ENTERTAINMENT

Netflix on Wednesday announced that it had officially acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company, home to the late British author’s wide-spanning lineup of beloved children’s books, which include “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Matilda,” “The BFG,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and several others. Financial figures were not shared, but the acquisition is believed to be one of the streamer’s largest. The deal comes three years after Netflix’s previous arrangement with the Roald Dahl Story Company, which gave the streamer animated rights to 16 of Dahl’s stories. That deal, which was “worth $500 million USD to $1 billion USD” at the time, includes an animated series based on “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and an adaptation of “Matilda the Musical.” “These projects opened our eyes to a much more a...

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will launch exclusively on Disney+ on November 12, marking the second anniversary of the streaming service. If the date feels sooner than expected, it’s because Marvel recently cut its theater-exclusive window from 90 days down to 45 days as its Disney+ subscribers continue to grow further into the nine-digit mark. In addition to Shang-Chi a range of other films will also be available on Disney Plus Day including Jungle Cruise, new shorts linked to The Simpsons, Frozen and Luca, and special looks from Star Wars and Marvel. Disney+ will also extend its coverage to South Korea and Taiwan on the same day and premiere in Hong Kong on November 16. The expansion follows recent rollouts in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Your #DisneyPlusDay lineup has ...

Mayim Bialik has confirmed that she wants to become the permanent full-time host of Jeopardy! following the current season, in an interview with Glamour on Tuesday. “There’s no other job I would rather have,” the Big Bang Theory actress told to the outlet. “I love my sitcom work, I do. I love all the other things I do. I love the podcast. But I absolutely have never had a better job. … The use of my brain and my skillset feels best suited by this job on Jeopardy! It is a dream job. I think it’s a dream job for anyone, but especially for someone who is trained first as a performer and then as a science communicator.” Sony Pictures Television announced last week that Bialik will co-host the long-running trivia TV show for the remainder of this year alongside previous winner Ke...

Netflix is reportedly nearing a deal to acquire the complete works of children’s author Roald Dahl, according to Bloomberg, which cited people with knowledge of the matter. Many of the author’s books have already been made into movies, including “The Witches,” “Matilda,” “James and the Giant Peach” and more. The well-loved tale of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” has been adapted twice on screen, with a prequel film about a young Willy Wonka in the works for a 2023 release. The acquisition of Dahl’s catalog could be huge for the streaming service, which has had fewer than 10 acquisitions within the past decade. While Bloomberg didn’t report on the price tag for the acquisition, it pointed to numbers for Netflix’s last deal for Dahl’s works in 2018 — a licensing agreement that was “among...

Warner Bros. recently announced that the studio is in the process of developing a remake of Whitney Houston‘s The Bodyguard, however the late star’s ex-husband, Bobby Brown, is not on board with the idea. Following the news the remake of the 1992 film, TMZ caught up with Brown and asked him to comment on the project. Whilst leaving LAX airport over the weekend, he replied with a firm “Yeah” when asked if he thought the upcoming remake is a “bad move.” Though the casting has not yet been confirmed, a few big names have been hinted at taking on key roles in the film. Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Channing Tatum and Cardi B are amongst others that have had their names thrown into the hat. The new film is set to be written by Matthew López, a playwright best known for his 2018 play, The Inh...

Anthony “A.J.” Johnson, best known for his role as Ezal in Friday, has died at 55 years old. LyNea Bell, the actor’s rep, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter: “We lost an icon. He will be greatly missed. He has left with us amazing memories of his laughter, dynamic acting skills, but most of all his enormous personality and heart of gold. We will be in constant prayer for his entire family including his wife Lexis, three children, brother Edward ‘Peanut’ Smith, sister Sheila, and lifetime manager and friend Mike D. Please give them the time they need to process and grieve such a huge loss.” Friday co-star and creator Ice Cube also paid tribute to his late friend on social media, sharing a photo of Johnson on Instagram with a caption that reads, “Sad to wake up to the news about AJ...

Essentials: Thibo The footwear designer walks us through his sneaker picks and staples. 16 Hrs ago 5,964 Hypes    Entertainment ‘Friday’ Star Anthony Johnson Dead at 55 Years Old Ice Cube paid tribute to his late friend and co-star. 17 Hrs ago 3,229 Hypes    Entertainment Whitney Houston’s Ex-Husband Bobby Brown Says Remaking ‘The Bodyguard’ Is a “Bad Move” The remake was recently rumored to star Chris Hemsworth, Channing Tatum and Cardi B. 17 Hrs ago 3,025 Hypes    Officials Say That Notre Dame Is on Track to Reopen in 2024 Just in time for the Summer Olympic Games in Paris. 19 Hrs ago 3,030 Hypes    Olafur Eliasson’s Latest Installation Is a Hypnotic Tour of Color, Form and Perspective Immerse yourself at T...

Marcia Lucas, the Oscar-winning editor of the original Star Wars franchise, slammed Disney‘s sequel trilogy, stating that producer Kathleen Kennedy and director J.J. Abrams “don’t have a clue.” Lucas made the claims in an interview for J.W. Rinzler’s new book Howard Kazanjian: A Producer’s Life, which delves into the producer’s life and examines his work on the Star Wars franchise. “I like Kathleen,” Lucas says in the book. “I always liked her. She was full of beans. She was really smart and really bright. Really wonderful woman. And I liked her husband, Frank. I liked them a lot. Now that she’s running Lucasfilm and making movies, it seems to me that Kathy Kennedy and J.J. Abrams don’t have a clue about Star Wars. They don’t get it.” “And J.J. Abrams is writing these stories — w...

Continuing to deliver teasers, director Andy Muschietti recently revealed what appears to be a crossover Batman suit from The Flash. Taking to Instagram, Muschietti offered a close-up image of. what appears to be Michael Keaton‘s Batman suit spray-painted with the look of the Scarlet Speedster’s suit. The reveal further adds to curiosity around how Barry Allen, played by Ezra Miller, will be encountering both Keaton and Ben Affleck‘s versions of the Dark Knight. The Flash is expected to see Barry Allen/Flash attempt to prevent his mother’s murder by traveling back in time, unintentionally causing his timeline to shatter. Aside from the return of Keaton and Affleck, the upcoming DC Extended Universe title will also feature Sasha Calle as Supergirl. The Flash will be released in theaters on ...

Fast & Furious director Justin Lin has shared that the saga’s final two films will tell the story of one chapter. Speaking to Collider, the filmmaker confirmed that F10 and F11 will not chronicle different stories. “The idea of the last chapter being two films is correct. I have to say, I’m so glad — because I think when I first entered this franchise, a sequel was not a given. You had to earn it, you know? And so to be sitting here talking to you and go, ‘Oh yeah, there’s gonna be two more movies!’ I’m like, ‘Wow.’ It means a lot,” he explained. Lin added, “So, every day when I wake up, I’m trying to reconfigure and make sure hopefully whatever we’re talking about process wise is gonna yield the best result. But I think having one chapter in two movies is correct. That’s where I sit t...

Apple Original Films has released the official trailer of Finch, starring Tom Hanks and Caleb Landry Jones. Helmed by Miguel Sapochnik, the forthcoming title sees Hanks portray robotics engineer and world apocalypse survivor Finch, who has spent the last decade living in an underground bunker with his robotic dog, Goodyear. Finch creates a robot, portrayed by Jones, to serve as Goodyear’s caretaker when he is no longer able to care for his friend: “As the trio embarks on a perilous journey into a desolate American West, Finch strives to show his creation, who names himself Jeff, the joy and wonder of what it means to be alive. Their road trip is paved with both challenges and humor, as it’s as difficult for Finch to goad Jeff and Goodyear to get along as it is for him to manage the dangers...

Netflix has officially launched its first-of-its-kind free streaming plan in Kenya. According to reports, the tier offers approximately one-fourth of the titles available for paid subscribers and is currently only available on Android phones. Unlike the paid tiers, however, subscribers do not have the option to download titles or cast the app on TVs. “If you’ve never watched Netflix before — and many people in Kenya haven’t — this is a great way to experience our service,” Cathy Conk, director of product innovation at Netflix, wrote. “And if you like what you see, it’s easy to upgrade to one of our paid plans so you can enjoy our full catalog on your TV or laptop as well.” A credit card is not required; subscribers only need to enter their email address, birthdate and a password. “Then you...