In brief: ‘Task’ season 2 adds several to cast and more

In brief: ‘Task’ season 2 adds several to cast and more
In brief: ‘Task’ season 2 adds several to cast and more

Task has added even more actors to its season 2 cast. Deadline reports Tim Blake Nelson, Jharrel Jerome, Brían F. O’Byrne, Bethlehem Million, Kevin Dunn and Andrew Russel have joined the ensemble of the second season. Mark Ruffalo is set to return to his starring role of Tom Brandis, this time alongside Mahershala Ali as Eddie Barnes. The HBO series is based on an original idea by Brad Ingelsby …

Gavin Leatherwood has landed his next role. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Sex Lives of College Girls actor has joined the cast of the rom-com It Happened One Summer, according to Variety. The movie will be based on Tessa Bailey’s bestselling book. Leatherwood joins Nina Dobrev, Tyler Hoechlin and Virginia Gardner in the cast …

Kumail Nanjiani’s directorial debut has landed at Amazon MGM Studios’ Orion Pictures. Deadline reports the actor will also star in the horror comedy film, which is titled Howl. The film follows a famous but troubled actor who announces on a talk show that in less than an hour, he’ll turn into a werewolf on live TV …

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Amazon orders new sitcom ‘DINKS’ from co-creator of ‘Friends’

Amazon orders new sitcom ‘DINKS’ from co-creator of ‘Friends’
Amazon orders new sitcom ‘DINKS’ from co-creator of ‘Friends’
A photo of Marta Kauffman. (Eric Charbonneau) | A photo of Paul Scheer. (Andrew Max Levy) | A photo of June Diane Raphael. (Alexandra Genova)

A new show from the co-creator of Friends is on the way.

Amazon MGM Studios has ordered the new show DINKS (Dual Income No Kids) from showrunner Marta Kauffman. This series will be a first-of-its kind improvised multi-camera sitcom for Prime Video.

The show stars real-life married couple June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer. The pair executive produce and star in the show, with Jon Gabrus also set to star as a series regular.

DINKS is a comedy that follows “Josh (Scheer) and Charlie (Raphael), a couple who, in the absence of a marriage or kids, decide to literally build a life together by renovating their nightmare of a dream house,” according to its official description.

Kauffman co-created DINKS with Hannah K.S. Canter. The show is produced by their Okay Goodnight banner, Lionsgate Television and Amazon MGM Studios.

“I’ve always said I wouldn’t do another multi-cam unless someone was able to reinvent it. Okay Goodnight and I got tired of waiting, and decided we should do it ourselves,” Kauffman said. “It’s what I hoped it would be: unique, hilarious and warm. Shooting this show is like being on a roller coaster in the dark. You have no idea where it’s going to go, but you know it’s going to be fun.”

Peter Friedlander, head of Global Television at Amazon MGM Studios, said, “Marta Kauffman is one of the most iconic voices in comedy, and with DINKS, she’s doing what she does best — finding the humor and heart in everyday relationships — while pushing the form forward through improvisation.”

Kauffman is the writer, producer and showrunner behind Friends and Grace & Frankie.

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Jaafar Jackson to star in ‘Supermax’ alongside Will Smith

Jaafar Jackson to star in ‘Supermax’ alongside Will Smith
Jaafar Jackson to star in ‘Supermax’ alongside Will Smith
Jaafar Jackson attends the premiere of ‘Michael’ at Dolby Theatre on April 20, 2026, in Hollywood, California. (Christopher Patey/Getty Images for Lionsgate)

Jaafar Jackson has found his next role.

The Michael actor is set to star alongside Will Smith in the upcoming action-thriller film Supermax for Amazon MGM Studios and Miramax, ABC Audio has confirmed.

Pineapple Express and Halloween director David Gordon Green will helm the film. It is set to stream worldwide on Prime Video.

Smith will star as Rex in the film, which is described to be “a propulsive and twist-laden action thriller.” It follows two FBI agents who investigate a murder that has taken place inside the world’s most secure prison.

AnnaSophia Robb has also been cast in the film. She will seemingly play the second FBI agent along with Smith’s Rex.

David Weil and David J. Rosen, who are known for their work on the TV shows Hunters and Invasion, wrote the film. Smith will produce the movie for his company Westbrook.

Jackson, who is the nephew of Michael Jackson, portrayed his uncle in the hit biopic Michael. The Antoine Fuqua-directed film is now the highest-grossing biopic of all time, having surpassed Oppenheimer and Bohemian Rhapsody.

Supermax will mark Smith’s first onscreen appearance since the 2024 film Bad Boys: Ride or Die. That movie was his first major film part after the 2022 incident in which he slapped presenter Chris Rock onstage at the 94th Academy Awards. It was the same night he won his best actor Oscar for portraying Richard Williams in the biopic King Richard.

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In brief: Rebecca Hall joins ‘The Secret of Secrets’ and more

In brief: Rebecca Hall joins ‘The Secret of Secrets’ and more
In brief: Rebecca Hall joins ‘The Secret of Secrets’ and more

Another one of Lynn Painter’s books is getting the big screen adaptation. Deadline reports Beatrice Kitsos and David Iacono will star in the film adaptation of Painter’s bestselling book Better Than the Movies

Rebecca Hall has joined the cast of The Secret of Secrets for Netflix. She will play the role of Katherine Solomon in the upcoming series adaptation of the mystery thriller novel from author Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon book series. As previously reported, Morgan Spector will also star as Robert Langdon in the show …

It seems Samara Weaving is set to join the X-Men. Deadline reports the actress is Marvel’s top choice to play Emma Frost in an upcoming X-Men film. The character was most recently portrayed by January Jones in the film X-Men: First Class

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‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ has second-biggest opening weekend ever with $355 million

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ has second-biggest opening weekend ever with 5 million
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ has second-biggest opening weekend ever with $355 million
Tom Holland attends the ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ UK premiere on Wednesday 29th July 2026 in London, England. (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Sony Pictures)

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is off to a record-breaking start at the box office.

The latest Marvel superhero film earned an estimated $355 million in North American ticket sales during its opening weekend, making it the second-biggest domestic debut of all time, according to studio estimates. It trails only 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which opened to $357 million.

The Sony Pictures release also took in $572 million internationally, including $121 million in China, for a worldwide opening of $927 million, making it the second-largest global debut ever, behind Avengers: Endgame.

Starring Tom Holland and Zendaya, Spider-Man: Brand New Day also became Sony Pictures’ biggest opening weekend in history. The film set a new opening-day record with $168 million on Friday, surpassing Avengers: Endgame‘s previous mark.

The film follows 2021’s blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home, which grossed more than $1.9 billion worldwide and became the first movie to surpass $1 billion globally after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, has earned strong reviews, holding a 90% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” CinemaScore rating from audiences.

The blockbuster opening helped deliver the biggest weekend ever for North American movie theaters, with an estimated $430 million in total ticket sales. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which also stars Holland and Zendaya, finished second at the domestic box office with $51 million in its third weekend.

Here are the top 10 films at the box office:

1. Spider-Man: Brand New Day — $355 million
2. The Odyssey — $51 million
3. Toy Story 5 — $6.3 million
4. Minions & Monsters — $5.8 million
5. Moana — $5.3 million
6. Hadestown: The Musical — $2 million
7. The Invite — $1.2 million
8. I Want Your Sex — $600,000
9. Evil Dead Burn — $527,000
10. Young Washington — $477,727

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

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Ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie case released as sheriff’s office asks for public’s help in identifying writer

Ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie case released as sheriff’s office asks for public’s help in identifying writer
Ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie case released as sheriff’s office asks for public’s help in identifying writer
This image provided by the FBI Feb. 5, 2026, shows a missing person Nancy Guthrie. (FBI)

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has released two ransom notes received by local media in Tucson, Arizona, in the days after Nancy Guthrie was taken, while calling for the public’s help in identifying their writer.

The redacted versions of the notes arrive six months after the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie was kidnapped from her Tucson-area home. The 84-year-old remains missing.

ABC News has previously described the contents of the notes.

“These communications reveal distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology that reflect the writer’s unique linguistic style,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a press release on Friday. “They also provide valuable insight into the person’s mindset, motives, and the evolution of their tone over time.”

The department said they “believe these distinctive linguistic characteristics may be recognizable to someone who knows or has interacted with the notes’ writer.”

The first note was sent to the local CBS Tucson affiliate KOLD-TV on Feb. 2, according to the sheriff’s department, and is addressed to Savannah Guthrie.

“We have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared,” the note stated, while asking for millions of dollars in Bitcoin for her release. If payment was not received, “she will be killed,” the note stated.

The note included descriptions of a smart watch near her bed and a damaged floodlight in the home’s backyard.

The second note was sent on Feb. 6, according to the sheriff’s department, and is addressed to the Guthrie family. The note stated that Guthrie died and “is buried in nature now.”

“We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken,” the note stated.

The note included an apology and said to the family, “Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace.”

After receiving the second note, Savannah Guthrie posted a statement in a Feb. 7 Instagram post.

“We received your message and we understand,” Savannah Guthrie said at the time. “We beg you now to return our mother to us. … . This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

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

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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II opens up about ‘Wonder Man’ cancellation

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II opens up about ‘Wonder Man’ cancellation
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II opens up about ‘Wonder Man’ cancellation
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II attends the MLB Opening Night Game: Yankees vs. Giants, at Momo’s on March 25, 2026, in San Francisco, California. (Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images for Netflix)

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is opening up about the cancellation of his Marvel TV series Wonder Man.

Abdul-Mateen took to Instagram to post about the surprise cancellation of the series, which had previously been renewed for season 2 on Disney+.

“Word just dropped that Wonder Man won’t be coming back for Season 2. (And if you don’t knowww, now ya knoww!)” Abdul-Mateen captioned his post. “That’s life, right? Everything will shake out.”

The actor, who played aspiring actor and superhero Simon Williams in the show, continued his post by thanking the series’ fans.

“I wanted to say thank you to everybody who WATCHED the show, ENJOYED the show, and SHARED that they enjoyed the show in some way or other. The show worked. And that’s my favorite thing about it,” Abdul-Mateen wrote.

Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest created Wonder Man while Cretton directed its first two episodes. Guest served as the series’ showrunner. Ben Kingsley, X Mayo, Demetrius Grosse, Zlatko Burić, Arian Moayed, Josh Gad and Olivia Thirlby also starred in season 1.

Season 1 of Wonder Man premiered on Jan. 27. Disney announced the show had been renewed for season 2 in March. Earlier in July, Abdul-Mateen was nominated for an Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for his work on the series. He is already an Emmy winner for his work on Watchmen.

Despite the renewal reversal, Abdul-Mateen continued his post with positivity.

“I can see in the messages I get saying how the show reminded some of you not to give up, and I feel it in the genuine love shared when I bump into some of you all during the day. So, thinking of you all today. I’m glad we got to be a part of something cool. Thank you for watching… And uhh… See you at the EMMYS,” Abdul-Mateen wrote.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News, Disney+ and Marvel.

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In brief: Claire Foy, Matthew Macfadyen to star in ‘You Are Here’ and more

In brief: Claire Foy, Matthew Macfadyen to star in ‘You Are Here’ and more
In brief: Claire Foy, Matthew Macfadyen to star in ‘You Are Here’ and more

Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen are teaming up for a new drama series. The actors are set to star in You Are Here for STARZ and BBC. The new show will be based on the love story written by author David Nicholls. He adapted his own story as an eight-part series to be directed by Normal People‘s Lenny Abrahamson …

Fake Skating is headed to the big screen. Sony Pictures has tapped The Fault in our Stars director Josh Boone to direct the film adaptation of the high school hockey romance book by Lynn Painter. It marks the first book by the bestselling author to get a screen adaptation. Morgan Lehmann and Victoria Bata wrote its screenplay while Boone and his writing partner Knate Lee handled its revisions …

The official teaser trailer for Alix Earle’s Netflix documentary series has arrived. Earle Meets World follows the Gen Z influencer’s everyday life as she balances making big moves in her career while staying true to herself. The series consists of eight 45-minute episodes. It premieres on Sept. 4 …

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Howard Charles, 50 Cent tease why ‘Fightland’ is a must-watch

Howard Charles, 50 Cent tease why ‘Fightland’ is a must-watch
Howard Charles, 50 Cent tease why ‘Fightland’ is a must-watch
Poster for ‘Fightland’ (Starz)

Howard Charles plays a heavyweight championship boxer in Fightland, the new Starz series that follows Duke Kilroy as he seeks vengeance for the death of his brother, whom he believes was killed by criminal kingpin and former promoter Kingsley Marshall.

Though Howard was already in shape before landing the role, he says portraying Duke required a different kind of physique.

“I had to put on weight for the role, actually. I was a bit too lean. That’s the first time that’s actually happened. So I was eating a bit more than I usually do. I was lifting a bit heavier than I usually do,” he tells ABC Audio.

Howard says he was drawn to the character the moment he read the script.

“I saw a man who on the face of it appeared to be dangerous and capable of terrible things, and sometimes even reckless, but this was not a man who was a monster. You know, this is someone who’s wounded, someone who is carrying grief, rage … and he is a man with a heart,” he explains. “I just really felt for the guy, you know, I really, really felt his pain and I wanted to play him and I wanted to represent him and I wanted to honor him. And luckily, I was given the opportunity to do that.”

Fightland is executive produced by 50 Cent, who is known for starring in, creating and promoting the Power universe. Despite that franchise’s long-running success, he believes Fightland is an even better series.

“When you watch that show, you go, well, this is better than where we started with Power,” he says, noting it took more effort to promote Power in its early days.

“I took $17,000 to be a reoccurring actor, to write the theme song for Power, to do the marketing and promotions for it because they didn’t know who Omari Hardwick was in the very beginning,” he says. “So Good Morning America wouldn’t accept the cast without me being available. I’m in a nightclub. I got to put a suit on and go to Good Morning America. Like that, it was really interesting.”

“I knew I had something going when they would accept them without me season 3,” 50 continues. “Then it gradually got to that point.”

By contrast, Fightland is captivating from the start. “I’m excited because I think after people see the first [episode] … they’ll understand why I’m been saying that.” 

Disney is the parent company of ABC News and Good Morning America.

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George Clooney, Amal Clooney send note to mayor while evacuating home in France amid wildfires

George Clooney, Amal Clooney send note to mayor while evacuating home in France amid wildfires
George Clooney, Amal Clooney send note to mayor while evacuating home in France amid wildfires
George Clooney and Amal Clooney attend the 51st Chaplin Award Gala honoring George Clooney at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on April 27, 2026 in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

George Clooney and Amal Clooney evacuated their home in Brignoles, France, this week as wildfires tore through the region, sending a moving note to the town’s mayor as they left.

The actor and human rights attorney informed Didier Bremond, the mayor of Brignoles, of their departure in a note shared with ABC News by a representative for Clooney on Thursday.

“At this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment and as we evacuate Brignoles we want to emphasise 2 things,” the note read. “First we hope you and the people of our city are safe and second that Amal and i are committed to making sure that whatever happens to our village, we are part of this community and we’ll be part of making it whole.”

“We love Brignoles and our friends who live there,” the note concluded.

Brignoles is located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of southeastern France and has a population of around 18,000, according to a recent census.

A wildfire broke out near the town on Wednesday, burning approximately 321 acres of vegetation before it was contained around 3 a.m. local time, but not fully extinguished, according to local authorities. Four firefighters were injured while battling the blaze, authorities said in an update Thursday, adding that firefighters were still working to put out the flames.

Wildfires are currently burning through large swaths of southern Europe, including parts of Greece, France and Spain, and as far north as the U.K. Hundreds of thousands of residents have been evacuated amid the fires, with sweltering heat waves blanketing the region, worsening conditions.

George Clooney and Amal Clooney reportedly purchased their home in France in 2021, according to The Associated Press.

George Clooney discussed his life in France in a 2025 interview with Esquire, describing what it was like for his family to live on farm in the country.

“Yeah, we’re very lucky,” he said at the time. “You know, we live on a farm in France. A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid I hated the whole idea of it. But now, for [my kids], it’s like — they’re not on their iPads, you know? They have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in. They have a much better life.”

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