Entertainment

On Tuesday, June 13, Peacock released new images to social media from the streaming service’s forthcoming spinoff series The Continental.

In a press release, producer Basil Iwanyk and director Albert Hughes also shared their thoughts on the project, with Iwanyk reminiscing about the presumed fate of “a small, below-the-radar film called John Wick.”

He expressed, “Directed by two ex-stuntmen, and its premise was potentially the goofiest in film history. Keanu (Reeves) avenging a puppy’s death!? We were doomed.”

He adds, “It hit a chord that none of us anticipated. Yes, people love Keanu. And the action was awesome. What we didn’t see coming was how much the audience loved the world, its rules, the swagger, the craziness, and the rogue’s gallery of villains and (kinda) good guys.”

The producer explains, “All those roads led to one place…The Continental, led by two of the franchise’s greatest characters, Winston [Ian McShane] and Charon [the late Lance Reddick].”

With that in mind, the series takes a look back at how the hitman hot spot came to be, and how Winston and Charon came to take their respective places there as manager and concierge.

Hughes, who directed the first and third installments of the three-part series, said he and executive producer/writer Kirk Ward “had the time of our lives” expanding the lore of the hotel, introducing new characters and creating this “impressionistic spin on New York in the 70s” they dubbed “disco noir.”

Colin Woodell plays the younger version of McShane’s character in the series, which will also star Mel Gibson, Peter Greene, Ben Robson, Hubert Point-Du Jour, and Nhung Kate.

Ayomide Adegun will appear as a younger version of Charon, the character played in the films by Reddick, who passed away unexpectedly in March.

The series premieres in September on Peacock.

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The trailer to Netflix’s They Cloned Tyrone starts out like the setup to a joke: “A hustler, a pimp, and a pro walk into a conspiracy.”

Set to Rockwell‘s ’80s classic “Somebody’s Watching Me,” the mystery caper comedy’s trailer features John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris as those respective archetypes sneaking into a home, only to discover a hidden lab and literally uncover a clone of Boyega’s character.

The unlikely trio soon starts to unravel a government conspiracy to make duplicates of the residents of their hood.

Juel Taylor, who directed Creed II and Space Jam: A New Legacy, called the shots on the Netflix film, which also stars David Alan Grier and Kiefer Sutherland. It debuts July 21.

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Disney has announced a revamped schedule for its forthcoming movies produced by Disney and its various properties, 20th Century Studios, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm.

Among the changes, the third Avatar will now be bumped to December 19, 2025, a year later than anticipated. That caused a ripple effect, moving a fourth Avatar adventure to December 21, 2029, and Avatar 5 to 2031.

It’s just possible you’ll be taking your flying car to get to the theater for that final go-round in Pandora.

The release of Deadpool 3 — Ryan Reynolds‘ first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe — was moved up from November 8, 2024, to May 3, 2024, a slot formerly occupied by Captain America: Brave New World. The latter film has been moved to July 26, 2024. 2024 will also see the release of a third Marvel film, Thunderbolts, on December 20.

In other Marvel news, Blade opens on February 14, 2025; The Avengers: The Kang Dynasty will open May 1, 2026, and on May 7, 2027, there’s Avengers: Secret Wars to look forward to.

The schedule revealed the live-action Moana will open June 27, 2025, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Disney also slated May 22, 2026, as the bow of an untitled Star Wars movie, which will apparently be the first of three since the finale of the divisive Star Wars sequel trilogy, 2019’s Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.

Two other untitled Star Wars movies are slated for December 18, 2026, and December 17, 2027.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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A day after authorities confirmed they’re looking into allegations of 83-year-old Good Times star John Amos being the victim of elder abuse, prompted by an Instagram post from his daughter, Shannon, the actor is speaking up. 

A rep for the Emmy-nominated star passed along a statement “directly” from Amos, denying the story — and asking people who donated to a GoFundMe, allegedly started for his medical care, to get their money back. 

“To all of my fans, I want you to know that I am doing well,” Amos’ statement to ABC Audio began.

“I am not in ICU nor was I ever fighting for my life. First, I want the GoFundMe campaign about me to stop immediately, and the funds subsequently returned to those who made donations.”

He concluded by saying, “My son and I will reveal more information at the appropriate time.”

As reported, the post from his daughter painted quite a different picture. She claimed Amos “was hospitalized in Memphis, Tennessee, in immense pain” and “his life hanging by a thread.”

Shannon also provided a link to the GoFundMe Amos mentioned, saying, “If you would like to provide care and support for my Dad all donations are going to a trust fund that has been set up for him.”

She claimed the actor was a “victim of elder abuse and financial exploitation” and that she had notified the authorities.

For their part, the Colorado Bureau of Investigations told ABC Audio it was investigating the matter.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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While some residents could argue the Big Apple’s already on its way there, the upcoming Walking Dead spinoff Dead City gives a chilling look at a post-apocalyptic Manhattan.

To help promote the upcoming team-up series starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan‘s Negan and Lauren Cohan‘s Maggie, AMC has partnered with a handful of NYC landmarks for a sprawling takeover event on Wednesday, June 14.

Beware, however: there will be walkers at every stop.

The New Yorker Coffee Cart at the corner of 33rd Street and 7th Avenue will be rebranded in honor of the show, with custom New Yorker-designed cartoon sleeves for customers and other themed giveaways between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., H&H Bagels — previously immortalized in Seinfeld — will get in on the fun, with a limited-time themed bagel sandwich, the “Walker Wake Up,” at all three of its NYC locations. Included will be “Dead City Hot Walker Sauce” on each sandwich, as well as giveaways for the first 200 customers.

For lunch, Joe’s Pizza of Times Square is offering deals and giveaways for the first 200 customers between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., as will The New York Hot Dog King Cart at 82ndStreet and 5th Avenue.

All this leads up to a showdown at the famous Katz deli in Greenwich Village, where Morgan, Cohan and their fellow cast members Gaius Charles, Željko Ivanek and Mahina Napoleon will be on hand.

The Walking Dead: Dead City premieres Sunday, June 18, at 9 p.m. ET on AMC and AMC+.

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Embattled actor Ezra Miller made a rare public appearance at the premiere of their new film The Flash on Monday night in Los Angeles.

Miller walked the red carpet to applause, but did not take questions from journalists on hand, Variety reports.

The actor, who has had a series of arrests and questionable behavior in public — starting in 2020 when they were caught on camera choking a female fan in Iceland — thanked Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, and Warner Bros. Film Group heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy and for their support.

According to the trade, Miller thanked the execs for their “grace and discernment and care in the context of my life. And in bringing this moment to fruition.”

The red carpet also drew an appearance from Miller’s The Flash co-star Ben Affleck and his wife Jennifer Lopez, as well as Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain, who previously worked with the film’s director Andy Muschietti on It Chapter Two.

In August of 2022, Miller, who uses they/them pronouns, announced they were seeking treatment for “complex mental health issues” and wanted, “to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior.”

This past February, Variety quoted Safran as saying, “Ezra is completely committed to their recovery. And we are fully supportive of that journey that they’re on right now.”

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The first international entry into the NCIS franchise, NCIS: Sydney, headed to Paramount+, has nailed down its main cast, according to Deadline. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow‘s Olivia Swann plays NCIS Special Agent Michelle Mackey and Spartacus: War of the Damned’s Todd Lasance leads as Sergeant Jim “JD” Dempsey. They’re joined by Sean Sagar as NCIS Special Agent, DeShawn Jackson; Tuuli Narkle as AFP Liaison Officer, Constable Evie Cooper; Mavournee Hazel as AFP Forensic Scientist, Bluebird “Blue” Gleeson and William McInnes as AFP Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Roy Penrose. NCIS: Sydney “will follow the eclectic team of U.S. NCIS Agents and the Australian Federal Police (AFP), who are grafted into a multi-national taskforce to keep naval crimes in check in the most contested patch of ocean on the planet,” per the outlet…

Max has greenlit the new animated preschool series Hop, from the creator of the long-running PBS series Arthur, the streamer announced on Monday. Hop “follows an eclectic group of besties whose comedic adventures teach preschoolers about embracing their own uniqueness. Led by Hop, an enthusiastic, empathetic frog with one leg shorter than the other, he and his quirky friends address kid-relatable problems with a healthy dose of laughter, silliness, and adventure,” per Max…

The CW has renewed Superman & Lois and All American: Homecoming for the 2023-24 season, the network revealed on Monday. All American: Homecoming will return with a 13-episode third season, while Superman & Lois has been renewed for a 10-episode fourth season. The CW, meanwhile, has pulled the plug on Gotham Knights after one season, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The series will air its last episodes on June 20 and 27…

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Pat Sajak‘s time as the host of Wheel of Fortune is coming to an end.

In a tweet he shared on Monday, the game show host, 76, said the upcoming 41st season will be his last.

“Well, the time has come,” Sajak said. “I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all.”

Wheel of Fortune also shared Sajak’s note on Instagram and captioned, “Thank you, Pat!”

Sajak has been the host of the game show since 1981. His co-host, Vanna White, 66, who operates the board and reveals letters as they are guessed by contestants on the game show, has been on Wheel of Fortune since 1982.

The game show host has never missed a day of taping Wheel of Fortune until a health scare he had in November 2019.

In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Sajak said that he remembers experiencing a “horrific pain” in his stomach and needed to have emergency surgery for a blocked intestine.

While he was recovering for a month after his surgery, White hosted the show in his place.

Sajak said at the time he would continue hosting the show for as long as he could.

“I’ve gotta do this until — you know — I’m doddering,” he said. “I think I still do it at a high level. But you know, I can’t do it another 40 years, I know that, because I’d be 110, and that would be a record.”

In 2021, Sony Pictures Television announced that Sajak and White would host the show through 2024. Sajak’s daughter, Maggie Sajak, 28, also joined the Wheel of Fortune team as the show’s social correspondent.

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Treat Williams, the veteran actor best known for his roles in the WB series Everwood and the films Prince of the City and Hair, died Monday, June 12 in a motorcycle accident, his agent, Barry McPherson confirmed to ABC News. He was 71.

“It is with great sadness that we report that our beloved Treat Williams has passed away tonight in Dorset, Vermont after a fatal motorcycle accident, As you can imagine, we are shocked and greatly bereaved at this time,” his family wrote in a statement on Monday.

Williams first gained prominence with his starring role in Miloš Forman’s 1979 movie adaptation of the Broadway musical Hair, following that up with a role in Sidney Lumet’s Prince of the City two years later.

His other notable films included The Phantom, The Eagle Has Landed, 1941, Once Upon a Time in America, Dead Heat, Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead and Deep Rising.

More recently, Williams landed a starring role in the 2002-2006 WB TV series Everwood, playing a New York City neurosurgeon who moves his family to Colorado. He also had recurring roles on White Collar, Chicago Fire, We Own This City and Blue Bloods.

His most recent appearances came as a main cast member of Chesapeake Stories, which concluded a six-season run on the Hallmark Channel last October; and the Blue Bloods episode “Irish Exits,” which aired in May.

Following the announcement, friends and co-stars honored the late actor:

David Simon: “After years of cop reporting, Prince Of The City was the only film that made me believe anyone else knew the truth about the drug war. So honored when Treat Williams signed on to deliver our own, later critique of the disaster. RIP to a legendary actor and a fine, gracious man.”

Justine Bateman: “Working with Treat Williams in Mamet’s “Speed the Plow” at Williamstown in ‘91 was the start of great friendship. Damn it, damn it. Treat, you were the best. Love you.”

James Woods: “Treat and I spent months in Rome filming Once Upon a Time in America. It can be pretty lonely on the road during a long shoot, but his resilient good cheer and sense of humor was a Godsend. I really loved him and am devastated that he’s gone.”

David Alan Grier: “Ahhhhhh mannnnn! I jus devastated! This is breaking my heart. Treat Williams rest in peace. One of the truly nicest guys I’ve ever met! My prayers go out to Treat’s family…what a loss. So, so so sad.”

Wendell Pierce: “Treat Williams was a passionate, adventurous, creative man. In a short period of time, he quickly befriended me & his adventurous spirit was infectious. We worked on just 1 film together but occasionally connected over the years. Kind and generous with advice and support. RIP.”

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star Tenoch Huerta took to Instagram to rebut accusations of sexual assault that were made about him by musician María Elena Ríos.

Rios, a musician and activist, had posted her accusations on Twitter in Spanish Sunday, June 11, explaining, “It is very difficult to talk about the emotional abuse and abuse of power of a sexual predator who is loved around the world for playing a character in a movie like @TenochHuerta.” She added, “Charming in appearance, the great hallmark of a narcissist + a good helping of victimization.”

Huerta responded Monday to what he called the “false and completely unsubstantiated accusation,” saying “I cannot let it go unchallenged any longer.”

The Mexican actor, who played Namor/the Sub-Mariner in the Marvel hit, explained, “About a year ago, I dated Elena for several months. It was entirely consensual at all times, as countless others can attest. And throughout it was a loving, warm and mutually supportive relationship.”

He added, “After it ended, however, Elena began to misrepresent our interactions both privately and in front of groups of mutual friends. As a result, a few months ago, I engaged a legal team to commence the appropriate actions to protect my reputation and refute these irresponsible and false accusations that can cause great…damage.”

Huerta expressed, “Although I am by no means perfect, I know that these allegations are simply untrue.”

He concluded by expressing gratitude to his family and supporters, saying he greatly appreciates “everyone who is willing to look at the facts and reflect before rushing to an untrue and unjust conclusion.”

The allegations come months after another Marvel movie star, Jonathan Majors, was charged with domestic violence after an incident in New York City. He has maintained his innocence.

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