by Kakao Entertainment, Fantagio and Nangman Crew. The show was originally broadcast on Netflix and premiered on May 15th 2026. “The WONDERfools” ended after 1 seasons and a total of 8 episodes.

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Available on Netflix USA!

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Where else can you watch ‘The WONDERfools’ on Netflix?

Want to keep forever? Why not rent or buy ‘The WONDERfools’ from one of the online services below?

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House Democrat Calls for Howard Lutnick to ‘Resign’ Over Epstein

Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-Virginia) appeared Friday on MS NOW to call for the resignation of Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick over his past, disproven claims about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, telling viewers Lutnick was “dishonest to the American people.”

Lutnick discussed Epstein in a closed-door testimony earlier this month in front of the House Oversight Committee. During his testimony, Lutnick was confronted with several inaccuracies in his previous claims about his relationship with Epstein. His insistence, for instance, that he never had any interactions with Epstein after 2005 was disproven by the Justice Department’s release of files related to the deceased sex trafficker earlier this month, which revealed that Lutnick had met with him at least three more times after that.

“It’s amazing that Republicans didn’t want to even videotape it. But now we know why,” Subramanyam, who serves on the House Oversight Committee, said Thursday of Lutnick’s testimony. “It’s because Ludnick was dishonest with us and evasive with us, once again, as he was with the American people.”

You can watch Subramanyam’s full MS NOW appearance yourself below.

“We asked him, ‘You said you were never in the room with him again after the first time you met him, but we have pictures of you on his island with him. What is the reasoning for that?’” Subramanyam revealed. “It would have been the easiest thing in the world to admit that he was dishonest or maybe he didn’t remember. But instead, he doubled down. He said, ‘Well, I was in the room with him again with my wife, so that doesn’t count.’”

Subramanyam additionally revealed that he asked Lutnick point blank why he even went to Epstein’s island at all.

“He says he doesn’t remember why he would travel all the way to Jeffrey Epstein’s island, and he is confounded by the fact that he was even there,” the Virginia congressman noted. “He said Jeffrey Epstein was a disgusting person, and yet he brought his wife and kids with him to that island, that island where so much sex trafficking happened and so many heinous crimes happened.”

“He was dishonest to the American people,” Subramanyam concluded of Lutnick, adding, “He should resign.”

Left to right: Ken Dilanian, Erielle Reshef and Michael Feinberg (Credit: MS NOW)

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Eight ways W.E.B. Du Bois used art as activism | American Masters

W.E.B. Du Bois (1868–1963) was one of the most influential intellectuals in the fight for civil rights.

Born just a few years after the Emancipation Proclamation and dying on the eve of the March on Washington, he left behind a rich body of work that merged artistry with a clear political purpose. “I do not care a damn for any art that is not used for propaganda,” he famously declared. Here are eight key works that exemplify how Du Bois turned art into activism.

1. The Paris Exposition (1900)

In the 1890s, while studying in Berlin, a young Du Bois began to establish himself as a sociologist. Those two years abroad were formative, exposing him to life beyond the United States and a different vision of how Black people could be perceived and treated. Less than a decade later, he crossed the Atlantic again for the Paris Exposition.

For the event, Du Bois curated “The Exhibit of American Negroes,” a groundbreaking display of Black American life and achievement. Over a period of six months, more than 50 million people passed through the Exposition, where he showcased albums, photographs, and remarkable visual work.

He turned data visualization into an art form, creating colorful hand-drawn charts, graphs, and maps that illustrated Black progress since emancipation in education, land ownership, and business. At a time when white supremacist narratives sought to depict Black Americans as inferior, Du Bois used art and data to challenge those myths before an international audience. The exhibit earned widespread praise in the American press and won a grand prize, while Du Bois himself received a gold medal.

2. The Souls of Black Folk (1903)

This landmark work by Du Bois was far more than another book in his growing body of scholarship. It blended essays, history, personal reflection, Negro spirituals, and fiction, merging art and intellect in a way that had not been done before. Early in the book, Du Bois introduces some of his most influential ideas, including double consciousness, twoness, and the veil. These were concepts that would shape Black thought for generations.

Each chapter opens with quotations from Negro spirituals, emphasizing Du Bois’s belief in music and oral tradition as forms of history and cultural memory. As poet and scholar Elizabeth Alexander explains, “He is saying Black people not only have a literary heritage, we also have a sung and spoken heritage, an oral tradition.”

Du Bois also used fiction as a form of protest within the book. Its thirteenth chapter, “The Coming of John,” tells the tragic story of a Black man whose education and ambition are crushed by the realities of white supremacy in the Jim Crow South, showing that education alone could not overcome structural racism.

**3. The Crisis (**1910–Present)

One year after helping found the NAACP, Du Bois became the founding editor of its official magazine, The Crisis. The title was intentional. As he wrote, “the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line,” and the crisis of the color line was the crisis of America. The magazine reached a broad audience, blending photography, visual art, poetry, and literature to celebrate Black achievement across economic, political, and cultural life. It also served as a platform to confront injustice. Sociology professor Aldon Morris observes, “In many Black homes, there were two publications that stood above all others. One was the Bible and the other was The Crisis magazine.”

As editor, curator, and writer, Du Bois used The Crisis as both a cultural showcase and a political sounding board during some of the most turbulent moments in American history, from World War I to racial riots and lynchings after the war. He also helped lay the groundwork for the Harlem Renaissance by publishing emerging writers such as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Zora Neale Hurston.

The Crisis remains a powerful political and cultural tool and the oldest continuously published Black-oriented magazine in existence.

4. The Star of Ethiopia (1911)

When the state of New York sought to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Du Bois envisioned and constructed a massive historical pageant called The Star of Ethiopia. The production traced the history of African peoples from pre-colonial civilizations through emancipation, serving as a direct corrective to racist depictions of Black history and culture. With more than 1,000 performers, it ran for several hours and required an enormous team to bring it to life.

Staged in baseball fields and large venues in cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, the pageant drew tens of thousands of spectators. For Black audiences, it offered a new way to see their history through a more positive and imaginative lens. For white audiences, it provided a broader and more accurate understanding of African and African American history.

5. The Brownies’ Book (1920–1921)

In 1920, Du Bois founded another magazine and served as its editor-in-chief, this time creating one specifically for children. The Brownies’ Book was the first magazine aimed at Black children. Through vivid imagery, essays, poetry, and stories, it captured young imaginations while teaching them about their history, African roots, and cultural traditions.

Artist Charly Palmer explains, “He wanted these beautiful children to know how great they are, to know how brilliant they are.” Du Bois sought to instill confidence, pride, and joy in Black children. The magazine was also deeply personal, allowing children to write directly to him for advice on a wide range of topics. He often responded and even offered guidance to parents on child-rearing.

Though short-lived, The Brownies’ Book created a space where Black children could see themselves reflected with pride, shaping how identity and possibility were imagined at an early age.

6. “The Comet” (1920)

In the aftermath of World War I, Black Americans returned home from fighting alongside white soldiers only to face continued violence and inequality. In 1919 alone, at least 77 Black Americans were lynched, including 11 veterans, a blatant reminder they were still not safe in their own country.

In response, Du Bois wrote Darkwater, one of his most radical works, a collection of essays on race and power. In “The Souls of White Folk,” he argued that white rule, built on violence and brute force, could not endure forever. Its most surprising chapter is “The Comet,” a work of science fiction. Long before the term Afrofuturism existed, Du Bois used speculative fiction to imagine a world transformed by catastrophe and to ask how race might function if society suddenly collapsed.

The story follows Jim, a Black man who survives a comet strike and believes he and a white woman may be the last people alive. In this new world, she sees him simply as a human being rather than through the lens of race. Through their bond, Du Bois explored race, equality, and possibility in ways only fiction could. As Professor Autumn Womack notes, “It is a world where Black people can be something that they are not in this world as we know it.”

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**7. Dark Princess (1928)**

Du Bois extended his influence into the Harlem Renaissance through his novel Dark Princess, which centers on an Indian princess who falls in love with a Black physician, making it one of his boldest and most unexpected works.

For a man so closely associated with sociology and scholarship, turning to fiction was a daring move, especially with a novel that was interracial, romantic, and at times erotic. In Dark Princess, Du Bois explored defining themes of his work, including double consciousness, racial solidarity, and global anti-colonial resistance.

The novel allowed him to reach readers beyond academic circles and extend his ideas through storytelling. Though it surprised critics and audiences, it remained one of his favorite works.

8. Black Reconstruction in America (1935)

Du Bois understood that racist historical narratives had long shaped how Americans understood the past. He wrote Black Reconstruction in America to challenge those narratives and counter racist portrayals such as The Birth of a Nation. At the time, the dominant Dunning School interpretation framed Reconstruction as a failure caused largely by Black political participation. Even Woodrow Wilson, in his earlier historical writings, reinforced white supremacist views and minimized the contributions of Black Americans.

In this groundbreaking work, Du Bois reexamined Reconstruction by centering Black agency and arguing that formerly enslaved people were active participants in democracy, labor movements, and the rebuilding of the South. He famously called the end of Reconstruction a “counter-revolution of property.”

With Black Reconstruction in America, he challenged the historical record and reclaimed the story of Black Americans in the nation’s past.

From his early days as a sociologist to his later work in pageantry, fiction, and history, W.E.B. Du Bois expanded what activism could be, using every medium available to challenge injustice and reshape how Black life was understood. His legacy endures as a reminder that art is never neutral, and that storytelling, scholarship, and creativity can challenge power and help drive lasting social change.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer.

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W.E.B. Du Bois (1868–1963) was one of

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Owner of Summerside dogs that killed boy tells court training was in the works

The owner of two dogs that killed an 11-year-old boy says she was working to get her Cane Corsos trained before the fatal attack.

Crystal MacDonald is on trial facing a charge of criminal negligence causing death after Kache Grist was fatally mauled by her Cane Corsos at her home in the Summerside neighbourhood in April 2024.

Court has heard the unneutered dogs, who weighed 50 kg (110 pounds) and 57 kg (125 pounds), severely a woman at MacDonald’s home less than two months before Kache’s death.

Image from video from the day of the attack on Tina Kelepouris.

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Tina Kelepouris went to MacDonald’s house with two other friends in February 2024.

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She had been interacting and playing with the dogs for several unremarkable minutes in the backyard, when the dogs unexpectedly attacked her.

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Kelepouris spent four days in hospital with three broken ribs, a punctured lung and more than a dozen stitches all over her body.

Click to play video: 'Woman hospitalized after attack by 2 dogs at same Edmonton home where boy died: lawyer'

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Woman hospitalized after attack by 2 dogs at same Edmonton home where boy died: lawyer

MacDonald said she had not arrived at her house yet when the attack happened, adding that the three friends let themselves inside.

She said she told one of the friends repeatedly that she did not want anyone playing with her dogs, as they had already killed a Pomeranian, a cat, and injured another person at the house.

MacDonald said after the attack on Kelepouris, she contacted several places to have her dogs trained and had an appointment lined up to neuter the more aggressive dog.

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Edmonton police stopping Crystal MacDonald from entering her home in south Edmonton’s Summerside neighbourhood, shortly after Kache Grist was killed by her two dogs in April 2024.

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The Crown, which wrapped up its case Thursday, opened the trial saying it would attempt to prove McDonald should have known her dogs were dangerous, given the reports of their aggressive history prior to the fatal attack on Kache.

The trial was previously told the unneutered dogs, which weighed more than 100 pounds each, had a history of attacking people and killing animals.

Click to play video: 'Mom of boy killed in Edmonton dog attack shares devastating grief'

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Mom of boy killed in Edmonton dog attack shares devastating grief

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— More to come…

With files from Karen Bartko, Global News

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

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Bruce Springsteen Snubs Chris Christie at Brooklyn Concert

Bruce Springsteen apparently had no time for former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at his Brooklyn concert.

Video shared via X by journalist Mike Ryan showcased an awkward moment during Springsteen and the E Street Band’s Barclays Center show on Thursday, May 14.

As “The Boss,” walked through the crowd to shake hands with fans, Christie, 63, stuck out his own hand — and was seemingly ignored when Springsteen, 76, walked past him. Christie immediately pulled back his hand, shrugged and resumed clapping along with the music.

Us Weekly has reached out to Christie and Springsteen’s representatives for comment.

<br />

Springsteen and Christie have a somewhat contentious history. The former governor is a self-professed Springsteen super-fan who has boasted of attending more than 100 of the rocker’s concerts over the years.

“No one is beyond the reach of Bruce,” he once told The Atlantic.

Former President Barack Obama connected the two for the first time in November 2012 while Springsteen was riding on Air Force One. During a phone call about Hurricane Sandy, Obama told Christie that Springsteen wanted to speak to him and they had a brief conversation, per Variety.

That same month, Springsteen and Christie greeted one another backstage at a Hurricane Sandy benefit concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie attends Bruce Springsteen’s concert in September 2024. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

“We hugged,” Christie told reporters of his in-person meeting with his musical idol. “He told me it’s official: we’re friends. I told the president today, actually, that the hug was great and when we got home, there was a lot of weeping because of the hug. And the president asked why. I said, ‘Well, to be honest, I was the one doing the weeping.’”

However, Springsteen later poked fun at Christie during the 2013 “Bridgegate” scandal. (Christie’s staff was accused of deliberately causing traffic jams near Fort Lee, New Jersey, by ordering the closure of a toll plaza. This political maneuvering was seen as retribution for Fort Lee’s Mayor Mark Sokolich opposing Christie’s administration.)

Christie was not criminally charged over the “Bridgegate” scandal, though many pundits suggested that the controversy eroded support for his ill-fated presidential campaign in 2016.

At the height of the controversy, Springsteen joined Jimmy Fallon on his Late Night show in 2014 to sing a parody version of “Born to Run” about “Bridgegate.”

“Baby this Bridgegate was just payback / It’s a bitch slap to the state Democrats,” Fallon, 51, and Springsteen sang. “We got to get out while we can / We’re stuck in Governor Chris Christie’s Fort Lee-New Jersey traffic jam!”

More recently, Springsteen offered an olive branch to President Donald Trump amid a years-long public feud. During an Austin, Texas concert on April 26, Springsteen lled his audience in a prayer after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.

“We begin tonight with a prayer for our men and women in service overseas, we pray for their safe return,” Springsteen told fans. “We also send out a prayer of thanks that our president, nor anyone in the administration, nor anyone attending, was injured at last night’s incident at the [White House] press correspondents’ dinner.”

He went on, “We can disagree. We can be critical of those in power, and we can peacefully fight for our beliefs. But there is no place in any way, shape, or form for political violence of any kind in our beloved United States.”

Suspected shooter Cole Tomas Allen allegedly opened fire at the Washington Hilton on April 25 while President Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other officials from their administration were attending the dinner.

Allen, 31, was apprehended after injuring a Secret Service agent. He later pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate the president of the United States, transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

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Where to Watch Dutton Ranch

Beth and Rip are back in the latest series spawned from the mega-hit that was “Yellowstone.”

The new entry into the “Yellowstone” universe is “Dutton Ranch” and it follows Beth and Rip – two fan favorites of the flagship series – as they move down to South Texas to start over after the death of Beth’s father. Unfortunately, their problems followed them there and they find themselves quickly embroiled in a battle against a rival ranch.

Here’s everything you need to know about where and when to tune in for the first season of Paramount+’s “Dutton Ranch.”

When does “Dutton Ranch” Season 1 premiere?

“Dutton Ranch” Season 1 premieres on Friday, May 15.

Where can I watch “Dutton Ranch” Season 1?

The first season of “Dutton Ranch” Season 1 will be available on Paramount+ and the Paramount Network starting Friday, May 15.

How many episodes are in Season 1?

New episodes of “Dutton Ranch” will drop weekly through its first season, with two episodes dropping on the May 15 premiere and one new episode every week after. If you plan to catch the show on the Paramount Network rather than streaming it on Paramount+, the episodes will air at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Here is a full rundown of the episodes:

Episode 1 – May 15
Episode 2 – May 15
Episode 3 – May 22
Episode 4 – May 29
Episode 5 – June 5
Episode 6 – June 12
Episode 7 – June 19
Episode 8 – June 26
Episode 9 – July 3

What is “Dutton Ranch” Season 1 about?

The series picks up following the events of “Yellowstone” with Beth, Rip, and their adopted son Carter uprooting their lives for South Texas. It’s there that they butt heads with a rival rancher and find that things might not be so different for their family no matter where they go. Here is the official logline for the series:

“As Beth and Rip fight to build a future together – far from the ghosts of ‘Yellowstone’ – they collide with brutal new realities and a ruthless rival ranch that will stop at nothing to protect its empire. In South Texas, blood runs deeper, forgiveness is fleeting, and the cost of survival might just be your soul.”

Who is in the “Dutton Ranch” cast?

Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser are both back, reprising their roles as Beth and Rip in the new spinoff alongside Finn Little as their adopted son Carter. Also joining the cast this season is Annette Bening, Ed Harris, Jai Courtney, J.R. Villarreal, Juan Pablo Raba, Natalie Alyn Lind and Hart Denton.

Watch the trailer:

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Beth and Rip are back in the

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Harvey Weinstein Rape Retrial Declared Mistrial Over Deadlocked Jury

Harvey Weinstein’s rape retrial in New York has once again been declared a mistrial after the jury remained deadlocked after three days of deliberations.

The disgraced movie mogul was facing one charge of third-degree rape involving former aspiring actress Jessica Mann, which previously ended in a June 2025 mistrial. Prosecutors now have 30 more days to decide whether to try the case for a fourth time, Judge Curtis Farber ruled. Weinstein remains in jail due to his prior related conviction.

“While we are disappointed that the proceedings ended with a mistrial, we deeply respect the jury system and sincerely thank all of the jurors for their time and dedication,” District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. said in a Friday statement. “For nearly a decade, Jessica Mann has fought for justice. Over the course of many weeks during three separate trials, she relived unthinkably painful experiences in front of complete strangers. Her perseverance and bravery are inspiring to the members of my office, and more importantly, to survivors everywhere.”

“We will consider our next steps in consultation with Ms. Mann, and in consideration of Harvey Weinstein’s pending sentencing following last year’s trial conviction for forcibly sexually assaulting Miriam Haley,” the statement continued. “As always, we will continue to prosecute crimes of sexual violence – no matter who the defendant is – in a survivor-centered manner that uplifts their voices in the pursuit of justice.”

Last year, Weinstein was found guilty of first-degree sexual assault for forcibly subjecting former “Project Runway” production assistant Miriam Haley to a sex act in 2006. He was acquitted on a second charge of sexually assaulting former model Kaja Sokola, also in ’06.

“My life is on the line, and you know what? It’s not fair,” Weinstein said when the partial verdict was announced at the time. “It’s time, it’s time, it’s time, it’s time to say this trial is over.”

This is all in addition to the producer’s 16-year sentence in California, following his conviction in December 2022. However, that verdict is under a similar appeal that got his initial 2022 New York conviction thrown out.

Harvey Weinstein appears for a hearing in Manhattan criminal court on January 8, 2026 in New York City. The hearing is to determine whether Weinstein receives a new trial after he was convicted of the 2006 sexual assault of Miriam Haley, a one-time production assistant. (Curtis Means-Pool/Getty Images)

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Harvey Weinstein’s rape retrial in New York

Entertaintment

‘Perfect Match’ Season 4 | Decider

By Samantha Nungesser

May 15, 2026

Imagine a tropical island paradise where a bunch of sexy singles start dating each other, except those sexy singles are people you’re already familiar with from their work on a wide range of reality shows. That is the premise of Perfect Match, which just returned for its fourth season on Netflix. In this Nick Lachey-hosted dating series, stars from shows like Vanderpump Rules, Too Hot to Handle, Love Island, Temptation Island, and Love is Blind are embarking on a journey to find their perfect match. The eight-episode season is yet another sexy, drama-filled installment of this series, and you won’t want to miss it.

Photo: Netflix

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By Samantha Nungesser May 15, 2026 Imagine a tropical island

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How Meryl Streep Delivers Criticism in ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’

In “Anatomy of a Scene,” we ask directors to reveal the secrets that go into making key scenes in their movies. See new episodes in the series on Fridays. You can also watch our collection of more than 350 videos on YouTube and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

“Florals. For Spring. Groundbreaking.”

If you’re a fan of the original “Devil Wears Prada,” you’re probably familiar with this line that Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) icily utters during a Runway magazine staff meeting.

More meetings are conducted (and more shade is thrown) in the sequel. David Frankel, who directed both movies, discusses one such scene in the above video. This time, Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), who was an assistant seeking Miranda’s approval in the first film, is now at the table as a features editor, yet still seeking that same approval. She dares to speak during the meeting, and that does not go well. Watch the scene, then check out additional “Devil Wears Prada” coverage below.

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Musa Mseleku thanks Mzansi for the support after ‘Uthando Nes’thembu’ season 9 finale

South African reality TV star Musa Mseleku has expressed gratitude to fans following the season nine finale of “Uthando Nes’thembu”.

The popular reality series aired its final episode for the season on Thursday, May 14, leaving many viewers questioning whether the show will return for a tenth season.

Taking to social media after the finale, Mseleku shared a heartfelt video message thanking supporters for standing by his family throughout the season.

“Mzansi, thank you so much. As the Mseleku family, we would like to express our gratitude. From the one who guides us, to MaCele, to MaYeni, to MaKhumalo, to MaNgwabe, and the one I cannot mention because we still have some issues.

“What I’m most grateful for is your continued support and the work that you have done. We are grateful,” he said.

The long-running reality TV show follows the daily lives, challenges and relationships within the Mseleku household as Mseleku continues to advocate for polygamy while pursuing his ambition of having 20 children.

Season 9 drama kept viewers talking

Season nine proved to be one of the show’s most emotional and controversial instalments yet.

Tensions escalated within the family after Mseleku revealed plans to marry a fifth wife, Makhwela.

The decision reportedly created friction between Mseleku and three of his wives – MaYeni, MaKhumalo and MaNgwabe – while his first wife, MaCele, publicly supported him.

The season sparked widespread debate on social media, with viewers divided over Mseleku’s handling of family matters and the growing tension within the household.

Reacting to his appreciation video, fans shared mixed reactions online.

@hlubi112 wrote: “Thanx for the production. Syabonga, please come back with season 10 upwards. I enjoy the show, all the way from North West.”

Another user, @ro_kg2, praised Mseleku’s patience, saying: “A very patient man, Mr Mseleku. I wish the wives can appreciate you more, and of course, you are not perfect, you are human, but for me, overall, you are not a bad man.”

Meanwhile, @firecracker_jameel questioned whether another season was already in production, asking: “Are you guys recording season 10?”

Some viewers admitted the latest season was difficult to watch.

User @loatiletsoai described the season as “heartbreaking”, citing the visible tension and communication breakdown within the family.

“I regret watching this season; it was heartbreaking; all for content. Heal your family, Musa, please,” the comment read in part.

Mseleku defends MaCele amid criticism

Following backlash aimed at his first wife, MaCele, for supporting his decision to pursue another marriage, Mseleku also posted a tribute to her on Instagram.

Sharing a photograph of the pair embracing, he defended their relationship and praised her loyalty.

“It’s up to you to decide whether there is unconditional love or not because Imbiza kaBhayela iphehlwa abafazi,” he wrote.

The phrase loosely suggests that women are the strength behind maintaining harmony and stability within the household.

Neither Mzansi Magic nor Mseleku has officially confirmed whether ‘Uthando Nes’thembu’ will return for season 10.

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May 15, 2026

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South African reality TV star Musa Mseleku

Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Doctor Doom, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova.

MCU

Avengers: Doomsday Merch Reveals 4 Leaders of the ‘Avengers’ Team

A new look at Avengers: Doomsday merch showcased the 4 leaders of the ‘Avengers’ team, which include Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Shuri’s Black Panther, Yelena, and Thor. Doomsday is set to be the biggest MCU movie in history, featuring multiple teams of powerful superheroes from across the Marvel multiverse. However, one remaining question is which of these heroes will be featured as leaders, given so many names in play.

An art piece for Avengers: Doomsday featured many of the characters from the new movie. This image specifically highlights the leaders of multiple groups of heroes in this movie, seemingly confirming who will be the Avengers’ leaders as they face Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom on December 18.

4 Main Avengers Leaders in Avengers: Doomsday

Shuri

Marvel Studios

In the bottom right corner of the image, Letitia Wright makes her return to the MCU as Shuri, who now operates as Wakanda’s leader and protector, the Black Panther. Wright was confirmed in Marvel’s initial casting announcement for Doomsday in March 2025, and she is also set to jump back into action for Avengers: Secret Wars.

The trailers teased a major role for Shuri in Doomsday, as she stands with the Wakandans and the Avengers in the fight against Doom. This will also give her a chance to fight alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for the first time, especially after she and M’Baku meet the Fantastic Four.

Sam Wilson/Captain America

Naturally, Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson will take on a leading role for the Avengers upon his return in Doomsday. Having taken over the Captain America mantle at the end of Avengers: Endgame, he will now lead his own team of Avengers, setting him up as one of the most important heroes in this movie.

While the Avengers will reassemble after Captain America: Brave New World, they may start off with some interesting controversy, as they were teased to be in a dispute over the team name with the New Avengers at the end of Thunderbolts*. However, Wilson will have to help the teams put aside their differences, as Doom is set to threaten the safety of the entire Multiverse.

Yelena

Florence Pugh will be back in the MCU as Yelena Belova in Avengers: Doomsday, marking her third movie and fourth live-action project with Marvel since 2021. She was last seen in Thunderbolts* and now serves as one of the New Avengers’ leading figures after they were announced to the world by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

Yelena will be one of the Avengers’ central figures, working with Sam Wilson and the other hero teams. Considering her popularity across her MCU tenure, she is sure to be a major player in this movie as she helps take the fight to Doom.

Thor

Chris Hemsworth, one of the MCU’s longest tenured stars, will play the powerful Thor in Avengers: Doomsday. This will be his first time portraying the hero since 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder (which became one of the MCU’s biggest critical flops), and he seems to be set to be one of this film’s most impactful characters.

Thor got his own Doomsday trailer in December, teasing one more battle for the God of Thunder as he hopes to keep his adopted daughter, Love, and those he cares about safe. He is also heard giving an impassioned speech to the rest of the team about Doom being a threat bigger than any he has ever faced in a privately-released CinemaCon trailer, setting him up for what could be his most epic MCU story to date.

The full merchandise image can be seen below:

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May 15, 2026

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DCU

DC Studios Reveals First Look at Supergirl’s 2nd 2026 Design Change

Supergirl will be seen in multiple costumes in 2026 as DC Studios reveals the character’s second brand-new look. Superman’s crime-fighting cousin is preparing for her solo DCU movie, Supergirl, on June 26, but before that, she’ll also be featured in the third season of My Adventures with Superman. The animated DC Studios show will release its new season on June 14, and Supergirl is playing a big part in it following her debut in Season 2.

The first trailer for My Adventures with Superman Season 3 has debuted Kara Zor-El’s new suit, which has been redesigned since fans last saw her in Season 2. This comes only weeks ahead of Supergirl’s big screen debut in theatres, which also features a redesigned look for the character since her appearance in Superman. While the suits are different, they are appropriate for the characters in each project.

First Look at Official New Supergirl Designs

My Adventures with Superman

While coming from Warner Bros. Animation, the style of My Adventures with Superman is heavily anime-inspired and takes some liberties with the costumes of the classic DC characters. Supergirl’s look in Season 3 still resembles her classic design, though with a few adjustments.

She is shown wearing a thick red cape that loops around her neck, a body suit patterned in different shades of blue, red shoulder pads, and a multi-layered red skirt. This iteration of Supergirl also has a more intentional hairstyle, with long bangs and a shorter, shaggier haircut.

DC Studios

This design differs from the suits Supergirl is seen wearing in My Adventures with Superman Season 2, which previously omitted the red skirt entirely.

Supergirl outfit in My Adventures with Superman Season 2 vs Season 3. — DC Studios

My Adventures with Superman saw Kara wear multiple suits outside of her more traditional blue-and-red look. When Superman and Supergirl first meet in the show, Supergirl dons a black-and-red armored suit to fight in, which is again vastly different from her look in Season 3.

Supergirl armor in My Adventures with Superman Season 2 vs Season 3 outfit. — DC Studios

While Season 3 Kara’s look is much more synonymous with her typical comic book design, it’s still slightly different from the suit that Milly Alcock has donned as Supergirl in the live-action DCU.

Supergirl (2026)

Kara’s brief appearance at the end of Superman was the debut of the Supergirl suit in the DCU, and showed the Kryptonian hero wearing a brown overcoat over her battered blue-and-red suit. Kara’s suit is very similar in design to that of her cousin’s in the live-action movie, but her character keeps the red skirt and gold belt that are synonymous with her comic design.

Milly Alcock as Supergirl in Superman vs Supergirl in My Adventures with Superman Season 3. — DC Studios

This outfit will shift again slightly in Supergirl, which is being released only a few weeks after My Adventures with Superman. This costume, minus the coat, is only slightly shifted from the Superman look, with more emphasis placed on Kara’s gold belt.

It still differs significantly from the My Adventures with Superman design, however, with the animated character wearing a highly stylized, armored, geometric-patterned suit and a bulkier cape, while Alcock’s character has a simpler, streamlined look, likely to suit the practicalities of filming.

Milly Alcock as Supergirl in Supergirl vs Supergirl in My Adventures with Superman — DC Studios

Supergirl is making two major appearances in DC Studios projects within weeks of each other in 2026, although the characters are definitely different. Alcock’s Supergirl is based on the Woman of Tomorrow version of the character, and the movie follows her on a journey to rediscover her heroism.

Meanwhile, Supergirl in My Adventures with Superman was brainwashed by Brainiac and thus arrived on Earth with no prior knowledge of the planet. She is curious and fascinated with human customs, and follows a much more fish-out-of-water story than the DCU’s live-action version.

Supergirl’s time in the DCU is only just beginning, and it remains to be seen in what other ways her outfit may evolve in the coming years.

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May 15, 2026

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Comics

You only have four more days to buy Lego 2K Drive, before it’s delisted

You only have four more days to buy Lego 2K Drive, as the publisher has announced the game will be delisted from digital storefronts this coming Tuesday.

In an update note on the game’s digital store pages, first noticed by Resetera users MauroNL, it reads:

“This product will no longer be available for purchase as of 05/19/2026. NOTE: All multiplayer servers for LEGO® 2K Drive will be shut down as of 05/31/2027. After that time, all game functions requiring online servers will no longer function.”

Tuesday, May 19, 2026, marks three years since the game was released on May 19, 2023, suggesting that the removal of the game from digital storefronts could be due to a license expiration.

VGC has reached out to 2K for clarification over the situation.

Lego 2K Drive was developed by WWE 2K and NBA 2K studio Visual Concepts and marked the first non-TT Games developed major Lego video game project in decades.

In VGC’s four-star review, we called it a “great open-world racing game.”

“Lego 2K Drive is a great open-world racing game with an infectious sense of humour and impressive customisation options. As long as you can cope with the typical 2K grindy microtransactions and take steps to avoid its major save-wiping issue at launch, it’s well worth playing.”

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May 15, 2026

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You only have four more days to

Festivals

1975 Classic Ranked Among ‘Best Movies’ of All Time

Few films in the history of the Academy Awards have achieved what Miloš Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) did at the 48th Academy Awards. Led by Jack Nicholson in one of his greatest performances and by the incredible Louise Fletcher, the film dominated Oscar night in ways that few could ever replicate.

At the time, Forman’s movie became only the second film ever to sweep the “Big Five” Oscars, a feat that has only happened three times in Academy Award history. This achievement remains one of cinema’s most elusive, and decades later, this 1975 classic continues to rank among the greatest movies of all time.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a testament to the fact that the portrayal of raw humanity, when combined with sharp storytelling and powerful performances, can resonate with audiences for years after a movie’s initial release.

So, what was the “Big Five” Oscar sweep? And what was the cultural impact of the movie, decades after the 48th Academy Awards?

Let’s jump right in and explore.

What Is The Rare “Big Five” Oscar Sweep?

The “Big Five” Oscars refer to the most prestigious Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay (adapted or original). Now, take a moment and think about this: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest won all five.

Only three films (ever) have won all five awards on a single Oscar night. Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night (1934), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), and The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Achieving such a feat is exceptionally rare because it requires a different level of excellence across writing, directing, performance, and, honestly, even the other aspects of a movie that weren’t awarded on the night. We are talking about a certain grade of cinematic perfection which, to this day, remains one of the few to be awarded with what is easily one of the highest honors in cinema.

The Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher-led film received love and appreciation across the board. From critics to audiences to industry experts, the movie captured admiration that few projects have ever achieved.

How One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest Made History

Miloš Forman, with his impeccable direction, created a cinematic world that felt both hilarious and heartbreaking, a combination that is itself a rare gem. Jack Nicholson’s career-defining performance as McMurphy masterfully blended charisma and rebellion. Who doesn’t like to watch a terrific actor play a part that feels as though it were written for his many strengths?

Meanwhile, Louise Fletcher, as Nurse Ratched, gave us one of the most chilling and unforgettable characters in film history.

The adapted screenplay, by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman, sharpened the story’s rebellious and empathetic approach without losing its edge. This fine balance between two very contradictory, yet emotionally charged themes created something few had ever seen before.

‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ Credit: United Artists

One of the most fascinating aspects of the movie is its fearless tone. Without shying away from showing us the complexities and brutalities of institutions, it creates a sense of magnetic chaos. Audiences had witnessed plenty of films about empathy for the underdog, but One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest stood out for precisely this fearlessness. Nicholson and Fletcher’s performances electrified the film’s tension, evolving what could easily have been a stagey adaptation into a truly cinematic powerhouse experience.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest connected with audiences and critics alike on multiple levels. The film was jam-packed with emotions, politics, and high social relevance, making the “Big Five” sweep feel well and truly deserved.

The Legacy Of A Perfect Night At The Oscars

The flawless Oscar night at the 48th Academy Awards cemented One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest as a benchmark for award season excellence. The debate wasn’t about the quantity but the quality. Just about everyone who had some prior knowledge of the Academy Awards knew how hard it was for a film to win the “Big Five.”

While the movie’s legacy is exceptionally evident, let’s take a look at what that night must have actually been like. For some context, 1976 was the year of Barry Lyndon, Dog Day Afternoon, Jaws, Nashville, Amarcord, and other exceptional movies. Without making the whole thing sound too sporty, it’s quite obvious that, well, the competition was high.

However, today, the movie’s influence does not rely on what is essentially an admirable statistic. It earns a spot in almost every “greatest of all time” list because of what it means to people. Nicholson and Fletcher’s performances remain masterclasses while Forman’s incredibly empathetic direction sits in a league of its own.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest had acting power, directorial finesse, and unadulterated emotionality that stemmed from tremendous writing. History will never forget the “Big Five” night, but more importantly, it will never forget the movie that made it possible.

Summing It Up

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest didn’t just win big at the Academy Awards; like only two other classics in film history, it redefined what was possible. Miloš Forman, Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, and the entire team delivered a timeless classic that still feels refreshingly original.

While the awards night magic is a great talking point and a momentous achievement, the movie’s real achievement is that it’s blend of humor, heartbreak, and rebellion hits just as hard now as it did in 1975.

Which is your favorite Jack Nicholson movie? Tell us in the comments below.

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May 15, 2026

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Few films in the history of the

Film

Parallel Tales (Cannes) Review: Asghar Farhadi’s latest is a misfire

PLOT: An author (Isabelle Huppert) using her neighbours as inspiration while writing her latest novel hires a young man (Adam Bessa) to be her assistant, with him quickly becoming way too absorbed in the seedy tale of adultery she’s weaving.

REVIEW: At one point in Parallel Tales, Isabelle Huppert’s author character, Sylvie, is chastised by her publisher (played by none other than Catherine Deneuve) for making her work too melodramatic and old-fashioned. She could have been talking about the movie she’s actually in, with director Asghar Farhadi’s latest mostly poorly received here at Cannes. Inspired by Krzysztof Kieślowski’s A Short Film About Love, this is a leaden, nearly two-and-a-half-hour French melodrama that doesn’t compare to Farhadi’s far more accomplished Iranian work.

The convoluted storyline follows Huppert’s character as she imagines her neighbours, a trio of foley artists (Vincent Cassel, Pierre Niney and Virginie Efira), are caught up in some kind of romantic entanglement, with the vampish Nita (Efira) cheating on her partner Theo (Pierre Niney) with the older, slick, married Nicolas (Vincent Cassel). In reality, Nita is far from a vamp and in a committed relationship with the unmarried Nicolas, with Theo his brother, who is the one who’s actually married. It becomes complicated when Sylvie hires a homeless ex-con, Adam Bessa’s Adam, to be her assistant, with him so naive he begins to think her story is real, as he spies on Nita, with whom he becomes infatuated.

It’s all quite convoluted and surprisingly dull, despite the participation of some of the best actors in France. Huppert, in particular, is wasted as an incredibly crotchety, reclusive author who, despite being the one who incites all the drama, barely figures into the plot as it gets going. Efira probably makes the biggest impression, with her playing Nita as both a man-eating seductress in Sylvie’s fiction, while in reality she’s just a regular gal trying to get by. Cassel also departs from his usual typecasting — to some extent. In the fantasy sequences he’s very much in the cold Cassel mode, while in the reality-based sequences he’s aging, hampered by a bad back, and stunningly non-confrontational, even when it’s deserved. Pierre Niney — who is huge in France thanks to his version of The Count of Monte Cristo — is wasted as first the cuckold, and then a more aggressive sort thanks to the machinations of the naive Adam, who is supposed to perhaps come off as innocent but rather seems like a creep.

Farhadi both wrote and directed the film, but it feels very much stuck in another era of French moviemaking, perhaps going back as far as the sixties and seventies, with it a story of man’s paranoia and jealousy. It’s the kind of film that spends a large chunk of time taking place in cafes and — were you to add some chain-smoking — it would be the French movie stereotype. It’s certainly nowhere near as incendiary as the Kieślowski film it riffs on, which holds up nearly forty years later. By contrast, this has whiskers on it.

One other thing that gnawed at me is how bad Sylvie’s book seems to be, with her supposedly a famous author, but the story she’s telling is so leaden it feels like the work of an amateur. Ditto the movie Cassel and his crew are labouring over doing sound for, with it seemingly like an endless loop of generic wildlife shots, the kind used as screensavers when your Apple TV or computer goes into sleep mode.

It’s a shame because Farhadi has made some great films, with A Separation being masterful. He seems totally out of his element with this old-fashioned, dull melodrama, with it feeling like the kind of work that will simply wind up as a footnote in his filmography.

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May 15, 2026

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Niall has to decide who to betray in this week’s tense but under-stuffed Half Man

Half Man Episode 3 Recap

Even under the best of circumstances, families can be a pain. The tradeoff for being lucky enough to have a close relationship with your parents and siblings is a lifetime of minor hassles, like coordinating holiday plans, keeping a group text chain going, or worrying that you’ve let a loved one down if you forgot to send a birthday card. Or—if you’re Niall Kennedy—being asked to tell a despicable lie in court.

The big flashback in Half Man’s third episode picks up a few years after where the last one left off. During that time, Alby spent six months in a coma; and then after he woke up, he laid low for a while before suddenly deciding to press charges. Ever since, Ruben has been sweating out a court date and a potential prison stint. He’s also been trying to show that he’s turned his life around, by volunteering to help with the kids at a community center. Meanwhile Niall has been on a tear at Glasgow West University, doing such impressive work that he pretty much has his pick of grad schools—including Oxford.

Then Niall’s mother Lori shows up at graduation with upsetting news. Ruben’s planning to defend himself against Alby’s charges by claiming that he was fighting off a sexual assault. And he expects—heck, the whole family expects—Niall to back him up.

Unlike last week’s episode, this week’s doesn’t feel like a jarring lurch forward. Niall’s relationship with Ruben makes sense again. (In short: He’s terrified of the guy, even as he still feels some fraternal connection.) No, what keeps this episode from hitting as hard as it should is that there’s not really enough going on in it to fill 55 minutes. It can be rewarding to spend an hour a week in Half Man’s world, because Richard Gadd has such a keen sense of suspense and he’s so willing to push into uncomfortable places. But this show is never going to be an easy watch, so it could use more plot than we’ve seen so far. (Or shorter running times. Most of Baby Reindeer’s episodes were around 30 minutes.)

This week’s story does take some dramatic turns toward the end of the episode, due to its two central questions. 1. Is Niall going to perjure himself and betray Alby to save Ruben? 2. Has Ruben really changed? Because if Ruben is still Ruben, Niall will be doing society a disservice by keeping him out of jail.

There is definitely a softness to Ruben when Niall sees him around the kids at the community center. The youngsters love him, and he looks happy to see them. Ruben also seems more optimistic about his future. His juvenile criminal record was expunged when he turned 16. (“Makes me wish I did more before the cut-off point,” he… jokes?) And no one he works with seems overly concerned about the current charges he’s facing, because they’re “as outraged as I am” at the thought of some swishy foreigner groping him.

That last remark does make Niall flinch. But he still seems inclined to cut Ruben a break—especially when Lori tells him that Ruben’s mother Maura is dying of cancer. The way Lori sees it, Niall’s about to disappear into academia in England, so he should at least make sure that Ruben can take care of his mum.

Three people end up complicating the “Niall corroborates Ruben’s statement” plan. The first is Joanna, Niall’s college flatmate, who has been crushing on him since the day he arrived at uni. Niall treats Joanna very shabbily in this episode, by giving her false hope. Every time someone in Niall’s family makes an offhanded comment that suggests he might be gay, he responds by cozying up to Joanna, even going so far as to parade her in front of Lori as his girlfriend. This aspect of Niall’s personality—overreacting to having his sexuality challenged—hasn’t exactly been handled subtly in this series, but I do appreciate that it just consistently happens, without comment.

Joanna loves the attention from Niall, until she learns why it’s happening. As much as she wants to be with him, she can’t get behind the whole Pallister-Kennedy perjury scheme. She’s still friends with Alby. Also, when she visits Alby, he outs Niall. Joanna, who seemed so fragile and flighty when we first met her, proves to be quite strong when it matters. She tells Niall, “What you are is okay.” And she says of Ruben, “Snakes can shed their skin… but they’ll always crawl on their bellies.”

Which brings us to the second person who bollixes the plan: Ruben Pallister himself. If there’s one argument to be made for this episode running so long, it’s that Gadd and director Alexandra Brodski want to show how Ruben slowly cracks under the pressure of having to play nice. The more he senses that Niall isn’t wholly committed to the “self-defense” testimony—and especially after Niall says that the story doesn’t even make sense, given that Ruben has been in plenty of fights without beating someone into a coma—the more Ruben starts to frazzle. This is where this week’s story finally starts to pick up some momentum, beginning with a scene where Ruben gets so mad that he wrecks the center’s van.

Alby is the third person to complicate the plan. It’s easy in theory for Niall to stand up in court and say that Ruben was reacting to Alby’s sexual aggression. It gets harder when he has to do it in front of Alby. It becomes impossible when Ruben’s defense attorney pushes past the simple “yes, Ruben is telling the truth” statement Niall thought he was going to be making, by asking questions like, “Would you say he was a sexual deviant, Mr. Kennedy?” To his credit, Niall ultimately flips on the stand, admitting that Ruben is lying—which then causes Ruben to doom himself when the jury sees him fly into a violent rage.

This episode is redeemed by those scenes at the end, so fraught with tension. I also liked one of the less obvious insights that Gadd offers into the Niall-Ruben dynamic, which is that when you start doing favors for a bully, the demands never end. It’s not enough to do what he asks; you also have to like it, and to believe in it.

In one of this episode’s other finely crafted scenes, Niall brings Joanna over to Lori and Maura’s home for dinner—days before the trial—and Maura pulls him aside to acknowledge what he’s about to do. She says, “I waited the best part of six years for you to do something for me and all I had to do was get cancer.” But as we know from episode one, Niall went out of his way to help Ruben pass his big exam. Has Maura forgotten?

The point is: You can never do enough for the Pallisters. Those family ties are binding.

Stray observations

The framing device this week doesn’t offer much to talk about… yet. The opening scene has Niall and Alby discussing the Ruben situation at the wedding. In the final scene, Ruben rises at the reception to give a toast, beginning, “I’m gonna tell you about Niall Kennedy.” We’ll have to wait until next week, presumably, to see how that plays out. (Maybe next week we’ll also move on to Niall and Ruben’s adult years? Mitchell Robertson and Stuart Campbell have been excellent but I’m ready to see more of Jamie Bell and Richard Gadd.)
Remember how Alby assumed Niall was a theater major? Well, while he finished his degree in English, he did also lead his college’s dramatic society. (Or, as Ruben puts it, “You did all those gay plays.”)
Lori exacerbates Niall’s self-serving cruelty toward Joanna by treating her like a future daughter-in-law, saying, “Call me mum.” (Niall: “She doesn’t have a mum, so that’s gonna make everything worse.”)
There’s some story we haven’t been told yet about Ruben and his dad. This week Ruben says the only time he ever cried was when he was 8 years old and his father had a heart attack. But it wasn’t his dad nearly dying that rattled him, but rather when his dad came home and… what? He leaves that anecdote incomplete. I hate to say it, but I wonder if this has anything to with Ruben’s all-too-knowing rant to Niall about how sexual assault attacks “your fucking soul, who you are as a man.”
Interesting comment from Lori, who says to Niall, “There’s a lot of you in Ruben.” Thus far, this series seems to be focused on the reverse, showing how Niall lets Ruben be his dark and aggressive side. I’m very curious to see what may be revealed in the show’s second half.

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May 15, 2026

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What to Watch

Is ‘The WONDERfools’ on Netflix UK? Where to Watch the Series

Great news! “The WONDERfools” is available to watch on Netflix UK!

Date Added: 15th May 2026

Known expiry dates are shown above as well as on the Last Chance page.

Want to keep forever? Try looking for ‘The WONDERfools’ on Amazon (paid link)

Watch the Limited Series now

Synopsis:

A goofy group of townies stumbles into superpowers and fights rising evil as doomsday panic grows in this wild, turn-of-the-century action comedy.

Age Ratings

Certificate: Suitable for ages 15 and up

BBFC Insight: Suicide references, language, threat, violence

Reasons: See BBFC website

Release Details

Year: 2026

Duration: Limited Series

Audio: Arabic, English – Audio Description, English, Hindi – Audio Description, Hindi, Korean – Audio Description, Korean [Original], Polish – Audio Description, Polish, Ukrainian

Subtitles: Arabic, English, French, Korean, Polish, Ukrainian

English Audio Description Available – English Audio Description

Cast and Crew

Cast: Park Eun-bin, Cha Eun-woo, Choi Dae-hoon, Im Seong-jae, Kim Hae-sook, Son Hyun-joo

Production & Season Details:

Status: Returning Series”The WONDERfools” is a TV show produced by Kakao Entertainment, Fantagio and Nangman Crew. The show was originally broadcast on Netflix and premiered on May 15th 2026. So far there have been 1 seasons (comprising of 8 episodes) of “The WONDERfools”.

Watch the trailer for “The WONDERfools”

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This title is available on Netflix UK

Where else can you watch ‘The WONDERfools’ on Netflix?

Want to keep forever? Why not rent or buy ‘The WONDERfools’ from one of the online services below?

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May 15, 2026

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Awards

Soccer Star Erling Haaland to play animated viking in Film Debut

Norwegian soccer superstar Erling Haaland is making his film debut, playing (natch) a Viking in Viqueens, the upcoming animated film from fellow Norwegian Harald Zwart (The Karate Kid, Agent Cody Banks), The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Haaland will voice an animated version of himself, a Viking called Haaland, in the film, described as an animated adventure-comedy set in a “world of fearless warrior girls, icy fjords, and Silk Road mythology.”

For Haaland fans that casting could hardly be more apt. 6’5” and statuesque, with a muscular psysique, tremendous attacking speed and shoulder-length block locks, the Norwegian striker has long been compared to a Viking warrior. Just 25, Haaland is already a legend of the sport. He holds the single-season goals record in England’s Premiere League (36 goals in his 2022–23 season for Manchester City) and was the fastest player in history to score 100 goals, hitting the career landmark in just 105 matches.

“As a Norwegian storyteller making a Viking adventure for a global audience, having Erling Haaland join ViQueens feels incredibly exciting,” said Zwart. “Erling has already become a kind of real-life Viking icon around the world – powerful, fearless, and uniquely Norwegian. Bringing him into this universe as himself gives the film an unexpected energy and authenticity that felt completely right for this story.”

Brit pop singer Rita Ora and actress Ella Purnell star in ViQueens, voicing the leads, Hedvig and Ingrid, two rebellious Viking girls who defy tradition to embark on an epic cross-cultural journey from Norway to China. Ora has lent her voice to the character of Wondering Blade in the Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight aninmated series and was in the voice cast of Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. Purnell is best-known for her roles in TV series Yellowjackets and Fallout but also voiced Jinx in the hit animated series Arcane.

Other cast members including Steve Speirs (Star Wars – Episode One: The Phantom Menace) as King Erik, Anton Lesser (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) as his scheming brother Lars, and British comedian and TV personality Alan Carr as the Bard, a lyrically-challenged royal scribe. Acclaimed composer Christophe Beck (Frozen, Frozen II, Buffy The Vampire Slayer TV series) is writing the original score for the film.

Zwart is directing ViQueens, with Veslemøy Ruud Zwart of Norway’s Zwart Arbeid (The 12th Man, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones) producing for Karve Animation.

ViQueens is Zwart’s first animated feature. The Dutch-Norwegian director has moved between U.S. and European features for most of his career, mixing local-language films including World War Two drama The 12th Man (2017) and entries in Norwegian soccer comedy franchise Long Flat Balls with Hollywood fare like fantasy adventure The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013) and 2010 The Karate Kid reboot starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith.

ViQueens is currently in production. Sola Media is handling worldwide sales. The company first pitched the project to buyers with an exclusive teaser at the American Film Market last year, and will be looking to secure major territory pre-sales at the Cannes Film Market this week.

Getting Haaland on the ViQueens team is certain to boost the project’s international appeal. He is one of the world’s most recognizable athletes with a global fan base, including more than 40 million followers on Instagram.

“Erling Haaland transcends sports – he’s a global cultural figure,” notes Solveig Langeland, Managing Director of Sola Media. “His involvement brings another exciting dimension to a film that already combines international adventure, humor, and emotional storytelling in a way we believe will resonate with audiences everywhere.”

ViQueens is executive produced by Torgeir Sanders of Gimpville (Troll, Troll Hunter), Robert Chandler of Space Age Films (The Amazing Maurice, The Canterville Ghost), Peter Clausen of OPCM (Lilyhammer, Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole), Andrew Williams of Vamonos, Rasmus Ramstad of Rumba AS, and Langeland.

The film is slated for delivery in late 2026, with a home territory release planned for this Christmas.

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May 15, 2026

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Norwegian soccer superstar Erling Haaland is making

Music

Replacing a Royal Hand-Me-Down That Finally Frayed

When King Charles III of Britain was crowned in 2023, the Royal Opera House in London sent his office an urgent question: Do we need to get new curtains?

Throughout Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, the opera company’s plush, crimson drapes in mohair velvet displayed her royal cipher “EIIR,” embroidered in golden thread with a crown on top.

With a new king in place, the curtains now looked awkwardly out of date.

Yet not long after raising the query, Alex Beard, the opera company’s chief executive, got a surprising reply: The curtain change could wait. Although the new monarch’s visage, name and insignia were being added to Britain’s stamps and currency, his office said the opera-loving king didn’t want perfectly good curtains thrown away “just because”: It would be best to wait until they were worn out.

Three years later, that moment has come. On Thursday night, Charles attended a gala at the Opera House to unveil a new set of 65-foot-wide, 45-foot-tall curtains decorated with his “CIIIR” logo and a sparkly crown. Those designs, which involved over a million stitches, were the result of weeks of machine and hand embroidery.

The unveiling was a fun moment for royalists, showing how the transition from one British monarch to another takes years to complete. But the event has also drawn attention to the role of the house curtains in opera, an often overlooked but key part of the art form.

“When the lights start to dim and the orchestra strikes up, then the curtains rise, it’s absolutely magical,” Beard said. “They’re such an essential part of opera ritual.”

Curtains have hung in front of opera stages since the early 1600s, according to Gundula Kreuzer, the chair of Yale’s music department and author of a book with a 54-page chapter on the history of opera curtains. Companies at the time wanted drapes to hide elaborate stage sets from incoming audience members to create a sense of anticipation, she said.

Kreuzer said that curtains in early opera houses would drop suddenly to the floor and then fall through a crack in the stage, or rise rapidly to the ceiling, rather than parting as they often do now. To get the heavy curtains to soar upward, stage hands would leap onto a rope to act as a counterweight, she said.

In 19th century, composers realized that the curtain’s rise and fall could be used to enhance the onstage drama and started writing instructions for their use in their scores, Kreuzer said.

Puccini sometimes added rising chromatic scales into his opening music at the moment the curtain rose. Along with Berlioz and Verdi, Puccini also used slow curtains falls to close acts that ended with tender scenes.

Wagner’s engagement with curtains included commissioning a new design for the drapes at his Bayreuth opera house. Whereas curtains had previously opened sideways or upward, Wagner wanted them to open diagonally, revealing the stage more naturally. That style of opening is now called “the Wagner Curtain.”

Opera houses have curtains of many colors, and Kreuzer said the use of deep red velvet, like at the Royal Opera, became popular in the 19th century.

Some contemporary composers are still innovating with curtains, Kreuzer said, including Mark-Anthony Turnage, whose “Anna Nicole,” about the real-life tragic bombshell Anna Nicole Smith, debuted at the Royal Opera House in 2011. For that production, the company dropped the red velvet entirely and installed bright pink curtains, appropriate for an opera about a former Playboy model.

The Royal Opera’s new curtains were about a year in the making. Beard said he had commissioned them after learning that the old curtains had only about 100 more performances left before they’d start to tear. Up close, he said, the fraying was visible, and on one side the color had faded slightly where sweaty ballet dancers had brushed against the fabric during curtain calls.

Making the new curtains was a Europe-wide endeavor. The opera house hired the German manufacturer Gerriets to make the drapes and Britain’s Royal School of Needlework to embroider the insignia.

Anne Butcher, who led the project for the Royal School of Needlework, said that a team of eight embroiders had worked on the designs. Because the Royal Opera now streams its productions in movie theaters, Butcher said, the team put extra effort into the embroidery so that viewers could see details like the jewel settings in the crown up close.

In late April, Gerriets technicians installed the finished curtains at the back of the opera house’s stage, in special overnight operations after performances had finished. Then this month, they lifted the curtains into place before the grand reveal.

Beard said he had never considered changing up the curtain design by, say, using a color other than crimson. He wanted them to look as similar to the old curtains as possible. This was a house of tradition, after all.

So will visitors notice the difference? One regular opera goer definitely would, Beard said. “King Charles will. It’s got his cipher on!”

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May 15, 2026

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When King Charles III of Britain was

Docs

Rachel Denny Joins IDA as Deputy Executive Director

International Documentary Association (IDA) has appointed Rachel Denny as Deputy Executive Director, effective May 11, 2026. The newly created position oversees external affairs and financial strategy, reporting directly to Executive Director Dominic Asmall Willsdon. Based in New York, Denny will also lead IDA’s activities on the East Coast, where more than a quarter of its members are based.

Denny brings two decades of experience as a media, film, and nonprofit executive, with leadership roles at the Sundance Institute, Film at Lincoln Center, and United States Artists. She has served as an external affairs consultant to IDA for nearly a year through her firm, Media Philanthropy Advisory, which has also worked with Brooklyn Academy of Music, Cinereach, Peace is Loud, and Wavelength Productions on fundraising, strategic planning, and audience development. She is a certified Impact Philanthropy Advisor.

Ina Fichman, Board President, said: “Rachel has shown, through her consulting work with IDA, that she truly understands this organization and the community it serves. The board is delighted to see that relationship become a permanent one, and confident that it strengthens IDA at a consequential moment for the field.”

Dominic Asmall Willsdon, Executive Director of IDA, said: “Rachel is a rigorous thinker who understands both the art form and the field. She has been a close collaborator through a time when IDA is building real momentum, and this appointment formalizes a partnership that’s already producing results. I couldn’t be more pleased to have her in this role.”

Rachel Denny said: “Over the last year as a consultant, I have seen how critical IDA’s role is in the field, the strength and clarity of the vision Dominic and the board have laid out, and the commitment of the staff to bringing this to life. Having spent much of my career supporting filmmakers and the organizations that serve them, I know well the pivotal role IDA is positioned to play. I’m honored to step into this role and committed to solidifying and expanding the impact IDA makes for documentary storytellers and the field.”

Denny joins as IDA reaches its highest membership in the organization’s history—more than 3,600 members across 50 states and 80-plus countries—and individual donor support continues to grow. She will work with Willsdon to lead the organization into its next chapter, advancing IDA’s mission to provide advocacy, community, and services for documentary makers around the world and foster a thriving, inclusive documentary culture.

Denny is also a film producer. Her credits include Sister Senators and Arrest the Midwife, the latter of which premiered at SXSW in 2025. She is a native New Yorker and lives in the lower Hudson Valley.

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May 15, 2026

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International Documentary Association (IDA) has appointed Rachel

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Mariska Hargitay braved the rain at the “Today” show in New York.

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May 15, 2026

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Mariska Hargitay braved the rain at the

Tech

‘Momo,’ Starring Martin Freeman, Claes Bang, Sells to More Territories

Epsilon Film has closed a raft of international deals on “Momo,” the live-action family adventure film based on the novel by Michael Ende, best known for “The NeverEnding Story,” and starring Martin Freeman and Claes Bang.

U.K. and Ireland rights have been acquired by Signature Entertainment, which plans a summer 2026 theatrical release. Additional sales include Italy (Minerva Pictures), Hungary (Mozinet) and Ex-Yugoslavia (Investacommerce).

Previously announced deals include North America (Blue Fox Entertainment), Slovakia and the Czech Republic (Media Group), Denmark and Norway (Another World Entertainment), the Middle East (Selim Ramia & Co.), and worldwide inflight rights (Ricochet Digital Media).

“Momo” follows the orphaned Momo as she takes on the mysterious Men in Grey, who are stealing people’s time while quietly taking control of her city.

The film is directed by Christian Ditter (“Love, Rosie,” “How to Be Single”), and stars Emmy and BAFTA winner Freeman (“The Hobbit” trilogy, “Sherlock,” “Black Panther”), Bang (“The Square,” “Dracula,” “The Northman”), Alexa Goodall, Araloyin Oshunremi, Kim Bodnia, Laura Haddock and Jennifer Amaka Pettersson.

The film is produced by Rat Pack Filmproduktion (“The Wave,” “Wickie/Vicky,” “Colonia Dignidad”) in co-production with Constantin Film (“Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,” “Regretting You,” “Resident Evil”) and in collaboration with Westside, Beta Film, Noisemaker and Pakt Media.

Since it was founded two years ago, Epsilon’s lineup of features has included animation title “Dreamers – The Hunt for Shadowclaw,” “The Amazing Maurice 2,” “Nessie Junior,” “Brave Heart Yakari” and “Mimi and Harold – Out of Frame.”

In addition to its animated slate, Epsilon also represents “Lassie and the Wild Bear” and the Sky Original production “Robin and the Hoods,” with Naomie Harris and Gwendoline Christie.

The company also handles global rights for Germany’s biggest box-office hit of the past five years: the live-action adaptations of the bestselling book series “The School of Magical Animals,” parts 3 and 4.

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May 15, 2026

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Epsilon Film has closed a raft of

Video

Andy Garcia Video Interview About ‘Landman,’ Emmys & Hollywood Career

This is a heady season for Andy Garcia. Next week he heads to the Cannes Film Festival where his new film is an official selection. He will be walking those famous red-carpeted steps with his cast for Diamond, in which he not only plays the title character but also wrote, directed, and even scored the film with Arturo Sandoval. That last fact shouldn’t be too surprising since Garcia is actually a Grammy winner for his musical abilities.

He could also find himself an Emmy nominee for his calculating Danny “Gallino” Morrell in the hit Taylor Sheridan series, Landman which he joined at the end of its first season and now plays a big part in its second opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore among others.

Garcia joins me for this edition of my Deadline video series The Actor’s Side where we talk about all of this and much more in his long career that first saw him gain major notice in 1986’s Hal Ashby film 8 Million Ways to Die. It was Ashby’s last film, but a great beginning for Garcia who would go on to a co-star spot in The Untouchables the next year, followed by Black Rain, Internal Affairs and an Oscar nomination in 1990 for his role as Vincent Corleone in The Godfather Part 3.

The Ocean’s Eleven films, When a Man Loves a Woman, Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead, Night Falls on Manhattan , For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, Book Club, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again and many more are just some of his credits.

In our conversation we talk about joining Landman, how Sheridan wrote the role for him, his directing career that also included The Lost City, and memories of working with some of the greatest directors of our time. Plus plans for a new Ocean’s film, maybe a new Mamma Mia (he talks about singing with Cher), and having his latest film selected by Cannes where it will world premiere Tuesday night.

To watch and to get the “actor’s side” of things from Andy Garcia, watch the video above.

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May 15, 2026

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This is a heady season for Andy

Entertaintment

5 Children’s Movies to Stream Now

Josh Gad (Olaf in “Frozen”) narrates this story that follows an orangutan named Indah in Southeast Asia as she swings through the rainforest canopy and gets ready to leave home to venture into the wilds. First, we see Indah frolicking with her mother and brother, goofing around, and eating fruits and insects.

Gad, who adds enough humor and whimsy to keep youngsters watching, says that these critically endangered great apes “love to hang out and socialize.” They also have among the longest childhoods in nature, not leaving home until they’re about seven to 10 years old (they can live up to 60 years or so in captivity, and up to about 40 years in the wild).

This new DisneyNature documentary follows similar movies about penguins and pandas, with cinematography so gorgeous that the scenery often looks like a painting. There’s plenty of tension when predators like Sumatran tigers show up, and because orangutans share approximately 97 percent of their DNA with humans, it’s fascinating to watch the emotion on their faces, whether they’re feeling chipper, lonely or scared.

Children will learn some fun facts while being entertained by the antics of Indah and her friends. The film is directed by Mark Linfield and co-directed by Vanessa Berlowitz, who also collaborated on the nature documentaries “Elephant” and “Tiger.”

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May 15, 2026

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Josh Gad (Olaf in “Frozen”) narrates this

Movies

If You Can Solve These Super Tough Movie Chains, I'll Personally Engrave You Oscar

What, like it’s hard?! Here’s The Reel Deal #22. 🎬

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May 15, 2026

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What, like it's hard?! Here's The Reel

Social Distortion’s Mike Ness on Trump, cancer and ‘Born to Kill’

There are luxuries Mike Ness is willing to pay for, and there are luxuries for which he’d rather find a workaround.

It’s a Monday morning in mid-March, and the 64-year-old frontman of Social Distortion is at his producer Dave Sardy’s studio in Los Angeles. Ness, whose band helped invent Orange County punk in the late 1970s, spends much of his time these days on California’s Central Coast, where he and his wife, Christine, bought a place years ago. Yet the couple recently became grandparents to a kid in L.A., which means they’ve been making frequent trips here.

“He’s 2 now, so we can’t be four hours from our grandson,” Ness says. “It’s clear to me that this is gonna be one of the most important relationships of my life.”

As he talks, Ness idly strums the latest addition to his collection of guitars: a 1956 Gibson Les Paul Custom that he says cost him $50,000. He’s wearing a silky leopard-print shirt open at the neck to reveal several gold necklaces and a tattoo of Christine’s name — one of five such shirts he had made to wear onstage every night during Social Distortion’s upcoming tour.

“What I really want to do is see if I can find some Dolce & Gabbana leopard-print fabric,” he says. “Then I’ll have a Dolce & Gabbana shirt without the heavy price tag.”

Christine, who’s been making coffee in the studio’s kitchen, enters the lounge and scoffs. “It’s not like they sell it by the bolt,” she says.

“I’m not gonna go to the Yarn Barn,” Ness replies. “‘Excuse me, can you please point me to your fine Italian fabrics?’” He laughs. “Someone’s gotta be able to get it.”

Hidden behind a rickety gate on a quiet residential street, Sardy’s studio is where Social Distortion — Social D to its many fans — recorded most of “Born to Kill,” the band’s first album in 15 years. The gap wasn’t intentional, says Ness, who runs down a litany of family upheavals that includes his older son’s drug problem, his younger son’s battle with depression and the death of both of his parents.

“Life just comes at you sometimes,” he says. “It wasn’t that I was in the French Riviera getting suntanned with Keith Richards.”

In talking about what took the album so long, Ness doesn’t even get to his experience with tonsil cancer, which required surgery in 2023. Yet “Born to Kill” thrums with the pent-up energy of a guy who glimpsed the possibility that he might not sing again.

Extending Social D’s blend of punk rock and American roots music, the LP features guest spots by Lucinda Williams and by Benmont Tench of the late Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers; it’s also got a rendition of “Wicked Game,” the sultry Chris Isaak hit previously covered by acts ranging from G-Eazy to Lana Del Rey.

“Is she the one that does ‘Summertime Sadness’?” Ness asks of Del Rey. “I love that song.”

Lyrically, Ness’ originals ponder a world on fire in an age of diminishing freedoms; “Partners in Crime” draws a comparison to the band’s hardscrabble beginnings, when Ness invited Dennis Danell, a classmate from Fullerton’s Troy High School, to join him in “fighting for what you believe,” as the song puts it. Danell, who learned to play guitar as a member of Social Distortion, died in 2000; today, Ness is the only founding member left in the group. (His bandmates are guitarist Jonny Wickersham, bassist Brent Harding and drummer David Hidalgo Jr.)

Asked whether he’s surprised to find himself still playing in a punk band in his mid-60s, Ness shrugs. “Not really,” he says. “Maybe it’s arrested development. Or maybe youth and rebellion are just part of my personality. They’re never gonna go away.”

Ness wrote the songs on “Born to Kill” before he was diagnosed with cancer but recorded his vocals after he recovered.

“It wasn’t my first brush with death,” says the singer, who struggled with a heroin addiction in the early ’80s. “But it was probably the most profound. I couldn’t even talk after surgery. I mean, I’m pretty sure they had my tongue out on a table.”

“No, they did not!” Christine pipes up. “This is urban lore in the making right now.”

Social Distortion guitarist and singer Mike Ness

“Then why is my tongue shorter?” Ness shoots back. The couple, who’ve been married for decades, have a daffy Lucy-and-Desi vibe. Christine shows me a video on her phone of the two dancing before a funhouse mirror during one of their antiquing excursions; Ness jokes that they’re considering pitching a reality series called “Happi-Ness.”

He picks up the story of his tongue: “They laid it out there and it was wiggling around,” he says, grinning before turning serious again. “I was on a tube feeder then a puréed diet for a couple months. Then speech and swallow therapy. Then a vocal coach.” He recalls celebrating Thanksgiving 2023 with his family at one of his sons’ home with a tour booked to start the following April.

“I told them — I remember saying it like it was yesterday — ‘If I’m singing by then, it’ll be a f— miracle,’” he says. “First day of rehearsal, I was super nervous because it was in front of the guys. But we started and it was like I got back on a bicycle.”

Brett Gurewitz, who released “Born to Kill” through his Epitaph label — and whose band Bad Religion played its first-ever show on a bill with Social D in 1980 at a warehouse in Orange County — describes the LP as “a record about survival — about hard-earned wisdom.”

Yet Gurewitz adds that the anger in the music reminds him of punk’s early days as America lurched rightward at the outset of the Reagan era.

Says Ness with a laugh of Donald Trump: “Look, I loved the guy in ‘The Apprentice,’ but as a president? No.” He’s troubled by what he sees as Trump’s threats to free speech — “It’s insanity,” he says — and by “a lack of empathy” that he thinks trickles down to average Americans.

“Mike’s music isn’t political but his stance is,” Gurewitz says. “I’m proud to work with him.” He may soon be prouder still: At Sardy’s studio, Ness says he’s been working on a song he plans to release in the run-up to this fall’s midterm elections.

Before that, Social D will crisscross Europe and the U.S. starting next month (including two shows in October at the Hollywood Palladium). Four decades after the band broke out with albums like “Mommy’s Little Monster” and “Prison Bound,” the scene backstage can be pretty boring, Ness admits.

“You can see the look of disappointment when someone comes back,” says the singer, who got sober around 1985. “At noon, the gear comes out of the truck and they turn it into a boxing gym. I’ll do a good hour workout no matter how hot it is. Then before the show we’ll get the blender going for some smoothies.”

Yet as soon as he steps onstage, the adrenaline still surges like it always has.

“It makes me think of seeing this guy Ronnie Dawson — they called him the Blond Bomber back in the day — at the Palomino like 30 years ago,” Ness says, referring to the legendary country joint in North Hollywood. “He must have been 67 or 68 at the time, but he had more energy than a 25-year-old.”

In fact, Dawson would only have been in his mid-50s in the early ’90s.

Ness laughs. “Well, look at me now,” he says.

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May 15, 2026

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There are luxuries Mike Ness is

Kingpin in Daredevil Born Again Season 2

MCU

Marvel Studios Officially Confirms Kingpin’s Replacement For Phase 6

Wilson Fisk has held the power in two seasons of Daredevil: Born Again, but that won’t be the case any longer in Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Vincent D’Onofrio reprised his role as the all-mighty Kingpin in the MCU, starting in Disney+’s Hawkeye, before a short stint in Echo and finally returning as a lead in Daredevil: Born Again. Since Netflix’s Daredevil, Fisk has seen a shift in status, becoming an elected official as New York City Mayor, and he’s ruled with an iron fist across both seasons of the Disney+ show.

However, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 saw Fisk’s power take a spiral, as New Yorkers rebelled against his Anti-Vigilante Task Force and Safer Streets Initiative. This ultimately saw Fisk being offered a deal by New York governor Marge McCaffrey to avoid being criminally convicted by self-exiling himself. After much resistance, Kingpin ultimately follows through on the arrangement, last seen on an unknown beach at the end of the finale. With a power vacuum now opening up in New York City, one of Fisk’s former allies has seized that opportunity.

Marvel Studios

A set photo from the currently filming Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, which will be the next live-action series in Phase 6 after October’s VisionQuest, has confirmed that Fisk’s political advisor and chief of staff, Sheila Rivera (Zabryna Guevara), will replace him as Mayor of New York City. The set photo, shared by @movietitan on Instagram, shows a promotional banner hanging from a building that references “our mayor Sheila Rivera.” The advertisement regards a “Rebuilding New York City” campaign from Rivera’s office, suggesting that Rivera was anointed as Fisk’s replacement at some point after Season 2’s end.

This change in power was also confirmed via a shot in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer. The scene in question shows news footage of Rivera presenting Tom Holland’s Spider-Man with the Key to New York City.

Sony Pictures

This trailer sequence already had many suspecting that Rivera would be taking over for Fisk, seeing as this job is one typically reserved for the city’s Mayor. This does not mean that Fisk is totally out of the picture though, as other set photos have teased that a bearded Kingpin will make his way back to the Big Apple.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is due for release on July 31, and Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 is likely to be released in 2027, meaning both projects will come out before the end of Phase 6 (which concludes with Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027).

Wilson Fisk: New York Mayor No More

Unlike Wilson Fisk, Sheila Rivera seems more than happy to welcome vigilantes onto the streets of New York City. It is unclear whether Spider-Man: Brand New Day will unveil how Peter Parker dealt with the rise of the Anti-Vigilante Task Force, but Rivera’s gesture

A New York City mayor who is more lenient on masked vigilantes has interesting implications on Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, paving the way for new superpowered storylines. The most notable supergroup that can come out of the shadows now is the Defenders. Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, and Finn Jones are all confirmed for the next season, making Daredevil‘s third MCU outing a pseudo-sequel to The Defenders.

The question remains as to whether Charlie Cox will be joining his old crew. The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen is behind bars, and there’s a good chance that he wants to do his own personal atonement while he’s stuck there. This could mean that Matt Murdock may not reunite with the Defenders right away.

Some have even speculated that the prison seen in Brand New Day‘s trailer could be the very same one that Daredevil finds himself in. Spidey could be swooping in to save Matt from an attack from The Hand and helping him to escape, though Cox is still unsure that he is in the wallcrawler’s next flick.

Regardless, Mayor Rivera being a vigilante advocate could aid Matt Murdock’s case in getting a reduced sentence, allowing him to go back to crimefighting a lot sooner.

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May 15, 2026

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DCU

‘The Furious’ Clip Proves Why It’s the Most Highly Anticipated Action Thriller of 2026

To save their loved ones, they will fight, well, everyone. And as a newly released clip reveals, their journey begins with fighting each other. This latest look at The Furious confirms once again why it’s the most highly anticipated action thriller event not just of the year, but in decades, with the footage teasing more of the elite martial arts spectacle on display.

After seemingly ordinary tradesman Wang Wei witnesses his daughter being kidnapped by a criminal network, and receiving no help from the corrupt police, he sets out on a rampage to find her himself. Along the way, he finds an ally in Navin – a relentless journalist whose wife has mysteriously disappeared. Fueled by a furious vengeance, the unlikely duo will stop at nothing to track down their loved ones. And there will be blood.

Starring action superstars Xie Miao (My Father Is a Hero) and Joe Taslim (The Raid, Mortal Kombat) as Wang Wei and Navin, respectively, the newly revealed clip finds the pair in disagreement. But rather than using their words (because who wants to see that?), they instead decide to let their particular set of skills do the talking in a complexly choreographed battle of wills, fists, and feet.

For those who were not already aware, the footage demonstrates perfectly why both Xie Miao and Joe Taslim, the latter of whom gets to put his elite talent for Judo to good use, deserve to be genre icons, as well as why The Furious has fast become such an exciting action thriller prospect. Doing what many of the best fight scenes do so well, teaching you something about the characters, the sequence finds Wang Wei delivering slick strikes against Navlin’s engulfing grappling, with the pair sizing each other up throughout. As clips go, it’s the perfect encapsulation of the skill involved in bringing The Furious to life.

And said skill has indeed paid the bills, with The Furious now holding a perfect score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The upcoming martial arts action thriller has been hailed as “an instant masterpiece,” “one of the best action films of the decade,” and “an experiential event of a pure action onslaught that will cement The Furious as a new action classic for years to come,” after debuting at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival back in September last year. After an agonizing wait, The Furious is finally all set to hit theaters in the United States on June 12, 2026.

Release Date

May 29, 2026

Runtime

114 Minutes

Director

Kenji Tanigaki

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May 15, 2026
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Comics

How To Craft The Wakemaker In Subnautica 2

By default in Subnautica 2, mobility is very slow. While you can pull off some movement tech with the Air Bladder and the Dash ability, you’ll be moving at a snail’s pace for a majority of the early game. However, all of that changes when you gain access to the Wakemaker. The Wakemaker is Subnautica 2’s version of the original game’s Sea Glider, and it’s an equipment item you can use to swim faster.

While you’ll want to start using the Wakemaker as quickly as possible, there are a few different steps you need to take before that happens.

How to find the Wakemaker Fragments in Subnautica 2

Similar to the Tadpole, the Habitat Builder, and just about every other important tool in Subnautica 2, you can only obtain the crafting recipe for the Wakemaker after scanning all of its fragments. To craft the Wakemaker, you need to find three total fragments.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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May 15, 2026
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By default in Subnautica 2, mobility is

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Festivals

Nicky Weinstock & Andrea Bucko Partner On Sweetheart Entertainment

Producers Nicky Weinstock and Andrea Bucko have partnered to launch a new production outfit that will be known as Sweetheart Entertainment.

The company launches at Cannes as both Weinstock and Bucko have films in Competition strands. Weinstock was a producer on Clarissa, which screens in Directors’ Fortnight, and Bucko was a producer on James Gray’s Paper Tiger. Both films have been acquired by Neon.

Weinstock is an industry vet. He founded Invention Studios and previously served as creative head of Red Hour Films in partnership with Ben Stiller, and was Executive Vice President of Chernin Entertainment. His credits include the acclaimed Apple TV+ series, Severance, Dinner in America, Thelma, and Escape at Dannemora. Bucko’s recent credits include serving as executive producer on Osgood Perkins’s buzzy feature Longlegs, Gus Van Sant’s Dead Man’s Wire, and Werner Herzog’s Bucking Fastard, starring Rooney Mara and Kate Mara.

“At a time when the entertainment industry — and frankly the world — are in such urgent need of creativity, boldness, and joy, we are thrilled to provide a home for writers and filmmakers of uncommon courage and excellence,” Weinstock said in a statement.

“I have had the great luck to work with brilliant creators from across the creative spectrum and across the globe, but I’ve never before had the ability or the funding to race right out and make things. Andrea and I are so grateful for that privilege and for our teamwork; this should be wildly fun.”

Bucko added: “Through Sweetheart Entertainment, we’re striving to champion films that stay with people after the credits roll — stories that are emotionally honest, visually bold, and grounded in real human experience. Whether it’s a thriller, a drama, or something more unconventional, we’re drawn to projects that challenge audiences, spark conversation, and create a lasting emotional connection globally.”

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May 15, 2026
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Producers Nicky Weinstock and Andrea Bucko have

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What to Watch

‘Deadpool’ Meets ‘Game of Thrones’: Netflix Greenlights Hyper-Violent ‘Barbaric’ Comic Book Adaptation Series

Netflix has announced medieval fantasy drama ‘Barbaric’, based on the best-selling comics by Michael Moreci and Nathan Gooden. Here’s everything we know about it so far!

After first being revealed back in 2024, Netflix has officially green-lit a live-action adaptation of Vault Comics’ best-selling dark fantasy title, Barbaric. The series has some serious industry heavyweights behind it. The showrunner duo is already well-renowned within the space of comic book adaptations, with Academy Award nominee Sheldon Turner (X-Men First Class) co-showrunning alongside Robert Rovner, who’s best known for his writing work on The CW series Supergirl.

Producing the series is Jennifer Klein (Armageddon, Pearl Harbor) for 100% Productions, Barry Jossen and Tana Jamieson for A+E Studios, Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost, The Witcher), F.J. DeSanto and Damian Wassel for Vault Comics; Sam Claflin, Luke Carroll, and Michael Stevenson for Soft Claw Productions.

Check out the official logline:

A ruthless and crass barbarian is cursed to only use his violence for good, which sends him, his talking axe and a young witch on a road of self discovery, redemption and revenge.

Barbaric was revealed as part of Netflix’s Upfront 2026 announcements, which includes renewals, first looks, and more. You can check out the full lineup of announcements here.

What is the Barbaric comic about?

Barbaric began its journey at Vault Comics in 2021. It’s written by Michael Moreci and illustrated by Nathan Gooden. The series is its currently on its fifth volume, with the paperback edition slated for release in August. There’s also a spin-off series (Queen of Swords) and a one-shot special. Described as Deadpool–meets–Game of Thrones, Barbaric is renowned for its cutthroat, hyper-violent nature. When issue #1 debuted six years ago, it hit the ground running, becoming an instant classic, and it has since had multiple variants and printings.

Barbaric follows Owen the Barbarian, a man cursed to do good with what remains of his life. He wanders the realm with his talking Axe, a bloodthirsty weapon and moral compass— who also happens to have a severe drinking problem (being drunk on blood). Owen is foredoomed to help anyone who needs his mighty expertise. However, he has one unwavering mantra: he despises witches, as they were the ones who cursed him to do good deeds.

“Barbaric has been the mainstay of fantasy comic books for the last six years. The first issue came out at a time when everyone said fantasy comics were dead and it changed the entire industry’s mind,” Vault Editor-in-Chief, Adrian Wassel said in a statement. “Now, as Owen and Axe take to the screen, even more people get to see why Barbaric is the most important sword & sorcery series since Conan.”

Vault CEO, Damian Wassel added: “We published Barbaric with one single goal: give the world the fantasy comic they’d been missing for years. It was a resounding success. Now we get to share that incredible story with a whole new audience. Whether they also join us as readers, or just stream the madness, we’re sure a whole host of fans are going to fall head over bloody heels for Owen and Axe.”

Publisher Vault Comics has a modest history with live-action adaptations, from Vagrant Queen (2020) to Revealer (2022). However, Barbaric will stand as the biggest live-action project to be developed from a comic published by Vault. Meanwhile, Netflix already has a solid roster of live-action comic book adaptations, with some of the streamer’s biggest being The Umbrella Academy, Sweet Tooth, and The Sandman.

‘Barbaric’ creators Michael Moreci and Nathan Gooden react to the Netflix adaptation

As it happens, Michael Moreci has worked with a Netflix IP before, having written four-issue Stranger Things comic The Voyage. But of course, Barbaric is his masterpiece, and seeing it in live-action is a magical experience in itself. “We’ve got a dream team putting this project together, and I couldn’t be happier—especially since Barbaric fans are the best fans in the world, and I know how much they’re going to love seeing this story brought to life in such a major way,” Moreci said in a statement. “This is going to be an exciting ride.”

“Barbaric is a story full of big characters and crazy action, a lot of it pulled straight from my imagination,” series artist Nathan Gooden added. “We have such a great team bringing this story to the biggest streaming platform in the world, and I can’t wait to see it come to life. I feel lucky to share Barbaric with new audiences and at the same time give comic lovers a chance to rediscover Barbaric in a new medium.”

Who has been cast in Barbaric?

When Deadline first revealed the project in 2024, Sam Claflin (Daisy Jones & the Six and Peaky Blinders) was set to star and executive produce. They also noted that Hollywood legend Patrick Stewart was also involved. However, Netflix’s official announcement has yet to reveal any casting details, so we’ll have to wait and see. Nevertheless, Claflin is officially listed as an executive producer. Might he be our Owen the Barbarian? He has all the hallmarks to tackle the role!

Barbaric is still in the very early days of development at Netflix. We’ll keep you posted on all the latest updates.

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May 15, 2026
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Awards

‘Tangles’ Gets 7-Minute Ovation At Emotional Cannes Premiere

Canadian director Leah Nelson’s feature animation Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer’s, My Mother and Me got a heartfelt and enthusiastic seven-minute ovation at its premiere in Cannes in a packed Special Screening on Thursday evening.

Nelson was accompanied by voice cast members Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Seth Rogen, Abbi Jacobson and Samira Wiley as well producers Lauren Miller Rogen and Vicky Patel and Sarah Leavitt, whose real-life graphic memoir Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer’s, My Mother and Me is the inspiration for the animated feature.

The film retells Leavitt’s story as she puts her life as an activist and artist in 1990s San Francisco on hold and returns to her small hometown to spend time with her feisty beloved mother as Alzheimer’s begins to erase her mind and vibrant personality. The bittersweet tale infused with humor and sadness chimed with the Cannes audience.

It was an emotional night for Leavitt, Nelson, Miller Rogen and Patel who have all been personally affected by the disease through afflicted family members at different points in their lives.

“Thank you so much to all of these incredible people and thank you for being here and coming through that story with us,” said an emotional Leavitt as the applause died down.

Miller Rogen, whose late mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at just 55 years old, did not take the mike but was visibly moved as the lights came-up.

Lauren Miller Rogen looks emotional beside Seth Rogen at the #CannesFilmFestival premiere of Alzheimer’s-themed animation ‘Tangles.’

The couple are longtime Alzheimer’s activists having been affected by the disease in personal ways pic.twitter.com/CilwofLi3q

— Deadline (@DEADLINE) May 14, 2026

She and husband Seth Rogen founded Hilarity for Charity in 2012, a nonprofit that cares for families impacted by Alzheimer’s while Patel, who heads up Monarch Media with Steve Barnett and Alan Powell, became one of the nation’s leading fundraisers for brain science research after her late father was diagnosed with the disease.

Charades is handling international rights with CAA Media Finance and UTA Independent Film Group handling domestic. The film heads next to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June.

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May 15, 2026
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Canadian director Leah Nelson’s feature animation Tangles:

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Music

Here’s How to Style a White Dress for Summer 2026, Per Fashion Pros

Summer is basically here, and it’s time to brush up on how to style a white dress. LBDs—little black dresses—might get all the credit for versatility, but what most people don’t know is that their light counterparts can work for just as many occasions. (Okay, maybe not if you’re a wedding guest, but for everything else!)

Similar to LBDs, it all comes down to matching the cut and material with smart pairings. A silky slip dress, for example, can easily feel unfinished. But adding a sleek leather jacket and a matching bag makes it feel like a complete look, not just a piece of lingerie. So whether you’re getting dressed for girls’ night, a Euro trip, or just another busy weekend, a plain white dress is the clear choice. Here’s how to style a white dress for summer, according to the pros.

What to wear with a white dress, at a glance

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May 15, 2026
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Docs

Jon Favreau on Mandalorian and Grogu, California Tax Incentive

It’s been almost 50 years since the first “Star Wars” was released. And it’s taken that long for a movie in the beloved franchise – “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” — to be shot in Los Angeles

“I’d like to thank the California Film Commission and allowing us to have a tax incentive here and allowing us to be the first “Star Wars” film to be made entirely in Los Angeles,” “Mandalorian” writer and director Jon Favreau said to applause while introducing the movie at its world premiere Thursday night at the TCL Theatre in Hollywood.

Favreau also thanked his father for introducing him to “Star Wars” after taking him to see the original movie when he was just 10 years old. “That movie changed my life with that first shot,” he said, adding, “I sat by my dad’s side 49 years ago watching ‘Star Wars’ for the first time and tonight, I’m getting to sit next to my dad and watch this movie. Thank you, dad.”

“The Mandalorian and Grogu” is a spinoff of the Disney+ series, “The Mandalorian.” The film follows Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice, Grogu, as they fight criminal warlords on behalf of the New Republic.

Sigourney Weaver makes her “Star Wars” debut as a New Republic commander. She told me she had never watched “The Mandalorian” before speaking with Jon Favreau over Zoom about the movie. “I’ve admired [‘Star Wars’] from afar,” she said. “They have such wonderful actors in it, such wonderful characters.”

“The Mandalorian and Grogu” will be in theaters on May 22.

Spotted at the premiere were Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro and his predecessor Bob Iger as well as fellow studio execs Dana Walden, Asad Ayaz and Alan Bergman. A pre-screening reception included branded product from Burger King, Olive and June nail care and special edition of Nilla wafers that are tinted blue in homage to a snack seen in the film.

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May 15, 2026
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Global

Widespread power outages in Western Manitoba as wind wreaks havoc on crews

Manitoba Hydro says conditions have become so poor Thursday night, they are unable to work on restoring widespread power outages in southwestern Manitoba until the morning.

The strong winds and dust storm conditions taking over the province throughout the day have led to downed power lines and broken trees have led to a string of outages.

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And with the sun going down creating low visibility, and the wind speeds remaining strong, crews were forced to pause work as of 10 p.m. and will resume during daylight hours.

Manitoba Hydro on X: “High winds and dust storm conditions have downed power lines and broken trees throughout southwestern Manitoba, causing widespread outages in the Parkland and Westman regions.” / X

Dust storm and wind warnings remain in place for much of the southern part of the province and wind speeds were projected to reach between 70 to 90 kilometres per hour Thursday

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The forecast is not much better Friday, with winds coming out of the west at 50 gusting to 70 kilometres per hour for much of the day.

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May 15, 2026
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Trending

Mandalorian and Grogu First Reactions: Star Wars Movie Dazzles

“Star Wars” has officially returned to the big screen courtesy of “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” and members of the film press are calling the franchise’s comeback “a thrilling adventure,” “a perfect summer movie” and “a lot of fun,” although overall reactions are divided.

“It’s less about the lore and more a fun, freaky romp across the galaxy. I really dug that about it,” Fandango’s Erik Davis posted on X in one of the most positive takes. “Also really dug Ludwig Göransson’s score, especially the parts that felt like an homage to ‘80s synth-driven horror and action thrillers… It reminded me how fun ‘Star Wars’ can be when it stops worrying about canon homework and just cuts loose. Treat it like a pulpy Saturday matinee ride and you’ll have a blast.”

Puck News’ box office columnist Scott Mendelson called the movie  “a solid line drive past second base, with lots of ‘Neat… haven’t seen that in a STAR WARS before’ charm.”

More mixed reactions came courtesy of i09’s Germain Lussier, who said the movie feels like “a longer, bigger episode of the show” it’s based on, writing: “It has one or two stand out scenes but it feels much more interested in developing the story to new locations with new creatures than the characters. Enjoyed some of it, left frustrated but the rest.”

Collider’s Peri Nemiroff shared criticism of Rotta the Hutt, voiced by “The Bear” Emmy winner Jeremy Allen White. “Live action Hutts are a challenge to pull off, a gladiator Hutt even more so, and it didn’t help that Rotta’s dialogue was often too on the nose,” she posted. “He did grow on me, but it feels like there was a more compelling way to convey his place in the world and his mission.”

“One of the weakest ‘Star Wars’ movies,” reporter Jonathan Sim wrote. “An emotionless, predictable experience that doesn’t push Din Djarin anywhere interesting. Dull, unexciting fight scenes; just CGI monsters. Action figures mashed together. A long, colorless made-for-TV movie.”

A continuation of the beloved Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” the new “Star Wars” movie centers on the the adventures of Pedro Pascal‘s bounty hunter Din Djarin. Per the official synopsis: “The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din and his young apprentice Grogu.”

Joining Pascal and White in the movie is Sigourney Weaver. Jon Favreau, who created the Disney+ series, directs the film and co-writes alongside Noah Kloor and new Lucasfilm boss Dave Filoni.

“The Mandalorian and Grogu” arrives in theaters at an important time for “Star Wars.” The franchise has been away from movie theaters since the polarizing 2019 release of “The Rise of Skywalker” and filled up the interim with streaming series, from “The Mandalorian” to “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Ahsoka,” “Andor,” “The Acolyte” and more. Furthermore, longtime Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy departed the studio earlier this year and “The Mandalorian and Grogu” marks the first theatrical release under new bosses Filoni and Lynwen Brennan.

“The Mandalorian and Grogu” opens in theaters May 22.

The Mandalorian and Grogu: the marketing had me worried, but this movie is actually a lot of fun. Yes it does feel like a supersized high budget few episodes of the tv show – more of an adventure of the week than a huge galactic event story. If you like the show you’ll love this.…

— Peter Sciretta (@PeterSciretta) May 15, 2026

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU is…fine? An inoffensive, technically impressive spectacle that’s kinda a snooze fest. Very much structured like an abridged season of the tv show which unfortunately plays like watching the cutscenes of a Star Wars video game instead of playing one.… pic.twitter.com/ih8MGQ6mNR

— Griffin Schiller (@griffschiller) May 15, 2026

#TheMandalorianAndGrogu is a grin-inducing crowd-pleaser that puts Star Wars back on theatrical track. Director Jon Favreau is (again) a safe pair of hands that deliver a solid, thrilling and engaging romp. A solid popcorn movie that is the summer blockbuster you’re looking for. pic.twitter.com/ox2cVXexoJ

— Simon Thompson (@ShowbizSimon) May 15, 2026

#TheMandalorianAndGrogu is one of the weakest Star Wars movies.

An emotionless, predictable experience that doesn’t push Din Djarin anywhere interesting. Dull, unexciting fight scenes; just CGI monsters. Action figures mashed together.

A long, colorless made-for-TV movie. pic.twitter.com/DoOpve0fPC

— Jonathan Sim (@TheJonathanSim) May 15, 2026

#TheMandalorianAndGrogu: I am just defenseless against Grogu. (And the Anzellan droidsmiths.) Irresistibly cute and also a filmmaking feat I cannot get enough of.

Rotta the Hutt? Not as much. Live action Hutts are a challenge to pull off, a gladiator Hutt even more so, and it… pic.twitter.com/QLHcyRvK2u

— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) May 15, 2026

#TheMandalorianandGrogu is as expected. A longer, bigger episode of the show. It has one or two stand out scenes but it feels much more interested in developing the story to new locations with new creatures than the characters. Enjoyed some of it, left frustrated but the rest. pic.twitter.com/LRlf8x8CVU

— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) May 15, 2026

Criticism and nitpicks aside, #TheMandalorianAndGrogu    is a solid line drive past second base, w/ lots of “Neat… haven’t seen that in a STAR WARS before” charm. And yes, I asked my son to come for demographic research purposes (bribed him w/ Toothsome Chocolate Emporium). pic.twitter.com/fkIZ5zL0JY

— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) May 15, 2026

STAR WARS is back on the big screen and #TheMandalorianAndGrogu is a thrilling adventure full of big fights, gnarly creatures and plenty of adorable Grogu moments. It’s less about the lore and more a fun, freaky romp across the galaxy. I really dug that about it.

Also really dug… pic.twitter.com/XoQwKbRG9N

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) May 15, 2026

I liked #MandalorianAndGrogu way more than I expected. The first half felt like what I thought it’d be, but I did not expect to love Rotta the Hutt as much as I did. And seeing Grogu be the hero was great. Star Wars on the big screen just feels right. pic.twitter.com/MeghNqpAK9

— Joseph Deckelmeier (@joedeckelmeier) May 15, 2026

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May 15, 2026
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“Star Wars” has officially returned to the

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Tech

China at Cannes 2026: Box Office Boom and New Films

The China Film Pavilion has returned to Cannes for the fifth consecutive year, and organizers have arrived with news of a booming domestic market and a slate designed to showcase the breadth of talent back home.

The numbers alone make for compelling reading. The China Film Co-production Corporation reports that, as of May 5, China’s domestic box office had already reached $1.98 billion — around one-fifth of global revenue year-to-date. That follows a 2025 in which the Chinese market collected $7.45 billion, a year-on-year increase of 21.9 percent. Ticket sales across urban cinemas rose 22.57 percent, and the country added 2,219 screens over the course of the year, bringing the total to 93,187 — more than anywhere else in the world.

The five-day May Day holiday, which ended May 5, added around $110 million to that tally, a modest rise on 2025. The top performers were Cheng Wei-hao’s thriller Vanishing Point, followed by the actioner Cold War 1994 ($21.2 million), 20th Century Studios’ The Devil Wears Prada 2 ($6.1 million) and Chen Sicheng’s comedy Being Towards Death ($5.4 million).

At Cannes, the pavilion — which brings together 70 Chinese film companies including China Film Group Corporation, CMC Pictures, Bona Film Group and the Shanghai International Film Festival — has been showcasing more than 180 titles. Among them is the sports comedy Pegasus 3, which collected nearly $649 million domestically, alongside the Yuen Woo-ping-directed martial arts epic Blades of the Guardians, the thriller Scare Out from Zhang Yimou, sci-fi pop idol starrer Per Aspera ad Astra, Boonie Bears: The Hidden Protector (the 12^th in the animated kids film franchise) and the female-focused comedy It’s OK from Lina Yang.

Yuen Woo-ping’s Blades of the Guardians

Courtesy of CFCC

Special screenings on May 13 featured the family drama Shanghai Wonton, the female-focused comedy It’s OK and the artfully animated A Story About Fire — billed as the world’s first hand-painted animated feature made on Xuan paper, the traditional Chinese material prized for its soft texture.

The film earned director Li Wenyu a Crystal Bear nomination at Berlin last year and has become one of the more talked-about titles in China’s animation surge. Li drew heavily on ink painting techniques to achieve the film’s distinctive visual language — a process that demanded an unusual degree of personal involvement.

“After trying many different approaches, I found that ink painting on Xuan paper was indeed the best way to achieve the effects of expressive brushwork and negative space,” he says. “However, everyone handles brush and ink differently, so this method is very difficult to standardize. In order to maintain the film’s overall visual consistency, I had to complete an enormous amount of the drawing work myself. It was a huge challenge, but I managed to do it.”

The film follows a young monkey who discovers his surprising origins on a quest to steal fire from a ferocious beast — a journey that explores friendship, loyalty and the courage to face fear. It arrives at a moment of extraordinary momentum for Chinese animation. Ne Zha 2 became the highest-grossing animated film in history last year with $2.2 billion in global takings, and China’s animation industry is projected to reach $48 billion in value in 2026, up from $41 billion in 2023.

For Li, that growth reflects a broader creative flowering. “Chinese animation today has become extremely diverse in its forms of expression,” he says. “In recent years, China has produced 3D animated features that have attracted worldwide attention, and Chinese animated films have continued to appear in the lineups of major international film festivals. From visual form to subject matter, Chinese animation is now flourishing in many different directions and has reached a world-class level.”

What inspires him most, though, is animation’s capacity to break the rules of conventional filmmaking. “What interests me most is the language of animation itself — the forms of expression that belong uniquely to animation,” he explains. “Graphic expression, transformation and the use of different materials all carry tremendous imagination and can break past the limits of conventional film language. The challenge is how to use these animation languages to tell an animated story, and to use them in a way that is both reasonable and ingenious.”

A screening at the ESRA film school on May 16, followed by a Q&A with Li, will give local students a chance to engage with the film directly. The broader ambition of the pavilion, according to the CFCC, is to “present the vibrant vitality of Chinese cinema to the world through more diverse approaches, and facilitate deeper integration between Chinese filmmakers and global industry resources.”

Li, for his part, keeps it simpler. “My film is about growth and companionship,” he says. “To me, growth is not just about getting older or achieving a certain kind of success. It is about having the courage to face fear.”

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May 15, 2026
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Video

Stephen Colbert Jabs CBS News After China Visa Snag

Stephen Colbert couldn’t help but roast his colleagues over at CBS News after the network failed to get a visa to cover Trump’s state visit to China.

“All the news teams are on the ground in China to cover this epic and historic summit,” Colbert said during Thursday’s monologue for “The Late Show. “All except one, because our CBS News colleague Tony Dokoupil is being forced to broadcast from Taiwan after failing to get a Chinese visa in time.”

He added: “Well, that is disappointing, but it does fit in with their slogan. CBS News, when events happen, we’re at most one country away.”

Colbert didn’t hold back, as he continued by noting that “some news networks did somehow manage to be in the place that they were covering,” highlighting ABC News’ coverage, which saw David Muir learning about robotics in Beijing.

After playing footage of Muir’s interaction with a robot, which was taught to lay on the ground via artificial intelligence, Colbert quipped, “Hey, that robot took the job I’m starting on May 22nd.” The comedian was, of course, referring to his final show, which airs next week.

In January, CBS locked in the final air date for “The Late Show,” which will be May 21. The decision followed CBS’ announcement last summer, in which they shared that “The Late Show” would be coming to an end shortly after Colbert mocked Paramount’s $16 million settlement with President Trump, blasting the move as a “big fat bribe.”

However, CBS executives noted at the time that the cancellation decision was purely a financial one.

Watch Colbert’s monologue in full above.

“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS.

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May 15, 2026
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Stephen Colbert couldn’t help but roast his

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Entertaintment

Cannes 2026 ACID Film Trailer ‘Promised Spaces’ (Exclusive)

Social inequality is a theme that people around the world are familiar with. Ivan Marković (From Tomorrow on, I Will), a director and cinematographer born in Belgrade, Serbia, who lives in Berlin, now takes us into the world of luxury homes and inequality in Cambodia in Promised Spaces (Obećani prostori).

The film, Marković’s fiction feature directorial debut, world premieres in ACID, the Cannes Film Festival sidebar run by France’s association of film directors whose goal is promoting the theatrical distribution of independent films, on Saturday, May 16, followed by an “official screening” on Monday, May 18.

Promised Spaces is a contemplative hybrid documentary-fiction film that is a France-Germany-Serbia-Cambodia co-production, which explores urban speculation and the construction of luxury homes in Cambodia, as well as the meaning of home.

Vollak Kong, Chea Loch, Vita Vong, Lyer Von, Theara Or and Kanitha Tith feature in the cast. Written, directed, and edited by Ivan Marković and featuring sound design by Luka Barajević, the film was produced by Bocalupo Films, in co-production with Fiskultura Films, Big Time Production and Anti-Archive. Luminalia is handling international sales.

“Sleepless from the heat, Sokun leaves his crowded construction dormitory and joins a community of fellow workers living in one of many unfinished high-rises,” reads a synopsis. “One such tower offers a long-awaited luxury home for its first tenant, Seda, who soon feels trapped in the vast gated complex.”

And the ACID website says about Promised Spaces: “A ghost town rises in the middle of the Cambodian countryside. Gated communities, new buildings, suspended construction sites, and recent ruins compose a space in flux, inhabited silently by construction workers, a wandering old man, housekeepers, gardeners, and secretaries. At night, the trees, the jungle, the river, and stories of the past…”

Or as ACID general delegate Pauline Ginot puts it: “It shows us how urban landscapes are also political landscapes where class relations come in concrete form.”

Marković, in a director’s statement, explains his inspiration this way: “Promised Spaces explores how architecture embodies social segregation, isolating people across class divides. Merging fiction with real locations and non-actors, the film follows characters from different social strata – construction workers and residents of luxurious gated communities – to show Cambodia’s rapidly expanding urban landscapes. Through fragments of contradicting yet coexisting realities, it traces how speculative urban growth reshapes identities, communities, and notions of home.”

THR can now premiere an exclusive trailer for the film. Get ready to travel to Cambodia and dive into a world that you most likely don’t know. The sneak peek gives you a first taste of the cinematic visuals, the sounds and the overall atmosphere that Marković conjures up. A former fishing village has become the site of modern buildings and construction.

Check out the view and, of course, the trailer for Promised Spaces below.

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May 15, 2026
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Movies

‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’ Review: The New Rasputin

It begins with Baranov’s student days in the early 1990s, in the heady “new Russia,” just after Soviet communism had collapsed. Everything felt possible and money flowed freely. As Baranov recalls it, those days felt like a never-ending bash, or maybe an orgy, where you might watch a naked man on a leash follow a punk rock singer around at a house party. As an avant-garde theater student and then director, Baranov lived a life of art and poetry with his girlfriend, Ksenia (Alicia Vikander). When the vulgar but fun Dmitri Sidorov (Tom Sturridge), the inventor of Russia’s first commercial bank, enters their lives, things grow brighter, then more sour.

But Baranov moves on, taking a job in trashy reality television production, and this is where the historical tale begins to take shape. “The Wizard of the Kremlin” is really a movie about how Russia went from those heady post-Soviet days to the rise of the oligarchy to, eventually, the establishment of Vladimir Putin (a mostly chilling Jude Law) as president, a former K.G.B. officer who valued power over money. The oligarchs who choose Putin as Boris Yeltsin’s successor realize too late that this man will not be their pawn. “What interests me is restoring integrity to the Russian Federation,” he tells Baranov. And that means consolidating power — in himself.

Baranov, with his talent for weaving a story, is useful to Putin, and at this point he has little idealism left. As he grows nihilistic, believing that truth is whatever he wishes to make of it, so does his country. A background in theater and reality TV proves useful: He turns out to be a communications genius, figuring out how to manipulate political theater to not just represent reality, but invent it. They call him “the new Rasputin.”

As you may already have surmised from the casting, “The Wizard of the Kremlin” is not in Russian; the actors speak in English, which suggests this is an account of Russian history intended for non-Russian audiences. Even with its 136-minute running time, that’s a lot of ground to cover, so it moves at a good clip. This has an interesting dramatizing effect: We see history progress through Baranov’s eyes in broad arcs, and figures like Putin, who often occupy daily headlines, become more like characters in a play.

And while that can result in the oversimplification of a person, it can also be useful when trying to figure out why a person does the things they do. In a play or a movie, people have roles, psychological traits and motivations that drive their character arcs. Here, the lightly fictionalized version of an authoritarian is driven not by the desire for something like money, like the oligarchs, but by the desire for power. Projecting an image of strength is part of that desire; propaganda is the means by which one does this.

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May 15, 2026
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Latest News

Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac on ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ Season 5

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from the two episode-premiere of Season 5 of “Welcome to Wrexham.”

Wrexham AFC’s path towards the Premier League has been lined with victories, and one of the biggest among them is last month’s news that FX has ordered an additional three seasons of the hit docuseries “Welcome to Wrexham.” Premiering in 2022, the Emmy-winning “Welcome to Wrexham” chronicles the North Wales team’s rise through the ranks of football, brought on by the team’s change in ownership after Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac (formerly known as Rob McElhenney of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” fame) bought the club in 2021.

Over the past five years, in a series of consecutive promotions, Wrexham AFC went from being a fifth-tier team in Season 1 to making it to the English Football League’s Championship for the first time in more than four decades in the Season 4 Finale.

Since the cameras went down in April 2025, much has happened in the world of Wrexham.

Now one promotion away from the Premier League, Wrexham AFC advanced to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup for the first time in 29 years in February; the Wrexham Women’s team beat Cardiff City and secured the Adran Premier title in March; construction began on the hometown 7,500-seat Kop stand, expanding overall capacity to over 18,000; major roster changes were implemented — and fans were heartbroken by the death of footballer and two-time European Cup winner Joey Jones (affectionately dubbed Mr. Wrexham) in July 2025.

Season 5 — which follows Wrexham AFC’s 2025-2026 football season — sees the Red Dragons adjust to competing on a higher level, joined by a new set of players and increasing pressure as fans wait to see whether the Welsh team will get the fairytale ending it’s always aimed for, and make it all the way to the Premier League.

Below, Reynolds and Mac spoke with Variety about filming their recent successes, what the future holds — and why the people of Wrexham’s trust matters most.

FXX

I wanted to start off by congratulating you on your three consecutive promotions. Wrexham is now one level away from the Premier League, which has been a long-term goal. Did that affect your approach to filming and producing the season? What has the reception in Wrexham been like?

Rob Mac: Has it really affected the way that we approach it? There seems to be a plethora of people who want to tell their story, and I think in the beginning, there was some trepidation, which was totally fair. They didn’t know what kind of story we were telling. They didn’t know if it was going to be a comedy. They didn’t know if it was going to be about the two of us, and us being clowns and coming in and ruining their club. We promised them that’s not what we were doing, but you can’t really tell until you see –

Ryan Reynolds: — until you actually watch what we do, and know what we say. If I were to pick one thing I’m most proud of — and I could assume this is something you’re probably most proud of as well [nods to Mac] — is that we’ve really earned the community’s trust over the years. And it’s something we don’t take for granted, and certainly something we don’t take lightly.

Earlier this month, it was announced that the show has been renewed for three more seasons so fans can follow along into at least Season 8. Did you expect it to carry on for so long when you first started? What are you most looking forward to doing with the rest of the show?

Mac: Well, I’ve got another television show that’s gone for 18 seasons, [“It’s Always Sunny” premiered in 2005 and is currently in development for Season 18] so to me, I feel like with Wrexham, we’re just sort of a third of the way through the run, right?

Reynolds: I mean, “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” was not picked up for another season, and I was in the pilot of that.

Mac: You were?!

Reynolds: I was, yeah.

Mac: Just the pilot?

Reynolds: Just the pilot, yep. And so, I don’t have the same experience as you, so I was probably a little bit less bullish on this. If we were picked up for 40 more seasons, I don’t think that we would ever scratch the surface of telling all these stories, and getting into the nuance of them. The more trust we’ve generated with this community, the more willingness we are finding for people to open up, share something, and everybody has a story. If you took a camera crew and you were patient enough — and you were willing to wait and earn the trust of a community — you’re going to find that any place you go, anywhere in the world, there is a wellspring of stories of humanity and people who are just trying to make sense of us all, and make this work. This thing we call life, it’s not easy for most people, and it’s been a privilege to be a part of that storytelling process.

You’ve always emphasized that the people of Wrexham are at the center of the story you’re telling. The Season 5 premiere introduces viewers to Bailey Jones, a young passionate Wrexham fan who passed away in 2023 of a brain bleed. How did you decide that telling Bailey’s story was where you wanted to start Season 5? Has his family seen it?

Mac: Oh yes, they have seen the episode. We always try to make sure that we’re very respectful when it comes to stories like that, that we have the family or the central protagonist of the story watch it before it airs, just in case there’s anything sensitive that they want to make adjustments about. Because this is the kind of show that wants to celebrate those stories, and never feel exploitative. In that particular circumstance, they reached out to us, which is also the benefit of having four seasons of the show out. They know the spirit by which we’re trying to make the show, and they asked if we would tell their story. Once it was told to us, we jumped at the opportunity to celebrate Bailey, his family and his love for Wrexham and Red Dragons.

The second episode is similarly heavy, featuring the beloved Welsh football player Joey Jones, who died in 2025. What did you focus on when paying tribute to him?

Reynolds: I was just grateful we got to meet him. He’s such a landmark there. He’s bigger than a legend. He’s kind of is Wrexham, in life and death. You still feel him, you know, even when Chelsea came to town for the FA Cup; that was a big moment, and the first thing Wrexham did was flash their Joey Jones signs. It’s interesting what comes out of people when you’re suddenly on the world stage or feeling that spotlight and that spotlight can be hot. What is it that you want to use that moment for? You could use it for anything. Everyone’s looking right now, “What are you going to do?” And they chose Joey Jones, and that’s a testament, and a legacy, if you ask me — that’s one to be really proud of.

Just to switch gears for a second, the 2025-2026 season had some huge roster changes. How did you go about building trust and relationships with a new set of players every season?

Mac: That’s really easy for us, because we trust in Phil [Parkinson, the club manager]. Whoever he tells us to trust, we trust, and whatever he does, we go along with and support 100%. We have very little, if any, oversight over who he brings into the club, and we trust that he’s going to bring people of high character that will fit into that locker room as leaders and as teammates, and then ultimately for us as friends.

Reynolds: Phil Parkinson would say no to probably the greatest footballer on the planet if their character was in question, or he didn’t feel like they would be team players and in the locker room, day in and day out. We have an immense amount of respect for that process, and the knowledge that someone like Phil Parkinson’s acquired over decades and decades of being in this industry. We don’t make football decisions, and that turns out to be the greatest strategic move you could ever make around a club like this, when we’re hands off, and we allow the people to make the decisions, people who have real authorship and a real understanding of the nuance of this game, to make all those important decisions.
Amazing things happen because they feel like they have the faith of the folks that are stewards for this club, and the town sees it right away, because we never walk in there saying we know better. We always say, “I don’t know.” And in doing so, it allows us to have relationships with the players and to be there for them when they need us, because they know we don’t make football decisions. They know Rob and I are not going to be responsible for their contract extension or cancellation or anything like that, and then are able to lean on us in other ways, and sometimes it’s emotional. We can create that emotional investment, which is, I’d argue, more valuable than financial or even personnel. The emotional investment is kind of what keeps you sustained and keeps you moving day in day out.

There are moments that end up on the cutting floor due to a variety of reasons, either personnel on screen asking for privacy or the fact that there’s a very quick turnaround time. Are there any moments looking back at Season 5 that you wish you could have included in the show?

Mac: That’s a good question. There are moments yet to be written, because we don’t know how it’s going to end, and that’s always the tricky thing. As you’re making a show in real-time — at the quality level that we’re trying to turn it out — we don’t want to just record something quickly, edit it and turn it back out. We want to tell really rich narrative stories. In filmmaking, you’re always finding ways to trim it and get it to whatever the rhythm of that particular story is. So, there’s lots of different sequences, I could say that wound up on the cutting room floor, but nothing that we didn’t wind up coming back to or finding another place in a different episode.

The Wrexham women’s team has been doing amazing. Can fans expect to see more of the story behind their Adran Premier win this season?

Reynolds: Oh my gosh. What a story. The women’s team has almost — in so many ways — more at stake and has pushed harder than the men’s club, because they’ve never really been given that kind of equitable playing ground. We’ve done everything we can to look at that through the same lens as you would the men’s club — getting them a field that is theirs, a place where you can congregate a community that’s their own home turf, their own home stadium at the Rock has been a huge priority since day one. Just watching them scrap and fight and kick and punch their way out of the very bottom of this pyramid, which exists for them as well, all the way up to winning the entire league this year, is just a true fairy tale story. It’s something that I think is also emblematic of the tide shifting all over the world, and people are watching women’s sports now more than ever. I’ve always been obsessed with the Canadian women’s national football team. The World Cup comes around, and I’m always watching in complete rapture. I don’t know why I find it more exciting than anything else on grass.

To tease a little bit of the upcoming season, what are some of the biggest challenges that you tackle as you’re rising through the ranks of football and competing with bigger clubs?

Mac: A lot of it is the heartache and heartbreak of losing some of the players and their families that we love so much. When they move on to other teams, it’s almost like they take it better than we do, because it’s a part of the business. We’ve got some players who play for 13, 14, 15 different teams, and when they leave, that’s just the nature of the business. Ryan and I are devastated, because we’re so close to them. And then, of course, they want to continue along the journey, but they also want to play, and they recognize that they can play more on another team, and so they give us a hug and say, “We’ll keep in touch,” which we do, and it winds up being more devastating for us than it is for them.

Reynolds: We’re messes when they leave. But I think there’s a common ground there, because I feel like athletes that are this elite, the window for their careers is shorter than even people in our industry. But both industries know one thing: they will always, without fail, take our names down — from the marquee in the entertainment industry. That is an inevitable fact, and so I think we can relate in that sense, where you know something is coming for them. Thankfully, most of the time it’s just a transition. They’re moving on to another club or another team. But we all know that these things eventually come to an end. And your life is about new beginnings, really. That’s the hope. So, there’s some kind of common ground there.

We all understand each other, that we’re all really lucky to do this incredibly challenging thing that so many people wish they could do or be a part of. We get a front row seat to it. We get to live in the backstage of it. We get to understand the ins and outs of it, and it’s a real privilege that we’re lucky to experience, and something we have in common with the footballers.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

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May 15, 2026
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MCU

Marvel Highlights ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s’ Practical Effects in New Behind-the-Scenes Video

Before the Marvel multiverse assembles for the events of Avengers: Doomsday, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is getting ready to swing back into action for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

The fourth installment in the MCU’s Spider-Man franchise, Brand New Day will follow Peter Parker as he sets out on his own after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home erased the world’s memory of him.

Photo: Marvel

Joining Holland in the next Spider-Man adventure will be Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk.

Photo: Marvel

“Crime-fighting in a New York that no longer knows his name, he’s devoted himself entirely to protecting his city — a full-time Spider-Man — but as the demands on him intensify, the pressure sparks a surprising physical evolution that threatens his existence, even as a strange new pattern of crimes gives rise to one of the most powerful threats he has ever faced,” the film’s logline reads.

A New Behind-the-Scenes Video

With just over two months to go until Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters, Marvel has released a behind-the-scenes look at some of the action sequences in the film.

“This is some of the best action that we’ve had in any of these movies, and we’ve shot the most stunts on the day in-camera,” Holland says in the clip.

The new video not only gives fans a taste of what to expect from Brand New Day but also highlights the practical effects used in the film.

New Poster

In addition to the new behind-the-scenes teaser, Marvel has also released a new poster for Brand New Day.

The new artwork features Holland’s Peter Parker unmasked but wearing his Spider-Man costume beneath his jacket.

Photo: Marvel

I, for one, can’t wait for Brand New Day to get here.

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May 15, 2026
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DCU

Alex Ross JLA/AVENGERS Variant Covers Honor George Pérez

After two decades, this past year has seen arch-rivals DC and Marvel work together again. First, the comic giants reprinted several classic crossover events from years past. Then, Marvel and DC teamed up Batman and Deadpool, and then, Superman and Spider-Man. But their greatest crossover (after X-Men/Teen Titans, that is) is JLA/Avengers. Written by Avengers writer Kurt Busiek and illustrated by the late, great George Pérez, it’s remained largely out of print for years. Now, via AIPT, we’ve learned DC and Marvel are reprinting each of the four issues of JLA/Avengers this summer. There will also be new variant covers, including one from the legendary Alex Ross.

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DC Comics/Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics/DC Comics

DC Comics/Marvel Comics

Not only that, but Ross will recreate the JLA vs Avengers cover that Perez illustrated back in 1983, for the original version of the crossover that was canceled. It will be split into two images, as variant covers for issues 2 and 3. This iconic image originally graced the cover of Comics Interview Special Edition #6 in 1983, the only officially published material for the canceled version of that crossover. Marvel will publish the first half of JLA/Avengers #3 in July, spotlighting the Avengers, while DC will release the second half of Avengers/JLA #4, featuring the Justice League. When placed together, the covers form a full face-off between the two iconic teams. Marvel will publish issue #3 in July, with DC publishing issue #4 in August. You can see the new Ross covers together and separately above. You can see Perez’s original ’83 image below.

Marvel/DC Comics

The entire four-issue series, originally published in 2003, will receive Facsimile Editions reprints this summer. Each issue appears in its original format with classic trade dress and wraparound cardstock covers. Marvel Comics will publish issues #1 in May and #3 in July, while DC will release issue #2 in June and issue #4 in August. This series was a milestone for several reasons. As mentioned, George Pérez had begun working on a Justice League/Avengers crossover in 1983. Perez drew several pages, before intercompany fighting killed the project. Twenty years later, the two publishers decided to finally bring the series to life, and Pérez returned to draw it. The final result truly captured these two teams at their most iconic, and was a huge hit.

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Marvel Comics/DC Comics

DC Comics/Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics/DC Comics

DC Comics/Marvel Comics

Do these reissues mean JLA/Avengers will receive a proper collected edition again, perhaps as an oversized hardcover? We’re not sure, but we think the signs are pointing toward yes. DC and Marvel briefly reprinted this series in a very limited edition trade paperback in 2022, to honor the late George Perez. But they quickly went OOP.

If there’s one DC/Marvel crossover that should remain in print perpetually, it’s JLA/Avengers. If only so fans can always read about Superman lifting Thor’s hammer. Also, now that you’re all friendly again, DC and Marvel, how do we get a JLA/X-Men written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Jim Lee? Let’s get that one going next, please. The world will thank you.

Originally published March 2, 2026

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May 15, 2026
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Comics

CAPCOM Reveals 93% of Its Game Sales Are Now Digital

CAPCOM has published its latest financial results presentation with yet another year of strong numbers, netting the company approximately $1.2 billion in sales in the fiscal year ending March 2026. In 2024, CAPCOM reported that the vast majority of its sales came from digital releases, and that trend has continued as expected.

The Digital CAPCOM Future

For a while now, digital sales have become the preferred choice for most gamers, largely due to their convenience. In the Digital Contents section of its presentation, CAPCOM confirmed that digital sales increased from 90% in 2024 to 93% in 2026.

Image via CAPCOM

PC has also become the main platform for CAPCOM, accounting for around 54.5 percent of their total sales, and those sales are almost entirely digital thanks to Steam. CAPCOM specifically mentioned in their presentation that through PC, they’ve been able to distribute titles to 244 countries/regions, becoming their main driver for product growth and brand awareness.

Image via CAPCOM

CAPCOM stated back in 2024 that they’re still committed to physical sales of their releases, and I doubt that commitment has changed just yet. 93 percent is a staggering figure, though, but losing that remaining 7 percent still matters and accounts for a large number of sales, even if it is a shrinking slice of the pie.

It does make me wonder whether there is an internal threshold that might eventually push them towards a more digital-first approach, especially if the cost of releasing physical games ends up outweighing the revenue from physical units. It could be that certain smaller titles or remasters might not get physical releases at all, or only very limited print runs. While a platform breakdown isn’t provided, it’s hard not to think that Switch 2 ports and releases might account for a good chunk of those physical sales.

Digital is clearly the future, though, no matter how you slice it. CAPCOM expects this number to rise from 93 percent to 95.4 percent this fiscal year, which doesn’t sound unrealistic given the trend.

Image via CAPCOM

Next-generation consoles might remove disc drives altogether, and we’ve already seen several consoles, including the PlayStation 5 Pro, shipping without a disc drive by default. CAPCOM is a business at the end of the day, and if they start losing money on manufacturing and distribution costs just to serve a small subset of their audience, they may eventually see it as unjustified.

Either way, the last few major CAPCOM releases still received physical editions for consoles, often with limited collector’s editions as well. I doubt they’ll pull out of the physical side abruptly, but reduced print runs going forward wouldn’t be surprising. In a perfect world, the future of physical wouldn’t look quite so uncertain, and players would still have a stronger sense of ownership over their games, but spending habits shaped by digital convenience are hard to ignore.

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May 14, 2026
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Festivals

Lady Gaga Reinvents Herself, Yet Again, With ‘Mayhem Requiem’: Review

At the end of her “Mayhem Ball” tour, Lady Gaga performs “Bad Romance” as the opera house behind her ignites, the set piece roaring with flames. It’s a commentary, or at least it appeared to be, on the ephemeral nature of pop music: Gaga spends the entire performance celebrating the genre’s artifice by leaning into its flashy tropes, only to burn it all down. As “Bad Romance” concluded, Gaga reemerged for one last song, not as the character she had inhabited for the past two hours, but as herself, beaming at her own creation.

But what if the story didn’t end there? In between legs of her “Mayhem Ball” tour, Gaga debuted “Mayhem Requiem” at Los Angeles’ Wiltern in January, unveiling an almost entirely reconfigured version of both the stage show and album that served as an extension of — or, as it was later clarified, the conclusion to — her “Mayhem” era. Fans plucked from a lottery to secure $229 tickets were in the dark about what would transpire at the 2,300-capacity venue; rumors rippled through the line snaking around the block that it could very well be an acoustic set, or a showcase of new songs for a potential super-deluxe record. About an hour before start time, in shuffled Little Monsters, phones locked in security pouches, unsure of their fate.

As the curtain rose at the Wiltern, it quickly became clear that Gaga was writing the next chapter of the “Mayhem Ball” experience in real time: It was Gaga performing in the charred rubble of the opera house, the gray stage littered with broken columns and jagged slabs of concrete bathed in flashing lights and fog. This wasn’t a phoenix rising; it was Gaga, dressed like she was attending her own funeral, wallowing in the wreckage and mourning what was lost at the “Mayhem Ball.”

None of the theatrical nature of her “Requiem” performance should come as a surprise — Gaga is nothing if not a creature of reinvention. “Mayhem,” which arrived in March 2025, was an evolution in classic Gaga form, resurrecting motifs from her early work and recontextualizing them for modern times. It was a reimagining of the Lady Gaga Project done at peak pop level, subsuming fans in a world rounded out by show-stopping choreography and rafters-reaching choruses meant to thrive in big arenas. No detail, unsurprisingly, was left unattended on the “Mayhem Ball” tour, which came to a close at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on April 13.

“Mayhem Requiem,” which was filmed and released on Apple Music and in select AMC Theaters on Thursday night, was the other side of the “Mayhem Ball” coin, a show stripped of arena-sized pop spectacle. There were no fiery explosions or massive set pieces that cycled in for fistfuls of songs. It was instead a relatively static performance, save for a very flashy light show, that focused on the heartbeat of “Mayhem”: the music. For much of the evening, Gaga sang with her back to the audience, her face shrouded by a hood or veil, as if to shun the spotlight. She was flanked by a full band but was without her army of dancers. And while Gaga minus the bells and whistles may sound like a slog on paper, she’s such a dynamic presence that the performance still felt propulsive and alive, even though it was a requiem for the dead.

Throughout the performance, Gaga was stripped down even further than she was at the end of the “Mayhem Ball,” exploring just how elastic her songs can be when retrofitted with new sounds. Much of that sound was inspired by the macabre, dialing back the throbbing percussion of “Mayhem” and instead settling for droning synths that recall the ’80s splotch of new-wave and goth pop. That was the tone set with opener “Disease,” its pace tempered and its chord progressions rearranged. Gaga flailed at the front of the stage, wedged between a synth player and guitarist, transforming the “Mayhem” opener into what felt like a Nine Inch Nails descendant. It was thrilling and unexpected — perhaps, one could surmise, the whole performance was a celebration of the death of the Mistress of Mayhem (her “Mayhem Ball” alter ego) and the calm that settles in after the chaos. It could have simply been a eulogy for something, possibly the tour that had reached its inevitable conclusion.

It’s hard to read between the lines of what Gaga is really getting at with her live shows, which can often lean heavily on symbolism and high-level, at-times opaque concepts. That’s partly why “Mayhem Requiem” worked so well, bolstered by the simplicity of what one could consider as a more traditional Gaga show (think her “Harlequin Live: One Night Only” concert in 2024, or the “Jazz and Piano” side of her Vegas residency). Throughout “Mayhem Requiem,” Gaga traded spots at different keyboards about the stage, rarely breaking from playing instruments. She only performed as Pop Star Gaga a few times, writhing on the floor for the first verse of a floating rendition of “Vanish Into You” and while lying on a cement block for a bare version of “The Beast.”

“Mayhem Requiem” was as succinct as fans will see in Apple Music’s filmed live experience — not referred to as a “concert film,” it should be noted, to distinguish it from the “Mayhem Ball” tour — lasting just over an hour and running sequentially across the “Mayhem” tracklist. Each song was carefully considered, right through to the closing song “Die With a Smile,” which she transformed into an electronic march — a far cry from the retooled salsa version she performed during Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.

The whole evening was a testament to the creative power of Gaga. For her, it starts but doesn’t always end with the music, which is where she thrives as a showwoman. But “Mayhem Requiem” brings the lofty ambitions back to the creative nucleus and centers the focus on the malleability of her songwriting. For Gaga, that sort of approach is par for the course, but it once again reinforced how gratifying it can be when you’re along for the ride.

“Apple Music Live: Lady Gaga Mayhem Requiem” is now available to stream on Apple Music.

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May 14, 2026
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At the end of her “Mayhem Ball”

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Film

Regular Show The Lost Tapes is a Mediocre Revival: TV Review

TV has always been partial to spinoffs and sequels and revivals, but lately, it feels like half the industry is devoted to mining the depths of people’s nostalgia, bringing back half-remembered properties in hopes that they can break through in the fickle attention economy. 2026 alone has already given us a “Scrubs” revival and a four-episode limited series reunion of “Malcolm in the Middle,” two projects that feel born more out of lazy “Member Berries” pandering than any genuine artistic impulse.

The world of animation is particularly susceptible to a nostalgia revival, because many of the logistical challenges that come from bringing a show back after a decade-plus absence don’t exist in the medium. You don’t have to worry about the cast being older, or filling in the details of what the characters have been doing with their lives while still steering them into a status quo that’s reminiscent of the original show, because so many animated shows preserve their casts in amber, never aging them or straying too far from who they were in the pilot. If a voice actor dies, you can recast (though certain shows choose to simply retire the characters). It’s easy for an animated series to return after a long absence and more or less act like no time has passed at all.

As such, we’ve seen plenty of animated shows receive revivals over the last several years, and a few have even been pretty great. I’m particularly fond of last year’s “King of the Hill” Hulu revival, a poignant and sweet new chapter for the beloved Fox sitcom that manages to find the perfect balance between recapturing the original run’s tone and humor while evolving its characters in new and unexpected directions. But others come back as mere shadows of themselves: also on Hulu, new seasons of “Futurama” never really found a new angle for their characters, while a disastrous “Powerpuff Girls” revival from 2016 relied on meme references and scenes of the prepubescent superheroes twerking rather than actual quality writing.

For a nostalgia revival to succeed, you need to do more than just present audiences with characters they already know: you need to manage the task of recapturing the fundamental tone and appeal of the original, while offering something new so that the effort doesn’t feel like the warmed-over leftovers of what people loved 15 years ago.

I thought of that balance a lot while watching the first episode of “Regular Show: The Lost Tapes,” a revival of a Cartoon Network staple from my childhood and the first time I’ve ever felt like I’m now in the prime demographic that’s being pandered to. The show, in its reintroduction to these characters, is seemingly taking the task of bringing the original back with as minimal tonal, aesthetic, and narrative changes as possible. The results aren’t bad, per se, but it also doesn’t quite do anything for me that rewatching the original show wouldn’t.

Originally premiering in 2010 and running on Cartoon Network for eight seasons and 244 episodes (most of which were just 11-minute segments), creator J.G Quintel’s “Regular Show” could best be described as a stoner comedy aimed at children. A typical episode of the series follows two 20-something slackers — blue jay Mordecai and raccoon Rigby — as they work as groundskeepers on a local park, hang out with their oddball friends, and get themselves into surreal adventures; “Bill & Ted” is a good comparison here.

As a 10-year-old at the time the series first came out, I felt moderately edgy watching it. Between its older cast of characters, occasional use of mild swear words like “pissed,” and a mix of absurd humor with naturalistic sitcom situations, “Regular Show” was slightly more mature than your average Cartoon Network show of the era, more akin to “The Simpsons” in tone and style. The show was a huge hit, won a Primetime Emmy Award from six nominations, and wrapped after seven years and a full-length movie. So, how does it reintroduce itself nine years later, especially to a fanbase that’s grown up since it left the air?

“The Lost Tapes” has taken an interesting path to reviving the show for a new era, mostly in terms of how it’s being released. The series is back on Cartoon Network, with its first episode releasing this past Monday, May 11. Future episodes will air on the channel most weeknights, per TV Guide, and the first season alone has 37 episodes. In the U.S., at least, you can’t stream the show yet, although you can watch the full first episode for free on YouTube. The rest of the episodes will eventually make their way to HBO Max and Hulu on an unspecified date later this year.

The target demographic for a “Regular Show” revival is, if I had to estimate, people who were around 10 when it first premiered, and are in their mid-20s or early 30s at the moment. This is not a demographic that is known for paying for Cable TV, and if they do have it, probably aren’t using it to watch Cartoon Network. The release strategy feels like a miss in that respect, burying any possible excitement for the revival by making it difficult for those interested to actually watch it.

This also begs the question of why “The Lost Tapes” is airing on Cartoon Network to begin with. One of the strongest TV revivals, animated or otherwise, was the 2017 “Samurai Jack” season, which wrapped up the story of Genndy Tartakovsky’s action sci-fi series. The original show, which ended in 2004, aired on Cartoon Network, but the revival, wisely understanding that the audience interested in the property had grown up, moved to the mature programming block Adult Swim and took advantage of the looser restrictions to offer graphic violence and subject matter the original show couldn’t get away with. It’s easy to imagine a version of “The Lost Tapes” that takes a similar path to strong effect, aging up its content slightly (maybe Mordecai and Rigby could drink beer or smoke weed, in this scenario?) to meet its fans where they are now.

Instead, what the first episode of “The Lost Tapes” offers is essentially more of the same, except clunkier and less fresh than it was beforehand. The first run of “Regular Show” ended on a perfectly good note that struck just the right balance of absurd and sweet: after a season where the main cast had to get home after being stranded in space (don’t ask), the adorably innocent and cheerful Pops sacrificed his own life, a montage revealed the futures of everyone who survived, and a final scene showed Pops in Heaven watching a VHS tape labeled, of course, “Regular Show.”

“The Lost Tapes” opens with the segment “Fix That Tape,” in which we revisit Pops in Heaven after that tape he’s watching breaks. After a misadventure to fix it, Pops puts it in the VHS tape again, and we launch directly into the next episode “Skip’s Luau,” revealing the tape to be recorded memories of his time on Earth. Presumably, future episodes will continue to offer various one-off installments set in the show’s original status quo, when Mordecai and Rigby were just young slackers trying to avoid work.

This is a nifty conceit to avoid having to rewrite or tamper with the story threads of the original show, but it does leave the show in an awkward position. Because these stories are essentially extra episodes set in between what we saw in the original, they can’t tamper with the characters’ pre-established arcs too much; the show leaves them stuck in stasis rather than evolving them or surprising us (although I should note that Quintel did say in an interview that there will be a payoff of some kind). It doesn’t help that neither of the two halves of this premiere are particularly strong, failing to stack up to the original run at its best. They’re both a bit frantic and poorly paced, lacking the contrast between the chill, down-to-earth characters and the absurdity surrounding them that gave the series its initial hook. There is one killer joke about Hall & Oates that demonstrates the juice hasn’t fully run out, but it’s not the triumphant welcome back you want from a revival’s pilot.

One episode is too soon to lay the verdict down on any show, and “The Lost Tapes” still has time to pivot and address my criticisms. I do worry, though, that the series will end up being exactly what its framing device sets it up as: a rerun of something that was fresh and exciting 15 years ago.

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May 14, 2026
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8 Most Comfortable Heels That’ll Get You Through Every Event 2026

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Sizes: 5–13

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What we love: Dream Pairs’s minimalist strappy heels look far pricier than their under-$40 price tag suggests. “The minimalist, asymmetric straps sit snuggly on my foot—no awkward slipping and sliding around—while the block heel kept me feeling stable and sure-footed,” says Glamour deputy editor Anna Moeslein. “They’re the kind of shoes I can last in for a few hours in without complaint. I’ve got several weddings and parties coming up this summer, and I’ll be planning my outfits around these shoes.”

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May 14, 2026
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AccordionItemContainerButtonWorth noting: Runs smallSizes: 5–13Material: Leather or

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What to Watch

Tuesday TV Ratings: NCIS, Bear Grylls, Celebrity Jeopardy! All-Stars, NBA Playoffs, WWE NXT – canceled + renewed TV shows, ratings

Photo: CBS ©2026 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Highest quality screengrab available.

Tuesday, May 12, 2026, ratings — New episodes: Celebrity Jeopardy! All-Stars, Farmer Wants a Wife, Bear Grylls is Running Wild, NCIS, and NCIS: Sydney. Special: The Mystery of Richard Simmons: A Diane Sawyer Special. Sports: WWE NXT and 2026 NBA Playoffs. Reruns: RJ Decker and High Potential.

NOTE: Ratings posted using Fast Affiliate Numbers.

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Note: If you’re not seeing the updated charts, please try reloading the page or go here.

The percentages represent the change since the previous original episode. (Percentages aren’t given for reruns or specials.) To see past ratings for a particular show, click the show’s link. The show pages are updated with the daily final ratings when they become available. Those pages include season averages to date.

What were you watching last night? Original network programming, reruns, cable, or something else?

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May 14, 2026
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Awards

Upfronts Recap: NBCU, Fox, Amazon, Disney, WBD, Netflix, YouTube

Warner Bros. Discovery kicked off its annual upfront event at the Madison Square Garden Theater by paying tribute to the late Ted Turner, who had just died the previous week. Turner, of course, was part of why WBD was even holding an upfront in the first place: Not only was the media giant a cable pioneer who brought us CNN, TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network and more, but his Turner Broadcasting was the cornerstone of Warner Bros.’ ad-supported media portfolio — something that expanded greatly with the Discovery Communications merger.

But as Anderson Cooper paid tribute to Turner, the audience of ad buyers, media analysts and reporters couldn’t help but think about the elephant in the room — or, as WBD’s presidents of U.S. advertising Ryan Gould and Bobby Voltaggio joked, the “Ellison in the room”: This wasn’t just a eulogy for Ted Turner. It could very well also be WBD’s swan song, as the company will likely be consumed by Paramount Skydance before the next upfronts season.

The uncertainty of the TV business was on everyone’s minds, of course, starting with what will happen with the Warner Bros. Discovery/Paramount merger. But that’s still to come. Right now, the congloms are back to focusing on their bread and butter: TV programming.

In recent years, it started to feel like the upfronts were less about TV and more about conglomerates pitching their entire 360 approach. Divisions that never made it on the network stage, like sports, theatrical movies and other brand synergies, suddenly got more time than what was airing on a Wednesday at 8 p.m. This year, the movies still popped up here and there — especially at WBD, which took a warranted bow for their smash 2025 — and sports were well-represented. But for the most part, the show was once again the thing.

“I felt like people are feeling a little bullish again on TV, and the different ways that people are consuming shows,” said Warner Bros. TV Group chairman/CEO Channing Dungey. “It felt like good, old fashioned broadcast was back front and center. I was very happy to see that.”

At NBC, that renewed focus on programming came as the network conducted a mini-pilot season for the first time in several years. “There was a very concerted effort on our part to invest and focus on scripted, and that’s why we did the pilot season,” said NBC/Peacock scripted content head Lisa Katz. “We were really happy with the outcome.”

Dungey said she was excited to see NBC shoot those eight pilots. “That is always encouraging, because they’re making and I was reading what Lisa Katz was saying about being committed to doing more pilots again next season, which I think is great. We made a pilot this year for CBS that unfortunately didn’t go, but it does feel like people are still investing and making things, which is exciting. Even in streaming, we’re making pilots, including two right now for HBO Max.”

Key TV stars made appearances at all the upfront presentations, a nice throwback to the golden age of the network upfronts. But make no mistake, we live in different times: Not a single scheduling move or timeslot was mentioned at any of the upfronts throughout the week. And yet, there were several strategic surprises in how the networks, in particular, plan to roll out their new and returning series.

Here are more key takeaways from the 2026 upfronts:

Midseason Is The New Fall: Not too long ago, it would be unthinkable for a network like ABC to hold its No. 1 show (“High Potential”) off the fall skeds, CBS to push two of its biggest shows (“Matlock” and “Ghosts”) to at least January or NBC to wait until midseason to launch a highly anticipated title like its “The Rockford Files” reboot.

But these are different times. For one thing, NFL and college football, plus other live sports, dominates so much of primetime that it seems competitively like the best option is to wait until January for the real TV season to begin. In September, just five hours of ABC’s and seven hours of NBC’s 22-hour-a-week lineups are scripted originals. Only two out of Fox’s seven nights are scripted. And across all networks, just six new shows bow in the fall — with most waiting for post-football homes.

“Not only is the fall less vibrant, but it also is starting later,” Dungey noted. “I think it’s because everyone just now wants to get out of the way of sports. That’s what it feels like to me.”

“High Potential” was moved to January in order to give the show an uninterrupted run, said Ari Goldman, ABC’s senior vice president, content strategy and scheduling. ““We’re thinking about the behavior of our linear audience, but also the streaming viewers, who really have shown the importance of week-over-week steadiness in planning and rolling out these shows,” he said.

CBS had previously said the strength of its schedule allowed it to hold “Matlock” and “Ghosts” to midseason, and indeed the Eye network does have limited shelf space given all of its franchises (“NCIS,” “FBI,” “Country”).

As for “Rockford Files,” NBC also had no place to put it, given its multiple nights of sports. The network decided newbie “Line of Fire” made more sense coming out of “The Voice” on Mondays at 10 p.m., while “Traitors” had to go in the fall so it didn’t butt up against the celebrity edition on Peacock — and those were its only two free hours. (NBC execs believe “Rockford” is more of an 8 p.m. blue sky show — and could very well take the Thursday 8 p.m. slot once civilian “The Traitors” completes its run).

It’s also perhaps an acknowledgement that audiences have become used to longer waits for their favorite shows, vs. the days when a summer break was the longest a hit went without an episode.

Those longer hiatuses also come as some network series see reduced episodic counts (although still more than streaming shows). There are some exceptions (the Dick Wolf shows tend to be closer to 21 episodes), but for dramas, “I feel like the new normal has become somewhere between 15 and 18 episodes,” Dungey said.

Comedy Conundrum: Only three new laffers made it on to the network skeds next season: “Eternally Yours” at CBS and “Sunset P.I.” and “Newlyweds” at NBC. Fox, which is down to just one live action comedy, told reporters it was reassessing its financial model for comedy, while ABC is thrilled with the success of the “Scrubs” revival — but also doesn’t have much space for half hours.

“I think you have to be patient with them,” Katz said. “We’ve always known that comedies usually take time, but when you have the talent behind them, both in front and behind the camera, and you can get something like a ‘St. Denis or a ‘Happy’s Place’ or a ‘Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins,’ there’s nothing better.”

Comedy isn’t just for broadcast, of course, as the genre blossoms on streaming — Season 2 of “Running Point” has been a success for Netflix, for example, and HBO Max’s “The Rooster” just posted a strong ratings story. Apple TV has turned “Shrinking” into a hit, and is about to bring back “Ted Lasso.” HBO Max, meanwhile, is generating a ton of interest in “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” a new sci-fi-heavy chapter in “The Big Bang Theory” universe.

Blue Skies Are Here: While streaming audiences still seem to have an appetite for dark and moody, the recent successes of shows like “High Potential” prove a desire for more blue sky fare at the broadcasters — and they’re taking that to heart. ABC is eager to grow “R.J. Decker,” and has the upcoming “The Rookie: North,” Fox is about to unleash “Baywatch,” CBS has “Elsbeth” and NBC is high on “The Rockford Files.”

“I think the last few years, people have been doing a bit more lighter, brighter shows,” Katz said. “When you look at ‘Rockford,’ one of the things we liked about it was he’s a little bit of an underdog and very fallible and human. I think people want television that’s relatable and optimistic, things the world feels like it’s lacking.”

Executive Hellos and (Potential) Goodbyes: This upfront served as the debut for several entertainment executives in new leadership roles. At the highest possible level was Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, who took the stage at Disney’s presentation following a welcome from “Devil Wears Prada 2” star Anne Hathaway. It was a big moment, as the CEO isn’t often the one tasked with upfronts duty.

And though D’Amaro seemed to have some jitters (he’s much more used to the D23 crowd full of fanatic parks fans) his appearance surely went a long way in impressing potential ad buyers about his commitment to the TV division.

Elsewhere, Peter Friedlander made his first-ever upfronts appearance speaking as the new head of scripted TV for Amazon MGM Studios/Prime Video and showing off several splashy projects to come, like the “Fourth Wing” TV series.

Noticeably missing from the week was Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who has previously been front and center at the WBD presentation but this year didn’t go before an audience. Zaslav’s on-stage absence comes as he’s getting ready to part ways with the company, should the pending acquisition by Paramount Skydance go through.

Hollywood’s “Will We, Won’t We?” Relationship with AI: AI has been the focal point of many a conversation in Hollywood recently, but the upfronts presented a noticeably mixed message on the subject. Some media companies barely mentioned it, like NBCU’s Mark Marshall, who made only a passing mention of AI during his time onstage. Or Disney’s Rita Ferro, who talked about the use of “automated systems” but did not give a full-throated endorsement of the emerging technology.

Meanwhile, Fox devoted more than five full minutes to AI alone during its hour-long presentation to advertisers, making it a central focus. Netflix seemed to walk the finest line, illustrating how it is making AI a part of the advertising business but keeping the remarks relatively short.

AI is not going anywhere anytime soon, and Hollywood is still figuring out where and how to integrate it into the filmmaking process. Based on what we saw at the upfronts, your guess on when that will be sorted out is as good as ours.

The Tech and TV Divide: While yes, as we mentioned earlier, programs are still part of the upfront pitch, but they are increasingly being served with a stream of tech-speak. Fox even had its chief technology officer address the assembled at its upfront presentation.

It wasn’t always this way. In a fondly remembered time, advertisers were more interested in the shows, eager to hitch their ads to big-audience programs like “E.R.” or “Survivor.” Now, viewers for dramas, comedies and reality shows are harder to come by, because people now have the leeway to watch their favorites at any moment of their own choosing. That means viewership around such stuff is smaller, and the networks need to show that ads are reaching not the most people, but rather the most likely people to be interested in a bottle of soda, a specific kind of running shoe, or a new weight-loss drug.

Doing so on interactive streaming services isn’t just a matter of marrying an ad with a specific show. Instead, advertisers are increasingly using programmatic technology that uses algorithms to align commercials with audiences tied to a specific geographic region or consumer preference. That means technology in many cases has more relevance than the actual content on the screen.

This Year’s Superlatives: Upfront MVP status went to Jane Krakowski, who performed a song-and-dance number (as her “30 Rock” character, Jenna Maroney) at the NBCU upfront, then ran across town to perform another razzle-dazzle with Jane Lynch at the Fox upfront. (Krakowski hosts “Celebrity Name That Tune” for the network.) Did either network know Krakowski was double dipping?

Other upfront frequent fliers included Tina Fey and Shaquille O’Neal.

Meanwhile, there wasn’t necessarily a “song of the upfronts” this year, but there was an entire music genre: Country showed up in a big way, especially at Amazon (where Kacey Musgraves and Shaboozey performed) and Netflix, where “The Hunting Wives” honky-tonk bar Coyote Joe’s was re-created for an onstage line dance performance.

Cuddly canines made an appearance at both WBD (for Animal Planet’s “Puppy Bowl”) and at Netflix, which just acquired streaming rights to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog show.

Easiest applause line this year? Declaring that you’re shooting your show in Los Angeles. And this wasn’t even an L.A. crowd — but enough Hollywood folks were in attendance to cheer on when it was mentioned how “Baywatch” filmed in Venice Beach and “Sunset P.I.” was shooting in the city as well. “It feels nice whenever you can do production here,” Dungey said.

Here are all of Variety’s upfront presentation recaps:

Inside NBCUniversal’s Upfront: Vin Diesel Surprise, Tina Fey Sets Up NBC’s 100th Birthday Bash and More at ‘Most Glamorous Midmorning of the Year’

Inside Fox’s Upfront: ‘Baywatch,’ Lachlan Murdoch, Lots of Tom Brady, and the World Cup Brings James Corden Back to Late Night

Amazon Upfront Brings Out Michael B. Jordan, Chris Pratt, Oprah Winfrey in Star-Studded Ad Sales Pitch

Disney’s 2026 Upfront Goes All in on Savannah Bananas, Billie Jean King and ‘American Horror Story’

Inside Warner Bros. Discovery’s Upfront: Execs Address ‘Ellison in the Room’ Before First Looks at ‘Minecraft Movie 2,’ ‘Harry Potter’

Netflix Upfronts: J-Lo and Brett Goldstein ‘Get Closer,’ Pete Davidson Goes Off-Prompter, Will Forte Hits an Off-Key ‘Golden’

YouTube Unveils Exclusive Shows From Alex Cooper, Trevor Noah, Kareem Rahma and More at Upfront

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May 14, 2026
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I wanted to start off by congratulating you on your three consecutive promotions. Wrexham is now one level away from the Premier League, which has been a long-term goal. Did that affect your approach to filming and producing the season? What has the reception in Wrexham been like?

Earlier this month, it was announced that the show has been renewed for three more seasons so fans can follow along into at least Season 8. Did you expect it to carry on for so long when you first started? What are you most looking forward to doing with the rest of the show?

The second episode is similarly heavy, featuring the beloved Welsh football player Joey Jones, who died in 2025. What did you focus on when paying tribute to him?

Just to switch gears for a second, the 2025-2026 season had some huge roster changes. How did you go about building trust and relationships with a new set of players every season?

There are moments that end up on the cutting floor due to a variety of reasons, either personnel on screen asking for privacy or the fact that there’s a very quick turnaround time. Are there any moments looking back at Season 5 that you wish you could have included in the show?

The Wrexham women’s team has been doing amazing. Can fans expect to see more of the story behind their Adran Premier win this season?

To tease a little bit of the upcoming season, what are some of the biggest challenges that you tackle as you’re rising through the ranks of football and competing with bigger clubs?

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