Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 21st to 31st, 2022 - Update #21

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MUSIC - From RollingStone:  Actor, musician, and businessman, Micky Dolenz, is best remembered as a member of pop-rock band, "The Monkeez."  Now, the only surviving member, Dolenz has filed a lawsuit against the FBI to force the law enforcement agency to turn over a file kept on the band during the era of FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Lil Rel Howery, and Teyonah Parris will star in the holiday comedy, "Dashing Through the Snow," with Tim Story directing.  The film is scheduled for Disney+ for the 2023 holiday season.

STAR TREK - From THR:  "WandaVision" director Matt Shakman has dropped out of directing Paramount Pictures fourth "Star Trek" reboot film ... perhaps, because "Fantastic Four" is in his future.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/26 to 8/28/2022 weekend box office is Sony Pictures' "The Invitation" with an estimated take of 7 million dollars.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  "Zatima" is a new series from Tyler Perry Studios and BET+.  A spinoff of the series, "Sistas," it will premiere Sept. 29th, and has also added six new cast members.

NETFLIX - From THR:  Netflix's "Resident Evil" live-action series has been cancelled after one season.  It was the first live-action TV series in the "Resident Evil" franchise.

CELEBRITY - From Variety: "Archetypes," the new podcast from Princess Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex, has claimed the No. 1 podcast position on Spotify’s charts in six markets worldwide, including the United States and the United Kingdom.  For the time being, “Archetypes” is currently more popular than “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which in the U.S. is consistently the most-listened-to podcast on Spotify.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Francis Lawrence will direct and Michael Green will write a film adaptation of the video game, "BioShock," for Netflix.

STREAMING - From Fangoria:  Hulu has released a teaser trailer for the film "Hellraiser," a reboot of Clive Barker's 1987 film of the same name.  The films begins streaming on Hulu October 7th.

TELEVISION - From Today:  On Thursday, September 22nd, 2022, "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU," and "Law & Order: Organized Crime" will come together in a three-hour, three-series crossover event - on NBC, of course.

MOVIES - From Variety:  "Halloween Ends," the latest installment in the long-running "Halloween" franchise, will have a simultaneous release in theaters and through the streaming service, "Peacock," on Oct. 14th.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Matt Reeves ("The Batman") has signed multi-year first-look deal with Warner Bros., and he has also re-up his deal TV deal with Warner Bros. Television Group.

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Cathy Yan, director of "Birds of Prey," will direct and executive produce a live-action adaptation of Yasutaka Tsutsui's novel, "Paprika," for Amazon.

NETFLIX - From Variety:  Netflix has just released a first look image from director Rian Johnson's "Glass Onion," the sequel to "Knives Out" (2019).  Starring Daniel Craig, the film will debut on Netflix Dec. 23rd, 2022 and will be released to select theaters on a still to be announced date.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/19 to 8/21/2022 weekend box office is Sony/Crunchyroll's "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero" with an estimated take of 20.1 million dollars.

SCANDAL - From EW:  Gary Busey has been arrested on four charges: two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree, one count of attempted criminal sexual contact, and one count of harassment.  Busey has reportedly been taken into custody due to an incident that occurred in Cherry Hill, N.J., when he was visiting for "Monster-Mania Con" at the suburb's Doubletree Hotel from August 12th to 14th, 2022.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  The family of the late actor, Bill Paxton, has settled their lawsuit against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of Los Angeles and the surgeon who performed heart surgery on him. Paxton died of a stroke February 25, 2017 eleven days after heart surgery.

OBITS:

From TheDisInsider:  Disney/Pixar animator, art director, storyboard artist, and writer-director, Ralph Eggleston, has died at the age of 56, Monday, August 29, 2022.  Eggleston won an Oscar for his animated short film, "For the Birds" (2000).  Eggleston was responsible for the art direction, production design, and colors of many Pixar films, including the first two "Toy Story" films, "The Incredibles" (2004), and "Inside Out" (2015), to name a few.

From Deadline:  British-Canadian film director and animator, Gerald Potterton, has died at the age of 91, Tuesday, August 23, 2022.  Potterton was best known for directing the cult animated feature film, "Heavy Metal" (1981), and for his work on "The Beatles" 1968 animated film, "Yellow Submarine."  Potterton was also twice nominated for an Academy Award for his work on animated short films.

From ESPN:  Former NFL quarterback, Len Dawson, has died at the age of 87, Wednesday, August 24, 2022.  Dawson led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory in Super Bowl IV (Jan. 11th, 1970) over the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7.  He is a member of the "Pro Football Hall of Fame" (Class of 1987).  He also had a 33-year career as a broadcast analyst.

From Variety:  The retired actress Virginia Patton Moss has died at the age of 97, Thursday, August 18, 2022.  She acted under the name of Virginia Patton, and had a brief career in films during the 1940s before retiring from acting to focus on her family with husband, Cruise W. Moss.  Moss was also the last surviving adult actor to appear in Frank Capra's classic 1946 film, "It's a Wonderful Life."

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From TheDailyBeast:   Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox:  Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN:   A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th.  Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN:  The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 10th to 16th, 2021 -- Update #18

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DC COMICS - From Variety:  See previews, performances, and personalities from upcoming films and TV, live-action and animated, based on DC Comics characters at DC FanDome 2021.

TRANS/NETFLIX - From THR:  Australian comedian, Hannah Gadsby, tears into Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos in the ongoing controversy over Dave Chappelle's most recent Netflix special, "The Closer."  Chappelle mocked gender identities in the special.

From THR:   In the ongoing controversy over Dave Chappelle's "The Closer" stand-up special, Netflix has fired an employee for leaking confidential financial data to "Bloomberg", resulting in an article published on Oct. 13 that detailed the cost ($24.1 million) of The Closer.

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SPORTS/BLM - From TheAtlantic:   Is the NFL's Jon Gruden scandal a sign that the league has a problem with bigotry among its coaches, team executives, and owners? Jemele Hill of "The Atlantic" discusses.

MOVIES - From Deadline: Oscar-winner Tommy Lee Jones is replacing Oscar-nominee Harrison Ford in Amazon's "The Burial," which will also star Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Jensen Ackles ("Supernatural," "The Boys") joins the ensemble cast of the Western, "Rust," which already includes Alec Baldwin as an actor and producer.

BUSINESS - From Deadline:   Unless an agreement is reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in the coming days, the 60,000 film and TV workers of the IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) will go on strike on Monday, Oct. 18, at 12:01 a.m. PDT.

NETFLIX - From THR:   Squid Game drew 111 million viewers in its first month on the platform, per internal Netflix estimates, becoming the biggest launch in the streaming giant’s history.

From THR:    "Squid Game" creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, talks Season 2.

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TRAILERS-MOVIES - From ETCanada:  Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group have released a trailer for its relaunch of the "Scream" franchise with a fifth film. The film is due Jan. 14, 2022.

TELEVISION - From EW: AMC has greenlit a new spinoff of "The Walking Dead."  The anthology series, "Tales of the Walking Dead" will debut on AMC and streaming AMC+ next summer.

CELEBRITY - From TimesUK:  Rumors say that Prince William sees his uncle, Prince Andrew, as a threat to the British royal family because of Andrew's connection to the late pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, and because of his ongoing legal battles with Virginia Giuffre.  Giuffre says that Prince Andrew raped her when she was a teenager.

AWARDS - From THR:   FX’s "Pose" and "Mayans M.C." and Hulu’s "Love, Victor" were among the winners at Sunday night's 2021 Imagen Awards.  The awards recognize positive portrayals of Latinos in media.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 10/8 to 10/10/21 weekend box office is the James Bond film, "No Time to Die," with an estimated take of 56 million dollars.

From Deadline:  "No Time to Die" leads the international box office with an estimated gross of 89.54 million dollars. Its total foreign gross to date is 313.3 million.

From Negromancer:  My review of "No Time to Die."

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MOVIES - From BuzzFeed:   Timothy Chalamet shares a first-look at himself as "Willy Wonka" from the film, "Wonka," which is due in 2023.

OSCARS - From Variety:  Husband and wife entertainment mega-couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce, could make Oscar history if both received "Best Original Song" nominations.

MOVIES - From USAToday:  "Best horror movies: 10 thrilling, chilling films to watch for Halloween 2021."

POLITICS/TELEVISION - From Reuters:   How AT&T helped build far-right One America News (OAN).

From RollingStone:  "Fox News and OAN Were Deeper in the Bag for Trump Than Anyone Realized."

OBIT:

From Deadline:   Disney animator, Ruthie Thompson, has died at the age of 111, Sunday, October 10, 2021. She worked an a camera technician, animation checker, or scene planner on many Walt Disney animated films over a four decade period, including "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Fantasia," "Mary Poppin," and "The Rescuers."  She was named a "Disney Legend" in 2000.

Review: "NO TIME TO DIE," But Plenty of Time to Bore

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 60 of 2021 (No. 1798) by Leroy Douresseaux

No Time to Die (2021)
Running time:  163 minutes (2 hours, 43 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, brief strong language and some suggestive material
DIRECTOR:  Cary Joji Fukunaga
WRITERS:  Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Cary Joji Fukunaga, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge; from a story by Cary Joji Fukunaga and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (based on the characters created by Ian Fleming)
PRODUCERS:  Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Linus Sandgren (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Tom Smith and Elliot Graham
COMPOSER:  Hans Zimmer
SONG:  “No Time to Die,” sung by Billie Eilish; written by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell

SPY/ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring:  Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear, Billy Magnussen, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah, and Jeffrey Wright with Christoph Waltz

No Time to Day is a 2021 spy and action-adventure film from director Cary Joji Fukunaga.  It is the 25th entry in EON Productions' James Bond film franchise, and it is also the fifth and (supposedly) final film in which actor Daniel Craig portrays Bond.  In No Time to Die, James Bond is attempting to enjoy life after having left active service when an old friend asks him to help the CIA secure a dangerous new weapon.

No Time to Die finds former M16 agent, James Bond-007 (Daniel Craig), enjoying life after leaving active service with his lover, Dr. Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux).  While vacationing in Matera, Italy, Spectre assassins ambush Bond, and although he survives that attempt, he believes that he has been betrayed.  Bond blames Madeleine and leaves her.

Five years later, MI6 scientist, Valdo Obruchev (David Dencik), is kidnapped from an MI6 laboratory.  Obruchev was working on a bio-weapons project, “Project Heracles,” at the behest of Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), also known as “M,” the head of MI6.  In Jamaica, Bond's friend, CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright), asks Bond to help him track Obruchev, but Bond refuses.  Later, Bond encounters Nomi (Lashana Lynch), the MI6 agent who has succeeded him as the new “007.”  After discovering more about “Project Heracles” via Nomi, Bond agrees to help Leiter find Obruchev.

Bond discovers that his old nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), the founder and head of the criminal syndicate, Spectre, is somehow involved with Obruchev.  However, the true mastermind behind Obruchev's activities is a mysterious terrorist leader (Rami Malek) on a mission of revenge and harboring plans to kill untold millions of people.

Of the previous Daniel Craig James Bond films:  Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015), the last two join No Time to Die to form some kind of Daniel Craig as James Bond life cycle.  When it comes to James Bond, I am not interested in s life story, origin tale, or death story of 007.  Craig is the first actor to play Bond who gets a swan song film.  All the other Bond actors did not get a goodbye movie; they simply left.

Although it has some good moments and some exceptional set pieces – in the form of extended action scenes – No Time to Die gets old and listless, especially after the action that takes place in Matera.  This film is also too long and too tired, especially wants the drama moves to Japan.  Even Daniel Craig, who is only 53-years-old, seems to be much older than he really his.  His body is tight, but his face is Beetlejuice.  It is as if everything about this film inadvertently says that both Craig and Bond are way past their expiration date.  In fact, both seem like spoiled milk.

No Time to Die has other problems.  Ray Fiennes, with his dour faced portrayal of “M,” only makes things seem more rundown.  Naomie Harris is utterly wasted as Eve Moneypenny.  Lashana Lynch cannot do much to save her utterly wasted and woefully underdeveloped character, Nomi, the new 007.  Jeffrey Wright seems like an out-of-gas old car as Felix Leiter.  As for Rami Malek: what could have been is so obvious in how much he gets out of so little.

On the other hand, Rory Kinnear brings some quiet energy as M's chief of staff, Bill Tanner.  As usual Ben Whishaw is top notch as “Q,” and I hope the Bond bosses bring him back in the next iteration of the franchise.  Also, Bill Magnussen provides an expected pretty boy, watermelon sugar rush as the bright-eyed CIA agent, Logan Ash.

In the final analysis, if I had to do it again, I would not go to a movie theater to see No Time to Die.  Don't get me wrong.  I am a huge James Bond fan and would see this movie anyway.  I will always find a lot to like even in Bond movies about which I have mixed feelings.  However, No Time to Die is the kind of Bond movie that I could have waited to see at home.  It is sad that Daniel Craig's tenure as James Bond did not so much end as it simply petered out.

6 of 10
B

Friday, October 8, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "Knives Out" a Fresh Cut of Murder Mystery

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Knives Out (2019)
Running time:  130 minutes (2 hours, 10 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for thematic elements including brief violence, some strong language, sexual references, and drug material
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Rian Johnson
PRODUCERS:  Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Steve Yedlin (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Bob Ducsay
COMPOSER:  Nathan Johnson
Academy Award nominee

MYSTERY/COMEDY

Starring:  Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield, Christopher Plummer, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Riki Lindhome, Edi Patterson, Frank Oz, K Callan, Noah Segan, M. Emmet Walsh, and Marlene Forte

Knives Out is a 2019 mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson.  The film is a modern whodunit and a murder mystery inspired by the works of the legendary mystery novelist, Agatha Christie.  Knives Out focuses on a master detective investigating an eccentric, combative family after the family's patriarch is found dead.

Knives Out introduces wealthy crime novelist, Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer).  He has invited his family to his Massachusetts mansion for his 85th birthday party.  The following morning, Harlan's housekeeper, Fran (Edi Patterson), finds Harlan dead, with his throat slit.  Local police Detective Lieutenant Elliott (LaKeith Stanfield) believes Harlan's death to be a suicide.  However, an anonymous party among the family has secretly paid private eye, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), to investigate Harlan's death as a homicide.  Blanc finds his suspects among the members of the family, and each one is either eccentric or combative.

Blanc learns that Harlan's relationships with his family were strained.  Blanc is keeping an eye on particular members of the family.  There is Harlan's eldest daughter, Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis), a real estate mogul, and his youngest son, Walt Thrombey (Michael Shannon).  There is also Joni Thrombey (Toni Collette), Harlan's daughter-in-law and the widow of his late son, Neil, and his son-in-law, Richard Drysdale (Don Johnson), Linda's husband.  Even Harlan's nurse and close friend, Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), is a suspect... or at least has knowledge that will answer important questions.  And where is Harlan's grandson, Ransom “Hugh” Drysdale (Chris Evans), the spoiled playboy son of Linda and Richard?

Whodunit... if it is true that someone did anything criminal?  Or is the truth more complicated and too obvious for even world-famous private investigator Benoit Blanc to discover?

Rian Johnson's Knives Out starts with an excellent screenplay, not necessarily in terms of the mystery's plot.  That is mostly just an exercise in genre elements and trappings – similar to the twists and terms found in the works of Agatha Christie and those stories inspired by Christie.  The best of Knives Out is in the characters, the kind that character actors can use to chew up movie scenery.

The cast of Knives Out is comprised of actors who have been at or near the top of their professions in film or television at some point in their careers.  They are not really known as character actors because they have been or still are headliners.  However, they are mostly veteran actors, and they can do what character actors do best, and that is deliver performances that create the kind of characters of which film audiences cannot get enough.

That is what Rian Johnson did with this film.  He composed a topnotch script, and then, he directed his actors to topnotch performances.  The result is a mystery film that grabs the viewers and holds them from start to finish.  I certainly felt as if I could not let stop watching Knives Out; it is truly a fun film to watch.  It is not perfect; there seems not to be enough screen time for some of the best characters, such as Jamie Lee Curtis' Linda Drysdale, Michael Shannon's Walt Thrombey, and Toni Collette's Joni Thrombey.  And Chris Evan's Ransom Drysdale seems misused...

Still, get yourself to Knives Out, dear reader.  It is one of the funniest and most enjoyable murder mystery films in quite some time.

8 of 10
A

Saturday, June 20, 2020


NOTES:
2019 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Original Screenplay” (Rian Johnson)

2019 BAFTA Awards:  1 nomination: “Best Screenplay” (Rian Johnson)

2019 Golden Globes, USA:  3 nominations:  “Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy,” “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Ana de Armas), and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” (Daniel Craig)


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site or blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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"No Time to Die" is the Title of the Next James Bond Film

NO TIME TO DIE is the official title of Bond 25

Daniel Craig returns in his fifth 007 film

James Bond Producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today released the official title of the 25th James Bond adventure, NO TIME TO DIE. The film, from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios (MGM), and Universal Pictures International is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation, True Detective) and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his fifth film as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007.

Written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (SPECTRE, SKYFALL), Cary Joji Fukunaga, Scott Z. Burns (Contagion, The Bourne Ultimatum) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Killing Eve, Fleabag) NO TIME TO DIE is currently in production. The film will be released globally from April 3, 2020 in the UK through Universal Pictures International and in the US on April 8, 2020, from MGM via their United Artists Releasing banner.

NO TIME TO DIE also stars Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, Rory Kinnear, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah with Jeffrey Wright and Ralph Fiennes.

In NO TIME TO DIE, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

Other members of the creative team are; Composer Dan Romer, Director of Photography Linus Sandgren, Editors Tom Cross and Elliot Graham, Production Designer Mark Tildesley, Costume Designer Suttirat Larlarb, Hair and Make up Designer Daniel Phillips, Supervising Stunt Coordinator Olivier Schneider, Stunt Coordinator Lee Morrison and Visual Effects Supervisor Charlie Noble. Returning members to the team are; 2nd Unit Director Alexander Witt, Special Effects and Action Vehicles Supervisor Chris Corbould and Casting Director Debbie McWilliams.

Press release from https://www.007.com/no-time-to-die-is-the-official-title-of-bond-25/

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 14th to 20th, 2019 - Update #44

Support Leroy on Patreon:

STAR TREK - From Deadline:  British actor David Ajala will join CBS All Access' "Star Trek: Discovery" for Season Three as a new series regular.

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SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL 2019 NEWS:

Marvel Studios "Phase Four" will be comprised of 10 films and series:
Here's the full slate:

Black Widow (May 1, 2020)

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+, Fall 2020)

Eternals (November 6, 2020

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Feb. 12, 2021)

WandaVision (Disney+, Spring 2021)

Loki (Disney+, Spring 2021)

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (May 7, 2021)

What If…? (Disney+, Summer 2021)

Hawkeye (Disney+, Fall 2021)

Thor: Love and Thunder (Nov. 5, 2021)

"Black Panther," "Captain Marvel 2," "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," "Fantastic Four," and "Blade" (Mahershala Ali)

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From THR:  Here it is!  Comic-Con gets to see the first full trailer for HBO's "Watchmen" TV series, featuring Oscar-winner Regina King.

From EW:  Mark Hamill brings Netflix's "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance" to Comic-Con.

From EW:  Disney's revived "DuckTales" animated TV series stormed Comic-Con.  It's second and upcoming third seasons will continue to introduce characters from classic animated Disney TV series, like "Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers," "TaleSpin," and "Darkwing Duck."

From THR:  James Cameron offered a "Terminator: Dark Fate" surprise for Comic-Con attendees.  Edward Furlong will return as John Connor, the role he played he played as a child actor in 1991's "Terminator 2: Judgment Day."  Fans also saw a new trailer for the film.

From THR:  Tom Cruise surprises Comic-Con 2019 with a trailer for "Top Gun: Maverick."

From CBR:  The upcoming TV series, "His Dark Materials" descends on Comic-Con with actors and executive producers.  The series is based on author Philip Pullman's trilogy, which has previously made it to film as "The Golden Compass."


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MOVIES - From EW:  Via twitter, it was revealed that 2020 and 2021 will see two sequels to the 2018 iteration of "Halloween."  First is "Halloween Kills" (2020) and then, "Halloween Ends" (2021).

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ANIMATION - From Deadline:  A developing story - there has been a suspected arson attack at Kyoto Animation in Kyoto, Japan.  Reports say 33 people have died.

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DISNEY - From BleedingCool:  Rumor is that Oscar-winning actor, Javier Bardeem, is in talks to join Disney's live-action remake "The Little Mermaid."

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STAR TREK - From Deadline:  In an interview in conjunction with the release of his new film, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," Quentin Tarantino said that his "Star Trek" film, if he directed it, would be like "Pulp Fiction" in space.

From IndieWire: Quentin Tarantino says that if he directs the R-rated "Star Trek" film which he has been developing for a few years now, it would be his last feature film.

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MUSIC - From YahooNews:  The Iowa director of social services, Jerry Foxhoven, has been ousted because of his obsession with the late rapper and actor, Tupac Shakur, that he insisted on sharing with everyone.  [Man, that is one real-ass dude.]

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DISNEY - From THR:  Harry Styles is in talks to play "Prince Eric" in Disney's live-action remake of its animated classic, "The Little Mermaid."  Styles was a member of the British boy-band, One Direction," before launching a solo recording career.  He made his acting debut in Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk."

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STREAMING - YahooNews:  A recent user's poll showed that "Orange is the New Black" and "Stranger Things" are Netflix users' two most favorite TV series.

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AWARDS - From YahooEntertainment:  Here are the 2019 / 71st Annual Emmy Awards nominations. "Game of Thrones" received a leading and record 32 nominations.

From Deadline:  2019 Emmy Awards see a major decline in diversity and inclusion.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Oscar-nominees, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, will write Margot Robbie's "Barbie" (yes, based on the iconic Mattel doll) film.  Gerwig ("Lady Bird") may direct.

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DISNEY - From YahooNews:  Disney heiress, Abigail Disney, goes undercover at the Disneyland theme park to see worker conditions.  She also wrote to Disney CEO Bob Iger.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle ("La La Land") is prepping a new film, reportedly a Hollywood period piece called "Babylon."  Oscar-winning actress, Emma Stone ("La La Land"), is attached.

From Variety:  Baz Luhrmann has his Elvis.  Actor Austin Butler will play the King of Rock 'n' Roll in Luhrmann's biopic, with Tom Hanks playing Elvis' manager, Col. Tom Parker.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 7/12 to 7/14/2019 weekend box office is "Spider-Man: Far From Home" with an estimated take of 45.3 million dollars.

From Patreon:  My review of "Spider-Man: Far From Home."

From Deadline:  If new movie releases, "Crawl" and "Stuber," were meant to be counter-programming, they have failed, as "Spider-Man: Far From Home" and "Toy Story 4" continue to dominate the weekend box office.

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JAMES BOND - From TheDailyMail:  According to reports, British actress Lashana Lynch ("Captain Marvel"), will be the new "Agent 007" in the next James Bond film, currently known as "BOND25."  She will NOT be James Bond (who will be played again by Daniel Craig), who is in retirement and who will reportedly try seduce the new 007.  This change and others are apparently being initiated by writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

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MOVIES - From MovieWeb:  Jason Reitman reveals the first photo of "the New Family": Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace from "Ghostbusters 2020" (also known as "Ghostbusters 3").  The photo includes Jason and his father, Ivan, who directed the original "Ghost Busters" (1984) and "Ghostbusters 2" (1989).

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POLITICS - From TheDailyBeast:  What has Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone been up to lately?  He has been making documentaries that some have described as having a pro-Vladimir Putin bent.

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STREAMING - From Variety:  Disney is shutting down Fox's "FX Plus" subscription service which will no longer be available after August 20th, 2019.  It's content will probably be moved to Hulu.

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INTERNATIONAL - From Deadline:  Luc Besson is looking to Vine Alternative Investments to save his debt-ridden motion picture company, EuropaCorp (thanks to 2017's "Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets").  Vine already has controlling interest in film producing/financing company, Village Roadshow Productions.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  New Line/Warner Bros.' "Space Invaders" film (yep, that's actually a thing) has a writer, Greg Russo.  Russo wrote Warner's "Mortal Kombat" reboot film which is currently filming.  And of course you know that both "Space Invaders" and "Mortal Kombat" are video game properties.

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BOND - From Variety:  Christoph Waltz will return as "Blofeld" in the currently filming, BOND 25.

TRAILERS AND VIDEO:

From Newsarama:  Apple TV+ releases the first trailer for its series, "Snoopy in Space."

From Variety:  Disney releases a teaser trailer for the "The King's Man," the prequel to "Kingsman: The Secret Service" (2014) and "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" (2017).  It stars Ralph Fiennes and is due Feb. 14th, 2020.

From EW:  Here is the first trailer for the "Rabid," a remake of the 1977 David Cronenberg film.  The remake, directed by Jen and Sylvia Soska, will premiere at Frightfest in August.

From YouTube:  Here is the first official trailer for director Rian Johnson's whodunit, "Knives Out."

OBITS:

From NYTimes:  Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has died at the age of 99, Tuesday, July 16, 2019.  Appointed by President Gerald R. Ford to the Supreme Court, Justice Stevens was the third longest service Justice (1975 to 2010).  During WWII, Justice Stevens was a "code breaker."

From ESPN:  Hall of Fame boxer, Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker, died at the age of 55, Sunday, July 14, 2019.  Whitaker died after being hit by a vehicle.  As an amateur, Whitaker won gold at the 1983 Pan American Games and also at the 1984 Olympics.  As a pro, he was a world champion in four weight classes: lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight, and light middleweight.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 19th to 25th, 2019 - Update #17

Support Leroy on Patreon:

BOX OFFICE - From TheWrap:  Disney's "Aladdin" looks to finish better at the 2019 Memorial Day box office than "Solo: A Star Wars Story" did at the 2018 Memorial Day box office.

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MOVIES - From Variety: Warner Bros. gets Clint Eastwood's "The Ballad of Richard Jewell" from Disney/Fox.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Christopher Nolan's next film has a title, "Tenet," and the cast is finalized with Michael Caine and Kenneth Branagh among the new additions.  Warner Bros. is set to release the "international espionage" film July 17, 2019.

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JAMES BOND - From IndieWire:  After begin hurt on the set of BOND 25, Daniel Craig will undergo ankle surgery.

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STREAMING - From THR:   Greg Kinnear joins Lisa Kudrow in the pilot for the Amazon comedy, "Good People," from Lee Daniel and Whitney Cummings.

From TheWrap:  Martin Short has also been added to "Good People."

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CANNES - From Deadline:  Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" screens at Cannes 2019, and gets a seven-minute standing ovation.

From YahooEntertainment:  On the set of "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio thought of the late Luke Perry as an icon of cool.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Fox Searchlights wins an intense bidding war for director Terrence Malick's much-talked about film, " A Hidden Life," which some consider a "return to form" and his best film since 2011's "The Tree of Life."  It is in competition at Cannes 2019.

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BOX OFFICE - From Variety:  The winner of the 5/17 to 5/19/2019 weekend box office is "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" with an estimate take of 57 million dollars.

From Variety:  "Pokemon: Detective Pikachu" leads the international box office.

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CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  Arnold Schwarzenegger said that he will not press charges against the man who attacked him on Saturday, May 18th in South Africa at a children's sports event.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Just out is a new "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" faux movie poster featuring Leo DeCaprio as "Rick Dalton."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Showtime has won the rights to the feature-length documentary, "Hitsville: The Making of Motown."

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  The worldwide rights to the Chris Hemworth-Tiffany Haddish buddy cop comedy, "Down Under Cover," have been picked up by Paramount Pictures.


TRAILERS AND VIDEO:

From YouTube:  First teaser for CBS All Access' "Star Trek: Picard" (May 23, 2019)

From YouTube:  First official teaser for "Terminator: Dark Fate" (May 23, 2019), which is set for a November 1, 2019.

From YouTube:  First official trailer (May 21, 2019) for Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 8th to 14th, 2018 - Update #14

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MOVIES - From Deadline: Gabriel Luna is the new Terminator in "Terminator 6."  Natalia Reyes and Diego Boneta also join the film.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  A guide for the beginning of Season 4 of "Fear the Walking Dead."

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CELEBRITY - From THR:  Will Ferrell has been injured in a serious car accident.

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TELEVISION - From TVLine:  There is trailer for Ryan Murphy's LGBTQ-themed musical-dance drama, "Pose."

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DISNEY - From THR:  Donnie Yen has joined the cast of Disney's live-action remake of its animated film "Mulan."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Warner Bros. cuts final ties with Brett Ratner and RatPac-Dune Entertainment.

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BOND - From Variety:  Daniel Craig says that his next project is "Bond 25," the next James Bond film.

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MOVIE - From Collider:  Joaquin Phoenix kinda talks about being in a comic book movie, specifically Todd Phillips's proposed "Joker" solo movie.

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STAR TREK - From IndieWire:  Trekkers know who Captain Pike is.  Well, CBS All Acess' "Star Trek: Discovery" has cast its Pike, actor Anson Mount.

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SCANDAL - From THR:  Attorney claims that Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush barely eats and has become housebound since accusations that he was inappropriate with a female co-star were leveled against him in December 2017.

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POLITICS - From NYTimes:  Charles M. Blow writes "Horror of Being Governed by 'Fox & Friends'."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 4/6 to 4/8/2018 weekend box office is "A Quiet Place" with an estimated take of $50 million.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Halle Berry has been signed on for a remake of the 1985 film "Jagged Edge."  The courtroom thriller starred Glenn Close, Jeff Bridges, Peter Coyote, and Robert Loggia (who earned an supporting Oscar nomination for his role).

TELEVISION - From Variety:  National Geographic is developing a TV series based on the Oscar-nominated, hit film, "Hidden Figures."

OBITS:

From Variety:  Czech-born film director Milos Forman has died at the age of 86, Friday, April 13, 2018.  Forman won the "Best Director" Oscar twice, for directing "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975) and "Amadeus" (1984).  He also directed one of my favorite film, "Valmont" (1989).

From TheColumbian:  Japanese filmmaker, Isao Takahata, died at the age of 82, Thursday, April 5, 2018.  Takahata founded the legendary animation company, Studio Ghibli, with Hayao Miyazaki in 1985.  He received an Oscar nomination for his 2013 animated film, "A Tale of Princess Kaguya."

From THR:  Actress from the "Golden Age" of Hollywood, Mary Hatcher, died at the age of 88, Tuesday, April 3, 2018.  Hatcher was a co-star of Hollywood luminaries Mickey Rooney (in the film, "The Big Wheel") and Desi Arnaz (in "Holiday in Havana").

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 13th to 19th, 2017 - Update #38

Support Leroy on Patreon.

MUSIC - From YahooNews:  JAY-Z opens up about the Met Gala elevator whuppin' he got from his sister-in-law Solange, sister of his wife, Beyonce.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  "Super Troopers 2" set to be released April 20, 2017.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Billy Howle has joined "Outlaw King," the next film from director David Mackenzie of "Hell or High Water."

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CULTURE - From Splinter:  Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, the young woman killed by a Trump voter in Charlottesville, Virginia, offers a defiant eulogy for her daughter.

CULTURE - From Salon:  Judd Apatow ("Knocked Up," The 40-Year-Old Virgin") explains why conservatives make bad entertainment.

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COMICS-FILM - From FlickeringMyth:  Director David F. Sandberg gives an update on his DC Extended Universe film, "Shazam."

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TELEVISION - From TVLine:  ABC has given a "put-pilot" order (which means they are more than likely to broadcast it, I think) for a live-action reboot of classic 1960s animated TV series, "The Jetsons."  Robert Zemeckis is executive producing.

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DISNEY - From Variety:  Netflix in talks with the Walt Disney Company for streaming rights to Marvel and Star Wars movies.

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CELEBRITY:  YahooCelebrity:  Iman shares rare photo of her daughter with David Bowie, Alexandria.

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HEALTH - From YahooFitness:  35-year-old fitness pro deliberately looks twice his age.

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COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  An international trailer for "Thor: Ragnarok" features Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange.

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MOVIES - From THR:  "The Conjuring" has launched a cinematic universe (that includes the "Annabelle" films) that works.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Cate Blanchett joins Jack Black in Eli Roth's "The House with a Clock in its Walls," based on the late John Bellairs' novel.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Lionsgate is developing an all-female production of Oscar Wilde's 1890 novel, "The Picture of Dorian Gray."

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MOVIES - From THR:  Production on "Mission: Impossible 6" will be shut down for 2 to 3 months while Tom Cruise recovers from an on-set injury.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Justin Simien of "Dear White People" is working on his next film, "Bad Hair" with his "Dear White People" team.

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OBAMA - From YahooNews:  Former President Barack Obama's #Charlottesville tweet is not the most popular in terms of "likes" in the history of Twitter.

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JAMES BOND - From THR:  On "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," Daniel Craig confirms that he is returning as James Bond for the film currently known as "Bond 25."

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  The manager and friends of Joi "S.J." Harris, the stuntwoman who was killed while executing a stunt for "Deadpool 2," says she died doing what she loved.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  There is a contest in which the winner and a friend can drink wine with JLaw and even have a picnic with her.

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Charlottesville, Virginia native, Chris Long, Defensive End of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, won't just "stick to sports."

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OBAMA - From YahooNews:  Former President Barack Obama's tweet about this past weekend's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia is the third most popular tweet on Twitter (in terms of "likes") ever.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Michael Sheen and David Tennant will star in Amazon's TV adaptation of "Good Omens," the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

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TELEVISION - From TVGuide:  After 15 years of producing TV series for ABC (like "Grey's Anatomy"), Shonda Rhimes is moving to Netflix.

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POLITICS - From Reuters:  Merck CEO Kenneth C. Frazier has quit President Trump's American Manufacturing Council.  Frazier says that he is leaving over Trump's initial response to the Charlottesville White Nationalist riots, a response many consider lame and weak.  Trump's response to Frazier leaving has been more critical than Trump's response to Nazis, the KKK, and White Nationalists.

From NBCSports:  Under Armor CEO Kevin Plank also leaving Trump's manufacturing council because of the President's reluctance to criticize violent White supremacy.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  A female stunt driver has died following a motorcycle accident on the set of "Deadpool 2."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 8/11 to 8/13/2017 weekend box office is "Annabelle: Creation" with an estimated take of $35 million.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Tom Cruise apparently injured while performing a stunt for "Mission: Impossible 6."

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MOVIES - From Indiewire:  David Lynch almost directed 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High" says the film's screenwriter, Cameron Crowe.  Amy Heckerling did direct the film.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Paramount wins the bidding war over a biopic about Leonardo da Vinci, which will star Leonardo DiCaprio.

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OBIT:

From THR:  Actor, playwright, and screenwriter, Joe Bologna, has died at the age of 82, Sunday, August 13, 2017.  As an actor, he may be best remembered for his role in 1982's "My Favorite Year."  As a screenwriter, Bologna received an Oscar nomination for 1970's "Love and Other Strangers."

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Crisis in Charlottesville:

From TheVillageVoice:  Scenes from a bloody weekend in Charlottesville.

From RSN:  Trump having hard time condemning his supporter's murderous actions.

From CNN:  Two Virginia state troopers are killed in a helicopter crash near the Charlottesville White Nationalists rally.

From YahooFinance:  Before White Nationalist James Alex Fields, Jr. drove the car that killed Heather Heyer in Charlottesville, he was photographed wearing "Vanguard America" uniform.

From YahooNews:  32-year-old Heather Heyer of Virginia has been identified as the victim the White Nationalist car attack in Charlottesville, Virginia.

From GuardianUK:  Far-right rally descends into violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

From YahooNews:  FBI begins investigation into car attack at White nationalist rally in Charlottesville.

From YahooNews:  Clash in Charlottesville in pictures.

From TheDailyBeast:  James Alex Fields, Jr. drove his car into a crowd in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing 1 and injuring at least 20.

From YahooNews:  Mother of #Charlottesville car attacker speaks.

From LATimes: Opinion - President Trump bears some responsibility for racism on display in Charlottesville.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 23rd to 31st, 2017 - Update #51

Support Leroy on Patreon.

BLM - From YahooNews:  NAACP issues a travel advisory for minorities and women heading to the state of Missouri.

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COMICS-FILM - From ShadowandAct:  First look at Zazie Beetz as "Domino" in "Deadpool 2," as posted to Instagram by Deadpool himself, Ryan Reynolds.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  HBO responds to protests over its early-in-development show, "Confederate" from "Game of Thrones show-runners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

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MOVIES - From YahooTV:  Angelina Jolie denies that the casting staff on her upcoming film, "First They Killed My Father," abused Cambodian orphans and poor kids during auditions.

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WALKING DEAD - From THR:  SPOILERS -Season 8 will answer the time jump fans saw at San Diego Comic-Con International.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 7/28 to 7/30/2017 weekend box office is "Dunkirk" with an estimated take of $28.1 million.

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  A Marvel Studios executive has defected to 20th Century Fox.

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ANIMATION - From Indiewire:  "The Simpsons Movie 2" is in its earliest stage of development.

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POLITICS - From BuzzFeed:  The most influential racist you have never heard of, William Regnery II.

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SDCC - From SideshowToys:  Did you see Lupita Nyong'o at 2017 Comic-Con International?

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Starz has order a series, "The Rook," a thriller "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer, Lionsgate, and Liberty Global.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Amazon will begin self-distributing its film with Woody Allen's "Wonder Wheel."

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TELEVISION - From BleedingCool:  Several producers from "The Walking Dead" will attend the funeral of series stuntman John Bernecker.  Bernecker died in June after sustaining injuries from a fall during film for Season 8.

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TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct:  Jordan Peele and Tracy Morgan have created a comedy series, "The Last O.G.," in which Morgan will star.  TBS has set the premiere date for Thurs., October 24th.

COMICS-FILM - From ScreenRant:  Ryan Coogler says he had creative freedom while directing Marvel's upcoming "Black Panther."

From ScreenRant:  15 characters scheduled to appear in Marvel's "Black Panther."

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SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Los Angeles Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka says that current Lakers are like early Taylor Swift.

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TELEVISION - From TVLine:  Chris Pine and Patty Jenkins, both of the hit movie, "Wonder Woman," are re-teaming a TNT television series, "Black Dahlia."

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COMICS-FILM - From ThePlaylist:  Joss Whedon will be a major part of the DC Extended Universe films, while others may see their roles reduced.

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COMICS-FILM - From ThePlaylist:  Damon Lindelof, who was announced as developing an HBO series based on the comic book "Watchmen," says that he is uncertain about the project.

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MOVIES - From Collider:  James Cameron considering a new producing a new "Terminator" trilogy, as the rights to the franchise revert to him in 2018.

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BOOKS - From Vulture:  Former President Bill Clinton and prolific novelist James Patterson have a mystery novel coming out Summer 2018, and they are courting A-list directors to helm the film adaptation.

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  The release date for "Wonder Woman 2" is December 13, 2017.  Still no word on whether Patty Jenkins will return to direct the sequel.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Ultimate pretty actor Nicholas Hoult in early talks to play J.R.R. Tolkien in a biofilm.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Ric Roman Waugh will direct "Angel Has Fallen," the third film in the "Olympus Has Fallen" series.

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MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:  Will Packer, the producer behind hit films like the recent "Girls Trip" and the "Ride Along" franchise, has started Will Packer Media with Discovery Communications and Universal Pictures.

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COMICS-FILM - From ShadowandAct:  In Marvel's film "Black Panther" (due 2018), Michael B. Jordan says that the relationship between his character, "Killmonger," and Chadwick Boseman's "T'Challa" is like that of Professor X and Magneto in the "X-Men."

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MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:  Chris Nolan's "Dunkirk" continues the whitewashing of the history of World War II.

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MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:  Netflix has picked up the thriller "Message from the King," starring Chadwick Boseman, Luke Evans, Teresa Palmer, and Alfred Molina.

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TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct:  Malcolm Jamal-Warner and Tatyana Ali join USA crime comedy-drama, "Olive Forever."

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JAMES BOND - From YahooMovies:  The 25th Eon Productions James Bond movie is scheduled to hit theaters November 8, 2019.

From NewYorkTimes:  Details on the return of Daniel Craig as James Bond.

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Extensive re-shoots for "Justice League" causing headaches for some.

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COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  Concept art shows Brie Larson as "Captain Marvel."

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CELEBRITY - From BET:  After going after Rob Kardashian, celebrity attorney Lisa Bloom is taking on Usher because of his herpes scandal.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 7/21 to 7/23/2017 weekend box office is Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" with an estimated take of $50.5 million.

From ShadowandAct:  "Girls Trip" has the largest opening weekend for a live-action comedy this year.

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SDCC:

From BleedingCool:  New footage from Marvel Studios' "Black Panther" stuns crowd at Comic-Con.

From YahooMovies:  Olivia Munn talks about the Predator reboot, 2018's "The Predator."

From ShadowandAct:  More casting news from Marvel's "Ant Man and the Wasp," including a probably villain and Michelle Pfeiffer.

From YahooMovies:  Marvel unveils new "Thor: Ragnarok" trailer.  The film is due November 3rd, 2017.

From TheWrap:  Marvel Studio's "Captain Marvel" movie will be a prequel to the first Iron Man movies (2008).  Samuel Jackson will appear as Nick Fury.  Oscar-winner Brie Larsonis Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel.

From Variety:  The "Iron Giant" will appear in Steven Spielberg's film, "Ready Player One."

MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Laurence Fishburne is joining Marvel's "Ant Man and the Wasp" as the character "Bill Foster."

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Tom Welling, who played Clark Kent for 10 seasons in The WB's "Smallville" will join Seaon 3 of Fox's "Lucifer."

OBIT:

From YahooMovies:  Actor and playwright, Sam Shepard, died at the age of 73, Thursday, July 27, 2017.   He was an Oscar-nominated and Emmy-nominated actor.  He won the 1979 "Pulitzer Prize for Drama" for his 1978 play, "Buried Child."

From THR:  Legendary French actress Jeanne Moreau has died at the age of 89, Monday, July 31, 2017.  Her films include, "The Lovers" and "Jules et Jim."

From NewYorkTimes:   The musician and singer, D.L. Menard, died at the age of 85, Thursday, July 27, 2017.  A recording artist of contemporary Cajun music, Menard was also known as the "Cajun Hank Williams."

From Variety:  Voice actress and performer June Foray at the age of 99, Thursday, July 27, 2017.  Foray was known for providing the voice for such animated characters as Rocky the Flying Squirrel on "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" and Natasha Fatale of "Boris and Natasha."  She was a key figure in the animation industry and created the prestigious "Annie Awards" for achievement in film and television animation.

From YahooSports:  Hall of Fame NBA head coach, John Kundla, has died at the age of 101, Sunday, July 23, 2017.  He lead the Minneapolis Lakers to five BBA/NBA championships.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 9th to 15th, 2017 - Update #31

Support Leroy on Patreon.

PIXAR - From YahooMovies:  At the D23 Expo, Pixar surprises with details on "The Incredibles 2," including that the story focuses on "Elasti-Girl."

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OBIT - From Variety:  Veteran film producer Evzen Kolar has died at the age of 67, Tuesday, July 11, 2017.  He produced a number of film including Sean Connery's rogue James Bond film, "Never Say Never Again," and "Street Smart," the film for which Morgan Freeman earned his first Oscar nomination.

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MOVIES-TV - From ShadowandAct:  Tyler Perry has signed an exclusive film.TV/short form video deal with Viacom that runs through 2024.  The film portion of the deal begins immediately, while the TV/short form video begins in 2019 after Perry deal with OWN ends.

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MUSIC - From THR:  Beyonce reveals first image of her recently born twin children (a boy and a girl).

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TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  A stuntman on AMC's "The Walking Dead" television series has died after an on-set accident.

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MUPPETS - From TheWrap:  Steve Whitmire, the puppeteer who has given voice to Kermit the Frog since Kermit creator Jim Henson's death in 1990 has been fired by Disney.

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TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  Here are your 2016-17 Emmy nominations.  NBC's "Saturday Night Live" and HBO's "Westworld" lead with 22 nominations each.

From YahooTV:  Emmy nominations are out today.

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Director Matt Reeves has scrapped the script Ben Affleck and Geoff Johns wrote for "The Batman," and is starting again on a completely new take.

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CELEBRITY:  From YahooStyle:  See Meryl Streep's "Obamas" bag.

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LGBTQ - From YahooCelebrity:  Yes, Neil, James Woods is "utterly ignorant and classless."

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MOVIES - From THR:   Blake Lively is set to star in a spy thriller, "The Rhythm Section," from the James Bond producers, Eon Productions.

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MOVIES - From THR:  David Ayer has left Universal's reboot of the film "Scarface" as director.

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MOVIES - From THR:  Quentin Tarantino's next project is reportedly a movie about the infamous Charles Manson/Manson Family murders.

From IndieWire:  Tarantino wants Brad Pitt and Jennifer Lawrence for his Manson Family murders film.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Clint Eastwood has cast three soldiers to play themselves in his film, "The 15:17 to Paris," based on their real-life story.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Charlize Theron says that the script for the "Mad Max: Fury Road" prequel, "Furiosa," is ready to go.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Twisty the Clown, a character from American Horror Story: Freak Show will return for "American Horror Story" Season 7.

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OBIT - From THR:  The actor Ji-Tu Cumbuka died at the age of 77, Tuesday, July 4th, 2017.  He was known for his appearances in the epic TV miniseries, "Roots."  He also appeared in such films as "Harlem Nights," "Mandingo," and "Brewster's Millions."  You may not know his name, but when you see the picture of him posted with the article, you will recognize him this fine actor.

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COMICS-FILM - From ShadowandAct:  Disney's cable network, Freeform, is already preparing Marvel Comics' "Cloak and Dagger" for television.  Now, they are also prepping Marvel's "New Warriors."  Jeremy Tardyand Kate Comer have been cast in the show.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  George R.R. Martin, whose novels became the Emmy-winning HBO series, "Game of Thrones," is the executive producer of a new HBO series based on the novel, "Who Fears Death," by Nnedi Okorafor.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Barry Jenkins first film since "Best Picture" Oscar winner, "Moonlight," will be "If Beale Street Could Talk" from Annapurna Pictures.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  HBO unveils a trailer for Season 9 of Larry David's beloved sitcom, "Curb Your Enthusiasm."  Season 8 ended in 2011.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Bill Skarsgard is playing "Pennywise" in the upcoming film adaptation of Stephen King's novel, "It."  He is also going to be a series regular in Hulu's Stephen King series, "Castle Rock."

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MOVIES - From EntertainmentWeekly:  The "Jurassic World" sequel, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," has recently finished filming, and EW talks about what it knows about the film.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 7/7 to 7/9/2017 weekend box office is "Spider-Man: Homecoming" with an estimated take of $117 million.

From TheWrap:  Four reasons why "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is another Marvel Cinematic Universe hit.

From YahooMovies:  "Spider-Man: Homecoming" as a $117 million opening weekend.

From Deadline:  "A Ghost Story" scares strong at specialty box office.

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BOND - From ScreenRant:  Daniel Craig has reportedly agreed to a deal to return to play James Bond for a fifth time in what would be the 25th EON Bond movie.

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OBIT - From YahooNews:  The actor Nelsan Ellis has died at the age of 39, Saturday, July 8, 2017.  Ellis was best known for the role of Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO series, "True Blood."

TRAILERS:

From EW:  The first teaser for Disney and Ava DuVernay's "A Wrinkle in Time."

Amazon Gets Steve Soderbergh's "Logan Lucky"

Amazon to Release Steven Soderbergh’s New Film Logan Lucky on Prime Video During Its Exclusive US Streaming Window; Signs First-Look Deal with Fingerprint Releasing

Logan Lucky hits US theaters on August 18, 2017 and is expected to be released on Prime Video during the first quarter of 2018

Soderbergh returns from a self-imposed four-year retirement to direct the heist comedy starring Channing Tatum (Magic Mike), Daniel Craig (Skyfall), Adam Driver (Amazon Original Paterson), Seth MacFarlane (Ted), Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby), Riley Keough (Mad Max: Fury Road), Katherine Waterston (Alien: Covenant), Katie Holmes (Batman Begins) and Sebastian Stan (Captain America: Winter Soldier)

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN) Amazon today announced a deal to bring Steven Soderbergh’s newest film to Prime Video customers during its exclusive first-run US streaming window. Logan Lucky will hit theaters on August 18, 2017 and is expected to be released on Prime Video during the first quarter of 2018. Additionally, Amazon has signed an exclusive two-year first-look deal with Fingerprint Releasing on its theatrical film projects. Fingerprint is the new US film distributor formed by Soderbergh and piloted by Dan Fellman, former long-time President of Domestic Distribution for Warner Bros., with Amazon providing strategic P&A financing to augment the marketing of Fingerprint’s theatrical releases.

    “We’re thrilled to be working with the Fingerprint Releasing team”

Says Soderbergh, the Oscar- and Emmy-winning director known for box office and critical successes such as Ocean’s Eleven, Erin Brockovich and Magic Mike, “The deal with Amazon is the final, crucial piece of the puzzle. The scale of this endeavor required a fearless, flexible co-conspirator, and Amazon has shown they have the appetite and vision to help us navigate these semi-unchartered waters. I’m both relieved and excited, which is one of my favorite states of being.”

“We’re thrilled to be working with the Fingerprint Releasing team,” said Jason Ropell, Amazon’s Vice President of World Wide Movies. “The combination of a pioneering director, a compelling script and an A-list cast made this an easy decision. We strive to work with partners who bring innovative ideas to our service; with Fingerprint Releasing, Steven is creating a new paradigm for indies which can seriously compete with major studios on director and star-driven projects, and we’re excited to support that vision.”

Other companies partnering with Fingerprint on the film’s US distribution include Bleecker Street and Universal Home Entertainment. Milan Records will be distributing the film’s soundtrack album. FilmNation Entertainment is handling the film’s international deals.

Logan Lucky was written by Rebecca Blunt, produced by Gregory Jacobs, Mark Johnson, Reid Carolin and Channing Tatum, and executive produced by Michael Polaire, Dan Fellman, and NASCAR’s Zane Stoddard. Trying to reverse the infamous Logan Family Curse, brothers Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) and Clyde Logan (Adam Driver), along with sister Mellie Logan (Riley Keough) hook up with accomplice Joe Bang (Daniel Craig) to execute an impossibly elaborate robbery during the Coca-Cola 600, the biggest NASCAR race of the year. In addition to Tatum, Craig, Driver, MacFarlane, Swank, Keough, Waterston, Holmes and Stan, Logan Lucky also stars Dwight Yoakam (Amazon Original Goliath), David Denman (13 Hours), Macon Blair (Gold), Jack Quaid (The Hunger Games) and Brian Gleeson (Snow White and the Huntsman) and features cameos from six NASCAR drivers.


About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

•     Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, Love & Friendship and kids series Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe at www.primevideo.com.
•     Amazon Channels: Over 100 channel subscriptions that Prime members can add to their membership, including HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV and more, plus Anime Strike – the first curated on-demand subscription by Amazon Channels. To view the full list of channels available, visit www.amazon.com/channels
•     Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new-release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers
•     Instant Access: Instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream
•     Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalogue with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

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