Jamie Foxx and Snoop Dogg are ready to hunt vampires. Netflix has announced the new movie, Day Shift, which will arrive on the streaming service on Friday, August 12.
In the new movie, Jamie Foxx stars as a hard-working blue-collar dad who just wants to provide a good life for his quick-witted daughter, but his mundane San Fernando Valley pool cleaning job is a front for his real source of income, hunting and killing vampires as part of an international Union of vampire hunters.
The box office is alive, and Thor: Love and Thunder is here to prove it. The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe film is out and debuts with an impressive $143 million weekend.
The film starring Chris Hemsworth as the God of Asgard opened at 4,375 movie theaters across the country, topping the opening number of Thor: Ragnarok, which made a debut at $123 million.
According to Variety, the film is the third biggest opening of the year. Fellow MCU film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness holds the top spot with $185 million, and Jurassic World Dominion follows at $145 million.
Internationally, Love and Thunder opened with $159 million for a global total of $302 million.
Second place for the weekend went to Minions: The Rise of Gru at $45.5 million, while Top Gun: Maverick is at third with 15.5 million.
After Will Smith’s infamous slap at the Academy Awards this year, the King Richard actor was heavily scrutinized for his actions. He was banned from the awards show for 10 years even after leaving the Academy, and it was reported that many of his projects were put on hold as well.
However, it seems the slap won’t get in the way of one of the projects, according to legendary comedian and Bad Boys co-star Martin Lawrence.
In a new interview with Ebonymagazine, Martin talked about the franchise saying how having an action movie with two Black leads was a big deal in Hollywood.
“It was big,” Martin said about the movie. “For us to come together and prove that we can deliver, and we can pull people into the box office—that two Black stars, two sitcom stars, could make money at the box office [was huge].” It also was an important pivot for him personally and professionally. “I didn’t go to college, so I felt TV was my college years,” explains Lawrence. “I felt with movies, I had graduated; it was just different.”
When asked if Will Smith’s Oscars incident will impact the creation of a 4th film, Lawrence said “We got one more at least.”
This month, we’re celebrating the beauty & freedom of Black Joy with comedy king Martin Lawrence. From being the first host of Def Comedy Jam, to co-starring with Eddie Murphy in Boomerang, we take a hilarious walk down memory lane with EBONY’s #JulyCoverhttps://t.co/hBoKBWU9hzpic.twitter.com/GebgnaRID2
“When it comes to the action, I’m as good as anybody, and don’t forget it,” James Caan’s famous Godfather character, Sonny Corleone said in what is one of the franchise’s many iconic lines. Caan, who passed away on Wednesday, made a living being part of Hollywood action for decades, usually playing a “tough guy,” but also showing a great deal of versatility and range throughout his long career.
Caan got his start in television in the early 1960s before moving into television in the early 1970s, where he received great critical acclaim for his roles as a dying football player in Brian’s Song and the iconic mob man The Godfather in 1971 and 1972 respectively, receiving Oscar and Emmy nominations for Brian’s Song and being part of the ensemble Godfather cast and crew that was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning three, including the award for best picture. Caan reprised his role in The Godfather II as well as the TV miniseries “The Godfather Saga.”
A former athlete, he also played Coach Sam Winters in 1993’s The Program, a film that grossed over $20 million at the box office and is widely regarded as one of football’s most iconic fictitious films. Caan played a famous author in Misery, a film by famous real-life author Stephen King. He continued to play a “tough guy” in Gardens of Stone, a film about a Vietnam vet guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. However, he also showed his comedic side in the Christmas holiday classic Elf, where played Will Ferrel’s reluctant father. He also voiced himself in animated appearances on Family Guy and The Simpsons.
Many celebrities took to social media to memorialize the late actor and express support for his family including Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Rob Reiner, Billy Dee Williams, Ethan Embry, Kathy Bates, Piers Morgan, Gary Sinise, and more.
The 1999 classic film The Wood will be developed into a pilot for Showtime. Variety reports Vince Staples is set to star in the series.
Joining Staples in the cast are Xavier Mills, Karen Obilom, Melvin Gregg, and Essence Renae. The series will bring back Richard T. Jones and Tamala Jones for their roles of Slim and Tanya.
The pilot will be directed and executive produced by Rick Famuyiwa, who also wrote and directed the film. According to Showtime, The Wood will be an honest look at the friendship and dating from the perspective of three young Black males born and raised in the gentrifying L.A. suburb of Inglewood. The trio’s struggles to balance fatherhood, ambition, and loyalty force them to question if they are growing apart, or closer together.
In the show, Staples will be Jamal, an aspiring photographer from Ladera Heights who opts to skip out on college at Morehouse, leading to him being cut off by his upper-class family.
Actress Sanaa Lathan revealed the first trailer for her directorial debut Paramount’s adaptation “On The Come Up,” an adaptation of Angie Thomas’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name, on Sunday (June 26) during the 2022 BET Awards. Coming soon to Paramount Plus, the network describes the coming-of-age film as “a love letter to hip hop.” The 30-second teaser follows the journey of film protagonist Bri — played by Jamila C Gray — as she pursues her aspirations in battle rap. Watch the teaser trailer below.
The film will see the 16-year-old phenom explore the world of battle rap and eclipse her in controversy as she chases her destiny of living up to her famous father. The film’s full synopsis from Paramount+ reads:
“Bri (Jamila C. Gray), a young Black girl, attempts to take the battle rap scene by storm in order to do right by the legacy of her father—a rapper whose career was cut short by gang violence—and to help her family climb out of poverty. But when her first hit song goes viral for all the wrong reasons, she finds herself torn between the authenticity that got her this far and the false gangsta role that the industry wants to impose upon her. Based on the New York Times #1 best-selling YA novel by Angie Thomas (who also penned ‘The Hate U Give’), ‘On The Come Up’ is punctuated by the comedic talents of Mike Epps, hip hop heroes like Method Man and Lil Yachty, and the lyrical prowess of Rapsody.”
Joining Lathan’s directorial debut is a stacked cast of buzzing actors and rap stars, including Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Lil Yachty, Method Man, Mike Epps, GaTa (a.k.a. Davionte Ganter), Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr., and Michael Anthony Cooper Jr. Set to stream exclusively on Paramount+, the film’s release date is yet-to-be-announced.
In other news, Sanaa Lathan is set to star alongside returning cast members Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnutt, Terrence Howard and Regina Hall in the Peacock-ordered limited-series The Best Man: The Final Chapters, written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee.
The streets are on fire as it’s up for grabs in a winner-takes-all situation in the highly-anticipated crime-thriller coming out of the Lone Star state, titled Texas Kill City. A film about Texas’ most dangerous gangs shared an unbreakable bond before a betrayal fired up revenge. Allies become rivals and members realized the enemy was in plain sight. Starring Lioness Telaine (The Devil’s Ring), Christi Lux (Vid Chronicles) and Lucretia Johnson (One Night In Miami), check out the new trailer below.
Texas Kill City is written and directed by Romario Facey. Facey, 28, is an actor, writer and director known for creating films since 15-years-old. As a producer, he has released a wide variety of films, like 2015’s action Texas Trap, 2016’s drama One More Chance At Love, and this year’s romance drama The Love I Regret. Texas Kill City follows Facey’s 40-episode series Vid Chronicles (2020-2021).
Here’s the film’s synopsis:
The story of Texas Kill City paints an intriguing picture of lust, drugs and violence. This movie takes viewers through an adrenaline rush as a crime-thriller film based in Dallas, during a time when gangs ruled Texas. Director and producer, Romario Facey, lifts the veil on the reality of criminal lifestyles.
The Romario Facey feature will bring together the entertainment industry’s rising stars, influencers, and public figures to celebrate the buzzing director’s new film. For Facey, the upcoming film is a dream come true and a long-time coming for the creator.
“It has always been a dream of mine to create art through film,” said Facey in the film’s press release. “As an artist, I am able to tell stories about life challenges I’ve seen and experienced. Growing up in Jamacia my dreams of becoming a filmmaker seemed impossible, says Facey.
The film will host a red-carpet premiere, hosted by 97.9 The Beat’s Jazze, K104’s Cat Daddy and K104/CW Network’s J-Kruz, this Saturday (June 25) at the LOOK cinema in Dallas, Texas.
Watch the trailer for Texas Kill City, directed by Romario Facey above.
Announced the third installment in The Equalizer franchise, starring award-winning actor Denzel Washington, was in the works in January. Joining the trilogy is former Washington co-star and well-known actress Dakota Fanning, Deadline reports.
Washington and Fanning will reunite after nearly 20 years of starring opposite each other in the 2004 action thriller Man on Fire. In 2004, Man on Fire debuted at #1 in the box office and grossed $22,751,490. Fanning joins the cast following her recent role in the Michelle Pfeiffer-starring Showtime’sThe First Lady.
The concept for The Equalizer 3 is currently unknown. The film is written by Richard Wenk and produced by Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch and Washington-himself. Longtime Washington collaborator and director Antoine Fuqua returns for the third installment.
The Equalizer 2 grossed $190 million worldwide and spawned a television series, starring Queen Latifah on CBS. The Equalizer 3 marks Washington and Fuqua fifth collaboration.
Both Washington and Fanning have yet to comment on the reunion at press time. Equalizer 3 is slated for September 2023 for Sony Pictures.
‘The Last Days of Black Rob’ is set to document the finals days leading up to the untimely death of former Bad Boy rapper, Black Rob. The East Harlem native died in April 2021 after suffering from kidney failure.
The documentary is executive produced by GE Films, Goldmouf Famgoon, Kal Dawson and Rey “G-Child” Mullen. Each EP played a vital role in helping to keep the spirit of Black Rob alive.
“The uniqueness of our connection to Rob is how we were all brought together,” says GE regarding Black Rob’s last days. “We all worked together to give Rob a helping hand when he came to Atlanta.”
In October of 2020, Kal Dawson booked Black Rob for some of his final shows as an artist, where one happened to be in Detroit with Beanie Sigel.
Famgoon regards the film as a wake up call.
“To see Black Rob’s situation, it was both sad but also gave me a spark,” said Famgoon. When you’re making money, strive to make the best investments, so you are prepared for what’s to come.”
One of the major elements of the film is the introduction and birth of MusicalArtistsUnion.org, which is led by Rey Mullen. As the world watched Black Rob’s untimely death unfold, many questions were raised on how to prevent this reoccurrence for other artists.
Therefore, the Musical Artists Union is a union formed to create a responsible United Voice to establish Fair Pay, Benefits, Healthcare Insurance, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Counseling for all artists in the musical industry.
‘The Last Days of Black Rob’ is set to premiere in both his hometown of Harlem on July 9 as well as Atlanta on July 16.
