A Bewitched reboot might soon be making it’s way to the ABC network. According to multiple reports, a new version of the 1960s supernatural sitcom has received a pilot production commitment from the network. This new take, from Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, will feature an interracial blended family. It’s the last project Barris sold to ABC before he moved on to Netflix. The series would follow Samantha, a black single mom who happens to be a witch, and her husband Darren, a white regular guy who’s a bit of a slacker. The original Bewitched ran for eight seasons from 1964 to 1972 and starred Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha. A movie version starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell was released in 2005.... [Read Full Story]
CBS’ long-running sitcom “The Big Bang Theory” will end after its upcoming 12th season. The final season will debut Monday Sept. 24, before moving to its regular Thursday time slot on Sept. 27. When the series ends next May, it will finish as the longest-running multi-camera series in television history with 279 episodes. In a joint statement, Warner Bros. Television, CBS and Chuck Lorre Productions said, “We are forever grateful to our fans for their support of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ during the past twelve seasons. We, along with the cast, writers and crew, are extremely appreciative of the show’s success and aim to deliver a final season, and series finale, that will bring ‘The Big Bang Theory’ to an epic creative close.”... [Read Full Story]
Ben Affleck is heading back to rehab for the third time. The actor, 46, is seeking treatment for alcohol addiction. The move to enter a treatment facility came after his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, was photographed arriving at his home on Wednesday. The two were later seen leaving the house together. On Monday, the Justice League star was photographed receiving an alcohol delivery outside of his Brentwood, Calif. home. Affleck was seen outside of his house as he picked up a Pacifico beer-branded box filled with what appeared to be scotch whisky in a blue case and some other unidentifiable bottles. Affleck’s first time in rehab was in 2001, and then in March 2017, he announced that he had again completed treatmentfor alcohol addiction.... [Read Full Story]
Nineteen former Misses America are calling on leaders of the Miss America organization to step down amid allegations from reigning Miss America, Cara Mund, that she was subject to bullying. Mund claimed in a letter to former pageant winners she had been bullied, manipulated and silenced by leaders within the organization since receiving the crown, which top officials have vehemently denied. Miss America chairwoman Gretchen Carlson said she was “surprised” and “saddened beyond words” by Mund’s accusations. She added that she has since reached out to Mund to discuss her concerns. Carlson previously hosted “The Real Story” and co-hosted “Fox and Friends.” She left Fox News in 2016, the same year she filed a sexual harassment suit against late Fox News CEO Roger Ailes. On Jan. 1 of this year, Carlson, a former Miss America winner herself, announced her new role as chairwoman after crude emails from the organization’s executives, some involving vulgar comments about the pageant’s previous winners, surfaced. The scandal led to the resignation of CEO Sam Haskell, COO and President Josh Randle and board chair Lynn Weidner.... [Read Full Story]
Tiffany Haddish will bring her comedic talent to Netflix in an original hour-long stand-up comedy special. Haddish will tape the special in early 2019 and it will premiere globally later in the year. Haddish can currently be seen opposite Tracy Morgan on The Last O.G., and will soon star in Night School, The Oath, and Nobody’s Fool. She will also voice the character Tuca in the upcoming Netflix adult animated series Tuca & Bertie. Lisa Nishimura, VP of Original Documentary and Comedy for Netflix said: “Tiffany Haddish is a force. Hilariously funny, brash and self-effacing, she’s an incredible artist who is winning over audiences while breaking barriers, and we are tremendously proud that she will showcase her formidable talent on Netflix.”... [Read Full Story]
Romantic comedy“Crazy Rich Asians”was No. 1 at the weekend box office in North America, raking in an estimated $34 million in ticket sales since Wednesday’s opening. The movie is being celebrated as a turning point for Asian-Americans; and it’s been a quarter century since the last time a nearly all-Asian cast starred in a Hollywood studio film, which was 1993’s “The Joy Luck Club.” Crazy Rich Asians beat out The Meg and Mile 22. The Jon Chu-directed picture is also the first romantic comedy to rake in more than $20 million in its opening weekend in three years, and it was the best performing PG-13 rom-com since Think Like A Man, released in 2012. The film is an adaptation of the best-selling book of the same name and starsFresh Off the Boatstar Constance Wu and newcomer Henry Golding.... [Read Full Story]
The New York Times reported Sunday that months after publicly accusing Harvey Weinstein of rape, actress and filmmaker Asia Argento made a deal with a young actor who accused her of sexual assault. Argento was among the first women to accuse movie mogul Weinstein of sexual misconduct, and has been a leading figure in the #MeToo movement. The New York Times claimed it has lawyers’ documents showing that actor and musician Jimmy Bennett alleged Argento sexually assaulted him in 2013 when he was 17 and she was 37. Bennett said the assault took place at a hotel in California, where the age of consent is 18. Bennett played Argento’s son in the 2004 movie “The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things.” The Times reported they received the documents “through encrypted email by an unidentified party,” and that they included “a selfie dated May 9, 2013, of the two lying in bed.” “As part of the agreement, Mr. Bennett, who is now 22, gave the photograph and its copyright to Ms. Argento, now 42,” the story said. “Three people familiar with the case said the documents were authentic.” Bennett reportedly asked Argento for $3.5 million in damages, a month after she spoke out about Weinstein last October. Argento later arranged to pay Bennett $380,000; the first installment was made in April 2018.... [Read Full Story]
Netflix announced they have canceled The Break With Michelle Wolf and The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale; neither of the talk shows will make it to a second season. The company ended Chelsea Handler’s weekly talk show last October after two seasons. Chelsea initially aired three nights each week before moving to a once-weekly schedule. Each of The Break with Michelle Wolf’s 10 episodes debuted weekly. The show began streaming in May, not long after Wolf’s controversial and profile-raising performance as host of the 2018 White House Correspondents Dinner. McHale, the former longtime host of E’s The Soup (which his Netflix show closely resembled) also fell flat with his “The Joel McHale Show.” Both cancelations are the result of underwhelming viewership numbers. In the talk show genre, Netflix still has Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, and My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. Netflix will attempt some new talk shows this year when it launches Norm Macdonald Has A Show, Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, and panel-style talk show The Fix starring Jimmy Carr, Katherine Ryan, and D.L. Hughley.... [Read Full Story]
After months of silence, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas confirmed their engagement. In the couple’s first public acknowledgment of their upcoming marriage, Chopra posted a photo on Instagram with the caption, “Taken.. With all my heart and soul.” Jonas replied in the comments with, “Wow congrats… He’s the luckiest guy in the world.” He later reposted the same photo with the caption, “Future Mrs. Jonas. My Heart. My Love.” Jonas’ parents, Denise Miller-Jonas and Paul Jonas Sr., flew to Mumbai on Thursday to meet Chopra’s family for the first time. The roka, a Hindu pre-wedding ritual symbolizing the engagement and new relationship between the couple’s families, was performed at a private event on Saturday morning. Jonas, 25, and Chopra, 36, got engaged in London in July while the actress celebrated her birthday. Chopra’s engagement ring was first revealed by an Instagram post from Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon three days ago. Jonas and Chopra are said to have first met at last year’s Met Gala, but only started dating two months before their engagement.... [Read Full Story]
Paul Walker was taking a break from filming “Furious 7” when he tragically died in a car wreck in 2013. When production of the blockbuster film resumed, the late-actor’s brothers, Caleb and Cody Walker, stepped in to physically act out his role and Paul’s face was superimposed onto his brothers’ bodies to help wrap up the film. Now, “Fast & Furious” fans may once again see his F&F character, Brian O’Conner, back on the big screen. His family is holding out hope that they can somehow bring him back into the hit franchise. The Walker brothers – who will open up about Paul’s legacy in the upcoming documentary “I Am Paul Walker” – hope that Brian O’Conner’s return could help reunite the broken “Fast & Furious” family. “I think there could potentially be a way to do it. But it would take a lot of thought and it’d have to be tasteful,” Cody said. “[Paul] was the real deal, the real car guy. And in his absence, I — you know — I think it’s lost its way in a big way.” “Fast 9” is currently set to debut in theaters on April 10, 2020. ... [Read Full Story]
After a three-season run, USA Network’s thriller Shooter has been cancelled. Starring Ryan Phillippe, Shooter will finish after the 13-episode third season, but won’t be back for a fourth season. However, the drama may have a second life as producer Paramount Television is shopping the series to other networks, including sibling company Paramount Network. Representatives for both Paramount Television and Paramount Network had no comment.... [Read Full Story]
Aretha Frankin, known as the “Queen of Soul,” died on Thursday at the age of 76. Franklin died at her home in Detroit, her representative Gwendolyn Quinn confirmed. She had battled health problems over the last few years, forcing the cancellation of multiple concerts this year. One of the most iconic musicians of the twentieth century, Franklin said last year that she planned to retire soon from touring. Franklin was born in 1942 in Memphis, Tenn., though her family eventually relocated to Detroit. When Franklin was 10, her mother died, and a number of women helped take care of Franklin and her siblings. It was around this time that Franklin started playing piano, singing and performing gospel songs at her father’s church in Detroit. Franklin recorded a gospel album when she was just 14; Franklin later moved to Atlantic Records, where the iconic hits “Respect,” written by Otis Redding climbed up charts in 1967. Over the following three years her hits would include “Chain of Fools”, “Natural Woman” and “Think.” Franklin won a total of 18 Grammy awards, and was later honored with a Grammys Legend Award in 1991 and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. In 2014, Franklin became the first woman to have her100th hit on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chartwith “Rolling in the Deep (The Aretha Version)” and she was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.... [Read Full Story]
YouTube has banned an ad for upcoming horror film The Nun (out Sept. 7) from the video site because the clip violates its “violent and shocking content” policy. The six-second ad shows first a volume control icon and then a startling appearance by the movie’s demon-Nun. The footage was flagged by a YouTube user who advised fellow viewers to “look away and/or turn down the volume if you have anxiety or just straight up hate jumpscares, pls rt to save a life.” On Aug. 13, YouTube responded to that message by stating that the advert violates the website’s “shocking content policy” and that “it’s no longer running as an ad.” The Nun is the latest horror film to be spun off from the Conjuring movies. Set in early-’50s Romania, the film is about the origins of the inhuman spirit, also known as Valak, that tormented ghost-hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) in the 1977-set The Conjuring 2.... [Read Full Story]
Lyric McHenry, a reality star who appeared on the E! program EJNYC, was found dead Tuesday morning of a suspected drug overdose. She was 26 years old. According to reports, McHenry was discovered on a sidewalk at 5 a.m. Tuesday, found above the Major Deegan Expressway at Undercliff Ave. and Boscobel Place in Highbridge in the Bronx area of New York. There was a small Ziplock bag of cocaine on McHenry at the time, leading police to believe she died of an overdose. Authorities said: “McHenry was rushed to Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, where she died. Police are investigating, the matter is ongoing.” It was also revealed that McHenry was 20 weeks pregnant at the time of her passing. McHenry was very good friends with EJ Johnson, the son NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. They both made appearances on EJ’s Rich Kids of Beverly Hills spinoff, EJNYC, which aired for one season on E! in 2016. McHenry also served as a producer on the series.... [Read Full Story]
Bruno Mars has announced the special guests who will replace Cardi B on the upcoming finale leg of the 24K Magic World Tour. Cardi was originally slated to join Bruno on the tour, but she dropped out after giving birth to her baby girl this summer. Mars has been traveling around the world on his 24K Magic World Tour since March 2017, and will have made over 135 stops when the tour finally wraps in November. The final leg of the tour will end in Bruno‘s home state of Hawaii with record-breaking three shows at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. Ciara, Ella Mai, Boyz II Men, and Charlie Wilson will rotate dates on the tour. See the full list below.... [Read Full Story]
Lindsay Lohan is taking back her recent comments about the Me Too movement. The actress apologized in a Sunday statement to People magazine for her comments in a recent interview with British publication The Times that women “look weak” when they share their stories of sexual misconduct. “I would like to unreservedly apologize for any hurt and distress caused by a quote in a recent interview with The Times,” Lohan said. “The quote solely related to my hope that a handful of false testimonies out of a tsunami of heroic voices do not serve to dilute the importance of the Me Too movement, and all of us who champion it,” she continued. “However, I have since learned how statements like mine are seen as hurtful, which was never my intent. I’m sorry for any pain I may have caused.” Lohan, 32, said she feels “very strongly” about the Me Too movement and has “the utmost respect and admiration” for the women coming forward with stories of sexual misconduct. ... [Read Full Story]
“House of Cards” star Robin Wright is married. The actress, 51, wed her French boyfriend, French fashion executive Clement Giraudet, in a private ceremony over the weekend. Wright’s representative has yet to comment on the news, but her daughter, Dylan Penn, appeared to share footage from the nuptials on her Instagram page. “Weddin vibes (sic),” she captioned a clip of guests dancing outdoors at the bohemian-style party, which she tagged with the location of La Roche-sur-le-Buis in southeastern France. Additional images surfaced online show Robin beaming in a floor-length white gown, as she hugs her new husband. Wright first went public with her romance with Clement last September when they were pictured attending a soccer game in Paris. The marriage is Robin’s third – she was previously married to Dane Witherspoon from 1986 until 1988 and to Sean Penn from 1996 until 2010. She shares daughter Dylan, 27, and son Hopper, 25, with Penn. ... [Read Full Story]
To mark the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the Cinemark theater chain is re-releasing all of the Harry Potter films at locations across the country from Aug. 31-Sept. 6. The lineup for the company’s “Wizarding World XD Week” includes all eight original films based on J.K. Rowling’s beloved saga, plus 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Tickets on sale now at Cinemark.com and run $5 per movie, or fans can purchase a $25 “festival pass” for all nine films, which includes a “collectible keychain, a specially designed cup that is refillable for $3.50 through the end of the year and a commemorative festival badge,” according to a press release. The series’ return to theaters comes just over two months before another film will debut — Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald opens in theaters on Nov. 16.... [Read Full Story]
“The Meg” hit theaters this weekend and is set to nab the No. 1 spot at the box office with an estimated $40 million from 4,118 North American locations. The estimate is significantly higher than earlier predictions. The Warner Bros. film took in $16.5 million on Friday and stars Jason Statham as a scientist who, along with his team, tries to stop a prehistoric 75-foot Megalodon shark from terrorizing a beach. “The Meg” has received mixed reviews from critics and carries a 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie is based on the 1997 book “Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror” by Steve Alten and was in development for over two decades. “The Meg” carries a $150 million price tag, so it will need substantial overseas business from China, Russia, Spain, and the U.K. This weekend it earned $26.7 million on Friday from 42 overseas markets and opened to $16.2 million in China on Friday.... [Read Full Story]
Actor Casey Affleck is speaking out publicly for the first time since sexual harassment allegations resurfaced against him last year. “I behaved in a way and allowed others to behave in a way that was really unprofessional. And I’m sorry,” Affleck told The Associated Press in an interview published Thursday. The actor was accused of verbal and physical harassment in 2010 by two women who worked with him on the set of “I’m Still Here,” a hoax documentary-style film directed by Affleck and starring Joaquin Phoenix. Affleck denied all the allegations at the time and later settled two lawsuits filed by the accusers for undisclosed amounts. Both women reportedly signed nondisclosure agreements. The allegations against Affleck resurfaced last fall when the actor was receiving critical acclaim for his starring role in “Manchester by the Sea.” Affleck was deemed controversial in light of the past allegations, however still received the Oscar for Best Actor. Affleck chose to skip the Oscars earlier this year and backed out of presenting the award for Best Actress. ... [Read Full Story]
Demi Lovato won’t be embarking on the rest of her tour as she continues her recovery process. The 25-year-old singer was scheduled to perform in Mexico in September in addition to visiting six cities in South America in November, but she has canceled the remaining shows of her Tell Me You Love Me tour, according to a statement released by her promoters. In a statement, Live Nation and Lotus Productions wrote that they “Wish Demi Lovato the best now and in the future and we hope to see her soon in South America,” the outlet reported, adding that refunds will be issued for all ticket holders. The news comes five days after multiple sources confirmed that Lovato was released from Cedars-Sinai to seek in-patient treatment following an overdose on July 24. On Sunday, the singer made her first statement following her overdose and hospitalization, as she shared that she would “need time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road to recovery.”... [Read Full Story]
Catfish host Nev Schulman is losing his longtime TV partner and co-host, Max Joseph, to life behind the camera. Joseph announced he is leaving the MTV show which he helped create and co-host for 7 years to pursue his budding career in filmmaking. Said Joseph: “For a while now I have been straddling two careers as TV host and filmmaker and, while this level of busy-ness is a dream come true, my life can no longer sustain it. With ‘Catfish’ still going strong after 7 seasons, 115 episodes, 31 specials and showing no sign of slowing down, I feel it is finally the time for me to make my exit.” MTV has not said if it is going to cast a replacement host for Max. ‘Catfish’ is in the middle of airing its seventh season right now. Max’s final episode will air August 22... [Read Full Story]
The Academy of Motion Pictures just announced some changes to its annual Oscars event. In a tweet Wednesday morning, the Academy announced it’s planning a new category “around achievement in popular film.” The Academy Board of Governors has yet to reveal more information about what kind of achievement will be recognized and what qualifies as a popular film, and the Academy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Hollywood Reporterreportedthat “a single film is eligible for an Oscar in both categories- Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film and the Academy Award for Best Picture. The new category will be introduced this coming year, at the 91st Oscars.” The new category was announced in a letter to Academy members that also reveals the 2020 date of theOscars ceremonywill be moved to earlier in February than the event usually runs. Next year’s Oscars, however, will still air on Sunday, February 24. ... [Read Full Story]
“Orange is the New Black” alum Ruby Rose has been cast to play Batwoman in both the annual DC superhero crossover event on the CW network, and in a pilot for possible series consideration. CW has confirmed its version of the character will be an out lesbian with “a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind.” She is a “highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence.” Rose is best known to American TV audiences as Stella on Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black” but was a prominent model and host in her native Australian for several years before that. Rose’s casting comes on the heels of CW casting activist Nicole Maines as the first trans superhero, who is set to join the network’s series “Supergirl” next season.... [Read Full Story]
It was revealed Tuesday morning that HGTV is the new owner of the iconic house used for the exterior shots of the beloved 1970s series “The Brady Bunch.” David Zaslav, chief executive officer of HGTV’s parent company Discovery, made the announcement during the company’s second-quarter earnings call. Zaslay said: “I’m excited to share that HGTV is the winning bidder and we’ll restore the home to its 1970s glory as only HGTV can.” Former *NSYNC member Lance Bass had taken to social media this week to express his disappointment at losing out on the house; Bass was initially told his offer had been the winning one but later learned it had been rejected for a more lucrative offer from a then-unidentified corporate buyer. However Bass tweeted Tuesday after the news broke saying: “I’d be pretty upset if it were anyone else, but how can you be mad at HGTV?? My television is stuck on that channel. Kudos HGTV, I know you will do the right thing with the house. That was always my biggest worry. I can smile again.” The house was listed at a starting price of almost $1.9 million; however the sale price has not been announced yet.... [Read Full Story]
After a decades-long career, Robert Redford has confirmed his plan to retire from acting. His upcoming film “The Old Man & the Gun,” will likely be his final role as an actor, he said in a recent interview. “Never say never, but I pretty well concluded that this would be it for me in terms of acting, and [I’ll] move towards retirement after this ’cause I’ve been doing it since I was 21,” the 81-year-old said. But that doesn’t mean he will retire from directing and producing, the indie titan said, “We’ll see about that.” A representative for Redford confirmed the accuracy of the report.... [Read Full Story]
Showtime announced that “Homeland” will end after it’s eighth season. The news has been expected for a while, but Showtime Networks CEO David Nevins confirmed the news on Monday at the TV Critics Association press tour. The news also comes as executive producer Alex Gansa was said to be “unequivocally done” after this season, as star Clare Danes said earlier this summer. Nevins said Gansa and Danes had talked for a while about ending the show after Season 8, when the show’s most recent three-year renewal was set to end. Showtime programming head Gary Levine: “That show is not limping in the sunset. Last season was one of the best ever.” Showtime said production on the final 12 episodes will begin in early 2019 in a “still-to-be-determined location.” ... [Read Full Story]
Seth Rogen, a producer on the comedy film Good Boys with Evan Goldberg, has issued an apology after leaked photos from the set showed a stand-in for a child actor wearing blackface makeup. “I should start by saying this shouldn’t have happened, and I’m terribly sorry it did.” Rogen said in a statement. TMZ had published photos on Thursday that revealed the child stand-in for 11-year-old Keith L. Williams sitting on the Vancouver set wearing darkened face makeup. Sources connected to production company Good Universe told the site it’s “not uncommon for lighting purposes to match actors’ skin tones.” Williams stars alongside Jacob Tremblay, Molly Gordon, and Brady Noon in Good Boys, about four boys on a mission to fix a broken toy. The film will open in theaters in 2019.... [Read Full Story]
Patrick Stewart will be reprising his role as Jean-Luc Picard in a newStar Trek series for CBS All Access. The actor announced the news on Twitter, calling the chance to play Picard again “an unexpected but delightful surprise.” Stewart played the iconic Starfleet captain onStar Trek: The Next Generation from 1987 to 1994, and last reprised the role in the 2002 filmStar Trek: Nemesis. Details about Picard’s next adventure are limited, but the new show will not be a reboot or prequel but will cover “the next chapter of Picard’s life.” In June,news brokethat the studio had hired Alex Kurtzman, co-creator ofStar Trek: Discovery, to an overall deal that included expanding theStar Trek franchise. Picard’s further adventures will be broadcast on CBS All Access, the network’s premium subscription service.... [Read Full Story]
Beauty and fashion magazine Vogue is changing how it does business with celebrities for the first time in its history. VogueEditor in Chief Anna Wintour is giving superstar Beyoncé “unprecedented control” over her photographs and captions when she appears on the cover of its September issue. Beyoncé will also be writing the photographs’ captions herself, and the singer has used her star power to get the publication to hire its first black photographer to shoot her cover photo. ... [Read Full Story]
