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From the 1990s through the 2000s, it was common to see over-the-top character comedies set in pro sports. Dodgeball, Baseketball, and Semi-Pro helped define over a decade of sports films, each parodying the larger sports complex in turn. The Gutter — directed by Isaiah and Yassir Lester — takes aim at the environment around sports superstardom. At the same time, it features enough absurd and boisterous comedy that it delivers the laughs. While The Gutter runs out of steam occasionally, leaning too heavily into tropes when it does, the overall result is a surprisingly fun comedy.

The Gutter Plot

Walt (Shameik Moore) struggles to maintain employment because he’s unwilling to change his style. After getting fired from several jobs, he finally catches on as a bartender at a local bowling alley, aptly named AlleyCatz. When the owner Mozell (Jackée Harry) needs $200,000 to save the alley, bar regular and former pro bowler...

Headgum, the premier comedy podcast network behind shows such as Doughboys, The Lamorning After, Gayotic with Muna, Seek Treatment with Cat & Pat, and Newcomers with Lauren Lapkus & Nicole Byer, announces that Handsome, the hit podcast from comedians Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster and Mae Martin has joined its expanding podcast network, right as the podcast has achieved 20 million listens in just over one year.

Ad sales for Handsome are managed through Gumball, the Headgum-owned marketplace for advertisers to buy host-read ads directly from podcasters. The team will also start to record video episodes from Headgum’s LA flagship studio semi-regularly in the coming months. This new acquisition comes on the heels of Headgum signing Emmy winner Lamorne Morris’ podcast The Lamorning After to the network in October 2024 for distribution, ad sales through Gumball, and video production.

Every episode of Handsome features real-life friends Notaro, Feimster, and Martin attempting to answer a...

It’s one of the oddest and most dismaying of all Academy Awards factoids: The Best Cinematography category was introduced at the first ceremony in 1929, but it took 90 years and 596 nominations before the category had its first female nominee. Rachel Morrison broke that nine-decade male monopoly, the longest stretch for any gender-neutral Oscar category, in 2017 for her work on Dee Rees’ “Mudbound,” and the following year, she became the first female cinematographer to make a Marvel movie with “Black Panther.”

Those two films are among the standouts in a career that has also seen her serve as director of photography on “Fruitvale Station,” “Dope” and “Seberg,” and that has now expanded to include her feature directorial debut, “The Fire Inside.” The Amazon MGM Studios release stars Ryan Destiny as real-lifebOlympic boxer Claressa Shields, the first woman to win a gold medal for the U.S. and the only American boxer...

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has recently been at the center of many controversies with the recent revelations of his alleged criminal activities. Amidst the ongoing turmoil, the spotlight has also turned to his family, including his children, who have been reportedly feeling isolated and saddened by their father’s legal troubles.

Quincy Brown | Credit: Credit: @quincy via Instagram

In the wake of these events, Diddy’s eldest son, Quincy, along with his siblings, recently released a statement addressing specualtions surrounding their late mother Kim Porter. However, before delving into what the kids have shared, it’s important to clarify Brown’s real relationship with the rapper.

What is Quincy Brown’s Relationship With Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs?

Born in 1991 to model-actress Kim Porter and singer-songwriter Al B. Sure!, Quincy Brown was named after his godfather, the renowned record producer Quincy Jones.

Quincy Brown with his mother Kim Porter | Credit: @quincy via Instagram...

It’s hard to believe, but the concept of the teenager is younger than film as a medium. According to historians, American culture first began thinking of the period between 13 to 19 as a specific bridge between childhood and adulthood in the 1940s, in part due to marketing executives looking to define people in that age range as a new demographic. And shortly afterwards, that demographic became ubiquitous on TV and films.

The first teen films began popping up in earnest during the 1950s, with landmark titles like “The Wild One,” “Blackboard Jungle,” and the enduringly iconic “Rebel Without a Cause.” Each film featured a bonafide screen legend — Marlon Brando in “The Wild One,” Sidney Poitier in “Blackboard Jungle,” and James Dean in his most iconic role in “Rebel Without a Cause” — and established films that took the emotional turmoil of teen life seriously as a vibrant subgenre. Since then, teens...

Lady Gaga’s Artpop is, in a word, over-the-top. Its music is a lot more experimental and bizarre than the “Poker Face” singer‘s other work, much less the average pop album. One of the producers of Artpop said that crafting the record drained him, partly because he had to spend so much time in the studio to finish it. The producer said that he had no desire to make other records after working on Artpop.

Lady Gaga’s ‘Artpop’ made a record producer look like he was 150 years old

DJ White Shadow isn’t a household name, but millions of people have downloaded his songs. He worked with Gaga on hits like “The Edge of Glory,” “Applause,” and “Do What U Want.” During a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, DJ White Shadow said he was burnt out after serving as one of the producers of Gaga’s Artpop.

“I never...

Lady Gaga‘s Artpop might not be her best album but it added a lot of interesting anecdotes to her public persona. The “Poker Face” singer supposedly created a music video for one of the album’s songs but never released it. One of the musicians who worked on Artpop revealed everything he knew about the situation.

Lady Gaga’s ‘Artpop’ saw the star get mythological

DJ White Shadow served as one of the many producers on Gaga’s most divisive album, Artpop. The record includes a tune called “Venus” which is a tribute to both the Roman love goddess Venus and the planet of the same name. According to rumor, Gaga crafted a music video for the song that never saw the light of day.

During a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, DJ White Shadow was asked if the video was real. “I don’t know that!” the DJ replied.

Jeopardy! has questions about all sorts of trivia, from the classics to more modern pop culture puzzles. However, it seems lately that many of the more recent pop culture questions are going over the heads of many current contestants. Host Ken Jennings made light of one wrong answer this past week.

Here is a look at the wrong answer and what Ken Jennings said about it.

Ken Jennings Mocks Missed Rihanna Jeopardy! Answer

There have been a lot of pop culture questions that contestants have been missing lately. These often include missed clues to hit songs by Drake and even answers that were wrong — but counted as correct — about older rap acts like Salt-n-Pepa.

Ken Jennings on Jeopardy! | YouTube

Last week, Amar Kakirde was on Jeopardy! defending his run against newcomers Tim Keily and Ryan Alcorn. The category was “Name The Celebrity” for $400. The clue was, “A rapper; has two...

“The Vince Staples Show” has been renewed for Season 2 at Netflix, Variety has learned.

“The ‘Vince Staples Show’ is back!” Staples said in a statement. “The people have spoken and the most riveting, captivating, and polarizing show on Netflix is returning for season 2. Get ready for hijinks that only a mother can love. Thank you, Netflix!”

The five-episode first season of the series dropped on Netflix on Feb. 15. It was originally greenlit in late 2022. Staples stars in the series in a fictionalized version of his life. Vanessa Bell Calloway and Andrea Ellsworth appear in recurring guest star roles, with guest stars Naté Jones, Rick Ross, Arturo Castro, Scott MacArthur, Bryan Greenberg, and Myles Bullock.

Staples also executive produces along with Kenya Barris for Khalabo Ink Society, Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams, Corey Smyth, and William Stefan Smith. Staples co-created the series along with Edelman and Williams.

The official description of the...

Exclusive: Jason Isbell joins actors Shameik Moore and Paris Jackson on One Spoon of Chocolate from original screenplay directed amnd written by RZA who is producing the feature with producer Paul Hall (White Men Can’t Jump and Shaft), executive producers Talani Diggs, Mitchell Divine Diggs, and Joe Genier (Bigger).

In addition Jason Isbell, Isaiah Hill (Swagger) and James Lee Thomas (Bad Boys: Ride or Die) join Shameik Moore and Paris Jackson with actors Rj Cyler (The Harder They Fall), Harry Goodwins (The Gentlemen), Johnell Young (Wu-Tang: An American Saga), Michael Harney (Iron Claw), Rockmond Dunbar (911 and Prison Break), E’myri Crutchfield (Dark Harvest and Fargo), and Blair Underwood (Origin) have joined the cast.

The film follows an ex-military convict who leaves the city for a small town where he ends up finding love, danger and more trouble than he can handle.

Jason Isbell is...

Just one month after Revolt celebrated its 10-year anniversary, the company embarked on a rocky path and still faces questions about its future after founder Sean “Diddy” Combs stepped down as its chairman amid allegations of sexual assault in November.

Combs removed himself from the company after he was beset with multiple lawsuits, the first from ex-girlfriend Cassie, who accused him of sexual assault and other forms of abuse in an explosive lawsuit Combs quickly settled while denying the claims. Additional lawsuits were filed by others; the case against Combs grew even more serious March 25, when his houses were raided by federal agents as part of what was described as an ongoing investigation.

Combs launched Revolt with former studio executive Andy Schuon in October 2013 as an urban music-focused digital cable television network geared toward African American audiences, and remained a visible part of the brand until his departure. Yet despite...

It’s an interesting month on HBO and Max this March, as two acclaimed films hit the streamer along with some intriguing original programming.

First up in the movies arena is the streaming debut of Wonka, starring Timothée Chalamet. From beloved Paddington director Paul King, the film follows the adventures of a young Willy Wonka as he looks to become the world’s best (and weirdest) chocolatier. Later in March on Max, there’s also Dream Scenario, a highly-regarded comedy boasting Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews, who suddenly starts appearing in people’s dreams for unknown reasons, and who naturally becomes very famous as a result of this strange phenomena.

Series-wise, the biggest show on Max this month is The Regime. It packs a solid cast, including Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, and Hugh Grant, and tells the story of “life within the walls of a modern...

With a premiere-heavy March ahead at HBO, there will be plenty to stream this month on Max!

The first Sunday of March brings the premiere of HBO’s new six-episode limited series “The Regime,” starring HBO alum Kate Winslet. Throughout the rest of the month, don’t rest on the streamer’s long list of library additions, like the recent musical origin story “Wonka” or A24’s sleeper hit (so to speak) “Dream Scenario”; and be sure some of the HBO’s biggest premieres, including “The Girls on the Bus” starring Melissa Benoist and Ramy Youssef’s “More Feelings” make it onto your calendar.

Plus, there’s no March without March Madness! For the first time, Max will stream all of the 2024 [NCAA] Division Men’s Basketball Championship live games and studio coverage airing on TBS, TNT, and truTV, including the NCAA Men’s Final Four National Semifinals and Men’s National Championship.

Matthias Schoenaerts and Kate Winslet in ‘The Regime’ (Photograph by Miya Mizuno/HBO)

Max’s March 2024 streaming lineup includes the premiere of The Regime starring Oscar winner Kate Winslet as a paranoid chancellor with major control issues. The streaming service’s March slate also includes the debut of The Girls on the Bus starring Melissa Benoist, Carla Gugino, Natasha Behnam, and Christina Elmore as political journalists.

Documentaries A Revolution on Canvas and The Lionheart along with the comedy docuseries Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show will premiere in March 2024. And Wonka and Dream Scenario make their streaming debuts.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In March 2024

March 1

127 Hours (2010)

Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)

Baby Mama (2008)

The Ballad of Lefty Brown (2017)

The Best Man Holiday (2013)

Bullet Head (2018)

Cabaret (1972)

Captain Fantastic (2016)

Deadpool (2016)

Dear White People (2014)

Dope (2015)

The Expendables (2010)

The Expendables 2 (2012)

The Expendables 3 (2014)

The Farewell (2019)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Godzilla...

Rapper Vince Staples plays a semi-fictionalized version of himself in “The Vince Staples Show,” debuting today on Netflix. The comedy, which skewers celebrity culture and depicts Staples’ surreal adventures, comes after roles in the films “Dope” and “White Boys Can’t Jump” and series like “Insecure” and “Abbott Elementary.”

Your character’s relationship with money is an important theme of the show. Why did you want to explore that?

It’s a big part of what we deem to be celebrity, and it’s extremely subjective. You ask a lot of people who know me personally, and I’m hyper-successful and I’ve made it to the upper echelon. But most people who live in the world don’t know who Vince Staples is. I think that’s a very interesting thing as far as how we perceive success or fame.

Many of the episodes start in reality but take surreal turns.

In one of the best episodes of The Vince Staples Show – a dark Netflix comedy following the fictionalized life of the titular rapper – Vince slowly but surely leverages a bank robbery he’s caught in the crosshairs of to his advantage. Perhaps this quiet doggedness is autobiographical; in reality, Vince Staples has been actively trying to produce his own television show for about eight years, finally getting it over the line with its Feb. 15 premiere.

“I feel like a lot of the time we want to do things but kind...

Vince Staples, the young and talented American rapper and singer, has been making waves in the music industry with his unique style and thought-provoking lyrics. Born Vincent Jamal Staples on July 2, 1993, in Compton, California, he later moved to North Long Beach to escape the high crime rates of his hometown. Growing up in poverty, Staples found solace in music and sports, ultimately paving the way for his successful career in the entertainment industry.

Staples had a challenging upbringing, but he found refuge in academics and extracurricular activities. He attended Optimal Christian Academy during his formative years, where he had a positive and influential experience. However, he moved around frequently, attending several high schools in different cities, such as Jordan High School in Long Beach, Mayfair High School in Lakewood, and Esperanza High School in Anaheim. Staples’ involvement with street gangs during his childhood is well-known, but he has since become...

WhatsApp and Giannis Antetokounmpo are teaming up to release “Ugo: A Homecoming Story,” an original documentary that takes fans along as the Greek-Nigerian NBA superstar returns to Nigeria for the first time.

The film is directed by Rick Famuyiwa, the filmmaker behind “Dope” and “The Mandalorian,” and will be available to view on YouTube and in select markets on Prime Video starting Jan. 16. It is WhatsApp’s latest feature-length documentary. The service previously released the 2022 short film “Naija Odyssey.” Both films examine topics like family bonds, cultural discovery and personal identity.

“Ugo” gets its title after Antetokounmpo’s Nigerian birth name. The film is a fly-on-the-wall account of Antetokounmpo’s inaugural visit to his homeland, where he is accompanied by his mother, who emigrated from Nigeria to Greece 35 years ago. Together, they delve into their family’s heritage and Nigerian traditions, strengthening Antetokounmpo’s connection to his culture. Antetokounmpo plays...

Static-x and Sevendust have added a third leg to their co-headlining US tour.

The bands already teamed up for a Fall 2023 leg, and they previously announced a Winter 2024 leg set to launch in February. The newly announced Spring 2024 dates kick off April 28th in Salt Lake City and running through May 18th in Minneapolis. Dope and Lies of Loyalty will support these shows, in addition to opening the February leg.

Various ticket pre-sales are ongoing for select dates, and general ticket sales start Friday (January 12th) at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. Fans can also look for deals or get tickets to sold-out dates via StubHub, where your purchase is 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s Fan Protect program.

The outing is billed as the co-headlining “Machine Killer” tour, named after Static-x’s sophomore album, Machine, and Sevendust’s latest studio LP, Truth Killer, which dropped back in July.

Static-x are...

Photo credit: Sony Pictures

In “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” our hero Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is transported to a dimension where dozens of other Spider-heroes reside — or at least intersect like threads on a web.

There’s Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac), the leader of this Spider Society. His right hand is Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman (Issa Rae), who shares the same superhero name as Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld). You won’t confuse them though, as each hero has his/her own distinct character design and animation style.

Here’s a complete (and spoiler-free) “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” cast and character guide.

Photo credit: Sony Pictures Animation/Getty

Miles Morales/Spider-Man

Voiced by: Shameik Moore

Now 15-years-old, Miles is dealing with a lot of teenage issues: feeling isolated/lonely due to his secret life, college/career planning, and trying to be the best son he can. He resides on...

Freestyle is a Polish crime drama movie directed by Maciej Bochniak, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Slawomir Shuty. The Netflix film follows a rising rap star with a criminal past, who decides to set up a risky drug deal in order to get cash for time in the recording studio, but this deal may end up costing him everything. So, if you loved Freestyle here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Hustle & Flow (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Paramount Pictures

Synopsis: DJay is a Memphis hustler who spends most days in a parked Chevy philosophizing about life while Nola (Taryn Manning), turn tricks in the backseat. He’s not very good at pimping, but he can hustle almost anything or anyone and makes enough to keep himself and three girls satisfied and housed in his shotgun home. DJay however is in the midst of a midlife...

Award-winning producers Mimi Valdés and Nina Yang Bongiovi are teaming up for a new venture, Fly Green Socks, a multicultural media company focused on producing hip-hop narratives in film.

“Hip-hop is a culture defining superpower, influencing fashion, technology and even politics. But it’s severely underrepresented in Hollywood as its own film genre,” Valdés and Yang Bongiovi said in a statement announcing their partnership. “Our goal with Fly Green Socks is to create a new lane of films dedicated to uplifting the hip-hop ecosystem.”

According to an Ifpi survey, over 1.85 billion people worldwide listen to hip-hop.

The co-founders added: “With hip-hop celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, there’s a goldmine of untapped stories for us to champion with innovative filmmakers. We look forward to using our combined experience and deep relationships in music and film to deliver high-quality storytelling that impacts culture.”

Valdés and Yang Bongiovi first met while producing “Dope,...

This article discusses spoilers for Disney's "Haunted Mansion."

There are several reasons why Disney would attempt a new feature film adaptation of their spooky theme park attraction, "Haunted Mansion." The prospect of channeling "Pirates of the Caribbean" and turning another pop culture institution into a blockbuster hit surely crossed the minds of shareholders. After several failed attempts to get this remake off the ground over the years, the studio must have counted themselves lucky to finally cross paths with a director as obviously passionate about the material as Justin Simien. And, of course, the chance to bring together some of the finest comedic performers currently working -- from living legends like Danny DeVito and Jamie Lee Curtis to Tiffany Haddish and Owen Wilson -- certainly wasn't anything to sneeze at, either.

In all likelihood, however, few ever prioritized this production as an acting showcase that would allow any of its...

Exclusive: The African American Film Critics Association (Aafca) will commemorate Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary with a screening series that spotlights the genre’s lasting influence on the cinematic arts. The selected films will serve as the centerpiece of Aafca’s sixth annual summer screening series, -a nationwide program that provides a platform for films that illuminate the African American experience. Running from July to October, the screenings will take place in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington DC, with additional dates expected to be added.

“As hip hop celebrates fifty years, the members of Aafca are thrilled to pay homage to the culture that the art form has inspired,” says Gil Robertson, president of the organization. “With deliberate intention given to the sounds, dance, and storylines inherent to the genre, hip hop has made rich contributions to the cinematic landscape, which have captivated audiences in the States and around the world.

Whether it’s the questionable FX, the lead star’s very controversial dalliances, or just audiences being burned one too many times by Comic Book Films, there’s one movie that is all anyone can talk about. And look, I get it. There was a lot of craziness that went on during this production and had more people come and go due to creative differences than any movie we’ve covered on the show.

Warning you guys and gals right now, if you haven’t seen The Flash, you’re going to want to turn back now, because this is where things get Super spoilery.

Warner Brothers tried getting a Flash movie off the ground in the late 80’s with comic writer Jeph Loeb being brought in to write the screenplay. Unfortunately nothing ever came of the property until 2004 when David S Goyer signed on to write,direct and produce a new Flash.

On Friday, June 16, an Ezra Miller movie called The Flash will finally play on cinema screens around the world. For Miller and members of the Warner Bros. Pictures team who were there in 2014 when the project was first announced, it is the culmination of nearly a decade of work, false starts, and the arduous process of seeing various directors and writers board and exit the production.

And yet, the actual atmosphere around the release seems relatively muted. Until the movie’s Los Angeles premiere earlier this week, Miller was conspicuously absent from all press days, leaving director Andy Muschietti and his sister/producer Barbara Muschietti, as well as stars Sasha Challe and Michael Shannon, to do all the interviews. Meanwhile, social media chatter seems to be as much concerned with the controversy surrounding Miller, as well as the film’s troubled production history, as it is with anything in the actual picture.

Let’s get the awkwardness out of the way first, shall we? The answer is yes, it definitely Was a throw. No further questions, thank you.

Mae Martin’s Taskmaster performance has been solid gold so far, from the hilarious #throwgate controversy in the drumming challenge to teaching us how to play the double bass with your toes, and introducing an excellent new way of pronouncing the word “humiliated”.

If you thought all that was impressive, just wait until you discover this award-winning Canadian comedian’s other work (spoiler alert: it’s very very good):

Mae Martin’s TV Comedy Career Actually Started 20 Years Ago

An adorably geeky 16-year-old Mae appeared on Canadian award show Cream of Comedy back in 2003 after becoming the youngest ever nominee for the show’s prize. They didn’t win, but their excellent Buffy The Vampire Slayer-themed set was a good sign of things to come.

Mae Martin, a rising star comedian and writer, has set limited series “Tall Pines” at Netflix. The show is a thriller set in a bucolic but sinister town that explores the insidious underbelly of the troubled teen industry and the eternal struggle between one generation and the next.

Production is through London- and Los Angeles-based Objective Fiction and Canada’s Sphere Media.

“ ‘Tall Pines’ is a wildly entertaining story that explores the complex and sometimes twisted relationship between teens and adults. We’re thrilled to be working with a singular talent like Mae and bringing their unique voice to one of our first commissions for Netflix Canada,” said Danielle Woodrow, director, content, Canada at Netflix.

A Canadian who moved to the U.K. in 2011, Martin is known for stand-up show “Dope,” which was focused on addiction and was nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award. The show was subsequently turned in...

John Legend has shared his amusing reaction to Harry Styles and Emily Ratajkowski kissing to one of his songs.

Over the weekend, the “Watermelon Sugar” singer and the model were seen making out in Tokyo in a video captured by the Daily Mail. In the clip, Styles and Ratajkowski kiss openly beside a car as Legend’s song “Dope” plays in the background.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday 26 March, Legend playfully reacted to the Pda-filled clip. “Make out to #Dope,” the Grammy winner wrote over a video of the pair kissing. “Everybody’s doing it,” he added, alongside an eye emoji.

“Happy to help,” Legend said in the Instagram caption.

The video of Harry Styles and Emily Ratajkowski emerged earlier this week after the “As It Was” singer performed in Japan’s capital city as part of his Love on Tour. The former One Direction member was last in a...

John Legend is always happy to set the mood.

Over the weekend, Emily Ratajkowski and Harry Styles were spotted on the streets of Tokyo having a makeout session in full view of the public.

Read More: Harry Styles And Emily Ratajkowski Seen Making Out In Tokyo

But for Legend, it was the music playing in the background that got him.

“Happy to help,” he wrote in an Instagram post, sharing the video of Ratajkowski and Styles kissing, in which his song “Dope” can be heard playing in the background.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by John Legend (@johnlegend)

“Make out to #Dope,” he wrote in the video itself. “Everybody’s doing it .”

In the comments, fans were loving Legend’s post, with one person writing, “I’ve never laughed harder if I’m honest.”

Another joked, “You definitely get an assist for this on the stat sheet.

Amin Joseph is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his roles in Baywatch (2017) and Snowfall.

Amin Joseph Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education

Amin Joseph was born on April 26, 1980 (Amin Joesph: age 42) in Queens, New York but was raised in Harlem, New York. He graduated from Rice High School.

Joseph graduated from Howard University before interning at Harlem’s Apollo Theater.

Amin Joseph Biography: Career

Joseph began his acting career with small roles in various films like Rage and Discipline (2004), Jada (2008), Dirty South (2010) and Stock Option (2015).

Some of Joseph’s bigger acting credits include The Mist (2007), The Expendables (2010), G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), Dope (2015) and Baywatch (2017).

Joseph also had several guest appearances on shows like CSI: Miami, NCIS, Sons of Anarchy, S.W.A.T. and Tales. He was part of the main cast for several shows, including Zane’s Sex Chronicles, Zane’s The Jump Off, Snowfall and Send Help.

This post contains spoilers for "The Mandalorian" season 3, episode 2 "The Mines of Mandalore."

Making a high-tech fantasy show appear both visually striking and tangibly convincing can be a tricky endeavor. Even objectively good pieces of media often struggle with proper lighting whilst depicting dimly lit sequences or nighttime scenes, making it impossible to tell what the heck is happening. Fortunately, this is not the case with the latest season 3 episode of "The Mandalorian," titled "The Mines of Mandalore," which is exactly where most of the key events take place — within the dark, dreary underground city of Sundari that Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu set out to explore.

Directed by Rachel Morrison, whose work as director of photography in "Mudbound" earned her an Oscar nomination for best cinematography, "The Mines of Mandalore" is a shining example of dimly lit fantasy sequences done right, wherein the episode's visual language greatly informs...

When one door to the multiverse closed, another one opened to a galaxy far, far away.

Following the critical acclaim of his 2015 film, Dope, filmmaker Rick Famuyiwa found himself in the Dceu, developing The Flash, the same Flash movie that is about to come out after first being announced in October 2014. Famuyiwa would ultimately depart the project in the fall of 2016 due to creative differences, and the L.A. native went on to develop other projects until The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau reached out for a meeting. Famuyiwa and Favreau quickly hit it off, and the former not only directed three episodes across the first two seasons of the hit Disney+ series, but he also wrote a couple as well.

To this day, Famuyiwa still can’t believe that his filmography of coming-of-age dramedies and romantic comedies would spark the interest of Favreau.

“I ask Jon [Favreau] all the time, ‘What...

International sensations, BTS, held a free concert in Busan, South Korea on October 15, 2022. The concert, titled ‘Yet to Come’ after their latest single, was held to promote Busan’s bid for World Expo 2030. Earning the title of honorary ambassador for the expo, BTS adds to its icon status by being a representative of a country’s bid to tackle challenges that the world faces. In a cinematic cut of the Busan concert, ‘BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas’ showcases exactly why the seven Bangtan Boys were able to earn the title of the biggest boy group in the world and curated the biggest fandom in music. Together, Rm, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook take to the Asiad Main Stadium in Busan and deliver an explosive and emotional concert serving as both the bid for Busan and a farewell as the boy group enters their two-year hiatus upon...

Variety is set to honor “Fruitvale Station” producer and Significant Productions co-founder Nina Yang Bongiovi with its Creative Impact in Producing Award at the Sun Valley Film Festival in Idaho in recognition of her many achievements.

At 10 a.m. March 31, she will participate in a Coffee Talk, which is the crown jewel of the festival, and a moderated conversation to discuss her career. The event is open to the public. The festival will also celebrate Variety’s 10 Producers to Watch event; they will be announced on March 15.

“Nina Yang Bongiovi is a compelling storyteller with an impressive filmography, and we are excited to celebrate her career achievement at the Sun Valley Film Festival,” said Steven Gaydos, Variety EVP global content and executive editor.

Working under the banner of Significant Productions with producing partner Forest Whitaker, Bongiovi’s credits include “Dope,” “Songs My Brothers Taught Me,” “Roxanne Roxanne” and “Passing.” “Fruitvale Station...

"Wu-Tang: An America Saga" may be bidding fans farewell after an impressive three-season run, each full of exciting hip-hop misadventures, but the story isn't ending without one last mind-blowing lap. The hit biopic drama, which made its splashy debut back in 2019, kicked off its third and final season on Hulu on Feb. 15, jumping to Wu-Tang Clan's wild success years after the big basement flood that almost ruined their solo albums. As the crew try to ride out their five-year plan - orchestrated by leader Bobby, aka RZA (Ashton Sanders) - the downsides of money, power, and fame test their will to stick together.

Fans of "Wu-Tang: An America Saga" are certainly sad to see the imaginative, truth-inspired hip-hop series come to an end, but the cast - which includes Sanders, Shameik Moore (Sha Raider/Raekwon), Siddiq Saunderson (Dennis Coles/Ghostface Killah), Tj Atoms (Ol' Dirty Bastard), Dave East (Method Man...

Exclusive: Blake Anderson has this week become the newest member of the Workaholics team to sign with CAA. The actor, comedian, writer, and producer is joined there by longtime collaborators Adam Devine and Anders Holm, who inked their deals last week and in the fall of 2021, respectively.

Anderson, Devine and Holm co-created, wrote, exec produced and starred in the hit sitcom about college-dropout roommates working as telemarketers in Rancho Cucamonga, California, which ran for seven seasons on Comedy Central from 2011-2017.

Anderson most recently starred opposite Lamorne Morris and T. Murph in the Hulu comedy series Woke, which ran for two seasons. He also voices several characters on Adult Swim’s Tigtone, the role of Matt on DreamWorks Animation’s Netflix original series Voltron: Legendary Defender, and the part of Charlie on Tubi’s The Freak Brothers alongside Devine. He additionally exec produces the latter series, based on the underground...

Aap Rocky has dated and been linked to a number of famous women including Kendall Jenner, Iggy Azalea, and Rita Ora. Over the years there were rumblings that the “Peso” artist was romantically involved with Rihanna as well. In 2020, he and the Fenty beauty mogul confirmed that they were dating and have been together since.

Now fans want to know as much as they can about the power couple including how much older Rihanna is than Aap Rocky and who has the higher net worth. Read on for the answers to those questions and more.

Rihanna and Aap Rocky attend Marvel Studios’ Black Panther Wakanda Forever premiere | Amy Sussman/WireImage Rihanna and Aap Rocky’s age difference

Rihanna and Rocky are close in age as the “Umbrella” hitmaker is just a few months older than her beau.

Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born in Barbados on Feb. 20, 1988, to parents Monica and Ronald Fenty.

This year, women directors – and their women-centric subjects – swept the awards at Sundance Film Festival. Three women directors – Madeleine Gavin, Maryam Keshavarz, and Noora Niasari – won Audience Awards for their films on North Korea (“Beyond Utopia”), intergenerational motherhood (“The Persian Version”), and custody in diaspora (“Shayda”). Portraits of masculinity were also celebrated as well. First-time feature filmmaker Sing J. Lee won the Directing Award for his touching portrait of masculinity and fatherhood in “The Accidental Getaway Driver,” while Sauvnik Kaur’s intimate documentary on brotherhood “Against The Tide” took home a Special Jury Award. After two years of isolation and virtual festival-ing, it seems that stories of tenderness appealed over aggressive storytelling at Park City this year.

“This year’s Festival has been an extraordinary experience,” said Joana Vicente, Sundance Institute CEO. “The artists that comprise the 2023 Sundance Film Festival have demonstrated a sense of urgency and dedication to excellence in independent film.

Where are all the movies about drag kings? Despite a couple of massively popular shows like "RuPaul's Drag Race" and "Pose" and essential documentaries like "Paris is Burning," the wonderful world of drag spent decades as a largely underground phenomenon. It's arguably gone mainstream now, but the vibrant culture surrounding the world of people who perform masculinity for an audience, as opposed to femininity, is still mostly invisible on screen.

The upcoming movie "The Young King," though, is poised to put drag king culture on center stage. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the upcoming comedy-drama already has the support of GLAAD, while the CEO of Mister Smith Entertainment, David Garrett, says the company is proud to work on a movie that's "shining a light on the drag king scene, which has rarely, if ever, been explored on the big screen." So what's the scoop on "The Young King," and when...

“Dope” star Kiersey Clemons, “Euphoria” actress Barbie Ferreira and Oscar nominee Michael Shannon will star in a comedy-drama set among the drag king scene of 1990s Las Vegas for a film called, “The Young King.”

Larin Sullivan wrote the script for the film and will make her directorial debut on “The Young King,” which Mister Smith Entertainment is presenting to international buyers at the upcoming American Film Market. WME Independent is handling North American rights.

Clemons in “The Young King” will star as Jules, an aspiring drag king who comes to Las Vegas to reconnect with her estranged dad Mick (Michael Shannon) and to make her debut performance in America’s biggest drag king revue. Mick, a legendary gambler and part-time children’s party clown, is less than excited to see his daughter “Julia” presenting as masculine, wearing suits and chasing after Ronnie (Barbie Ferreira), the no-nonsense dancer who he regularly frequents.

Vince Staples is heading to Netflix with his own scripted comedy show, Variety has learned.

The streaming giant has given out a series order for “The Vince Staples Show,” loosely based on the real life of the rapper and actor. Staples will star in the show as himself. The show will be set in Long Beach, CA, where Staples grew up.

Staples will executive produce in addition to starring. Kenya Barris is also executive producing via Khalabo Ink Society. Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams, Corey Smyth and Calmatic also executive produce. Edelman and Williams are co-showrunners on the series. Barris, Edelman, and Williams also executive produced Kid Cudi’s animated Netflix show “Entergalactic.” Calmatic will direct the first two episodes of “The Vince Staples Show.”

“I am excited to partner with Netflix and Kenya Barris on ‘The Vince Staples Show,’” said Staples. “This has been something I have been developing for...

John Legend will attempt to teach common folk how to pen hit songs as the latest instructor in the MasterClass series.

The streaming platform announced its new Egot-winning teacher Thursday, with Legend presenting a songwriting curriculum with lessons revolving around his own songs like “Free,” “All of Me,” “Glory,” and “Dope.”

“Songs are core to who we are and are such an important part of humanity,” Professor Legend promised in a statement. “My class will give you the tools to find your voice, figure out who you are and establish...

Exclusive: Myles Bullock (Bmf) and Vince Staples (Lazor Wulf) are the latest additions to the cast of 20th Century Studios’ White Men Can’t Jump reboot. They join an ensemble that also includes Jack Harlow, Sinqua Walls, Lance Reddick, Teyana Taylor, Laura Harrier, Tamera ‘Tee’ Kissen and more, as previously announced.

The upcoming film will offer a new take on Ron Shelton’s 1992 sports comedy, starring Woody Harrelson, Wesley Snipes and Rosie Perez, which saw Black and white basketball hustlers join forces to double their chances of winning money on the street courts and in a basketball tournament. Harlow is stepping into the role originated by Harrelson, with Walls taking on Snipes’. Bullock will play Renzo, one of Kamal’s (Walls) best friends since high school. Sarcastic and a bit of a goofy guy, he is the tallest player on the court who hates being forced to get rebounds but will...

Showtime’s comedy pilot based on the 1999 film “The Wood” has set its main cast, Variety has learned exclusively.

Vince Staples, Xavier Mills, Karen Obilom, Melvin Gregg, and Essence Renae will star in the pilot, with Richard T. Jones and Tamala Jones set to reprise their roles as Slim and Tanya respectively from the film.

Rick Famuyiwa, who wrote and directed the film, will direct and executive produce the pilot. It was ordered at Showtime in August 2021. The show is described as an honest look at friendship and dating from the perspective of three young Black males born and raised in the gentrifying L.A. suburb of Inglewood. The trio’s struggles to balance fatherhood, ambition and loyalty force them to question if they are growing apart, or closer together.

Staples (“Lazor Wolf”) will star as Jamal, an aspiring photographer from Ladera Heights, who has been cut off by his...

John Legend has released a sultry new single, “Honey,” featuring Muni Long. The jazzy, R&b-infused song was produced by Ryan Tedder, Steven Franks, Lindgren, and Tommy Brown.

“Show me the ways to explore,” Legend croons on the track. “Every day wanting more.”

Late night #Honey. Song is out now feat. @munilong...

“Black Panther” and “Dope” cinematographer Rachel Morrison is making the jump to feature directing. After Covid-19 led to the production of her upcoming film “Flint Strong” pausing for a good chunk of time, it’s finally resuming and has added a high-profile actor to the cast.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that “Atlanta” star Brian Tyree Henry has replaced Ice Cube in Morrison’s boxing drama.

Continue reading Brian Tyree Henry Replaces Ice Cube In Rachel Morrison’s Boxing Drama ‘Flint Strong’ at The Playlist.

Brian Tyree Henry (“Eternals”) is set to star in boxing drama “Flint Strong” from cinematographer Rachel Morrison, who is making her feature directorial debut, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.

The project has landed at MGM after previously being set up at Universal, where production lasted two days before being shut down by Covid and delayed indefinitely. Production will kick off in Toronto next week with MGM on board to produce and distribute.

“Flint Strong” will be based on the 2015 boxing documentary “T-Rex,” which was directed by Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper. Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins adapted the script and is also producing the project. The executive producers are Canepari, Cooper, Lyn Lucibello and Sue Jaye Johnson. Elishia Holmes is overseeing the project for MGM.

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Brian Tyree Henry, Kate Mara to Star in FX on Hulu Thriller Limited Series ‘Class of ’09’

“T-Rex” told the...

John Legend has dropped “Dope” featuring J.I.D, the first single from his upcoming album. The title of his eighth studio album and the release date has not yet been revealed.

Produced by Ian Kirkpatrick and Ryan Tedder, Legend co-wrote “Dope” with Charlie Puth, Tedder, and J.I.D. In the song, Legend and J.I.D sing, and rap, respectively, about their addiction to the women they love on the summery, feel-good track.

“She’s so dope/Wanna be her dope fiend/She showed me what dope mean,” Legend sings on the hook.

Forest Whitaker also produced Cannes’s title ’For The Sake Of Peace’ which will premiere in Special Screenings.

Academy-award winning US actor, director and producer Forest Whitaker will receive the honorary Palme d’Or at the opening ceremony of the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival (May 17-28).

Whitaker first attended Cannes in 1988 as the star of Clint Eastwood’s Bird where he won the best actor prize. He has since returned to the festival for Bill Duke’s A Rage in Harlem, Abel Ferrara’s Body Snatchers, and Jim Jarmusch’s Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.