SUPERMAN Crosses the $600 Million Mark at the Global Box Office

James Gunn’s Superman Soars Past $600 Million Worldwide

SUPERMAN is available for order on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K at Amazon.

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Powered by widespread critical praise and enthusiastic word-of-mouth, James Gunn’s Superman continues to soar at the worldwide box office, flying past the $600 million mark on Friday, August 22, 2025. The announcement was made today by Jeff Goldstein, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Global Distribution.

The vanguard feature launching Gunn and producer Peter Safran’s unified DC Universe, Superman continues to prove a powerful draw at theaters around the world, earning an impressive $344 million and counting in North America, $88 million coming from IMAX® and other large format venues; and $256 million in 78 territories overseas, with consistently strong showings in the UK [$37M], Mexico [$23M], Brazil [$16M], Australia [$16M] and France [$15M], among other markets.

In making the announcement, Goldstein stated, “These incredible results demonstrate that James’s vision for this iconic character is resonating in a big way with audiences here and across the globe. It is a rare and exciting thing for a film to perform at this level so far into its run, but the consistently strong word-of-mouth and minimal drops we’re seeing from week to week tell us that not only are people returning to experience Superman again and again in theaters, they’re bringing their friends and family along for the ride. It’s a tremendous achievement for James, Peter, the brilliant cast and crew, and everyone involved in the film, and we congratulate all of them on this fantastic milestone.”

Gunn and Safran added, “We continue to be overwhelmed and inspired by the energy and enthusiasm of our magnificent global audience – and that spans not only longtime DC fans but newcomers of every age worldwide who are discovering these seminal characters and their amazing universe for the first time. These results are a tribute to their passion for not only Superman but movies and theatrical movie-going, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have all of them with us as we embark on this incredible journey.”

From DC Studios, Superman soared into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC Universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.

The film is directed by Gunn from his own screenplay, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and produced by DC Studios Co-Chiefs Peter Safran and Gunn. Superman stars stars David Corenswet in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The film also stars Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell.

Superman is executive produced by Nikolas Korda, Chantal Nong Vo and Lars Winther. Behind the camera, Gunn is joined by his trusted team of creative collaborators, including director of photography Henry Braham, production designer Beth Mickle, costume designer Judianna Makovsky and composer John Murphy, along with composer David Fleming and editors William Hoy and Craig Alpert.

DC Studios Presents a Troll Court Entertainment/The Safran Company Production, A James Gunn Film, Superman, in theaters and IMAX® now, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 20th to 26th, 2025 - UPDATE #11

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.

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NEWS:

SCANDAL - From WorldofReel:  27-year-old actor, Michael Ward, is a rising star, having appeared in such films as "Old Guard" (2020), "Empire of Light" (2022), and "Eddington" (2025), to name a few.  Now, the Jamaican-born, British actor has been arrested by the London Metropolitan Police and charged with two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  Disney/Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" grosses an estimated 24+ million dollars in Thursday preview shows.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Margot Robbie will star in and produce director Tim Burton's remake of the 1958 film, "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman."

STREAMING/ANIMATION - From Variety:  As part of the 1.5 billion dollar deal that Trey Parker and Matt Stone signed with Paramount+, they will produce 50 new episodes of "South Park," the long-running animated series they created.  All episodes of the series will stream on Paramount+

From YahooLATimes:  "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have reached a deal with Paramount+ that will brings the long-running animated series to the U.S. version of the streaming service for the first time.  The five-year deal is worth 1.5 billion dollars in total.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 7/18 to 7/20/2025 weekend box office is Warner Bros/DC Studios' Superman with an estimated take of 57.25 million dollars.

STREAMING - From Deadline:    Peacock is filling out the cast of its "Friday the 13th" prequel series, "Crystal Lake," from A24.  Young actor Callum Vinson ("Chucky") will play future killer, Jason Voorhees. Brad Caleb Kane serves as creator, writer, showrunner and executive producer of the series.

OBITS:

From Variety:  American professional wrestler, film and television actor, and media personality, Hulk Hogan, has died at the age of 71, Thursday, July 24, 2025.  Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan was best known for his professional wrestling career, which ran from 1977 to 2012, and for his flamboyant personality and massive physique, as well as his blond horseshoe mustache and bandanas.  As an actor, he appeared in such films as "Rocky III" (1982) and "No Holds Barred" (1989) and in such TV series as "The A-Team," "Walker, Texas Ranger," and in his own reality series, "Hogan Knows Best" (2005-07), for the cable network VH1.

From Deadline:  English singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and media personality, Ozzy Osbourne, has died at the age of 76, Tuesday, July 22, 2025.  Osbourne was best known as a pioneer in the "heavy metal" genre of rock music, first as a founding member of the seminal rock band, "Black Sabbath," in 1968.  In 1980, Osbourne released "Blizzard of Ozz," the first of 13 solo albums.  He was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 2006 as a member of Black Sabbath and in 2024 as a solo artist.  Osbourne received 12 Grammy Awards nominations and won five of them, and he received the Grammy "Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2019.  Osbourne also achieved even more fame and notoriety when he and his wife, Sharon, and their daughter, Kelly, and their son, Jack, became stars of the MTV reality television series, "The Osbournes," which originally aired from 2002 to 2005.

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From Variety:  The film and television actor and recording artist, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, has died at the age of 54, Sunday, July 20, 2025 of an accidental drowning while swimming in Costa Rica.  Warner was best known for the role of "Theodore 'Theo' Huxtable" on NBC's former sitcom, "The Cosby Show" (1984-92). He received a 1986 Primetime Emmy nomination for the role.  He co-starred with Eddie Griffin in the former UPN sitcom, "Malcolm & Eddie" (1996-2000). He co-starred with "Seinfeld's" Jason Alexander in the short-lived CBS sitcom, "Listen Up" (2004-05).  Warner was part of the main cast of the former Fox medical drama "The Resident" (2018-23).  In 2015, Warner received the Grammy Award in the category of "Best Traditional R&B Peformance" for the song, "Jesus Children," with Robert Glasper Experiment and Lalah Hathaway.

From Deadline:  Deadline offers "Malcolm-Jamal Warner, a career in photos"

From Deadline:  Bill Cosby remembers his TV son, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, with CBS News' Jericka Duncan.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 13th to 19th, 2025 - UPDATE #11

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.

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NEWS:

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC has announced the premiere dates for its Fall 2025 television season.  That includes a 8PM Eastern arrival for the flagship "9-1-1," and a 9 PM Eastern debut for its latest spinoff, "9-1-1 Nashville."

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Talk show host Stephen Colbert announced that CBS is cancelling "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," with the last episode scheduled for May 2026.  He also announced that CBS is ending "The Late Show" and won't replace it. Colbert has been hosting the show since 2015.

NETFLIX/ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Netflix has produced a red-band trailer for "Fixed," the R-rated animated comedy film from director Genndy Tartakovsy ("Hotel Transylvania").  The film is about a randy dog named "Bull," who is about to get neutered.

EMMYS - From Deadline:  The nominations of the 2025 / 77th Primetime Emmy Awards have been announced. The winners in 25 categories will be announced September 14, 2025, airing live on CBS and Paramount+.  The corresponding Creative Arts Emmy winners will be announced during a two-night ceremony of September 6th and 7th, 2025.  Apple TV+'s "Severance" led with 27 nominations.

From Variety:  Days after celebrating his 83rd birthday, Harrison Ford, earns his first Primetime Emmy nomination, which is in the category "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series."  He is the second oldest nominee in that category after the late Adam Arkin earned a nomination in 2020 at the age of 86.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  HBO has provided a first-look of Nick Frost as "Rubeus Hagrid" in its upcoming "Harry Potter" television series.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Blumhouse has laid off six staffers across film, television, and casting in the wake of the box office disappointment of its most recent film, "M3GAN 2.0."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 7/11 to 7/13/2025 weekend box office is Warner Bros. Picture/DC Studios' Superman with an estimated take of 122 million dollars.

From Deadline:  Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav celebrates a box office win with Superman saying that his is just the beginning for the "DC Universe."

STREAMING/ANIMATION - From Deadline:  "South Park" and Paramount+ are involved in negotiations involving the rights to stream the series. That has led to the long-running animated series being removed from the international version of Paramount+.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American songwriter, Alan Bergman, had died at the age of 99, Thursday, July 18, 2025.  Bergman was best known for his collaboration with his late wife, Marilyn Keith Bergman (1928-2022).  The couple won three Oscars for the film music, including twice for "Best Original Song."  The won two Grammy Awards, including "Song of the Year" (for "The Way We Were" with songwriter Marvin Hamlisch).  The couple also wrote the theme songs for the television series, "The Sandy Duncan Show," and two former CBS sitcoms, "Maude" (1972-78), and its spinoff, "Good Times" (1974-79).

From Deadline:  British television actress, Judy Loe, has died at the age of 78, Tuesday, July 15, 2025.  Loe was a regular in such British TV series as "Ace of Wands," "Edward the Seventh," and "General Hospital" (not related to the American soap opera), to name a few.  She was a guest in such series "Man at the Top," "Ripping Yarns," and "Inspector Morse," to name a few.  Loe was also the mother of actress, Kate Beckinsale, best known for her role in the "Underworld" film franchise. 

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 6th to 12th, 2025 - UPDATE #11

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.

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NEWS:

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Rian Johnson will reportedly not return to Netflix after he delivers the second of two "Knives Out" films that he is contracted to deliver to the streamer.  "Knives Out 3" is due next year.

STREAMING - From Variety:  HBO Max has greenlit "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe," a spinoff of CBS's former hit sitcom, "The Big Bang Theory."  The series was first announced as being in development in 2023.  The new series will focus on comic book store owner, Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman).

MOVIES - From Variety:  The third film in director Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" series will not be entitled "Dune: Messiah."  The title is "Dune: Part Three."

STREAMING - From THR:  HBO Max has decided to cancel the retro-action comedy series, "Duster," from showrunners J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan and starring Josh Holloway.  The new series had excellent critics and audience reviews, but it apparently did not make the Nielsen streaming Top 10.

MOVIES - From TheGuardian:  Discussing the difference in how male directors are treated after they direct a hit and female directors after they direct a hit film, Catherine Hardwicke says that she got a mini-cupcake after her 2008 film, "Twilight," became a blockbuster hit.

DC STUDIOS - From Variety:  James Gunn's "Superman" premiere just happened.  The early reactions to the film are very good.

AMAZON - From THR:  Danai Gurira ("Black Panther," "The Walking Dead") is joining director-star Michael B. Jordan in Amazon MGM Studios' re-imagining of "The Thomas Crown Affair."

From Deadline:  Oscar-nominee Lily Gladstone ("Killers of the Flower Moon") will join Michael B. Jordan in Amazon MGM Studios' re-imagining of "The Thomas Crown Affair."  Jordan will star in and direct the film.

From Deadline:  Kenneth Branagh has joined the cast of director Michael B. Jordan's re-imagining of "The Thomas Crown Affair" for Amazon MGM Studios.  Charles Roven ("Oppenheimer") will produce the film with Jordan and Elizabeth Raposo via their Outlier Society banner.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  John M. Chu will direct a movie based on the "Hot Wheels" toy line for Mattel, Bad Robot, and Warner Bros. Pictures.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 7/4 to 7/6/2025 weekend box office is Universal Studios' "Jurassic World Rebirth" with an estimated take of 91.5 million dollars.

From Variety:  "Jurassic World Rebirth" has won the five-day Fourth of July holiday weekend with an estimated take of 147.3 million dollars.

Review: James Gunn's "SUPERMAN" Starts a New Era

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 31 of 2025 (No. 2037) by Leroy Douresseaux

Superman (2025)

Running time:  129 minutes (2 hours, 9 minutes)

Rating: MPA – PG for violence, action and language

DIRECTOR:  James Gunn

WRITER:  James Gunn (based characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster)

PRODUCERS:  James Gunn and Peter Safran

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Henry Braham (D.o.P.)

EDITORS:  Craig Alpert and William Hoy

COMPOSERS:  David Fleming and John Murphy

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION

Starring:  David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Maria Gabriela de Faria, Sara Sampaio, Wendell Pierce, Beck Bennett, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell, Bradley Cooper, Angela Sarafyan, and Sean Gunn

SUMMARY OF REVIEW:

-- I am not crazy about the plot and narrative of the James Gunn's new Superman film, but I really like its cast and its interpretation of the characters, especially David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman.

-- I heartily recommend that fans of Superman movies get in on the ground floor of this new beginning

Superman is a 2025 American superhero, fantasy, and action film from writer-director James Gunn.  It is the first film in the new DC Comics cinematic universe known as the “DC Universe.”  The character, Superman, first appeared in the comic book, Action Comics #1 (on-sale date of April 18, 1938), and was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, who also created other characters and situations related to Superman.  In Superman, the embodiment of truth, justice, and the human way must reconcile his desire to help humanity with a shocking revelation about his alien heritage.

Superman opens threes years after the metahuman, Superman (David Corenswet), revealed himself to the people of Metropolis.  His alter-ego, Clark Kent (David Corenswet), works as a reporter for “The Daily Planet,” where he has a relationship with fellow reporter, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan).  Lois knows that Clark is Superman.  She knows that he is Kal-El, a baby sent from the planet, Krypton, by rocket ship to Earth.  Lois also knows that Clark was raised in Smallville, Kansas by his adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent (Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell), a fact he has kept secrets from others.

Superman recently stopped the country of Boravia, an ally of the United States, from invading its neighboring country, Jarhanpur.  As the film begins, Superman has just received a beat-down from Boravia's own metahuman, the Hammer of Boravia.  Things are not as they seem, however, as brilliant billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) has launched a secret plot to destroy Superman, whom he sees not as a superhero, but as an existential alien threat to mankind.  With the help of his lackeys, Ultraman and The Engineer (Maria Gabriela de Faria), Luthor believes that he has the science and technology – the brain power – to beat Superman.

But Superman is not the only metahuman who is a superhero.  He occasionally gets help from the “Justice Gang”:  Michael Holt/Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), and Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced).  And Clark Kent will need all the friends he can get; a complete version of the broken message his Kryptonian parents, Jor-El (Bradley Cooper) and Lara Lor-Van (Angela Sarafyan), sent with him has come to light.  Now, some of the people of the world are starting to feel differently about Superman just when they need him the most.

Superman is a good film, but not a great film.  Overall, I like it, but I found myself rather cool to it as I watched it in a local theater last night.  I must admit that I felt the same way about the previous two attempts to reboot the Superman film franchise, director Bryan Singer's Superman Returns (2006) and director Zack Snyder's Man of Steel (2013).  Like Superman (2025), the plot and narratives of these earlier films are over-stuffed with subplots, settings, and characters that make the overall plot and narrative struggle to come together.  The over-stuffings are like roadblocks that force the central plot and narrative to veer off their most obvious and productive path.  I don't think the new Superman is as awkward in these areas as the aforementioned Superman reboots, but I do believe that the new film spends its first half bouncing around ideas, subplots, themes, relationships and conflicts.  To me, it is obvious that Superman 2025 borrows the big action set pieces of Man of Steel and also follows Superman Return's veneration of director Richard Donner and star Christopher Reeve's respective work on the Superman film franchise (1978-87).

There are things about the new Superman film that I really like.  I think the actors and the way they play the characters, for the most part, are nearly perfect.  The best thing about David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman is that he is the first actor that I have accepted as a true heir to the late Christopher Reeve (1952-2004), who is the gold standard when it comes to a cinematic Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman.  In a way, Superman 2025 offers its audience a vision of Superman as the quintessential nice guy the way Christopher Reeve and Superman: The Movie (1978) did.

Also, Rachel Brosnahan is a true heir to my favorite cinematic Lois Lane, the late Margot Kidder (1948-2018), Christopher Reeve's co-star.  I also got a kick out of Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.  I liked him in his early roles in such films as Twilight (2008) and X-Men: First Class (2011), and I'd like to see him play Mister Terrific as a lead in either film or television.  I like Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, but the character is played way too over-the-top, but I think Hoult as Luther will be a huge benefit to future DC Universe films.

I obviously don't like James Gunn's Superman as much as I enjoyed his work on Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, which ended with the fantastic Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).  Still, the new Superman is both a fresh start and a start in the right direction.

6 of 10

B

★★★ out of 4 stars

Friday, July 11, 2025

SUPERMAN is available for order on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K at Amazon.

The text is copyright © 2025 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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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 these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

WaterTower Music Announces the Release of the Soundtrack from James Gunn's "SUPERMAN"

SUPERMAN (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Available Now

MUSIC BY JOHN MURPHY AND DAVID FLEMING 

ORIGINAL SUPERMAN THEME BY JOHN WILLIAMS

AVAILABLE NOW DIGITALLY

2XLP VINYL PRE-ORDER – 7/11

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WaterTower Music has released the highly anticipated Superman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), featuring music from composers John Murphy and David Fleming as featured in Superman from director/writer/producer James Gunn and DC Studios, which opens in US theaters July 11, 2025. Mondoshop.com will be starting pre-order of the 2x LP vinyl on July 11th with 2 different color options: - Blue/ Red / White Spinner and - Solid Red / Blue

To meet the scale of Superman, James Gunn turned to longtime collaborator John Murphy, who introduced sweeping new themes for Lois and Clark and Lex Luthor, while reimagining John Williams' iconic Superman melody with a striking electric guitar arrangement. Emmy-winning composer David Fleming later joined the project, contributing bold new orchestral arrangements of the Williams theme alongside fresh, character-driven motifs for the Justice Gang, the Daily Planet, and Krypto. Together, their dynamic score ensures Superman soars for a new generation.

Murphy shares, "From the start, James and I knew we wanted to honor Superman’s legacy while creating something bold and new. There’s such purity in the character, and I wanted that reflected in the music - noble, orchestral, timeless, while still finding moments to experiment and push the boundaries."

Fleming adds, "There’s a deep emotional core to this Superman, and musically it was about tapping into that humanity. Reimagining the iconic theme while building new ones. From The Daily Planet to the Justice Gang, it was a chance to explore his world in a way that felt classic and completely fresh."

Superman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Tracklisting:

1. Home - David Fleming

2. Last Son - David Fleming

3. Hammer of Boravia - David Fleming

4. LuthorCorp - John Murphy

5. The Daily Planet - David Fleming

6. Lois & Clark - John Murphy

7. Eyes Up Here - David Fleming

8. Justice Gang vs. Kaiju - David Fleming

9. Intruders - David Fleming

10. The Message - David Fleming & John Murphy

11. Secret Harem - David Fleming & John Murphy

12. The Real Punk Rock - John Murphy

13. Pocket Universe - David Fleming

14. 5 Years Time - Noah And The Whale

15. Something Like a Sun - David Fleming & John Murphy

16. Jailbreak - David Fleming

17. The River Pi - David Fleming

18. Take the T-Craft - David Fleming & John Murphy

19. Your Choices, Your Actions - David Fleming

20. Raising the Flag - John Murphy

21. The Rift - David Fleming

22. Bases Loaded - David Fleming

23. Speeding Bullet - David Fleming

24. Remote Control - David Fleming & John Murphy

25. Upgrade - David Fleming & John Murphy

26. Driven by Envy - David Fleming & John Murphy

27. Look Up - David Fleming

28. Being Human - David Fleming

29. Luthor the Traitor - John Murphy

30. Metropolis - David Fleming & John Murphy

31. Walking on Air - John Murphy

32. Punkrocker (feat. Iggy Pop) - Teddybears

33. The Mighty Crabjoys Theme - The Mighty Crabjoys

Soundtrack is also available via Amazon Music.

ABOUT SUPERMAN:

Superman, DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, soars into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original Super Hero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind. DC Studios heads Peter Safran and Gunn are producing the film, which Gunn directs from his own screenplay, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

When Superman is drawn into conflicts both abroad and at home, his actions to protect humankind are questioned, and his vulnerability allows tech billionaire and master deceiver Lex Luthor to leverage the opportunity to get Superman out of the way for good. Will the Daily Planet’s intrepid reporter Lois Lane, together with the aid of Metropolis’s other metahumans and Superman’s own four-legged companion, Krypto, be able to help Superman before Luthor can completely destroy him?

DC Studios Presents a Troll Court Entertainment/The Safran Company Production, A James Gunn Film, Superman will be in theaters and IMAX® nationwide on July 11, 2025, and internationally beginning July 9, 2025, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

ABOUT JOHN MURPHY:

Liverpool born John Murphy began scoring movies at the age of 25. In 2001, following the success of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, he moved to Los Angeles.

Since then he has worked with some of the industry's most respected and luminary filmmakers, including James Gunn, Michael Mann, Danny Boyle, and Guy Ritchie, producing film scores as prominent and diverse as 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Kick-Ass, The Suicide Squad, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

His movie trailers include Captain America, X-Men, Ready Player One, and Avatar, and his music has been featured in advertising campaigns for Nike, Microsoft, Google, and Apple.

After Kick-Ass Murphy set up the record label Taped Noise and began work on several non-movie projects. His latest film, Superman, released on July 11, is his fourth collaboration with James Gunn.

ABOUT DAVID FLEMING:

David Fleming is an Emmy-winning American composer who has written music for film and television including most recently, Season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us, collaborating once again with Gustavo Santaolalla, and James Gunn’s upcoming DC film Superman.

David's score for Ron Howard’s Jim Henson: Idea Man earned him a Primetime Emmy Award as well as the ASCAP Composer’s Choice Award for Documentary Score of the Year, with his work on Amazon’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith bringing him a second Emmy nomination. David composed the score for the BBC's acclaimed Blue Planet II alongside Hans Zimmer, which marked the start of a collaborative relationship with the Academy Award-winning composer, encompassing scores for both Dune films and Top Gun: Maverick. David's sweeping orchestral fantasy score for Netflix's Damsel marked his first solo feature, while his dark electronic work alongside Gustavo Santaolla on HBO's The Last of Us won ASCAP's Composer's Choice Award for Television Score of the Year.

In addition, David recently composed the score for A24's Eternity and the neo-western Americana, both of which are slated for 2025 releases.

ABOUT WATERTOWER MUSIC:

WaterTower Music, the in-house label for the Warner Bros Discovery companies, releases recorded music as rich and diverse as the companies themselves. It has been the soundtrack home to many of the world’s most iconic films, television shows and games since 2001.

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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 these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

First Official Teaser for DC Studios' "SUPERMAN" Film Has Arrives

From Warner Bros. Discovery:

“Superman,” DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC Universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor, and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.

Superman, directed by James Gunn, opens July 11, 2025. Warner Bros. has released the first teaser trailer for the film, which you can see below this text:

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First Teaser Poster for James Gunn's "SUPERMAN" Has Been Released

From Warner Bros. Discovery:

“Superman,” DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC Universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor, and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.

Superman, directed by James Gunn, opens July 11, 2025. Warner Bros. has released the first teaser poster for the film, which you can see below this text:

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First Episode of Max/DC Studios' "CREATURE COMMANDOS" is Streaming Free

The seven-episode Max Original adult animated series "Creature Commandos," written and executive produced by James Gunn, debuted Thursday, December 5, 2024 on Max followed by one episode weekly until January 16, 2025.

 

Logline: Creature Commandos tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails… they’re your last, worst option.

 

Cast: Steve Agee as Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana, Anya Chalotra as Circe, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as GI Robot & Weasel, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Indira Varma as The Bride, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller.

 

Credits: Creature Commandos is written and executive produced by James Gunn. Based on DC characters and produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation; additional executive producers include Peter Safran, Dean Lorey, and Sam Register; Rick Morales serves as a supervising producer.

Max has made the first episode of "Creature Commandos" available to stream free on YouTube:

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Fathom Events to Screen "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" Beginning Sept. 21st

DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films and CNN Films’ Acclaimed Documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” Receiving Special U.S. Theatrical Release

Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui’s film will be presented by Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events in select theaters September 21, followed by an Encore Presentation on Reeve’s Birthday, September 25

International Theatrical Rollout to Follow

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC Studios and Fathom Events are collaborating on the theatrical release of the acclaimed documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.” The film, which DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films and CNN Films acquired out of the Sundance Film Festival this year, will debut in cinemas across the U.S. on Saturday, September 21, 2024. There will be an encore presentation on September 25th, Reeve’s birthday. Visit Fathom Events for further information and participating theaters. The film’s international theatrical rollout will follow.

Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, stated, “On behalf of not only Warner Bros., but also my colleagues at DC, HBO and CNN, it’s an honor to be a part of bringing Christopher Reeve and his singular legacy to audiences again. It was at this very studio where he made us all believe a man could fly, and this documentary reveals what made him a true hero, on- and off-screen. Partnering with our friends at Fathom Events to deliver this very special film to the big screen was an opportunity we could not pass up.”

Fathom Events’ CEO Ray Nutt said, “Everyone knows that Superman is a superhero, but I’m eager for audiences to discover the REAL superhero behind Superman. This film is an extraordinary story that takes a deep dive into the man Christopher Reeve really was and the courage he displayed. We’re looking forward to working with our partners at DC Studios and Warner Bros. to bring this inspiring film to theatres nationwide.”

About “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”:

The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, and his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the benchmark for the superhero cinematic universes that dominate cinema today. Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films: Superman: The Movie, Superman II, "Superman III," and "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace," and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate for disability rights and care - all while continuing his career in cinema in front of and behind the camera and dedicating himself to his beloved family.

From the directors of McQueen, Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, this film includes never-before-seen intimate home movies and an extraordinary trove of personal archive material, as well as the first extended interviews ever filmed with Reeve’s three children about their father, and interviews with the A-list Hollywood actors who were Reeve’s colleagues and friends. The film is a moving and vivid cinematic telling of Reeve’s remarkable story.

The film’s producers are Lizzie Gillett, Robert Ford and Ian Bonhôte, with Connor Schell, Libby Geist, Marie Margolius, Mark Meatto, Andrew Ruhemann, David Moulton, Andee Ryder, Daniel Kilroy and Hamish Fergusson serving as executive producers. The director of photography is Brett Wiley, the editor is Otto Burnham and the composer is Ilan Eshkeri.

DC Studios Presents, in Association with HBO Documentary Films and CNN Films, in Association with Words+Pictures, a Passion Pictures and Misfits Entertainment Production, in Association with Jenco Films, a Film by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.”

About Fathom Events:

Fathom is a recognized leader in the entertainment industry as one of the top distributors of content to movie theaters in North America. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC); Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK); and Regal, a subsidiary of the Cineworld Group (LSE: CINE.L), Fathom operates the largest cinema distribution network, delivering a wide variety of programming and experiences to cinema audiences in all of the top U.S. markets and to more than 45 countries. For more information, visit www.FathomEvents.com.

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Review: SHAZAM! Fury of the Gods" is Fun for the Entire Shazamily

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 14 of 2023 (No. 1903) by Leroy Douresseaux

Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

Running time:  130 minutes (2 hours, 10 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for sequences of action and violence, and language

DIRECTOR:  David F. Sandberg

WRITERS:  Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan (based on the DC Comics characters)

PRODUCER:  Peter Safran

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Gyula Pados

EDITOR:  Michel Aller 

COMPOSER:  Christophe Beck

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION/COMEDY

Starring:  Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Glazer, Adam Brody, Ross Butler, D.J Cotrona, Grace Caroline Currey, Meagan Good, Rachel Zegler, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Marta Milans, Cooper Andrews, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen, Jovan Armand, and Djimon Hounsou with Gal Gadot

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a 2023 superhero and fantasy film from director David F. Sandberg.  The film is based on the DC Comics character now called “Shazam.”  Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a direct sequel to the 2019 film, Shazam! and is also the 12th installment in “DC Extended Universe” (DCEU).  Fury of the Gods continues the story of the teenage foster kid who becomes a superhero by uttering one magic word, “SHAZAM!”

Shazam! Fury of the Gods opens in Philadelphia two years after the events depicted in the first film.  Billy Batson (Asher Angel) can still transform into an adult hero, the champion who bears the name “Shazam” (Zachary Levi).  Billy will turn 18-year-old in a few months, which he believes means that he will loose his foster parents, Rosa (Marta Milans) and Victor Vásquez (Cooper Andrews).

Billy shared the power he got from “The Wizard” (Djimon Hounsou) with his five foster siblings.  He calls them the “Shazamily.”  His foster brother, Freddie Freeman (Jack Dylan Glazer), is an adult superhero who calls himself “Captain Everything” (Adam Brody).  His older foster sister, Mary Bromfield (Grace Caroline Currey) is trying to be an adult while also being a superhero.  The other foster kid/adult hero pairs are Eugene Choi (Ian Chen and Ross Butler), Pedro Peña (Jovan Armand and D.J. Cotrona), Darla Dudley (Faithe Herman and Meagan Good).  Billy/Shazam is desperate to keep his “Shazamily” together, but they are having a rough time being superheroes.  After doing a less than stellar job saving civilians from a collapsing bridge, Shazam and company discover that the local media refers to them as the “Philly Fiascoes.”

Bigger troubles are ahead, however.  “The Daughters of Atlas” have imprisoned The Wizard, and they want to regain the powers he stole from the gods, including their father, the Titan Atlas, and gave to his new champions – Billy and his Shazamily.  Can they survive the attack of the daughters:  Hespera (Helen Mirren), Kalypso (Lucy Liu), and the reluctant Anthea (Rachel Zegler), and save the world from destruction and from the fury of the gods?

In the first Shazam! film, the drama was driven by Billy Batson's internal conflict.  It was built around the tension between the foster family Bill could have and did not want and the biological family he wanted but could no longer have (if he ever really had it to begin with).  In Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Billy/Shazam fears losing the foster family that he eventually embraced, and with such a theme, he must inevitably learn that one should not hold onto things too tightly – even loved ones.  The Daughters of Atlas must learn the same, concerning the things to which they cling too tightly.  Billy/Shazam's dilemmas don't resonate this time around the way they did in the original film, and, at times, Billy and Shazam's obsession with holding onto the family seems forced.  But at least this film has the requisite drama.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods, like Shazam!, is a very entertaining film that is part energetic superhero movie, part charming comedy, and part heartwarming family film.  The superhero action is not as intense as that found in most superhero films, although Fury of the Gods' action is more intense than in the original.  Some of the villains' murderous intentions seem really murderous.

Except for the increase in intensity, everything about Fury of the Gods is a little down from the first film.  It is not as poignant, not quite as funny, and it seems too long, although it is a littler shorter than the original film.  Still, fans of Shazam! will likely enjoy Shazam! Fury of the Gods.  It even has a nice cameo appearance by another DC Comics superhero, and that cameo makes me wish that we could get more Shazam! Films.  It would be fun to see Billy Batson and Shazam team up with other DC  heroes and pitted against DC villains.  It is likely, however, that Shazam! Fury of the Gods is the final half of a truly unique pair of superhero movies.

6 of 10

B

★★★ out of 4 stars

Monday, March 20, 2023

NOTES:

Shazam! Fury of the Gods has one extra scene in the middle of the credits and one at the end of the credits.

The DC Comics character, Shazam, was the first comic book character to have the name “Captain Marvel.”  A boy named Billy Batson became Captain Marvel by uttering the word, “Shazam!”  Captain Marvel was created by comic book artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker.  He first appeared in Whiz Comics #2 (cover-dated:  February 1940) which was published by Fawcett Comics.  A legal dispute caused Fawcett to stop publishing Captain Marvel comic books in 1953.  DC Comics revived the character in 1972, but by then, Marvel Comics owned the trademark to the name “Captain Marvel.”  Thus, the original Captain Marvel is now called Shazam.

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 12th to 18th, 2023 - Update #12

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From Deadline:  The upcoming "Scream VI" is on track to have a franchise record opening weekend at the domestic box.  The film opens March 10th.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  When Paramount+ and Showtime merge into a single service, there will be a price increase.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director M. Night Shyamalan has signed a multi-year, first-look deal with Warner Bros.  Upcoming projects include 2024's "Trap" and his daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan's "The Watchers," which is slated for June 2024.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  The family of Bruce Willis ("Die Hard") have announced that the now retired actor has "prefrontotemporal dementia."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  LaToya Morgan and J.J. Abrams' television series, "Duster," has received an official series order from HBO Max.  Rachel Hilson will star alongside previously announced lead, Josh Holloway.

OSCARS - From EW:  2023 Oscar nominees meet at the 95th Academy Awards luncheon and posed for a 2023 class photo.

TRAILERS - From Deadline:  Warner Bros. Pictures debuts the first official trailer for its big summer superhero flick, "The Flash."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 2/10 to 2/12/2023 weekend box office is "Magic Mike's Last Dance" with an estimated take of 8.2 million dollars.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  California county sheriff updates on missing British actor Julian Sands, who has been missing for a month in the Mount Baldy region of the San Gabriel region. "... the outcome may not be what we would like," the sheriff says.  Sands is known for such films as "Room with a View," "Warlock," and "Leaving Las Vegas," to name a few.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Vin Diesel says that he'd like Oscar-nominated actor, Robert Downey, Jr., to appear in a "Fast & Furious" film.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  Former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and television sports commentator, Tim McCarver, has died at the age of 81, Thursday, February 16, 2023.  McCarver was a catcher and played in the MLB from 1959 to 1980.  He was two World Series as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals (1964, 1967) and appeared in a third (1968), which the Cardinals lost.  Although he played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980, he was apparently not on the playoff roster of their World Series winning team that year.  His career as a local and national television sports broadcaster ran from 1980 to 2020, including work for ABC, CBS, and Fox.  For his work, he won three Emmy Awards.

From Variety:  Actress and international sex symbol, Raquel Welch, has died at the age of 82, Wednesday, February 15, 2023.  She first made her mark in film with the 1966 sci-fi flick, "Fantastic Voyage."  Her turn in the 1966 British adventure fantasy, "One Million Years B.C.," wearing a fur bikini, made her an international sensation.  Her other star turns included the 1967 films, "Fathom," and "Bedazzled."  She also starred in 1973's "The Three Musketeers" and its 1974 sequel, "The Four Musketeers."  Among her numerous television appearances was playing herself in the 1997 episode of "Seinfeld," entitled "The Summer of George."

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AWARDS:

From Oscar:  The nominations for the 2023 / 95th Academy Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Sunday, March 12, 2023.

From Deadline:   The winners at the 2023 / 21st annual VES Awards, handed out by the Visual Effects Society, have been announced.  "Avatar: The Way of Water" topped the night with 9 wins.

From Deadline:  "Top Gun: Maverick" wins "Best Picture" at the "AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" held Saturday night in Beverly Hills.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2023 Writers Guild Awards have been announced.  Winners will be announced Sunday, March 5, 2023.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2023 EE BAFTA Awards have been announced. The Netflix World War I drama, "All Quiet on the Western Front," leads with 14 nominations.  The winners will be announced Sunday, February 19, 2023.

From Deadline:  The winners were announced at the 2023 / 28th annual Critics Choice Awards.  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" was named "Best Picture."

From Deadline:  The nominees for the 2023 / 34th Producers Guild of America Awards have been announced in both film and TV categories.  The winners will be announced Sat. Feb. 25th, 2023.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Sun., Feb. 26th, 2023.

From Deadline:  The National Society of Film Critics has named "Tar" its "Best Picture" of 2023 and its star, Cate Blanchette, as "Best Actress."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 23rd Annual Black Reel Awards have been announced.  "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and "The Woman King" have tied for the lead in nominations with 14 apiece.  The winners will be announced February 6, 2023.

From Deadline:  The Black Film Critics Circle named "The Woman King" the "Best Film" of 2022.

From Deadline:  The winners of the 2022 Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "Tar" tie for "Best Picture" award.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 80th annual Golden Globes Awards were announced today (Mon., Dec. 12th).  "The Banshees of Inisherin" led the film field with eight nominations. ABC's "Abbot Elementary" lead the TV side with five nominations.  The winners will be announced January 10, 2023.

From Deadline:  The American Film Institute (AFI) has named its "AFI Awards Film" list of "Top 10 Films of 2022."  The list includes "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Top Gun: Maverick," and "The Woman King."

From THR:  The African-American Film Critics Association name "The Woman King" the "Best Film of 2022."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the "2023 Critics Choice Awards" in the television categories have been announced.  ABC's sitcom, "Abbot Elementary" leads the nominations.  The winners will be announced Sunday, January 15, 2023 and broadcast on The CW.

From Variety:  The 2022 / 88th Annual New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Awards have been announced.  Todd Field's "Tar" wins "Best Film" and "Best Actress" (Cate Blanchett).  Keke Palmer wins "Best Supporting Actress" for her performance in "Nope."

From Deadline:  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins the "Best Feature" award at the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards, one of two wins for the film.

From IndieWire:  The nominations for the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced.   "Everything Everywhere All at Once" leads with eight nominations.  The winners will be announced March 4th, 2023.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards were announced a month ago.  Todd Field's "Tar" leads with five nominations.  The winners will be announced Monday, November 28th.

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TYRE NICHOLS:

From NBCNews:  Tyre Nichols' death: A summary and timeline of his encounter with Memphis police officers

From YahooNews:  In the 67 minutes of the Tyre Nichols video, brutality followed by nonchalance.

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From CBSNews:  WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from her Russian imprisonment in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer, Viktor Bout.

From NBCNews:   Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.

From NBCNews:  A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.

From Reuters:  Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.

From TheDailyBeast:   Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox:  Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN:   A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th.  Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN:  The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 23rd to 31st, 2022 - Update #15

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:   The winner of the 10/28 to 10/30/2022 weekend box office is Warner Bros.' "Black Adam" with an estimated take of 27.7 million dollars.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Actor Liam Hemsworth will replace Henry Cavill as the star of Netflix's "The Witcher" when the series returns for its fourth season in 2023.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Quentin Tarantino debunks the notion that he stole the idea for his 2012 film, "Django Unchained," from disgraced recording artist Kanye West.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Village Roadshow Pictures has partnered with Chris Romero and the late George A. Romero’s Sanibel Films, Origin Story, Vertigo and Westbrook Studios on what all hope will create a new franchise from "Night of the Living Dead."  The first sequel is being written by "The Walking Dead's" LaToya Morgan and directed by Nikyatu Jusu ("Nanny") 

DC STUDIOS - From THR:  James Gunn and Peter Safran to lead the newly formed "DC Studios," which will oversee almost all films, TV, and animation based on DC Comics characters.

From THR:  Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige gives his blessing to James Gunn moving to DC Studios.  Gunn has directed Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 10/21 to 10/23/2022 weekend box office is Warner Bros./DC Film's "Black Adam" with an estimated take of 67 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Black Adam."

From Deadline:   If new release, "Black Adam," has a $60-62 million dollar opening weekend, it would be Dwayne Johnson's largest opening weekend as a solo star/leading man.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Will "Beetlejuice" director Tim Burton be involved with "Beetlejuice 2?" Burton says "nothing is out of the question."

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:   Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who played "Hagrid" in the "Harry Potter" films, died Fri., Oct. 14th at the age of 72.  According to many reports coming out of the United Kingdom, he died following multiple organ failure. The death certificate also noted that Coltrane had been suffering from sepsis, lower respiratory tract infection. and heart block.  He had also been diagnosed with obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Grammy-winning recording artist, Kanye West, says that he pitched the idea for the Oscar-winning film, "Django Unchained" (2012), to the film's director, Quentin Tarantino, and its star, Jamie Foxx.

OBITS:

From Variety:   Singer, songwriter, and piano player, Jerry Lee Lewis, has died at the age of 87, Friday, October 28, 2022.  Lee was a pioneer in rock 'n' roll and rockabilly music, and the 1957 song, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" shot him to worldwide fame.  He was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 1986.

From Variety:  Film, television, and stage actor, Leslie Jordan, has died at the age of 67, Monday, October 24, 2022 in a car accident, which may have been the result of a medical emergency.  He had a career in films and a prolific career in television.  He may be best known for the role of "Beverley Leslie" in NBC's late sitcom, "Will & Grace," for which he won an Emmy Award in the category of "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series." He appeared three times in FX's horror anthology, "American Horror Story."

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From NBCNews:   Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.

From NBCNews:  A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.

From Reuters:  Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.

From TheDailyBeast:   Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox:  Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN:   A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th.  Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN:  The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."