Marvel Studios(LOS ANGELES) — The Oscars could use a few heroes in the wake of the Kevin Hart hosting debacle, and the Academy is hoping The Avengers can save the day. In lieu of a traditional host, The Hollywood Reporter says the show’s producers and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are trying …
Netflix sued for ‘Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’ using “Choose Your Own Adventure”
Netflix(LOS ANGELES) — Netflix is in trouble over its use of a “Choose Your Own Adventure” premise for its new movie Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a complaint was filed against Netflix in Vermont Friday by Chooseco, LLC, the children’s book publisher that owns the trademark to “Choose Your Own Adventure.” Chooseco …
Golden Globe-winning ‘Green Book’ screenwriter Nick Vallelonga apologizes for anti-Muslim tweet
Paul Drinkwater/NBC(LOS ANGELES) — Golden Globe-winning Green Book screenwriter Nick Vallelonga apologized on Thursday for an anti-Muslim tweet from 2015 that resurfaced a day earlier. The post seemed to show Vallelonga agreeing with then-candidate Donald Trump’s widely-discredited comment that “thousands of Muslims” were seen celebrating in Jersey City after the 9/11 terror attacks. “100% correct. …
Mo’Nique offers Tiffany Haddish advice following her New Year’s stand-up comedy fail
ABC/Paula Lobo(LOS ANGELES) — Mo’Nique is offering her fellow comedian Tiffany Haddish some important advice after Haddish’s New Year’s Eve comedy set bombed. In an interview with Page Six, Mo’Nique says Haddish shouldn’t let one rough night affect her future in stand-up. “The advice I would give her is keep on going and don’t judge …
No post-Oscars show from Jimmy Kimmel; ABC uncorking spy show ‘Whiskey Cavalier’ instead
ABC/Randy Holmes (LOS ANGELES) — For the first time in years, Jimmy Kimmel won’t be hosting his live post-Oscar show on ABC, according to Deadline. Instead, the network will use that spot time to launch its new action dramedy series Whiskey Cavalier ahead of the show’s season premiere February 27. The show stars Scandal vet …
Restaurant offering “‘Bird Box’ dinners to blindfolded patrons
Sayeed Adyani/Netflix(GEORGIA) — So apparently, Bird Box-type challenges are now at thing. The latest: Bird Box dinners. To refresh your memory: Bird Box challenges are inspired by the current Netflix hit thriller Bird Box, in which all of the characters have to wear blindfolds so they won’t see a scary demon-type somethingorother, because anyone who …
‘A Dog’s Way Home,’ ‘The Upside’ among this week’s new movie releases
Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston in “The Upside”; David Lee/STX Films(NEW YORK) — Here are the films opening nationwide Friday: * A Dog’s Way Home — This family drama centers on a dog named Bella — voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard — who travels 400 miles in search of her owner. Also starring Ashley Judd and …
‘The Punisher’ gets bloody — again — in Netflix’s final trailer for season two
Netflix(NEW YORK) — With eight days until its release on Netflix, the final trailer for the second season of The Punisher has arrived. Set to Alice in Chains’ grunge classic “Would?,” the snippet shows Jon Bernthal’s Marvel alter-ego Frank Castle trying to keep a low profile — until duty calls. Castle comes to the aid …
‘Green Book’ director Peter Farrelly apologizes for exposing himself years ago
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for National Board of Review(LOS ANGELES) — A day after the writer of Green Book, Nick Vallelonga, deleted his Twitter feed over a controversial 2015 tweet, the movie’s director Peter Farrelly has apologized for a decades-old transgression which may further hurt the multiple-Golden Globe-winning drama’s Oscar chances. Farrelly, who with his …
‘Captain Marvel’ Fandango pre-sales already superheroic; GoFundMe aims to send young girls to see it
Marvel Studios(LOS ANGELES) — Captain Marvel has taken its place among Fandango’s top three Marvel Cinematic Universe first day pre-sellers, alongside Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther. The film — starring Brie Larson as the titular character, a fighter pilot-turned-alien-enhanced superhero — is outselling other Marvel Cinematic Universe ensemble movies, including Captain America: Civil War and Guardians of …