Open Thread

Variety reports: Warner Bros. Pictures is revamping the “Lord of the Rings” film franchise. On a Thursday earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced that newly-installed studio leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have brokered a deal to make “multiple” films based on the beloved J. R. R. Tolkien books. The projects will be developed through WB …

Variety reports: A former MoviePass executive was arrested Tuesday on charges that he embezzled $260,000 from the company to pay for a party at Coachella Music Festival. Khalid Itum, 42, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. The charges allege that Itum submitted sham invoices to MoviePass to pay for the marketing event, …

Variety reports: Almost 60 years since first meeting, it looks like the Rolling Stones and the two surviving Beatles may come together on a new Stones album. Variety hears from multiple sources that Paul McCartney has recorded bass parts for a forthcoming Rolling Stones project being helmed by 2021 Grammy producer of the year Andrew Watt. Ringo Starr is also …

Deadline reports:  The DreamWorks Water Park in New Jersey’s American Dream Mall will remained closed at least through Wednesday following a frightening incident Sunday when a decorative helicopter fell from the ceiling into a swimming pool. At least four people suffered minor, non-life-threatening injuries, according to New Jersey State Police, with one taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and …

The Associated Press reports: Tom Sizemore is in critical condition after suffering a brain aneurysm, a representative for the actor said Sunday. Sizemore suffered the aneurysm around 2 a.m. Saturday at his home in Los Angeles. He was hospitalized in intensive care, his manager Charles Lago said. Lago described Sizemore’s condition “a wait and see situation.” Sizemore, 61, has acted …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Jen Shah, star of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, has surrendered to prison after pleading guilty for a telemarketing fraud scheme that conned people out of their money. “I am surrendering to serve a sentence in a federal prison today,” read a statement posted on Shah’s Instagram account. “It is the price I must …

The Randy Report reports: In the fall of 2021, Olivia Newton-John and Dolly Parton recorded a new version of “Jolene” for Olivia’s upcoming duets album, Just The Two Of Us. The song and music video were released today. And it’s terrific. Dolly and Olivia became friends after Olivia won 1974’s Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award. To …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: Walt Disney World is a few weeks away from introducing its Tron Lightcycle / Run attraction to the Magic Kingdom lineup. Folks who have previewed the ride are discussing its merits, including ride time, visual appeal and its unusual seating that puts passengers in a prone position and presents physical challenges for some people. Disney has …

Variety reports: Disney has unveiled a new teaser for its live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” beckoning viewers to become part of Ariel’s world. The upcoming musical, directed by Rob Marshall, reimagines the original 1989 animated film with live actors. The new adaptation will once again see the mermaid Ariel fall for a human prince who lives above the water, …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Jimmy Kimmel wasn’t the first choice to host the Oscars. Or the second. Or the 11th. So goes the riff on one of the more memorable scenes from Top Gun: Maverick in the first trailer for Kimmel’s upcoming Oscars hosting gig. Oh, and because it’s the Oscars, they were able to actually get Jon Hamm and Charles …

Deadline Hollywood reports: The first red band trailer for Kurt Wimmer’s redo of Stephen King’s Children of the Corn has dropped and it is filled with bloody images, murderous children and, of course, ominous corn fields. Based upon the short story by King as adapted by Wimmer, Children of the Corn follows a 12 year old girl in Nebraska who …

Variety reports: James Cameron is the king of the box office as “Titanic” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” lead global box office charts over newcomer “Magic Mike’s Last Dance.” “Titanic,” which returns to theaters in honor of its 25th anniversary, grossed $22.3 million at the global box office while “Avatar: The Way of Water” added $25.8 million in its …

Variety reports: Disney will not fight a bill that gives Gov. Ron DeSantis broad powers over its Orlando theme parks, after the bill passed both houses of the Florida Legislature this week. The bill establishes a new district to assume the powers held by the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which Disney has controlled since it was created in 1967. The …

Deadline Hollywood reports: In both a noble gesture toward exhibition after the studio’s Project Popcorn, and in a means to monetize downstream revenues, Warner Bros is taking what was a HBO Max movie, Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike’s Last Dance, and putting into 1,500 theatrical locations this weekend. That’s with a thrifty marketing spend. It’s the second movie after New Line’s …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Super Sunday is upon us — and with it, Madison Avenue’s annual spending spree, which has seen the Big Game’s Hollywood quotient rise noticeably in recent years. Super Bowl LVII, a contest in Arizona between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, will feature commercials starring Adam Driver, Melissa McCarthy and Miles and Keleigh Teller. Streaming services …

Yahoo Finance reports: Disney will lay off 7,000 workers as the company seeks to slash $5.5 billion in costs and restructures the organization into three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. “We will be reducing our workforce by approximately 7,000 jobs,” CEO Bob Iger said during the company’s first quarter earnings call. “While this …

Variety reports: The Michael Jackson estate is in the process of selling half of its interests in the legendary singer’s music catalog in a deal in the $800 million-$900 million range, three sources confirm to Variety. While details are unclear, sources say that Sony and a possible financial partner are negotiating to acquire 50% of the estate’s interests in Jackson’s …

Variety reports: At your next visit to AMC Theatres, getting a prime seat may cost you a little extra. The country’s largest exhibition chain is rolling out Sightline at AMC, a ticket pricing initiative based on seat location within the auditorium. Similar to music concerts, sporting events or Broadway, moviegoers will have the option to pay more or less for …

The Associated Press reports: The Grammys have evolved from their humble beginnings into a daylong feast of music — and there’s many ways to watch the red carpet and show live. Most of the awards are handed out before that during the Premiere Ceremony, which the Recording Academy will stream live Sunday. This Sunday’s 65th edition could see Beyoncé become …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Armie Hammer says he was sexually abused as a child by a youth pastor at his family church – in his first interview since he was accused of extreme sexual violence in a series of allegations made in 2021. “What that did for me was it introduced sexuality into my life in a way that it was …