Tag Archives: celebrities

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns for its penultimate season on July 23

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns for its fourth season via Paramount Plus on July 23. The ten episodes air weekly until September 24. This is actually the second-to-last batch of episodes, as the show was recently renewed for a fifth and final season.

The streamer has dropped a trailer for season four and it looks promising. The tone looks slightly darker when compared to season three, which was maligned for being a bit too silly and uneven. The trailer is narrated by Anson Mount's Captain Christopher Pike, who discusses the "terror" of space as a planet explodes.

This is still Strange New Worlds, so it won't be all doom and gloom. The trailer shows us a screeching alien dinosaur, which is pretty fun. There have also been reports that season four will feature a puppet episode with involvement from Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

This new batch of episodes will lean even heavier into connections to the original Star Trek show from the 1960s. Paul Wesley's version of Captain Kirk features prominently in several scenes, with one looking like a direct callback to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. A younger Scotty also makes an appearance.

For the uninitiated, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a prequel to the first show and starts several years before Kirk takes over as captain of the Enterprise. It's been said that the series will end with Kirk taking the big chair. It's also primarily an episodic series, with no real serialized season-long arcs. It's pretty good!

It's also ending in the near future. Season five will presumably premiere next year and will include just six episodes. As a matter of fact, it looks like the modern incarnation of Star Trek is ending in totality. Sets are being taken down and there are currently no new shows in production for the first time in a decade.

This is a bummer, even if I didn't always love some of the newer content. The upcoming second season of Starfleet Academy will be its last, which is exceptionally sad because it was really beginning to fire on all cylinders. It was 12 years between the final episode of Star Trek: Enterprise and the first episode of Star Trek: Discovery, which kicked off the modern era. Who knows how long we'll have to wait this time.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-returns-for-its-penultimate-season-on-july-23-170946603.html?src=rss

Oprah brings her podcast to Amazon’s streaming services

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Amazon has brought another high-profile podcasting name into its fold after agreeing to a multiyear licensing deal with Oprah Winfrey. Her podcast will expand to two episodes a week starting in July and it will be available across the likes of Prime Video, Amazon Music, Fire TV channels and Audible. New episodes will still hit YouTube and other podcast platforms, according to Variety.

Winfrey will stick to the same format she's been using on YouTube since starting a podcast channel there at the end of 2024. It will feature interviews with authors, celebrities and others in the public eye.

In addition, Winfrey will create specials based on her Oprah's Favorite Things and Oprah’s Book Club franchises for Amazon. The company is also licensing all 25 seasons of The Oprah Winfrey Show but Winfrey and Amazon haven't figured out exactly how to repurpose the long-running talk show as yet. 

Last year, Amazon split its Wondery podcast company in two, with a team focusing on narrative podcasts merging with Amazon’s Audible team and a crew that handles celebrity-hosted shows forming a new division called Creator Services. That group promotes podcasts like New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce and Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard across Amazon's various properties, as The New York Times notes.

Oprah's Book Club will tie into Audible, Kindle, Goodreads and the Amazon storefront. Products featured in the annual Oprah's Favorite Things holiday list will be highlighted on the latter as well. Winfrey and Amazon will split sales and ad revenue.

It’s become common for major media companies to make a play for popular podcasts over the last several years. As video podcasts have grown, the likes of Netflix have gotten in on the action too. Some people play these as background noise and Winfrey's podcast might be particularly appealing to fans of her TV show, which ended in 2011.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/oprah-brings-her-podcast-to-amazons-streaming-services-142846445.html?src=rss

The Mandalorian and Grogu director used Apple Vision Pro to preview the film in IMAX

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Director Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Jungle Book) hasn't been shy about embracing new technology for filmmaking. While producing The Mandalorian for Disney+, he was one of the first filmmakers to use ILM's massive LED screens, AKA "The Volume," to produce more realistic lighting and backgrounds on studio sets. For the feature film The Mandalorian and Grogu, which hits theaters May 22, Favreau recently revealed that he had Disney build an Apple Vision Pro app to preview its full IMAX scope during filming.

"So I'm making an IMAX movie, and I'm looking at a TV screen, and no matter how big your TV screen is it's not an IMAX screen," Favreau said in a recent episode of The Town podcast. "We built software so that I can pop on my Apple Vision Pro and be sitting in an IMAX movie theater and see the full aspect ratio when we're lining a shot up. And I can watch that take and see what people will see."

Favreau isn't the first director to use the Apple Vision Pro — Wicked filmmaker Jon Chu also used it to handle post-production work — but he's the first to specifically mention using the headset for IMAX production. That's still a relatively limited use case for the Apple Vision Pro, but it's one that could be useful to future filmmakers. With its large field of view and sharp micro-OLED screens, the Apple Vision Pro is one of the only ways to replicate the experience of watching a large IMAX screen at home. (The Meta Quest 3 comes in as a close second.)

In general, Favreau says he's more excited about using existing consumer technology in the filmmaking process than AI. He mentions using the Unreal Engine to previsualize special effects on The Mandalorian and his previous films, and he believes the quality from game engines could be good enough to make it into final productions down the line.

"This is what the animation industry has understood from the beginning," he said. "Get it right before you ever paint a cel."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-mandalorian-and-grogu-director-used-apple-vision-pro-to-preview-the-film-in-imax-140331311.html?src=rss

Amazon MGM’s 2026 theatrical slate includes ‘Highlander’ and ‘Spaceballs: The New One’

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Fresh off the box office success of Project Hail Mary, Amazon MGM Studios has announced its theatrical release lineup for the next year. Most of the titles aren't likely to hit the highs of the Ryan Gosling starrer which has grossed $515 million in theaters. However, there are a number of promising releases like Spaceballs: The New One and Highlander starring Henry Cavill, both sequels to '80s films. Another is The Sheep Detectives with Hugh Jackman, the trailer for which has been a hit on YouTube.

Earlier this year, Amazon MGM promised to release up to 14 films in theaters over the next year and leave them to run for as long as 45 days — a far cry from its previous policy of releasing just a few films for several weeks at most. That strategy is paying off so far. "Four months. Four films. Over $670 million at the box office. And we have nine more on the way,” said Amazon MGM's head of domestic theatrical distribution, Kevin Wilson. 

The company said that it's not about volume, but impact. "We are building films that give audiences a reason to leave the house. Films with scale. Ambition," Wilson said. Looking at the slate, though, some of those films are likely to be hits and some not so much. 

First up is The Sheep Detectives set to arrive on May 8th. You may scoff at the title, but the trailer has racked up 20 million views and mainly positive comments. It looks like fun, family-friendly fare and stars a popular actor, so one could easily see this being a hit for Amazon MGM.

Masters of the Universe is next up on June 5, 2026. "Director Travis Knight brings the world of Eternia to life on a massive scale with stars Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, and Idris Elba," Amazon explains. The film is based on the Mattel toy franchise and animated series so again, it could be another magnet for kids and their nostalgic parents. 

How to Rob a Bank is a heist comedy with a solid cast including Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz, Anna Sawai, Pete Davidson, and John C. Reilly, set to arrive on September 4. That's followed by Verity (October 2, 2026) based on the Colleen Hoover novel and Peter Farrelly's I Play Rocky Sylvester Stallone biopic about the production of the 1976 film Rocky. 

2027 starts with the The Beekeeper 2 (January 15) starting Jason Statham, followed by The Thomas Crown Affair (March 5, 2027) directed by and starring Michael B. Jordan. Spaceballs: The New One, a sequel to the classic Mel Brooks movie arrives on April 23, 2027 with Rick Moranis, Josh Gad, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Bill Pullman, and Mel Brooks. 

Other films expected but without release dates yet include The Chosen: Crucifixion, A Colt is My Passport, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother and Highlander starring Henry Cavill based on the 1986 cult classic.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/amazon-mgms-2026-theatrical-slate-includes-highlander-and-spaceballs-the-new-one-094505690.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Apple’s foldable iPhone may be delayed

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Apple has run into “more issues than expected” with its foldable iPhone, which may delay its release, according to the Japanese business newspaper Nikkei. Multiple sources report issues that apparently occurred during early test production phases and may delay first shipments by months.

Component suppliers have supposedly been notified that the foldable iPhone’s production schedule will be delayedand Apple is working to address the problems. Apple was reportedly prioritizing the foldable iPhone and other premium models for its September event this year, due to constrained supplies — that whole RAMmaggedon thing. One fewer iPhone model might reduce the company’s demand for pricey components.

We’re still waiting: A foldable iPhone has been rumored since 201andd rival Samsung released its first one back in 2019. The Galaxy phone maker has faced its own struggles: The very cool Galaxy Z TriFold was pushed into early retirement, seemingly being sold at a loss after its launch late last year.

— Mat Smith

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is suing Illinois, Arizona and Connecticut for attempting to outlaw or regulate prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket. These markets allow people to bet on the outcomes of events (for example, who will be the Democratic nominee for president in 2028). There’s been some particularly dystopian bets on recent global military campaigns.

The CFTC believes it has sole jurisdiction to regulate these platforms and that states attempting to classify them as illegal gambling are overstepping their authority. “The CFTC will continue to safeguard its exclusive regulatory authority over these markets and defend market participants against overzealous state regulators,” CFTC chair Michael S. Selig said in a statement.

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Amazon MGM Studios announced the upcoming Spaceballs movie will hit theaters on April 23, 2027, right around the 40th anniversary of the first film. The movie is being directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Josh Gad, Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, according to Deadline.

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TMA
NASA

On their way around the Moon, the Artemis II crew managed to grab a few photos.NASA has begun sharing the images, including the one above: Earth through the Orion capsule’s window. It kinda looks like the old iPhone wallpaper. Sorry, I just ruined it.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111523424.html?src=rss

The Spaceballs sequel will be released in April next year

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There's finally a release date for the Spaceballs sequel — but before you get too excited, it's a whole year away. As first reported by Deadline, Amazon MGM Studios announced on Friday night that the upcoming Spaceballs movie will hit theaters on April 23, 2027, right around the 40th anniversary of the first film. Several members of the original cast will be reprising their roles, according to Deadline, including Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, George Wynder and Daphne Zuniga. 

Whispers of a potential Spaceballs 2 go back a couple of years, but Brooks officially confirmed in an extremely on-brand announcement video last summer that the movie is actually happening. Following Deadline's latest report, Amazon MGM Studios posted a screenshot of the article on X, along with the words, "Spaceballs: The Release Date. April 23, 2027." The movie is being directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Josh Gad, Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, according to Deadline. Along with the returning cast members, it will star Gad, Keke Palmer (!!), Lewis Pullman and Anthony Carrigan.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-spaceballs-sequel-will-be-released-in-april-next-year-213543871.html?src=rss

The United app adds airport security wait times after lines return to normal

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Here's a feature that would've been a lot more useful before this week. Amid recent hours-long airport lines, United is adding security wait times to its app. However, the feature arrives a few days after security lines began returning to normal. Hey, at least it'll be there for the next shutdown.

At launch, the feature is only available for United's hub airports. That includes Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Houston, LAX, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles. Passengers traveling through any of those locations will find the feature in the Travel section of the United app. It will display separate wait times for standard security and TSA PreCheck lines.

However, timing is everything, and that's where United comes up short. This week, airport security lines finally returned to normal as TSA workers began receiving their first paychecks in over a month. Go figure: That led to better attendance and, therefore, short wait times.

Over 60,000 TSA employees had been working without pay since the partial government shutdown began in February. The DHS shutdown continues, but President Trump belatedly ordered the agency on Friday to begin processing back pay for TSA employees. When asked why he hadn't signed the order much earlier, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt cited an "existential crisis" at airports. (Translation: It contributed to an existential polling crisis for the president.)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-united-app-adds-airport-security-wait-times-after-lines-return-to-normal-164315823.html?src=rss

Project Hail Mary is already Amazon MGM’s highest-grossing film ever

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It's safe to say that Project Hail Mary is a success. The movie has taken in over $300 million globally, making it the best showing for Amazon MGM yet, Variety reports. Amazon bought MGM for $8.5 billion in 2022. 

Creed III previously held the record for Amazon MGM, having grossed $276 million. Notably, the achievement for Amazon MGM is just versus its own markers, rather than against other production companies. But it's certainly notable given streamers aren't known for focusing on theatrical releases. 

With that said, Amazon MGM has pivoted recently, announcing last April that it planned to release 14 films in theaters this year. These titles include Is God Is (May 15), Masters of the Universe (June 5), and Verity (October 2).

Project Hail Mary is based on a 2021 novel by Andy Weir, author of The Martian. It follows Ryan Gosling as high school teacher Ryland Grace, who wakes up on a spacecraft with no idea who he is or why he's there. It has garnered mostly positive reviews and a 95 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/project-hail-mary-is-already-amazon-mgms-highest-grossing-film-ever-112955144.html?src=rss

HBO Max’s Harry Potter series premieres this Christmas

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HBO released a teaser trailer and premiere date for its take on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The show will premiere on the HBO Max streaming network this December 25. It's a rare case where a big-ticket project is coming out earlier than anticipated instead of later; the series wasn't expected to arrive until 2027. 

HBO has already proved its bona fides with lush adaptations of fantastical stories several times over, and this trailer looks like more of the same. The team behind the camera includes notable names who have worked on series such as Succession, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us and Killing Eve. Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling, who alienated many fans after outing herself as transphobic, is also one of the show's executive producers.

Engadget's Jess Conditt has already written eloquently on the struggle of when and how to engage with the Harry Potter franchise while rejecting Rowling's worldview, although the author’s involvement at the top level may make this adaptation a harder sell to the disillusioned community than, say, the Hogwarts Legacy video game where Rowling was barely involved and the studios took a more proactive approach toward presenting many types of diversity, including gender expression. If you’re hyped for this particular show, seems you'll have a shorter time to wait for it.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/hbo-maxs-harry-potter-series-premieres-this-christmas-202818238.html?src=rss

Stephen Colbert is writing a new Lord of the Rings movie

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It’s been quite a while since we visited Middle-Earth on the big screen (anime prequels aside), but it looks like Lord of the Rings fans have plenty to look forward to in the coming years. We already knew that Andy Serkis’ The Hunt for Gollum was in the works — and by all accounts is progressing nicely — but another Rings-related film is in development too, and it’s being co-written by none other than Stephen Colbert.

The announcement came from Peter Jackson himself, in a video posted by Warner Bros. to coincide with Tolkien Reading Day. The director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy provided a quick update on Serkis’ film (the British actor is both directing and reprising his role as Gollum), before introducing "very special partner" and diehard Tolkien fan Colbert on a video call.

With The Late Show nearing its end, its host was seemingly going to be out of work in the summer. Colbert is working with his son Peter as well as screenwriter Philippa Boyens (who co-wrote the original film trilogy). They'll adapt some early chapters of Fellowship of the Ring that never made it into Jackson’s 2001 film. The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past is actually set 14 years after the events of Return of the King, and will see Sam, Merry and Pippin retrace the first steps of their famous adventure.

So while the new film is inspired specifically by Fellowship chapters III (‘Three is Company’) through VIII (‘Fog On The Barrow-Downs’), it sounds like we’re actually getting a sequel of sorts, in which we’ll also see Sam’s daughter Elanor make a huge discovery that puts her on her own quest.

Colbert and his son had been scribbling away at their idea for several years before plucking up the courage to show what they had come up with to Jackson, but the legendary 64-year-old filmmaker was clearly a fan. And given the timing of the announcement, Colbert will soon be able to commit all of his energy to the project, which has not yet named any cast members. Will Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan be dusting off their hobbit attire? Only time will tell, but the time jump would presumably make it possible.

The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past doesn’t have a release date, but its announcement coincides with the 25th anniversary of Fellowship of the Ring, which has already been marked by the whole trilogy returning to theaters earlier this year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/stephen-colbert-is-writing-a-new-lord-of-the-rings-movie-143004743.html?src=rss