Disney's D23 Expo was electrified on Friday night with the preview of 'Moana 2,' featuring appearances by Dwayne Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho. As reported by Deadline, the event, held at the Honda Centre, saw an unprecedented turnout of 15,000 fans, who welcomed the stars with a standing ovation. Dwayne Johnson, known for his role as Maui, captivated the crowd with his presence and enthusiasm. "This is the largest crowd that D23 has ever had in the history of Disney," Johnson declared, leading the audience in a spirited Hawaiian chant, "Tay-ho!," according to Deadline. The excitement was palpable when Auli'i Cravalho took the stage before Johnson, launching D23's session with a live performance of the new 'Moana 2' song, 'Who We're Meant to Be,' accompanied by traditional Hawaiian dancers. Cravalho shared with host Nicole Yvette Brown that in the sequel, Moana embarks on a journey to explore nearby islands in search of new people. Johnson expressed his enthusiasm for the sequel, saying, "Maui is singing again in keys that don't exist, and my hair looks fantastic." As per Deadline, he highlighted the film's theme of empowerment, stating, "What I love about the sequel is that it's about a young girl who is empowered that there's more in life than what's in front of her." The trailer released on Disney's official social media handles depicts Moana and Maui battling a colossal typhoon storm as Moana ventures into the lost islands of the Pacific to discover more about her people. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Walt Disney Animation Studios (@disneyanimation) Johnson teased, "Wait till you see the villains we have in this one, it's the storm of all storms." In addition to the 'Moana 2' excitement, Johnson introduced a new live-action sports documentary project he is overseeing, titled 'Monster Jam.' According to Deadline, Johnson expressed his enthusiasm for the film, explaining that he pitched the idea to Disney for a live-action monster truck movie, describing it as featuring "eccentric and crazy drivers." Meanwhile, 'Moana 2' is scheduled to hit theatres on November 27, just before Thanksgiving. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 August,2024 11:08 AM IST | Washington | ANIJoaquin Phoenix has unexpectedly exited Todd Haynes' highly anticipated untitled gay romance film, just five days before production was scheduled to commence in Guadalajara, Mexico. Variety has confirmed that this sudden departure has left the project in disarray, with significant financial and logistical repercussions. Phoenix, who had been deeply involved in the development of the screenplay alongside Haynes and Jon Raymond, reportedly decided to withdraw from the film at the last moment. According to reports obtained by Variety, the actor experienced "cold feet," despite the extensive preparation already completed, including the construction of elaborate sets. The film, which was produced by Killer Films and supported by sales agent MK2 Film, had already secured international distribution agreements prior to Phoenix's departure. The unexpected exit has raised concerns about the project's viability, with industry insiders suggesting that Phoenix's role cannot be easily recast, according to Variety. This predicament has reportedly resulted in a halted production and potential financial losses exceeding seven figures, affecting both the crew and the film's stakeholders. Danny Ramirez, joined the cast in July to play Phoenix's love interest. The film, described by Haynes as a "love story between two men set in the '30s with explicit sexual content," was expected to be rated NC-17 and push boundaries with its portrayal of a challenging relationship, reported Variety. Speculation among the crew points to the film's graphic sex scenes as a possible reason for Phoenix's withdrawal, as per Variety. However, this theory is met with confusion, as Phoenix had originally championed the film's NC-17 concept and its provocative themes. Haynes had previously shared that the film began with Phoenix's "fragments of ideas," which the director and Raymond then developed into a narrative. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 August,2024 11:01 AM IST | Washington | ANIVeteran comedian-actor Mitzi McCall is no more. According to Variety, McCall breathed her last on Thursday in Burbank. She was 93. McCall will always be remembered for her remarkable work with her her husband, actor and comedian Charlie Brill, as part of the comedy duo "McCall and Brill." The pair became television staples, gracing numerous variety shows, including a memorable appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" during The Beatles' American debut in 1964 -- a moment that has since become television history. McCall entered the showbiz world in the late 1940s with a stage debut at the Pittsburgh Playhouse in "Strange Bedfellows" in 1948. In the early 1950s, she hosted the Kiddie Castle program on KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, establishing herself as a versatile and engaging performer. By 1953, she was featured on Studio 10 on KGTV in San Diego, California, Variety reported. In decades-long career, she appeared on shows like "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," "Life Goes On," "Silk Stalkings," "Seinfeld," "Roseanne," "Dharma and Greg," "Becker," "The Twilight Zone" and "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody." She also had a successful career as a voice-over artist, bringing to life characters in animated series such as "Snorks," "Mother Goose and Grimm," "The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show," "The Flintstones" and "The Jetsons." She also voiced Glyptodon in the animated feature "Ice Age." McCall's film career included roles in "The White Palace," "The Cry Baby Killer," "Machine-Gun Kelly," "War of the Satellites" and "Young at Heart." She worked alongside entertainment legends such as Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin and Robin Williams. She also worked as a screenwriter on television shows like "Eight is Enough," "One Day at a Time," "Alf" and "Charles in Charge." She was also a mentor and light for many in the industry, known for her "warmth, generosity, and unwavering support for fellow performers," according to her publicist. Her survivors include her husband of 64 years, Charlie Brill, their daughter Jenny and nieces Toni Howard and Wendy Goldberg. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 August,2024 06:02 AM IST | Washington | ANIFilm: Born Pink (Blackpink World Tour)Cast: Kim Jisoo, Jennie Kim, Lalisa Manoban, RoseDirectors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-DongRating: 3/5Runtime: 93 min The BORN PINK second world tour that captivated the Super K-Pop group’s fans from all over the world has been brought to the big screen, as a celebration of the 8th anniversary of YG Entertainment’s hot-selling Asian girl band. Following their debut in 2016, Blackpink have been on a record-breaking spree setting the bar pretty high for upcoming and existing Asian groups. Over the course of 11 months, the girl group played 66 house full concerts at over 34 cities, and even managed to get top-billing at major music festivals including Coachella and a festival at BST Hyde Park, UK and smashed attendance figures for girl groups worldwide. The Born Pink World Tour, was meant to support Blackpink’s second album, Born Pink (2022). It apparently grossed $148.3 million from 29 reported shows, marking it the highest-grossing concert tour by a female group according to Billboard’s 2023 Year-End Top 40 Tours chart. The concerts drew an audience of over 1.8 million - so it was only befitting that this tour got the documentary makeover, thus allowing more fans to revel in their unique music. The production scale is huge and the energy on display, imminently gravitating. The documentary engages us with a fairly wide-angled perspective of what it takes to be on tour, fleetingly going backstage into the nitty-gritty of performing for a huge audience. It’s not exactly interview based though. The directors basically document the performance as seen at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome, where the culminating concert was held. Filmed on the very last day of the tour, this film manages to capture the vibrancy and magnetism displayed at the group’s live show. We see drone shots which help us configure the size of the mammoth crowd, hear them roar with great gusto and also get to relive the girl band’s super-successful recordings in live format. We see the four group members holding fort at solo stages with the unique lighting for each lending them distinctiveness in style and form. The camera doesn’t go invasive enough to ferret out the personalities of each performer though. Instead what we get is an overall schema of the performances. Unfortunately the atmosphere of the live shows are not captured to the fullest - after the initial roar the audience sounds are largely muted. The concert footage showcases exclusively arranged versions of Blackpink’s hit songs from various performances across their global tour including those from Seoul’s Gocheok Dome. Songs like ‘Kill This Love’ and ‘Pretty Savage’ showcase the group's magical alchemy. While the major portion is shot at the last concert, we get visual inserts from other venues across the globe, while the songs are played. The opening song ‘Pink Venom’, has spliced footage from various venues flitting through. The different outfits worn by the group make it clear that it’s not all from one concert. By the time ‘Boombayah’ plays it all begins to feel repetitive (in visual terms) and from there on there’s a visible slide in the enjoyment. Switching between English and Korean, they strut their stuff like a glam-metal band. “I’m so rock & roll!” , “Shut Down” , “Yeah Yeah Yeah” Blackpink are at their best when they’re having fun. The film also features the tour’s iconic “Hanok” set, resembling a traditional Korean house in minute detail - thus highlighting the unprecedented production scale of the sets on show. The filmed experience is immersive with stunning choreography, exquisite visuals and fusion music ( blend of pop & hip-hop) that has propelled them to global stardom. The cinematography captures the entirety of the live experience and the editing keeps things coming along smoothly. This was a musical concert cinematic experience specially designed to ensnare Gen Next. And that it does. It sure looks like Blackpink is looking to break many more barriers along their route to guaranteed superstardom across the globe!
10 August,2024 05:34 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasDisney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” director Barry Jenkins and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, along with cast members Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Theo Somolu, Braelyn Rankins and Anika Noni Rose, shared an exciting new trailer and poster with fans attending the studio showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. The film capped the studio’s presentation with a show-stopping performance of the classic “Nants’ Ingonyama” and new song “Ngomso” by Lebo M., who contributes to the film’s music, alongside a full choir. “Mufasa: The Lion King” releases only in theatres 20th December 2024. Exploring the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, “Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Walt Disney Studios (@disneystudios) In addition to the cast attending D23 this year, the film also features John Kani, Tiffany Boone, Kagiso Lediga, Preston Nyman, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Keith David, Donald Glover, Blue Ivy Carter, Folake Olowofoyeku, Joanna Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Sheila Atim, Abdul Salis, Dominique Jennings and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. Blending live-action filmmaking techniques with photoreal computer-generated imagery, the all-new feature film is produced by Adele Romanski & Mark Ceryak, and executive produced by Peter Tobyansen. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reprises her role as Nala, while her daughter Blue Ivy Carter will voice Kiara, the daughter of King Simba and Queen Nala. The film also introduces new cast members, including Tiffany Boone as Sarabi, Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafiki, Preston Nyman as Zazu, Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros — a powerful lion with ambitious plans for his pride. It also introduces Thandiwe Newton as Taka’s mother Eshe, Lennie James as Taka’s father Obasi, Anika Noni Rose as Mufasa’s mother Afia, and Keith David as Mufasa’s father Masego. Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King will be in releasing in Indian theatres on 20th December 2024, in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
10 August,2024 04:42 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRyan Reynolds opened up about having a conversation with Nicolas Cage to reprise his role of Ghost Rider in 'Deadpool & Wolverine', reported Deadline. The latest Marvel Studios' film pays homage to 20th Century Fox's superhero heroes. Jennifer Garner as Elektra and Wesley Snipes as Blade made surprise appearances in 'Deadpool and Wolverine'. "Yes," Reynolds told Collider, acknowledging he had talked with Cage about possibly appearing in Deadpool & Wolverine, adding, "Came to a conversation for sure. Yeah, but no." Cage performed the superhero character in Mark Steven Johnson's 2007 film about Johnny Blaze, a motorcycle stuntman who sells his soul to become a bounty hunter for wicked demons. The actor reprised his role in the 2012 sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Reynolds did not reveal why Cage did not reprise his Ghost Rider character in Deadpool & Wolverine, but Snipes recently discussed how the opportunity to portray Blade again in the film came about. "It started with a text from Ryan Reynolds," shared Snipes. Snipes was hesitant to agree to the film, thinking it was "very unlikely" that it would happen. "I did not think it was possible. I didn't think he would be able to pull it off. I didn't think that Marvel was into it. Disney was into it," Snipes said. "And also because they had Mahershala [Ali], you know, cast for the next upcoming version of it. So, it didn't make sense to me." Snipes was referring to Ali's turn as Blade in a film directed by Yann Demange that is scheduled to be released on November 7, 2025, reported Deadline. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 August,2024 03:57 PM IST | Washington | ANIActors Jennifer Lopez and Jharrel Jerome are all set to star in the upcoming wrestling biopic, 'Unstoppable', based on the true story of Anthony Robles, as per The Hollywood Reporter. Amazon MGM Studios shared the first-look images of the William Goldenberg-directed film. Here’s your first look at Unstoppable, the inspiring, true story of Anthony Robles. Starring Jharrel Jerome, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña with Don Cheadle and Jennifer Lopez and in select theaters December 2024. pic.twitter.com/WPe09IBbrA — Amazon MGM Studios (@AmazonMGMStudio) August 8, 2024 The film revolves around the life of wrestler Anthony Robles (Jerome), who was born with one leg and went on to win a national championship in 2011 while competing at Arizona State University. Lopez portrays Anthony's mother, Judy, while Bobby Cannavale plays his father Rick. Michael Pena, who plays coach Bobby Williams, and Don Cheadle, who plays wrestling coach Shawn Charles, complete the cast. "Anthony Robles, despite being born without a right leg, rises to become a NCAA Division 1 Champion wrestler ultimately winning a national championship against the school that rejected him, national powerhouse Iowa," the film's official synopsis reads. 'Unstoppable' was produced by Lopez's husband Ben Affleck via the production company he shares with Matt Damon, Artists Equity. Robles also served as a producer on the movie and worked as Jerome's stunt double, performing the complex wrestling moves. The film is William Goldenberg's directorial debut. He has previously won an Academy Award for his work as an editor on 2013's Argo, as well as scored Oscar nominations for The Imitation Game, Zero Dark Thirty, Seabiscuit and The Insider. The biopic, based on Robles and Murphy's book 'Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion', is set to make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. Then it will hit select theatres in December, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 August,2024 01:50 PM IST | Washington | ANIMusic icons Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are expected to perform in the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Sunday, according to sources. The three artistes will be seen from Los Angeles in a mix of pre-taped and live performances. Producer Ben Winston is collaborating with French producers for the closing ceremony. Tensions are high around live music events this week after authorities in Austria thwarted a terrorist attack plot during singer Taylor Swift’s performance in Vienna with her The Eras Tour. Two high-ranking individuals familiar with the planning for the surprise LA concert stunt said security and crowd control have been a point of concern for local officials even before the news from Vienna. Representatives for the Olympics and the musical artistes declined to comment. At the closing ceremony, the musical performances from LA are expected to follow a much-hyped stunt from Tom Cruise. Cruise will jump on his motorcycle for an average day of death-defying tricks in France, before tossing to a prerecorded package that will see him parachute down next to the iconic Hollywood sign. At the end of Sunday’s ceremony, LA Mayor Karen Bass will accept the Olympic Torch and bring it back as she returns from Paris. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 August,2024 01:30 PM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesAmerican rapper Travis Scott was arrested in Paris early Friday morning after an altercation with a security guard outside the George V hotel, Deadline reported. Was Travis Scott arrested? According to a statement from the Paris public prosecutor obtained by Deadline, the incident occurred when Scott became violent towards the guard, who had intervened to separate the rapper from his bodyguard. "The latter himself had intervened to separate the rapper from his bodyguard," the statement explained, as cited in Deadline. According to the reports, Scott appeared to be heavily intoxicated and was uncooperative when asked to submit to a breathalyzer test. Earlier in the evening, Scott had attended a basketball game where he witnessed the French team's victory over Germany in the semi-final of the Olympics basketball tournament. Scott's arrest in Paris follows a similar incident in Miami less than two months ago. According to Deadline, in June, the rapper was detained in Miami Beach for disorderly intoxication and trespassing after a dispute with the crew of a chartered yacht. He was subsequently released on bail, having paid reportedly USD 500 for the disorderly conduct charge and USD $150 for trespassing. About Travis Scott Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott were involved with each other from 2017 to 2019. Stormi Webster, Jenner and Scott's first child was born on February 1, 2018, and the second child of the couple Aire Webster was born on February 2, 2022. As per Fox News, Jenner announced her pregnancy in September by sharing a video montage on Instagram. The video started off with a clip of the positive pregnancy test. She had captioned the video with a white heart emoji and a pregnant woman emoji before tagging Scott's Insta handle. The rapper and the beauty mogul have been involved in an on-and-off-again relationship since 2017. While it was unclear if the two were figuring it out, the speculation has now been put to rest since Kylie is involved with actor Timothee Chalamet. She has previously talked about her plans to expand her family. Jenner admitted she wanted a lot more than just one child during an Instagram Live with Stassie Karanikolaou in April 2020. "I want seven kids down the line, but not right now," Jenner said, according to People magazine. She added, "Pregnancy is just not a joke, it's a serious thing and it's hard. I'm not ready for that just yet." (With inputs from ANI)
09 August,2024 07:19 PM IST | ParisAli Fazal is always on the move, making his mark internationally. From playing titular roles to working with Oscar-nominated directors and the biggest actors in the West, Ali has truly carved a niche for himself. Ali has finally unveiled the truth behind the viral photo of him at the Blake Lively shoot, where he worked with the legendary Baz Luhrmann and Hugh Jackman. Ali received a call while shooting in LA for a "secret project" and couldn’t say no—because when Baz calls, you go. He revealed in a social media post, “Ok, let me put it to rest - yes, that is me, all secretly dressed up as royalty, crashing Baz Luhrmann's Hitchcockian Whodunnit Casino scene. Hehe. And for the rest of this beautiful ensemble piece- WHAT CAN I SAY Anything for Baz @bazluhrmann. l was filming a project in LA when I got the call. And I have truly been blessed that this was the 3rd time Anna Wintour, who I can never thank enough, has had me out and about for my American Vogue outing. So, we jump on a plane and we play. It was one shot, and the best part about Baz coming in was that he shot the whole thing like scenes, so there's my dream of working with him coming true. Well, not fully - what? Almost... what??? And Blake @blakelively you're a rockstar, I do hope our paths cross again in good time...Mr. Jackman - Aye aye. @thehughjackman I want to thank @michael_philouze for putting up with my suggestions on styling. I am dressed in a @sabyasachiofficial royal sherwani bandh gala.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by ali fazal (@alifazal9) As soon as Ali dropped this post, fans started reacting to it. One fan wrote, "We got Wolverine and Guddu Pandit together before GTA 6." "Hugh hi pehlu mein baithe rahooooooooo, aaj jaane ki zidd na karo!" wrote another fan. A third fan shared, "Guddu Bhaiyaa ka Hollywood to jalwaa hai bhi." "Bhaukal ho toh aisa ho," wrote another. On the work front, Ali, who recently reprised his role as Guddu Bhaiyya in the third season of the hit streaming series ‘Mirzapur’, will next be seen in ‘Lahore 1947’. The film, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan, also stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, and Abhimanyu Singh.
09 August,2024 05:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFilm: BorderlandsCast: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Jamie Lee Curtis, Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Gina GershonDirector: Eli RothRating: 2/5Runtime: 102 min A film adaptation of popular video game, “Borderlands” is a gamey, viscerally colorful, sci-fi action comedy Directed and co-written by Eli Roth. The film though does not have the excitement and uniqueness that propelled the game to its many successes. Since the first game’s release in 2009, the “Borderlands” series has gone on to become one of the hottest-selling video game franchises in history. Given the content and treatment of this film though, the same may not come true for this adaptation, at the Box-office. The games are set in a sort of sci-fi western setting, have well-defined identifiable art, mechanics that involve players in frantic first-person shooter combat, addictive action, massive arsenal of unique firepower, play that involves co-operation from three or more others, and a quirky sense of humour. In fact the movie version feels rather alien to that game construct. This film adaptation, has precious little enjoyment to link it with the game. It fails to provide interesting enough schema to help it capture a fan following bigger than the game’s following itself. After teenage demolitions dynamo Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), daughter of a powerful figure, is kidnapped, the infamous bounty hunter Lilith (Cate Blanchett) is tasked with seeking out her whereabouts and ensuring her safe return. Lilith’s search leads her from planet Prometheus to her home planet, Pandora. While there, Lilith is forced to align herself with a crew of misfits including the robot Claptrap (voiced by Jack Black), former mercenary Roland (Kevin Hart), scientist Dr. Tannis (Jamie Lee Curtis), teenage demolitions expert Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), and Krieg (Florian Munteanu), Tina's large sized protector in order to battle alien monsters and dangerous bandits. Everything looks familiar and indistinct here. Lilith’s return to her home planet of Pandora, a typically generic desert wasteland filled with junk dealers, an assorted variety of criminal types and large, hostile alien creatures, is rather run-of-the-mill. The obstacles she encounters fail to raise the tempo or the excitement levels. Her oddball group go through the usual disagreements and arguments. The lack of imagination while defining that run-of-play is severely restricting. Even Cate Blanchett as Lilith, fails to make her role count for much. The character is poorly written and allows her no room for using her acting chops to the best of her abilities. The action here feels rote and there’s no tension to keep your interest going. “Borderlands” is bound to disappoint the fans of the game and even those virgin viewers who have no idea about its origins, will find it lacking in craft and style.
09 August,2024 04:53 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasADVERTISEMENT
