Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 1st to 6th, 2025 - UPDATE #7

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 THR:  Sony is developing a new film in its "Men in Black" franchise.  Chris Bremner is working on a script, but there is so far no director or cast members named.

TELEVISION - From THR:  Sky 1 and Das Erste's ground period drama, "Babylon Berlin." has wrapped up production on its fifth and final season.  The neo-noir series will close with a final 8-episode arc leading up to the Nazis seizing power in Germany in 1933.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Universal Pictures has acquired "Portrait of God," a spec script from emerging filmmaker Dylan Clark.  The script, which is written by Clark and Joe Russo, expands on the world of Clark's viral horror short of the same name.  The film is will mark the first collaboration of producers Sam Raimi and Jordan Peele, two of the biggest names in horror, who have never before worked together.

OBIT:

From ESPN:  Former professional basketball player, Elden Campbell, has died at the age of 57, Tuesday, December 2, 2025.  Campbell left Clemson University as an all-time school great.  His all-time 1880 career points is still the school record.  Campbell was drafted as the 27th pick of the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, where he spent the first nine years of his career.  Campbell won an NBA Championship as a member of the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons.

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MOVIE AWARDS 2025-26:

From AwardsWatch:  The 2025 / 9th Atlanta Film Critics Circle has announced its winners.  "One Battle After Another" picks up seven wins, including "Best Film," "Best Director" (Paul Thomas Anderson), and "Best Actor" (Leonardo DiCaprio).

From Variety:  The winners of the 2025 / 91st New York Film Critics Circle Awards have been announced.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson's film, "One Battle After Another" wins "Best Film."  The awards will be handed out at a gala ceremony on January 6, 2026 at "Tao Downtown" in New York City.

From Deadline:   The winners at the 2025 / 35th Annual Gotham Awards have been announced.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another" won "Best Feature." Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi and his Palme d’Or winner, "It Was Just An Accident" were the big winners, picking up "Best International Feature," "Best Director," and  "Original Screenplay."

From AwardsWatch:  Twenty films have made crossed the first hurdle in the race for the "Best Visual Effects" Oscar.  Those films include "Avatar: Fire and Ash," "Captain America: Brave New World," "Frankenstein," and "Sinners."  In a little under two weeks, those 20 will be cut down to 10.

From AwardsWatch:  The site has a list of all 322 films eligible for Oscar consideration in the animated, documentary, and international film categories.

From THR:  The nominations for the 2026 / 38th European Film Awards have been announced.  the winners will be announced at the 38th European Film Awards ceremony, which takes place January 17, 2026.

From Deadline:  Last week (Oct. 14th), the European Film Academy shortlisted the 67 films were available to receive nominations for the 38th European Film Awards, taking place on January 17, 2026.  The shortlist included 44 feature films, 15 documentary films, and eight animated feature films.  Among the list of feature films were "Bugonia" and "Sound of Falling."  The nominations are scheduled to be announced today (Oct. 18th).

From THR:  The nominations for the 2025 / 35th Annual Gotham Films Awards have been announced.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" tops the list of nominees with a record six nominations, including "Best Feature" and "Best Director" for Anderson.  The winners will be announced December 1, 2025.

BEST PICTURE TRACKER:

"One Battle After Another" (3):  Atlanta Film Critics Circle; Gotham Awards; New York Film Critics Circle

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 23rd to 30th, 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:

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 11/28 to 11/30/2025 weekend box office is Disney's "Zootopia 2" with an estimated gross of 96.8 million dollars.

MOVIES - From THR:  Scarlett Johansson will star in director Mike Flanagan's reboot or re-imagining of the 1973 film "The Exorcist" for Universal and Blumhouse.  This new film is an attempt to reviver "The Exorcist" franchise in the wake of Universal/Blumhouse's ill-fated film, "The Exorcist: Believer" (2023).

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Apparently with a push from President Trump, "Rush Hour 4" is happening.  Brett Ratner is returning to direct Jackie Chan (as Inspector Lee) and Chris Tucker (as Detective Carter) in the film.  Paramount Pictures will distribute with Warner Bros.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  It’s been nearly two years since Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson announced he would be executive producing a documentary about imprisoned music impresario, Sean "Diddy" Combs. The project finally has a release date. The four-episode project titled "Sean Combs: The Reckoning" will drop globally on Netflix on December 2, 2025.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 11/21 to 11/23/2025 weekend box office is Universal Pictures' "Wicked: For Good" with an estimated total of $150 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Grammy-winning rapper, Kendrick Lamar, and "South Park" creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, are working on a live-action comedy. The movie will not meet its March 20, 2026 and is on indefinite delay. Lamar says they are working hard on the film.

OBITS:

From Variety:  The Czech-born, English playwright and screenwriter, Tom Stoppard, has died at the age of 88, November 2025.  Stoppard was nominated eight times for the "Best Play" Tony Award, and he won five times, including for "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" (1968).  He was twice nominated for the "Best Original Screenplay" Oscar.  He won for "Shakespeare in Love" (1998) and was nominated for "Brazil" (1985).  He also received an Emmy nomination for his work on the BBC miniseries, "Parade's End" (2012-13).

From Deadline:  Former American child actor, John Eimen, has died at the age of 76, Friday, November 21, 2025.  Eimen's career ran from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s during a time fans consider the "classic TV era."  Eimen is best known for the role of "Cadet Monk Roberts" in the former NBC children's sitcom, "McKeever and Company," appearing in 11 episodes.  Eimen appearances in such classic 50s and 60s television series as "Have Gun - Will Travel," "Leave It to Beaver," "Petticoat Junction," "The Twilight Zone," and "Wagon Train," to name a few.

From Reuters:  Jamaican multi-instrumentalist, musician, singers, songwriter, and actor, Jimmy Cliff, has died at the age of 81, Monday, November 24, 2025.  Cliff was a legendary Jamaican singer who, along with Bob Marley, popularized the Jamaican music genres: reggae, ska and rocksteady music, doing so over a six decade career.  Cliff's best known songs include "You Can Get It If You Really Want" (1970), "The Harder They Come" (1972), and also for two covers songs he did: Cat Stevens' "Wild World" (1970) and Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now" (1993).  Cliff starred in the 1972 Jamaican crime film, "The Harder They Come," which helped popularize reggae worldwide through its soundtrack.  He was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 2010.  He was a a seven-time Grammy Awards nominee and won twice.  Cliff's wife, Latifa Chambers, announced his death on Facebook on Monday.

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MOVIE AWARDS 2025-26:

From AwardsWatch:  Twenty films have made crossed the first hurdle in the race for the "Best Visual Effects" Oscar.  Those films include "Avatar: Fire and Ash," "Captain America: Brave New World," "Frankenstein," and "Sinners."  In a little under two weeks, those 20 will be cut down to 10.

From AwardsWatch:  The site has a list of all 322 films eligible for Oscar consideration in the animated, documentary, and international film categories.

From THR:  The nominations for the 2026 / 38th European Film Awards have been announced.  the winners will be announced at the 38th European Film Awards ceremony, which takes place January 17, 2026.

From Deadline:  Last week (Oct. 14th), the European Film Academy shortlisted the 67 films were available to receive nominations for the 38th European Film Awards, taking place on January 17, 2026.  The shortlist included 44 feature films, 15 documentary films, and eight animated feature films.  Among the list of feature films were "Bugonia" and "Sound of Falling."  The nominations are scheduled to be announced today (Oct. 18th).

From THR:  The nominations for the 2025 / 35th Annual Gotham Films Awards have been announced.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" tops the list of nominees with a record six nominations, including "Best Feature" and "Best Director" for Anderson.  The winners will be announced December 1, 2025.

A "Star Wars" Link-O-Rama 2025 by Negromancer - UPDATE #31

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 AND RUMORS:

FRANCHISE - From YahooTotalFilm:  Despite working on Star Wars properties since "The Phantom Menace," Lucasfilm design director Doug Chiang says that only George Lucas truly knows what Star Wars design is. "I don’t always get it 100 per cent right."

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Artist Taurin Clarke is Marvel Comics' "Star Wars Black History Month" cover artist for February 2026.

From BleedingCool:  Ahmed Best, the voice actor best known for the role of "Jar Jar Binks" in the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy, will co-write an official Star Wars Jar Jar Binks comic book for Marvel Comics.  The one-shot comic book is due February 2026 and will be co-written by Marc Guggenheim and illustrated by Kieran McKeown and Laura Braga.

From FlickeringMyth:  Dark Horse Comics has announced that it will return to the High Republic era of "Star Wars" next year with the six-issue limited series, "Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Pathfinders."  The series will be written by George Mann ("Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories – Qui-Gon") and drawn by Partha Pratim, Jagdish Kumar, and Michael Atiyeh ("Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch").  The first issue is scheduled to arrive March 11, 2026.

THE MANDALORIAN - From YouTube:  Lucasfilm has released the first official trailer for "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which is due in theaters May 22, 2026.

STARFIGHTER - From IGN:  Lucasfilm offers a new set photo from "Star Wars: Starfighter," featuring cast members, Ryan Gosling and Flynn Gray. The film is due May 28, 2027.

From THR:  The latest Star Wars movie, "Star Wars: Starfighter," started shooting on Thursday (Aug. 28th) in the U.K.  Lucasfilm marked the ocassion by releasing an image of star Ryan Gosling and new cast member, Flynn Gray, in front of a speeder.  Lucasfilm also revealed the latest additions to the cast.  Including Flynn Gray, they are Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams.  The film is being directed by Shawn Levy and stars Ryan Gosling. Mia Goth and Matt Smith were already revealed to be in the cast, playing villains.

From Deadline:  Matt Smith ("Doctor Who") will star alongside Ryan Gosling as a villain in the "Star Wars" film, "Star Wars: Starfighter," which is scheduled for a 2027 release.

ANDOR - From StarWars:  "Andor" Season 2 won five Emmy Awards at the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards, including the coveted "Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series" won by Dan Gilroy for the episode, "Welcome to the Rebellion."

THE FUTURE - From NexusPoints:  The website says that the working title of Taika Waititi's "Star Wars" film is "Cosmic Doom" and the production name is "Ghost Truck 6." Such names are often given in order to put off people trying to get spoilers, but I think that this no longer works.

OBIT - From TheWrap:  English film and television actor, Kenneth Colley, has died at the age of 87, Monday, June 30, 2025.  Colley may be best known to fans for playing the role of Admiral Piett in "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) and in "Return of the Jedi" (1983).  He also played "Jesus" in "Monty Python's Life of Bryan" (1979).  He belonged to director Ken Russell's repertory of actors from the 1970s to the 1990s, appearing in such Russell's films as "The Music Lovers" (1971), "The Devils" (1971), and "The Rainbow" (1989), to name a few.  He also appeared in Russell's TV films, "Prisoner of Honor" (1991) and "The Secret Life of Arnold Bax" (1992).

A NEW HOPE - From Variety:   Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy made a surprise appearance on opening night (Thursday, June 12, 2025) of the BFI Film on Film Festival in London, where the ultra-rare, original first print of George Lucas' “Star Wars” was being screened. The BFI’s shocking discovery of the print and the announcement that it would be screened publicly caused a stir among “Star Wars” fans earlier this year, as Lucas has always been vocal about his dislike of the print and famously went on to tinker with the movie. 

COMICS - From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You" reviews the Marvel Comics' "Star Wars #2."

ANDOR - From ComicBookMovie:  "Andor" showrunner Tony Gilroy talks about struggling to get the budgets he needed to produce Andor, which apparently cost 650 million dollars over two seasons.  Also, he said Disney execs told him "streaming is dead."

OBITUARY - From Deadline:  Welsh art director and production designer for films, Leslie "Les" Dilley, has died at the age of 84, Monday, May 20th, 2025.  Dilley won the Oscar for "Best Art Direction" for "Star Wars" (1977) and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981), sharing both honors with the late Norman Reynolds.  He also received "Best Art Direction" Oscar nominations for his work on "Alien" (1979). "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980), and "The Abyss" (1989). 

DARTH VADER - From THR:  SAG-AFTRA files unfair labor practice charge over "Darth Vader" AI voice in the game, "Fortnite."  The union claims that Llama Productions failed to notify the labor group and negotiate when it began employing a "James Earl Jones" voice that replaced the work of members. Jones, who died last year, granted Disney rights to use his voice posthumously.

ANDOR - From IGN:  The website explains the ending of the Disney+/Lucasfilm series, "Andor" Season 2.

COMICS - From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux has reviewed Marvel's new "Star Wars #1."

PRINCESS LEIA - From MensJournal:  "Star Wars" actress, Billie Lourd, offers a touching post of her children watching Lourd's late mother, actress Carrie Fisher, in her iconic Princess Leia role in the film, "Return of the Jedi."

GEORGE LUCAS - From Variety:  At a 45th anniversary event for "The Empire Strikes," George Lucas explains why "Yoda" speaks backward.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Marvel has released solicitation information concerning the "Star Wars" titles that it will publish in July 2025.

STARFIGHTER - From StarWars:  The "Star Wars" film to be directed by "Deadpool & Wolverine" director Shawn Levy and to star Ryan Gosling has a title, "Star Wars: Starfighter."  The film, which is set five years after the events of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," the film will go into production this fall with an anticipated theatrical release date of Memorial Day 2027.

PUBLICATIONS - From StarWars:  "Star Wars Celebration Japan" offered fans a look at covers for upcoming "Star Wars" comic books, manga, novels, artbooks and reference books.

RUMORS - From Variety:  Oscar-winner Mikey Madison ("Anora") has reportedly past on a reported offer to appear in director Shawn Levy's rumored "Star Wars" project starring Ryan Gosling.

EPISODE III - From WorldofReel:  The 20th anniversary release of "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" is on April 25th. The opening weekend at the domestic box office looks to be around 15+ million dollars.

JOHN BOYEGA - From Variety:  John Boyega addresses the Sith elephant in the "Star Wars" room.  To racist white fans of "Star Wars," there is no room for a black heroes

OBIT - From Variety:  New Zealand actor of the stage, musical theater, and film and television, Clive Revill, died at the age of 94, Tuesday, March 11, 2025.  He provided the voice of "The Emperor" in the original theatrical release of 1980s' "The Empire Strikes Back."  Revill was twice nominated for a Tony Award, "Best Featured Actor for a Musical" for his role in the original 1961 Broadway production of "Irma La Douce" and "Best Actor in a Musical" for his role in the original 1963 Broadway production of "Oliver!"

ANDOR - From THR:  The acclaimed Disney+ "Star Wars" drama, "Andor," is now also available on Hulu.  The first three episodes are free on the Disney+ "YouTube" channel.  The 12-episode second season debuts exclusively on Disney+ April 22nd.

REY SKYWALKER - From Variety:  The planned "Rey Skywalker" movie now has a writer, George Nolfi, ("The Bourne Ultimatum").  Daisey Ridley will reprise her role as Rey.

FUTURE - From THR:  Ryan Gosling is reportedly in talks to be the star of director Shawn Levy's ("Deadpool & Wolverine") planned "Star Wars" movie.

MARVEL COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Marvel is launching a new flagship "Star Wars" comic book series in May 2025.  This new "Star Wars #1" will debut stories set after the events depicted in the 1983 film, "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi."  It will be written by Alex Segura and drawn by Phil Noto.  According to the press information:  "It's the dawn of the New Republic, and as the dust settles after the Battle of Jakku our rebel heroes — Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, and Han Solo — find themselves forging a new order as pirates and thieves swarm to fill the power vacuum left behind by the fallen Empire." The series will reintroduce characters like Mon Mothma and Beilert Valance, among others.

MARVEL COMICS - From BleedingCool:  To celebrate "Black History Month," Marvel Comics will celebrate Black "Star Wars" characters with variant covers featuring them on four "Star Wars" titles published in February 2025.

NEW TRILOGY - From Deadline:  Lucasfilm has hired writer-producer-director Simon Kinberg to develop a new "Star Wars" trilogy - Episodes 10, 11, and 12.

From THR:  Related to the Simon Kinberg news, the new trilogy will supposedly focus on the the sequel trilogy star, "Rey Skywalker."

MARVEL COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Marvel will publish a "Star Wars" one-shot comic book, "Star Wars: A New Legacy," in 2025.  It will set up the relaunch of Marvel's ongoing "Star Wars" flagship comic book and also celebrate the tenth anniversary of Marvel regaining the license to publish "Star Wars" titles from Dark Horse Comics. Since then, however, Dark Horse gained a new license to publish "Star Wars" comics for juvenile readers.

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STAR WARS Movie Reviews:

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars"
From Negromancer:  "The Empire Strikes Back"
From Negromancer:  "Return of the Jedi"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Force Awakens
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008 animated film)
From Negromancer:  "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
From Negromancer:  "Solo: A Star Wars Story" 

I Reads You "Star Wars Central" comics and graphic novel review page is here.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 9th to 15th, 2025 - UPDATE #9

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

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

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

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NEWS:

MOVIES - From Variety:  Christopher Nolan says that he shot over two million feet of film during the 91-day shoot for his upcoming film, "The Odyssey," which is due in theaters, July 17, 2026.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Peacock has decided not to renew its mystery series, "Poker Face," which stars Natasha Lyonne as the sleuth, "Charlie Cale," for a third season.  However, the people behind the series and Lyonne thinks there are many mysteries ahead for Cale to solve.  They have began an effort to shop "Poker Face" to other broadcasters for a two-season commitment.  The surprise is that Emmy-winning actor, Peter Dinklage, would take over the role of Charlie Cale, the sleuth whose superpower is an innate ability to detect liars.

DISNEY - From YouTube:  Pixar has released a teaser trailer for "Toy Story 5."  The film is due June 19, 2026.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 11/7 to 11/9/2025 weekend box office is 20th Century Studios' "Predator: Badlands" with an estimated 40 million dollars.

From TheGuardian:  Sydney Sweeney addresses the box office disappointment of her new film, "Christy."

GRAMMYS - From People:  The nominees for the 2026 / 68th Annual Grammy Awards have been announced.  Kendrick Lamar leads all nominees with nine nominations.  The winners will be announced at the 68th Grammy Awards ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 1st, 2026 from Los Angeles, which will be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.

OBITS:

From THR:  American television writer and producer, Dan McGrath, has died at the age of 61, Friday, November 14, 2025.  He was known for his work on Fox's animated sitcom, "The Simpsons," contributing as a writer and story consultant on from 1992 to 1994 and as a "consulting producer" from 1996-98.  McGrath also worked on NBC's variety series, "Saturday Night Live," and also on other animated series such as "The PJs," "Mission Hill," and "King of the Hill."  McGrath was Primetime Emmy-nominated for his work on "Saturday Night Live" and he shared an Emmy win for "Outstanding Animated Program" for his work on "The Simpsons."

From Deadline:  American film and television actress, Sally Kirkland, has died at the age of 84, Tuesday, November 11, 2025.  She appeared in secondary roles in such films as "The Way We Were" (1973), "The Sting" (1983), and "A Star is Born" (1976).  Kirkland earned a "Best Actress" Oscar nomination for her role in the 1987 comedy-drama, "Anna."  Kirkland also appeared in such TV series as "Kojak," "Three's Company," "Charlie's Angels," "Falcon Crest," "Roseanne," and she had a supporting role on the former NBC daytime soap opera, "Days of Our Lives."  Kirkland was also a producer, associate producer, and executive producer on a number of feature and short films.

From ESPN:  Amierican professional basketball player and coach, Lenny Wilkens, has died at the age of 88, Sunday, November 9, 2025.  Wilkens was an NBA All-Star player with the "St. Louis Hawks" (now "Atlanta Hawks"), "Seattle SuperSonics," and "Cleveland Cavaliers."  In 1979, he lead the SuperSonics to the 1978-79 NBA Championship, after leading the team to the 1977-78 championship series where the loss to eventual champions, the "Washington Bullets."  Wilken was named 1994 "NBA Coach of the Year" while coaching the Atlanta Hawks.  Wilkens is a three-time inductee into the "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame."  He went in first, as a player (1989), then, as a coach (1998), and finally, as a member (assistant coach) of the 1992 United States Olympic Men's Basketball Team, a.k.a. the "Dream Team" (2010).  As a college basketball player, Wilkens was a two-time All-American (1959 and 1960) at Providence College.

From ESPN:  American attorney and former commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), Paul Tagliabue, has died at the age of 84, Sunday, November 9, 2025.  Tagliabue was commissioner of the NFL from 1989 (succeeding the late Pete Rozelle) until September 1, 2006, 17 of the league's most prosperous years, which saw the league add four expansion franchises during his tenure.  Tagliabue was formally inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in August 2021, as part of the "Centennial Class of 2020."

MOVIE AWARDS 2025-26:

From THR:  The nominations for the 2025 / 35th Annual Gotham Films Awards have been announced.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" tops the list of nominees with a record six nominations, including "Best Feature" and "Best Director" for Anderson.  The winners will be announced December 1, 2025.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 1st to 8th, 2025 - UPDATE #8

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

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

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

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

NEWS:

MOVIES - From Variety:  Woody Allen is now planning to make his next movie in Madrid. The 89-year-old director has secured €1.5 million ($1.7 million) from the Madrid Regional Government, according to the Spanish outlet El Pais.  He likely also has other financial backers for the film.  The film, which is currently untitled, is due Summer 2026.

SPORTS/SCANDAL - From ESPN:  In the wake of facing criminal charges for his attack on a truck driver in Indianapolis, former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) has been let go as an analyst for Fox Sports.  Fox has hired from New Orleans Saints quarterback and Super Bowl champion, Drew Brees, to replace Sanchez.

NETFLIX/ANIMATION - From Variety:  Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation have announced "KPop Demon Hunters 2," a sequel to the smash hit, "KPop Demon Hunters," but it won't arrive until... 2029.

MOVIES - From THR:  Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz will return to the Universal's turn-of-the-20th century "The Mummy" franchise.  The film will be a sequel to "The Mummy" (1999) and "The Mummy Returns" (2001).  It will ignore the 2008 film, "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," which saw Fraser return to the franchise with Weisz.  The directorial team, "Radio Silence" ("Ready or Not," 2022's "Scream" and  2023's "Scream 6"), are set to direct the new film.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 10/31 to 11/2/2025 weekend box office is Paramount's "Regretting You" with an estimated take of 8.1 million dollars.

SPORTS - From ESPN:  The Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 5-4 in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series.  Dodger's pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named the 2025 World Series MVP. The Dodgers are now back-to-back World Series Champions, having also won the title in 2024.  It is also the Dodgers third World Series title in five years having won the title in 2020.  The Dodgers are also the first team to repeat as World Series champs since the New York Yankees did it in 2000 after winning the 1998 and 1999 World Series.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  "American Horror Story" (FX) co-creator Ryan Murphy has announced the cast for American Horror Story Season 13.  Returning stars are Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, and Leslie Grossman, many reprising roles from the 2013 AHS Coven season.  Jessica Lange makes her first AHS appearance since 2018's Apocalypse.  Ariana Grande joins as a lead in her second collaboration with Murphy after "Scream Queens" (FX). The witch-centric AHS 13 storyline revives Coven elements and is set to premiere on Halloween 2026.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American film and television actress, Diane Ladd, has died at the age of 89, Monday, November 3, 2025.  She is best known for her work in such films as "Chinatown" (1974), "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974), and "Wild at Heart" (1990).  Ladd was the mother of Oscar-winning actress, Laura Dern (the daughter of Ladd's ex-husband, Bruce Dern), and mother and daughter appeared together in a few films, including "Wild at Heart" and "Rambling Rose" (1991).  Ladd received three "Best Supporting Actress" nominations for her work in "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," Wild at Heart," and "Rambling Rose."  Ladd received three Primetime Emmy nominations for her TV work on such series as ""Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," "Grace Under Fire" and "Touched by an Angel."

From Deadline:  Polish born, Israeli-American cinematographer, Adam Greenberg, had died at the age of 88, Thursday, October 30, 2025.  He was best known for his work with director James Cameron on "The Terminator" (1984) and "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" (1991).  He was also the cinematographer on such films as "Near Dark" (1987), "Three Men and a Baby" (1987), "Ghost" (1990), and "Sister Act" (1992), to name a few.  He was nominated for the "Best Cinematography" Oscar for his work on "Terminator 2: Judgement Day."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 26th to 31st, 2025 - UPDATE #6

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).

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NEWS:

TELEVISION - From Variety:  Gayle King has been the face of CBS News‘ morning show, "CBS Mornings," for more than a decade.  Now, she is expected to depart as an anchor of that program next year, according to four people with knowledge of the situation. With the news division of CBS under a major overhaul by the new Skydance regime and with her current contract ending in May 2026, King could still return in a new role..

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Paramount is losing its most prolific TV creator as Taylor Sheridan has signed a long term deal with NBCUniversal.  Sheridan is the mastermind behind such series as "Yellowstone," "Landman," and "Lioness."  Sheridan's producing partner, David Glasser, is also moving to NBCUniversal.  The deal begins in early 2026.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC is putting work into finding the next big TV music competition series and it has turned to Simon Cowell, a maestro of the genre to test a new format.  ABC and Cowell are working on a series called "Who's In The Band." Cowell will sit on a panel of judges that includes Joe Jones, Mel B of the "Spice Girls," songwriter Savan Kotecha, and Rei Ami, who provided the singing voice for the character, "Zoey" in Netflix's animated film, "KPop Demon Hunters."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 10/24 to 10/26/2025 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Crunchyroll's "Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc" with an estimated total of 17.25 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Oscar-nominated actor, Austin Butler, is in talks to play "Sonny Crockett" in Universal Pictures' new film based on the former NBC crime drama, "Miami Vice" (1984-90).

OBITS:

From THR:  American actress and daytime soap opera writer, Margaret DePriest, has died at the age of 94, Monday, September 29, 2025.  As a woman, DePriest was a pioneering head writer or co-head writer of such soap operas as "The Doctors" (NBC, 1976), "General Hospital" (ABC, 1980-81), "Days of Our Lives" (NBC, 1982-84), "Another World" (NBC, 1986-89, 1996-97) and "All My Children" (ABC, 1989), to name a few.  In 1969, DePriest co-created with Lou Scofield the former CBS soap, "Where the Heart Is" (1969-73).  She was nominated five times for the "Daytime Emmy Award" in the category of "Best Writing."  She was also a soap opera actress and appeared in former CBS soap opera, "The Edge of Night" (for which she was also the co-head writer) and in "The Doctors."

From Deadline:   English actress, Prunella Scales, has died at the age of 93, Monday, October 27, 2025.  Scales was best known for her portrayal of "Sybil Fawlty," the bossy wife of rude and put-upon hotel owner, "Basil Fawlty" (John Cleese), in the beloved for BBC sitcom, "Fawlty Towers" (1975-79). She received a British Academy Television Award nomination for "Best Actress" for the role of "Queen Elizabeth II" in the 1991 TV movie, "A Question of Attribution." Scales was also a presenter on the British documentary TV series, "Great Canal Journeys" (Channel 4), from 2014 to 2019.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 19th to 25th, 2025 - UPDATE #8

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 Variety:  Johnny Depp is in final talks to headline "Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol" for Paramount Pictures and horror director, Ti West ("Pearl," "Maxxxine"). Paramount is looking to release the film in November 2026.

BUSINESS - From Deadline:  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) says that it will adopt any merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount, saying that it "would be a disaster for many."

From Deadline:  Warner Bros. Discovery has apparently put itself up for sale. It has also reportedly rejected two bids from Paramount Global.

CELEBRITY - From SheKnows:  Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton died Sat., Oct. 11th, and her family said she died of pneumonia. However, reports indicate that Keaton had been battling dementia for years, including on the set of Michael Jacob's film, "May I Do," which was released in 2023.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 10/17 to 10/19/2025 weekend box office is Universal's "Black Phone 2" with an estimated take of 26.5 million dollars.

From THR:  Young actress Madeleine McGraw almost missed her role in the original "Black Phone." Now, she's headlining the sequel, "Black Phone 2," this week's #1 film at the box office.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  In a wide-ranging video interview with "Deadline," actress Tessa Thompson talks about her new starring role (Nia DaCosta's "Hedda"), "Creed IV," and the accessories that she misses most in her role as "Valkyrie" in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American film and television actress, June Lockhart, has died at the age of 100, Thursday, October 23, 2025.  Her career in film began with 1938's "A Christmas Carol" and continued with notable supporting roles in such films as "Sergeant York" (1941), and "The Yearling" (1946). Lockhart was the lead in the 1946 horror film, "She-Wolf of London."  However, it was television where Lockhart would gain her greatest fame.  She played "Ruth Martin," the wife of "Paul Martin," and the mother of "Timmy Martin" on Seasons 5 to 10 (1958-64) of the former CBS drama, "Lassie."  Lockhart would move on to the former CBS science fiction TV series, "Lost in Space" (1965-68), where she would play wife, mother, and scientist, "Dr. Maureen Robinson."  In 1948, Lockhart received a "Special Tony Award" for "Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer" for her performance in "For Love or Money."  She was twice nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award: for "Best Actress" in 1953 and for "Best Actress in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Drama Series" for her work on "Lassie."

From Deadline:  American musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and recording artist, Sam Rivers, has died at the age of 48, Saturday, October 18, 2025.  Rivers was best known as the co-founder, bassist, and backing vocalist for the Grammy Award-nominated "nu metal" band, "Limp Bizkit."  Rivers also produced music for bands in his home state of Florida.

 

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 12th to 18th, 2025 - UPDATE #9

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

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

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NEWS:

EMMYS - Deadline:  The winners at the 2025 / 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards have been announced.  ABC's long-running soap, "General Hospital," wins "Outstanding Drama Series."

MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Jim Carrey is in talks to star in Warner Bros. Pictures' live-action film based on the classic Hanna-Barbera animated series, "The Jetsons."  Colin Trevorrow of "Jurassic World" fame is set to co-write and direct.

MOVIES - From Variety:  There is new information on Mel Gibson's two-part film sequel to his 2004 hit, "The Passion of the Christ." First, Finnish actor, Jaacko Ohtonen, will replace Jim Caviezel as "Jesus Christ." "The Resurrection of the Christ Part One" will arrive Good Friday, March 26, 2026, and the "The Resurrection of the Christ Part Two" is set to arrive 40 days later on May 6, 2026, which is also the holy day known as "the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord." Lionsgate is handling theatrical distribution of the film which started shooting in Italy last week.

DISNEY - From THR:  Disney+ will stream the six-issue docuseries, "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The End of an Era," beginning with the first two episodes on December 12, 2025.

HARRY POTTER - From People:  The first set photos of actor John Lithgow as "Professor Albus Dumbledore" in HBO's upcoming "Harry Potter" have arrived.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 10/10 to 10/12/2025 weekend box office is Walt Disney Pictures' "Tron: Ares" with an estimated take of 33.5 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  David Ellison and Paramount‘s planned acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery has an obstacle – CEO David Zaslav.  Plus, Netflix or Amazon could be looking to add some WBD IP to their balance sheets.

OBITS:

From RollingStone:  American musician and recording artist, Ace Frehley, has died at the age of 74, Thursday, October 16, 2025.  Frehley was a founding member of the rock band, Kiss, where he was known as "The Spaceman" and "Space Ace." Frehely and was the band's lead guitarist and occasional lead singer from 1973 to 1972, when he departed the band.  He formed his own group, "Frehley's Comet," and also recorded as a solo artist.  He rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a reunion tour and again departed the band in 2002. Frehley was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 2014 as a member of Kiss.  As a member of Kiss, Frehley received one Grammy Award nomination ("Best Hard Rock Performance" for "Psycho Circus"), which is, to date, the only Grammy Award nomination Kiss has ever received.

From Variety:  American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, and recording artist, D'Angelo, has died at the age of 51, Tuesday, October 14, 2025 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.  D'Angelo was best known as a pioneer of the neo-soul movement.  He released three acclaimed studio albums, "Brown Sugar" (1995), "Voodoo: (2000), and "Black Messiah" (2014), the last with his band, "The Vanguard." He was nominated for 14 Grammy Awards and won four times, two of those for "Best R&B Album." A fourth studio album will be released posthumously.

From THR:  American artist, illustrator, and cover designer, Drew Struzan, has died at the age of 78, Monday, October 13, 2025, after a battle with Alzheimer's disease.  Struzan is best known for the over 150 movie poster he painted, including for "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980), "Blade Runner" (1982), "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (1984), "Back to the Future" (1985), "Coming to America" (1988), "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001), and "Hellboy" (2004), to name a few.  Struzan was a favorite of directors such as George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Guillermo del Toro.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 1st to 11th, 2025 - UPDATE #14

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

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

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

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

NEWS:

SPORTS - From ESPN:  The Las Vegas Aces have won the 2025 WNBA Championship, defeating the Phoenix Mercury in Game 4 (97-86) to win the series 4 games to 0.  This is the Aces third championship in four years.

AWARDS - From CBSNews:  The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on Friday Oct. 10th to Venezuelan political opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado. The Swedish Academy said Machado received the award "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney has resumed developing a live-action remake of its 2010 animated hit, "Tangled."  Scarlett Johansson is in play to take the role of the villain, "Mother Gothe."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Taron Egerton and Jessica Henwick are set to star in the comedy thriller "Everybody Wants To F*ck Me," which will be written and directed by Jonathan Schey.  The film is a Studiocanal, LuckyChap, Film4, and Parkville Pictures co-production and is set in London and the world of modern dating.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 10/3 to 10/5/2025 weekend box office is AMC Distribution's "Taylor Swift | The Official Release Party of a Showgirl" with an estimated take of 33 million dollars.

NFL SCANDAL - From NewYorkPost:  "The New York Post" has a timeline of events regarding the events surrounding the stabbing of former NFL quarterback and current Fox Sports analyst, Mark Sanchez. The article also has a picture of the alleged victim, 69-year-old Perry Tole.

From NBCSports:  Stabbed just a few nights ago, former NFL quarterback and Fox Sports analyst, Mark Sanchez, has gone from victim to facing felony charges, including one that could land him in prison for up to six years.

From TMZ:  Former collegiate (USC) and NFL quarterback, Mark Sanchez, was stabbed in Indianapolis sometime late Fri (Oct. 3rd) or early Sat. (Oct. 4th). Sanchez is currently a broadcaster for Fox Sports.

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SCANDAL - From USAToday:  Grammy Award-winning recording artist and music producer and business mogul, Sean "P Diddy" Combs, has been sentenced to 50 months for his conviction in a federal sex-crimes case.  However, Combs will received credit for the time he has already spent locked up in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.

POLITICS - From Variety:  Oscar-winner Jane Fonda has relaunched the "Committee for the First Amendment," the McCarthy-era initiative founded in the 1940s by her father, Oscar-winner Henry Fonda, to protect against attacks on free speech.  The Committee has already received the support of more than 550 A-list names, including Kerry Washington, Natalie Portman, Aaron Sorkin, Spike Lee, Viola Davis, Pedro Pascal, Ben Stiller, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbra Streisand, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Billie Eillish, to name a few.

ANIMATION - From Variety:  Disney's 20th Century has set a July 23, 2027 release date for the animated sequel film to 2007's "The Simpsons Movie."

OBITS:

From Variety:  American film and television actress, Diane Keaton, has died at the age of 79, October 2025.  Keaton had a long and successful career. Keaton won the "Best Actress" Oscar for her role in Woody Allen's film, "Annie Hall" (1977).  She also received "Best Actress" Oscar nomination for her roles in "Reds" (1981), "Marvin's Room" (1996), and "Something's Gotta Give" (2003).  Keaton is also best known for her roles in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" trilogy of films, "Baby Boom" (1987), "Father of the Bride" (1991), "Father of the Bride II" (1995), "The First Wives Club" (1996), and "Mad Money" (2008), to name a few.

From BBC:  The English actress and singer, Patricia Routledge, has died at the age of 96, Friday, October 3, 2025.  Routledge was best known for playing the character, "Hyacinth Bucket," on the former BBC sitcom, "Keeping Up Appearances." Hyacinth was a social-climbing snob who insisted that her married surname, "Bucket," was pronounced "Bouquet" when it really was pronounced "bucket." Hyacinth often made her put-upon husband, "Richard Bucket" (played by the late Clive Swift). In 1968, Routledge won the Tony Award for "Best Actress in a Musical" for her performance in "Darling of the Day."

From ABC:  London-born English zoologist, primatologist, and anthropologist, Jane Goodall, has died at the age of 91, Wednesday, October 1, 2025.  Goodall was only 26 years old when she first entered the Goombe Stream National Park in the East African nation of Tanzania and began her important research on chimpanzees in the wild with the park's "Kasakela chimpanzee community."  Throughout her study of the species, Goodall proved that primates display an array of similar behaviors to humans, such as the ability to develop individual personalities and make and use their own tools.  Goodall was the subject of more than 40 films, many of them documentary works.

From THR:  Italian artist and painter, Renato Casaro, has died at the age of 89, September 30, 2025.  Casaro was best known for the film posters he painted and he was one of the most influential, important, and innovative Italian film poster artists.  His best known work in American films includes painting movie posters for such films as "Flash Gordon" (1980), "Conan the Barbarian" (1981), "Dune" (1984), and "Army of Darkness" to name a few.  Casaro also painted calendars, collectibles, and book covers, and album covers.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 14th to 20th, 2025 - UPDATE #7

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:

APPLE - From Deadline:  Director Martin Scorsese is eyeing "What Happens at Night" as his next film, with Apple Original Films looking to finance and produce the film.  Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence are set to star.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Joseph Kosinski's (F1) "Miami Vice" film is due from Universal on August 6, 2027.  The new film is set in the 1980s.

EMMYS - From THR:  The winners at the 2025 / 77th Primetime Emmy Awards have been announced.  "The Studio" (AppleTV+) won "Outstanding Comedy Series."  "The Pitt" (HBO Max) won "Outstanding Drama Series." "Adolescence" (Netflix) won "Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series."

From Deadline:  And then there was the 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards weekend before last.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 9/12 to 9/14/2025 weekend box office is Sony and Crunchyroll's "Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle" with an estimated take of 70 million dollars.

BUSINESS - From Variety:  Why does David Ellison and Skydance want Warner Bros. Discovery now... when waiting could mean taking on less of WBD's debt?

OBITS:

From Variety:  American film actor, director, and producer and Hollywood icon, Robert Redford, has died at the age of 89, Tuesday, September 16, 2025.  Redford's career is so long and his list of credits is so massive, that I'll just hit some of the highlights.  Redford won the Best Director Oscar for "Ordinary People" (1980), and he directed other films including, "Quiz Show" (1994), which earned him a Best Director Oscar nomination, and also "Lions for Lambs" (2007).  Redford received a Best Action Oscar nomination for "The Sting" (1973), but he other acclaimed roles occurred in such films as "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969), "The Candidate" (1972), "The Way We Were" (1973), "The Great Gatsby" (1974), "All the President's Men" (1976), "The Natural" (1984), and a personal favorite, "Sneakers" (1992).  Redford is also known for founding the "Sundance Film Festival," the largest film festival for independent films in the United States.  In 2001, Redford received the "Academic Honorary Award."

From Deadline:  American television writer, producer, and creator, John Masius, died at the age of 75, Saturday, September 13, 2025 from complications of ALS (also known as "Lou Gehrig's disease).  He first came to prominence working on the former CBS drama, "The White Shadow" (1978-81). He is best known for his work on the acclaimed former NBC medical drama, "St. Elsewhere" (1982-87).  He was nominated for 14 Primetime Emmy Awards.  Masius won "Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series" twice for his work on "St. Elsewhere."  He is also known for creating such TV series as "Touched by an Angel" (CBS), "Providence" (NBC), and "Hawthorne" (TNT).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 1st to 6th, 2025 - UPDATE #5

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:

AWARDS/FILM FESTIVAL - From Variety:  The winners at the 2025 / 82nd Venice International Film Festival have been announced.  Director Jim Jarmusch's "Father Mother Sister Brother" wins the festival's top prize, the "Golden Lion."

MOVIES - From THR:  Oscar-winner Will Smith has found a new home at Paramount Pictures.  Smith and Westbrook banner, which he runs with wife Jada Pinkett Smith, have inked a first-look deal the studio.  Under the deal, Westbrook has set up projects at the studio, including "Sugar Bandits," based on the book, "Devils in Exile," by Chuck Hogan that follows a down-and-out Iraqi war veteran who intercepts drug deals for profit.  Another project that was revealed as a part of today’s announcement is "Rabbit Hole" from "Dune" writer Jon Spaihts.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Emmy nominated actors, Walton Goggins ("The White Lotus") and Lewis Pullman ("Lessons In Chemistry") are joining Jessica Biel in the film "Batso."  The film tells the true story of a trio of trailblazing climbers who in the early 1970s took on "The Wall of Early Morning Light," the most difficult route up iconic peak El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

TELEVISON - From Variety:  HBO’s “Harry Potter” television series is filling out its cast.  Warwick Davis, an alum of the "Harry Potter" film series, will reprise his film series role as "Charms Professor Filius Flitwick."  Davis also played the goblin banker, "Griphook," in the film series, but Leigh Gill will play the character in the TV series.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American film producer, director, screenwriter, and actor, Scott Spiegel, has died at the age of 67, Monday, September 1, 2025.  Spiegel once a childhood friend and collaborator with famed director, Sam Raimi.  Spiegel co-wrote Evil Dead II (1987) with Raimi. Spiegel directed the 1989 slasher film, "Intruder," and the direct-to-video sequel, "From Duck Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money" (1999).  Spiegel was an executive producer on the horror film series, "Hostel," and directed "Hostel: Part III" (2011).

From Deadline:  Canadian First Nations actor and recording artist, Graham Greene, has died at the age of 73, Sunday, August 31, 2025.  Green earned a "Best Supporting Actor" for his performance in the role of "Kicking Bird" in director Kevin Costner's 1990 film, "Dances with Wolves."  He also appeared in such films as "Thunderbird" (1992), "The Green Mile" (1999), and "Transamerica" (2005).  He also appeared in such television series as "Northern Exposure" (1992-93), "The Red Green Show" (1994-2006), and "American Gods" (2021), to name a few.  In 2000, Greene won a Grammy Award in the category of "Best Spoken World Album for Children."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 24th to 31st, 2025 - UPDATE #9

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

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

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

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

NEWS:

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/29 to 8/31/2025 weekend box office is Warner Bros. Pictures' "Weapons" with an estimated take of 10.2 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Channing Tatum, Oscar Isaac, and Zazie Beetz are set to star in the New York crime story, "Kockroach," from director Matt Ross.

MOVIES - From THR:  In NYC, the set of "The Devil Wears Prada 2" is plagued by professional photographs and movie fans looking for spoilers and first-look photos.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Joaquin Phoenix may have abandoned director Todd Haynes' 1930's-set gay drama, "De Noche," but now, Pedro Pascal is circling it.

MUSIC/SPORTS - From Variety:  Grammy-winning recording artist, Taylor Swift, and NFL player and Super Bowl champion, Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs), are engaged to marry.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Netflix will not give a second season to "The Waterfront," the crime drama from creator-write-executive producer, Kevin Williamson (creator-writer of the "Scream" franchise).

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/22 to 8/24/2025 weekend box office is Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters Sing-Along Event" with an estimated 18 million dollars.

MOVIES/SPORTS - From Variety:   Warner Bros. Pictures has acquired a spec script based on the dramatic true story of NBA legend Kobe Bryant joining the Los Angeles Lakers. The project comes from screenwriters, Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen. Star Thrower and Religion of Sports will produce the project. 

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American music producer, music supervisor, and music consultant, Joel Sill, has died at the age of 78, Saturday, August 23, 2025.  Sill is best known for his work supervising music for films.  He was the "executive in charge of music" for "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982) and "Flashdance" (1983), both of which won the Oscar for "Best Original Song" for the respective years of release.  Other films in which Sill was involved include "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981), "Blade Runner" (1982), "La Bamba" (1987), and "Forrest Gump" (1994), to name a few.

From Deadline:  American film and television actor, Jerry Adler, has died at the age of 96, Saturday, August 23, 2025.  Adler is best known for his roles in such TV series as "The Sopranos" (HBO), "The Good Wife" (CBS), and "The Good Fight" (CBS All-Access), to name a few.  His film roles included "The Public Eye" (1992), Woody Allen's "Manhattan Murder Myster" (1993), and "Prime" (2005).  Adler was also a Broadway veteran, having worked as both a director and stage manager.  Adler was born into the famed Adler family, which included his cousin, actress and legendary acting coach, Stella Adler.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 17th to 23rd, 2025 - UPDATE #7

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

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

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

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

NEWS:

TELEVISION - From Variety:  "Dexter: Origins" will not get a Season 2, although it was initially renewed.  "Dexter: Resurrection" is getting its writers room ready for a Season 2.

MUSIC - From EW:  TV and musical icon, Donny Osmond, talks about the "offensive" advice he once got from his friend, the late cultural icon and legendary entertainer, Michael Jackson.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  There is a trailer for "Anemone," the first film starring Oscar-winner Daniel Day-Lewis in eight years.  The film is also the directorial debut of Daniel's son, Ronan Day-Lewis.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  The cast of director Doug Liman's XR (Extended Reality) sci-fi thriller, "Asteroid."  Among the cast is Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, DK Metcalf (formerly of the Seattle Seahawks).

TELEVISION - From Variety:  MSNBC will change its name to "MS Now" once it and several cable networks are separated from their corporate parent, NBCUniversal, into a new publicly traded company called "Versant."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/15 to 8/17/2025 weekend box office is Warner Bros' "Weapons" with an estimated take of 25 million dollars.

NETFLIX - From Deadline: Quentin Tarantino explains why he is not directing "The Adventures of Cliff Booth," a Netflix spinoff of his film, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."  David Fincher is directing the film.

OBIT:

From Variety:  The English actor, Terence Stamp, has died at the age of 87, Sunday, August 17, 2025.  His breakout performance in the film, "Billy Budd" (1962), earned him an Oscar nomination for "Best Supporting Actor."  Three years later, Stamp received a "Best Actor Award" at the Cannes Film Festival" for "The Collector" (1965).  His best known film roles include "General Zod" in "Superman II" (1981), "Bernadette Bassenger" in "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" (1994), "Wilson" in "The Limey" (1999), and "Supreme Chancellor Fenis Valorum" in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" (1999).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 10th to 16th, 2025 - UPDATE #6

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 Deadline:   Core "Scary Movie" actresses, Regina Hall and Anna Faris, are coming back as "Brenda" and "Cindy," respectively, for the Wayans Brothers’ restart of the early millennium comedy franchise.  The new Scary Movie, a Miramax production, is a big reunion, bringing the Wayans brothers back together for the first time in 18 years to write an all-new original script for the series, co-writing the script with Rick Alvarez.  "Scary Movie" is prepping for an October shoot in time for a June 12, 2026 global theatrical release via Paramount. Miramax has a first-look deal with Paramount. 

MOVIES - From THR:  NBCUniversal announced today that it has acquired all rights, excluding publishing, to Robert Ludlum’s popular "Jason Bourne" and "Treadstone" book series, in perpetuity.  As The deal fortifies the future of the "Bourne" franchise across NBCUniversal, paving the way for new installments from the universe of Ludlum’s beloved character and the spy world he inhabits.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  The writing-producing team of Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who created Netflix's "Wednesday" series, are working on a new animated film based on "The Addams Family," for Amazon MGM Studios. It will be a reboot and will not be connected to Wednesday.

BOX OFFICE - BoxOfficePro:  The winner of 8/8 to 8/10/2025 weekend box office is Warner Bros Pictures' "Weapons" with an estimated take of 42.5 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Pedro Pascal is circling a starring role in Tony Gilroy's next film, "Behemoth!," from Searchlight Pictures.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The American actor, Danielle Spencer, has died at the age of 60, Monday, August 11, 2025.  Spencer was best known for playing the role of "Deadra 'Dee' Thomas," the sarcastic sister of the lead character, "Roger 'Raj' Thomas" in the former ABC sitcom, "What's Happening!!" (1976-79).  Spencer appeared as Dee in a recurring role in the syndicated sequel series, "What's Happening Now!!" (1985-88).  After her acting career, Spencer became a veterinarian.

From Deadline:  American actor and photographer, Dan Ziskie, has died at the age of 80, Monday, July 21, 2025.  A journeyman actor, Ziskie appeared in 18 episodes of the former HBO series, "Treme" (2011-13), and he had a recurring role on Netflix's "House of Cards" as the Vice-President of the United States.  Some will remember Ziskie as the character, "Frank Niggar" on the former Comedy Central sketch comedy series, "Chappelle's Show."  In 2017, Ziskie released a book of photographs taken in the New York City area entitled, "Cloud Chamber."

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 1st to 9th, 2025 - UPDATE #6

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

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NEWS:

WRITERS - From Variety:   The Writers Guild of America announced Friday, Aug. 8th that it has expelled two members, Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar, for writing on their HBO miniseries “The Sympathizer” during the 2023 strike.  The seven-episode series, which starred Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey, Jr. aired in 2024.  According to the guild, Park and McKellar did not appeal their expulsions. 

CELEBRITY - From USAToday:  Actor Dean Cain, who played Clark Kent/Superman in the former ABC drama, "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," says that he has joined U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

BUSINESS - From Deadline:  Skydance Media announced the future executive team for its pending merger with Paramount Global, which will close Aug. 7. Skydance Media will apparently also restructe the company into three primary business segments: 1. Studios; 2. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC); and 3. TV Media.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner at the 8/1 to 8/3/2025 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps with an estimated total of 40 million dollars.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Aaron Sorkin is eyeing Oscar-winner Mikey Madison (“Anora”) and Emmy-winner Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”) as his top choices to lead "The Social Network II," the sequel to his Oscar-winning hit, “The Social Network.”

OBITS:

From Variety:  American actress, Loni Anderson, has died at the age of 79, Sunday, August 3, 2025.  Anderson was best known for her work in television, especially the former CBS sitcom, "WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-81), playing the smart and resourceful secretary, "Jennifer Marlowe."  Her performance in the series earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series."  Anderson also appeared in such TV movies as "The Jayne Mansfield Story" (1980), "Sorry, Wrong Number" (1989), and "White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (1991).  Anderson also starred in the short-lived NBC crime drama, "Partners in Crime" (1984-85) with Lynda Carter of "Wonder Woman" fame.

From Deadline:  American film and television actor, Alfie Wise, has died at the age of 82, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Wise is known for his friendship and profession collaborations with late movie star, Burt Reynolds, beginning with the 1974 film, "The Longest Yard."  This would continue in such films as "Smokey and the Bandit" (1977), "Hooper" (1978), and "Cannonball Run" (1981), to name a few.  Wise also-starred with Reynolds in the short-lived ABC detective drama, "B.L. Stryker" )1989-90).  Wise also starred in series without Reynolds.  This includes the former ABC medical drama, "Trauma Center" (1983), and in various TV series starring the British pop group, "S Club 7," over a period covering 1999 to 2002.