by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
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ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:
STREAMING - From Deadline: Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman's production company, Playtone, has signed a multiyear development deal with Apple TV+. The deal includes a sequel to Tom Hanks' 2020 World War II thriller, "Greyhound."
MOVIES - From NBC: In the wake of multiple controversies, is the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise still magical, as the third installment, "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore."
MOVIES - From Variety: Warner Bros. Discovery is planning an overhaul of DC Entertainment and they want "creative and strategic czar" similar to Kevin Feige at Marvel Studios.
MOVIES - From THR: In a wide-ranging interview, Mads Mikkelsen, talks about the new "Fantastic Beasts" movie and replacing Johnny Depp and a little about "Indiana Jones 5."
STREAMING - From Variety: Salma Hayek will replace Thandiwe Newton in HBO Max's "Magic Mike's Last Dance." Newton is reportedly stepping away in order to "deal with family issues."
CANNES - From Variety: A completely unexpected David Lynch film will appear at 75th Cannes Film Festival (May 17th to 28th). David Cronenberg's new film, "Crimes of the Future" will also screen at the festival.
From Deadline: David Lynch says that he does not have a film for Cannes 2022, although he seems evasive as to whether he is currently working on a film.
DEPP V. HEARD - From LATimes: The lawsuit explained: Johnny Depp (58) is suing his ex-wife, Amber Heard (35), over a 2018 Washington Post piece she wrote that Depp believes falsely portrayed him as a domestic abuser. Heard is counter-suing Depp accusing his lawyers of defaming her.
From Deadline: Oscar-nominee Johnny Depp's 50 million dollar defamation law suit against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, has begun in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Virginia.
From PerezHilton: Amber Heard lawyer says that Heard's ex, the Oscar-nominated actor, Johnny Depp, held her hostage in Australia for three days. This is one of many claims made in Depp's defamation law suit that has gone from 50 million dollars to 100 million.
From Deadline: James Franco, "WandaVision" star Paul Bettany, Elon Musk, and representatives of the Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros, and the LAPD could end up in the court in Johnny Depp's defamation case against his former wife, Amber Heard.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Will Ferrell is the latest to join director Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" film for Warner Bros. and Mattel. Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Ryan Gosling (Ken) are the film's stars.
MOVIES - From THR: Ayo Edebiri and former Super Bowl champion, Marshawn Lynch (Seattle Seahawks), have joined the Orion Pictures high school sex comedy, "Bottoms."
DISNEY+ - From THR: Walker Scobell will take the role of "Percy Jackson" in the Disney+ series, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians."
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 4/8 to 4/10/2022 weekend box office is "Sonic The Hedgehog 2" with an estimated take of 71 million dollars.
From CNN: "Sonic the Hedgehog 2's" 71-million dollar opening is the largest ever for a video game film adaptation at the North American box office.
MOVIES - From BleedingCool: "Fast Saga" star Vin Diesel says that Marvel Cinematic Universe star, Brie Larson, has joined "Fast & Furious 10,"which is due in theaters, May 19, 2023.
MOVIES - From TheGate: In an interview about the iconic film, "The Godfather," which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, actor Robert Duvall says that he thinks Christian Bale has been cast in Francis Ford Coppola's upcoming film, "Megalopolis."
DWAYNE HASKINS:
From USAToday: Dwayne Haskins, an NFL quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers, died after he was struck by a dump truck on Saturday morning, April 9th. Haskins was 24 and would have made 25 in early May.
From SteelerWire: Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool shares an emotional moment over the passing of his teammate, Dwayne Haskins.
From TheWrap: Former NFL executive Gil Brandt said some really shitty things about Dwayne Haskins after he died. Now, the old bastard is apologizing...
OBITS:
From Variety: Stand-up comedian, actor, and voice performer, Gilbert Gottfried, has died at the age of 67, Tuesday, April 12, 2022. Gottfried is best known for his exaggerated loud, screeching, shrill and obnoxious voice. His best known roles may be that of "Iago" the parrot in Disney's "Aladdin" films and animated television series and of "Degit LeBoid" on the PBS animated series, "Cyberchase."
From NBC: Comedian Gilbert Gottfried died at the age of 67 of a rare genetic muscle disorder, "type II myotonic dystrophy," that is often overlooked.
From Deadline: Veteran television actress, Liz Sheridan, has died at the age of 93, Sunday, April 10, 2022. Sheridan was best known for her TV work, especially for playing Jerry Seinfeld's mother, "Helen Seinfeld" on the former NBC comedy, "Seinfield." She was also the nosy neighbor, "Raquel Ochmonek" on the former NBC sitcom, "ALF."
From Deadline: Actress Kathy Lamkin has died at the age of 74, Monday, April 4, 2022. She was known for her scene-stealing turns in the Oscar-winning "No Country for Old Men" and the terrible 2003 remake, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and its sequel/prequel, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning."
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WILL SMITH/CHRIS ROCK/THE SLAP:
From Deadline: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has banned recent Oscar-winner Will Smith from attending its programs and events - virtually or in-person - including the Academy Awards ceremony for a period of 10 years. This is his punishment for bitch-slapping Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, Sun., March 27th.
From Variety: Actor Harry Lennix comes off the porch to tell Will Smith that he should ... voluntarily give back his recent "Best Actor" Oscar in order to restore the awards honor ... saying this with a straight face.
From TMZ - Celebrities keep weighing in - Grammy Award-nominated rapper and recording artist, Fat Joe, says that Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 94th Academy awards "makes minorities look bad."
From Variety: Netflix has slowed its development of a Will Smith action-thriller, "Fast and Loose," in the wake of the Oscar slap.
From Variety: Will Smith has announced that he is withdrawing his membership from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
From Variety: Will Smith walks onstage at the 94th Academy Awards and slaps Chris Rock in the face for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
From Variety: The Academy has said that Will Smith was asked to leave the 94th Academy Awards ceremony after slapping presenter Chris Rock, but he refused. The Academy has started disciplinary proceedings against Smith.
From Deadline: Oscar-winner Will Smith formally apologizes to comedian Chris Rock for slapping him during the 94th Academy Awards show.
From Variety: Chris Rock says that he is "still kind of processing what happened."
From Variety: "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe says that he is "dramatically bored" with hearing people's opinion about "THE SLAP."
From Variety: Will Smith won the "Best Actor" Oscar for portraying the father of tennis stars, Venus and Serena Willaims, Richard Williams, in the biopic, "King Richard." In regards to Smith slapping Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Academy Awards, Richard says, "We don't condone anyone hitting anyone else."
From Variety: The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has confirmed that Chris Rock has declined to file a police report regarding Oscar-winner Will Smith slapping him during the 94th Academy Awards.
From THR: The actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, calls Will Smith's slap of Chris Rock to be "unacceptable."
From People: Of the Oscar slap, "Aquaman" Jason Momoa says that he is shocked that Will Smith slapped Chris Rock and that "There's a tipping point for everyone."
