‘M3GAN 2.0’: Universal announces January 2025 date for sequel to its killer doll movie

‘M3GAN 2.0’: Universal announces January 2025 date for sequel to its killer doll movie
‘M3GAN 2.0’: Universal announces January 2025 date for sequel to its killer doll movie
Universal

Universal Pictures has announced that M3GAN 2.0, a sequel to its surprise hit M3GAN, will hit theaters Friday, January 17, 2025.

With a reported budget of $12 million, the film starring Allison Williams and Violet McGraw about the titular artificial friend gone awry, debuted January 6 to a $30.4 opening — the second-biggest opening weekend for a PG-13 horror movie since A Quiet Place Part II in 2021.

M3GAN has earned more than $96 million worldwide to date and counting.

James Wan, the mind behind horror movies like The Conjuring series, produced the film with Jason Blum for Blumhouse, the production house behind creepy hits including 2016’s Hush and 2017 Oscar winner Get Out.

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‘Ted Lasso’ sets spring kickoff

‘Ted Lasso’ sets spring kickoff
‘Ted Lasso’ sets spring kickoff
Apple TV+

The third season of the Emmy magnet comedy Ted Lasso will kick off this spring. That was the word from Apple TV+ at the streamers 2023 Winter Television Critics Association press tour on Wednesday.

The series, starring Jason Sudeikis as the titular transplant from Kansas who is charged with leading the English football club AFC Richmond, is fresh off back-to-back Best Comedy Emmy wins.

Apple TV+ touts that Ted Lasso became only one of eight shows to win back-to-back trophies in their first two years on air, joining sitcom heavyweights Modern Family, 30 Rock, Frasier, The Golden Girls, Cheers, All in the Family and The Phil Silvers Show.

At last September’s 74th annual Emmy Awards, Lasso took home four trophies in total, including Outstanding Actor in a Comedy series for Sudeikis, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy for Brett Goldstein and Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series for MJ Delaney.

Apple TV+ also released the first image from the upcoming season, featuring Sudeikis’ Ted and Nick Mohammed‘s Nathan facing off in a hallway. The second season finale saw the two onetime pals part ways, with Nathan taking a coaching job for a rival team.

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DA to reveal possible charges in fatal shooting on set of Alec Baldwin’s ‘Rust’ on Thursday

DA to reveal possible charges in fatal shooting on set of Alec Baldwin’s ‘Rust’ on Thursday
DA to reveal possible charges in fatal shooting on set of Alec Baldwin’s ‘Rust’ on Thursday

A decision on whether any charges will be filed in the 2021 fatal shooting on the New Mexico set of Alec Baldwin‘s film Rust will be revealed on Thursday.

Santa Fe First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and special prosecutor Andrea Reeb will announce their decision at 9 a.m. local time on Thursday in a written statement shared with media, their office said.

“Regardless of the District Attorney’s decision, the announcement will be a solemn occasion, made in a manner keeping with the office’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the judicial process and respecting the victim’s family,” Heather Brewer, spokesperson for the office of the first judicial district attorney, said in a statement Wednesday.

Carmack-Altwies’ office said in October she would conduct a “thorough review of the information and evidence to make a thoughtful, timely decision about whether to bring charges” following a yearlong sheriff’s office investigation into the on-set shooting.

Halyna Hutchins, 42, was working as a cinematographer on the Western when she was accidentally shot and killed by the film’s star, Baldwin, while he was practicing using a Colt .45 revolver on set. Director Joel Souza was also injured in the shooting.

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‘Mayor of Kingstown’ co-creator Hugh Dillon on injured lead Jeremy Renner: “He’s a fighter”

‘Mayor of Kingstown’ co-creator Hugh Dillon on injured lead Jeremy Renner: “He’s a fighter”
‘Mayor of Kingstown’ co-creator Hugh Dillon on injured lead Jeremy Renner: “He’s a fighter”
ViacomCBS/Emerson Miller/

(NOTE LANGUAGE) In promoting the start of the second season of his Paramount+ show Mayor of Kingstown, co-creator Hugh Dillon opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about the Taylor Sheridan-produced show’s injured lead, Jeremy Renner.

The Marvel movie star and twice-Oscar-nominated actor was critically injured on New Year’s Day when his massive Snowcat plow vehicle ran him over. After emergency surgeries and time in the intensive care unit of a Reno hospital, he’s recovering at home.

Dillon, who is also an actor, also appears on Mayor of Kingstown. He said Renner insisted that promoting the drama go on as planned. “That’s the thing about Jeremy. He just doesn’t want anything to get in the way, you know? He’s a stand-up f***ing dude. He just wants it to rock.”

To Dillon’s point, Renner has been promoting the show via Twitter while he recovers.

He adds of the star, “We’re like a hockey team. He’s our captain who’s been injured, and that’s really all of it. He’s a f***ing fighter. Excuse my language, but that’s the glory of that dude. He’s like Bobby Clarke on the Philadelphia Flyers in the ’70s,” adding, self-deprecatingly, “That [comparison] is just terrible.”

Dillon expressed it was “all hands on deck” when they heard the news: “We all wanted to just support him and do press for him. He’s family.”

Mayor of Kingstown‘s second season debuted on January 15; the show is now streaming on Paramount+.

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China ends four-year ban on Marvel movies; locks dates for ‘Wakanda Forever’, ‘Ant-Man’ three-quel

China ends four-year ban on Marvel movies; locks dates for ‘Wakanda Forever’, ‘Ant-Man’ three-quel
China ends four-year ban on Marvel movies; locks dates for ‘Wakanda Forever’, ‘Ant-Man’ three-quel
Marvel Studios

Geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China may be high, but one sign of a thaw will be coming to a theater near you, if you live in the Middle Kingdom.

The country has reportedly decided to end its four-year ban on Marvel Studios movies, with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opening there this weekend as China celebrates the Lunar New Year, traditionally a huge movie-going window.

Further, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will debut on the same day it opens in the U.S., February 17.

The ban, which wasn’t officially announced, meant the entire run of Marvel Studios’ Phase Four films, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder, went un-screened there. While both films ended up as some of the highest-grossing movies of the year, missing out in the movie-hungry Chinese market definitely dinged their bottom lines, to the tune of millions.

Prior to the ban, the last Marvel Studios films to open in China were Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home — the latter a Sony Pictures co-production — in 2019.

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

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Can we BE any more in love? Brach’s introduces ‘Friends’-themed candy hearts

Can we BE any more in love? Brach’s introduces ‘Friends’-themed candy hearts
Can we BE any more in love? Brach’s introduces ‘Friends’-themed candy hearts
Courtesy Brach’s

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, and the Friends episode “The One with the Candy Hearts,” confectioner Brach’s has announced a limited-edition collabo for its classic candy hearts.

The Friends Conversation Hearts feature 26 iconic quotes from the beloved sitcom, including “PIVOT,” “Ur My LBSTR,” “MOO POINT” and, if things go wrong, of course, “ON A BREAK.”

The candies come in watermelon, strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, cherry and orange flavors.

In its announcement, Brach’s said, “Friends is an iconic pop culture representation of friendships, so it was a natural collaboration to team up for friends and families to enjoy this Valentine’s Day.”

Of course, the candy company’s traditional hearts will also on sale for V-Day.

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Oscar 2023 nominations announcement: What to know and how to watch

Oscar 2023 nominations announcement: What to know and how to watch
Oscar 2023 nominations announcement: What to know and how to watch
AMPAS/ABC

The 2023 Oscar season is officially in full swing.

Good Morning America revealed Wednesday that Academy Award winner Riz Ahmed and star of hit film M3gan Allison Williams will announce the Oscar nominees live next Tuesday, January 24.

Ahmed won the 2022 Oscar for Best Live Action Short film alongside director Aneil Karia for the short film The Long Goodbye. The year before, Ahmed was nominated for an Academy Award for his lead performance in the feature film Sound of Metal.

Williams is the star and executive producer of the new viral hit and horror thriller M3gan, which debuted earlier this month. Previously, Williams starred in Jordan Peele‘s Oscar-winning film Get Out.

Ahmed and Williams will announce the nominations live from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Tuesday, January 24, at 8:30 a.m. ET (5:30 a.m. PT). The nominations will be aired live on Good Morning America and streamed live on Goodmorningamerica.com, ABC News Live, Disney+ and more.

The 95th Academy Awards will air on ABC on March 12 and can also be streamed on ABC.com, Hulu Live TV and YouTubeTV.

Late-night talk show comedian Jimmy Kimmel is back to host the awards for a third time.

Some top predictions for Best Picture this year include Avatar: The Way of Water, Top Gun: Maverick, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans and The Banshees of Inisherin.

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“I was practically killed”: Kristin Chenoweth says hair extensions saved her life after 2012 ‘Good Wife’ injury

“I was practically killed”: Kristin Chenoweth says hair extensions saved her life after 2012 ‘Good Wife’ injury
“I was practically killed”: Kristin Chenoweth says hair extensions saved her life after 2012 ‘Good Wife’ injury
Bravo/Charles Sykes

On an installment of Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live this week, stage and screen star Kristen Chenoweth expressed regret about an on-set accident in 2012 that she says almost killed her.

As detailed in her new book, I’m No Philosopher, but I Got Thoughts, a piece of lighting equipment on the set of CBS’ The Good Wife fell on the actress, leaving her with “long-standing injuries.”

Chenoweth recalled, “I heard, like, a flagpole sound. I literally heard, ‘We’re losing the light.’ I heard, ‘Action.’ And I woke up at Bellevue [Hospital]. It hit me in the face and it threw me into a curb. Seven-inch skull fracture, hairline [fracture], and teeth and ribs,” she explained.

The actress left the show due to her injuries.

WWHL host Andy Cohen expressed he was “amazed” Chenoweth didn’t sue CBS after the incident.

She regretted not doing so. “I didn’t do it out of fear & anxiety, so don’t ever let fear ruin your life,” she told the audience. ” She continued, “I wished I had listened to my dad…We’re not the suing family, but when you’re practically killed…” she said before trailing off.

Chenoweth explained, “I’m telling my story…and I really don’t care if CBS never hires me again. They knew I was hurt really badly, but they exploited the power they held over a person like me.”

Incidentally, the Tony winner said a bit of fashion became her savior. “My hair extensions, you know, made the hairline fracture go together,” she explained. “My doctor said, ‘What are these metal things?’ And I said, ‘They’re hair extensions.’ And he said, ‘They saved your life,'” she recalled, joking to the audience, “So, anyone who wants to get hair extensions should, for your health.”

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Christina Applegate responds to accusation that plastic surgery changed her looks, not MS

Christina Applegate responds to accusation that plastic surgery changed her looks, not MS
Christina Applegate responds to accusation that plastic surgery changed her looks, not MS
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix

Christina Applegate took to Twitter on Tuesday to shut down a troll who insisted that the change in her appearance was the result of plastic surgery, not multiple sclerosis, as the actress has said.

Applegate shared a screenshot of the mean tweet someone posted in response to a People magazine article published on Sunday that read, “MS didn’t make you look that way a plastic surgeon did. And you are a scammer and not [Christina] Applegate.”

“And a bad plastic surgeon at that,” read a second message.

“Sooooo I made the unfortunate decision to look at some comments on an article from people mag about me and my kids at the [Critics Choice Awards],” the Dead to Me star tweeted. “Of course I told her that it wasn’t nice. This was her reply.”

“What is wrong with people. By the way, I laughed,” Applegate added.

The Married with Children alum attended the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday — her first awards show since her diagnosis — with her 11-year-old daughter, Sadie, at her side.

Applegate opened up about the changes she’s gone through over the past year dealing with MS in a November interview with The New York Times, revealing she gained 40 pounds and can’t walk without a cane.

“I am very aware of all of that,” she continued. “If people hate it, if people love it, if all they can concentrate on is, ‘Ooh, look at the cripple,’ that’s not up to me. I’m sure that people are going to be, like, ‘I can’t get past it.'”

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In Brief: ‘Drew Barrymore’ gets renewed, and more

In Brief: ‘Drew Barrymore’ gets renewed, and more
In Brief: ‘Drew Barrymore’ gets renewed, and more

Stephen Colbert will executive produce a TV adaptation of the late Roger Zelazny’s beloved fantasy novels The Chronicles of Amber, according to Variety. The 10-book series follows the story of Corwin, who is said to “awaken on Earth with no memory, but soon finds he is a prince of a royal family that has the ability to travel through different dimensions of reality — called ‘shadows’ — and rules over the one true world, Amber.” George R.R. Martin cited the books as an influence for Game of Thrones, and recently expressed an interest in seeing the books brought to the screen…

NBC has given a pilot order to Murder by the Book, a drama series starring Good Girls alum Retta. Per the network, the plot line follows “A big city Instafamous book reviewer” who “takes a page from the murder mystery books she reviews and becomes an unlikely detective to uncover the shocking truths about an eccentric seaside town.” Besides her role as Ruby in Good Girls, Retta’s also known for playing Donna Meagle in Parks & Recreation. She’s also guest-starred in TV’s of Tuca & Bertie, DuckTales, Big Mouth, Drunk History and Kroll Show, and in the films Good Boys, Where’s the Money and Sex Ed

The Drew Barrymore Show has been renewed through the 2023-2024 season on the CBS Stations, CBS Media Ventures announced on Tuesday. The daytime chat show averages 1.21 million viewers — up nearly half a million viewers year to year — and ranks as syndication’s #4 talk show, according to CBS Media Ventures. Host Drew Barrymore‘s guests this season have included President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden in their first joint sit-down in daytime, as well as George Clooney, Kate Hudson, Adam Sandler, Michelle Obama, Katy Perry, Cameron Diaz, Tyler Perry and Susan Sarandon

Craig Ferguson is eyeing a return to the talk show arena, according to Deadline. Channel Surf with Craig Ferguson will feature the former host of CBS’ The Late Late Show, joined by his friends as they “review the shocking, surprising and hilarious moments of the week’s shows.” Ferguson left The Late Late Show in 2014 and was succeeded by James Corden. Since then, he’s hosted the syndicated Celebrity Name Game, ABC’s The Hustler and History’s Join or Die. Channel Surf with Craig Ferguson is currently seeking a TV home…

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