In what seemed inevitable, considering it recently became one of the most streamed shows in the world, Peacemaker has been renewed for a second season on HBO Max.
Following the events of writer-director James Gunn‘s hit The Suicide Squad, the series delves into the backstory of John Cena‘s very flawed titular character as he and a ragtag team fight a hidden alien invasion.
In a statement, Guardians of the Galaxy veteran Gunn noted, “Creating Peacemaker has been one of the true highlights of my life, both professionally and otherwise,” and added, “To have something we all love so much be loved by the audience in turn has been a wonderful experience. I can’t wait for folks to see where Team Peacemaker goes in Season Two!”
An “incredibly honored and humbled” Cena thanked the fans and the series creators in a statement, as well as his cast mates, which include Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Freddie Stroma, Robert Patrick, and Danielle Brooks, “who worked tirelessly to make this unforgettable series.”
The season finale of Peacemaker drops Thursday on HBO Max, and Agee [AY-gee], who plays Peacemaker’s reluctant team member John Economos, tells ABC Audio fans should buckle up.
“They showed a lot of the press the first seven episodes before it dropped because they wanted to get some reviews out, and the one that they wouldn’t send them, it was the finale, episode eight, and it’s just because it’s so packed with insanity and…stuff that they just didn’t want to get spoiled,” teases Agee.
He adds, “You got to come watch this. This is insane. It’s going to blow a lot of minds. I think the finale is just, it’s really good.”
Veteran voiceover actor John DiMaggio didn’t exactly quote his Futurama robot character, Bender, about biting his shiny metal posterior, but he made it clear why he didn’t sign onto Hulu’s just-announced continuation of the show.
As reported, original cast members including Katey Segal, Phil LaMarr and Billy West signed on to the new project, but DiMaggio declined, over what was called a salary dispute.
On Twitter, DiMaggio, who also voiced Jake the dog on the beloved Emmy-winning animated series Adventure Time, explained the situation.
“Bender is part of my soul & nothing about this is meant to be disrespectful to the fans or my Futurama family,” the actor noted in part, adding, “it’s about self-respect.”
“I don’t think only I deserve to be paid more. I think the entire cast does,” John wrote, explaining he’s “tired of an industry that’s become far too corporate and takes advantage of artists’ time & talent.”
While DiMaggio admits he’s “still hoping for the best” in the situation — and show creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen are reportedly trying to get him back into the fold — the actor expressed, “Negotiations are a natural part of working in show business….Some accept offers and some hold their ground.”
In the meantime, Hulu was reportedly searching for a soundalike for Bender Bending Rodriguez.
DiMaggio also added, “Thanks again for the love everyone,” explaining he’s about to start shooting AMC’s Interview with the Vampire series, “and very grateful to be!”
The six-time Emmy-winning Futurama ran on Fox from 1999 to 2003, then re-launched on Comedy Central from 2008 to 2013. The show saw West playing Phillip J. Fry, a slacker pizza guy who gets accidentally frozen in the year 2000, only to wake up in a very different 2099.
Evangelista in 2015 – Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic
Supermodel Linda Evangelista has broken her silence about a cosmetic surgery nightmare that had her living “in seclusion” for nearly five years.
In a People cover story, Evangelista explains, “I loved being up on the catwalk. Now I dread running into someone I know. I can’t live like this anymore, in hiding and shame. … I’m willing to finally speak.”
The 56-year-old had gone under a non-invasive procedure called CoolSculpting, which uses paddles to freeze fat cells under the skin. The super-cold temperatures are supposed to cause fat cells to shrink.
However, Evangelista suffered an apparently rare side-effect that left her “brutally disfigured,” and “permanently deformed,” she said.
She explains that within three months of the procedure, the fat in the areas she tried to shrink — under her chin, her thighs, and under her arms — began to swell and go numb.
“I tried to fix it myself, thinking I was doing something wrong,” she confesses. “I got to where I wasn’t eating at all. I thought I was losing my mind.”
She explains she saw a doctor in 2016 and was diagnosed with Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, or PAH — “And he told me no amount of dieting, and no amount of exercise was ever going to fix it,” says Evangelista.
Dr. Alan Matarasso, a New York City cosmetic surgeon not involved in Evangelista’s care, tells People, “Patients go in to have something reduced, and now it’s enlarged. And the problem…is that, in some instances, it may not go away…”
For its part, CoolSculpting insisted to the magazine that its FDA-cleared treatment “has been well studied with more than 100 scientific publications and more than 11 million treatments performed worldwide,” and that rare side-effects like PAH are documented in its patient information.
Mindy Kaling has just announced a partnership with Amazon Publishing to launch Mindy’s Book Studio, “a boutique story studio” that will publish books “from emerging and established diverse voices” that have been selected by The Office vet, producer, and bestselling author.
Mindy’s Book Studio aims to release, “fresh romantic comedies and poignant coming-of-age stories to make readers laugh — and cringe — to suspenseful dramas with unforgettable female protagonists,” according to a release.
The production shingle will also have an eye to adapting those works into television and film projects exclusively for Amazon Studios, which produced Mindy’s recent comedy series Late Night, starring Kaling and Emma Thompson.
Kaling, who released her hit essay collection Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes) through Amazon, will release her 2023 debut novel, described as, “a comedic and twisty page-turner,” through her brand-new endeavor, which Amazon calls the “first-ever book studio.”
The Monsters at Work star said in a statement, “I’m passionate about bringing unique stories to readers and viewers, and I can’t wait to help discover and support talented new voices through Mindy’s Book Studio.”
The family of Bob Saget has filed a lawsuit to block the release of records from the investigation of his sudden death, court documents show.
The 65-year-old comedian and actor, who famously played Danny Tanner in the sitcom Full House, was found dead in his Florida hotel room on January 9 from what was later determined to be head trauma. The chief medical examiner for Orange and Osceola counties said that the manner of death was an accident.
On Tuesday, Saget’s wife, Kelly Rizzo, and three daughters filed a lawsuit against the medical examiner’s office and the Orange County sheriff seeking to prevent the release of any records — including photographs, video and audio recordings related to his death.
“Plaintiffs will suffer irreparable harm in the form of extreme mental pain, anguish, and emotional distress if Defendants release the Records…” the lawsuit stated, adding no “legitimate public interest would be served” by their release. Citing “legitimate privacy interests,” the family is seeking to block the release of the records to the public, and that they only be released to his spouse and daughters.
ABC News has reached out to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Orange County government for comment.
The night before he died, Saget did a show at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall in Jacksonville, Florida. He was found unresponsive in his room at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando “in a supine [face upward] position on his bed,” according to a police report.
A preliminary autopsy showed “no evidence of drug use or foul play,” medical examiner Dr. Joshua Stephany said. In an update last week, Stephany said it was his opinion that Saget died from blunt head trauma “most likely incurred from an unwitnessed fall.” No drugs or alcohol were involved in Saget’s death.
Saget had several blunt force injuries of the head, according to the medical examiner’s autopsy report obtained by ABC News, including a fracture at the base of his skull and fractures involving the frontal bone.
Saget’s family shared the findings in their own statement, saying the authorities’ investigation “concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep.”
Even before the anticipated series’ March 24 premiere, Paramount+ has renewed the series video game adaptation Halo for a second season. Calling it “a thrill-ride for fans of the game and non-gamers alike,” Tanya Giles, chief programming officer, Paramount+ said, “we’re thrilled to give fans a second season to look forward to before we launch the series next month.” The series stars American Gods‘ Pablo Schreiber as super-soldier Master Chief, as well as Designated Survivor‘s Natascha McElhone, Spider-Man: Homecoming‘s Bokeem Woodbine, and The Witcher, among others…
Focus Features on Monday released the first full trailer for Downton Abbey: A New Era, the follow-up to 2019’s feature adaptation of the popular TV series. The film reunites original cast members Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Imelda Staunton “as they go on a grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess’ newly inherited villa,” according to the official logline. Hannibal‘s Hugh Dancy, Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Laura Haddock, 300‘s Dominic West, and Catch Me If You Can‘s Nathalie Baye also star. Downton Abbey: A New Era opens in theaters May 20…
Barry, the HBO comedy created, executive-produced and starring Saturday Night Live alum Bill Hader, will return for an eight-part third season this Sunday, April 24th, the premium cable outlet announced on Tuesday. Hader plays the titular character, a depressed hitman from the Midwest who’s sent to Los Angeles to kill an aspiring actor, but decides instead to ditch his life of crime to become an actor himself. Henry Winkler co-stars, along with Stephen Root…
Showtime has renewed Billions for a seventh season, according to Variety. Picking up where season six left off, with Chuck, played by Paul Giamatti, forced to develop a new strategy now that Axe, portrayed by Damian Lewis is gone and and replaced by Corey Stolli’s character, Michael Prince. All the players, including Wags, Wendy, Taylor, Sacker and Chuck Senior — played respectively by David Costabile, Maggie Siff, Asia Kate Dillon, Condola Rashad and Jeffrey DeMunn — must sharpen their weapons and look for new alliances in order to survive. Additionally, Daniel Breaker, who stars as Scooter, has been upped to series regular. Season six of Billions premiered January 23, with new episodes airing every Sunday on Showtime…
Deadline reports HBO Max’s A Christmas Story Christmas, the sequel to the beloved 1983 film, A Christmas Story, has inked original cast members Ian Petrella, Zack Ward, Scott Schwartz and R.D. Robb — who played Randy, Scut Farkus, Flick and Schwartz, respectively. They will join Peter Billingsley, who will play the adult version of his A Christmas Story character, Ralph, who returns to the house on Cleveland Street to deliver his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had growing up. This will mark Petrella’s first film since his scene-stealing role as Randy in the original…
A Quiet Place Part III is officially a go at Paramount, with a target release date of 2025, according to The Hollywood Reporter. John Krasinski, who co-wrote, directed and starred in the first film and wrote and directed the second installment, announced the news on Tuesday. There was no announcement as to who would write and direct the new film. The first A Quiet Place movie grossed $340.9 million worldwide, while A Quiet Place II, released during the COVID-19 pandemic, managed a deliver an impressive $297 million globally…
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
J.J. Abrams has announced plans for a fourth Star Trek film, ideally with the cast from his 2009 reboot, according to Variety.
“We are thrilled to say that we are hard at work on a new Star Trek film that will be shooting by the end of the year that will be featuring our original cast and some new characters that I think are going to be really fun and exciting and help take Star Trek into areas that you’ve just never seen before,” Abrams revealed at the Paramount Investors Day presentation.
“We’re thrilled about this film, we have a bunch of other stories that we’re talking about that we think will be really exciting, so can’t wait for you to see what we’re cooking up. But until then, live long and prosper,” he added.
There’s just one little hitch though: the studio has yet to enter negotiations with any of original stars, which include Chris Pine as Captain Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, John Cho as Sulu, Karl Urban as Bones and Simon Pegg as Scotty.
Anton Yelchin, who played Chekhov in Abrams’ previous three movies, died in 2016.
Plans to bring back the cast have been percolating for years, including a 2018 sequel teaming Pine with Kirk’s late father — portrayed in the 2009 film by Chris Hemsworth. The plan ultimately fizzled, reportedly because Paramount couldn’t reach a deal with Pine and Hemsworth. Quentin Tarantino was even circling a project.
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
J.J. Abrams has announced plans for a fourth Star Trek film, ideally with the cast from his 2009 reboot, according to Variety.
“We are thrilled to say that we are hard at work on a new Star Trek film that will be shooting by the end of the year that will be featuring our original cast and some new characters that I think are going to be really fun and exciting and help take Star Trek into areas that you’ve just never seen before,” Abrams revealed at the Paramount Investors Day presentation Tuesday.
“We’re thrilled about this film, we have a bunch of other stories that we’re talking about that we think will be really exciting, so can’t wait for you to see what we’re cooking up. But until then, live long and prosper,” he added.
There’s just one little hitch, though: the studio has yet to enter negotiations with any of original stars, which include Chris Pine as Captain Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, John Cho as Sulu, Karl Urban as Bones and Simon Pegg as Scotty. Anton Yelchin, who played Chekhov in Abrams’ previous three movies, died in 2016.
Plans to bring back the cast have been percolating for years, including a 2018 sequel teaming Pine with Kirk’s late father, portrayed in the 2009 film by Chris Hemsworth. The plan ultimately fizzled, reportedly because Paramount couldn’t reach a deal with Pine and Hemsworth. Quentin Tarantino was even circling a project at one time.
Paramount+ has ordered another season of its Yellowstone prequel series 1883, and announced that creator Taylor Sheridan has another period show about the Dutton clan up his sleeve called 1932.
While 1883 tells the tale of Yellowstone‘s Dutton family journeying west through the Great Plains to Montana, it hasn’t yet been announced what 1932 will see the family doing.
In a statement, Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of ViacomCBS Media Networks and MTV Entertainment Studios, said, “With the brilliant mind and gifted storytelling of Taylor Sheridan, we have created an entirely new world to explore with 1883 while expanding Yellowstone, and with 1932 we will open up a new chapter in this rapidly growing universe.”
The family of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has filed a wrongful death suit against Alec Baldwin in New Mexico on Tuesday.
“There are many people culpable, but Mr. Baldwin was the person holding the weapon,” Hutchins family attorney Brian Panish said at a press conference. “That but for him shooting it, she would not have died,” the attorney explained. “So clearly, he has a significant portion of liability.”
Using a computer animated simulation, the attorneys for Halyna Hutchins’ widower, Matthew Hutchins, re-created how they say the October 21, 2021 incident transpired, during which Rust star and producer Baldwin fired a live round from a vintage-style Colt revolver, fatally striking Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Baldwin insists the gun just “went off,” and that he was told the weapon was safe to handle.
The Hutchins family attorneys disagree with Baldwin’s repeated claims of innocence, asserting that the production violated or ignored 15 industry-standard safety practices, and that Baldwin himself was personally at fault.
Among the safety violations allegedly violated were that Baldwin didn’t first rehearse the scene with a rubber prop gun, and that he allegedly failed to keep his finger off the trigger of the gun he fired.
“Mr. Baldwin refused weapons training on how to perform a cross draw, the type of gun draw he was about to perform…,” the attorneys further alleged. “The first rule for safety with firearms and a production set required Mr. Baldwin to treat all firearms as if they were loaded.”
Further, the suit claims 23-year-old armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was “an inexperienced weapons master” who was “unqualified for the degree of skill required on the Rust set.” Rust was only second film on which she worked.
“No one should ever die with a real gun on a make-believe movie set that should never happen,” added attorney Randi McGinn.
The legal team representing Hutchins’ family is seeing “substantial” damages from Baldwin.
A criminal investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
![John DiMaggio on Hulu ‘Futurama’ flap: “[T]he entire cast” deserves to be “paid more”](https://s3.amazonaws.com/syndication.abcaudio.com/files/2022-02-16/getty_john_dimaggio_and_bender_02162022.jpg "John DiMaggio on Hulu ‘Futurama’ flap: “[T]he entire cast” deserves to be “paid more”")
