Entertainment

If you’ve ever indulged in the New York Times best-selling graphic novel series The Bad Guys, you’re already well aware of the five titular characters who are now being brought to life in Dreamworks’ animated film adaptation.

The movie follows Mr. Wolf, voiced by Oscar winner Sam Rockwell, and his crew of animal outlaws — Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and Mrs. Tarantula (Awkwafina) — as they set out on their most challenging mission yet: going from criminals to model citizens. The film also features Zazie Beetz as city governor Diane Foxington, while Lilly Singh documents the action as local reporter Tiffany Fluffit.

In comparison to the books, the action-packed family movie dives deep into the characters’ backstory. 

Director Pierre Perifel, making his feature-film debut, told ABC Audio that his decision to highlight the characters’ pre- and post-criminal storyline was intentional.

“You always have to bring a little bit more,” he said, speaking on the film’s inspiration from the books. “We also wanted to do a little bit of a genesis of the change for Wolf. You know, what happens before he decides to go good? Who are these characters?”

Perifel was afforded “tons of freedom to explore” by book author Aaron Blabely, who serves as an executive producer on the film. The director said he took full advantage of that liberty, including his ability to do so alongside the talented cast.

“The idea was to really have a cast that was not the usual suspects,” he said. “The whole team is such a fantastic group of actors and performers who just brought these characters to life. We got incredibly lucky.” 

To watch Mr. Wolf and the gang come to life on-screen, check out The Bad Guys in theaters starting Friday, April 22.

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Former Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes has filed a civil lawsuit against NBC Universal, Bravo, True Media, Andy Cohen and other parties responsible for the show. The complaint, filed in Atlanta on Wednesday, alleges the companies failed to address racism, after Leakes complained about the allegedly toxic workplace culture. 

The lawsuit says that Leakes was the subject of racially offensive conduct while on the show, and specifically details the alleged difference in treatment between Leakes, a Black woman, and RHOA co-star, Kim Zolciak-Biermann, a white woman. 

Instead of reprimanding Zolciak-Biermann for her racist behavior, the lawsuit says, she was rewarded with special perks and privileges that were denied to the Black housewives. 

“NBC, and its Bravo network, maintain a corporate culture that is insensitive to black talent and fosters racially -offensive behavior that goes unpunished,” the lawsuit states. 

Leakes, 54, has been part of Real Housewives of Atlanta for seven years. The lawsuit claims Lauren Eskelin, True Entertainment’s executive vice president of programming, who is also being sued, once declared “RHOA is not RHOA without [Mrs. Leakes].”  

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As a sign that things are getting better following the pandemic, a poll of more than 6,000 ticket-buyers say they’re headed back to the movies this summer.

The survey, part of Fandango’s second annual Moviegoing Trends & Insights Study, reveals 83% of moviegoers plan to see three or more films on the big screen during the summer.

Those polled also said Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — which opens May 6 — is their most anticipated movie of the summer, followed by another Marvel movie, the July 8 release Thor: Love and Thunder.

Coming in third in the most-anticipated summer movie poll is Jurassic World Dominion, opening June 10, followed by Top Gun: Maverick on May 27.

Minions: The Rise of Gru, which opens July 1, rounds out the top five.

Furthermore, 93% of respondents will see movies of multiple genres, not just superhero movies, and 93% look forward to buying concessions at the theater — up sharply from 84% from last year. No surprise, popcorn and soda rank as the most likely buy for those moviegoers.

Also, 89% of those polled said going to the movies is their favorite activity outside the home, outpacing shopping or sporting events. What’s more, 99% of those who have been to the already movies say they were happy with their visits to the theater this year, up from 93% in 2021.

“As film fans head back to theaters, we are starting to see growing signs of recovery as we make the turn towards a great summer of movies ahead,” said Fandango VP Domestic Ticketing Melissa Heller in a statement.

“Our study shows moviegoers are happier than ever to be back at the theater.”

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Sony Pictures has announced it has made some moves within its own Spider-Verse. First off, the studio has moved the sequel to its Oscar-winning animated hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse from October 7, 2022 to June 2, 2023.

Furthermore, the film formerly known as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One), has dropped the “(Part One)” from its title, but it will remain the first chapter in a two-part story, concluding with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part II on March 29, 2024.

On a related note, Madame Web, starring Dakota Johnson, has been given a release date of July 7, 2023. As reported, S.J. Johnson, the executive producer and lead director of Netflix’s acclaimed Marvel series Jessica Jones, is calling the shots on the film, with Johnson playing the title character, first introduced in the pages of Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man #210 in 1980.

In non-superhero news, Sony Pictures also announced that a third Equalizer film, starring Oscar winner Denzel Washington, will hit theaters September 1, 2023.

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On the stand in his defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard Thursday morning, Johnny Depp was again cross-examined by her attorney, who grilled the star about his drug use with, and controversial texts he sent to, his friend, WandaVision actor Paul Bettany.

Attorney J. Benjamin Rottenborn tried to contrast Depp’s living up to the “standards of a Southern gentleman” with his alleged conduct with Bettany.

“Paul Bettany is a friend who’ve you done drugs with, yes?” Rottenborn asked.

“That’s a strange question,” Depp countered, before admitting he had, “at times.”

Her attorney asked if Heard didn’t like Depp being high on drugs, to which the actor replied, “She didn’t like it when it was her perception that I was high on drugs,” but Heard’s perception wasn’t necessarily the truth, Depp claimed.

Depp was quizzed about texts he sent to Bettany, including one reading, “Let’s burn Amber,” and another that followed, “Let’s drown her before we burn her.”

On the stand, Depp also again mentioned his attempts to get sober, and texts to Elton John were entered into evidence. “I would have been swallowed up by the monster, if it wasn’t for you,” Depp reportedly texted the star in 2012.

Heard’s attorney fixated on the word “monster,” which was either Depp or Heard’s term for his addictions.

“Elton was a dear friend who has been sober for 40 years, 30 years, and we’ve had discussions, and he wanted me to get clean and sober,” Johnny said, mentioning Elton even offered the assistance of a friend who helped the “Rocket Man” singer in his recovery.

Depp continued abusing substances until, as he claimed in court Wednesday, he underwent a painful detox with the help of a physician in 2015. He subsequently fell off the wagon, he claimed in court Wednesday, after a fight that escalated to the point of Heard allegedly hurling vodka bottles at him, which he claims severed the tip of his right middle finger.

Depp is suing Heard over her 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post in which she referred to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse,” implying Depp abused her without mentioning his name. He claims the piece had a devastating effect on him personally, and on his career.

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For the millions of fans that made Black Panther a billion-dollar blockbuster, now you’ll have a chance to eat like the people of the movie’s fictional nation of Wakanda.

The Official Wakanda Cookbook by Malawian-American chef Nyanyika Banda has over 70 delicious recipes inspired by the box office hit, and its forthcoming sequel.

And while it would have been an easy lift to go kitchy, with, say, “Vibranium Veggies,” or “T’Challa’s Churros,” Banda didn’t, and took the assignment very seriously.

The veteran of number of acclaimed kitchens across the country, including WD-50 and Saveur magazine’s test kitchen, was influenced by her studies of and writing on African food, and the book is filled with authentic entries including entrées, street food, and a range of recipes that appeal to every palate and skill level.

Some of the recipes include beef samosas, and dishes like Baked Sweet Potato and Kale Eggs, along with Marvel-canon descriptions as to where you could find them in the technically advanced nation, if it were real.

For example, according to the book, its Basbousa cakes recipe you can try are made by Kylee and Ayla, two sisters who own a bakery in the fictional city of Birnin Azzaria. Its “Village Curried Chicken” is usually prepared for Wakandan council meetings, according to Banda’s book.

The Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever, is set for a November 11 debut in theaters.

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

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(NOTE CONTENT) Of all the explosive revelations made Wednesday when Johnny Depp testified in his defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard, one trended thanks to two cheeky hashtags: #MePoo and #AmberTurd.

Depp alleges that after one of his many fights instigated by Heard, this one after her 30th birthday party in 2016, she or one of her friends left a gross gift: Someone intentionally pooped in his bed.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star had left one of the homes he shared with his now-ex after the row, and she and her pals were bound for the Coachella. With her out of the picture, Depp testified, he planned to return to the home to gather items that were important to him, including mementos of his friendships with Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.

However, he was warned against returning, and the excremental evidence was shown to him in a cellphone photo taken by a security guard.

“My initial response to that was…I laughed,” Depp said in court. “It was so bizarre and so grotesque that I could only laugh. So I did not go down there that day.”

Of course, those photos were entered into evidence yesterday for all to see. In fact, Depp was cross-examined about them, with lawyers for Heard doubting the poop’s provenance, positing that his two dogs, Pistol and Boo, could have made the apparently large deposit.

“They’re teacup Yorkies,” Depp countered. “They weigh about four pounds each…It was not the dogs.”

Depp alleged in detail Wednesday that he suffered physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Heard, who herself has previously alleged Depp abused her during their tumultuous relationship.

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Producers of the Tony Awards don’t want a repeat of Will Smith‘s infamous Oscars slap, and they’ve issued a strong message for potential copycats: A letter sent by Tony Award Productions to potential ticket-buyers and obtained by Deadline includes the following warning in its FAQ section: “The Tony Awards has a strict no violence policy. In the event of an incident, the perpetrator will be removed from the event immediately.” Smith stormed the Oscar stage on March 27 and slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face, after the latter made a joke referencing the movie G.I. Jane and Jada Pinkett Smith‘s bald head. The King Richard star was subsequently slapped with a 10-year ban by the Academy…

Showtime has given an eight-episode order to the limited series Fellow Travelers, starring Doom Patrol‘s Matt Bomer, according to Variety. Based on Thomas Mallon‘s novel of the same name, the series is described as “an epic love story and political thriller, chronicling the volatile romance of two very different men who meet in the shadow of McCarthy-era Washington.” Bomer will reportedly play Hawkins Fuller, who “maintains a behind-the scenes career in politics” and “avoids emotional entanglements,” until he meets Tim Laughlin, “a young man brimming with idealism and religious faith”…

Jessica Alba will host and executive-produce the upcoming Roku original series Honest Renovations, the streamer announced on Wednesday. Alba and her co-host, The Cool Mom Co. Founder & Editor Lizzy Mathis, will help “deserving families complete the home renovations of their dreams and confront issues about parenting through candid conversations,” according to a statement from Roku. “Becoming a parent was exciting, scary and confusing all at once,” Alba said in a statement. “Parenthood is the most transformative life experience, and no matter how much you think you’re prepared; you never really are.” She added, “I can’t wait to share the stories of the special families and their incredible home renovations with viewers on The Roku Channel.” Honest Renovations will kick off production later in 2022…

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The long-awaited episode of Fox’s The Masked Singer featuring former New York City Mayor and Donald Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani finally aired on Wednesday and, as expected, the reveal had judge Ken Jeong leaving the stage in disgust.

Giuliani’s unmasking as the Jack in the Box, following his performance of George Thorogood‘s “Bad to the Bone,” stunned all the judges, including Nicole Scherzinger, who asked if it was Robert Duvall.

“No, that’s not Robert Duvall,” Jeong replied.

Robin Thicke commented, “This is definitely something I never would have guessed.”

Host Nick Cannon also appeared shocked, saying, “Mr. Giuliani, with all of the controversy that’s surrounding you right now, I think it surprises us all that you’re here on The Masked Singer.”

“Me too!” replied Giuliani, explaining, “I guess the main reason is, I just had a granddaughter Grace, and I want her to know that you should try everything, even things that are completely unlike you and unlikely.”

“I’m done,” said Jeong, before walking off the set.

Guiliani’s appearance on the show first made headlines back in February when the episode was recorded.

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The new Starz series Gaslit, debuting Sunday, hopes to shine a lot more light on the lives of the major players in the Watergate scandal. Series creator Robbie Pickering tells ABC Audio he wanted to explore the humanity, and motivations, of those who were involved in the break-in that brought down Richard Nixon.

“The villains were a lot more relatable and warm and kind of bumbling than you think. And the heroes were also, they were more complex and bumbling and selfish than they’ve been portrayed,” says Pickerling. “And I really wasn’t interested in telling a story about the events of Watergate, as much as the emotional messes that went into this scandal and that actually go into all these scandals.”

Gaslit‘s cast of characters include Nixon’s Attorney General John Mitchell and his wife Martha, played respectively by Sean Penn and Julia Roberts. British actor Dan Stevens plays former White House lawyer John Dean and tells ABC Audio he learned a lot from the series.

“I didn’t know who Martha Mitchell was, didn’t know much about [Dean’s wife Mo], didn’t know much about Frank Wills, the guard to who uncovered it all,” he admits. “And so a lot of these characters are given the chance to shine in this version. And yeah, it was a real education.”

The Downton Abbey star says even though the film deals with something that happened 50 years ago, the massage still rings true today.

“This kind of level of corruption on any scale and the spectrum of personality types that are kind of drawn to this kind of misdemeanor in an effort to gain power, to stay with power, you know, to creep ever closer to the inner circle kind of applies to any administration in any era,” he explains.

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