Entertainment

‘Wednesday’ season 3 starts production, Winona Ryder joins cast

A photo of Winona Ryder. (Luca Dammicco/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Winona Ryder is entering the world of Wednesday.

The actress will join Netflix’s most popular English series in season 3, the streamer announced on Monday. This reunites her with her frequent collaborator Tim Burton, as well as star Jenna Ortega, whom she previously acted alongside in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Ryder will play a character named Tabitha, according to a video shared by Netflix.

In addition to the casting news, Netflix announced that production on season 3 of Wednesday has begun near Dublin, Ireland.

Also joining the cast of season 3 are Chris Sarandon, Noah Taylor, Oscar Morgan and Kennedy Moyer. They’ll play the roles of Balthazar, Cyrus, Atticus and Daisy, respectively.

They all join the previously announced new cast member Eva Green, who is set to play Morticia Addams’ sister, Ophelia.

Returning for season 3 along with Ortega are Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Emma Myers, Hunter Doohan, Joy Sunday, Moosa Mostafa, Isaac Ordonez, Fred Armisen, Georgie Farmer, Billie Piper, Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo, Victor Dorobantu, Evie Templeton and Joanna Lumley.

Alfred Gough and Miles Millar serve as Wednesday‘s co-creators, showrunners, executive producers and writers. Burton executive produces and directs.

“It’s our dark delight to fling open Nevermore Academy’s gates once more as we begin production on season three,” Gough and Millar said in a statement. “To the fans, we appreciate your patience and ravenous online commentary – your twisted theories have inspired nightmares. This season we welcome new students, new teachers, and excavate some long-rotting Addams Family secrets.”

Burton said he is so excited to be back for another season.

“[I]t’s great to be reunited with all of the original cast,” Burton said. “The addition of some dear friends and past collaborators of mine — Winona, Eva, Chris, Noah … makes this season extra special. I feel very lucky.”

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World news

Protests resurging across Iranian universities as families mourn massacre victims

Mourners gather at Behesht Zahra Cemetery to honor protesters killed during anti-government demonstrations, on February 18, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. . (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)

(LONDON) — Iranian students from several universities across the country continued protesting on Monday against the Islamic Republic’s regime for the third-consecutive day since Saturday, when schools reopened for the second semester.

Social media videos verified by ABC News show hundreds of students in Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan shouting slogans, including “Death to Khamenei” and “Woman, Life, Freedom/Iranian Republic,” targeting Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, and pushing for a regime change.

The protests appear to be the most significant to spread since the Iranian regime’s massacre across the country, in which more than 7,000 people were killed, as the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a U.S.-based group, reported earlier this month. ABC News cannot independently verify the group’s figures.

Groups of students also chanted “Pahlavi will return,” calling for the return of Reza Pahlavi, the U.S.-based son of the former monarch of the country. Pahlavi’s call for protest in early January, 10 days after the unrest started in Tehran, escalated the nationwide protests just before the regime’s crackdown on the protesters.

Pictures of the victims of the January protests have been held by protesting students in universities. A verified video shows students gathering in the Foreign Languages department at the University of Tehran, with some holding pictures of Raha Bohlouli, a student of Italian language and literature at this school who was said to have been killed during the protests.

In a protest at Tehran’s Amirkabir University on Sunday, protesting students were confronted by pro-regime Basiji students who tried to disrupt their gathering.

Following the protests, some students of Tehran’s renown Sharif University who participated received a text message on Monday stating that they have been banned from getting into the university, the semi-official Asriran News Agency reported.

The current round of students’ protests appeared to be gathering momentum as families of thousands of the victims of January’s massacres have recently been holding 40th-day ceremonies in remembrance of their loved ones.

In Iran, one of the significant commemoration ceremonies after someone’s death is held on the 40th day after the burial, when loved ones gather to reflect on the memories of the departed. These ceremonies have traditionally been seen as potential hubs for more protests over the past decades, as the pain and loss of the families have the potential to stir anger and a demand for justice for those killed by the regime.

Dance of defiance

With the broad scope of the Islamic Republic regime’s massacre across the country, thousands of families are still mourning the loss of their loved ones. Iranian cemeteries, holy shrines and mosques — which normally are venues for the 40th-day ceremonies — have turned into scenes of the most extraordinary ways of mourning in the country, as victims’ families have been dancing to mourn as a sign of defiance.

Hundreds of videos circulating online from these ceremonies show parents, children, friends, wives and husbands of the victims dancing to upbeat music playing at mosques and holy shrine sites as a dramatic representation of their grief.

This is seen by many Iran watchers as an act of defiance, transforming a national collective pain into a form of resistance.

Videos show mourning women — even those from traditional and religious backgrounds — dancing in black, many of them without wearing a headscarf.

This comes as mosques and holy shrines have been important bases for the regime to spread the hardcore ideology its leaders stand by, which bans any kind of dance and music and scorns them as sins — let alone tolerating them in public or at holy sites.

The scenes have been witnessed at young victims’ commemoration ceremonies to highlight the happy life they deserved but were deprived of.

“No tears or words can express my pain,” a family member of one of the victims killed during protests in Tehran told ABC News on Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“I always dreamt of dancing at his wedding,” she said. “I felt this burning pain in my chest as I was dancing by the side of his grave. My dream was taken away by a bullet.”

The remerging of the protests comes as the United States and Islamic Republic leaders are preparing for another round of talks in Geneva on Thursday to discuss a possible nuclear deal.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Business

Stocks tick lower after Trump ratchets up tariffs

Photo of Wall Street (Matteo Colombo/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — Stocks slid on Monday morning in the first trading session since President Donald Trump announced a new 15% tariff on most imported goods, intensifying his effort to impose levies that were struck down by the Supreme Court.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 90 points, or 0.1%, while the S&P 500 dropped 0.1%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq declined 0.1%.

Cryptocurrency prices tumbled in early trading on Monday. The price of bitcoin fell nearly 2%, putting it at about $66,075.

Gold prices jumped to their highest level in three weeks as investors sought the safe-heaven asset amid heightened uncertainty.

In a social media post on Monday, Trump reiterated his criticism of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court, Trump said, “accidentally and unwittingly gave me, as President of the United States, far more powers and strength than I had prior.”

Trump retains the power to levy a 15% tariff for up to 150 days under the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the president to address trade disparities with other countries.

Hours after the Supreme Court ruling on Friday, Trump said he would sign an executive order enacting a new 10% “global tariff,” invoking authority under Section 122. On Saturday, Trump escalated the tariff to 15%.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Entertainment

With ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,’ The King’s getting the world tour he dreamed of

‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ poster (NEON/Universal)

Baz Luhrmann’s new documentary, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concertis now in IMAX theaters and will arrive in regular theaters on Feb. 27. It features long-lost footage from Elvis’ 1970s Las Vegas residency and other concerts from that period, narrated by Elvis via a previously unheard interview. 

Luhrmann tells ABC Audio Elvis was talking about his life “in such an unguarded way” in the interview. He adds, “And in that moment, we went, ‘Well, [documentaries] about Elvis are always talking heads … they’re always people saying, you know, ‘I put gas in Elvis’ car one day, and he looked at me, and I wrote a book.’ And we just wanted to get out of the way.”

Between the self-narration and the candid rehearsal footage, Luhrmann says people have been surprised at how Elvis comes across in the film. 

“I think everyone universally says, ‘I had no idea he was so funny and self-effacing, and humble and kind, and really, really such a great musician,'” he says.

The film also explores the notion that Elvis’ Vegas shows during that period were “cheesy.”

“You cannot see this film and deny the uniqueness of the talent, the energy, and the absolute spiritual commitment to the audience and the music,” Luhrmann says. But that commitment turned into what the director believes was an addiction: Between 1969 and 1977, Elvis performed 1,100 shows.

“I think what happens is, the only love he really trusts is the love he gets across the footlights and the love he gives back to the fans,” Luhrmann says. “And so the only really safe and comfortable place for Elvis is on that stage.”

Despite all those performances, Luhrmann notes Elvis never got to fulfill his dream of touring overseas.

“He never got that world tour,” says Luhrmann. “In fact, the world tour that he dreamed of is what he’s getting now with this film.” 

 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Sports

Scoreboard roundup — 2/22/26

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Cavaliers 113, Thunder 121
Nets 104, Hawks 115
Raptors 122, Bucks 94
Nuggets 117, Warriors 128
Mavericks 134, Pacers 130
Hornets 129, Wizards 112
Celtics 111, Lakers 89
76ers 135, Timberwolves 108
Knicks 105, Bulls 99
Trail Blazers 92, Suns 77
Magic 111, Clippers 109

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

National

Nick Reiner to enter plea in stabbing deaths of parents Rob and Michele Reiner

Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner attend Human Rights Campaign’s 2025 Los Angeles Dinner at Fairmont Century Plaza on March 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Human Rights Campaign)

(NEW YORK) — Nick Reiner is set to enter a plea to murder charges on Monday following his arrest late last year in the stabbing deaths of his parents, renowned director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner.

The 32-year-old faces two counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of multiple murders.

He was set to enter a plea last month at a hearing in Los Angeles, before his defense attorney, Alan Jackson, withdrew from the case during the court appearance. Nick Reiner agreed to delay his arraignment and was assigned a public defender.

He remains in jail on no bail.

Jackson told reporters after court that he had to withdraw as Nick Reiner’s counsel due to “circumstances beyond our control, but more importantly, circumstances beyond Nick’s control.”

“Pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder,” he added. “We wish him the very best moving forward.”

A Reiner family spokesperson said at the time, “They have the utmost trust in the legal process and will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings.”

Nick Reiner made a brief first court appearance on Dec. 17, during which he waived the right to a speedy arraignment. 

Since then, sources told ABC News that law enforcement and defense attorneys had been working to piece together Nick Reiner’s psychiatric and substance abuse history.

He has a documented history of addiction and substance abuse treatment, and friends have told investigators that his mental health had been deteriorating prior to the fatal stabbings.

Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on Dec. 14, 2025.

The night before, Nick Reiner — who had been living on his parents’ property — got into an argument with Rob Reiner at a holiday party and was seen acting strangely, sources told ABC News.

Nick Reiner was taken into custody in downtown Los Angeles hours after the bodies were discovered.

Rob and Michele Reiners’ other children, Jake and Romy Reiner, said in a statement following their parents’ deaths, “Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing.”

“The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends,” they said.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

National

Murder trial of Utah mom accused of fatally poisoning husband with fentanyl to get underway

Family photo posted on Eric Richins’ Facebook. (Facebook / Eric Richins)

(NEW YORK) — The murder trial of Kouri Richins, a Utah mom accused of fatally poisoning her husband with fentanyl who self-published a children’s book on grieving following his death, is set to get underway with opening statements on Monday.

The 35-year-old realtor was charged with aggravated murder in connection with the 2022 death of her husband, Eric Richins, following a lengthy investigation. Prosecutors allege she spiked his cocktail with a lethal dose of fentanyl.

Her charges also include attempted aggravated murder, with prosecutors alleging she gave her husband a sandwich laced with fentanyl on Valentine’s Day two weeks before his death in an initial, failed attempt to kill him.

She has pleaded not guilty. The trial in Park City is scheduled to last up to five weeks.

“Kouri has waited nearly three years for this moment: the opportunity to have the facts of this case heard by a jury, free from the prosecution’s narrative that has dominated headlines since her arrest,” Kouri Richins’ attorneys — Wendy Lewis, Kathy Nester and Alex Ramos — said in a statement ahead of Monday’s opening statements. “Now the state must prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.”

“What the public has been told bears little resemblance to the truth,” the statement continued. “We welcome the courtroom, where evidence is bound by rules, not sensational coverage. Kouri is a mother who wants to go home to her children. We are confident this jury will make that possible.”

Prosecutors allege that Kouri Richins was in “financial distress” due to her realty company’s debts and believed she would have financially benefited from her husband’s death, according to the charging document. They also allege she was having an affair and purportedly told a witness months before her husband’s death that she “felt ‘stuck’ and ‘trapped’ in her marriage and it would be better if Eric Richins just died,” according to the charging document.

Eric Richins, 39, was found dead in the couple’s bedroom in the early hours of March 4, 2022. An autopsy determined he died from fentanyl intoxication, and the level of fentanyl in his blood was approximately five times the lethal dosage, according to the charging document. The medical examiner determined the fentanyl was “illicit fentanyl,” not medical grade, according to the charging document.

Prosecutors allege that Kouri Richins purchased illicit fentanyl shortly before the Valentine’s Day incident and again before his death, at which point she allegedly asked for stronger drugs.

Weeks before her husband’s death, she is accused of fraudulently securing a life insurance policy for her husband with his forged signature, and then fraudulently claiming the benefits following his death, according to the charging document.

Kouri Richins has proclaimed her innocence, speaking out from jail in an audio recording released in May 2024.

“The world has yet to hear who I really am, what I’ve really done or didn’t do,” Kouri Richins insisted in the audio, provided to ABC News through a trusted confidant. “What I really didn’t do is murder my husband.”

Kouri Richins has remained in Summit County Jail since her arrest in May 2023.

A month prior to her arrest, the mom of three young sons appeared on a “Good Things Utah” segment on Salt Lake City ABC affiliate KTVX to promote her children’s book. In the segment, Kouri Richins said her husband of nine years died “unexpectedly” and that his death “completely took us all by shock.”

Kouri Richins also faces over two dozen charges in a separate case filed last year alleging she committed mortgage fraud in 2021. The charging document alleges she submitted falsified bank statements in support of mortgage loan applications for her realty business, committed money laundering and issued bad checks. 

The charges in the case also allege she murdered her husband for financial gain as she “stood on the precipice of total financial collapse.” According to the charging document, around the time of Eric Richins’ death, her realty company owed lenders nearly $5 million, and his estate was worth approximately $5 million.

She has not yet entered a plea to those charges.

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