Open Thread

Variety reports: Celine Dion looks set to make her return to the stage at the Olympic Games, and it’s rumored to be during the opening ceremony on Friday. It will mark the pop legend’s first performance since halting her touring schedule and stepping away from the spotlight after being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome in December 2022. Dion arrived in …

Variety reports: After President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection campaign yesterday, the endorsements have been rolling in for Vice President Kamala Harris to be selected as the Democratic nominee for the upcoming election. But pop fans were tickled slime green after Harris secured support from none other than Charli XCX, who has inspired the internet and beyond to have a …

Variety reports: “Twisters” is taking the box office by storm. The movie, a standalone sequel to the 1996 disaster epic “Twister,” has collected a massive $80.5 million from 4,151 North American theaters in its debut. It’s the third-biggest opening weekend of the year behind “Inside Out 2” ($154 million) and “Dune: Part Two” ($82 million). Directed by “Minari” filmmaker Lee …

Variety reports: The 2024 Republican National Convention hit its highest viewership on its final night, averaging 25.4 million viewers across networks on Thursday. Viewership peaked at 28.4 million from 10:45 to 11:00 p.m, on the early side of a 90-minute speech made by Trump. As with the previous nights of the convention, Fox News Channel’s coverage was the most-watched, and …

Deadline Hollywood reports: CBS will pay tribute to late comedian Bob Newhart with Bob Newhart: A Legacy of Laughter special set to air on the network on Monday, July 22 at 8 pm ET/PT and streaming on Paramount+. Hosted by Entertainment Tonight’s Nischelle Turner, the one-hour tribute takes a look back at Newhart’s 70-year career, featuring never-before-seen interviews, and his …

Variety reports: James Michael Cline, the finance executive who founded the Fandango movie ticketing service in 2000 and remained with the company until 2011, died Tuesday morning of an apparent suicide in Manhattan after jumping from the 20th floor of the Kimberly Hotel. He was 64. The NYPD said in a statement that officers responded to the hotel on 50th …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Shogun leads the pack for the 2024 Emmys nominations, which were unveiled Wednesday morning. FX’s series landed 25 noms, including best drama series, setting several records in the process. Also among the top nominees are FX’s The Bear (with 23 nominations, a comedy series record), Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building (21), HBO/Max’s True Detective: Night …

Variety reports: Jack Black announced on social media that he’s canceling Tenacious D‘s current tour amid blowback against band partner Kyle Gass, who made a controversial comment at the band’s concert in Australia on July 14 related to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Black presented a cake to Gass on stage to celebrate the latter’s 64th birthday. When Black …

Billboard Magazine reports: “God Bless the U.S.A.” singer Lee Greenwood and “Buy Me a Boat” singer Chris Janson are among those taking part at the Republican National Convention, which runs through Thursday (July 18) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Other speakers named as part of the convention include lawmakers, governors and officials, as well as rapper Amber Rose and media personalities Tucker …

Deadline reports: Comedy Central’s The Daily Show had planned a full week of shows from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee from July 15-18, culminating with a live show on the closing night, Thursday, May 18, hosted by Jon Stewart. Following the Saturday assassination attempt against the Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump and its aftermath, the Comedy Central show, is …

The BBC reports: Dame Shirley Bassey says receiving her latest honour from King Charles III made her more nervous than singing for him. The 87-year-old Welsh superstar said she “forgot to curtsy” as she was made a Companion of Honour at a ceremony at Windsor Castle. The exclusive title is awarded for service of “conspicuous national importance” and is limited …

Broadway World reports: The Broadway revival of The Wiz took part in an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, featuring the cast from the current production. Vocalists included Nichelle Lewis, Melody A. Betts, Alan Mingo, Jr., Kyle Ramar Freeman, Phillip Johnson Richardson, and Avery Wilson. For the concert, the cast sang “The Feeling We Once Had,” “Meet The Wizard,” “You Can’t Win,” …

Variety reports: Shelley Duvall, the big-eyed, waifish performer who won the Cannes actress award for Robert Altman‘s “3 Women” and endured Stanley Kubrick’s intense directing techniques to star in “The Shining,” died of diabetes complications on Thursday in Blanco, Texas, Variety confirmed with her partner Dan Gilroy. She was 75. Duvall was known for working with director Altman, who cast …

Variety reports: It’s time to step back into the ring as Paramount Pictures has debuted the official trailer for Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator 2,” starring Paul Mescal as a grown-up Lucius. The long-anticipated sequel is set for release on Nov. 22. Lucius is the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and the nephew of Commodus, the original film’s antagonist played by Joaquin …

ABC News reports: The entertainment giant Paramount will merge with Skydance, closing out a decades-long run by the Redstone family in Hollywood and injecting desperately needed cash into a legacy studio that has struggled to adapt to a shifting entertainment landscape. It also signals the rise of a new power player, David Ellison, the founder of Skydance and son of …

Broadway.com reports: Tony Award winner Barlett Sher has signed on to direct the upcoming Dolly Parton bio-musical, Hello, I’m Dolly, recently announced to be eyeing a 2026 Broadway run. Produced by Parton, Adam Speers for ATG Productions and Danny Nozell for CTK Enterprises, the new musical borrows its title from the name of Parton’s first studio album released in 1967. …

Variety reports: Judy Belushi Pisano, the widow of legendary comedian John Belushi who spent decades preserving and protecting his legacy, died Friday after a long battle with cancer. She was 73. News of Pisano’s passing was reported Saturday by the MV Times news outlet covering Martha’s Vineyard, where Pisano spent most of her later years. Pisano was married to Belushi, …

Broadway.com reports: Wicked: Part One, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, will arrive in theaters five days earlier than planned. The highly anticipated first part of a two-part movie adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked, will now be released on November 22. With its new release date, the movie avoids opening against Disney’s Moana 2. Instead, Wicked: Part One will …

Variety reports: Gru and his gang of minions are setting off box office fireworks this Independence Day. “Despicable Me 4,” the latest entry in Universal and Illumination’s wildly successful animated franchise, opened to $27 million on Wednesday. The sequel brings back Steve Carell as Gru, a recovering supervillain turned secret agent, and pits him against Will Ferrell as a French …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Prime Video has opted not to renew sci-fi/neo-western drama Outer Range, starring Josh Brolin, for a third season. The news comes almost two months after the seven-episode second season of the series from showrunner Charles Murray was released May 16. It follows solid early US ratings data, with the release of the new season propelling Outer Range …