by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:
ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:
MOVIES - From Variety: "Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier," actor Sebastian Stan is playing young Donald Trump in a movie titled “The Student” from Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi (“Holy Spider”). Emmy winner Jeremy Strong ("Succession") will play Trump's awful mentor, attorney/fixer, Roy Cohn, and actress Maria Bakalova will portray Trump's first wife and mother of his spawn, Ivana Trump.
DISNEY - From Variety: Noah Hawley's "Alien" series for FX continues to fill out its main cast. The recent additions are Babou Ceesay, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diêm Camille, and Adrian Edmondson.
TELEVISION - From Deadline: It’s official. The upcoming fifth season of the CBS sitcom, "Bob Hearts Abishola" will be its last. The fifth season will premiere Mon., Feb. 12th, and the series finale will air Monday, May 13th, the network said today (Wed., Nov. 29th).
From Variety: Celebrity chef, Guy Fieri, has signed a new three-year deal with the Food Network that is worth $100 million.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Ethan Hawke and the original cast of the hit horror film, The Black Phone (2022), are returning for "Black Phone 2." The film is set for a June 27, 2025 theatrical release date.
AWARDS - From Variety: The winners at the 2023 / 33rd Annual Gotham Awards were announced Mon., Nov. 27th. Writer-director Celine Song's South Korean romantic drama, "Past Lives" won the "Best Feature" award.
ANIMATION - From IGN: The streaming service, Max, is removing from its library the rest of the classic "Looney Tunes" cartoons shorts and also the 2011-13 Cartoon Network animated sitcom, "The Looney Tunes Show" and the 2003 live-action/animated hybrid film, Looney Tunes: Back in Action. This move is effective December 31st, 2023. The first half of the "Looney Tunes" animated shorts were removed back in December 2022.
DISNEY - From Deadline: Actor Timothy Olyphant is joining the cast of FX's "Alien" television series, which is being overseen by Noah Hawley (FX's "Fargo").
From Variety: Cast member Cailee Spaeny says that the standalone "Alien" franchise film, "Alien: Romulus," is set between the first two films in the series, "Alien" (1979) and Aliens (1986). Directed by Fede Alvarez, the standalone film is due in theaters Aug. 16th, 2024.
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 11/24 to 11/26/2023 weekend box office is Lionsgate's "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" with an estimated take of 28.8 million dollars.
MUSIC - From Variety: The legal dispute between Grammy-winning recording duo, Daryl Hall & John Oates, seems to revolve around John Oates wanting to sell his share of Hall & Oates' joint venture, Whole Oates Enterprises, to music publishing and talent management company, Primary Wave.
POLITICS - From Politico: Actor Hill Harper is known for his roles on the former CBS series, "CSI: NY" and ABC's "The Good Doctor," but now he is a political candidate seeking to win a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in 2024. A recent report says that a wealthy donor offered Hill 20 million dollars to instead mount a primary challenge to Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) for her U.S. House seat. Hill, who revealed the plot, says he declined the offer.
SCANDAL - From Deadline: Oscar-winning actor, Jamie Foxx (Ray), is being sued for an alleged sexual assault that happened in 2015. An unidentified woman has accused Foxx of placing his hands on an her waist, then moving them under her top. He then allegedly began rubbing the plaintiff’s breasts, dragging her to a secluded area of the rooftop at Catch NYC & Roof, where he touched other areas of her body. The case was filed under New York state's "Adult Survivors Act," which provides a one-year window for sexual assault plaintiffs to file civil claims, regardless of the statute of limitations. That window closes on Thursday, Nov. 23rd and has led to a flurry of lawsuits claiming sexual assaults.
JAMES BOND - From Deadline: Christopher Nolan (Tenet) said that there is no truth to the rumors that he is directing the next James Bond film.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Hot actress Jenna Ortega is not returning for "Scream 7" after starring as "Tara Carpenter" in Scream (2022) and "Scream 6" (2023). Her departure is related to scheduling and reportedly has nothing to do with the recent firing of Melissa Barrera, who played Tara's sister, "Sam Carpenter."
From Deadline: "Scream 7" director Christopher Landon says that the firing of Melissa Barrera from the film was not his choice to make.
TELEVISION - From Deadline: The first post-strikes bidding war for a TV pitch will apparently be for a proposed television series that re-imagines the film 1962 film, "Cape Fear," and its 1991 remake, also entitled "Cape Fear." Martin Scorsese, director of the remake, Stephen Spielberg, and Nick Antosca are attached as executive producers.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Universal Pictures is developing a new film in its "Jason Bourne" franchise with Edward Berger, the director of the Oscar-winning "All Quiet on the Western Front" set to direct. Universal will reportedly approach series star, Matt Damon, about reprising the role of Jason Bourne before they approach anyone else.
SCANDAL - From Variety: Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon has been dropped by her agency, UTA, after she made controversial comments at a pro-Palestine rally in New York on Nov. 17th.
From ComingSoon: Actress Melissa Barrera, who has starred in Scream (2022) and "Scream 6" (2023), as "Sam Carpenter," has reportedly been fired from the upcoming "Scream 7" due to comments the actress made regarding the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Doug Liman is set to direct Paramount hot-anticipated reimagining of "The Saint." Rege-Jean Page ("Bridgerton") is set to star in and executive produce the film. "The Saint" first appeared in Leslie Charteris' 1920 novels and is best known for the 1960s British TV series starring Roger Moore.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Kim Kardashian is attached to star in and produce the film, "The 5th Wheel," which is apparently a hot movie package.
TELEVISION - From Deadline: CBS' venerable family-cop drama, "Blue Bloods" is coming to an end with its upcoming 14th season. 10 episodes will air during the upcoming midseason, beginning Feb. 16th. The final eight episodes will run Fall 2024.
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 11/17 to 11/18/2023 weekend box office is Lionsgate's "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" with an estimated take of 44 million dollars.
CELEBRITY - From TheNewYorker: The venerable culture magazine interviews legendary Hong Kong director, John Woo, who talks about his upcoming nearly dialogue free revenge thriller, "Silent Night."
MOVIES - From Deadline: "Rocky" and "Creed" franchise producer, Irwin Winkler, has said that "Creed IV" is in the works, with franchise star and Creed III director Michael B. Jordan to helm it.
GOLDEN GLOBES - From Deadline: The 2024 / 81st annual Golden Globes will move to CBS from the Globes previous home, NBC. The awards show will also stream on Paramount+ and on the CBS app. The 81st Golden Globes will air on CBS Sun., Jan. 7th, 2024.
OBITS:
From Deadline: Film, television, and Broadway (on and off-) actress, Frances Sternhagen, has died at the age of 93, Monday, November 27, 2023. She won two Tony Awards ("The Good Doctor," "The Heiress") and was nominated five other times. She was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, twice for her best known TV role, that of "Esther Clavin," the mother of "Cliff Clavin," on the former NBC sitcom, "Cheers." Sternhagen appeared in such films as "Outland" (1981), "Misery" (1990), and "Doc Hollywood" (1991), to name a few.
From TheCarterCenter: Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has died at the age of 96, Sunday, November 19, 2023. A passionate champion of mental health, caregiving, and women’s rights, Mrs. Carter passed at her home in Plains, Georgia. She died peacefully, with family by her side. Mrs. Carter was married for 77 years to Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States and the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, who is now 99 years old. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” President Carter said. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” She is survived by her children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy — and 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. A grandson died in 2015.
From AP: A timeline of key moments from former First Lady Rosalyn Carter's 96 years
AWARDS:
From Variety: The winners at the 2023 / 89th New York Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced. "Killers of the Flower Moon" (directed by Martin Scorsese) was named "Best Film of 2023." Christopher Nolan won "Best Director" for his film, "Oppenheimer."
From Variety: The winners at the 2023 / 33rd Annual Gotham Awards were announced Mon., Nov. 27th. Writer-director Celine Song's South Korean romantic drama, "Past Lives" won the "Best Feature" award.
-------------------------------
ACTORS STRIKE:
From Variety: SAG-AFTRA has released the full 128-page contract that ended the actors strike on Nov. 8th, with union leaders urging members to vote yes on the deal by the Dec. 5th ratification deadline.
From Deadline: Actor Matthew Modine says that he voted against SAG-AFTRA's tentative deal to end the actors strike, and that he will vote against the full agreement, which will be released today, Fri., Nov. 24th.
From Deadline: SAG-AFTRA has produced a summary of its "2023 Tentative Agreement" that ended the 118-day long actors' strike. SAG-AFTRA members can begin voting on the agreement tomorrow, Tues., Nov. 14th. The voting can continue until the first week of December.
From IndieWire: The site takes a look at the details of the tentative agreement between SAG-AFTRA (the actors' union) and the AMPTP (the Hollywood studios) that ended the 118-day actors' strike.
From Deadline: The SAG-AFTRA national board, by a majority vote, approved the tentative agreement reached with the AMPTP to end the actors' strike. Now, the actors vote...
From Variety: The Hollywood studios have agreed to adjust language on artificial intelligence (AI) in their contract negotiations with SAG-AFTRA to end the 117-day actors' strike.
From THR: SAG-AFTRA is evaluating the studios' "last, best and final offer" to end the actors' strike.
From Deadline: The studios have delivered a new contract deal to SAG-AFTRA, the actors' union, and more strike talks are scheduled to be held this weekend.
From Deadline: Striking actors are set to meet the studios today for Halloween negotiations, but they are still "far apart on key issues."
From Variety: SAG-AFTRA (actors) and AMPTP (studios) will resume strike negotiations tomorrow (Tues., Oct. 24th).
From Deadline: SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher says that the offer from top-earning Hollywood actors to chip in some money to help end the strike "isn't legally compatible with the union's contract.
From Deadline: Top earning Hollywood actors want to chip in some money to end the SAG-AFTRA strike.
From Deadline: George Clooney, Emma Stone, Ben Affleck, Tyler Perry and Scarlett Johansson were among a group of top talent guild members that spoke Tuesday (Oct. 17th) with guild president Fran Drescher and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland for a detailed debrief, we hear.
From Deadline: The movie studios via AMPTP have suspended their talks with striking actors via SAG-AFTRA. The snag seems to be that actors want "2 precent of potential profits" on streaming.
From Variety: SAG-AFTRA (the actors) and AMPTP (the studios) are to resume strike talks Wed., Oct. 11th, as the actors strike enters Day 88.
From Deadline: The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Hollywood studios CEOs met for strike talks for the first time since the actors went on strike July 14th. They plan to meet again, Wed., Oct. 4th.
BREAKING - From Deadline: The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to end its strike after nearly five months. The parties finalized the framework of the deal Sunday when they were able to untangle their stalemate over AI and writing room staffing levels.
From WGAContract: The WGA contract page has additional information on the settlement.
From WGAContract: A summary of the new agreement.
------
From Deadline: The actors’ strike is now in its 63rd day. Now, SAG-AFTRA leaders are ramping up their rhetoric against the studio heads, accusing them in the latest issue of the "SAG-AFTRA Magazine" of “behaving like petty tyrants,” “would-be feudal lords” and “land barons in feudal times.”
From Deadline: Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra says that Hollywood unions need to embrace AI.
From Deadline: Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav says the industry must focus and fight to resolve the writers and actors strikes.
From Deadline: Hollywood’s superstars are answering the call from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, donating $1 million or more each to help their fellow performers during the ongoing actors and writers strikes. Among the big donors are Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, and Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively.
From Deadline: If you are interested, here is a list of the film and TV productions SAG-AFTRA has granted waivers to continue filming.
From Variety: International superstar, Dwayne Johnson, makes a seven-figure contribution to the "SAG-AFTRA Foundation Relief Fund." Foundation president, actor Courtney B. Vance, says the amount will remain confidential.
From Variety: Why haven't A-list stars joined the SAG-AFTRA picket line?, asks "Variety."
From Deadline: Author George R.R. Martin, whose works were the basis for HBO's "Game of Thrones," says the strikes will be long and bitter.
From Variety: Halted film productions due to the writers and actors strikes are costing each Hollywood studio at least 600,000 dollars per week.
From Variety: Said at a strike meeting: “Without a transformative change in SAG-AFTRA’s current contract with the AMPTP, the acting profession will no longer be an option for future generations of performers, and actors already working in the industry will need to pursue other careers in order to survive.”
From Deadline: If you are a "social media influencer" who is NOT a member of SAG-AFTRA, you can be barred from future membership for promoting a film or television series during the actors' strike.
From Variety: The SAG/AFTRA strike begins in New York and Los Angeles. Hollywood actors began striking today, Fri., July 14th.
From Deadline: The site has the video of the powerful strike speech given by SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher, the actress best known for CBS' former sitcom, "The Nanny."
From Deadline: SAG-AFTRA is already preparing strike picket signs in case the actors' strike begins next week.
From Deadline: The Hollywood studios via the AMPTP has given Canadian actors a new contract, including a 5 percent raise.
--------------------
