Open Thread

Variety reports: Start your engines, 18 times! “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” is commemorating its tenth season with a record 18 queens competing to join the “Drag Race” Hall of Fame and win a cash prize of $200,000. Those queens won’t all be competing at once, however. Instead, they will be split up into three groups of six — Team …

Billboard Magazine reports: It has been nearly eight months since disgraced hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested and sent to New York’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center to await trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. And while the formerly high-flying Bad Boy Records CEO and billionaire entrepreneur was used to the finest things in his former life, his life …

Deadline Hollywood reports: The Fyre Festival, the infamous music event founded by Billy McFarland and Ja Rule that was explored in two separate documentaries, is getting a new life as a music streaming service. Deadline understands that Shawn Rech, who co-founded the TruBlue streaming service with former To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen, has acquired some of the IP …

Variety reports: “A Minecraft Movie” is barreling toward the $1 billion mark with global ticket sales at $720 million after three weekends of release. The Warner Bros. PG blockbuster, starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, added another $59 million internationally and a massive $100 million globally over the Easter holiday weekend. Now, “Minecraft” has generated $376.2 million overseas and $720.8 …

Deadline reports: Barring unforeseen circumstances, Sean “Diddy‘ Combs’ criminal trial for sex trafficking and more will start next month. Also, footage from a Warner Bros Discovery Fall Of Diddy docuseries about the performer will be allowed as evidence, despite the efforts of the David Zaslav-run media giant. With the former mini-mogul in attendance, a federal judge on Friday rejected a …

Variety reports: Haley Joel Osment has apologized after he used an antisemitic slur while being arrested earlier this month for alleged public intoxication and possession of a controlled substance. On April 8, Osment was allegedly acting belligerent at a California ski lodge and was blocking people from getting on the ski lift, according to bodycam footage and other videos obtained …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Russell T. Davies is too busy navigating the rules of space and time to humor critics of his show’s diversity and inclusion. The Doctor Who showrunner, who previously revived the series in 2005, recently addressed criticism of the BBC and Disney+ reboot’s “diversity and wokeness,” after stars Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu defended the show. “Someone always …

Variety reports: Both Europe’s most right-wing nation and its second hottest destination for international shoots, Hungary has shocked the world with its recent ban on LGBTQ+ public events. But Hollywood is not yet ready to give up on the country’s generous tax incentives. It’s not Hungary’s first anti-LGBTQ+ law. Back in 2021, the country’s parliament passed a law forbidding the …

Variety reports: Jury selection began for Harvey Weinstein’s retrial Tuesday morning in New York City after his landmark #MeToo conviction was overturned last year. Weinstein, in a wheelchair and carrying a book with the cover torn off, had a brief smile on his face as he approached his legal team in the courtroom. The first group of prospective jurors — …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: HBO has finally announced the adult cast of its Harry Potter TV series. After months of media rumors and reports of various castings — all previously unconfirmed by HBO — the company broke its silence on the matter to announce six actors for the core adult roles of its adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved novels. As …

Variety reports: “The White Lotus” season 3 was parodied on this week’s ‘SNL‘ in a pre-taped segment that spoofed President Trump’s inner circle in the wake of his tariffs. Trump, portrayed by James Austin Johnson, stands in for Jason Isaacs’ Timothy Ratliff, who faces similarly bad headlines after his tariff plan sunk the stock market this week. The Trump family …

Variety reports: The first 14 episodes of “The Pitt” are averaging 10 million viewers.Measured by Warner Bros. Discovery, this total accounts for the worldwide average number of people who have watched the medical drama to date, including delayed viewing — not the number of people who watched each episode on the day it premiered. And though no data has been …

Deadline Hollywood reports: The Oscars are finally recognizing stunts with a new category, something long desired by stunt people but never realized until now. The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Thursday that they are creating an annual competitive Academy Award for Achievement in Stunt Design, beginning with the 100th Academy Awards for …

Variety reports: Donald Trump is laughing off China‘s decision to reduce the number of U.S. movies it allows to play in the country. The China Film Administration confirmed the reduction on April 10 after reports surfaced a day earlier. Hours later, Trump was asked at a press conference about the decision. “I think I’ve heard of worse things,” Trump answered …

Variety reports: “The Last of Us” has been renewed by HBO for a third season, in advance of the premiere of Season 2 on April 13. While the first season adapted the acclaimed 2013 Sony Playstation game of the same title, the game’s sequel, 2020’s “The Last of Us Part II,” is so massive that creators Craig Mazin and Neil …

Variety reports: Mariska Hargitay will be telling the story of her late mother, Jayne Mansfield, in a new HBO documentary, “My Mom Jayne.” The doc is Hargitay’s feature film directorial debut, marking the first time she publicly dives into Mansfield’s story and legacy, nearly sixty years after her death. “This movie is a labor of love and longing. It’s a …

Variety reports: Lawyers for Paramount Global and President Donald Trump have agreed on a mediator to pursue a settlement in a lawsuit filed by Trump — demanding $20 billion in damages — against CBS News over a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris. Reps for Paramount and Trump did not respond to requests for comment. The Texas federal court hearing …

Deadline reports: Elton John has shared the extent of his visual impairment, saying he can no longer see his sons playing sport. Sir Elton, aged 78, announced in November 2024 that his new album, Who Believes in Angels? which he recorded with Brandi Carlile, would be delayed due to his losing sight in his right eye after catching an infection. …

Variety reports: After more than a decade in development, “A Minecraft Movie” has dug deep and struck box office diamonds. Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment‘s long-gestating video game adaptation notched a stellar $58 million across Friday and preview screenings from 4,263 North American venues — blasting past “Captain America: Brave New World” ($40.9 million) to land the biggest opening day …

Deadline reports: Russell Brand has said he is “incredibly grateful” that his day in court is coming after being charged with rape and sexual assault by UK authorities. The one-time Forgetting Sarah Marshall star said he was a “drug addict, sex addict and an imbecile” during his youth, but he was never a rapist. “I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity. …