Tag Archives: Open Thread

Deadline Hollywood reports: Iconic filmmakers Joe Dante and Roger Corman are teaming with Emmy-nominated veteran producer Brad Krevoy, CEO of MPCA, on Little Shop of Halloween Horrors, a reboot of Corman’s famed 1960 horror comedy, Little Shop of Horrors. A reimagining intended to jumpstart a new franchise, Little Shop of Halloween Horrors will be directed by Dante (Gremlins, The Howling), …

Variety reports: Abortion organizations hosted at Olivia Rodrigo‘s “Guts” tour will no longer be distributing emergency contraceptives at the singer’s concerts. Organizers tell Variety that after widespread media attention, local abortion funds were told Thursday afternoon that they were no longer allowed to hand out free emergency birth control pills and other reproductive health resources at the concerts. The initiative …

Billboard Magazine reports: During her show at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Thursday (March 9), the Queen of Pop accidentally called out a fan in a wheelchair for sitting during her performance. “What are you doing sitting down over there? What are you getting sitting down?” Madonna asked the concert-goer, before walking to the edge of the stage …

Deadline reports: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and SXSW on Tuesday traded jabs on social media in response to a group of as many as 60 bands who have pulled out of Austin-based festival to protest its sponsor ties to the U.S. Army, as well as its inclusion of defense contractors taking part in some of the fest’s conference programs. “Bye. …

Deadline reports: A slate of Broadway newcomers drew strong audience figures last week, with several – An Enemy of the People, The Notebook and The Who’s Tommy filling every seat and then some. Of the recent late-winter/early-spring arrivals, An Enemy of the People, the Ibsen revival starring Jeremy Strong, Michael Imperioli and Victoria Pedretti, was the top earner, grossing $1,109,137 …

Variety reports: As a tribute to the 1974 Oscars streaker, John Cena walked onstage nude — sort of. His private parts were strategically covered so as not to run afoul of FCC standards. But the producers got away with a lot more than the network’s legal team wanted. “There was a lot of reticence of not just a fine from …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Joe Biden’s presidential campaign will be airing its recently introduced spot “For You” on ABC affiliates in battleground markets during tonight’s Oscarcast. The one-minute ad, unveiled on Saturday, features Biden looking directly into the camera and saying, “I’m not a young guy. That’s no secret. But here’s the deal: I understand how to get things done for …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Veteran television actress Jean Allison, best known for roles in shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and Perry Mason, has died at 94. Her family’s obituary said she died Feb. 28 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, but no cause was given. Allison, a character actress, built a long resume in popular TV. She appeared in episodes of Charlie’s Angels, …

Variety reports: When the Providence Place Mall was constructed in the late ’90s, it was touted by Rhode Island leaders as a sign of urban renewal for its struggling capital city. For eight artists, it became something else — home. These friends constructed a makeshift apartment — complete with a sofa, a TV and video game system, a microwave and …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Steve Lawrence, the singer who teamed with his wife Eydie Gormé to form one of the most popular nightclub and concert duos of their generation, died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease today. He was 88. Popularly know as Steve and Eydie, the couple achieved nationwide recognition in the mid-1950s after appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Steve …

Variety reports: Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer on the ill-fated Western film “Rust,” was convicted on Wednesday of involuntary manslaughter in the death of the film’s cinematographer. Jurors returned a verdict after less than three hours of deliberations on Wednesday afternoon, following two weeks of testimony about safety lapses on set. Gutierrez Reed was acquitted of a separate charge of …

Broadway.com reports: For the first time, the Tony-honored Broadway spoof revue Forbidden Broadway is coming to Broadway. Forbidden Broadway on Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song, directed by creator Gerard Alessandrini, will begin performances at the Hayes Theater on July 29 ahead of an official opening on August 15. The limited engagement will end November 1. Created in 1982, Forbidden …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Fox is doubling down on lifeguard dramas with a significant script plus penalty commitment to Baywatch, a reboot of the classic beach series. The new “action-packed” Baywatch reboot is written by Lara Olsen who will serve as showrunner. In it, daring ocean rescues, pristine beaches, and iconic red bathing suits are back, along with a whole new …

Variety reports: It’s a “Dune” boon for the box office. Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment’s “Dune: Part Two” touched down with an impressive $32.1 million gross on opening day from 4,071 locations, a figure that also includes $12 million from Thursday evening and earlier event preview screenings. “Dune: Part Two” has also nearly matched the $41 million debut that its …

Deadline reports: Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) are making their final TV ads buys before Tuesday’s Senate primary, but one candidate has shot to the top of the polls without spending a dime on such spots. In fact, according to one poll released today, former Dodgers star and Republican Steve Garvey is leading, albeit slightly, with …

Variety reports: Dwayne Johnson now officially owns title to the sobriquet “The most electrifying man in sports and entertainment.” The actor and entertainment mogul, who broke out as a WWE star two decades ago, has gained rights to a number of nicknames, insults and catchphrases from his time in the ring. From the list: “The Rock,” “Rocky Maivia,” “Team Corporate,” …

Variety reports: Oprah Winfrey will leave the board of Weight Watchers after almost 10 years, following the entertainment mogul’s revelation that she is using a weight-loss drug. Winfrey informed the company this week that she decided to not stand for reelection at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held in May 2024. She has served on the company’s board …

Variety reports: Ticket sales at the box office this weekend will be flowing as freely as spice on the desert planet of Arrakis. Director Denis Villeneuve‘s big-budget sequel “Dune: Part Two,” where “spice” is an all-powerful commodity, is targeting $70 million to $80 million in its opening weekend. Warner Bros., the studio behind the sci-fi epic, is conservatively projecting a …

Variety reports: Over 20 years after Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell, was shot to death in his Queens recording studio, two men have been convicted for the murder. On Tuesday, jurors at the U.S. District Court’s Eastern Division of New York in Brooklyn delivered the long-expected decision following weeks of testimonials. Karl Jordan, Jr., identified as Mizell’s …

Variety reports: The age rating for the 1964 “Mary Poppins” has been increased in the U.K. due to “discriminatory language.” On Friday, the British Board of Film Classification upped the Disney movie’s cinema rating from U, meaning it contained “no material likely to offend or harm,” to PG for “discriminatory language.” In a statement to Variety, a BBFC spokesperson said …