Open Thread

Variety reports: Donald Trump is laughing off China‘s decision to reduce the number of U.S. movies it allows to play in the country. The China Film Administration confirmed the reduction on April 10 after reports surfaced a day earlier. Hours later, Trump was asked at a press conference about the decision. “I think I’ve heard of worse things,” Trump answered …

Variety reports: “The Last of Us” has been renewed by HBO for a third season, in advance of the premiere of Season 2 on April 13. While the first season adapted the acclaimed 2013 Sony Playstation game of the same title, the game’s sequel, 2020’s “The Last of Us Part II,” is so massive that creators Craig Mazin and Neil …

Variety reports: Mariska Hargitay will be telling the story of her late mother, Jayne Mansfield, in a new HBO documentary, “My Mom Jayne.” The doc is Hargitay’s feature film directorial debut, marking the first time she publicly dives into Mansfield’s story and legacy, nearly sixty years after her death. “This movie is a labor of love and longing. It’s a …

Variety reports: Lawyers for Paramount Global and President Donald Trump have agreed on a mediator to pursue a settlement in a lawsuit filed by Trump — demanding $20 billion in damages — against CBS News over a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris. Reps for Paramount and Trump did not respond to requests for comment. The Texas federal court hearing …

Deadline reports: Elton John has shared the extent of his visual impairment, saying he can no longer see his sons playing sport. Sir Elton, aged 78, announced in November 2024 that his new album, Who Believes in Angels? which he recorded with Brandi Carlile, would be delayed due to his losing sight in his right eye after catching an infection. …

Variety reports: After more than a decade in development, “A Minecraft Movie” has dug deep and struck box office diamonds. Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment‘s long-gestating video game adaptation notched a stellar $58 million across Friday and preview screenings from 4,263 North American venues — blasting past “Captain America: Brave New World” ($40.9 million) to land the biggest opening day …

Deadline reports: Russell Brand has said he is “incredibly grateful” that his day in court is coming after being charged with rape and sexual assault by UK authorities. The one-time Forgetting Sarah Marshall star said he was a “drug addict, sex addict and an imbecile” during his youth, but he was never a rapist. “I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity. …

Variety reports: An official trailer for “The Naked Gun” reboot is here, and brings with it a special set of skills: absurdist comedy, glossy action aesthetics, Liam Neeson in polkadot briefs and a school girl uniform and, naturally, an O.J. Simpson joke. Neeson stars as Frank Drebin Jr., the son of legendary goofball cop and franchise father Leslie Nielsen. Paramount’s original …

Deadline reports: In an unprecedented 4×4 order, Fox has picked up four 20th TV Animation series for four seasons each, renewing animated stalwarts The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers for four more years and confirming American Dad!‘s return to the network after an 11-year break, also with a four-season order. Solidifying its status as the top linear home of …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Sam Mendes’ debut documentary about the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp has dropped its trailer. What They Found will launch on the BBC on Monday to tie in with the 80th anniversary of the camp’s liberation. The film follows British soldier-cameramen Sgt. Mike Lewis and Sgt. Bill Lawrie, members of the Army Film and Photographic Unit covering …

Deadline reports: YouTube‘s revenue will surpass Disney‘s this year, making it the top global player in media, according to a report by veteran Wall Street analyst Michael Nathanson. With $54.2 billion in revenue last year, the company is on pace to become No. 1 by the end of 2025, he predicts in a new report issued Monday. Because of its …

Variety reports: Country superstar Morgan Wallen performed two songs from a forthcoming album that is expected to be one of the year’s biggest blockbusters on “Saturday Night Live,” but it wasn’t the music that stirred up the most chatter after the episode ended. During the traditional “SNL” close, Wallen did stick around long enough to salute the audience, and then …

Variety reports: Hannah Berryman’s documentary “Spacewoman” chronicles the life and career of astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command a spacecraft in an era where many men still thought there was no place for women in space. The film is timely, given the fact that in February, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered NASA to purge diversity, equity, …

Variety reports: Will Smith wastes no time addressing his Chris Rock Oscars slap on new album “Based on a True Story,” which released on Friday. In fact, the project’s first track, “Int. Barbershop — Day,” opens with the phrase: “Will Smith is canceled.” The song, which features Smith’s Fresh Prince collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff and B. Simone, sees differently-pitched voices …

Variety reports: On Aug. 12, 2024, three days after Rachel Zegler hit the stage at Disney’s D23 fan event to introduce the first official trailer of “Snow White,” she thanked supporters effusively in an X post for driving the teaser to 120 million views in 24 hours. One minute later, she added an afterthought in the same thread: “and always …

Variety reports: The “Scooby-Doo” live-action series is officially moving forward at Netflix, with the streamer picking up the show for eight episodes. First reported to be in development at Netflix in April 2024 with a script-to-series commitment, the show will delve into how Mystery Inc. and their beloved Great Dane first teamed up together. The official logline for the show …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: The mood was grim Sunday on the Disney lot as Snow White opened behind expectations to an estimated $43 million domestically. Globally, the live-action remake of the iconic 1937 film was expected to clear $100 million, but instead came in at $87.3 million. Disney supporters would say if anyone is capable of pulling off a fairy-tale …

Salon reports: Yes, after weeks of the most uncomfortable will-they-or-won’t-they vibes between walking red flag Saxon Ratliff (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and younger brother Lochlan (Sam Nivola), Sunday’s episode of The White Lotus left us with no doubt that they, indeed, would. In the new episode, “Denials,” as their memories slowly return to them the next day amid soul-crushing hangovers, each Ratliff …

Deadline reports: George Michael’s many acts of generosity, often conducted under condition of anonymity, have come to light since the star’s death in 2016. Now, his backing singer Shirley Lewis has revealed that she was also the beneficiary of his great kindness, when she found herself struggling financially. “I was talking to George on the phone and suddenly burst into …

Variety reports: Disney‘s “Snow White” is the fairest of them all on box office charts. The musical earned $16 million across Friday and preview screenings from 4,200 venues. It’s enough of a start to put “Snow White,” which stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, on track to land within projections for an opening weekend north of $45 million. That would …