Tom Cruise is going for the three-peat as Paramount is set to deliver another Top Gun film. The studio is bringing in Ehren Kruger for the follow-up to Top GunL Maverick.
According to HypeBeast, Top Gun 3 will hopefully pair Kruger with Joseph Kosinski, revealing discussions for a new script began last year.
While filming the latest Mission Impossible film in 2022, Cruise thanked fans for supporting Top Gun: Maverick as he dived out of an airplane.
“As always, thank you for allowing us to entertain you. It truly is the honor of a lifetime,” Cruise said. “I’m running out of altitude, so I’ve got to get back to work. We’ve got to get this shot. You have a very safe and happy holiday. We’ll see you at the movies.”
Maverick is the first film of Cruise’s career to reach the $1 billion mark. With $701 million, Top Gun: Maverick is the fifth-highest-grossing film in domestic box office history.
Straight Out of Compton director F. Gary Gray is now in the Netflix streaming business with his newest heist film Lift. He’s no stranger to the genre. If you recall he directed a successful ensemble action heist film you may have seen called The Italian Job. Yes, that one.
His new film starring Kevin Hart follows a team of criminals who are experienced in their craft as they “lift” 500 million in gold.
As reported by Blavity’s Shadow and Act, Hart said “Cyrus, I would say, is two steps ahead at all times.” He spoke about his character, who must lead the charge with a group of experienced crooks. Hart Hart, a Hollywood heavyweight, is also an executive producer in the film.
Hart added, “He’s a well-thought-out individual and every idea is attached to the bigger idea,” then said of his director, “F. Gary Gray did a great job of creating a line that we felt Cyrus should be operating off of and every time that I basically went outside that line or put myself in a position to not be on par with what the line was. We had great conversations and understanding attached to that. He did a great job of just keeping me balanced with the performance of Cyrus.”
Spoiler alert … Aside from the big plan to lift half a billion in gold, Cyrus is once again alongside his former lover, Abby, played by the talented Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
Mbatha-Raw was excited to be the leading lady of the ensemble film and gave a glimpse of her experience. “This cast has just been a joy to be around,” she said. “I mean, [being] led by Kevin and his energy and humor and wit, but I think it is so well-cast when you’re part of an ensemble where everybody is from different countries [and] from different cultures. Everybody’s bringing a different energy, but also coming up with their own thing that really lifts you up.”
“I loved filming in Italy, that’s like one of my favorite things…filming in Venice,” she said. “All the scenes that we had in St. Mark’s Square on the boats and just being up in the Dolomite mountains. These breathtaking locations were really cool and just give you sort of a sense of the scope and scale of this movie. It really has a global scope to it.”
The role of Camila, played by Úrsula Corberó, who is responsible for flying the aircraft around the heist, added her feelings of unity amongst the cast that played out onscreen.
“I love them all,” said Corbero, and added “I honestly think they’re the best and [being] also, to share with people from these different cultures, [who speak] different languages, and [bring] different energies and vibes… it’s been such a pleasure. I was crying on the last day because we were leaving.”
News reports have confirmed that a Hollywood editor is under fire following his arrest for child cruelty charges. The recent charges have already gotten the well-known editor kicked off of a significant Amazon Prime show with more repercussions eminent for the troubled man behind the cam.
39-year-old Christopher Charkowski was arrested in Los Angeles County last week on a felony charge of willful cruelty to a child causing possible injury or death after a video that allegedly shows Charkowski brutalizing a child inside of a home, which allegedly occurred in June 2022.
The video shows who is presumably Charkowski punching a young toddler boy before throwing him down onto the couch. While the relationship between the adult and child is unclear, law enforcement deemed there was sufficient reason to connect Charkowski to the incident.
Charkowski has a background in post-production for major TV shows, including his recent work on “Jury Duty,” which gained attention and was nominated at the Golden Globes. Charkowski also previously worked on Bravo’s “Below Deck Mediterranean” before production for that show ended almost two years ago.
Charkowski has been since released on bail, but is due back in court i na little more than a month.
Flavor Flav is standing ten toes down in his Taylor Swift love. Speaking on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning, Flav dubbed himself “King Swiftie.”
“It started because I got a girl that lives in Detroit and her kids wanted to go to the Eras Tour concert. So my manager got in contact with Taylor Swift’s people and they hooked me up some tickets and passes,” Flav said. “When we walked over to the tent where I was supposed to be at, a lot of these fans were coming up to me. These young kids, man, I’m surprised they even knew who I was!
“They start giving me these friendship bracelets. Next thing you know, I have friendship bracelets all up and down my arm. We were trading bracelets and everything! Her fanbase embraced me, and I embraced them back.”
Flav said after the show he began to take a deep dive into Swift’s music and made a comparison to Mary J. Blige.
“Mary writes about her experiences that she goes through, then when she gets out there on that stage and she sings those songs, mostly every single woman in that audience relates to Mary because all of the women go through similar things. Same thing as Taylor.”
You can hear the full story and more from Flavor Flav below.
In Cotber, Flav hit The Grove in Los Angeles for the premiere of the Eras tour film. During his time at the event, Flav mingled with Swift’s family and exchanged friendship bracelets that have become a practice at Swiftie events.
Seen the headlines,,, the old Flavor Flav can’t come to the phone. Why? Oh cuz hes now in his REPUTATION ERA pic.twitter.com/NigM7ZdyBG
The Eras premiere also saw the two biggest stars on the planet, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, hanging out. Making for a cute moment, the two sat in the first row at a movie theater and posed for a picture. Beyoncé would playfully toss popcorn to the camera.
“I’m so glad I’ll never know what my life would’ve been like without Beyoncé’s influence,” Swfit wrote on Instagram. “The way she’s taught me and every artist out here to break rules and defy industry norms. Her generosity of spirit. Her resilience and versatility. She’s been a guiding light throughout my career and the fact that she showed up tonight was like an actual fairytale.
On Wednesday (Jan. 10) Netflix’s highly anticipated film, The Kitchen, hosted an exclusive screening at The Roxy Cinema in New York. The event featured a post-screening conversation with co-director Daniel Kaluuya and lead star Kane Robinson, expertly moderated by Jasmine Simpkins from Hip Hollywood.
In attendance were notable personalities such as Dave East, Maino, Brian “B Dot” Miller, and Elliott Wilson. The screening provided a sneak peek into the film’s compelling narrative and the talent behind its creation.
The film’s logline reads:
In a dystopian London, the gap between rich and poor has been stretched to its limits. All forms of social housing have been eradicated and only The Kitchen remains. A community that refuses to move out of the place they call home. This is where we meet a solitary Izi, living here by necessity and desperately trying to find a way out, and a 12-year-old Benji, who has lost his mother and is searching for a family. We follow our unlikely pair as they struggle to forge a relationship in a system that is stacked against them.
Fans and film enthusiasts can mark their calendars as “The Kitchen” will be released on Netflix on Friday, Jan. 19, offering a thrilling cinematic experience with a stellar cast and captivating storyline.
Pete Davidson revealed that he was extremely high at Aretha Franklin’s funeral and made a bad joke to her family.
Speaking in a trailer for his Netflix special, Davidson recalled the moment he went to the funeral with his then-fiancée, Ariana Grande.
“I’m so high, I thought it’d be a good idea to go up to her family and go, ‘Hey! I’m just here to pay my R-E-S-P-E-C-Ts,’” Davidson said.
“It’s embarrassing when you’re not on ketamine anymore, though,” Davidson said. “I’m embarrassed. I was out and about like that. That’s not cool, you know?”
Ketamine, as classified by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, is a dissociative anesthetic exhibiting hallucinogenic properties.
The trailer for his upcoming special, Turbo Fonzarelli, is below.
Academy Award-winning actress Regina King is set to portray trailblazing politician Shirley Chisholm in the upcoming Netflix film Shirley. The film will release on March 22, 2024.
The star-studded cast includes Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christina Jackson, Michael Cherrie, Dorian Crossmond Missick, Amirah Vann, W. Earl Brown, Brad James, Reina King, André Holland, and Terrence Howard.
The logline reads:
SHIRLEY tells the story of the first black Congresswoman and political icon, Shirley Chisholm, and her trailblazing run for president of the U.S. It chronicles her audacious, boundary-breaking 1972 presidential campaign.
Directed and written by John Ridley, the film is produced by Regina King and Reina King, Anikah McLaren, and Elizabeth Haggard. Serving as executive producers are Jeff Skoll and Ted Gidlow. The project promises to provide a compelling exploration of Chisholm’s groundbreaking political journey.
With a powerhouse ensemble and a team led by accomplished director John Ridley, “Shirley” is poised to bring the inspiring and impactful story of Shirley Chisholm to life on the Netflix platform.
Renowned musician and producer Raphael Saadiq continues to make waves in television and film, earning a coveted spot at the Sundance Film Festival 2024 for his latest contribution to the Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden-directed film Freaky Tales. Saadiq’s multifaceted talents promise an unforgettable auditory experience to complement the film’s compelling narrative.
“We are thrilled that ‘Freaky Tales’ is premiering at Sundance 2024, and the addition of Yancey Richardson to our team further solidifies MKOM’s commitment to delivering exceptional musical experiences in the world of television and film,” said MKOM CEO Raphael Saadiq.
In a strategic move to enhance its musical pursuits, Saadiq’s production company, My Kind of Music/My Kind of Movies (MKOM), welcomes industry veteran Yancey Richardson as the Music Supervisor for film and television projects, starting with “Freaky Tales.” Richardson’s wealth of experience will contribute to MKOM’s continued success.
Saadiq’s fans can also anticipate the return of the Emmy-nominated animated Marvel series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, with the second season set to debut on February 2, 2024, on Disney Channel. The show’s success underscores Saadiq’s seamless integration of musical mastery with visual storytelling.
21 Savage makes a powerful return, officially announcing the release of the trailer for his upcoming movie, American Dream: The 21 Savage Story. The trailer, featuring brand new music from 21 Savage, offers a glimpse into the film and introduces an ensemble cast including five-time GRAMMY winner Donald Glover, Caleb McLaughlin of Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” Natasha Lyonne, Jabari Banks, Victoria Pedretti, Young Mazino, Chad Lindberg, Gail Bean, and Atlanta comedian Druski.
Directed by Donald Glover, Stephen Glover, Jamal Olori, and Fam Udeorji, the trailer portrays three generations of 21 Savage amid a personal crisis. Produced by Tara Razavi and Udeorji, the film promises to explore the Atlanta superstar’s journey.
Despite more than five years since his last solo LP, 21 Savage has continued his prolific career, achieving multiple Billboard 200 chart-topping albums and GRAMMY wins. Notably, joint albums with Metro Boomin (Savage Mode 2) and Drake (Her Loss) both debuted at #1, solidifying 21 Savage’s status in the music industry. Stay tuned for the much-anticipated release of American Dream: The 21 Savage Story.
Storm Reid won her first major award at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony on Saturday. This phase of the awards precedes the main Emmy Awards ceremony that will be held on Jan. 15. ICYMI, Reid took home Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her compelling role, playing Riley Abel in the hit post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us.
The 28-year-old actress won in a competitive category with fellow cast members from The Last of Us, Melanie Lynskey and Anna Torv. Other nominees were actresses from Succession: Hiam Abbass, Cherry Jones, and Harriet Walter.
For history’s sake, she is the youngest winner in a guest acting category, after 28-year-old Lee You-mi took down the award for Squid Game in 2022.
“I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into when I signed on to be Riley in The Last of Us. I knew it was going to be special, but I didn’t know it was gonna be quite this special,” Reid spoke backstage, as reported by Deadline. “I’m just so grateful to the show for allowing me to really, re-fall in love with storytelling.
“It’s not that I fell out of love with storytelling, but I think my role in The Last of Us really reinforced my love and passion to be able to tell meaningful stories and to be a representation for young women, young Black women, young, queer Black women. I’m grateful to Bella, Craig [Mazin] and the entire team for making the show. It was absolutely special to watch and I always say that I feel like I would be a big fan of the show, even if I wasn’t a part of the show.”