Entertainment

Lionsgate revealed on Thursday that Borderlands, the action movie based on the bestselling video game series, is hitting theaters August 9, 2024.

Kevin Hart, and Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis star in the movie as the flesh-and-blood version of the game’s characters: Hart plays mercenary Roland; Blanchett the Siren, Lillith; and Curtis the archeologist, Dr. Patricia Tannis.  

Jack Black has also signed on to the picture as the voice of Claptrap, a wheeled, robotic sidekick from the games. 

The plot of the three Borderlands games centers on the planet Pandora — no, not the Avatar one — where players hunt for a mysterious Vault, and its jackpot of alien tech and other assorted treasures.

Horror director Eli Roth is helming the movie, which also stars comedian and actor Bobby Lee, actor Édgar Ramirez, actresses Gina Gershon and Ariana Greenblatt, and Creed II and III baddie Florian Munteanu.

The Borderlands games have sold more than 66 million units worldwide, according to co-producer Gearbox Software.

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With the Writers Guild and SAG strikes still going, many networks are relying on reality shows to fill anticipated gaps in their fall schedules, and a veteran of one of the most popular reality shows is taking note.

In a lengthy Instagram video string, Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel floated the idea of reality stars somehow unionizing so they get a cut of the endlessly rerun hits on Bravo and other networks.

SAG-AFTRA actors are striking in part over diminishing residuals from streaming, meaning they get paid less than they used to when a show is rerun. Reality show stars don’t get any residuals.

“Should the Kardashians keep earning residuals even though they’re billionaires? Yeah. You don’t get to count their money. It’s supply and demand … if you keep watching their content … They should keep getting paid until the end of time,” said Frankel, who said she got just $7,250 for the entire first season of the show.

The entrepreneur also took issue with the so-called “Bethenny Clause,” which is unique to reality show contracts. It states a portion of the money any reality star earns in a separate business goes back to the network “because every nickel needs to goes to the man, even if [reality stars] earn it themselves,” she vented.

Frankel says that although SAG-AFTRA contracts are different, the striking actors got her thinking about how unfairly reality stars are treated.

“The streamers and the networks that have the shows that are filming right now are … thinking, ‘Oh no, now this b**** is going to going corrupt all these donkeys and mules and … morons that we’re going to work to the bone to fill in the blanks while this strike goes [on],” Frankel vented. “Reality stars are ready for something … There’s a reckoning coming.”

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With the Writers Guild of America and The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) on strike, workers on Broadway could be the next to grab their picket signs.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) announced a strike authorization vote “for members working under the Broadway League and Buena Vista Theatrical [also known as] Disney Theatrical” on Wednesday, July 19, according to the union.

If an agreement is not reached, thousands of stagehands, makeup artists and wardrobe artists working on the Great White Way as well as on tour in New York and Canada could strike as early as the morning of Friday, July 20.

The decision for a strike authorization vote “was unanimously made by the contract’s bargaining committee, which is comprised of International Leadership and rank-and-file theater workers, after negotiations with The Broadway League and Disney Theatrical Productions failed to meet key worker demands,” IATSE noted in a press release.

The latter subsidiary produces hits like The Lion King on Broadway.

IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb said, “We need to show strength and unity to ensure
we win the wages, benefits, and rights that all members at IATSE have earned and deserve.”

The union noted “notable strides have been made in these negotiations so far,” but “several workers’ top priorities have still not been sufficiently addressed,” including, “increasing salaries for Broadway crews and establishing reasonable weekly and daily rest periods.”

Loeb commented, “This strike vote will send a strong message that we will not accept substandard contracts that fail to acknowledge our workers’ contributions. We will not leave anyone stranded, and we will not back down unless we have a deal the members can accept by the end of the week.”

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Apparently, a lot of people out there are thinking pink. 

The hashtag #barbieoutfits has surpassed 246 million views on TikTok. The online retailer Boohoo says Pinterest searches for “Barbie outfits” have increased by 614% worldwide over the past year, while searches for “pink outfit” jumped 194% worldwide.

Pinterest has more than 900 ideas for how to incorporate some of the iconic doll’s fashion into your own wardrobe.

On Google, “Barbie inspired outfits” is also a top trending search, with users in Texas, Florida, and of course, the Malibu icon’s home state of California leading the charge. “Barbie Fashion” was most searched by users in Utah, with Tennessee, Arkansas, Oregon and New York rounding out the top five.

Searches for “Barbie Cosplay” also hit a fever pitch, likely for movie-bound fans looking for some fashion inspo, led by Google searchers in California, with Florida a close second. 

Meanwhile, Aqua‘s 1997 hit “Barbie Girl” has just gone triple platinum — not bad considering the song doesn’t appear on the movie’s soundtrack.

Greta Gerwig‘s Barbie, starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae, Will Ferrell and more, opens Friday, July 21, from Warner Bros. Pictures.

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The SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes have put a major crimp in the major networks’ fall schedule plans, with ABC and CBS leaning on reality shows — and the latter also calling up content like Yellowstone from its sister streaming network Paramount+ — to fill the gaps. But NBC has other plans, according to Deadline. The network will shift already-shot shows that were supposed to run in the winter mid-season period ahead to the fall. Included are 10 episodes of Magnum: P.I., to close its fifth and final season, as well as new episodes of its hit Quantum Leap reboot, as well as the missing persons drama Found, starring Shanola Hampton, and The Irrational, a procedural drama starring former Law & Order lead Jesse L. Martin…

On Wednesday, Amazon unveiled the captivating trailer for the highly-anticipated second season of its epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time. Adapted from Robert Jordan‘s best-selling novels, the show delves into the journey of Rand al’Thor, portrayed by Josha Stradowski, a seemingly ordinary farm boy who learns “he is The Dragon Reborn—a dangerous figure from history destined to save the world … or break it.” The streamer teases, “Desperate to protect him from the Dark One, an army of powerful women must reckon with his burgeoning power and encroaching madness.” The series, which also stars Rosamund Pike, returns on September 1, exclusively on Prime Video…

Hulu dropped new artwork for the upcoming third season of Only Murders in the Building, giving fans a peak into the upcoming episodes. The synopsis reveals that Charles, Oliver, and Mabel — portrayed respectively by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez — will be entangled in a murder mystery behind the scenes of a Broadway production. The victim is none other than Hollywood action star Ben Glenroy, played by Paul Rudd, whose Broadway dreams meet a tragic end. Assisted by co-star Loretta Durkin, portrayed by Meryl Streep, the trio faces their toughest case yet, while director Oliver battles to salvage the show. Only Murders in the Building season 3 premieres August 8…

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The countdown for Christopher Nolan’s atomic bomb biopic, Oppenheimer, is quickly winding down, as the film releases in theaters and IMAX screens everywhere on Friday, July 21.

In anticipation of its release, the main cast spoke to ABC Audio ahead of the SAG-AFTRA strike about the three-hour epic.

Cillian Murphy is no stranger to working with Nolan — though this was his first time taking on a leading role in one of his films. That role is J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb.

“Chris calls me up, and whatever he asks me to do, I’m there for him. That’s how much I love his work and that’s how much respect I have for him,” Murphy said. “We’ve done six movies now, but I did not expect this one to be the lead. So, it was a great — a very pleasant shock.”

And while the film follows true events, Murphy says Oppenheimer isn’t your average biographical movie.

“The film is not your conventional biopic,” Murphy said. “It does make you think. And people can choose to think about the nuclear age that we live in, or they could choose not to. And I think this film might affect that choice.”

His co-stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt wholeheartedly agree on the film’s importance. “It is the biggest story, I think, of the last hundred years, if not in the history of humanity, right?” Damon said.

“It’s knowing you’re going to be a part of something so important. It is so exciting,” Blunt added.

“Yeah,” Damon agreed. Of the film’s director, Damon noted, “A story of that scale deserves a director of that ability.”

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Putting their faith in the hands of a sentient computer system didn’t go so well for humans in the world of James Cameron‘s Terminator movies: Skynet came to see all mankind as a threat and tried to exterminate it by setting off a nuclear exchange.

In real life, with the rise of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tech, he’s here to say he told you so.

“I warned you guys in 1984, and you didn’t listen,” the Canadian Oscar winner joked to CTV on Tuesday, July 18.

“I think the weaponization of AI is the biggest danger,” the Titanic and Avatar director said.

“I think that we will get into the equivalent of a nuclear arms race with AI, and if we don’t build it, the other guys are for sure going to build it, and so then it’ll escalate,” he argued.

“You could imagine an AI in a combat theater, the whole thing just being fought by the computers at a speed humans can no longer intercede, and you have no ability to deescalate.”

That said, on a lighthearted note, Cameron said he wouldn’t be open to directing a movie written by AI — “unless they were really good, you know,” he smiled. “You know, let’s wait 20 years, and if an AI wins an Oscar for Best Screenplay, I think we’ve gotta take them seriously.”

He did say that he feels humanity is key to moving an audience with a script, however.

Incidentally, the Ontario native was honored Tuesday by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society for his tireless ocean exploration and his environmental conservationism.

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In case you’ve been living under a rock over the past year and hadn’t heard, pickleball is taking the world by storm — and if you needed more proof, there’s a new reality show in the works. 

Ace Rodrigues, CEO and founder of the Pickleball Kingdom franchise, promises Pickleball Paddle Battle will “deliver an immersive, captivating viewer experience guaranteed to unite legions of pickleball enthusiasts, sports lovers, and reality TV fans alike,” as well as offer “opportunities for contestants to win prizes at a level never offered before.”

He continues, “Viewers can expect awe-inspiring displays of athleticism, gripping rivalries, and emotional triumphs, all set against the backdrop of the pickleball craze that has swept throughout the world.”

What’s more, they’re looking for players. 

Rodrigues says a nationwide call is searching for “16 elite players, carefully selected based on exceptional skills and unwavering passion for the game.”

The eight men and eight women “will face a series of challenging and exhilarating pickleball matches, pushing their physical and mental limits to emerge victorious.” 

If you think you’ve got what it takes, take a low-impact jog to www.pickleballpaddlebattle.tv for more information on how to apply.

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Costume designer Shawna Trpcic recently scored her third Emmy nomination for a Star Wars small-screen project, Disney+’s third season of The Mandalorian. 

This is her third nomination, following noms for the first season and The Book of Boba Fett.  

She tells ABC Audio she wasn’t even aware it was Emmy nomination week the first time around.

“I didn’t even know that was that time period,” she says. “This time I was very aware, you know, everybody’s on strike. It’s very quiet. And I was like, ‘There’s so much good content out there right now. … I don’t know that we stand a chance, but we worked so, so hard. It would be just so wonderful to get nominated for this one because we poured our heart into it, and it’s the biggest show we’ve done yet.'”

Trpcic expresses, “And then when we got nominated, I was tearful, and I was shaking, and I was, like, texting everybody. I’m like, ‘Oh my God, we did it.’ So it was a thrill, honestly.”

In a new installment of Gallery: Behind the Scenes of The Mandalorian, season 3 guest stars Jack Black and Lizzo can be seen in their costumes as the leaders of the planet Plazir-15 — and they couldn’t be having more fun. 

Trpcic laughs of Black’s fitting, “He’s just so full of glory and light, and we’re huge fans of his. And so we’re trying to maintain and be serious and get all of our measurements in while we can … We’re trying to stifle giggles, be quiet and get our job done.”

The designer recalled Lizzo’s reaction to seeing her spectacular gown’s design. “She teared up. I said, ‘Welcome to Star Wars.’ And, you know, she has Star Wars toys on her bookshelf at home. So she’s one of us.” 

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It’s been 25 years since we were introduced to one of television’s favorite onscreen friendships with Will & Grace. To celebrate — and kick off the Paley Pride celebration — The Paley Center for Media in New York City launched a new exhibit celebrating BFFs Will Truman and Grace Adler and their scene-stealing pals, Jack McFarland and Karen Walker.

Will & Grace is credited with paving the way for LGBTQ+ representation on primetime TV, being one of the first to feature openly gay principal characters in Will and Jack. Premiering on NBC in 1998, the series quickly became a part of the pop culture zeitgeist. Audiences were treated to the quartet’s antics for eight seasons before wrapping in 2006; the show then briefly returned in 2017, before officially ending in 2020.

The exhibit, which opened in June, has been extended until July 30. It’s a fun, immersive experience, recreating Will and Grace’s famous New York apartment’s living room. Plus, fans of Café Jacques can take a seat and some pictures at Jack’s one-table café for a true Instagram moment.

There are a total of 42 items on display that were used during the series’ run, including jewelry, ID cards and other accessories — like Will’s garden gnome, Squatsie. Perhaps the most nostalgic components of the exhibit are Will, Grace, Karen and Jack’s costumes — from Karen’s “I Loves Me Kitty” sweatshirt to Jack’s shower caps.

After taking them all in, kick back in the Bennack Theater to screen classic episodes (only available Wednesdays through Sundays). If you’re ready to prove you’re a die-hard fan, test your knowledge of the sitcom with some trivia on the interactive monitor.

If you happen to be in NYC, grab your BFF, practice your best Cher impersonation and head to the Paley Center for Media.

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