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A review of the decision to move convicted teen killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo to a medium-security prison is underway and should be completed “within a few weeks,” the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) says.

In a statement sent to Global News on Tuesday, the CSC said a three-person review committee including “external representation” has begun its work.

“Specifically, the review will examine the appropriateness of his security classification and transfer to a medium-security facility, review victims considerations and notifications, and whether the legislative and policy framework was followed in this case,” the CSC said.

“It will also look at any other relevant considerations specific to this case.”

News of Bernardo’s transfer from a maximum-security prison broke earlier this month, and drew sharp criticism from many, including Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

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Click to play video: 'Poilievre demands Trudeau transfer Paul Bernardo back to maximum security, puts forward new bill'


Poilievre demands Trudeau transfer Paul Bernardo back to maximum security, puts forward new bill




The CSC said its thoughts were with the victims and their families.

“We know that continued public attention of this case is very difficult for them and we regret any pain or concern this transfer has caused,” the CSC said.

The families of Bernardo’s victims didn’t learn that he was being transferred to a different prison until the day it happened.

The CSC said the decision to move Bernardo was due to a “reassessment of his security classification.”

“Security classification must be reviewed at least every two years (for context, Paul Bernardo has been incarcerated since 1993),” the statement said.

“A change to the security classification of offenders is based on the assessment of their risk related to institutional adjustment, escape risk, and risk to public safety, based on a consistent set of factors set out in law and policy. When transferring an offender, CSC selects the appropriate level of security by taking into account the degree and type of control they require to ensure the ongoing safety of the public, victims, offenders, and our staff.”

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The CSC said over 95 per cent of offenders in maximum security are there because they can’t be safely managed in a medium-security facility.

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Click to play video: 'Killer Paul Bernardo’s move to medium-security prison prompts calls for answers: Trudeau, Poilievre'


Killer Paul Bernardo’s move to medium-security prison prompts calls for answers: Trudeau, Poilievre




It was determined that Bernardo could be safely managed in a medium-security institution, the statement said.

“The fact that an offender is in medium security does not mean they are being ‘fast-tracked’ through the federal correctional system,” the CSC said.

“An offender can still be a high public safety risk, yet CSC can effectively and safely manage them in a medium-security setting.”

Bernardo is serving a life sentence for the murders, kidnapping and torture of 15-year-old Kristen French and 14-year-old Leslie Mahaffy in the early 1990s. He has admitted to sexually assaulting 14 other women and was convicted of manslaughter in the death of Tammy Homolka, who died after being drugged and sexually assaulted.

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Tammy’s sister Karla Homolka, who was married to Bernardo at the time, was released in 2005 after completing a 12-year sentence for her role in the crimes committed against French and Mahaffy.

— With files from Jacquelyn LeBel, John Lawless and The Canadian Press

&copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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A review of the decision to move

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brad pitt, angelina jolie




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Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie 84th Annual Academy Awards, Arrivals, Los Angeles, America - 26 Feb 2012


Editorial use only. No book cover usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Moviestore/Shutterstock (1577446a) Mr And Mrs Smith, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt Film and Television


Editorial use only. No book cover usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Moviestore/Shutterstock (1597766a) Mr And Mrs Smith, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie Film and Television

Image Credit: Mega

  • Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie sparked a relationship after filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith together in 2005.
  • They had six children together — three adopted and three biological — and got married in 2014.
  • Brad and Angelina split after an explosive argument in 2016 and have been battling over custody of their children and shared winery, Miraval, ever since.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have one of the most infamous Hollywood love stories. What started out as two of the most respected and beloved actors of their time working together laid the foundation for a love affair that would last over 10 years, include six children, and a number of collaborative projects. Unfortunately, since the two split in 2016, things have turned ugly between them, and it’s all been highly publicized.

Between a custody battle and a lawsuit over Chateau Miraval, a property they bought in France while together, Brad and Angelina have been warring for years. Catch up on everything to know about the pair’s history, as well as where they stand today, below.

When Did Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie Meet?

MR. AND MRS. SMITH, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, 2005, TM & Copyright (c) 20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in 2005’s ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith [Everett Collection].

Back in 2005, a little movie came out that would become the catalyst for Brad and Angie’s relationship. In 2005’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the future couple played husband and wife with a mission to try and assassinate the one another! Now, that wouldn’t instantly sound like a recipe for romance, but for Brad and Angie their time on set and working together really brought them closer.

At the time, Brad was still married to Friends star Jennifer Aniston. But by the time the filmed had wrapped and speculation swirled around Brad and Angie, the actor’s five-year marriage to Jen was all but over. Soon, Jennifer filed for divorce from Brad, giving him the freedom to pursue Angie. The love triangle made headlines for months, with the public dying to know whether Brad had cheated on Jen with his new love interest.

“I would be a robot if I said I didn’t feel moments of anger, hurt, of embarrassment,” Jen admitted in a 2006 Vanity Fair interview, which took place as Brad and Angie were flaunting their new romance publicly. “I just don’t know what happened. There’s a lot I don’t understand, a lot I don’t know, and probably never will know, really.”

Brad and Angelina denied being involved while he was still married to Jen, and Jen said she had no choice but to believe that. “I choose to believe my husband,” she said. “At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised by anything, but I would much rather choose to believe him.”

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie’s Family

Photo © 2007 RFJ/The Grosby Group New York, June 5, 2007 "Ocean's 13" Los Angeles Premiere - Arrivals - Grauman's Chinese Theater In this picture: ANGELINA JOLIE & BRAD PITT (PGrfj) *** Local Caption *** . (Mega Agency TagID: MEGAR81124_1.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend the premiere of ‘Ocean’s 13’ in Los Angeles on June 5, 2007 one year after welcoming their first child, Shiloh [MEGA].

Before Angelina and Brad got together, the actress adopted a son, Maddox, now 21, from Cambodia in 2002 when he was seven months old. Angelina was with Billy Bob Thornton at the time, but took Maddox in as a single mother (she and Billy Bob split just months after the adoption was finalized). In July 2005, Angelina adopted a daughter, Zahara, now 18, from Ethiopia. Brad was with her at the time she picked Zahara up, and he legally adopted both Maddox and Zahara in 2006.

Just one year into their romance, Brad and Angie were expecting their first biological child together. In May 2006, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt (now 17 years old) was born, making the clan a family of five. In March 2007, Angie adopted Pax, 19, from Vietnam and Brad became the young child’s legal, adoptive father in February 2008. The couple then went on to have twins, Vivienne and Knox, now 14, in July 2008. Angie famously announced her pregnancy with the twins by debuting her baby bump at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008.

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie’s Marriage

©2008 NCNA PHOTO 310-828-3445(NO RAMEY CREDIT) February 23, 2008, Los Angeles, California BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE showed up at the 2008 Spirit Awards. Angelina didn't even try to disguise her baby bump like she did at the Screen Actors Guild Awards late last month. XYZ (Mega Agency TagID: MEGAR85364_02.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the 2008 Spirit Awards on Feb. 23, 2008.[MEGA].

In 2014, the former couple wed at the Château Miraval estate in Correns, France, which was a property they purchased as a hideout from the media’s scrutiny. It was such a beautiful, intimate ceremony that heavily involved the couple’s children. Maddox and Pax walked their mom down the aisle, with Knox and Shiloh serving as ring bearers and Zahara and Vivienne as flower girls.

Angelina wore a custom Atelier Versace dress for the wedding, which was attended by just 20 guests. The kids all helped design the gown, which Brad didn’t see until the moment Angie walked down the aisle, she told PEOPLE. The kids also helped out by writing their parents’ vows. “It was very sweet what they came up with,” Angie gushed.

Unfortunately, the marriage was quite short-lived. After just two years as a married couple, Brad and Angelina announced that they would be getting divorced in Sept. 2016. What followed were explosive claims about what happened that led to the messy split (see below).

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie’s Custody Battle

Everything exploded between Brad and Angelina when they were on a private flight home from France back to the United States with the six kids. The aftermath was a years-long custody battle that remains to 2023, despite three of the pair’s children now being legal adults. Angelina was initially granted temporary full custody of the children, with Brad granted visitation. The agreement was put into place amidst claims that Brad had gotten physically violent with Maddox on the flight following an argument with Angelina. Specific details of the alleged altercation were not made public.

By November 2016, Brad was cleared of the abuse allegations by the Department of Child & Family Services and FBI. A temporary custody arrangement was put in place that allowed Brad unsupervised visits with the children, but only after approval from a court-appointed psychologist.

Brad requested to have all court documents relating to the custody case sealed in Jan. 2017. At first, Angelina argued this decision, and claimed that Brad was just “terrified that the public would learn the truth about him” if the documents weren’t kept private. They were able to reach an agreement to seal the documents by the end of that month.

angelina jolie brad pitt
Angie and Brad have been at war since 2016. (Shutterstock)

In June 2018, Brad scored a big win in the custody case when a judge ruled that Angelina wasn’t doing enough to ensure that the kids had a relationship with their father. Brad was granted an increase in custody over those summer months in a new temporary agreement. That August, they had a disagreement about child support, with her accusing him of not paying a “meaningful” amount.

Brad and Angelina were expected to go to trial for the custody hearing in Dec. 2018, but by November, they were able to come to an agreement out of court. The agreement stated that Brad would still have less than 50 percent custody, but said that his time with the kids would increase.

By April 2020, a judge ruled that Angelina and Brad would be declared “legally single,” but their divorce was not finalized. That summer, they had a new disagreement when Angelina tried to have the judge in their divorce case, John W. Oudenkirk, removed and replaced because of his relationship with Brad’s attorney. Her request was denied in Nov. 2020.

In March 2021, Angelina filed new court documents, where she alleged that she had proof to support claims of domestic violence against Brad. Angelina also claimed that, if her children were able to testify in the custody hearing, their statements would support her allegations. At the time, a source close to Brad told HollywoodLife that Angelina was simply trying to “target and tarnish” her ex with these allegations.

The judge ruled that the kids would not be allowed to testify in May 2021. Angelina blamed Judge Oudenkirk, claiming that he was not giving her a fair trial. That same month, Brad was finally awarded joint custody of the remaining minor children, but Angelina appealed the decision in June, insisting that Judge Oudenkirk was not acting impartial in his decisions. Lawyers for the stars appeared in court in July 2021.

Following that hearing, Angelina was granted the request to remove Judge Oudenkirk from the case, voiding the joint custody decision that he had made the previous month. At the time, a rep for Brad told HollywoodLife, “The appeals court ruling was based on a technical procedural issue, but the facts haven’t changed. There is an extraordinary amount of factual evidence which led the judge – and the many experts who testified – to reach their clear conclusion about what is in the children’s best interests. We will continue to do what’s necessary legally based on those detailed findings of what’s best for the children.” Brad went to court in Oct. 2021 to try and reinstate the decision that Judge Oudenkirk had made, but was denied.

At the end of summer and beginning of fall 2022, Brad and Angelina’s custody case made headlines once again when she went public with shocking allegations against him amidst another legal issue they were having (more info on that below). In court documents, Angelina finally shared her story about what allegedly happened on that Sept. 2016 plane ride between herself, Brad and the kids.

Angelina’s statement alleged that Brad had a confrontation with one of the kids (believed to be Maddox) before even getting on the plane. Then, during the flight, he allegedly accused Angie of being “too deferential” with the kids. More than an hour into the trip, he allegedly “grabbed [Angelina] by the head and shook her” before “[grabbing] her by the shoulders and [shaking her again],” according to the complaint. One of the kids reportedly tried to step in and defend Angelina, and she said that Brad allegedly “lunged” at the minor child.

“The children rushed in and all bravely tried to protect each other,” Angelina’s statement alleged. “Before it was over, Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face. Some of the children pleaded with Pitt to stop. They were all frightened. Many were crying.”

When the plane landed, Brad allegedly wouldn’t let Angelina and the kids off the aircraft. It wasn’t until he fell asleep that she was able to devise a plan to get the kids safely to a hotel, according to the documents. At the time, a source close to Brad confirmed that the actor had been drinking and said that he “acknowledged that he crossed a line,” but immediately worked towards making amends. After Angelina went public with her accusations in 2022, a rep for Brad added, ““(Jolie’s) story continues to evolve each time she tells it with new, unsubstantiated claims. Brad has accepted responsibility for what he did but will not for things he didn’t do. These new allegations are completely untrue.”

The War Over Miraval

The previously mentioned “other lawsuit” Brad and Angelina were dealing with had to do with their winery, Chateau Miraval. Brad and Angelina first visited Chateau Miraval in France in June 2007 when they were looking for private properties to bring their family. They bought the property from Tom Bove, who told Vanity Fair in a 2023 profile that Brad and Angie desperately wanted somewhere private to go before the birth of Vivienne and Knox. They purchased the property in May 2008 through individual holding companies, with Brad taking a 60 percent stake and Angelina taking 40 percent.

In addition to using the property as refuge, Brad also began to take an interest in making wine himself. He teamed up with wine producer Marc Perrin to create a rosé. Although Angelina was less involved with the wine production, the ‘Jolie-Pitt’ name was on all of the labels of the extremely successful wines. Brad and Angelina became equal partners in Miraval in 2013 when he transferred 10 percent of his stakes to Angelina for the price of one euro (which he later claimed that she never paid), according to the Vanity Fair article.

chateau miraval
A bottle of wine from Chateau Miraval. (Shutterstock)

However, along with the divorce came big-time disagreements over what to do with the estate. Angelina wanted out of her business partnership with Brad, and she sent an email to him in Jan. 2021 to let him know, the Vanity Fair profile reveals. “I have tried to stay open to the business, to see it as something that could be positive for our family, and have therefore not walked away,” she reportedly wrote. “I see now how you have really wanted me out and will most likely be pleased to receive this email.”

At the time, Brad agreed to buy out Angelina’s portion of the winery, but the deal did not go through. Angelina later claimed that Brad would not agree to the deal because she wouldn’t sign an NDA that he had asked for. The alleged NDA “prohibited Jolie from discussing, outside of court, any of Pitt’s personal conduct toward her or the family,” according to Vanity Fair. However, a source close to Brad insisted that the NDA was strictly about Miraval.

In July 2021, Angie filed legal paperwork, accusing her ex of blocking her from selling her share of the winery to a third party. In Sept. 2021, Brad fired back with paperwork of his own, accusing Angelina of trying to cut him out of the potential sale.

He claimed that her decision to try and sell her stake in the winery went against an alleged previous deal that the two had made. “[Brad insisted] that he and Jolie made a pact agreeing never to “sell their respective interests in Miraval without the other’s consent.” It was a promise Jolie would deny, claiming “no such agreement ever existed,”” according to Vanity Fair. A source close to Brad also deemed Angelina’s behavior as “vindictive” at the time.

In October 2021, Angelina officially sold her 50 percent stake in Chateau Miraval to a company controlled by Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler. Then, in Feb. 2022, Brad sued her for not seeking his permission first. In his legal paperwork, he asked for damages, and said that he wanted to undo the deal with Shefler because he was making it difficult for Brad to run the winery in the way he wanted.

By June 2022, Brad amended his filing and accused Angelina of attempting to “inflict harm” on him by secretly making the sale to Shefler. He claimed that Shefler had “malicious intentions” for the winery. “Jolie knew and intended that Shefler and his affiliates would try to control the business Pitt had built and to undermine Pitt’s investment in Miraval,” Brad’s court docs stated. “And just as Jolie envisioned, that is exactly what Shefler has done.” Brad also claimed that Angelina purposely sold the winery to an “adversarial party” because he was granted 50/50 custody of the kids in a separate lawsuit. The actor’s lawsuit noted that he did not find out about the sale of the winery until it was in the press, as well.

That July, a judge granted Angelina and her lawyers the rights to subpoena documents from Brad’s team amidst the ongoing battle over Miraval. Once the team had the documents they needed, Angelina and her holding company, Nouvel, filed their countersuit in Sept. 2022. In the documents, Angelina accused Brad of “acting in a hostile, destructive and illegal manner.” Nouvel accused Brad of freezing them out of discussions about Miraval and sought financial damages based on claims that he “wasted its assets” with his projects at the Chateau over the years.  “Sadly, this is yet another rehash and repackaging of old material to try and distract from [Angelina]’s own behavior,” a source close to Brad told HollywoodLife at the time.

Things really blew up in October 2022, though, when Angelina filed another cross complaint that featured bombshell allegations about her ex-husband. In the suit, Angie publicly came forward with her allegations about Brad being “violent” towards her and their children during the 2016 airplane incident, which preceded Angie’s divorce filing (remember, Brad was previously cleared by the Department of Children and Family Services).  Angie had never openly discussed her allegations before, but claimed that Brad “forced” her to do so when he attempted to “reassert control over [her] financial life” by asking her to undo the Miraval sale and re-join him as a business partner.

The lawsuit featured Angelina’s allegations of Brad’s abuse (which we hashed out in the ‘custody battle’ section of this article). A rep for Brad denied the story, and pointed out that Brad previously “accepted responsibility” for what he did do on the plane. “These new allegations are completely untrue, [though],” the rep insisted. Angelina also claimed that she and Brad never had an agreement not to sell the winery without each other’s permission.

Where Angelina & Brad Stand Today

angelina jolie kids
Angelina brings the kids to a red carpet event. (shutterstock)

Unfortunately, as of June 2023, things are still messy between Brad and Angelina. Brad filed a new complaint against Angelina in the Miraval battle on June 1. In the newest suit, Brad said that Angelina “intentionally” tried to damage him with the sale of Miraval to Shefler. He reiterated his claim that the two had an agreement about not selling the winery without each other’s consent before their split. Brad also continues to claim that Angelina only wanted to sell her share of the winery as retribution for him getting a win in their custody case.

Since splitting from Angelina, Brad has not been photographed publicly with any of his six children. He has opted to keep his relationship with the kids out of the public eye. However, Angelina is often seen with the kids, both out and about and on red carpets.

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View gallery Image Credit: Mega Brad Pitt and Angelina

Tech

Move over, concert T-shirt.

Snoop Dogg wants to sell fans an NFT that promises owners exclusive access to updates from the rapper’s life on tour starting in July. The Snoop Dogg Passport Series is touted as the first “evolving digital tour collectible,” priced at about $45 or 0.025 ETH (Ethereum cryptocurrency) available on snooppassport.xyz.

The Passport NFT will provide ongoing behind-the-scenes video and images uploaded by Snoop and his team. In tandem with his summer tour kickoff on July 7, Snoop will also unveil Snoop Selects, a curated collection of works from select NFT artists that will be dropped for free to all Passport holders. The first group of Snoop Selects artists include Coldie, Terrell Jones and Alien Queen.

In addition, fans who buy a Passport NFT will be granted access to future Snoop Dogg drops, playlists, the ability to buy merchandise and tickets to events, and more.

“With the Passport Series, I can give my fans the opportunity to travel the world with me — no one’s ever done that,” Snoop Dogg said in a statement provided to Variety. “I’ve always been a pioneer, and digital merch is part of the future. I’m hoping other artists can see what I’m doing and continue to innovate on their own.”

The technology for the Snoop Dogg Passport Series was created in partnership with NFT development studio Transient Labs, founded in 2022 and based in Denver. The deal was brokered by WME, which counts both Snoop Dogg and Transient Labs as clients.

“Having the opportunity to connect one of the world’s greatest artists to fans in such a creative and engaging way is a great representation of what we’re all about at Transient Labs,” said Chris Ostoich, chief operating officer at Transient Labs.

Watch the sizzle reel for the Snoop Dogg Passport Series:

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Move over, concert T-shirt. Snoop Dogg wants to

Video

YouTube will allow more creators to monetize their presence on the platform, including creators with smaller followings.

The company announced today it is lowering the eligibility requirements for the YouTube Partner Program and opening up a handful of monetization methods to smaller creators, including paid chat, tipping, channel memberships, and shopping features.

Under the new eligibility policy, the YPP will be open to creators once they reach 500 subscribers — half the number that YouTube previously had. Other benchmarks are changing, too: participating creators will need 3,000 valid watch hours instead of 4,000, or 3 million Shorts views compared to the original 10 million. The lower requirements will initially roll out in the US, UK, Canada, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Smaller creators will still need to grow their footprint to cash in on ad revenue, with YouTube saying the existing YPP requirements will remain for revenue sharing (the company notes that creators won’t have to reapply to the program once they hit the higher requirements). YouTube has used its ad revenue sharing program to entice creators to make money, especially to bolster the company’s shortform content in recent months by introducing an ad revenue sharing program for Shorts.

Other platforms like TikTok have also lowered the bar for having access to creator monetization features. Earlier this month, the company announced that its video paywall feature, Series, would be available to creators with more than 10,000 followers but that users with 1,000 followers who met other requirements could also apply to participate in the program. Series gives creators the option to share premium content that fans can pay to access.

In both cases, smaller creators are getting a chance to make money from fans and followers who pay for additional content, interactions, or otherwise support creators financially. Monetization features like tipping or paywalls are available across other creator platforms and, in each case, require an audience that’s willing to spend money.

Other monetization streams are also opening up to a wider group of creators. The shopping affiliate program, previously available by invitation only to select creators, is now available to YPP participants in the US with at least 20,000 subscribers.

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YouTube will allow more creators to monetize

Entertaintment

Killer Mike is sharing one more song from his upcoming solo album ahead of its release later this week, dropping the star-studded “Scientists and Engineers,” featuring André 3000, Future, and Eryn Allen Kane.

“Scientists and Engineers” is an intricately crafted, multi-faceted track: Future’s hazy vocals share space with Kane’s choral crooning; hypnotic synths give way to soulful guitars; and André 3000 and Killer Mike spit circles around each other.

Along with dropping “Scientists and Engineers,” Killer Mike has finally shared the full track list, features, and producer credits for Michael, which is set to arrive on June 16. The LP will feature guest verses and contributions from CeeLo Green, Young Thug, Ty Dolla $ign, Curren$y, 2 Chainz, El-P, and more. And the album’s production was provided by No I.D., André 3000, El-P, James Blake, J.Dot, Audio Anthem, Corey Mo, Cool & Dre, and Little Shalimar. 

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“Scientists and Engineers” is the latest offering from Michael that Killer Mike has shared, following “Run,” “Don’t Let the Devil,” “Motherless,” and “Talk’n That Shit!” The album marks Killer Mike’s first proper solo effort in over 10 years, following 2012’s R.A.P. Music. Of course, the MC has been busy in the intervening years, though, partnering forming Run the Jewels with R.A.P. Music producer El-P and releasing four critically acclaimed albums between 2013 and 2020. 

Killer Mike will launch a North American tour in support of Michael this summer. The run launches July 10 in Birmingham, Alabama, and wraps Aug. 5 in New Orleans.

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Killer Mike is sharing one more

Movies

Critics and audiences have long despaired: Where have all the romantic comedies gone? The freewheeling effervescence of bygone Harrys and Sallys and Bridget Joneses; the bright aspirational gloss of a Nancy Meyers production (her latest was dropped by Netflix in March when its price tag reportedly sailed past the $130 million mark).

Instead, what modern viewers mostly get are pale, labored imitations — the frenetic Jennifer Lopez-Josh Duhamel caper “Shotgun Wedding,” the hollow-core Ana de Armas-Chris Evans vehicle “Ghosted.” In projects like these, romance is an empty gesture; chemistry, a distant dream. (“Your Place or Mine,” a dry kiss of long-distance courtship released earlier this year, literally couldn’t stand to keep Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher in the same frame physically for more than three scenes.)

Moviegoers starved for something unabashedly adult and, the film gods willing, actually fun, will probably have better luck finding it this summer in the revival of another languishing genre: the rom-com’s hornier cousin, the sex comedy. Though what hard-R shenanigans look like in 2023 — post-#MeToo, post-pandemic, mid-online culture wars — may necessarily be a very different thing than in 1993, or even 2013.

In a landscape so dominated by bloated blockbusters and soul-deadening sequels, it’s slightly depressing to acknowledge that fresh perspective can be signaled by something as simple, and as radical, as letting the lens be female. Still, there’s novelty in seeing the Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence sign on to a libidinous goof like “No Hard Feelings,” due June 23. She stars as a financially strapped Uber driver who agrees, for a fee, to seduce the awkward teenage son of a wealthy New York couple. The red-band trailer surpassed 45 million views in its first 24 hours online — a testament, perhaps, to moviegoers’ too-long-untapped appetite for cheerfully slapstick set pieces and “Can I touch your wiener?” jokes.

The similarly debauched “Joy Ride,” a sort of sunny “Hangover” redux starring and created by Asian American women, earned near-universal raves when it premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March. (It’s scheduled for wide release July 7.) Over 95 flamboyantly unhinged minutes, Ashley Park of “Emily in Paris” and the “Everything Everywhere All at Once” star Stephanie Hsu lead a loose foursome to China on a journey of friendship and self-discovery, breaking several dozen statutes for class-A drugs and public indecency along the way.

Introduced that same week at SXSW, the scrappy lower-budget “Bottoms” (in theaters Aug. 25) was hailed as a queer Gen-Z twist on the classic high school virginity tale. Directed by Emma Seligman (“Shiva Baby”), the movie features “Shiva” star Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri from “The Bear” as teenage lesbians who start a fight club to woo the cheerleaders of their dreams. Hickeys and hematomas ensue.

The sex they’re all putting onscreen is screwball and messy and sometimes medically unsound. It also unapologetically centers female desire and pleasure of all kinks and stripes — “I’ll have what she’s having” to the nth degree. If these films succeed, they’ll join a short list of equal-opportunity raunch at the multiplex: Women-behaving-badly touchstones like 2011’s scatological lodestar “Bridesmaids,” the 2015 Amy Schumer hit “Trainwreck,” and the raucous 2017 ensemble “Girls Trip,” which turned Tiffany Haddish into a grapefruit-fellating meme overnight. (Think of “Easy A” (2010), starring a scarlet-lettered Emma Stone, as the PG-13 starter kit.) Those all had male and often middle-aged directors, though; far less common still are ones actually overseen by women, like Kay Unger’s “Blockers” and Olivia Wilde’s “Booksmart.”

So some of the demographic shifts here seem worth singling out: “Joy Ride” is the directing debut of the Malaysian American screenwriter Adele Lim, who co-wrote “Crazy Rich Asians,” and the screenplay is by “Family Guy” alumnae Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsaio. Most of the players on both sides of the camera in “Bottoms” — which toggles breezily between references to bell hooks and mid-aughts Avril Lavigne — were born after the first Clinton administration.

But audiences, of course, hardly measure their leisure time in diversity bona fides. Battered by Covid, spooked by a teetering economy, and finally cooling, perhaps, on endless Marvel tentpoles, their one directive seems to be: Entertain me. Given the option of heady but esoteric award bait like “Tár” and “Women Talking,” in which, respectively, a classical-music conductor spirals into self-imposed ignominy and Mennonite women debate rape in a barn, they’ve flocked instead to blithely ludicrous undercards like “M3gan” and “Cocaine Bear.” (The latter shares two of its three producers with “Bottoms.”)

Even wiener jokes, though, are freighted with the weight of history. Seth Rogen, whose career took root in the animal house that Judd Apatow built and who is credited as a producer on “Joy Ride,” has acknowledged in numerous interviews that much of his catalog doesn’t hold up to scrutiny today. A cursory rewatch of canon classics like “Porky’s,” “American Pie” and most films in the Apatow extended universe (“Knocked Up,” “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Superbad”) calls back moments of winky misogyny, casual racism and not-so-latent homophobia that seem like obvious third rails now.

How Hollywood can adapt in an era so strenuously aware of identity and isms — and a generation of young people reportedly having significantly less sex than their predecessors — feels like a continuing social experiment, as murky as the future of movies themselves. The gift of the most outrageous comedies, after all, is that they allow us, for an hour or two in a darkened room, to leave best behavior and safe spaces at the door. At a press preview in April, the co-stars Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell proudly sold their forthcoming “Anyone but You,” a modern riff on Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” due in December from the “Easy A” director Will Gluck, as a combative romance between “a real nightmare” and an ass, with no small amount of nudity. The internet swooned.

Those who fit a certain archetype, though, like Powell and Sweeney, will naturally be given more latitude than others to nudge the boundaries of mainstream taste. Projects that showcase more traditionally underrepresented groups — or anyone, really, who falls within the confines of not straight, not skinny, not white — are still often made to carry the full weight of representation. See the performative hand-wringing over the box office failure last year of “Bros,” a well-reviewed gay rom-com with an R rating and an out cast, after it was breathlessly touted as the first film of its kind to receive wide theatrical release.

Maybe for all those reasons, there are no teachable moments explicitly embedded in the delirious, rampaging teendom of “Bottoms,” even as certain life lessons sneak in sideways from the margins. Or in “Joy Ride,” which nevertheless features one major character in search of her Chinese birth parents, another who is nonbinary, and two more who treat sex like a kind of globe-trotting all-you-can-eat buffet. Here, the medium is the message; the rest is as nasty — and ultimately chaotic, tenderhearted, and yes, joyful — as it wants to be.

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Disney Branded Television and Disney Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) looks set to reveal a slew of new titles at France’s Annecy Animation Festival.

Apart from “Disney Junior’s Ariel,” a new series inspired by “The Little Mermaid,” pre-school adventure series “Magicampers” has also been greenlit. 

Set at a day camp for magical creatures – its protagonists, Darly and Loomis, are half-pig and half-Pegasus, and half-donkey and half-unicorn – and created by Obie Scott Wade, it’s set to premiere globally on Disney+ and Disney Junior next year.

“We instantly fell in love with this ensemble of unique hybrid characters, who each combine something magical and something ordinary within themselves,” said Orion Ross, vice president of animation for The Walt Disney Company EMEA.

“Their adventures in this lush fantastical world are wildly fun and also explore what it means to grow up and discover yourself.” 

The announcement of “Magicampers”  will very shortly be made this Tuesday at the Annecy Festival as part of a presentation, titled “The Next 100,” centering on both Disney’s storied legacy in animation, as well as how the company is creating the next generation of hits, Disney anticipated. 

The presentation will be hosted by Hélène Etzi, country manager and general manager of media for The Walt Disney Company France, Orion Ross, vice president of animation for The Walt Disney Company EMEA, and Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, which looks set to include multiple announcements.    

Also among new titles are Disney Channel’s “StuGo,” about middle schoolers tricked into attending a fake academic summer camp by a mad scientist, and comedy-mystery series “The Sunnyridge 3,” created by Stevie Gee and Essy May, the latter led by three friends who decide to finally investigate what’s really going on in a truly bizarre shopping center. 

“When these ordinary kids look beneath the surface of their neighborhood mall, they uncover actual conspiracies and mysteries that get even weirder than they could have possibly imagined,” said Ross.

“This unpredictable comedy will keep both kids and grownups guessing at every twist and turn. Stevie and Essy’s fresh visual style and off-the-wall humor are being beautifully brought to life by the teams at Blink and Boat Rocker.”

While “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire” will premiere on July 5 on Disney+ – with Annecy audience set to be treated to a first-look trailer – new episodes of fan-favorite “Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life” about the iconic chipmunks are coming later this year.

More “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends,” now in its fourth season, is also to be expected, as well as Season Three of “Firebuds,” about the children of first responders, Season Three of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” and Season Two of “Kiff.” 

A drill down on Disney Branded Television and Disney EMEA slate, drawing on the companies’ own descriptions: 

Series Greenlights:

Disney Branded Television

“Disney Junior’s Ariel” (Disney Junior)

Executive Producer: Lynne Southerland

Producer: Ezra Edmond

Supervising Director: Kuni Tomita Bowen

Art Director: Chrystin Garland

Story Editors: Norma P. Sepulveda and Keith Wagner

Produced by: Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior

“Disney Junior’s Ariel” is an animated musical series for preschoolers inspired by the story of “The Little Mermaid.” It follows 8-year-old Ariel as she and her friends embark on fun-filled, action-packed underwater adventures throughout their Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom and beyond. The series features classic characters from the original feature film, as well as new additions like Ariel’s best friends, mer-children Lucia and Fernie. The series is currently in production for a 2024 release across Disney platforms worldwide. 

“StuGo,” (Disney Channel)

Creator/Executive Producer: Ryan Gillis

Co-Executive Producer: Sunil Hall

Story Editor: Craig Lewis

Produced by: Titmouse in association with Disney Channel 

“StuGo” is an original animated series about six middle schoolers who are tricked into attending a fake academic summer camp by a mad scientist. Now they’re stuck for three months on a wild tropical island with mind-reading manatees, giant fighting fungi and fashion-forward mutants. Less academia than they’d hoped for, but a lot more adventure. The cast includes Tania Gunadi as Pliny, Zosia Mamet as Merian, Gabourey Sidibe as Francis, Charlyne Yi, Zach Reino, Deborah Baker Jr. and Lorraine Toussaint as Dr. Lullah.

Disney EMEA

“Magicampers,” (Disney+)

Creator: Obie Scott Wade

Executive Producer: Sandrine Nguyen Tiet

Director: Daniel Dubuis

Writers: Ashley Mendoza, Simon Nicholson, Elizabeth Kamir

Produced by: Mikros Animation for Disney EMEA 

Disney’s preschool original follows the adventures of best friends Darly and Loomis at a day camp for magical creatures. Darly is half-pig and half-Pegasus, Loomis is half-donkey and half-unicorn, and their friends are mythical mashups of all stripes. They dream of becoming legendary, but becoming a legend isn’t about mastering magic powers or winning the biggest prize. It’s about understanding and accepting yourself and others, and working together. The series stars a diverse young cast, with Uzo Aduba as nature spirit and camp leader Treena.

“The Sunnyridge 3,” (Disney+)

Creators: Stevie Gee and Essy May

Executive Producers: Chapman Maddox, Jen Coatsworth, James Stevenson Bretton, Jon

Rutherford, Benjamin Lole

Director: Liz Whittaker

Head Writer: Jack Bernhardt

Produced by: Blink Industries and Boat Rocker for Disney EMEA

In the original comedy-mystery series, a trio of lifelong best friends investigate strange goings-on in a bizarre shopping center on the fringes of suburban London. Rose, Jeru and Wayne practically grew up at the Sunnyridge Mall, but this summer, the weirdness has gone to a whole new level. Could it be werewolves, hauntings or an ancient curse? Robots, aliens or renegade AI? The trio will discover that the truth is always stranger than fiction in this unpredictable genre-bending mashup created by British team Stevie Gee and Essy May.

Series Renewals:

Disney EMEA

“Chip n’ Dale: Park Life” New Episodes (Disney+)

Producer: Marc du Pontavice

Directors: Jean Cayrol, Frédéric Martin, Khalil Ben Namaane

Head Writer: Nicole Paglia

Produced by: Xilam Animation for Disney EMEA 

“Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life” stars much-loved chipmunk underdogs in a nonverbal, classic-style comedy, following the ups and downs of two creatures living life in a big city park. Combining the traditions of slapstick cartoons with contemporary, comedic character-driven narratives, season two introduces huge new adventures for the two troublemakers. Nervous worrier Chip and laid-back dreamer Dale are joined in their pursuit of acorns by Donald, Pluto, Butch and other iconic Disney characters as they face down bullies.

Disney Branded Television

“Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends” Season 4 (Disney Junior)

Executive Producer: Harrison Wilcox

Co-Executive Producers: Bart Jennett and Chris Moreno

Co-Producer/Story Editor: Becca Topol

Supervising Producer: Steve Grover

Produced by: Disney Junior and Marvel Studios in association with Atomic Cartoons 

The first full-length Marvel series for preschoolers, it follows the adventures of Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales as they team up with Iron Man, Hulk, Ms. Marvel and Black Panther to defeat foes like Rhino, Doc Ock and Green Goblin and learn that teamwork is the best way to save the day. Season four of the hit series will once again introduce even more new heroes and baddies for the Spidey team to interact with and be part of their adventures.

“Firebuds” Season 3, (Disney Junior)

Creator/Executive Producer: Craig Gerber

Producer: Craig Simpson

Supervising Director: Robb Pratt

Co-Story Editors: Krystal Banzon and Jeremy Shipp

Produced by: Disney Television Animation

From Emmy Award-winning creator and executive producer Craig Gerber (Disney’s “Elena of Avalor” and “Sofia the First”), “Firebuds” is a music-filled series following a team of young kids who are the children of first responders, and their talking vehicle sidekicks, as they embark on adventures together and learn what it truly means to be a hero. Season three of the series will feature a water rescue theme.

“The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” Season 3 (Disney+)

Creator/Executive Producer: Bruce W. Smith

Executive Producer: Ralph Farquhar

Co-Executive Producer/Story Editor: Calvin Brown, Jr.

Co-Executive Producer: Latoya Raveneau

Producer: Jan Hirota

Produced by: Disney Television Animation

The Emmy and NAACP Award-winning revival follows the adventures and misadventures of 14-year-old Penny Proud and her Proud Family as they navigate modern life with hilarity and heart. The 2020s bring new career highs for mom Trudy, wilder dreams for dad Oscar and new challenges for Penny. Penny’s friends return, including Dijonay, LaCienega, Zoey and Michael, along with a couple of new faces, Maya and KG. Penny’s Suga Mama also returns, ready as ever to dispense tough love or a gentle hand whenever Penny needs it. 

“Kiff” Season 2, (Disney Channel)

Creators/Executive Producers: Lucy Heavens and Nic Smal

Co-Producer/Story Editor: Kent Osborne

Producer: Winnie Chaffee

Produced by: Titmouse in association with Disney Channel 

From South African creators and executive producers Lucy Heavens and Nic Smal, “Kiff” follows an optimistic squirrel and her chill bunny bestie, Barry, as they navigate school, relationships and their often-eccentric community in Table Town, a world where animals and magical oddballs tackle day-to-day life together. Inspired by the people and places Heavens and Smal experienced when they were growing up in Cape Town, each half-hour episode, comprising two 11-minute stories, includes a new original song. 

Sneak-Peeks:

Disney EMEA

“Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire” (July 5 on Disney+)

Executive Producers: Peter Ramsey, Tendayi Nyeke and Anthony Silverston

Produced by: Triggerfish for Disney EMEA

This action-packed animated sci-fi anthology presents 10 futuristic visions from Africa inspired by its diverse histories and cultures. Executive produced by Oscar winner Peter Ramsey, the shorts draw on uniquely African perspectives to imagine brave new worlds of advanced technology, aliens, spirits and monsters. Featuring stories from creators from Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe, it takes viewers on an unforgettable ride into Africa’s future, presenting visions of the continent as never seen before. 

“The Doomies,” (Disney+)

Creators: Andrès Fernandez & Pozla (aka Rémi Zaarour)

Producer: Marc du Pontavice

Director: Andrès Fernandez

Head Writer: Henry Gifford

Produced by: Xilam Animation for Disney EMEA

When best friends Bobby and Romy open a gateway to another world, they turn their sleepy coastal town into a hotspot for creatures of doom. Roped into an epic supernatural mystery, they will cross paths with the “Chosen One” and battle both literal and inner monsters. Spooky comedy that combines thrills, chills and surprises with character-driven comedy from an odd couple of ordinary teens engulfed by extraordinary circumstances. It takes place in a quirky French town in the heart of Brittany, imagined with moody flair and graphic style.

“Dragon Striker,” (Disney+)

Creator/Producer: Sylvain Dos Santos

Director: Charles Lefebvre

Head Writer: Paul McKeown

Produced by: Cybergroup Studios and La Chouette Compagnie for Disney EMEA

When the world’s most popular sport combines with magic, awesomeness escalates quicker than a dragon-powered strike! In this adventure full of comedy and high-stakes sports drama, elite players have magical signature moves they can use on the pitch. Key can only dream of entering the school where the greatest players train before joining the big leagues, until he discovers he may be the legendary “Dragon Striker.” Key joins a team of hapless underdogs who take on the school champions, fighting to prevent an ancient evil from resurfacing.

Disney Branded Television

“The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse: Steamboat Silly,” (July 28 on Disney+)

Executive Producer: Paul Rudish

Producer: Philip M. Cohen

Director: Eddie Trigueros

Produced by: Disney Television Animation 

The beloved Emmy Award-winning “The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse” shorts culminate with a final episode titled “Steamboat Silly,” which follows Mickey Mouse and his friends as they must stop hundreds of old film reel versions of Mickey from wreaking havoc all over town. The short will debut July 28 on Disney+ as part of Disney’s 100-year anniversary celebration.

“Primos,” (Disney Channel)

Creator/Executive Producer: Natasha Kline

Producer: Philip Cohen

Supervising Director: Shaun Cashman

Story Editor: Karla Sakas Shropshire

Produced by: Disney Television Animation

“Primos” introduces Tater Ramirez Humphrey, an eccentric girl with big dreams, determined to find what makes her extraordinary. When her 12 chaotic cousins move in for the summer, they help her discover her true self. The series is inspired by Natasha Kline’s childhood experiences with her extended multicultural Mexican American family. The main cast includes Myrna Velasco as Tater, Melissa Villaseñor, Nellie Ramirez Humphrey, Michelle Ortiz, Bibi Ramirez Humphrey, Jim Conroy, Bud Humphrey and more.

“Zombies: The Re-Animated Series Shorts,” (Disney Channel)

Executive Producers: Aliki Theofilopoulos, Jack Ferraiolo, Gary Marsh, David Light, and Joseph Raso

Producer: Melanie Pal

Supervising Director: Leah Artwick

Story Editor: Rachel McNevin

Produced by: Disney Television Animation

Animated short-form series that continues the adventures of fan favorites Zed, Addison and the Seabrook crew from the hit “Zombies” franchise. The shorts, which keep the spirit and jam-packed music of the movies, find the friends encountering new monsters, while dealing with school and new experiences like a never-ending summer time loop. Reprising their roles are Meg Donnelly and Milo Manheim, Ariel Martin, Chandler Kinney, Pearce Joza, Carla Jeffery, Trevor Tordjman, Jonathan Langdon and more.

Fans can first catch the Seabrook crew in animated form in “Zombies: The Re-Animated Series Shorts,” premiering Friday, July 21, on Disney Channel, Disney Channel YouTube and DisneyNOW, and thereafter on Disney+. Next, “Zombies: The Re-Animated Series,” a new comedy-musical animated series, will premiere on Disney Channel. 

“Playdate with Winnie the Pooh,” (Disney Junior)

Link to “Playdate with Winnie the Pooh” image

Executive Producer: Chris Hamilton

Co-Executive Producer: Elise Fachon

Producer: Greg Chalekian

Director: Jojo Ramos Patrick

Produced by: OddBot Inc. in association with Disney Junior

“Playdate with Winnie the Pooh” follows a young Pooh Bear as he enjoys playdates with his friends. Set in the exciting outdoors of the Hundred Acre Wood, these musical shorts emphasize collaborative play and the joy of spending time with others. “Playdate with Winnie the Pooh” is set to debut this summer in the U.S. and will then roll out globally.

“Disney Junior Wonderful World of Songs,” (Disney Junior)

Executive Producer: Chris Hamilton

Co-Executive Producer: Elise Fachon

Producer: Greg Chalekian

Director: Henry Dalton

Produced by: OddBot Inc. in association with Disney Junior

These musical shorts for preschoolers celebrate the heritage of Disney with classic characters and songs from beloved movies, series and attractions that highlight the wonder and magic of the brand. Performed by Rob Cantor and Genevieve Goings, the shorts feature reimagined versions of classic songs, including “Circle of Life” from “The Lion King” or “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana.” The shorts will begin airing on Disney Junior and Disney+ in the U.S. this summer as part of Disney’s 100-year anniversary celebration.

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MCU

Elizabeth Olsen has been an integral part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for almost a full decade.

Originally making her debut as Wanda Maximoff in Avengers: Age of Ultron, she eventually reprised her role in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame before starring in WandaVision and Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Elizabeth Olsen Wanda Maximoff Scarlet Witch MCU

During her time in the MCU, Olsen’s Maximoff went from fresh-faced Avenger to full-on villain before meeting her apparent death at the end of Multiverse of Madness.

Ever since her apparent demise, fans have speculated about whether or not Olsen could return.

Source: Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Could Elizabeth Olsen Return?

With WandaVision spinoff Coven of Chaos on the horizon, there has been hope from Marvel fans that we have not seen the last Wanda Maximoff.

In a recent interview with Variety, Olsen seemed apathetic about a possible MCU return, noting that she was proud of where the story ended. When asked if she missed playing Wanda, Olsen had this to say:

Image: Disney

“No, I don’t. I think it’s been almost 10 years of playing her. And I’ve loved it. And I think the reason why I am not calling Kevin Feige every day with ideas is because I’m really proud of what we were able to do. I think WandaVision was a really surprising opportunity.”

“Load Up On Other Films”

While Olsen has previously signaled that she would be happy to return to Marvel, it now seems as if she will be content no matter what happens.

WandaVision

Image Credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+

According to Olsen, she is more interested in trying to “load up other films and characters so it becomes less about the Marvel of it all.”

While this may not be the news that many Marvel fans were hoping for, it sounds like at least for now, we will not be seeing Elizabeth Olsen in the MCU anytime soon.

WandaVision

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DCU

If you haven’t watched  Foundation‘s first season, it’s time to catch up. Because season two will soon arrive on our screens in fine fashion. Foundation has officially revealed its summer release date and shared the first teaser trailer for its second season. This futuristic sci-fi series on Apple TV+ had us at the edge of our seats during its first ten episodes. And we are absolutely ready to blast off into more Lee Pace, Jared Harris, and Foundation as a whole. Take a look at season two’s trailer below and get ready for an uprising.

Foundation Season Two Trailer and Release Date

“All empires fall,” reads the description for Foundation season two. And we certainly see there are many struggles ahead for the universe and its characters. A release from Apple TV+ shares:

More than a century after the season one finale, tension mounts throughout the galaxy in “Foundation” season two. As the Cleons unravel, a vengeful queen plots to destroy Empire from within. Hari, Gaal and Salvor discover a colony of Mentalics with psionic abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. The Foundation has entered its religious phase, promulgating the Church of Seldon throughout the Outer Reach and inciting the Second Crisis: war with Empire. The monumental adaptation of “Foundation” chronicles the stories of four crucial individuals transcending space and time as they overcome deadly crises, shifting loyalties and complicated relationships that will ultimately determine the fate of humanity.

Foundation season two releases on July 14.

Foundation Season Two First Look Images

Apple TV+ Foundation Season Two First Look and Casting news featuring Lee Pace and Jared Harris
Apple TV+

Foundation season two also shared a slew of first-look images. The above was our very first glimpse of Foundation‘s second season. We won’t say the most important part is Lee Pace in a fishnet shirt… But we will say, it doesn’t hurt. The show knows how to deliver an aesthetic. And it knows its audience.

Leah Harvey getting ready for battle
Apple TV+
Lee Pace in Foundation
Apple TV+
Lou Llobell in a sci-fi ocean
Apple TV+

Foundation Season Two Cast

Joining the original cast in Foundation season two are also ten new stars. We also have descriptions of their characters that add a bit of context to what next season might entail. (Please note, the three images directly above come from Foundation season one).

Isabella Laughland as Brother Constant, a cheerfully confident claric whose job is to evangelize the Church of the Galactic Spirit across the Outer Reach. Constant is a true believer, whose courage and passion make her hard not to love.

Kulvinder Ghir as Poly Verisof, High Claric of the Church of the Galactic Spirit. Whip-smart and sardonic, he’s also a terrible drunk—intelligent enough to see the path he’s on, but too cynical to change.

Sandra Yi Sencindiver as Enjoiner Rue, the beautiful, politically savvy consigliere to Queen Sareth. A former courtesan to Cleon the 16th, Rue parlayed her status to become a royal counsellor.

Ella-Rae Smith as Queen Sareth of Cloud Dominion. Used to being underestimated, Sareth employs it to her advantage, charming her way into the Imperial Palace with biting wit, all while on a secret quest for revenge.

Dimitri Leonidas as Hober Mallow, a master trader with a sarcastic personality and questionable morals, who is summoned against his will to serve a higher, selfless cause.

Ben Daniels as Bel Roise, the last great general of the Superliminal Fleet and would-be conqueror of the Foundation. Bel is noble to a fault, but his fealty to the Galactic Empire is waning.

Holt McCallany as Warden Jaegger Fount, the current Warden of Terminus and guardian of its citizens against external threats.

Mikael Persbrandt as The Warlord of Kalgan, a monster of a man, coiled with muscle and possessing powerful psychic abilities, and fueled by hate in his quest to take over the galaxy.

Rachel House as Tellem Bond, mysterious leader of the Mentallics.

Nimrat Kaur as Yanna Seldon.

Foundation's world
Apple TV+

It looks like we’ll be seeing many new players in season two. From sarcastic cynics to angry warlords to savvy politicians. The world of Foundation is about to grow even more. And we feel excited about that. After all, the more mysterious leaders and quests for revenge in space, the better. Sci-fi interstellar dramas have always brought us excellent world-building. And we have no doubt season two of Foundation will follow in that tradition.

If you have watched season one already, and feel impatient for more, here’s something to tide you over in the meanwhile.

Image

Lee Pace may not don fishnet in this interview, but he certainly has a lot to say about the show and his character. We can’t wait to hear what he has to say about the show as season two approaches.

Originally published May 11, 2023.

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Comics

Microsoft will hold its Xbox Games Showcase Extended live stream on Tuesday, June 13.

It promises to provide additional details on some of the first-party titles shown during Sunday’s Xbox Games Showcase including Avowed, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, Towerborne, The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom, and Microsoft Flight Simulator – Dune Expansion

It’s also expected to feature some third-party titles that didn’t appear at the main Xbox Games Showcase.

Promising “in-depth interviews, behind-the-scenes features, gameplay walkthroughs with brand new footage, and more”, the live stream will kick off at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST.

You’ll be able to watch it live on Xbox’s YouTube and Twitch channels, and via the video embedded at the top of this page.

The Xbox Games Showcase featured several new title announcements, plus updates on previously revealed games including fresh details, trailers and release windows. A round-up of all the big headlines from the event follows.