Entertainment

20th Century Studios has announced that its hit Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will be invading July’s San Diego Comic Con.

There will be a celebrity panel featuring cast members Freya Allen, Kevin Durand, Owen Teague and Peter Macon, along with Halon Entertainment visualization supervisor Casey Pyke and Wētā FX visual effects supervisor Erik Winquist, the visual effects wizards who turned the cast into photorealistic apes. 

The studio, which is owned by ABC News’ parent company Disney, also teased The Forbidden Zone, an interactive experience through which fans “will be transported through the legacy of this global epic franchise.” 

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is now available via digital platforms like Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home, and comes to 4K UHD, Blu-ray™ and DVD on August 27.

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A24 has dropped the first trailer for the romantic drama We Live in Time, starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh. The two Oscar nominees play Alma and Tobias, respectively, who meet after she accidentally hits him with her car. We are then shown brief scenes of their happy life together, until a tragic diagnosis brings it to a halt, making them cherish each moment of their unconventional love story. We Live in Time is set to open in select theaters on Oct. 11 … (Trailer contains uncensored profanity.)

ABC has renewed Bachelor in Paradise for a 10th season, premiering in 2025, the network announced Wednesday. ABC also announced a couple of additions to The Rookie‘s season 7 cast. Patrick Keleher and Deric Augustine have been tapped for recurring roles as two of the Los Angeles Police Department’s newest rookies. Seasons 1-6 of The Rookie are currently available for streaming on Hulu …

Deadline reports Renée Zellweger is set to executive produce and star in the legal thriller Jane Smith, based on the bestselling novel 12 Months to Live by James Patterson and Mike Lupica. Zellweger will play the titular character, a defense attorney whose world is turned upside down after being diagnosed with a brain tumor on the eve of the biggest case of her career, per the outlet. Zellweger will next be seen in Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, the fourth installment of the Bridget Jones franchise …

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Inside Out 2 is officially Pixar’s highest-grossing movie of all time.

The massively popular animated movie has now grossed $1,251,434,061 at the worldwide box office, according to The Numbers, which reflects studio reports. That figure also places it as the 23rd highest-grossing film of all time at the worldwide box office, a list topped by some of the biggest titles in films, such as Avatar, Avengers: Endgame and Titanic.

In capturing Pixar’s top spot, Inside Out 2 leaped over Incredibles 2, now in the #24 spot.

The original Inside Out, which came out in 2015, still holds a place on the highest-grossing movies worldwide list, sitting at #88.

Inside Out 2 also holds the #1 spot on the worldwide box office chart for 2024 releases, with a significant lead over Dune: Part Two, which grossed $710,865,636.

Inside Out 2 picks up where the 2015 film left off.

Riley, now 13 and entering her teenage years, navigates life with a kaleidoscope of emotions in her mind, including Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger — voiced respectively by Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira and Lewis Black.

“Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone,” reads a synopsis of the film.

Joining the original crew are a group of new emotions: Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, Embarrassment and Nostalgia — voiced respectively by Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser and June Squibb.

Pixar is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

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Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola is teasing a “cinematic oasis” for fans and filmmakers that he’s dubbed the All-Movie Hotel.

The destination in Peachtree City, Georgia, is the first U.S. location of Coppola’s The Family Coppola Hideaway boutique chain, which started in Belize and now includes seven properties, including Guatemala, Argentina and Italy.

According to the ad copy, it is a “first of its kind” facility, “offering both hospitality and facilities needed to make films on any scale, from smaller independent movies to larger-budget endeavors, as well as a destination for film fans interested in the magic of moviemaking.”

In fact, Coppola completed post-production on his star-packed Megalopolis at that very location.

“I envisioned The All-Movie Hotel to be a space where filmmakers could truly immerse themselves in the creative process, fostering a collaborative environment that inspires innovation,” Coppola said in a video promoting the endeavor.

The All-Movie Hotel’s amenities include “27 luxurious suites and rooms designed personally by Francis Coppola,” as well as “state-of-the-art post-production facilities … including two edit suites with laser projection and Meyer Sound 2.1 monitoring,” editing bays, bluescreen facilities and a screening room. 

Check out the location here.

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Kevin Costner gambled tens of millions of dollars of his own money on his Western film franchise Horizon: An American Saga, and so far it’s not paying off — and that’s directly affecting the release of its sequel.

The reportedly $100 million first film opened on June 28 and made just $11 million in its debut weekend.

Costner planned to release as many as four chapters of the franchise in theaters — indeed the trailer for the first one advertised the second chapter would be following close behind on Aug. 16.

But that’s no longer the case, The Hollywood Reporter says.

Warner Bros. Discovery-owned New Line and Costner’s own Territory Pictures have decided to pull the second chapter from its theatrical release date, according to a rep from New Line to the trade. The strategy is to “give audiences a greater opportunity to discover the first installment … over the coming weeks” by shifting it to streaming on video on demand and Max.

In a separate statement, a rep for Costner’s production company says, “The audience response to Horizon, and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in Horizon 2, has been incredibly gratifying,” adding, “We welcome the opportunity for that window to be expanded as we know it will only serve to enhance the experience of seeing Horizon 2.”

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Add George Clooney to the list of Hollywood backers who are calling on President Joe Biden to stand down ahead of the 2024 election.

In a New York Times op-ed published Wednesday, Clooney, who just weeks ago hosted a fundraiser for Biden’s reelection campaign, called for the president to exit the 2024 race.

Clooney wrote, “I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. … In the last four years, he’s won many of the battles he’s faced.”

However, Clooney added, “But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time.”

Clooney called it “devastating to say,” but “the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”

In his first post-debate television interview, Biden insisted to ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos that the debate was just one “bad night.”

The stinging language lands Clooney among a chorus of Democrats — from elected officials to high-profile celebrity donors — asking the president to allow another, younger nominee to lead the Democratic Party’s ticket.

Acknowledging it would be “messy,” Clooney says change would “enliven our party and wake up voters” who “checked out long before the June debate.”

“The short ramp to Election Day would be a benefit for us, not a danger,” Clooney argued. “It would give us the chance to showcase the future without so much opposition research and negative campaigning that comes with these ridiculously long and expensive election seasons.”

A Biden campaign official did not respond directly to the op-ed, but pointed ABC News to Biden’s recent comments that he is remaining in the race.

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Prosecutors argued Alec Baldwin behaved recklessly and “violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety” during the filming of Rust, while the defense said the actor “committed no crime” in the “unspeakable tragedy,” during opening statements Wednesday in the manslaughter trial over the fatal 2021 on-set shooting.

Baldwin was practicing a cross draw in a church on the Santa Fe set of the Western when the Colt-style revolver he was holding fired a live round, fatally striking 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

Baldwin was indicted by a grand jury on involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with Hutchins’ death earlier this year. He pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson told jurors that they will hear about “numerous breaches” of firearm safety regarding Baldwin, like putting his finger on the trigger when he was not supposed to.

“The evidence will show that that third and fatal time … he cocks the hammer, points it straight at Miss Hutchins and fires that gun, sending that live bullet right into Miss Hutchins’ body,” she continued.

“After the shooting, the defendant began to claim he didn’t pull the trigger. The evidence will show … that’s not possible,” Johnson insisted.

Defense attorney Alex Spiro told jurors the “most critical issue” in the case is how the live bullet got on set.

“On this set, there was a real bullet, something that should never be on a movie set,” Spiro said, insisting Baldwin had nothing to do with “that real bullet being brought onto that set.”

He said it was the armorer’s responsibility to ensure the firearm was safe.

Spiro said when the gun was handed to Baldwin, “cold gun” was announced, indicating it was safe. When it fired, everyone on set was “shocked,” he said.

“Alec is startled. He immediately says, ‘I didn’t mean to shoot. I didn’t pull the trigger,'” Spiro said.

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Just weeks after he signed off as the host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat Sajak will be back, on ABC.

The network just announced that the beloved host will return for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune for his final spins on Oct. 7.

The show will be the lead-in for Press Your Luck, hosted by actress and director Elizabeth Banks.

Sajak, 77, was seen on his final episode of the syndicated Wheel of Fortune on June 7 after 41 years. He told his loyal viewers on that final night, “What an honor to have played even a small part in all that. Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”

As reported, Ryan Seacrest will succeed Sajak on the syndicated program starting in September.

Back in 2021, Sajak told ABC Audio that celebrities added a different flavor to the game, saying, “Well, a lot of them come from … films or sitcoms where the pace is so different. … But, you know, we crank them out pretty good. So, you know, some of them are saying, ‘Wow, you guys really know what you’re doing around here!'”

He also added celebrity contestants have a habit that the show’s everyday contestants don’t: they can’t stop taking selfies on set. “Sometimes I’d say I’d have to stop them. ‘You know, we have a game to play here, guys. Put your phones away!'”

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Apple TV+ has dropped a second season teaser to Severance, announcing its highly anticipated premiere date.

The clip begins with a little refresher: As Adam Scott‘s Mark and his fellow employees return to Lumen Industries, we hear in voiceover their season 1 pledge to sever both their personal lives from their professional ones. “I am aware this alteration is comprehensive and irreversible,” Britt Lower‘s Helly vows.

However, the teaser is just as mysterious as the Ben Stiller-produced show itself, revealing nothing about the new season. It does introduce a new character for the sophomore frame, Game of Thrones vet Gwendoline Christie, who warns Mark and Helly: “You should’ve left.”

The streaming service teases, “In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.”

The show returns Friday, January 17, 2025, with a new episode dropping every Friday through March 21.

Returning cast members also include Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, Michael Chernus, John Turturro and Christopher Walken, and for season 2, joining Christie as new cast members will be Alia Shawkat, Merritt Wever, Bob Balaban, and John Noble, among others.

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Joan Vassos‘ journey to finding love as the Golden Bachelorette is about to begin.

On Tuesday, Bachelor host Jesse Palmer shared a photo on Instagram with Vassos in front of the Bachelor mansion.

“It’s been a busy summer,” Palmer wrote in the caption of the post, adding a rose emoji.

In the image, Vassos, who is dressed in a glamorous gown with sparkles, is all smiles as she poses for the camera next to Palmer.

Last month, Vassos, who was named the first Golden Bachelorette in May during the Disney Upfront 2024 presentation, shared a video on Instagram of herself packing for the Bachelor mansion.

“Excited, nervous, and overpacked… but, mostly ready to get this golden journey started,” she wrote in the caption of her post. “Feeling all the feels as I pack up to start my next chapter at the Bachelor Mansion.”

Palmer’s photo comes a day after the season premiere of Jenn Tran‘s season of The Bachelorette, where Tran was introduced to all her suitors.

The host also shared a post with Tran the day before and wrote in the caption, “Jenn’s time has finally arrived!!! So incredibly proud and happy for her.”

The Golden Bachelorette will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET this fall on ABC.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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