Attorneys file motion to dismiss case against ‘Rust’ armorer

Attorneys file motion to dismiss case against ‘Rust’ armorer
Attorneys file motion to dismiss case against ‘Rust’ armorer

Attorneys for Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed filed a motion Thursday to dismiss her case in the fatal on-set shooting of the film’s cinematographer.

Gutierrez-Reed was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of Halyna Hutchins, 42, on the New Mexico set of the Western in October 2021.

Actor Alec Baldwin was practicing a cross-draw when the gun fired, striking the cinematographer and director Joel Souza, who suffered a non-life-threatening injury.

Baldwin also faced two counts of involuntary manslaughter over the shooting death, though the charges were dropped last month.

In the motion to dismiss, attorneys for the armorer criticized former prosecutors in the case, state Rep. Andrea Reeb and Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies — who have since stepped down — of running a “sloppy” and “unconstitutional” case against Ms. Gutierrez-Reed, and making “prejudicial” statements against her in the media.

Her attorneys also claim their prosecution of their client was amplified to benefit both prosecutors’ “personal brands.”

Investigators have said they found “a mix” of hundreds of rounds of ammunition on the movie’s set, including inert “dummy” rounds, firing blanks, and actual live ammunition, one round of which found its way into Baldwin’s gun, and discharged, killing Hutchins, and injuring Souza.

Gun enhancement charges filed in the case against both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed were dropped in late February.

Gutierrez-Reed’s preliminary hearing was pushed back to the week of Aug. 9. It had initially been scheduled to start earlier this month, though both state and defense attorneys asked for more time.

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In Brief: ‘Grey Anatomy’ faves returning for season 20, and more

In Brief: ‘Grey Anatomy’ faves returning for season 20, and more
In Brief: ‘Grey Anatomy’ faves returning for season 20, and more

Good news, Grey’s Anatomy fans: Many of your favorites from the show’s past 19 seasons have already been nailed down for season 20, according to Deadline. Original cast members James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson will be returning. So will Kevin McKidd, who has been on the show since season 5, Kim Raver, who started in season 6 and returned in season 14 after a five-year break, Camilla Luddington, a cast member since season 9 and Caterina Scorsone, who joined in season 10. That follows last season’s departures of series lead Ellen Pompeo, along with longtime cast member Kelly McCreary and showrunner Krista Vernoff

The Critics Choice Association has set Sunday, January 14, 2024 as the date for the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards. Submissions will open for TV categories on September 25, 2023, and will close on Nov. 13. Television nominations will be announced on December 5 at 9 a.m. PT, while film noms will be revealed on December 13 at 9 a.m. PT. The 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards ceremony will once again take place at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles and carried live on The CW…

The cast of Ridley Scott‘s Gladiator sequel continues to grow. Deadline reports Moon Knight actress May Calamawy has joined the picture, as has Sleepy Hollow‘s Peter Mensah, 6 Underground‘s Lior Raz, Bridesmaids vet Matt Lucas, and original Gladiator co-star Derek Jacobi. Additionally, The White LotusFred Hechinger is in talks to play Emperor Geta. Previously announced cast members include lead Paul Mescal, as well as Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Connie Nielsen, the latter of whom will reprise her role as Lucilla. The 2000 blockbuster Gladiator, grossed more than $460 million worldwide and took home five Oscars, including Best Picture…

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Katie Holmes sounds off on a possible Dawson’s Creek reboot: “Today’s world might tarnish it’”

Katie Holmes sounds off on a possible Dawson’s Creek reboot: “Today’s world might tarnish it’”
Katie Holmes sounds off on a possible Dawson’s Creek reboot: “Today’s world might tarnish it’”
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Dawson’s Creek alum Katie Holmes addressed the possibility of a reboot of the teen drama and she’s not completely on board with the idea, for now at least.

“There have been many discussions over the years. We all loved the experience,” Holmes, 44, said during an interview as part of the Kering Women in Motion talks at Cannes Film Festival, according to Variety. “There’s a protection that comes along with the discussion. The show was a time capsule. To put it into today’s world might tarnish it a little bit.”

“It was right before everyone had a phone and social media and all of that, so there was an innocence that was there between the characters that was one of the things I think people liked about the show. To put it into the setting of today’s world, I’m not sure,” she continued.

“We’ve often talked about it,” Holmes added. “For now, we kind of just keeping saying that until there is a real reason to do it, it hasn’t been something where people have said, ‘This is the take on it.’”

Dawson’s Creek ran for six seasons on the WB between 1998 and 2003 and made stars out of Holmes and her co-stars James Van Der BeekMichelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson, among others.

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Disney grounding its ‘Star Wars’: Galactic Starcruiser attraction in September

Disney grounding its ‘Star Wars’: Galactic Starcruiser attraction in September
Disney grounding its ‘Star Wars’: Galactic Starcruiser attraction in September
Disney Parks

Disney is closing its Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience at Walt Disney World Resort later this year, the company announced Thursday.

The vacation experience, which launched in March 2022 and provided guests with an immersive two-night adventure that blended Star Wars-like interiors with live entertainment like alien lounge singers and a live-action role-play element for guests, will embark on its “final voyage” September 28 to 30.

The hotel attraction, set aboard a cruise ship in space, had been praised for its innovation, but derided online after its launch in 2022 when fans found out a two-night stay could run as much as $6,000 for a family of four.

The statement announcing the closure alluded to the latter, noting, “This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms, and as we prepare for its final voyage, we will take what we’ve learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans.”

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Good news, everyone! New ‘Futurama’ episodes debuting on Hulu July 24

Good news, everyone! New ‘Futurama’ episodes debuting on Hulu July 24
Good news, everyone! New ‘Futurama’ episodes debuting on Hulu July 24
Hulu

On Thursday, Hulu dropped a teaser to the eighth season of the beloved, Emmy-winning one-time Fox animated series Futurama, noting its return on July 24.

The streaming service made a deal for 20 new episodes — two 10-episode seasons — of the show back in 2022, and after some negotiation with holdout John DiMaggio, who voices the robot Bender, managed to reunite the entire cast, which also includes Katey Sagal, Billy West and Phil Lamarr.

Hulu teases, “New viewers will be able to pick up the series from here, while long-time fans will recognize payoffs to decades-long mysteries – including developments in the epic love story of Fry and Leela, the mysterious contents of Nibbler’s litter box, the secret history of evil Robot Santa, and the whereabouts of Kif and Amy’s tadpoles. Meanwhile, there’s a whole new pandemic in town as the crew explores the future of vaccines, bitcoin, cancel culture, and streaming TV.”

Simpsons creator Matt Groening created the show with David X. Cohen, and it launched on Fox in 1999, running for four years. In 2008, Comedy Central aired a fifth season culled from four direct-to-video movies, before picking up new episodes of the show that ran for two more seasons between 2010 and 2013.

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Harrison Ford promises fans his last ‘Indiana Jones’ movie will “knock their socks off”

Harrison Ford promises fans his last ‘Indiana Jones’ movie will “knock their socks off”
Harrison Ford promises fans his last ‘Indiana Jones’ movie will “knock their socks off”
Lucasfilm

On Thursday, Lucasfilm released a behind-the-scenes peek at Harrison Ford‘s final adventure as the whip-cracking archeologist Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Oscar-nominated Logan screenwriter and director James Mangold took over duties behind the camera for Steven Spielberg for the final chapter.

“We love Indiana Jones because we love movies,” Mangold says in the new video as clips from the previous movies play. “We love the cause and effect, we love the tripwire of events,” he continues. “All these pieces fit together to make the lightning in a bottle of an Indiana Jones film.”

“But also,” he adds, “it just fits Harrison like a glove.”

For his part, Ford adds with a laugh about the fifth movie, “Preparation was not really necessary.”

Partially set in 1969 — excluding an extended prologue with a digitally de-aged version of the 80-year-old star — the movie has Indy tangling with the Nazis again, this time in an adventure set against the space race.

Along for the last ride is Emmy winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Indy’s goddaughter Helena. “It’s filled with awe, and excitement, and danger. And they’ve completely captured that,” she offers.

Ford sums it all up, explaining, “It felt good. It felt that we had made a film that the audience deserved. I feel confident that we’re going to knock their socks off.”

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in theaters June 30 from Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of ABC News’ parent company, Disney.

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‘Deadpool 3’ adds two more returning players

‘Deadpool 3’ adds two more returning players
‘Deadpool 3’ adds two more returning players
L-R: Hildebrand, Kutsuna – Bennett Raglin/WireImage

As Hugh Jackman continues to pump himself back into Wolverine shape, the rest of the Deadpool 3 cast is rounding out. 

Deadline is reporting that original Deadpool cast member Brianna Hildebrand, who plays the mutant Negasonic Teenage Warhead, will be back for round three, as will her Deadpool 2 gal pal Yukio, played by Shioli Kutsuna

As previously reported, Rob Delaney will return from Deadpool 2 as the decidedly non-superpowered Peter, as will original DP players Karan Soni (Dopinder), Leslie Uggams (Blind Al), Morena Baccarin (Vanessa) and Stefan Kapičić (Colossus). 

Newcomers to star and producer Ryan Reynolds‘ troupe are Emma Corrin from The Crown and Succession Emmy winner Matthew Macfadyen.

Deadpool’s first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following Disney’s 2019 acquisition of 20th Century Fox, will hit theaters November 8, 2024. 

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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“I had a hard time keeping it together”: Sean Gunn on playing Rocket Raccoon in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

“I had a hard time keeping it together”: Sean Gunn on playing Rocket Raccoon in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
“I had a hard time keeping it together”: Sean Gunn on playing Rocket Raccoon in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
Gunn, left as Kraglin, center as Rocket — Marvel Studios

Actor Sean Gunn has been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the original Guardians of the Galaxy, not only playing the Ravager Kraglin, but portraying Rocket on set before the character was completed by visual effects artists and ultimately voiced by Bradley Cooper.

He has also portrayed Rocket on set in Avengers: Infinity War, and both characters in Endgame, Thor: Love and Thunder and the Guardians Holiday Special, but he said Vol. 3 hit different because it was primarily focused on Rocket.

“Just as an actor and as a performer, it was emotional for me to be a part of the trilogy of movies … But particularly, as you say, Rocket’s story in this third movie was a lot to tackle.”

He likens creating Rocket to a relay race. “My brother James gets the ball rolling, and then I kind of take the baton and … I work with the actors, and [then] the visual effects team comes in, and then Bradley puts all the pieces together and makes the whole thing work.”

The Gilmore Girls veteran actually voiced Young Rocket in flashbacks dealing with the cruel animal experimentation that brought him to life. “Some of those scenes were very — I had a hard time keeping it together, I won’t lie,” he confesses.

Guardians Vol. 3 remains the number one movie in the world, after doing what few movies in the MCU ever did: retaining 49% of its opening weekend audience over its second weekend.

“It’s really kind of the most gratifying thing,” Gunn says. “When you can keep … over 50% of your audience for week two … it’s a pretty good sign that, number one, people liked the movie. And number two, that they’re going back and seeing it a second time, which is really gratifying. It’s really cool.”

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Khloé Kardashian shuts down Tristan Thompson reunion speculation

Khloé Kardashian shuts down Tristan Thompson reunion speculation
Khloé Kardashian shuts down Tristan Thompson reunion speculation
Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Remy Martin

Khloé Kardashian is setting the record straight and standing up against false narratives.

On Wednesday, the Good American founder responded to speculation about her rekindling her relationship with ex Tristan Thompson in the comments section of a fan page that posted the allegation.

“Stop pushing this narrative. It’s tiring,” she wrote in a lengthy response to a screenshot of a blind item that theorized why her sister Kim Kardashian appeared to be supporting Tristan by attending a Lakers game.

Khloé acknowledged that regardless of her statement, some will continue to fuel the false stories and emphasized that people often believe what aligns with their perceptions and what they want to believe, despite the truth.

“Some things are just as simple as they seem. A family member supporting another family member ESPECIALLY during a difficult time in life,” she explained, before drawing a parallel to her ongoing support for her sister Kourtney Kardashian‘s ex, Scott Disick.

“Example….. just how I support scott and will forever support him. He’s my brother. It’s just not on an nba stage,” the Kardashians star said. “Sad new world, If there’s no photos people think it really didn’t happen but yes, I see Scott often. Some things really are just as they are.”

Khloé, who shares 5-year-old daughter True and a 9-month-old son with Thompson, concluded with a red heart emoji.

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Apple TV+ releases teaser for Scorsese’s star-studded ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’

Apple TV+ releases teaser for Scorsese’s star-studded ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
Apple TV+ releases teaser for Scorsese’s star-studded ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
Apple TV+

On Thursday, Apple TV+ dropped the intense first teaser for Killers of the Flower Moon, the drama from Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese starring Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Brendan Fraser.

Based on David Grann‘s bestselling book of the same name, Killers of the Flower Moon is set in 1920s Oklahoma and depicts the real-life serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation, a murder spree known locally as the Reign of Terror.

When oil was discovered on Osage land, its Native American residents became globally wealthy overnight. That didn’t sit well with the white folks living there, leading to betrayal, corruption and murder.

The teaser features only DiCaprio’s Ernest Burkhart reading from a book on the Osage and how they faced persecution on their own land by settlers.

“Greed is an animal that hungers for blood,” a title card reads, as the intensity ratchets up.

As he reads, we see flashes of the other characters, all coming together for one group shot at the teaser’s climax. “Can you find the wolves in this picture?” DiCaprio repeats, making an obvious connection.

The movie debuts in limited release from Paramount Pictures on October 6; wide release comes October 20. It comes to Apple TV+ after it goes wide.

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