Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix(NEW YORK) — You can call accomplished filmmaker Ava DuVernay a director, producer, and visionary — but when it comes to giving her a title of respect, please don’t call her auntie. “First of all, I have a real issue with…recently I’ve been getting called on Twitter ‘Auntie Ava,’” DuVernay, 46, told Van Lathan‘s …
Channeling Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr. touts planet-saving “robotics and nanotechnology”
ABC/Randy Holmes(LAS VEGAS) — After a decade of playing Tony Stark on screen, it’s become difficult to find where Robert Downey Jr. begins and his flashy Marvel movies alter-ego ends. Apart from the fact they look exactly alike, the actor apparently shares Tony’s love of life-saving high-tech wizardry. While Tony Stark funded technological developments with …
Wanda Sykes is feeling “mixed emotions” with the release of her new Netflix special ‘Wanda Sykes: Not Normal’
Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix(NEW YORK) — Wanda Sykes says she can finally breathe a sigh of relief now that her fifth stand up special, Wanda Sykes: Not Normal, is available on Netflix. Sykes tells ABC Radio that her hour-long project was definitely a labor of love. “You worked on something for so many years…. I was out touring …
Come out and play with Mark Hamill’s Chucky in new ‘Child’s Play’ trailer
Orion Pictures(LOS ANGELES) — We get to hear a little more of Mark Hamill’s take on the killer doll Chucky, in the creepy new trailer for the upcoming reboot of the classic 1988 horror flick Child’s Play. The Star Wars actor’s voice is barely recognizable as he plays a frightening game of “peekaboo” with his …
Jussie Smollett will not return to ‘Empire’, says series co-creator Lee Daniels
Daniel Zuchnik/Contributor(LOS ANGELES) — Jussie Smollett will not return to Empire for season six, according to the series’ co-creator, Lee Daniels. After Variety cited anonymous sources as saying writers were working Smollett into season six storylines, Daniels tweeted on Tuesday, that the story was “not factual.” “Jussie will NOT be returning to Empire,” he added. Smollett, 36, starred as gay musician Jamal in the Fox …
Shaken and stirred: Crew member suffers “minor injury” after explosion mishap on set of ‘Bond 25’
© Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures/EON Productions(LONDON) — Weeks after James Bond star Daniel Craig injured his ankle on the Jamaica set of Bond 25, there’s now been an explosives mishap. Production of Bond 25 had relocated to Britain’s Pinewood Studios, and according to the spy film’s official Twitter feed, the accident occurred Tuesday “during the filming …
New ‘Umbrella Academy’ comic debuts; production for season two of Netflix series underway
Netflix(LOS ANGELES) — Musician and comic creator Gerard Way has announced a new issue of his Umbrella Academy comic books, which inspired the Netflix series of the same name. The new book will be the seventh and final chapter of the Hotel Oblivion series, the third volume in the ongoing Umbrella Academy story. It’ll be …
“‘Jeopardy!’ James” Holzhauer’s defeat earned quiz show’s highest-ratings in 14 years
Jeopardy! Productions(LOS ANGELES) — When professional gambler James Holzhauer’s 32-game winning streak came to an end last night on Jeopardy!, he logged one final win for the quiz show…in the ratings department. Citing Nielsen data, Deadline reports that the episode of the show — in which Chicago librarian Emma Boettcher stopped Holzhauer from surpassing Ken …
“Is that it?!” ‘Rocketman’ producer Matthew Vaughn talks those ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ box office comparisons
Paramount Pictures(NEW YORK) — The Elton John biopic Rocketman is enjoying critical and commercial success, scoring good reviews and opening in third place in U.S. theaters. While its $25 million opening was very respectable for an R-rated film, it was still far short of November’s $51 million debut of Bohemian Rhapsody, a biopic of another …
A movie based on the Magic 8 Ball? All signs point to yes
Mattel(NEW YORK) — There was a time when people thought you couldn’t turn LEGO into a hit franchise. But now that those toys and The Transformers made billions at the box office, why shouldn’t the Magic 8 Ball have its shot on the big screen? Mattel Films has just signed with Blumhouse, the horror studio …