Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 1st to 5th, 2022 - Update #16

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From THR:  Will Smith is returning for the long-talked about sequel to his hit 2007 film, "I Am Legend." This time actor Michael B. Jordan will also star in the film as well as be one of its producers.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   The first photographic image has been released from the action film, "Dead Zone," which stars Michael Jai White and Chad Michael Collins.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Reportedly, rapper Jack Harlow's first screen audition lands him a role in the reboot of writer-director Ron Shelton's 1992 sports comedy, "White Men Can't Jump."

TRAILER - From Deadline:  There is a trailer for the 50th Anniversary re-release of Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather."  This film and the others in the series will also have a 4K Ultra HD and Ultra Blu-ray release.

STREAMING - From Variety:  Actor Anthony Mackie will star in and executive produce a TV series based on the Sony Playstation video game, "Twisted Metal." The series is being produced for NBCUniversal's streaming service, Peacock.

OSCARS - From Variety:   Samuel L. Jackson says, ‘I Should’ve Won’ an Oscar, but Oscars Don’t Get ‘Asses in Seats’ Like I Do

TRAILER - From Variety:  Sony Pictures has released the official trailer for the stylish action movie, "Bullet Train" starring Brad Pitt and directed David Leitch.

MOVIES - From Consequence:  There is a report that says that Oscar-winning film producer, Brad Pitt, has come on board as a producer on the long-rumored sequel to "Beetlejuice" (1988).

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  The beloved sci-fi animated comedy, "Futurama," is returning on Hulu with 20 episodes and with "Bender" voice actor, John DiMaggio.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  On the comeback trail, actress Lindsay Lohan strikes two-picture deal with Netflix.

AWARDS - From Deadline:  The winners of the 2022 / 22nd annual Black Reel Awards were announced Monday evening, Feb. 28th in a livestream.  The Black Western, "The Harder They Fall" led with 6 wins, and "King Richard" was named "Outstanding Film" of 2021.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  The Walt Disney Company is temporarily pulling its theatrical releases from Russian movie theaters due to Russia's invasion of the nation of Ukraine.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 2/25 to 2/27/2022 weekend box office is Sony Pictures' "Uncharted" with a take of 23 million dollars.

MOVIES - From CNN:  Mid-budget Hollywood movies are in decline.  What does that mean for American cinema?

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American film executive and film producer, Alan Ladd, Jr., has died at the age of 84, Wednesday, March 2, 2022.  Ladd won an Oscar for producing "Braveheart" with Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey.  He was also the president of 20th Century Fox who approved the production of "Star Wars" and he was an executive at MGM/UA.

From Deadline:  Broadway and television actor, Ned Eisenberg, has died at the age of 65, Sunday, February 27, 2022.  Eisenberg was best known for his recurring role on NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit" as the villainous defense attorney Roger Kressler.  Eisenberg had a prolific career in film and TV and on stage.

From Deadline:  Actress Farrah Forke has died at the age of 54, Friday, February 25, 2022.  Forke is best known for her recurring role as "Alex Lambert" on Seasons 4 through 6 of NBC's former sitcom, "Wings."  She also appeared on ABC's former romantic drama, "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" and the CBS comedy, "Dweebs."

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94TH ACADEMY AWARDS:

OSCARS - From Variety:  The nominations for the 2022 / 94th Academy Awards have been announced.  "The Power of the Dog" leads with 12 nominations.  The winners will be revealed March 27th.

From Deadline:    With his "Best Actor" nomination for "The Tragedy of Macbeth," Denzel Washington is the most nominated Black actor is Oscar history.  He has been nominated in two acting categories a total of 10 times with two wins total.

From Variety:   With her "Best Director" Oscar nomination for "The Power of the Dog," Jane Campion becomes the first woman nominated twice in that category. She was previously nominated in that category for "The Piano" (1993).

From Variety:  With his three nominations today, Kenneth Branagh of "Belfast" becomes the first person to have been nominated in seven individual categories over his career.

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MOVIE AWARDS:

From Deadline:   The winners at the 2022 / 28th annual SAG Awards. "CODA" wins the top prize, "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture."

From Variety:  Here is a complete list of winners at 2022 / 53rd NAACP Image Awards in the film, television and music categories.  Jennifer Hudson was named "Entertainer of the Year."

From Deadline:   The 2022 / 9th annual Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards were announced.  The Amazon film, "Coming 2 America" (the sequel to the 1988 film, "Coming to America"), led with three wins.

From Deadline:  The 2022 BAFTA Film Awards nominations have been announced.  "Dune" leads with 11 nominations.  The winners will be announced March 13th.

From Deadline:   The 2022 / 33rd annual Producers Guild of America Awards nominations have been announced.  The winners will be announced Saturday, March 19th.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2022 / 74th annual Directors Guild Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced March 12th.

From COFCA:  The Columbus Film Critics Association name "The Power of the Dog" the "Best Film" of 2021.

From Deadline:  Netflix's Black Western, "The Harder They Fall," was named the "Best Picture" of 2021 at the 13th annual African American Film Critics Association Awards.  The Western tied with "King Richard" for most wins with four.  Will Smith was named "Best Actor" for "King Richard."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2022 / 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced.

From Variety:  The snubs and surprises in the nominations for the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards.

From Variety:   At the 2022 / 79th Golden Globes, "The Power of the Dog" wins "Best Motion Picture-Drama" and "West Side Story" wins "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy."

From Variety:  The National Society of Film Critics names the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the best film of 2021.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 22nd Annual Black Reel Awards were announced a few weeks ago. Netflix's Black Western, "The Harder They Fall," has a record 20 nominations.  The winners will be announced February 27, 2022.

From AwardsWatch:  The Columbus Film Critics Association announced the nominations for their annual film awards.  Director Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog" leads with 12 noms.  The winners will be announced Thurs., Jan. 6th, 2022.

From Deadline:  The Los Angeles Film Critics Association has named the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the "Best Picture" of 2021.

From Deadline:  The 2022 / 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards have announced their nominations. "Zola" leads with six nominations. The winners will be announced Sun., March 6, 2022.

From THR:  The 2022 / 79th Golden Globes Awards nominations have been announced.  "Belfast" and "The Power of the Dog" lead with seven nominations each.  Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From GoldDerby:   The 2022 Critics Choice Awards nominations have been announced. "Belfast" and "West Side Story" leads with 11 nominations each. Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From Deadline:   The American Film Institute announced the "2021 AFI Awards" Top 10 list, and the list includes "Dune," "The Tragedy of Macbeth," and "West Side Story."

From THR:  Director Aleem Khan's "After Love" tops the 2021 British Independent Film Awards, winning six awards, including "Best Film of 2021."

From Variety:   The New York Film Critics Circle has named the Japanese drama, "Drive My Car," as the "Best Film of 2021."

From Deadline:  The National Board of Review hands director Paul Thomas Anderson's "Licorice Pizza" it "Best Film" and "Best Director" awards.  Will Smith picks up the "Best Actor" award for "King Richard."

From THR:  Netflix’s "The Lost Daughter," directed by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, dominated the 2021 Gotham Awards in New York on Monday night (Nov. 29th).  The film won in four of the five categories in which it was nominated, including "Best Feature."

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"RUST" ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING DEATH:

From Deadline:  This link will take you to Deadline's Halyna Hutchins page, which articles related to everything about her shooting death on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From Deadline:  Matt Hutchins, the husband of Halyna Hutchins, blames Alec Baldwin for Halyna's accidental shooting death on the set of the doomed Western film, "Rust."

From Deadline:  The family and estate of Halyna Hutchins has filed suit against Alec Baldwin (who accidentally shot Hutchins), a slew of production companies and entities, producers, and key crew members involved in the Western film, "Rust," for her death.

From THR:   A Republican New Mexico legislator, State Sen. Cliff Pirtle of Roswell, on Monday introduced a bill that would require all film set personnel who handle firearms to complete a safety course offered by the New Mexico Game and Fish Department.  This is in the wake a cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, being fatally shot on the set of the Western, "Rust," last year by Alec Baldwin with a weapon he says he thought was not loaded with live ammunition.

From Deadline:  Alec Baldwin and the other producers of the doomed Western film, "Rust," want a California judge to dismiss the lawsuit filed against them by the script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell.

From Deadline:   Alec Baldwin has finally turned over his cell phone to police for their probe into the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Baldwin's Western film, "Rust," last October in New Mexico.

From Variety:  One of the producers of tragic Western film, Rust, Emily Salveson, pushes tax shelters and hid income.

From THR:  "I let go of the hammer and 'Bang,' the gun goes off" says Alec Baldwin says in his first interview of the moment when a gun he was holding accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From Deadline:  Alec Baldwin will sit down with ABC's news-reading clown George Stephanopoulos for a one hour special tomorrow night to talk about what happened on the set of the movie "Rust."  It will be Baldwin’s first extensive interview about the shooting.

From Deadline:  Industry veteran, Thall Reed, the father of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the Western, "Rust," may have handed the police a tip on why the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot to death on the set.

From THR:  A search warrant affidavit filed Tuesday for a prop shop sheds light on how alleged live ammunition ended up on the set of the Western film, "Rust," where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in October.

From Deadline:  A month after cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot and killed on the New Mexico set the movie Western, "Rust," by a prop gun “discharged” by Alec Baldwin, those closest to the cinematographer held a private ceremony and interred her ashes at an unknown location.

From Deadline:  Actor Daniel Baldwin defends his brother, Alec Baldwin, in the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film, "Rust."  "Someone loaded that gun improperly," Daniel says.

From Deadline:  The newest lawsuit involving the tragic shooting on the set of the Western film, "Rust," has been filed by the film's script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell, against Alec Baldwin, the producers, the production company, armorer Hanna Gutierrez Reed, and others.

From Deadline:  Serge Svetnoy, the gaffer on "Rust," has filed a lawsuit against several parties related to the film, including the production, the financiers, star Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and first Assistant Director David Halls.

From THR:   In the wake of the tragic accidental shooting on the set of his film, "Rust," Alec Baldwin on Monday took to social media to urge Hollywood to employ a police officer on every film and TV set that uses guns.

From THR:   The budget for "Rust" - Alec Baldwin was set to earn $150,000 as lead actor and $100,000 as producer, while $7,913 was earmarked for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and $17,500 was set aside for the rental of weapons and $5,000 for rounds.

From Deadline:  Attorneys for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set of the film, "Rust," said that they’re looking into whether a live bullet was placed in a box of dummy rounds with the intent of  “sabotaging the set.”

From THR:   Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the film, "Rust," released a statement through her lawyers.  She says she had “no idea where the live rounds came from” that were recovered by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's during the investigation of the accidental on-set shooting death of Halyna Hutchins.

From Jacobin:  An opinion piece says that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' death on the set of the film, "Rust," was not a freak accident, but was about Alec Baldwin and his fellow producers' cost-cutting decisions.  Baldwin accidentally fired the gun that killed Hutchins.

From Deadline:   Two of executive producers on "Rust," Allen Cheney and Emily Salveson, disavow responsibility for the film's troubled production.

From THR:   Iconic "Ghostbusters" actor Ernie Hudson is reeling from the news of the death of Halyna Hutchins, like the rest of Hollywood. Hudson also appeared in the film, "The Crow," the film in which its star, Brandon Lee, was killed because of an on-set accidental shooting.  He also agrees with the call to ban real guns from movie sets.

From THR:  The Sheriff of Sante Fe County says that his office has recovered three guns and 500 rounds of ammunition from the set of the movie "Rust" where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed.

From Deadline:  Regarding criminal charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust," District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis, "all options are on the table - no one has been ruled out."

From THR:  Does Hollywood Need Guns? Will new regulations lead to an overreactions to a tragedy.

From Deadline:   "Rust" producers have opened an internal investigation into the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film.  They have hired outside lawyers to conduct interviews with the film's production crew.

From Deadline:  "Rust's" AD (assistant director), Dave Halls, has come under scrutiny in the wake of the on-set shooting death of the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The affidavit of Sante Fe Sheriff's Department Detective Joel Cano has been made public. It can be read at "Deadline."  The affidavit was for a search warrant from the property were the Western, "Rust," was being filmed.

From THR:  The production company behind "Rust" has shut the film down until the police investigation into the fatal, on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is through.  The Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office has also revealed a timeline of the shooting.

From Deadline:  The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed Thursday night that Alec Baldwin “discharged” a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the movie, "Rust."  As a result, one crew member, director of photography Halyna Hutchins, was killed and director Joel Souza was injured and remains in a local hospital - his condition unknown.

From THR:  "Rust" director, Joel Souza, who was wounded in the accidental on-set shooting, says that he is "gutted" by the death of his cinematographer on the film, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" may have been "recorded" according to detective for Santa Fe Sheriff's Department.

From Deadline:  The production company behind the film, "Rust," will launch an internal safety review after the fatal accident that killed Halyna Hutchins; possible prior gun incidents; and a camera crew walkout.

From CNN:   Crew member yelled "cold gun" as he handed Alec Baldwin prop weapon, court document shows.

From Variety:  Actor Alec Baldwin releases statement on the death of Halyna Hutchins: "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness."

From Variety:  The prop gun that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on during an on-set accident on Thursday contained a “live single round,” according to an email sent by IATSE Local 44 to its membership.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 9th to 15th, 2022 - Update #23

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DISNEY+ - From Deadline:  Actor Tim Allen is returning to his popular "The Santa Clause" film franchise. He will star in and executive produce a Disney+ TV series that will act as a sequel to "The Santa Clause" trilogy.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Wes Anderson will write and direct a feature adaptation of Roald Dahl's short story, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar," for Netflix.  The story was published in Dahl's 1977 collection, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More."

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:   Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Inc. has acquired full control of German film and TV firm Telepool, including the 50 percent stake previously owned by Swiss financier Elysian Invest.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Writer-director Robert Rodriguez is among a group developing a reboot of the classic masked vigilante character, "Zorro," with the hero now being female instead of male.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Paramount Pictures is remaking director Alfred Hitchcock's "To Catch a Thief" with Gal Gadot as the lead.  Eileen Jones will write the script.

From Deadline:  Michael Sarnoski, who directed last year's acclaimed drama, "Pig" (starring Nicolas Cage), is in negotiations to direct the next "A Quiet Place" film.

STREAMING - From Variety: "Spider-Man: No Way Home" director Jon Watts is one of the producers of a revival of the "Final Distination" horror franchise for HBO Max.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Michael Bay, Patrick Hughes, and Gareth Evans' are united to reboot Evan's cult 2011 film, "The Raid," for Netflix.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The NAACP-CBS Studios venture has announced its first projects.  One of them is a reboot of the 1991 cult comedy, "Soapdish," in which one of the film's star, Whoopi Goldberg, will reprise her role ("Rose Schwartz") from the film.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 1/7 to 1/9/2022 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: No Way Home" with an estimated take of 33.02 million dollars.

From Negromancer:  My review of "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC has renewed "Grey's Anatomy" for a 19th season. Ellen Pompeo has signed a deal to return as the show's title character, Meredith Grey.

PIXAR/DISNEY+ - From Deadline:  Pixar's "Turning Red" will be the third straight Pixar Animation Studio film to skip theaters and go straight to Disney+.  The other two were "Soul" (2020) and "Luca" (2021).

OBITS:

From Variety:  American television host, stand-up comedian, and actor, Bob Saget, has died at the age of 65, Sunday, January 9, 2022.  Saget was best known for playing the role of widowed father, "Danny Tanner," in the ABC sitcom, "Full House" (1987-95).

From Deadline:  Actor and television executive, Dwayne Hickman, has died at the age of 87, Sunday, January 9, 2022.  Hickman was best remembered for starring as "Dobie Gillis," the eternally romantic teen in the former CBS TV series, "The Many Loves of Dobie Gills" (1959-62).  Hickman was also a programming executive at CBS from 1977 to 1988, and from 1989 to 1996, he directed episodes of various television sitcoms.

From Deadline: American songwriter and lyricist, Marilyn Bergman, has died at the age of 93, Saturday, January 8, 2022.  She was best known for her partnership with her husband, Alan Bergman.  The duo won two “Best Song” Oscars: “The Windmills of Your Mind” from “The Thomas Crown Affair” (1968) and the title song for “The Way We Were” (1973). They won an Oscar for “Best Original Song Score” for “Yentl” (1983).  The two also won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Grammy Award for “Song of the Year” for “The Way We Were.”

From Deadline:  American television director, Dick Carson, died at the age of 92, Sunday, December 19, 2021.  He was nominated for the Daytime Emmy 12 times and won five of them, mostly for his work on "The Merv Griffin Show" and "Wheel of Fortune."  Dick was also the younger brother of television legend, the late Johnny Carson."  Dick also directed several episode of "The Tonight Show," including episodes of the series before his brother became the host.

SIDNEY POITIER - From Variety:  Oscar-winner Halle Berry pens tribute to Sidney Poitier, "An Angel Watching Over All of Us."

From Deadline:  Former President Barack Obama pays tribute to Oscar winner, the late Sidney Poitier, who died Thurs., Jan. 6th, 2022.

From Variety:   "Why Sidney Poitier Is the Most Important Actor in American History" by Steven Gaydos

From Deadline:  Star tributes continue to pour in for Sidney Poitier.

From Deadline:  This is the site's Sidney Poitier (1927-2022) page.

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AWARDS:

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2022 / 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced.

From Variety:  The snubs and surprises in the nominations for the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards.

From Variety:   At the 2022 / 79th Golden Globes, "The Power of the Dog" wins "Best Motion Picture-Drama" and "West Side Story" wins "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy."

From Variety:  The National Society of Film Critics names the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the best film of 2021.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 22nd Annual Black Reel Awards were announced a few weeks ago. Netflix's Black Western, "The Harder They Fall," has a record 20 nominations.  The winners will be announced February 27, 2022.

From AwardsWatch:  The Columbus Film Critics Association announced the nominations for their annual film awards.  Director Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog" leads with 12 noms.  The winners will be announced Thurs., Jan. 6th, 2022.

From Deadline:  The Los Angeles Film Critics Association has named the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the "Best Picture" of 2021.

From Deadline:  The 2022 / 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards have announced their nominations. "Zola" leads with six nominations. The winners will be announced Sun., March 6, 2022.

From THR:  The 2022 / 79th Golden Globes Awards nominations have been announced.  "Belfast" and "The Power of the Dog" lead with seven nominations each.  Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From GoldDerby:   The 2022 Critics Choice Awards nominations have been announced. "Belfast" and "West Side Story" leads with 11 nominations each. Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From Deadline:   The American Film Institute announced the "2021 AFI Awards" Top 10 list, and the list includes "Dune," "The Tragedy of Macbeth," and "West Side Story."

From THR:  Director Aleem Khan's "After Love" tops the 2021 British Independent Film Awards, winning six awards, including "Best Film of 2021."

From Variety:   The New York Film Critics Circle has named the Japanese drama, "Drive My Car," as the "Best Film of 2021."

From Deadline:  The National Board of Review hands director Paul Thomas Anderson's "Licorice Pizza" it "Best Film" and "Best Director" awards.  Will Smith picks up the "Best Actor" award for "King Richard."

From THR:  Netflix’s "The Lost Daughter," directed by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, dominated the 2021 Gotham Awards in New York on Monday night (Nov. 29th).  The film won in four of the five categories in which it was nominated, including "Best Feature."

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"RUST" ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING DEATH:

From Deadline:  This link will take you to Deadline's Halyna Hutchins page, which articles related to everything about her shooting death on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From Deadline:   Alec Baldwin has finally turned over his cell phone to police for their probe into the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Baldwin's Western film, "Rust," last October in New Mexico.

From Variety:  One of the producers of tragic Western film, Rust, Emily Salveson, pushes tax shelters and hid income.

From THR:  "I let go of the hammer and 'Bang,' the gun goes off" says Alec Baldwin says in his first interview of the moment when a gun he was holding accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From Deadline:  Alec Baldwin will sit down with ABC's news-reading clown George Stephanopoulos for a one hour special tomorrow night to talk about what happened on the set of the movie "Rust."  It will be Baldwin’s first extensive interview about the shooting.

From Deadline:  Industry veteran, Thall Reed, the father of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the Western, "Rust," may have handed the police a tip on why the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot to death on the set.

From THR:  A search warrant affidavit filed Tuesday for a prop shop sheds light on how alleged live ammunition ended up on the set of the Western film, "Rust," where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in October.

From Deadline:  A month after cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot and killed on the New Mexico set the movie Western, "Rust," by a prop gun “discharged” by Alec Baldwin, those closest to the cinematographer held a private ceremony and interred her ashes at an unknown location.

From Deadline:  Actor Daniel Baldwin defends his brother, Alec Baldwin, in the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film, "Rust."  "Someone loaded that gun improperly," Daniel says.

From Deadline:  The newest lawsuit involving the tragic shooting on the set of the Western film, "Rust," has been filed by the film's script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell, against Alec Baldwin, the producers, the production company, armorer Hanna Gutierrez Reed, and others.

From Deadline:  Serge Svetnoy, the gaffer on "Rust," has filed a lawsuit against several parties related to the film, including the production, the financiers, star Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and first Assistant Director David Halls.

From THR:   In the wake of the tragic accidental shooting on the set of his film, "Rust," Alec Baldwin on Monday took to social media to urge Hollywood to employ a police officer on every film and TV set that uses guns.

From THR:   The budget for "Rust" - Alec Baldwin was set to earn $150,000 as lead actor and $100,000 as producer, while $7,913 was earmarked for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and $17,500 was set aside for the rental of weapons and $5,000 for rounds.

From Deadline:  Attorneys for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set of the film, "Rust," said that they’re looking into whether a live bullet was placed in a box of dummy rounds with the intent of  “sabotaging the set.”

From THR:   Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the film, "Rust," released a statement through her lawyers.  She says she had “no idea where the live rounds came from” that were recovered by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's during the investigation of the accidental on-set shooting death of Halyna Hutchins.

From Jacobin:  An opinion piece says that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' death on the set of the film, "Rust," was not a freak accident, but was about Alec Baldwin and his fellow producers' cost-cutting decisions.  Baldwin accidentally fired the gun that killed Hutchins.

From Deadline:   Two of executive producers on "Rust," Allen Cheney and Emily Salveson, disavow responsibility for the film's troubled production.

From THR:   Iconic "Ghostbusters" actor Ernie Hudson is reeling from the news of the death of Halyna Hutchins, like the rest of Hollywood. Hudson also appeared in the film, "The Crow," the film in which its star, Brandon Lee, was killed because of an on-set accidental shooting.  He also agrees with the call to ban real guns from movie sets.

From THR:  The Sheriff of Sante Fe County says that his office has recovered three guns and 500 rounds of ammunition from the set of the movie "Rust" where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed.

From Deadline:  Regarding criminal charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust," District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis, "all options are on the table - no one has been ruled out."

From THR:  Does Hollywood Need Guns? Will new regulations lead to an overreactions to a tragedy.

From Deadline:   "Rust" producers have opened an internal investigation into the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film.  They have hired outside lawyers to conduct interviews with the film's production crew.

From Deadline:  "Rust's" AD (assistant director), Dave Halls, has come under scrutiny in the wake of the on-set shooting death of the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The affidavit of Sante Fe Sheriff's Department Detective Joel Cano has been made public. It can be read at "Deadline."  The affidavit was for a search warrant from the property were the Western, "Rust," was being filmed.

From THR:  The production company behind "Rust" has shut the film down until the police investigation into the fatal, on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is through.  The Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office has also revealed a timeline of the shooting.

From Deadline:  The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed Thursday night that Alec Baldwin “discharged” a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the movie, "Rust."  As a result, one crew member, director of photography Halyna Hutchins, was killed and director Joel Souza was injured and remains in a local hospital - his condition unknown.

From THR:  "Rust" director, Joel Souza, who was wounded in the accidental on-set shooting, says that he is "gutted" by the death of his cinematographer on the film, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" may have been "recorded" according to detective for Santa Fe Sheriff's Department.

From Deadline:  The production company behind the film, "Rust," will launch an internal safety review after the fatal accident that killed Halyna Hutchins; possible prior gun incidents; and a camera crew walkout.

From CNN:   Crew member yelled "cold gun" as he handed Alec Baldwin prop weapon, court document shows.

From Variety:  Actor Alec Baldwin releases statement on the death of Halyna Hutchins: "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness."

From Variety:  The prop gun that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on during an on-set accident on Thursday contained a “live single round,” according to an email sent by IATSE Local 44 to its membership.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 1st to 11th, 2021 - Update #30

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

HARRY POTTER - From Deadline:   HBO Max released the first image of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint reunited for the "Harry Potter" 20th anniversary special, "Return to Hogwarts."

TELEVISION - From Variety:  According to sources, HBO is developing a reboot of its acclaimed TV series, "Six Feet Under" (2001-05).

BLM - From HuffPost:  "I'm Black But Look White. Here Are The Horrible Things White People Feel Safe Telling Me." by Miriam Zinter. “There is a strategic force dedicated to segregation and racism,” Zinter says.

SCANDAL - From THR:  Former "Empire" actor, Jussie Smollett, has been convicted on five of the six charges he faced because of an alleged hoax he staged three years ago.

TYLER PERRY - From Deadline:   BET is expanding its Tyler Perry originals slate with the greenlight of "Zatima," a spinoff series of "Sistas," on BET+. The 10-episode hour-long series will see Devale Ellis and Crystal Renee Hayslett reprise their roles as "Zac" and "Fatima," respectively.

CELEBRITY - From THR:  Jennifer Aniston talks about the "Friends" reunion, her career, upcoming projects, and life.

AWARDS - From Deadline:  Disney/Marvel Studios' "Black Widow" was chose "The Movie of 2021" at the "2021 People's Choice Awards." Halle Berry also accepted "The People's Icon" award.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Jordan Peele's screenplay for "Get Out" just topped the Writers Guild of America's list of "101 Greatest Screenplays of the 21st Century (So Far)."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  AMC has renewed "Fear the Walking Dead" for an eighth season.  Actress Kim Dickens, a regular on Seasons 1 to 4," will return as a series regular in Season 8 after appearing in the current Season 7.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Dave Bautista ("Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3) is in negotiations to star in writer-director M. Night Shyamalan's secret project, "Knock at the Door."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Sylvester Stallone is in negotiations to star in and exec produce "Kansas City," a drama series from Taylor Sheridan and Terence Winter for Paramount+.  It will be Stallone's first major foray into television.

MOVIE NEWS - From THR: Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" has been banned from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States, likely because the film has a transgender character.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 12/3 to 12/5/2021 weekend box office is Disney's "Encanto" with an estimated gross of 12.7 million dollars.

SPIDER-MAN - From Variety:  CCXP Worlds 21 (Brazil Comic Con), Sony Pictures Animation debuts a two-minute "first look" teaser for "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One)," which is due in theaters October 7, 2022.  A sequel to the Oscar-winning hit, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," the teaser features eye-popping graphics.

BREAKING NEWS - From Deadline:  CNN said today that anchor Chris Cuomo, host of the network's "Cuomo Prime Time" political talk show, has been “terminated” by the network, “effective immediately.” The move comes as an outside law firm was retained to discover how much Cuomo aided his brother, former New York state governor Andrew Cuomo, when he faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:   Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry has signed a multi-picture deal with Netflix in the wake of her directorial debut, "Bruised," which is a massive hit on Netflix.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage will play "Dracula" in Universal Pictures film about the count's henchman, entitled "Renfield." Nicholas Hoult will play Renfield."

ANIMATION/NETFLIX - From IGN:  The animated virtual band, Gorillaz, is getting a full-length animated film from Netflix, confirms the band's co-creator Damon Albarn.

MOVIES - From TheAVClub:  The site has a list of movies coming out to theaters or streaming for the month of December 2021.

AWARDS:

From Deadline:   The American Film Institute announced the "2021 AFI Awards" Top 10 list, and the list includes "Dune," "The Tragedy of Macbeth," and "West Side Story."

From THR:  Director Aleem Khan's "After Love" tops the 2021 British Independent Film Awards, winning six awards, including "Best Film of 2021."

From Variety:   The New York Film Critics Circle has named the Japanese drama, "Drive My Car," as the "Best Film of 2021."

From Deadline:  The National Board of Review hands director Paul Thomas Anderson's "Licorice Pizza" it "Best Film" and "Best Director" awards.  Will Smith picks up the "Best Actor" award for "King Richard."

From THR:  Netflix’s "The Lost Daughter," directed by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, dominated the 2021 Gotham Awards in New York on Monday night (Nov. 29th).  The film won in four of the five categories in which it was nominated, including "Best Feature."

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OBITS:

From Deadline:  American musician and songwriter, Michael Nesmith, has died at the age of 78, Friday, December 10, 2021.  Nesmith was best known for being the wool-capped singer and guitarist of the pop-rock band, "The Monkees" and for also being one of the stars of  "The Monkees" television series that ran from 1966 to 1968 on NBC.  In 1981, Nesmith also won the first Grammy Award given for "Video of the Year," which he won for his hour-long television show, "Elephant Parts."

From Deadline:   American film producer, Martha De Laurentiis, has died at the age of 67, Saturday, December 2012.  She was the wife of the legendary Italian-born American film producer, the late Dino De Laurentiis.  Until 1995, she was known by her birth name, Martha Schumacher.  She produced such film as "Silver Bullet" (1995), "Breakdown" (1997), "U-571" (2000), and "Hannibal" (2001), to name a few.

From Deadline:  Former U.S. Senator, Republican from Kansas (1969-96), Bob Dole, has died at the age of 98, Sunday, December 5, 2021.  Dole ran for president in 1988, losing the nomination to eventual President George H.W. Bush, and in 1996, when he won the Republican nomination before losing to President Bill Clinton.

From Variety:  American actor and stuntman, Tommy Lane, has died at the age of 83, Tuesday, November 30, 2021.  He played the villain, "Adam," in the 1973 James Bond film, "Live and Let Die."  he was both an actor and a stuntman in the 1971 film, "Shaft."  Lane was also a jazz musician.

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"RUST" ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING DEATH:

From Deadline:  This link will take you to Deadline's Halyna Hutchins page, which articles related to everything about her shooting death on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From THR:  "I let go of the hammer and 'Bang,' the gun goes off" says Alec Baldwin says in his first interview of the moment when a gun he was holding accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From Deadline:  Alec Baldwin will sit down with ABC's news-reading clown George Stephanopoulos for a one hour special tomorrow night to talk about what happened on the set of the movie "Rust."  It will be Baldwin’s first extensive interview about the shooting.

From Deadline:  Industry veteran, Thall Reed, the father of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the Western, "Rust," may have handed the police a tip on why the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot to death on the set.

From THR:  A search warrant affidavit filed Tuesday for a prop shop sheds light on how alleged live ammunition ended up on the set of the Western film, "Rust," where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in October.

From Deadline:  A month after cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot and killed on the New Mexico set the movie Western, "Rust," by a prop gun “discharged” by Alec Baldwin, those closest to the cinematographer held a private ceremony and interred her ashes at an unknown location.

From Deadline:  Actor Daniel Baldwin defends his brother, Alec Baldwin, in the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film, "Rust."  "Someone loaded that gun improperly," Daniel says.

From Deadline:  The newest lawsuit involving the tragic shooting on the set of the Western film, "Rust," has been filed by the film's script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell, against Alec Baldwin, the producers, the production company, armorer Hanna Gutierrez Reed, and others.

From Deadline:  Serge Svetnoy, the gaffer on "Rust," has filed a lawsuit against several parties related to the film, including the production, the financiers, star Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and first Assistant Director David Halls.

From THR:   In the wake of the tragic accidental shooting on the set of his film, "Rust," Alec Baldwin on Monday took to social media to urge Hollywood to employ a police officer on every film and TV set that uses guns.

From THR:   The budget for "Rust" - Alec Baldwin was set to earn $150,000 as lead actor and $100,000 as producer, while $7,913 was earmarked for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and $17,500 was set aside for the rental of weapons and $5,000 for rounds.

From Deadline:  Attorneys for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set of the film, "Rust," said that they’re looking into whether a live bullet was placed in a box of dummy rounds with the intent of  “sabotaging the set.”

From THR:   Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the film, "Rust," released a statement through her lawyers.  She says she had “no idea where the live rounds came from” that were recovered by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's during the investigation of the accidental on-set shooting death of Halyna Hutchins.

From Jacobin:  An opinion piece says that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' death on the set of the film, "Rust," was not a freak accident, but was about Alec Baldwin and his fellow producers' cost-cutting decisions.  Baldwin accidentally fired the gun that killed Hutchins.

From Deadline:   Two of executive producers on "Rust," Allen Cheney and Emily Salveson, disavow responsibility for the film's troubled production.

From THR:   Iconic "Ghostbusters" actor Ernie Hudson is reeling from the news of the death of Halyna Hutchins, like the rest of Hollywood. Hudson also appeared in the film, "The Crow," the film in which its star, Brandon Lee, was killed because of an on-set accidental shooting.  He also agrees with the call to ban real guns from movie sets.

From THR:  The Sheriff of Sante Fe County says that his office has recovered three guns and 500 rounds of ammunition from the set of the movie "Rust" where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed.

From Deadline:  Regarding criminal charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust," District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis, "all options are on the table - no one has been ruled out."

From THR:  Does Hollywood Need Guns? Will new regulations lead to an overreactions to a tragedy.

From Deadline:   "Rust" producers have opened an internal investigation into the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film.  They have hired outside lawyers to conduct interviews with the film's production crew.

From Deadline:  "Rust's" AD (assistant director), Dave Halls, has come under scrutiny in the wake of the on-set shooting death of the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The affidavit of Sante Fe Sheriff's Department Detective Joel Cano has been made public. It can be read at "Deadline."  The affidavit was for a search warrant from the property were the Western, "Rust," was being filmed.

From THR:  The production company behind "Rust" has shut the film down until the police investigation into the fatal, on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is through.  The Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office has also revealed a timeline of the shooting.

From Deadline:  The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed Thursday night that Alec Baldwin “discharged” a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the movie, "Rust."  As a result, one crew member, director of photography Halyna Hutchins, was killed and director Joel Souza was injured and remains in a local hospital - his condition unknown.

From THR:  "Rust" director, Joel Souza, who was wounded in the accidental on-set shooting, says that he is "gutted" by the death of his cinematographer on the film, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" may have been "recorded" according to detective for Santa Fe Sheriff's Department.

From Deadline:  The production company behind the film, "Rust," will launch an internal safety review after the fatal accident that killed Halyna Hutchins; possible prior gun incidents; and a camera crew walkout.

From CNN:   Crew member yelled "cold gun" as he handed Alec Baldwin prop weapon, court document shows.

From Variety:  Actor Alec Baldwin releases statement on the death of Halyna Hutchins: "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness."

From Variety:  The prop gun that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on during an on-set accident on Thursday contained a “live single round,” according to an email sent by IATSE Local 44 to its membership.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 26th to 30th, 2021 - Update #16

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DISNEY - From Deadline:   Tim Federle will direct and Madhuri Shekar will write "Sister Act 3" for Disney+. Whoopi Goldberg will reprise her role as "Deloris," the nightclub singer turned nun.  Goldberg will also produce the film along with Tyler Perry and Tom Leonardis.

SCANDAL - From VanityFair:  Film, TV, and Broadway titan, Aaron Sorkin, says that scandal-ridden bully and super-producer (and Sorkin's collaborator), Scott Rudin, got what he deserved.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network has signed a deal for a 20-episode third season of "All Rise," the legal drama that CBS cancelled in this past May.  The Warner Bros TV-produced series will air on OWN beginning in 2022.  Star Simone Missick and most of the cast will return.

TELEVISION - From EOnline:  Ellen Pompeo remembers that time she called Denzel Washington a "m*therf*cker."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Eleven years after dumping it, NBC is reviving its beloved crime drama, "Law & Order," for a 21st season.  No premiere date has yet been announced.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  J. Michael Straczynski is set to write and executive a reboot of his 1990s science fiction syndicated TV series, "Babylon 5," for The CW.  The series ran for fives seasons (1994-99), including a pilot film (1993) and five other television movies.  The pilot TV movie and the series' first four seasons were syndicated via the "Prime Time Entertainment Network."  Season 5 aired on cable network TNT.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:   Grammy-winning recording artist, R. Kelly, has been found guilty on all nine counts in his federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Brooklyn. Sentencing is set for May 4th, 2022.

CELEBRITY - From GQ:  Oscar-nominated, box office champion, Will Smith, is the cover feature in November 2021 issue of "GQ." "Introducing the Real Will Smith" is the title of the article.

TELEVISION - From TheHill:  "Saturday Night Live" is adding a comedian, James Austin Johnson, to its cast who's been dubbed the world's greatest impersonator of former President Trump.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 9/25 to 9/27/2021 weekend box office is "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" with an estimated 13.3 million dollars.

From Negromancer:  My review of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings."

CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Former child star, Dante Baco (who played "Rufio" in Steven Spielberg's 1991 film, "Hook") talks about his career and transition from child to adult actor.

MARVEL - From THR:   On Friday, Sept. 24, Marvel Entertainement filed a series of lawsuits against the estates of a group of comic book creators who created many of their most popular characters.  Those creators, all deceased, include Stan Lee, Gene Colan, and Steve Ditko.  The dispute is over something called "copyright termination," but you can read more at the article.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Joel Coen and actor Frances McDormand answer questions about their new film, "The Tragedy of Macbeth," which also stars Denzel Washington and opened the 2021 New York Film Festival.

POLITICS - From YahooNews:  Kidnapping, assassination and a London shoot-out: Inside the CIA's secret war plans against WikiLeaks qne Julian Assange.

OBITS:

From THR:  Actor and former Disney child star, Tommy Kirk, has died at the age of 79, found dead on Tuesday, September 28, 2021.  Kirk was best known for the films he made for Walt Disney Studios from the mid-1950s to the early 1960s.  These include "Old Yeller" (1957), "The Shaggy Dog" (1959), "Swiss Family Robinson" (1960), and "Son of Flubber" (1963), to name a few.  He also played boy detective, "Joe Hardy," of "The Hardy Boys" on "The Mickey Mouse Club" in 1956.  The late Walt Disney reportedly personally fired Kirk from the studio in 1963 when he learned that the 21-year-old was involved in a gay relationship.  Kirk was elected as a "Disney Legend" in 2006.

From Deadline:  British film editor, Jon Gregory, has died at the age of 77, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021.  Gregory was nominated for a "Best Film Editing" Oscar nomination for his work on "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" (2017).  He was a four-time BAFTA nominee, including for his work on films like "Four Wedding and a Funeral" (1994) and "In Bruges" (2008).  Gregory is also known for his work with director Mike Leigh, including on films "Naked" (1993) and "Secrets & Lies" (1996).

Disney+ Releases First Official Trailer for "Welcome to Earth" Starring Will Smith

First Official Trailer for the Disney+ Original Series, From National Geographic, ‘Welcome to Earth,’ Hosted by Two-Time Academy Award® Nominee Will Smith, Now Available

The Six-Part Series Is Executive Produced by Academy Award-Nominated Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, Protozoa Pictures, Jane Root’s Nutopia, and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios

‘Welcome to Earth’ Premieres This December on Disney+

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Disney+ revealed the first official trailer for the six-part original series “Welcome to Earth,” streaming this December. The visually stunning Disney+ series, from National Geographic, follows two-time Academy Award® nominee Will Smith on an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime adventure around the world to explore Earth’s greatest wonders and reveal its most hidden secrets. Will Smith debuted the breathtaking trailer this morning on his social media accounts.

Executive produced by visionary Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (“Black Swan,” “Requiem for a Dream”), Protozoa Pictures, Jane Root’s Nutopia and Westbrook Studios, Will is guided by elite explorers on an awe-inspiring journey, getting up close and personal with some of the most thrilling spectacles on the planet — from volcanoes that roar in silence to deserts that move beyond our perception to animal swarms with minds of their own.

The top-of-class adventurers leading Will through these incredible experiences include marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer Diva Amon, polar expeditionist Dwayne Fields, engineer and National Geographic Explorer Albert Lin, National Geographic Photographer Cristina Mittermeier, and mountaineer Erik Weihenmayer. Combining breathtaking cinematography with Will’s boundless curiosity and enthusiasm, the epic series is an exciting, multisensory ride through Earth’s most mind-bending portals.

The trailer for "Welcome to Earth" is here.

“Welcome to Earth” is produced by Nutopia, Protozoa Pictures and Westbrook Studios for National Geographic. For Nutopia, Jane Root and Peter Lovering are executive producers, and Graham Booth co-executive produces and directs the series. For Protozoa, Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel executive produce. Westbrook executive producers are Will Smith, Terence Carter, James Lassiter and Miguel Melendez. Matt Renner and Chris L. Kugelman serve as executive producers for National Geographic. The series’ music is composed by Daniel Pemberton (“Trial of The Chicago 7,” “Steve Jobs”).

SOCIAL HANDLES AND HASHTAGS:

#WelcomeToEarthSeries

@DisneyPlus

#DisneyPlus

@willsmith (Instagram and Facebook)

@diva_amon (Instagram), @DivaAmon (Twitter)

@exploreralbert (Instagram and Twitter)

@dwaynefields (Instagram and Twitter)

@erikweihenmayer (Instagram and Twitter)

@mitty (Instagram), @cmittermeier (Twitter)

About Disney+:

Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more. As part of Disney’s Media and Entertainment Distribution segment, Disney+ is available on most internet-connected devices and offers commercial-free programming with a variety of original feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series and short-form content. Alongside unprecedented access to Disney’s incredible library of film and television entertainment, the service is also the exclusive streaming home for the latest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+. Visit DisneyPlus.com to subscribe and/or learn more about the service.

About National Geographic Partners:

National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 133 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Protozoa Pictures:

Protozoa Pictures, based in Chinatown NYC, is headed by Darren Aronofsky and his partner, Ari Handel. Their credits include Aronofsky’sπ, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, THE FOUNTAIN, THE WRESTLER, BLACK SWAN, NOAH, mother! and his upcoming film THE WHALE; as well as Pablo Larrain’s JACKIE, Yann Demange’s WHITE BOY RICK, Lance Oppenheim’s documentary SOME KIND OF HEAVEN, Josef Kobuta Wladyka's CATCH THE FAIR ONE and Tobias Lindhoff’s THE GOOD NURSE. Their TV credits include ONE STRANGE ROCK for Nat Geo, the upcoming WELCOME TO EARTH and LIMITLESS for Nat Geo, BLACK GOLD for Paramount+, and KINDRED for FX, directed by Janicza Bravo.

About Nutopia:

Nutopia is known for creating award-winning, factual series on a global scale, and a new genre of television, the “mega-doc,” which combines epic cinematography with action-driven drama or high-end documentary and A-list talent. The company, which was founded in 2008 by Jane Root, former President of Discovery Channel US and Controller of BBC2, and co-founder of Wall to Wall TV, has become synonymous with creating high-quality, notable content for buyers that include Netflix, Disney+, CNN, National Geographic, BBC, PBS, HBO Max, and A+E Networks. Recent projects include “Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth” for Disney+ and Nat Geo’s Shark Fest; “Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer” for PBS; “A World of Calm” for HBO Max, “Babies” for Netflix, and Emmy Award-nominated “The World According to Jeff Goldblum.” Nutopia also produced, the much-honored National Geographic series “One Strange Rock” Emmy Award-winning series “How We Got to Now” and “America: The Story of US.” Upcoming projects include “Limitless,” with Chris Hemsworth, and “Welcome to Earth” with Will Smith for Disney+.

About Westbrook Studios:

Westbrook Studios is a subsidiary of Westbrook Inc., the media company launched in 2019 by founders Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Miguel Melendez and Ko Yada, focused on empowering artists to tell stories that connect the world. Led by Co-Presidents, Terence Carter (Television) and Jon Mone (Film), Westbrook Studios is home to a rapidly expanding footprint in premium motion picture and television projects. In TV, Westbrook Studios recently launched Amend: The Fight for America, a powerful, six-part, Netflix docuseries that uses a groundbreaking, multimedia narrative format to explore the Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution. Upcoming TV projects include an unprecedented two-season order from Peacock for Bel-Air, the dramatic reboot of Will Smith’s iconic ‘The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air’ based on Morgan Cooper’s 2019 viral short film and set to premiere in 2022, the recently announced adventure series Welcome to Earth, set to premiere on Disney+ later this year, and season 4 of the beloved series Cobra Kai set to launch on Netflix in December. In film, upcoming Westbrook Studios projects include the highly anticipated KING RICHARD, based on the life of Richard Williams, father to tennis greats Serena and Venus; EMANCIPATION which sold to Apple in the largest festival acquisition deal in film history; the remake of the 1980s classic PLANES, TRAINS, & AUTOMOBILES, starring Will Smith and Kevin Hart; the upcoming sports drama REDD ZONE, starring Jada Pinkett Smith; and the recently announced live action musical fantasy film, SOUL SUPERHERO.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 11th to 17th, 2021 - Update #28

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS: 

AWARDS - From Deadline:  The American Cinema Editors have announced the winners at the 2021 / 71st ACE Eddie Awards.  Aaron Sorkin's film, "The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix), won the marquee "Eddie," which is "Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic)."

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  In the wake of an explosive allegations about his abusive behavior that stretches back years, Oscar-winning film producer, Scott Rudin, says that he will "step back" from active involvement in his Broadway productions.

ANIMATION-STREAMING - From Deadline:   The upcoming fourth season of Netflix's animated series, "Castlevania," will be its last.  Netflix is reportedly considering a new series set in the universe of Castlevania with an entirely different cast of characters.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney claps back at screenwriting brothers, James and John Thomas, who are trying to reclaim the rights to their 1984 spec script that became the 1987 20th Century Fox film, "Predator."  Disney owns the property as a result of buying 20th Century Fox.

DISNEY - From BleedingCool:  Actor Mads Mikkelsen has joined the cast of "Indiana Jones 5" in an unknown role. The film is being directed by James Mangold

MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:   The site looks at five underrated Black actresses who deserve more roles: CCH Pounder, Debbi Morgan, Tamara Tunie, Lisa Gay Hamilton, and Lorraine Toussaint.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Two-time Oscar-winner Renee Zellewegger in the golf comedy, "The Back Nine," the will be directed of Michael Patrick King of "Sex and the City."

BLM - From YahooNYT:   In 2006, an African-American female Buffalo police officer, Cariol Horne, stopped a fellow officer from choking a handcuffed man.  She was eventually fired for this.  Now, a New York state court has vindicated Horne by restoring her back pay and pension.

CULTURE - From HuffPost:  Back in 2015, Dan Price, the CEO of "Gravity Payments" (a credit card processing company), slashed his $1.1 million a year salary to $70,000 per year so that he could pay all his employees $70,000 per year.  Fox News and Fox Business called him a "socialist" and said that his employees would end up on "bread lines."  Six years later, his number of employees has doubled and the payments the company processed has gone from 3.8 billion to 10.2 billion.

MUSIC - From HuffPost:   Mick Jagger of "The Rolling Stones" and Dave Grohl of "Foo Fighters (and formally of "Nirvana") have come together for a new single, "Eazy Sleazy," that takes on conspiracy theories and anti-vaxxers.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Universal Pictures is making a film that is based on one of the characters from the original "Dracula" novel, "R.M. Renfield," Dracula's henchman.  Chris McKay is in talks to direct and produce.  The film will be produced by Skybound Entertainment, the company belonging to Robert Kirkman, the creator of "The Walking Dead" comic book.

STREAMING-BLM - From Deadline:  The state of Georgia recently passed a slate of Jim Crow laws to keep African-Americans from voting.  Some business have decided not to do business with the state, and that includes Apple's filmmaking division.  It's film, the runaway slave thriller, "Emancipation," will not film in Georgia and may film in Louisiana, where the actual events upon which this film is based, took place.  Antoine Fuqua is directing and Will Smith stars.

STREAMING - From YahooEntertainment:   Superstar actress Melissa McCarthy and her husband, writer-director Ben Falcone wanted to work with Oscar-winning actress, Octavia Spencer.  They created that chance in the Netflix superhero comedy, "Thunder Force," about ordinary women with regular body types as superheroes.

POLICE/SCANDAL - From TheHill:   There is a report that Boston Police kept child sexual abuse allegations against now-former union president, Patrick Rose, Sr., secret.

From NBCBoston10:  This article includes a photo of Patrick Rose, Sr., former Boston police patrolman and Boston Police Union head, who is facing multiple charges of child sexual abuse.

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 4/9 to 4/11/2021 weekend box office is "Godzilla vs. Kong" with an estimated take of 13.4 million dollars.

CELEBRITY - From THR:   Carrie-Anne Moss is returning to "The Matrix" film franchise for next year's "The Matrix 4."  In a recent interview, Moss says she was offered a "grandmother role" the day after she turned 40 years old.

STREAMING - From YahooSports:   Actor Kevin James will play Super Bowl-winning New Orleans Saints coach, Sean Payton, in Netflix's film, "Home Team."  The film will recount the year Payton coached his son's sixth-grade football team.

MOVIES - From YahooAVClub:   Paramount Pictures and Hasbro are moving up the release date for for "Sanke Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins" from October 22nd to July 23rd, 2021.

TELEVISION - From BleedingCool:  This is an update on the USA network and SyFy's "Chuck" series, an reboot/revival of the "Child's Play" film series.

AWARDS - From Deadline:   At the 2021 BAFTAs (British Academy Awards), "Nomadland" wins 4 awards, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Chloe Zhao) and "Best Actress" (Frances McDormand).

From Deadline:    At the 2021 / 73rd Directors Guild Awards, Chloe Zhao won the top prize for her film, "Nomadland."  She is only the second woman to win the award for "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film."  Kathryn Bigelow was the first when she won for her film, "The Hurt Locker."  This article also includes a complete list of winners.

From Variety:   Spike Lee's "Da 5 Bloods," Christopher Nolan's "Tenet," and David Fincher's "Mank" top the 2021 Art Directors Guild Awards.

MARVEL - From THR:   Marvel Entertainment's new comic book distribution deal - with Penguin Random House Publisher Services - has some comic book stores worried about the future of the market.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  English actress, Helen McCrory, has died at the age of 52, Friday, April 16, 2021, after a battle with cancer.  McCrory is known for appearing in the James Bond film, "Skyfall" (2012), and in the last three "Harry Potter" films.  McCrory may be best remembered for being a member of the main cast of the British period crime drama TV series, "Peaky Blinders."  McCrory had been married to English actor, Damian Lewis, since 2007 and was the mother of two children.

From Variety:  The former actor and stuntman, Felix Silla, has died at the age of 84, Friday, April 16, 2021.  Silla wore the costume to play "Cousin Itt" in the former ABC television series, "The Addams Family" (1964-66).  [The late actor Anthony Magro provided Itt's voice.]   Although two other actors provided the voice, Silla also provided the physical performance (wearing the costume) for "Twiki" in the former NBC TV series, "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" (1979-81).

From APNews:  American investment advisor and convicted fraudster, Bernie Madoff, has died at the age of 82, Wednesday, April 14, 2021, in prison at the Federal Medical Center at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina.  Madoff is best known for operating the largest "Ponzi scheme" in world history, which allowed him to steal from the rich and the poor, the famous and the ordinary.  In June 2009, he was sentenced to 150 years in prison.

From IndyStar:  Former professional basketball player and coach, Bobby "Slick" Leonard," has died at the age of 88, Tuesday, April 13, 2021.  He played college basketball for the Indiana University Hossiers and was a member of the 1953 NCAA Tournament championship team.  His seven-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) included stints with the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Packers/Zephyrs.  In 1968, Leonard began coaching the Indiana Pacers of the ABA (American Basketball Association), where he coached the team to three ABA titles, 1970, 1972, and 1973.  He continued to coach the Pacers when they joined the NBA in 1976 and remained coach until 1980.