Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 16th to 22nd, 2026 - UPDATE #9

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

-------------------

NEWS:

NETFLIX - From WorldofReel:  Netflix will give director Peter Berg's “The Mosquito Bowl,” a U.S. theatrical release on October 30, 2026 before moving it streaming on November 25th.  The film tells the story of four of America’s most celebrated college football players who put their athletic careers on hold to enlist in the Marines after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They take part in a legendary football game featuring some of the greatest players in college football history, which would turn out to be the last football game for many of them.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  ABC filed an unprecedented "First Amendment" lawsuit against the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.  ABC claims that the FCC's investigations and regulatory actions against the network are part of a Trump administration's “retaliatory campaign” to curb ABC’s free speech.

From Deadline:  "Deadline" has posted a copy of ABC's lawsuit for your reading pleasure

-----------

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/14 to 8/16/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 70 million dollars.

From WorldofReel:  “The Odyssey” hit the $1.34 billion milestone today, making it the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. It has now surpassed 2024’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which finished with $1.33 billion worldwide.

---------------------

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney+ is not moving forward with its live-action "Power Rangers" series. The project was written and executive produced by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz, who are the executive producers and showrunners of the Disney+ series, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians."  According to "Deadline," the reason for the cancellation of this project was budgetary.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The American film and television actor, Michael Wright, has died at the age of 70, Wednesday, August 19, 2026.  His best known role was that of "Eddie King Jr" in "The 5 Heartbeats" (1991).  His other well-known roles include such films as Robert Altman's "Streamers" (1983), "The Principal" (1987), and "Sugar Hill" (1994)  Wright appeared in such TV series as NBC's former sci-fi franchise "V," HBO's former prison drama, "Oz," and The CW's former superhero drama, "Back Lightining"

From Variety:  American actress and singer, Hayden Panettiere, has died at the age of 36, Sunday, August 16, 2026.  Panettiere's best known roles were as Clair Benneton the former NBC superhero television series, "Heroes" (2006-10) and as Juliette Barnes on the former ABC/CMT musical drama series, "Nashville" (2012-18).  Panetteire's best known film roles were as "Kirby Reed" in the "Scream" horror film franchise and as "Dot" in Disney/Pixar's "A Bug's Life" (1998).  She earned a "Grammy Award" nomination for her work on the spoken word album, "A Bug's Life Read-Along."

From Deadline:  Hayden Panettiere: a career and life in photos from "Deadline"

--------------------

From ESPN:  Former American professional baseball player and Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, Tommy John, has died at the age of 83, Saturday, August 15, 2026.  John played in the MLB for 26 seasons for six teams, including playing for the Yankees for eight seasons over two stints with the team.  John was a four-time "MLB All-Star."  John pitched in three World Series contested between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees:  1977 and 1978 playing for the Dodgers and 1981 for the Yankees.  John was on the losing end of all three of those World Series.  He has the second most wins (288) of any pitcher since 1900 who is not in the "National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum."  John is also known for the "ligament replacement surgery" that bears his name, the "Tommy John surgery."

---------------