Category: Entertainment

Hollywood is calling to Kennedy Ryan, in more ways than one.

In addition to a TV show in the works at Peacock and a first-look deal with Universal, the romance author has released the latest book in her Hollywood Renaissance series, Score.

The story, a follow-up to 2021’s Reel, centers on the second chance romance between screenwriter Verity Hill, who’s living with bipolar disorder, and musician Bellamy “Monk” Wright — former college lovers who reunite on the set of a period film called Dessi Blue.

“I think I related to Verity as a writer. And I really related to her desire specifically around the Black community, around Black art and Black history,” Ryan says. “Really that’s the soul of what this whole series is.”

Ryan also took great care to make sure Verity’s bipolar disorder was represented accurately. She says it was “one of the hardest books I’ve ever written” for that reason.

“In media, we have seen bipolar disorder sensationalized, misrepresented, harmful representation,” Ryan says. “And I really didn’t want to perpetuate that, which meant really digging in with people who have the diagnosis, their family, their partners, their psychiatrist, their therapist. And that’s really the foundation for the representation in this book. And I’m very, very proud of it.”

While her books cover some heavier topics, Ryan promises her readers that by nature of the romance genre, they’ll never get “hurt without healing.”

“There is someone who will walk with you through hurt to healing,” she says. “It is also to encourage people who have actually lived those experiences that joy is a possibility for us in life.” 

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A new teaser trailer for Lanterns has arrived.

HBO Max released the second trailer for its upcoming DC Studios superhero TV series on Monday.

Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre and Kelly Macdonald star in the upcoming show, which will make its debut on Aug. 16.

Lanterns follows a new recruit named John Stewart (Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Chandler). The two intergalactic cops are “drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland,” according to the show’s official logline.

“Tell me how you go it. The ring,” Pierre’s John Stewart asks Chandler’s Hal Jordan in the trailer.

“You know how I got it. I sure as hell didn’t interview for it,” he responds.

The trailer also reveals that Ozark star Laura Linney is part of the series’ cast. We see her character sit across from John Stewart. He tells her, “I was raised fearless, and I’ll do this better than he’s ever done it before.”

“Then go and get it, John Stewart,” she says back.

True Detective: Night Country‘s Chris Mundy is the showrunner for Lanterns. He writes the program alongside Watchmen‘s Damon Lindelof and DC comic creator Tom King.

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The youngest Weasley sibling in HBO’s Harry Potter series is getting recast.

Gracie Cochrane, the actress who portrays Ginny Weasley in the upcoming Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, will not return to play the character in season 2 of the series, ABC Audio has confirmed.

Gracie and her family released a statement regarding her decision to exit the show.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances Gracie has made the challenging decision to step away from her role as Ginny Weasley in the HBO Harry Potter series after season one,” the statement reads. “Her time as part of the Harry Potter world has been truly wonderful, and she is deeply grateful to Lucy Bevan and the entire production team for creating such an unforgettable experience. Gracie is very excited about the opportunities her future holds.”

HBO also released a statement on Gracie’s decision to leave the show.

“We support Gracie Cochrane and her family’s decision not to return for the next season of HBO’s Harry Potter series, and we are grateful for her work on season one of the show. We wish Gracie and her family the best,” HBO’s statement reads.

HBO renewed its Harry Potter series for season 2 on May 6. The renewal announcement came months ahead of the debut of the show’s first season.

Dominic McLaughlin leads the cast as Harry Potter. He stars alongside Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton, who play Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The show is described as a faithful adaptation of the books by J.K. Rowling, who serves as an executive producer.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will air on HBO and debut to HBO Max on Christmas Day 2026. Season 2 is set to begin production in fall 2026.

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This is the way to Disneyland.

Pedro Pascal donned his Mandalorian gear to surprise Disneyland guests in order to celebrate the retheme of the Star Wars attraction Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run.

Pascal shocked fans who were gearing up to ride the attraction for the first time with its new storylines that feature The Mandalorian characters Din Djarin and Grogu. The interaction was captured in a video posted on the official Star Wars Instagram.

“Pedro Pascal creates the surprise of a lifetime at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at @disneyland,” the post is captioned.

The video shows Pascal putting the final touches on his Din Djarin costume as he poses inside of the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run attraction.

“Don’t make it too obvious it’s me,” Pascal says as he slides the Mandalorian helmet over his head. “I don’t think they’re gonna hear my welcome, but I’ll just be like, ‘What’s up?'”

Moments later, a group of Disneyland guests enter the attraction and are delighted to see a Mando character actor waiting near the queue. Little do they know that it’s actually the real deal. A ride attendant then asks Pascal, “Mandalorian, do you have anything to say before we send our travelers on their journey?”

Pascal then lifts the helmet off his head, which causes the guests to scream, jump up and down, and in some cases, fall to the ground.

“Now you all have to die because you’ve seen my face,” Pascal says to them.

Pascal stars in the upcoming film Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, which arrives in theaters everywhere on Friday.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News and Lucasfilm.

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Adventure Time: Side Quests now has a streaming home and release date.

The upcoming animated TV series and latest Adventure Time spinoff will debut to Disney+ and Hulu on June 29.

Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, Adventure Time: Side Quests was originally announced at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The original Adventure Time series ran for 10 seasons on Cartoon Network while its other spinoffs, Adventure Time: Distant Lands and Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, were released on HBO Max.

Billed as a companion to the original series, Adventure Time: Side Quests follows “young hero Finn and his magical dog best friend Jake as they embark on adventures across the fantastical land of Ooo — partying with cloud people and punching evil in the butt along the way,” according to its official synopsis.

This new series was designed to introduce a new generation of fans to the Adventure Time universe through what are described as lighter, self-contained adventures. It also strives to give “existing fans more of what they love” through standalone, “silly quests and playful challenges.”

Sasha Knight will take on the voice of Finn the Human while John DiMaggio returns to voice Jake the Dog. Fan-favorite characters Ice King, Princess Bubblegum, Marceline and BMO are also set to appear in the new series. They’re voiced by Tom Kenny, Hynden Walch, Olivia Olson and Niki Yang, respectively.

Nate Cash serves as showrunner and an executive producer on Adventure Time: Side Quests.

“Making Side Quests felt like making the original Adventure Time, which felt like hanging out with art school buddies making professional cartoons. That sounds like a big sandwich of feelings, and it was! You’re going to love these NEW adventures with Finn & Jake!” Cash said in a press release.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News and Hulu.

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Selena Gomez is moving deeper into Oscar territory.

After appearing in the Oscar-winning film Emilia Pérez, Variety reports that Selena will star in a new movie from Brady Corbet, director of the Oscar-winning film The Brutalist. Also starring is Oscar winner Cate Blanchett and Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender.

ABC Audio has reached out to Selena’s reps.

Plot details for the film are still under wraps. Last year, Brady told The Hollywood Reporter that his next film would be “an X-rated movie” that “takes place mostly in the 1970s,” adding that it also “spans from the 19th century into the present day.” He added, “The film is really, really genre-defying.”

Over the years, Selena has been nominated multiple times for a Golden Globe Award, and has also received nominations for an Emmy and a BAFTA. She’s also won an Actor Award, formerly known as a SAG Award, and shared a Cannes Film Festival award for best actress with her Emilia Pérez co-stars.

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A star-studded cast has come together to star in the upcoming transgressive psychological thriller film The Servant. Deadline reports that Colman Domingo, Nicholas Hoult, Noah Jupe and Emma Corrin have been cast to star in the movie that will be directed by Francis Lee. The movie is set in 1950s New York City and follows Tony (Hoult), a British man who moves into a Central Park apartment and becomes embroiled in power play with his manservant, Barrett (Domingo) …

Here comes The Bride! The Warner Bros. Pictures film by director Maggie Gyllenhaal has set its streaming debut. It will be available to watch on HBO Max on May 22. The movie stars Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale and also features Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal and Penélope Cruz …

The final week of guests for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert have been announced. Jon Stewart and Steven Spielberg will appear as guests on the May 19 show, while Colbert himself will take “The Colbert Questionert,” a segment which will feature special guests, on the May 20 episode, according to a press release. The series finale of the show will air on May 21 …

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Michael reclaimed the top spot at the box office this weekend, dethroning previous two-week champ The Devil Wears Prada 2.

The Michael Jackson biopic brought in $26.1 million in its fourth weekend of release. That brings its total domestic gross to $283 million.

The Devil Wears Prada 2, starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, fell to the #2 spot with an $18 million haul, while the weekend’s new horror release, Obsession, debuted at #3 with $16.1 million.

Mortal Kombat II and The Sheep Detectives round out the top five with $13.4 million and $9.3 million, respectively.

Here are the top 10 films at the box office this week:

1. Michael — $26.1 million
2. The Devil Wears Prada 2 — $18 million
3. Obsession — $16.1 million
4. Mortal Kombat II — $13.4 million
5. The Sheep Detectives — $9.3 million
6. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie — $4.5 million
7. Project Hail Mary — $3.9 million
8. Top Gun/Top Gun: Maverick (2026 rerelease) — $3.1 million
9. In the Grey — $3 million
10. Is God Is — $2.2 million

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John Travolta has been awarded a surprise honorary Palme d’or.

The honor was given to Travolta before the world premiere of his directorial debut film, Propeller One-Way Night Coach, at the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival.

According to Deadline, Travolta received a standing ovation and called the Palme d’or “an honor beyond the Oscars.”

A sizzle reel showing moments from Travolta’s film career was also shown. After watching the clips, the outlet reports Travolta said, “You see your whole life before you like I did in this. I feel a mixture of things, every image has memory and it’s very emotional. And the soundtrack that goes with all those memories. I’ve been doing film most of my life. Eighty-five percent of my life, so it was really nice to see that.”

Propeller One-Way Night Coach is an adaptation of the 1997 book that Travolta also wrote. An official description of the film from the Cannes Film Festival describes it as being inspired by Travolta’s childhood memories, “from his first airplane flight to the unforgettable people and stories he has collected over the years.”

It follows a young airplane enthusiast named Jeff (Clark Shotwell) and his mother (Kelly Eviston-Quinnett), who set off on a one-way cross-country trip to Hollywood.

Propeller One-Way Night Coach will debut to Apple TV on May 29.

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The main cast for the Boys of Tommen TV series adaptation has been revealed.

Prime Video has cast Nancy Surridge, Conor Sánchez, James O’Donoghue and Sophie McGibbon as the main cast in this adaptation of Irish author Chloe Walsh’s bestselling romance book series. They will play the characters Shannon Lynch, Johnny Kavanagh, Joey Lynch and Aoife Molloy, respectively.

Boys of Tommen follows a forbidden love story between star rugby player Johnny and the shy new girl, Shannon, at the prestigious private school of Tommen College.

“Both teenagers are hiding secrets; Johnny, a potentially career-ending injury, and Shannon, a troubled and violent homelife. Through their secret and highly charged connection, the two teens from opposite worlds battle against the odds and find a way to save each other,” according to an official description from Prime Video.

The show will be directed by Brendan Canty and was adapted by Poppy Cogan. It’s based on the first two books in Walsh’s series.

“As someone who grew up in Cork, where these stories are set, this project feels incredibly personal to me. Poppy has done an amazing job adapting Chloe’s beloved books, and the way both writers capture young people’s lives with such empathy, tenderness and honesty feels truly extraordinary to me,” Canty said in a press release. “To do justice to the world they’ve created, we knew that finding the right cast was going to be everything. We searched far and wide, receiving over 3,000 casting suggestions from across the UK and Ireland, but from the moment Nancy, Conor, James and Sophie walked into the room, it was clear we’d found something beyond special. Each of them brings the spirit and emotional depth this story demands, and I couldn’t be more excited to bring Chloe’s world to the screen with this extraordinary young cast.”

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