THis is it

Category: ABC Entertainment News

Peacock renews ‘Day of the Jackal’ after recent first season debut

Peacock just launched its thriller series Day of the Jackal on Nov. 14, but reviews and viewership have been strong enough for the streamer to renew the series, ABC Audio has confirmed.

The modern retelling of the bestselling book and classic film of the same name stars Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne as the titular assassin known as the Jackal.

Peacock announced that the co-production with Sky TV ranked #1 on the streaming service's Top 10 TV Shows chart, and its opening weekend was a top five original series debut for Peacock, according to preliminary Nielsen data.

Also starring in the series is Lashana Lynch, from Captain Marvel and the James Bond hit No Time to Die, who plays a British spy sent to hunt the killer down.

Their "thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe" leaves destruction in its wake, the streamer teases.

‘Karate Kid’ star Ralph Macchio steps out with wife Phyllis, kids at Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony

Phyllis Fierro, Macchio, and children Daniel Macchio and Julia Macchio - Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images

The Karate Kid star Ralph Macchio was supported by his family at his recent Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony.

The actor received the honor on Wednesday and gave shout-outs to his wife, Phyllis, and their children, Julia and Daniel, during his heartfelt speech.

"My beautiful wife, my best friend, Phyllis, who simultaneously grounds and elevates me, I love you so much," Macchio said. "Our partnership in life is everything. None of this is happening without you. Thank you for choosing me ... life is all the richer to walk in lockstep with you. I am not here without you."

He called his children "my two heroes," adding, "I'm so proud of you guys. You make me way better than I am."

Macchio's star was placed adjacent to the one honoring his late Karate Kid co-star Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi, the mentor to Macchio's character Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 film and its two sequels. Morita also returned for the fourth film, starring Hilary Swank.

Morita died in 2005 at age 73.

"To have this star placed right next to my acting partner from that film, the great Pat Morita, is so meaningful to me, so powerful to me," Macchio said Wednesday. "Our partnership is something I always described as a soulful magic."

Weekend Watchlist: What’s new on streaming

Ready, set, binge! Here's a look at some of the new movies and TV shows streaming this weekend:

Netflix
A Man on the Inside: From the creator of Parks & Rec and The Good Place comes this brand-new comedy.

The Piano Lesson: A family clashes over a family heirloom in this new movie based on the August Wilson play.

Spellbound: A princess embarks on a quest to save her parents in the new animated movie.

Prime Video
Cruel Intentions: A cult classic gets revamped in the new series.

Max
The Sex Lives of College Girls: It’s time for sophomore year at Essex College. See the season 3 premiere of the comedy series.

Starz
Outlander: It’s not about where Jamie and Claire belong, but when. You can start part 2 of season 7 of the drama series.

That’s all for this week’s Weekend Watchlist – happy streaming!

‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ sneaks could predict new ‘Barbenheimer’ weekend

Two very different, very anticipated movies are headed into theaters Friday, and some prognosticators say it could lead to a new "Barbenheimer" box office bonanza.

Wicked and Gladiator II are Friday's big openers, and with both films getting strong reviews — and both with impressive sneak preview numbers — it's reminiscent of when Barbie and Oppenheimer's very different double bill led to a $235.5 million worldwide opening weekend in July 2023.

The Hollywood Reporter says Wicked made $11 million from showings on Thursday, but other special showings throughout the week bumped that take to $19.2 million in the U.S. before Friday's official opening day.

Gladiator II, Ridley Scott's follow-up to his 2000 Oscar winner, made $6.5 million in the U.S. ahead of Friday's opening day. Unlike Wicked, however, it opened up overseas first, and its global take already stands at nearly $99 million, according to BoxOfficeMojo.

Jason Kelce to host limited late-night show for ESPN

While Jason Kelce can already be seen on ESPN as the host of Monday Night Countdown, the now-retired former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro center will be testing out his game as a late-night host.

They Call It Late Night With Jason Kelce will kick off a five-episode run on Jan. 4 at 1 a.m. ET on ESPN, with the fifth episode, on Feb. 1, beginning at 1:30 a.m.

The sports network teases "an immersive experience ... showcasing the Super Bowl champion's oversized personality and infectious humor mixed with celebrity guests from the football world and beyond, in front of a live audience of NFL fans."

"The show's format will position Kelce and his guests to dissect NFL topics and storylines, mainly focused on that weekend's games" and will include "active participation from the fans in attendance."

The show will be available on ESPN+, ESPN YouTube and the Jason Kelce channel on YouTube presented by ESPN following its initial ESPN airing.

Jason and his younger brother, Travis Kelce, have been making their mark off the field for some time: Travis can be seen in the FX series Grotesquerie and also hosts the Prime Video series Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?

Jason has appeared in numerous commercials, in addition to hosting the sibling NFL stars' podcast New Heights, and making a headline-grabbing entry in the ring in the most recent WrestleMania.

Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend drops defamation and assault lawsuit

Actor Jonathan Majors and his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari have agreed to resolve her civil claims that followed his misdemeanor assault conviction in New York, according to a court filing.

Majors and Jabbari stipulated to a dismissal of her lawsuit for defamation and assault that she brought against him in March, the filing said. A reason was not given.

Jabbari sued Majors about the same time he was sentenced to domestic violence intervention classes in April. She alleged he physically abused her and then defamed her by denying the assault in an interview with ABC News.

Majors was found guilty of one count of misdemeanor third-degree assault and one count of second-degree harassment, but was acquitted of two other counts of assault and aggravated harassment in a split verdict.

Since the verdict, Majors has been dropped from his management and PR firms. In addition, he was cut from future Marvel films and his role as Kang in Avengers: Kang Dynasty.

As part of his sentencing, Majors was ordered to complete a 52-week in-person batterers intervention program in Los Angeles, continue mental health counseling and stay away from Jabbari.

‘Gladiator II’ star Paul Mescal, director Ridley Scott and more talk revisiting Rome 2 decades later

Nearly two and a half decades after the monumental film Gladiator hit theaters, acclaimed filmmaker Ridley Scott is returning the iconic Roman-era epic to the big screen with Gladiator II.

The film, starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and more, is a Roman warrior story of redemption, family and nation, told on a scale big enough to match its preceding legacy.

In an interview with Good Morning America, the cast opened up about making the second installment of a classic, carrying on the Gladiator legacy and how Scott "built" Rome for the new film.

"We thought about it for 24 years -- not every day, it was always there in the back of my mind," Scott said of making the sequel. "But in that time, I did 17 other movies. Big ones. So, it really wasn't an incredible challenge other than saying 'It would be nice to get to it,' And we finally got to it by sitting down at a table and saying, 'Whatever happened to Lucius?'"

Enter: Mescal as Lucius, the son of Maximus -- the main character from Gladiator, played by Russell Crowe.

Mescal undoubtedly had big boots to fill, succeeding Crowe as the leading man in the sequel. According to two-time Oscar winner Washington, who plays Macrinus in the new film, Mescal was more than able to carry the staggering legacy of Crowe's character.

"First of all, he pulls it off," said Washington. "I can only imagine the pressure he must have felt coming behind Russell 25 years later."

Despite that pressure, Mescal made clear his dominant feeling was one of excitement. "Obviously there was a nervousness attached to it and concern because you care about the work that you do," he said. "But the predominant thing was one of getting ready to go -- and excited about it, to be honest."

Scott's Rome, which he built with production designer Arthur Max, featured more than 500 extras filling rows in a replica Colosseum that reached a third of the original structure's actual size.

"I'd never been on sets like that," said Washington, explaining the scope of the production. "They built Rome, basically."

Mescal said actors on Scott's set are immersed in the world of Gladiator -- barring the cameras of course, though he was sure to note that Scott even dresses up the camera operators in costume.

"It is a total, total gift," said Mescal of the elaborate set design. "You walk onto set, and if you can't act in that environment, I don't think this job is for you."

Gladiator II premieres in the U.S. on Nov. 22.

In brief: ‘XO, Kitty’ gets season 2 premiere date, and more

Netflix has announced Jan. 16 as the premiere date for season 2 of its To All the Boys I've Loved Before spinoff, XO, Kitty. The new season, filmed in Seoul, South Korea, "will follow Kitty -- played by Anna Cathcart -- as she returns to high school for a new semester at the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS)," according to the streaming service. Season 2 will also introduce three new characters: Stella, Praveena and Jin -- played respectively by Audrey Huynh, Sasha Bhasin and Joshua Lee...

Starz has revealed Jan. 17 as the premiere date for its steamy, seductive thriller The Couple Next Door, along with a teaser trailer. The series follows a couple, played by The Illusionist's Eleanor Tomlinson and How to Get Away with Murder's Alfred Enoch, who move into the upscale neighborhood and strike up a friendship with the couple next door, portrayed by Outlander's Sam Heughan and Pennyworth's Jessica De Gouw, per Starz. The two couples grow increasingly close to each other and become sexually entangled in a way that will change their lives forever. The Couple Next Door will be available to stream weekly on Fridays on the STARZ app and all Starz streaming and on-demand platforms ...

The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg has lined up his next film, an untitled musical comedy starring The Room Next Door's Julianne Moore and The Holdovers' Paul Giamatti, according to Deadline. The feature, directed by Eisenberg from his own script, "follows a shy woman who is unexpectedly cast in a local production of an original musical. Under the spell of the strong-willed and enigmatic director, she loses herself in the role and the high-stakes world of this community theater production," per the outlet ...

Disney+ has greenlit a second season of the Korean sci-fi fantasy series Moving, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Based on the popular webtoon created by Kang Full, Moving centers on three teenagers with genetic superhuman abilities and their parents who protect them from a group of South Korean spies. The series features some of the biggest names in Korean film and television, including Ryu Seung-ryong, Han Hyo-joo and Zo In-sung. Disney is the parent company of ABC News ...

Angelina Jolie talks motherhood and her new role in ‘Maria’

In her new movie Maria, Angelina Jolie plays the titular role of iconic opera singer Maria Callas, for whom singing meant so much.

For Jolie, who sat down to discuss her new work with Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan, motherhood is the main focus in her life, in the way singing was for Callas.

"It's my happiness," Jolie shared. "You can take everything else away from me. Nothing else matters."

Jolie is mom to six kids: sons Maddox, Pax and Knox, and daughters Zahara, Shiloh and Vivienne.

And despite her life in the spotlight, Jolie said her children don't have the desire to follow her footsteps into acting.

"None of my children want to be in front of the camera at this time," Jolie said. "They're quite private. Shiloh's extremely private. They weren't born with privacy, right? So I hope they can have that as they grow."

For her starring role in Maria, Jolie learned how to sing opera in order to embody the tragic prima donna and her final days living in Paris while struggling to make a career comeback.

"All of my children suffered through my early opera singing in the house before I got kinda good, which was a nightmare," Jolie recalled.

Jolie said she and Callas may have even been friends, had their paths ever crossed in real life. Callas died on Sept. 16, 1977, following a heart attack.

"There's obvious things that people would tie our lives and see we have in common. But I think it's more ... how hard she is in herself with her work, sometimes seen as strong, but actually very vulnerable and human. I certainly am," Jolie said.

"I think we would have been friends," she added. "She might have hated me at first. Think it would have grown on her."

Maria debuts in select theaters on Nov. 27 and will be available to stream on Netflix starting on Dec. 11.

Sylvester Stallone reportedly up for seasons 3 and 4 of ‘Tulsa King’

Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan's other hit show, Tulsa King, could reportedly be headed to a third and fourth season -- and beyond.

According to Variety, star and executive producer Sylvester Stallone is nearing a deal for at least two more seasons of the Paramount+ series, which has him starring as a displaced East Coast mob boss out of water in Oklahoma.

That said, there's no official word from the streamer, and the series has yet to be renewed.

Tulsa King also stars Andrea Savage, Garrett Hedlund, Vincent Piazza, Martin Starr, Dana Delany and Annabella Sciorra. Yellowstone vet Neal McDonough and Marvel movie baddie Frank Grillo joined for the current second season.

Keira Knightley turns up the action in trailer to Netflix spy series ‘Black Doves’

Keira Knightley gets back to action in the new trailer for Black Doves, a six-part spy thriller set at Christmas and bound for Netflix on Dec. 5.

Knightley co-stars with Ben Whishaw in the spy series, in which she plays Heleb Webb, "a quick-witted, down-to-earth, dedicated wife and mother — and professional spy," according to the streamer.

She's been passing her politician husband's secrets to her spy organization, called the Black Doves, for a decade, but when her secret lover, Jason, is assassinated, she's teamed up with Wishaw's assassin, Sam, to uncover the truth.

"As his past threatens to catch up with him, his task is to protect Helen as she investigates who killed Jason and why," Netflix continues. "Together they uncover a vast, interconnected conspiracy linking the murky London underworld to a looming geopolitical crisis."

Knightley's character is shown taking out enemies hand-to-hand and leaping from an exploding building. She later looks shocked when a mysterious voice over the phone reveals her cover is blown, meaning her family is in danger.

The series will also star Sarah Lancashire, Ella Lily Hyland and Andrew Buchan.

Courtney B. Vance talks ‘blessing’ of getting a Hollywood Walk of Fame star

On Thursday's installment of The Jennifer Hudson show, Emmy winner Courtney B. Vance talked about his anticipation of receiving one of the biggest honors in showbiz, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Vance is following in the Walk of Fame footsteps of his award-winning wife, Angela Bassett.

"Angela got hers I think back in '07, and the [children] were 2," he said of their fraternal twins, Bronwyn Golden Vance and Slater Josiah Vance, who are now 18.

"Aw, they were babies!" J. Hud gushed to a throwback photo of the family at Bassett's ceremony.

Grotesquerie star and executive producer Vance said they still need to schedule his ceremony, but added, "It's such a blessing to be in the class of '24-'25."

Vance will be in good company: When the next slate of nominees was announced back in June, it was revealed that some of the actor's "class" will include actress Nia Long, actor-director Bill Duke, Sherri Shepherd, Fantasia, Colin Farrell and Jane Fonda.

According to the organization's website, upcoming star ceremonies are usually announced 10 days prior to dedication.

Illinois state Supreme Court overturns Jussie Smollett’s conviction in hoax attack

The Illinois Supreme Court has thrown out former Empire actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction for lying about a 2019 hate crime.

Smollett was found guilty in 2021 for faking a racist and homophobic attack and lying to the police. His lawyers said this violated his Fifth Amendment rights because, in 2019, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx had already agreed to drop the charges if Smollett paid $10,000 and did community service. A special prosecutor later charged him again, leading to his trial and conviction.

In its decision, filed on Thursday, the court stated they are resolving a "question about the State’s responsibility to honor the agreements it makes with defendants."

The court stated it did not find that the state could bring a second prosecution against Smollett after the initial charges were dismissed as part of an agreement and the actor performed the terms of the agreement, noting that Illinois case law establishes that it is "fundamentally unfair to allow the prosecution to renege on a deal with a defendant when the defendant has relied on the agreement to his detriment."

"We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust. Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution of any one criminal case would be a holding from this court that the State was not bound to honor agreements upon which people have detrimentally relied," it said.

The Illinois Supreme Court's decision cancels earlier rulings by Cook County and appellate courts. The court has now sent the case back to the lower court to officially dismiss the charges.

A jury convicted Smollett in December 2021 on five of six felony counts of disorderly conduct stemming from him filing a false police report and lying to police, who spent more than $130,000 investigating his allegations.

He was sentenced to 150 days in county jail, ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution to the city of Chicago, fined $25,000 and ordered to serve 30 months of felony probation.

Matthew McConaughey on the power of ‘no’

Matthew McConaughey says it took turning down a $14.5 million payday for Hollywood to take him seriously in dramatic roles.

The actor appeared on tennis pro Nick Kyrgios' Good Trouble podcast and revealed he left Hollywood for Texas because he kept getting scripts for romantic comedies.

After a string of successful ones, like How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days and The Wedding Planner, he wanted more.

"When I was rolling with the rom-coms, and I was the 'rom-com dude,' that was my lane and I liked that lane. That lane paid well ... I was so strong in that lane that anything outside that lane – dramas and stuff that I want[ed] to do ... Hollywood said, 'No, no, no. You should stay there.'"

He added, "So, since I couldn't do what I wanted to do, I ... moved down to the ranch in Texas."

He reportedly told his wife, Camila Alves McConaughey, "I'm not going back to work unless I get offered roles I want to do."

The actor and author says he stuck to his guns even after studios sweetened the deal with a potential paycheck as high as $14.5 million. "That was probably seen as the most rebellious move in Hollywood by me because it really sent the signal, 'He ain’t f****** bluffing,'" McConaughey recalled, noting the gambit worked.

He insists, "The devil's in the infinite yeses, not the no's. 'No' becomes more important than 'yes.'"

McConaughey says N-O is even more important if you've become successful. "We can all look around and see we've over-leveraged our life with yeses and going, 'I'm making C-minuses and all this s*** in my life because I said yes to too many things.'"

Anthony Mackie talks ‘Captain America: Brave New World’; Marvel’s Kevin Feige reveals Fantastic Four’s future

While at Disney's APAC Content Showcase Wednesday at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Anthony Mackie shed a little light on his upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, Captain America: Brave New World.

The movie, which debuts in theaters Feb. 14, will be Mackie's first after his character Sam Wilson took on the mantle of Captain America in the Disney+ show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

According to Deadline, Mackie said his character — which fans met as a veteran counselor in Captain America: The Winter Soldier — is staying true to his roots.

"He's still a [counselor]. He's still serving soldiers, but at the same time, now he's a leader of his community in the country," Mackie reportedly said.

Unlike Chris Evans' Steve Rogers, however, Wilson never took the super soldier cocktail that gave Steve's Cap his superior strength.

"When you don't have the serum, you have to be smart and engineer different ways of [fighting]," the actor said, explaining that "he uses more of his brains than brawn. He uses more of his wit than his fist."

That said, the trailer to the movie shows him going toe-to-toe with Harrison Ford's Red Hulk.

The trade also reports head Kevin Feige made a virtual appearance and revealed that The Fantastic Four: First Steps is about to wrap, and with its debut in July, "Marvel's First Family ... [goes] right into the next Avengers movies."

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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