Entertainment

Fandango has once again quizzed its ticket buyers as to what they’re looking forward to seeing this fall at a theater near them, and the team-up movie The Marvels and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes topped the list.

Ranking third is a movie that just opened at #1 at the box office, Denzel Washington‘s third and reportedly final Equalizer film, followed by Oscar winners Kenneth Branagh and Michelle Yeoh in the Agatha Christie adaptation A Haunting in Venice, and Martin Scorsese‘s Killers of the Flower Moon, which stars Robert De Niro and Leonardo Dicaprio.

Further, as we gear up to the spooky season, Fandango polled further as to what scary movies fans were looking forward to seeing, and the Branagh-starring and directed Haunting topped that list; second place belonged to The Exorcist: Believer; third went to the game adaptation Five Nights At Freddy’s; Saw X came in fourth, and The Nun II was fifth.

Survey questions, methodology and results have not been verified or endorsed by ABC News or The Walt Disney Company.

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The simultaneous Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes have put the hurt on California’s economy, to the tune of $5 billion bucks so far, according to the Financial Times.

While the twin strikes have ground production of movies and TV shows to a halt, they’ve also crippled other companies dependent on the entertainment industry, from dry cleaners for costumers, to caterers for set craft services departments, to equipment rentals.

“All these different people who provide support services that make productions happen – they’re getting nailed,” Kevin Klowden told the Financial Times. Klowden is the chief global strategist at the Milken Institute, which took a deep dive into the strikes’ effects.

The economic impact on California has been even bigger than some had theorized, the article states.

According to a financial statement just released by Warner Bros. Discovery that was quoted by Deadline, that one company alone is expecting a $500 million loss from the work stoppages — and that’s even with the blockbuster Barbie under Warner Bros. Pictures’ belt.

The Writers Guild of America strike began on May 2, and the SAG-AFTRA strike officially started on Friday, July 14.

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Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney‘s purchase of the Wrexham football club might have started as an unlikely pairing, but apparently has become a big enough deal to get them an audience with King Charles.

In a new teaser for September 12’s return of their FX docuseries Welcome to Wrexham, the cochairs of the Welsh football team are seated together when they share a moment of shock when the phone rings.

“So the King of England called,” a stunned Reynolds says to the camera before the pair show off their preparation.

“Monarchy boot camp,” the Deadpool star says of royal etiquette training they undertook to meet the king.

“It’s like the military, except your pinky’s always up,” Ryan jokes.

Ryan and Rob are shown how to walk and sit properly in the king’s presence, and how to shake King Charles’ hand. “Two pumps and release,” the expert tells them, to which they giggle at the dirty double entendre.

The hard work apparently pays off, as the snippet shows Charles on the pitch, meeting the stars that helped turn around the fortunes of the underdog team and the town that loves them.

Welcome to Wrexham also streams on Hulu.

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Embattled star of The Flash, Ezra Miller lightened things up on Sunday, September 3, taking part in the New York Mets‘ Jewish Heritage Day by taking part in a special opening ceremony.

The actor played catcher to pitcher Matisyahu, who threw out the opening matzo ball to commemorate the game. The “King Without a Crown” artist also performed between innings at the game.

According to video provided to Page Six, Miller helped craft the ball from a family recipe, adding more dough than usual so it could stand up to being hurled, not eaten. And although the actor made a valiant dive for Matisyahu’s wide pitch, Miller flubbed the catch.

It was a rare positive headline for Miller, whose Flash film bombed at the box office, and who had several run-ins with the law preceding the movie’s release.

Miller and Matisyahu have been taking the stage together in other ways lately, with Miller on percussion backing up the artist.

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Kristin Chenoweth and Josh Bryant have tied the knot.

The Tony Award-winning actress and singer married her longtime boyfriend in a wedding ceremony in Dallas over the weekend.

“I have been a self-proclaimed bachelorette my whole life,” Chenoweth told People, which shared the first exclusive photos from the couple’s wedding ceremony.

“I was never going to get married,” the 55-year-old continued. “I even got engaged before and couldn’t do it. Until I met Josh. Then I was like, ‘Why would I ever let this guy go?’ I’m so blessed.”

Chenoweth and 41-year-old Bryant, a musician, first met at a wedding in 2016 but didn’t start dating until 2018, after they saw each other at another wedding and reconnected. They got engaged in October 2021.

Chenoweth wore a custom gown from designer Pamella Roland for her wedding.

The couple also told People about the unique details they incorporated into their ceremony, like making their dog Thunder their ring bearer — the pup made her entrance to AC/DC‘s “Thunderstruck” — and how they included a Wicked-inspired drink in their cocktail hour, following the ceremony.

On their connection and falling in love, Chenoweth told the publication, “I guess it was the right time. God knew what he was doing with that.”

“Josh is 14 years younger than me, and I thought that was ridiculous,” she continued. “I’m never going to do that in my life, ever. But he’s made me feel very confident and beautiful and loved at any age.”

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Netflix’s hit series The Crown is gearing up for its sixth and final season, promising a royal wedding but not that of Princes William or Harry. Netflix took to social media Monday, September 4, to tease, “After six seasons, seven years and three casts, @TheCrownNetflix comes to an end later this year. We’ll be back with more soon, but here’s a hint at what’s to come in our final season.” Included was a photo of an invitation to Prince Charles‘ 2005 wedding to Camilla Parker-Bowles. The series, spanning six seasons with three casts over seven years, will conclude later this year. Dominic West will reprise his role as Charles, with Olivia Williams as Camilla…

Hulu has decided to pull the plug on How I Met Your Father after just two seasons. Starring Hilary Duff, How I Met Your Father concluded its second season in July, leaving the titular question unanswered. The show serves as a spinoff to the popular How I Met Your Mother, set in the same New York City universe and featuring guest appearances from original cast members like Cobie Smulders and Neil Patrick Harris. The series also starred Francia Raisa, Tom Ainsley, Christopher Lowell, Suraj Sharma, and Tien Tran with Kim Cattrall narrating the series…

Gary Wright, best known for his 70s hit songs “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive,” died Monday morning at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California, after a long health battle, his son told Chicago’s ABC7. He was 80. His son, Justin, said his father had been suffering with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia for the past six years…

Robert Klane, the creative force behind beloved comedy classics like Weekend at Bernie’s and Where’s Poppa?, as well as the director of the disco-era hit “Thank God It’s Friday,” has passed away at the age of 81. He succumbed to kidney failure after a prolonged illness at his Woodland Hills, California, residence. Klane’s screenwriting repertoire includes films such as National Lampoon’s European Vacation, The Man With One Red Shoe, and Unfaithfully Yours. He also made notable contributions to television, penning episodes for MASH and directing The Odd Couple: Together Again. Klane’s work on Tracey Takes On… earned him an Emmy Award in 1997…

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Denzel Washington‘s action-packed thriller The Equalizer 3 stormed into the top spot at the box office, raking in an impressive $34.5 million over the weekend and an estimated $41 million during the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Notably, the three-day domestic figure closely mirrors its predecessors; 2014’s The Equalizer opened with $34 million, and 2018’s The Equalizer 2 with $36 million. Both earlier films, also directed by Antoine Fuqua, surpassed $100 million domestically and nearly $200 million worldwide.

Barbie continues to shine as it secures the second spot with a weekend tally of $9.7 million, further bolstered by an estimated $12.6 million over the extended weekend, maintaining its title as the highest-grossing worldwide release with an estimated $1.83 billion. 

Securing the third position is Blue Beetle, accumulating an additional $8.6 million throughout the holiday period. In its third week of release, the movie has garnered $57 million domestically and a total of $101.9 million worldwide. 

Gran Turismo, which claimed the top spot in the previous week, now slips to fourth place, amassing an estimated $8.4 million through the holiday. The racing drama, directed by Neill Blomkamp, now stands at a domestic total of $30.6 million and $80.9 million internationally. 

In fifth position, Oppenheimer continues to impress, with $5.3 million earned during its seventh weekend in theaters and an estimated $7 million through Monday. The Christopher Nolan film has now crossed $850 million worldwide, solidifying its position as the director’s third-highest-grossing film, surpassing the earnings of Inception ($837 million). Among Nolan’s esteemed filmography, it trails only The Dark Knight ($1 billion) and The Dark Knight Rises ($1.08 billion) in terms of global box office success.

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Just when Meg Ryan thought it was safe to go back to the theater, Taylor Swift decided to dominate movies, too.

Ryan’s directorial effort What Happens Later, which stars the romantic comedy veteran and David Duchovny, was to open October 13. 

However, on Thursday, August 31, it was announced the concert film of Taylor’s record-breaking Eras Tour was dropping in AMC Theaters on that date. In response, Bleecker Street Films announced it’s steering clear of what’s already becoming a glitter-covered box office iceberg. 

The studio announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that its much-awaited “Megassaince” will be delayed by two weeks.

Responding to Taylor’s post on X about the movie, the studio gave a twofer name-drop of her songs, writing, “So we’ll take our time…Are you ready for it? Meg Ryan ends her 14-year rom-com hiatus and the #Megaissance begins with #WhatHappensLater, now happening…later. Coming only to theaters November 3!”

It was a smart move: The Eras Tour film already broke presale records for the theater chain AMC, earning $26 million in single-day ticket sales the day the movie was announced.

As reported, The Exorcist: Believer was scared away by Taylor, too, moving its October 13 date up to October 6 to avoid the competition. “Look what you made me do,” producer Jason Blum commented.

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Have no fear, your reality roundup is here! Here’s a look at what’s happened in the world of reality television this week.

The Kardashians (Hulu)
Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson have legally changed their son’s name to Tatum Thompson, over a year following his birth. The Los Angeles court approved the change from “Kardashian” to “Tatum Thompson,” according to documents obtained by Page Six. Originally listed as “Baby” on the birth certificate, the Good American co-founder, 39, reportedly found it challenging to finalize a name for her son. 

Summer House (Bravo)
Summer House stars Lindsay Hubbard and Carl Radke have ended their engagement, an exclusive report by ET reveals. Multiple sources tell ET, “Carl Radke and Lindsay Hubbard have called off their engagement. The two were set to get married in November, but Carl told Lindsay he couldn’t move forward with the wedding. The breakup was filmed and will most likely play out on the next season of Summer House.” The couple had planned to tie the knot in November. 

Bachelor in Paradise (ABC)
Former Bachelor in Paradise contestant Lace Morris, 33, took to Instagram to announce that she’s expecting her first child with partner Ryan John Nelson. The couple shared an adorable post featuring their dog, Lola, adorned with a “baby security” bandana. A onesie reading “protected by Lola” and an ultrasound image complete the heartwarming picture. Morris captioned the post, “Baby has entered the chat What a beautiful surprise,” also revealing that “Baby Nelson” is expected to arrive in March.

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Deadline just excerpted veteran TV director James Burrows‘ new book, but one comment about a particular recurring guest cast member on Friends got a decidedly unfriendly response in the trade’s comments section.

In Burrows’ memoir, Directed By James Burrows, he said of Helen Baxendale, who played Ross Geller’s English girlfriend-turned-wife Emily: “She was nice, but not particularly funny.”

Baxendale joined the show in season 4 and left the next season, after Emily married Ross in a ceremony where he blurted out the name of Jennifer Aniston‘s Rachel during his vows.

Further, Burrows says, she lacked “chemistry” with her onscreen love interest, played by David Schwimmer. “Schwimmer had no one to bounce off. It was like clapping with one hand,” he expressed.

“[T]he funny is just as important as the chemistry,” he added. “We discovered that any new girlfriend for Ross needed to be as funny as Rachel.”

Burrows even revealed they plotted recasting the actress, but said a tight schedule nixed that proposition. “Sometimes you start an arc and it ain’t working out, so you have to get rid of that person. If it’s a day player, it’s a quick goodbye.”

Considering it’s been a long time since an unexpected real-life pregnancy led to Baxendale quitting the show — and indeed the show itself has been off the air since 2004 — more than one person saw Burrows’ comments as unnecessarily “petty.”

Another hissed, “Tacky comments from Burrows, for sure.”

Other Friends fans who chimed in thought her performance perfectly fit the character, who was thrust into the longtime group of pals.

Another asked, “What did this woman do to deserve this blurb? Nothing.”

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