Open Thread

Variety reports: Fitness guru Richard Simmons’ cause of death has been revealed. His brother Lenny Simmons told People Magazine in a statement Wednesday that his death was “accidental” and caused by “complications from recent falls and heart disease.” According to TMZ, Simmons suffered a fall at his home on Friday, July 12, but declined seeking medical attention. The outlet reported …

Variety reports: The first footage from Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door,” starring Oscar winners Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, is here. Sony Pictures Classics dropped a teaser trailer on Tuesday for the film, which marks Almodóvar’s first English-language feature and is set to premiere in competition at Venice Film Festival on Sept. 2. According to its synopsis, …

Deadline reports: Taylor Swift is meeting with families affected by the stabbing of children at a dance class themed after her. The “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” singer returned to the UK for a series of shows in London and met up with several of the Southport families. “The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing …

Variety reports: CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” are set to travel to Chicago for a week of shows during the Democratic National Convention next week. On the docket: A Kamala Harris biofilm created by “The Daily Show” team and a guest list on “The Late Show” that includes Hillary Rodham Clinton and …

Deadline Hollywood reports: 20th Century Studios/Disney’s Alien: Romulus is gobbling up tickets around the globe, now poised to come in with a $100M worldwide opening — significantly higher than pre-weekend projections. This is notably due to the strength of the Fede Alvarez-directed sci-fi horror at the international box office, and more specifically in China. With the Ridley Scott-produced franchise installment …

Variety reports: With less than a month to go before the 76th Emmy Awards, the telecast’s hosts are finally set. As expected, the father-son duo of Eugene Levy and Dan Levy will emcee this year’s Emmys, which take place on Sunday, Sept. 15, live on ABC. The two made history in 2020 as the first father and son to win …

People Magazine reports: Gena Rowlands, screen icon best known for A Woman Under the Influence and The Notebook, has died. She was 94. Rowlands died surrounded by her family – including her husband Robert and daughter Alexandra – at her Indian Welles, Calif. home on Wednesday, Aug. 14, reports TMZ, adding that no cause of death was immediately available. Her …

Variety reports: Pastor and televangelist Joel Osteen has partnered with Roku to launch a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel. Dubbed The Joel Osteen Network, the outlet debuted Wednesday on The Roku Channel, including on Roku devices, as well as TVs with Roku functionality and also on The Roku Channel’s website. The Joel Osteen Network will also be available on …

Deadline Hollywood reports: In a very quick turnaround, Hulu has given a series order to Mid-Century Modern, its multi-camera comedy pilot from Will & Grace creators David Kohan & Max Mutchnick and Ryan Murphy that stars Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, Nathan Lee Graham and Linda Lavin. The pickup comes less than two months after the pilot, written by Kohan and …

Variety reports: Taylor Swift‘s “The Tortured Poets Department” is now her longest-running No. 1 album in the United States. The set re-enters No. 1 in its 14th non-consecutive week on the list since its release in late April. Swift’s only immediate threat for the throne was “Vultures 2,” a companion album from Ye, or Kanye West, and Ty Dolla $ign. …

Variety reports: “Deadpool & Wolverine” is the newest member of the billion-dollar club. Disney’s Marvel sequel, starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as their comic book alter egos, has grossed $494.3 million in North America and $535.1 million internationally for a grand total of $1.029 billion at the global box office. It’s the second release of 2024, following Disney’s Pixar …

Deadline reports: A domain investor has cashed in a big bet, selling the domain name HarrisWalz.com for $15,000. Domain owner Jeremy Greene Eche bought it for around $9 in 2020. Eche, a New York City trademark lawyer, bought several domains around the time of the 2020 election, he told ABC Audio. He focused on candidates who were likely to run …

Variety reports: Joaquin Phoenix has dropped out of Todd Haynes‘ untitled gay romance film, just five days before filming was set to begin in Mexico, Variety has confirmed. Phoenix had developed the screenplay for the detective love story with Haynes and Jon Raymond. A source close to the production tells Variety the actor got “cold feet.” Entire sets had been …

Variety reports: After news struck yesterday that the terrorist attack was thwarted and local promoter Barracuda Music canceled the performances, the streets of Vienna became something of a vigil for the Swifties who came together to mourn the loss — not just of the shows, but also the time and money spent to get there. Photos and videos showed fans …

Variety reports: Almost immediately after Kamala Harris announced her running mate as Tim Walz, people on social media began dream-casting Steve Martin to play the role on “Saturday Night Live.” Martin not only bears a physical resemblance to the Minnesota governor but also gives off the same friendly dad vibe. The next morning, Lorne Michaels apparently called Martin with an …

Deadline reports: Vice President Kamala Harris posted a video of the moment that she called Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to inform him that he was her choice as her running mate. “Listen, I want you to do this with me. Let’s do this together,” Harris says. “Would you be my running mate and let’s get this thing on the road?” …

Variety reports: A film about Hulk Hogan’s infamous legal battle against Gawker is officially in the works. Artists Equity, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s production banner, has acquired a screenplay written by Charles Randolph and based on Ryan Holiday’s book “Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker and the Anatomy of Intrigue.” The project, titled “Killing Gawker,” is in active development. …

Variety reports: Comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan aimed at targets like COVID vaccines and trans people during his newest comedy special. Rogan’s latest, named “Burn the Boats,” debuted live on Netflix on Saturday night and amplified some of the controversial views he has discussed on his podcast before. “COVID was just so strange,” he said. “And we lost a lot …

Variety reports: Aerosmith has played its final gigs. The band announced Friday that they have canceled all remaining concert dates and are officially retired from touring, because singer Steven Tyler‘s “recovery from his vocal injury is not possible.” “It has been the honor of our lives to have our music become part of yours,” the group declared in a social …

Broadway World reports: Global powerhouse and visionary iconoclast Billy Porter has shared a new remix for his new single “Leap” from Sgt slick. The original version of the song, released last month, was the first preview of the upcoming EP Black Mona Lisa Vol 2: The Cookout Sessions, coming soon. Porter launches the Black Mona Lisa UK Tour in the …