Jimmy Fallon announces ‘Tonightmares’, a haunted maze at NYC’s Rockefeller Center
On the Tonight Show Thursday night, Jimmy Fallonannounced that New York City’s Rockefeller Center, where he shoots his show, will soon showcase his nightmares.
On select nights starting Sept. 20 and running through Oct. 31, Jimmy Fallon’s Tonightmares will be a 10-room, horror-themed maze based on Fallon’s own “deepest, darkest nightmares,” he said on the show.
“I’m not saying it has killer scarecrows, brain-hungry zombies and an abandoned gas station in the middle of nowhere. But … it has killer scarecrows, brain-hungry zombies and an abandoned gas station in the middle of nowhere. Spoiler alert,” Fallon said in the announcement.
Its website, where you can sign up to get on a wait-list, promises “an unforgettable night of fright and thrills.”
It calls the attraction “Perfect for groups of friends and family seeking a truly unique adventure in New York” and “the ultimate labyrinth of fear you don’t want to miss.”
Tickets go on sale Aug. 22.
Fallon, who pointed out that he is a New York Times bestselling author, also announced a new book, Five More Sleeps ‘Til Halloween. “It is about a boy and his dog who are excited for Halloween, and can’t sleep,” he said. It comes out Sept. 3.
Sharon Stone will reportedly play the heavy in the sequel to Nobody, the unlikely 2021 action hit that starred Bob Odenkirk, according toThe Hollywood Reporter. The plot of the follow-up is unknown, but the trade says Stone will be playing the main villain. Odenkirk reprises as the boring family man who the original film revealed was a deadly government assassin in his earlier days. Universal has slated the sequel’s release for Aug. 15, 2025 …
The Toronto International Film Festival has announced that its next incarnation, starting in September, will feature films from newly minted Emmy nominee Selena Gomez; Angelina Jolie and Ron Howard; a buzzy Pamela Anderson drama; and a documentary about Elton John. Selena’s Cannes prize winner Emilia Pérez will screen at the fest, as will Howard’s historical thriller Eden starring Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby. Jolie will be showcasing her directorial effort Without Blood, starring Salma Hayek; and the fest will also screen the documentary Elton John: Never Too Late. Anderson’s film, the drama The Last Showgirl, was directed by Gia Coppola, and Anderson is already winning praise for her performance …
Ella Purnell, Naveen Andrews, Alfred Enoch, Jason Isaacs and Peter Serafinowicz are lending their voices to The Seneschal, an audio project set hundreds of years before Zack Snyder‘s Rebel Moon movies. Before Snyder’s Rebel Moon director’s cut hits Netflix on Aug. 2, the podcast project tells the story behind the creation of the Jimmys, the robotic knights voiced by Anthony Hopkins in Snyder’s sci-fi epic. The Seneschal debuts its first installment on July 29, with five additional episodes dropping weekly wherever you get your podcasts …
The 76th Emmy Awards, which aired Sunday night on ABC, had quite a few memorable moments — but perhaps none as memorable as the acceptance speech centered around a dead dog.
While accepting the Emmy for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series for Last Week Tonight, John Oliver thanked the usual people and then shifted gears, paying tribute to his family’s “fantastic” dog, who’d recently passed away. She was at our wedding and she got us through the pandemic. She was with us for two pregnancies,” he said. At that point, the “playoff” music started, indicating that Oliver should wrap it up, but he wasn’t having it.
“Perfect choice of music,” he noted. He then continued, “I feel like Sarah McLachlan right now. She was an amazing dog.” The music continued, to which Oliver shouted, “F*** you! This isn’t just for her. This is for all the dogs! All dogs, you are all very good girls. You are very good boys. You all deserve a treat. Play me off now!”
Some other memorable moments:
—Murphy Brown star Candice Bergen, a presenter, took a shot at J.D. Vance by recalling that during the show’s heyday, then-Vice President Dan Quayle attacked her character for having a baby and raising it as a single mother. “Oh, how far we’ve come,” she said sarcastically. “Today, a Republican candidate for vice president would never attack a woman for having kids. So as they say, my work here is done.” She then added, “Meow.”
–One of the many TV reunion segments during the evening brought together Ron Howard and Henry Winkler to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Happy Days. Speaking from a replica of the show’s hangout, Arnold’s, Howard complained that they didn’t have any theme music introducing them. After some encouragement, Winkler adopted his “Fonz” persona from the show, went over to the jukebox and wrapped it with his fist, causing the Happy Days theme to start up.
–Will Smith accepted the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Slow Horses. No, not THAT Will Smith, as the British showrunner acknowledged. Taking the podium, he said, “First of all, relax. Despite my name, I come in peace.”
—The Bear’sLiza Colón-Zayas became the first Latina to win the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and she recognized that moment by saying, “To all the Latinas who are looking at me? Keep believing. And vote. Vote for your rights.”
—John Leguizamo did a lengthy monologue about diversity in Hollywood, noting that he didn’t see a lot of Latinx representation on TV and movies growing up. “Everybody played us but us,” he noted. Then, he praised the diversity of this year’s nominees, saying it made him “almost happy and certainly less angry.”
–Along those same lines, presenter Diego Luna announced the nominees for Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series in Spanish, directly addressing the “more than 50 million Spanish speakers in this country.”
— A number of actors from The West Wing, including Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Dulé Hilland Richard Schiff, reunited to present the Emmy for Best Drama Series and joked about modern politics. Schiff noted that today, interesting storylines could be “plucked right off the news — storylines that writers would have deemed a bit far-fetched, if not utterly ridiculous, 25 years ago.”
–Baby Reindeer‘s Richard Gadd had a message for the entertainment industry. At the podium to accept the Emmy for Best Limited or Anthology Series, he said, “If Baby Reindeer has proved anything, it’s that there’s no set formula to this — that you don’t need big stars, proven IP, long-running series, catch-all storytelling to have a hit. The only constant across any success in television is good storytelling that speaks to our times. So take risks, push boundaries, explore the uncomfortable. Dare to fail in order to achieve.”
Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White are excited and gearing up to work alongside each other on Wheel of Fortune.
“I mean, it’s Wheel of Fortune. How could you not be happy?” Seacrest told ABC News’ Ginger Zee in an interview that aired Tuesday on Good Morning America.
White added, “It’s energetic, it’s positive, it’s fun. I’m so excited.”
It was announced in June 2023 that Seacrest would take over Pat Sajak‘s decadeslong role as co-host of the iconic show. Seacrest begins his new role as the co-host of “Wheel of Fortune” this fall for the show’s 42nd season.
Seacrest opened up about his experience working with White, who has been co-hosting the show with Sajak since 1982.
“I mean, it’s out of body,” Ryan tells GMA. “It’s out of body for me, you know, to have watched Vanna, and watched this show and Pat, and what they’ve built with audiences across this country. And what this show means to people in their living rooms every night, and their families, and generations of people who have watched this show, it is a very special thing that just doesn’t exist anywhere else.”
As part of his preparation to take the reins from Sajak, Seacrest said he has “watched endless episodes of Pat and Vanna on Wheel of Fortune.”
“We have played mock Wheel of Fortune games in many cities across America, depending on where I am, on conference tables, in meeting rooms,” he shared. “We’ve had makeshift wheels and makeshift contestants for months, just to sort of get the gameplay down, and the time and the pacing down. And hopefully it all pays off.”