Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 9th to 15th, 2026 - UPDATE #9

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

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NEWS:

ANIME - From WorldofReel:  85-year-old Oscar-winner and Japanese animation legend, Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, The Boy and the Heron), is still working at Studio Ghibli.  But what is Hayao's next project?

DISNEY/ANIMATION - From WorldofReel:  The sequel to "The Simpsons Movie" (2007) will arrive in 2027 and will be titled "The New Simpsons Movie."

SPORTS - From ESPN:  Former Disney CEO, Bob Iger, and Josh Kushner (the brother of Trump son-in-law, Jared Kushner) are buying Mark Walter's ownership stake in the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 12.5 billion dollars.  Walter bought the majority share of the Lakers for 10.5 billion dollars in October 2025.

From SilverScreenandRoll:  Apparently, Bob Iger will be more actively involved with the Lakers than his partner, Josh Kushner.

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MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Director Aaron Sorkin is performing reshoots on "The Social Reckoning," the follow-up to his Oscar-winning, "The Social Network" (2011). So it won't make its debut as the 2026 Venice Film Festival.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/7 to 8/9/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 145 million dollars.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Warner Bros is denying reports that the sequel to its hit 2023, musical-fantasy film, "Wonka," which starred Timothee Chalamet, has been "delayed indefinitely." "Wonka" earned over 600 million dollars at the global box office.

OBITS:

From DreadCentral:  American actor and musician and Vietnam War veteran, Reggie Bannister, has died at the age of 80, Sunday, August 9, 2026.  Bannister is best known for starring in director Don Coscarelli's 1979 horror film, "Phantasm," and its four sequels.  In addition to the "Phantasm" series, Bannister and Cscarelli also collaborated on such films as "Jim the World's Greatest" (1976), "Survival Quest" (1989), and "Bubba Ho-tep" (2002). 

From CountryRebel:  American politician, U.S. congressman, essayist, playwright, and film, stage, and television actor, Ben Jones, has died at the age of 84, Sunday, August 9, 2026.  Jones was best known for the role of mechanic "Cooter Davenport," on the former CBS action-comedy series, "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979-85).  In addition, Jones appeared in over 100 theatrical productions and in such films as "The Bingo Long Travelling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976), "Smokey and the Bandit" (1977), and "Primay Colors" (1998).  Jones was also a two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia's Fourth Congressional District.

From Deadline:  British songwriter, musician, music producer, and recording artist, William Orbit, has died at the age of 69, Thursday, July 23, 2026.  Orbit is best known for work in ambiant, electronica, house, and techno music.  He collaborated with Madonna on her 1998 album, "Ray of Light," which earned him two Grammy Awards wins out of four nominations.  

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