Entertainment

Nick Fury had his Avengers, Amanda Waller had her Suicide Squad and now Warner Bros. Discovery has two new leaders for its superhero team: James Gunn and Peter Safran.

As previously reported, Warner Bros. Discovery had been searching for someone to take the reins of its DC Studios in an effort to best capitalize on its deep bench of superhero properties, as Kevin Feige has for Marvel Studios.

In the end, Warner Bros. Discovery tapped its own dynamic duo: writer-director Gunn, and his Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad producer Safran. While the former is arguably most famous for his Guardians of the Galaxy films for Marvel Studios, the latter also produced the DC hero hits Aquaman and Shazam, as well as the successful Conjuring and Annabelle horror franchises.

The pair “will be responsible for the overall creative direction of the storied superhero franchise across film, TV, and animation under [a] new unified banner,” according to the company’s announcement.

In a shared statement, Gunn and Safran noted, “We’re honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children” and that they’re aiming to “create an integrated, multilayered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved.”

They also commented, “Our commitment to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and the rest of the DC stable of characters is only equaled by our commitment to the wonder of human possibility these characters represent. We’re excited to invigorate the theatrical experience around the world as we tell some of the biggest, most beautiful, and grandest stories ever told.”

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Kevin Bacon goes from an inside joke in Guardians of the Galaxy to a bona fide Marvel Cinematic Universe co-star in the new trailer to The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

Written and directed by Guardians‘ series director James Gunn, and billed as a “Marvel Studios Special Presentation,” the trailer shows Chris Pratt‘s Peter Quill/Star-Lord still bummed about his love, Zoe Saldaña‘s Gamora, going missing at the end of Avengers: Endgame.

To cheer him up just in time for Christmas, Sean Gunn‘s Kraglin, Karen Gillan‘s Nebula, Pom Klementieff‘s Mantis, Dave Bautista‘s Drax, and of course Bradley Cooper‘s Rocket and Vin Diesel‘s Groot hatch a plan.

The Guardians land on Earth and plot to snatch “the legendary Kevin Bacon” as a gift for Star-Lord, but obviously a gray giant and “that chick with the antennae,” as Rocket refers to Mantis, breaking into the star’s home doesn’t sit well with Bacon.

He flees in vain.

Bacon’s connection to the MCU so far has been in name only: Quill, who was snatched from Earth as a child, refers to Bacon as a hero in Guardians and apes Footloose in the “dance off to save the galaxy” at the film’s climax.

In Avengers: Infinity War, Mantis asks Thor if Bacon is one of “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” to which Thor suggests he “may have joined” the Avengers in his absence from Earth.

In the same film, Quill asks Tom Holland‘s Peter Parker/Spider-Man if Footloose is “still the greatest movie ever made” on his native planet, to which Peter jeers, “It never was.”

For his part, Bacon told Esquire in 2021 that Gunn name-dropping him into MCU was a happy surprise.

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It appears the beef at Balthazar is now just for serving: Keith McNally, owner of the New York City hotspot, took to Instagram Tuesday afternoon to give the “last word” on the James Corden affair, following the chat show host’s apology on Monday night’s The Late Late Show.

As reported, McNally took Corden to task for reportedly berating staff members there. While an apology via phone was both accepted and subsequently rescinded by the restaurateur — when Corden seemed to dodge responsibility during a New York Times interview — McNally has officially buried the hatchet.

“James Corden very graciously apologized for his outburst at Balthazar,” McNally began the new Instagram post. “It takes a real man to do this,” he added, noting, “In the past I’ve behaved much worse than Corden and wasn’t man enough to apologize.”

McNally added, “For this reason I’m going to lift the ban on Corden, and impose one on myself instead.”

Giving himself a two-week timeout, McNally commented, “People in glass houses…”

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Following Adidas’ announcement Tuesday that it was cutting ties with Ye, Gap released a statement reiterating why the company ended its partnership with the rapper last month.

“In September, Gap announced ending its Yeezy Gap partnership. Our former partner’s recent remarks and behavior further underscore why,” the statement reads. “We are taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap product from our stores and we have shut down YeezyGap.com.”

The statement continues, “Antisemitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values. On behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders, we are partnering with organizations that combat hate and discrimination.”

There has been growing pressure on major brands to cut ties with the rapper formerly known as Kanye West after he made antisemitic remarks on Twitter a few weeks ago.

Hollywood talent agency Creative Artists Agency announced Monday that it would no longer represent the rapper, while film and television studio MRC said it would shelve a documentary on West.

Several reports have also stated that brands such as Balenciaga will no longer work with Ye.

Forbes confirmed Tuesday that with the loss of the Adidas partnership, Ye no longer has billionaire status.

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The initial critics reviews for Black Adam might have had Warner Bros. Discovery execs biting their nails, but as a new ad touts, “the fans have spoken.”

The superhero movie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson gained just a 39% critics score on the ratings aggregator Rotten Tomatoes but opened to more than $67 million over the weekend, taking the top slot at the U.S. box office and proving the movie, and its star, to be critic-proof.

Johnson admitted as much in an Instagram post Tuesday, in which he forwarded the TV spot, which also touted the movie’s 90% audience score. “THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of you for making BLACK ADAM a monumental and historical WIN this weekend,” Johnson said before adding, “New Era. Audience First.”

Black Adam‘s worldwide take is $140 million.

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Emancipation, according to Apple TV+, tells “the triumphant story of Peter (Smith), a man who escapes from slavery, relying on his wits, unwavering faith and deep love for his family to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest for freedom.”

The film is inspired by the 1863 photos of “Whipped Peter,” which first appeared in Harper’s Weekly after being taken during a Union Army medical examination. The graphic image contributed to the growing public opposition to slavery.

Some in attendance at the screening later praised the film on social media.

“I’m still haunted by #Emancipation. It’s truly powerful, moving and captivating,” Perry wrote on his Instagram Stories. “And the conversation afterwards with this group was legendary.”

“This night was truly one for the books! An amazing and brilliant group of friends got together and witnessed TRUE ART,” Barris added on Instagram. “The conversation after was the effect of what anything and everything we as creatives do in this industry hope for.”

Emancipation is Smith’s first film since he slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards and won the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard.

As a result of the headline-making controversy, Smith received a 10-year ban from Oscars ceremonies. He apologized to Rock, the Academy and his family and fans on numerous occasions.

Emancipation debuts in U.S. theaters on Dec. 2 and hits Apple TV+ a week later on Dec. 9.

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Disney Branded Television and the BBC trumpeted on Tuesday that it will be bringing the beloved British sci-fi show Doctor Who to a global audience.

The announcement was made this morning by the next Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa, during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan.

The deal will bring future episodes of the series about the titular time and dimension-spanning hero to viewers all over the world via streaming on Disney+.

Doctor Who first appeared on TV in the U.K. in 1963. Since then, 13 actors have portrayed the character; Gatwa’s debut will be in 2023.

Ayo Davis, the president of Disney Branded Television said in a statement, “Doctor Who has captivated the imaginations of families around the world for the past six decades. We are so excited about this collaboration with the BBC, and the opportunity to bring this iconic franchise — and [producer] Russell T Davies‘ brilliant vision — to life for a huge new global audience.”

Davis added of the doctor’s powerful gadget, “Grab your sonic screwdrivers and prepare to travel through time and space!”

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On The Late Late Show with James Corden, the host returned from a week off and addressed the flap regarding his treatment of staff at the New York City restaurant Balthazar.

As reported, restaurateur owner Keith McNally banned Corden from the eatery, calling him “a Hugely gifted comedian, but a tiny Cretin of a man” and “the most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers since the restaurant opened 25 years ago,” for allegedly berating staff members.

What resulted was worldwide headlines.

“At the time I considered tweeting about it, or Instagramming about it,” Corden told his audience, adding he instead defaulted to his motto: “never complain, never explain.” His dad, however, told him, “You did complain, so you need to explain.”

Corden relayed to his audience, “Look, when you make a mistake, you gotta take responsibility” and shared one of the incidents at his “absolute favorite restaurant.”

The talk show host explained his wife has a “serious food allergy” and sent the meal back three times — this was in reference to the omelette that had “a little bit of egg white” in it, according to McNally.

Corden said, “in the heat of the moment, I made a sarcastic comment about cooking the meal myself.”

He added, “It was wrong. It was ungracious to the server.”

That said, Corden mentioned he called McNally to “clear the air…But by this point, the story was out there.” “People were upset,” Corden understated before quoting mean tweets that flowed about him, including one that read, “When I become president of hell, I’m gonna make super hell and put James Corden in it.”

The comedian apologized to the staff on the air and vowed to do so in person if he’s “allowed in” Balthazar next time he’s in New York City.

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HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, concluded its first season in a big way, drawing the premium cabler service’s biggest audience since GoT‘s conclusion in 2019.

House of the Dragon 9.3 million viewers Sunday night across all platforms, based on a combination of Nielsen and first party data, according HBO. That despite stiff competition from Sunday Night Football and the final game of the Major League Baseball ALCS between the NY Yankees and Houston Astros.

“We’re so thrilled to see House of the Dragon catch fire with Game of Thrones fans around the world, as well as new viewers who are discovering the world of Westeros for the first time,” said Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO and HBO Max. “Congrats to [Co-Creator/Executive Producer, George R.R. Martin, Co-Creator/Co-Showrunner/Executive Producer/Writer, Ryan Condal, Co-Showrunner/Executive Producer/Director, Miguel Sapochnik] and the whole House of the Dragon team on an incredible first season.”

House of the Dragon debuted August 21, to the largest audience for any new original series in the history of HBO and the best series launch on HBO Max across the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. The series is averaging 29 million viewers per episode in the U.S.

The complete first season of House of the Dragon is now available to stream on HBO Max.

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Many are paying tribute to actor Leslie Jordan, who died Monday in Los Angeles in a car crash. He was 67 years old.

Jordan is best known for his roles as Beverley Leslie on Will and Grace, Sid in the TV series The Cool Kids and several characters in American Horror Story.

Following news of his death, many in Hollywood took to social media to remember Jordan, including his “Will & Grace co-star, Eric McCormack.

“Crushed to learn about the loss of @thelesliejordan, the funniest and flirtiest southern gent I’ve ever known,” McCormack wrote on Twitter. “…Gone about thirty years too soon. You were loved, sweet man.”

Sean Hayes: “My heart is broken. Leslie Jordan was one of the funniest people I ever had the pleasure of working with. Everyone who ever met him, loved him. There will never be anyone like him. A unique talent with an enormous, caring heart. You will be missed, my dear friend.”

Lynda Carter: “Leslie Jordan put a smile on the faces of so many, especially with his pandemic videos. What a feat to keep us all laughing and connected in such difficult times… It feels so cruel that this could happen to such a beautiful soul.”

George Takei: “I am stunned at the death of Leslie Jordan, who delighted us with his many roles on television and film. Leslie, we are heartbroken at your loss and will miss your mirth and your inimitable spirit.”

Billy Eichner: “Leslie Jordan. What an angel. Gone much too soon. RIP.”

Ellen DeGeneres: “I just heard about Leslie Jordan. This is unbelievably tragic. He was such a light.”

Jim Parsons: “…Leslie was both a man of the earth and an absolute angel….I am shocked and sad beyond words to learn of his death, but I am equally filled with immense gratitude at having crossed his path on his journey. Rest in peace, you good, good man.”

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