Thursday, October 31, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 20th to 31st, 2019 - Update #32

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Director Matt Reeves confirms that Jeffrey Wright will play "Commissioner James 'Jim' Gordon" in his upcoming film, "The Batman."

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CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Family and friends remember actor and comedian, John Witherspoon ("Friday," "The Wayan Bros.," and "The Boondocks"), who died Tuesday, October 29, 2019.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  HBO is not going forward with the "Game of Thrones" prequel pilot starring Naomi Watts.

From THR:  However, HBO has ordered a "Game of Thrones" prequel series, "House of the Dragon" that is set 300 years before "Game of Thrones." It is created by George R.R. Martin, the author of the "Game of Thrones" novels, and Ryan Condal

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BOX OFFICE - From THR:  It turns out the ACTUAL winner of the 10/25 to 10/27/2019 weekend box office is "Malificent: Mistress of Evil" with a final take of 19.4 million dollars.  "Joker," the previously announced winner had a final box office take of 19.2 million dollars instead of 18.9 million.

From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/25 to 10/27/2019 weekend box office is "Joker" with an estimated take of 18.9 million dollars.

From Patreon:  My review of "Joker."

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SCANDAL - From TheWrap:  Actor Jared Padalecki, who plays "Sam Winchester" on The CW's "Supernatural," has apparently been arrested for assaulting employees at his bar, "Stereotype," in Austin, Texas.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Australian director Baz Luhrmann has chosen Australian actress Olivia DeJonge to play Priscilla Presley in his Elvis Presley biopic for Warner Bros.

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DISNEY - From Vulture:  Now, that it complete only 20th Century Fox, Disney is reportedly placing classic Fox movies in the "Disney vault," which is causing problems for repertory movie theaters.

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MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Crispin Glover admits that he only took the job acting in "Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter" (the fourth film) for the paycheck.

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JAMES BOND - From Deadline:  The 25th James Bond film, "No Time to Die," has wrapped up shooting.  The film will open in the U.S. on April 8th, 2020.

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DISNEY - From THR:  "Chernobyl" creator, Craig Mazin, has been hired to reboot Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchise alongside veteran "Pirates" writer, Ted Elliot.

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ECO - From Variety:  Actors Jane Fonda and Ted Danson were arrested during a climate change protest in Washington D.C. For Fonda, it is second recent climate protest arrest.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Grammy-winning recording artist, Adele, shows off a slimmer look at Grammy-winner Drake's birthday party.

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AWARDS - From Deadline:  The nominations for the 29th / 2019 Gotham Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Monday, Dec. 2nd.

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MOVIES - From RollingStone:   Vin Diesel reveals that Grammy-winning singer Cardi B will appear in the 9th installment of the "Fast & Furious" franchise.

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MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Recording artist and choreographer, Paula Abdul, talks about choreographing the African dance scene during the aborted wedding that takes place early in the Eddie Murphy classic, "Coming to America."

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MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:  Andre Holland ("Moonlight") joins Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson in the film adaptation of Nella Larsen's 1939 novel, "Passing."

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SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Lori Loughlin facing an additional 10 years in jail because of an additional charge in the "college admissions scandal" (the FBI's "Operation Varsity Blues).

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OSCARS - From Deadline:  The stars of "Ford v. Ferrari," actors Matt Damon and Christian Bale, will go head to head in the best actor Oscar race.

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CELEBRITY - From BET:  Celebrated and reviled rap music impresario, Suge Knight, is serving 28 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter.  It has been reported that he has sold the rights to his life story to recording artist, actor, and TV personality, Ray J.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/18 to 10/20/2019 weekend box office is "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" with an estimated take of 36 million dollars.

From THR:  The Ang Lee-directed, Will Smith-headling "Gemini Man" could lose 75 million dollars for companies behind it.

From Deadline:  "Joker" looks like it is headed to 900 million dollars in worldwide gross.  That would make it the highest grossing R-rated film ahead of current record holder, "Deadpool," which grossed 783 million dollars.

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AWARDS - From Deadline:  Tom Hanks will recevie the "Cecil B. DeMille Award" from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at the 77th Annual Golden Globes Awards on Jan. 5th, 2020.

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CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence married Cooke Maroney Sat., Oct. 18th.

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POLITICS-BDS - From Truthout:  Actor David Clennon wonders if he will be blacklisted because of his support of the Boycott Divest Sanction movement against Israel.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The actor and comedian, John Witherspoon, has died at the age of 77, October 29, 2019.  His 42-year film and TV career began with a two appearances on "The Richard Pryor Show" (1977).  His longest running TV gig was playing "John 'Pop' Williams" on "The Wayans Bros" (1995-99), and he also provided the voice of "Robert 'Grandad' Freeman" for the animated series, "The Boondocks" (2005-2014).  His best known film role was as "Willie Jones" in Ice Cube's "Friday" film series.

From Deadline:  Legendary Hollywood film producer, Robert Evans, has died at the age of 89, Saturday, October 26, 2019.  He was best known as the producer of many films, including 1974's "Chinatown," for which he received an Academy Award nomination, his only Oscar nod.  He also, notoriously, produced 1984's "The Cotton Club," a production that became entangled in a murder trial. Evans was also the head of production at Paramount Pictures from 1967 to 1974.

From NPR:  Former congressman, U.S. Representative John Conyers, Democrat-Michigan, has died at the age of 90, Sunday, October 27, 2019.  Conyers was the longest serving African-American member of Congress, 1965 to 2017.

From NFL and TheMercuryNews:  Former NFL player, coach and executive,Willie Brown, has died at the age of 78, Monday, October 21, 2019, according sources with the Oakland Raiders, the team with which he is most associated.  Brown played cornerback for the Denver Broncos (1963 to 1966) and the Oakland Raiders (1967 to 1978).  Brown won three Super Bowl titles (XI, XV, and XVIII) with the Raiders, one as a player and two as a coach.

From THR:  Television writer and producer, James Schmerer, died at the age of 81, Friday, October 4, 2019.  Schmerer was known for writing episodes of TV series such as "Mannix," "CHiPs," "MacGuyver," and "The High Chaparral" (for which he was also a producer).


"Oprah's Book Club" Unites with Apple to Create a Global Book Club

Oprah’s Book Club Starts a New Chapter with Apple

Powerful stories to be celebrated on Apple Books; first author interview premieres exclusively on Apple TV+ November 1

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple® and Oprah Winfrey today announced Oprah’s Book Club will connect a community of readers worldwide to stories that truly matter by today’s most thought-provoking authors. Winfrey, the esteemed producer, actress, talk show host, philanthropist and CEO of OWN, will partner with Apple to build a vibrant, global book club that has the power to both transport and transform people — turning every book into an opportunity for self-discovery, and bringing the world together through reading.

    “It’s our honor to provide a new platform for Oprah’s Book Club and support the American Library Association in opening hearts and minds to the joy of reading.”

Winfrey’s first book selection is “The Water Dancer” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, available for pre-order now on Apple Books (https://apple.co/OprahsBookClub) in both ebook and audiobook formats, and debuting tomorrow.1 Winfrey will interview Coates for the first installment of her new exclusive Apple TV+ series, “Oprah’s Book Club,” premiering November 1, 2019. A new episode will be available every two months. For every Oprah’s Book Club selection sold on Apple Books, Apple will make a contribution to the American Library Association to support local libraries, fund programs that give access to everyone and create lifelong readers at an early age.

“Few people in the world can bring us together like Oprah, whose compassion and grace celebrating the power of books are unmatched,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “It’s our honor to provide a new platform for Oprah’s Book Club and support the American Library Association in opening hearts and minds to the joy of reading.”

“I am who I am today because of the experience of learning to read at an early age. Reading opened up a whole world for me beyond the red dirt road and my grandmother’s porch in Mississippi,” said Oprah Winfrey. “I want to do that for everybody. And the opportunity to do this with Apple, to speak to people all over the world about the pleasures, the excitement, the tension, the drama that a good book can bring you… I don't know what's better than that.”

Readers around the world can easily discover Oprah’s Book Club through the Apple Books app, where they can learn more about the latest selection and browse previous selections in a beautiful and immersive experience. With the new Reading Goals feature in Apple Books, readers can make reading a daily habit more easily.

Winfrey will interview the authors of her book club selections at various locations. Her conversation with Coates about “The Water Dancer” will be filmed in front of a live audience at Apple Carnegie Library in Washington, D.C. next month. Audiences around the world can watch “Oprah’s Book Club” starting November 1 exclusively on Apple TV+, Apple’s all-original video subscription service and home for the world’s greatest storytellers.

1The availability of the Oprah’s Book Club page and selections will vary based on publisher rights, translations and available format.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

© 2019 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Fans of Latin Music and Pop Culture Head to FANTASMA

FANTASMA: THE AWAKENING Debuts as a Pop & Latino Culture Convergence!

Las Vegas to Host 3-Day Music Fest, Fan Expo & Día de los Muertos

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thousands of Latin music and pop culture fans will descend on Las Vegas for FANTASMA: THE AWAKENING scheduled November 1-3, 2019, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. FANTASMA is a three-day convergence of pop and Latino culture that fuses socially conscious Music, Art, Comedy and Spoken Word into an “awakening” of mind, body and soul! Tickets ($25-$175) are available at www.FANTASMAusa.com.

“FANTASMA is a culturally driven carnival for your soul - offering a spectrum of see, hear and feel adventure for millennials and generation Xs!” said David Chavez, FANTASMA Creator and CEO of acclaimed experiential firm INGEÑUITY.

With the holiday Día De Los Muertos as a cultural backdrop, FANTASMA will deliver the ultimate sensory experience, mixing a fanfare expo, inspiring sessions, and a new age spiritual journey, together with a fest of eclectic talent across musical genres. Among the first talent to be announced includes: Ozomatli, El Gran Silencio, Metalachi, Las Cafeteras, Los Rakas, Making Movies, Tequila Rock Revolution, Marujah, Luchador Blue Demon, Jr., actor Efren Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite), actor J.W. Cortes (Gotham), Jovan Armand (Shazam!), and Brooklyn St Patrick, Inked Magazine 2018 Cover Model.

FANTASMA highlights include the Ritual Xpo & Fanfare, a playground of cool attractions and meaningful experiences, including:

  •     Rad-Rods Pavilion – Groovy vehicles including Spawn, Scooby Doo, Deathstroke, and Rick and Morty
  •     The Zocalo – The hub for meet n’ greets with your favorite pop culture stars
  •     The Fan Pit – A series of face and body art photo shoots
  •     Prophecy – Discover your future with palm readers, tarot cards and fortune-telling
  •     Calaverita & Altar Wall – Cultural altar display and messaging wall
  •     Word Vegas – Socio-cultural spoken word performances
  •     Cosplay Performances – All your favorite pop culture characters come alive

Other event highlights are:

  •     Boulevard Nights Screening - 40th Anniversary screening of the iconic movie and a cast reunion of Richard Yniguez, Danny De La Paz & Betty Carvalho
  •     Día de los Muertos Masquerade Ball – A rockin’ spectacle of parade and performances, complete with Red Carpet arrivals
  •     Sessions - Cultural, holistic spirituality, and Latino content creators

Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino is the host hotel. Call 888-746-6955 for special room rates of $99, with code SRFAN9! For other inquires, call 913-397-8850. FANTASMA is sponsored by Southwest Airlines and Soldiercon.

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Monday, October 28, 2019

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for October 30, 2019

BOOM! STUDIOS

AUG191417    GIANT DAYS AS TIME GOES BY #1 CVR A SARIN    $7.99
AUG191418    GIANT DAYS AS TIME GOES BY #1 CVR B SARIN    $7.99
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AUG198821    JIM HENSON DARK CRYSTAL AGE OF RESISTANCE #2 FOC PETERSON VA    $3.99
AUG198825    JIM HENSON DARK CRYSTAL AGE RESISTANCE #1 (2ND PTG) MAIN    $3.99
AUG198826    JIM HENSON DARK CRYSTAL AGE RESISTANCE #1 (2ND PTG) VAR    $3.99
AUG191413    JIM HENSON DARK CRYSTAL AGE RESISTANCE #2 CVR B CONNECTING V    $3.99
JUL191343    JIM HENSON STORYTELLER NOVEL SC    $14.99
AUG191385    MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS #44 CVR A CAMPBELL    $3.99
AUG198823    MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS #44 FOC MORA VAR    $3.99
AUG191387    MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS #44 FOIL MONTES VAR    $4.99
JUN191287    WWE THEN NOW FOREVER TP VOL 04    $16.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 30, 2019

DARK HORSE COMICS

JUN190331    ALIENS DEFIANCE LIBRARY ED HC VOL 01    $49.99
JUL190412    COURAGEOUS PRINCESS TP VOL 01 BEYOND THE HUNDRED KINGDOMS (C    $14.99
JUN190336    DEPT H OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 DECOMPRESSED & LIFEBOAT    $24.99
AUG190307    DISNEY THE LITTLE MERMAID #1 (OF 3)    $3.99
AUG190301    ETHER DISAPPEARANCE OF VIOLET BELL #2 (OF 5) CVR A RUBIN    $3.99
AUG190302    ETHER DISAPPEARANCE OF VIOLET BELL #2 (OF 5) CVR B WALTA    $3.99
AUG190289    FIGHT CLUB 3 #10 CVR A MACK (MR)    $3.99
AUG190290    FIGHT CLUB 3 #10 CVR B FEGREDO (MR)    $3.99
AUG190275    HELLBOY & BPRD LONG NIGHT AT GOLOSKI STATION    $3.99
AUG190334    HELLBOY WRAPPING PAPER    $9.99
AUG190258    INVISIBLE KINGDOM #6 (MR)    $3.99
JUN190343    LAST STOP ON RED LINE #4 (OF 4)    $3.99
AUG190283    MANOR BLACK #4 (OF 4) CVR A CROOK    $3.99
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JUN190391    UMBRELLA ACADEMY HOTEL OBLIVION KEYCHAIN    $7.99
JUN190390    UMBRELLA ACADEMY KNIT HAT    $12.99
AUG190333    UMBRELLA ACADEMY WRAPPING PAPER    $9.99

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 30, 2019

DC COMICS

AUG190469    AQUAMAN GIANT #1    $4.99
AUG190432    BASKETFUL OF HEADS #1 (OF 6) (MR)    $3.99
AUG190433    BASKETFUL OF HEADS #1 (OF 6) CARD STOCK VAR ED (MR)    $4.99
AUG190489    BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS ANNUAL #1    $4.99
AUG190484    BATMAN ANNUAL #4    $4.99
APR190526    BATMAN BY SNYDER & CAPULLO OMNIBUS HC VOL 01    $125.00
MAR190623    DC ARTISTS ALLEY BATMAN BY GROMAN VINYL FIG    $65.00
MAR190625    DC ARTISTS ALLEY JOKER BY GROMAN VINYL FIG    $65.00
MAR190626    DC ARTISTS ALLEY KILLER CROC BY GROMAN VINYL FIG    $65.00
MAR190624    DC ARTISTS ALLEY TWO FACE BY GROMAN VINYL FIG    $65.00
AUG190470    DC GHOSTS GIANT #1    $4.99
SEP190003    DC PREVIEWS #19 NOVEMBER 2019 EXTRAS    $PI
AUG190505    DCEASED #6 (OF 6)    $4.99
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AUG190586    DOLLAR COMICS SUPERMAN #75    $1.00
AUG190524    HARLEEN #2 (OF 3) (MR)    $7.99
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AUG190446    JOKER KILLER SMILE #1 (OF 3) (MR)    $5.99
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AUG190448    LAST GOD #1 (MR)    $4.99
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FEB190594    LUCIFER OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 (MR)    $125.00
AUG190548    NIGHTWING ANNUAL #2    $4.99
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AUG190462    TALES FROM THE DARK MULTIVERSE DEATH OF SUPERMAN #1    $5.99
JUL190665    VAMPS THE COMPLETE COLLECTION TP (MR)    $39.99
JUL190666    WILD STORM TP VOL 04 (RES)    $16.99
AUG190572    WONDER WOMAN ANNUAL #3    $4.99

Dynamite Entertainment from Diamond Distributors for October 30, 2019

DYNAMITE

AUG191220    BLACK TERROR #1 FRANCAVILLA LTD VIRGIN CVR    $50.00
AUG191291    JAMES BOND 007 #12 CVR A JOHNSON    $3.99
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AUG191311    RED SONJA #9 LINSNER VIRGIN CVR    $50.00
AUG191233    VAMPIRELLA LAU COLLECTIBLE COIN    $19.69
AUG191234    VAMPIRELLA PARRILLO COLLECTIBLE COIN    $19.69
AUG191190    VENGEANCE OF VAMPIRELLA #1 MIDDLETON LTD VIRGIN CVR    $50.00
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AUG191358    WARLORD OF MARS ATTACKS #5 CVR D CALDWELL    $3.99