Showbiz News Update July 18, 2020
SATURDAY TV:
HARRIET (8p ET, HBO) — Cynthia Erivo stars as Harriet Tubman in this drama about the heroic abolitionist’s escape from slavery and dangerous missions to liberate hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad.
48 HOURS (9p ET, CBS) — Two new editions.
SUNDAY TV:
CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD (8p ET, ABC) — New. Kathie Lee Gifford and Ricki Lake compete.
PRESS YOUR LUCK (9p ET, ABC) — New. Legendary contestants from the original series return 35 years later to compete.
SEASON PREMIERE: THE ALIENIST: ANGEL OF DARKNESS (9p ET, TNT) — In Season 2, Sara (Dakota Fanning) has opened her own private detective agency. She reunites with Dr. Kreizler (Daniel Brühl) and John Moore (Luke Evans), now a New York Times reporter, to find the kidnapped infant daughter of the Spanish Consular. Melanie Field (YOU) joins the cast this season.
MATCH GAME (10p ET, ABC) — New. Celeb panelists are James Van Der Beek, Cheryl Hines, Thomas Lennon, Sherri Shepherd, Dr. Oz and Laura Benanti.
Showbiz News and Hot Gossip
IN THEATERS ONE YEAR AGO
One year ago Disney’s digital remake of The Lion King entered movie theaters. …Oh how we wish we could get to the movie theater now…
ROSE PARADE CANCELED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WORLD WAR II
The 132nd Tournament of Roses Parade, which is usually broadcast on NBC, ABC, Hallmark Channel and Univision, will not take place on January 1, 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. This is the first time in 75 years that the Rose Parade has been canceled. The last time the parade was canceled was between 1942 and 1945 during World War II.
… The Rose Bowl football game is still scheduled to take place on New Year’s Day, with a socially distanced audience or an empty stadium.
ALEX TREBEK GIVES HEALTH UPDATE, PREVIEWS SPECIAL VAULT EPISODES
Jeopardy host Alex Trebek has recorded a special message about his health and previewed a special four-week retrospective series that begins July 20. For the first time, the show will dig deep into its archives to highlight memorable contestants, exciting moments and unique tournaments from the show’s 36-year history, including the series premiere, which aired September 10, 1984.… Producers combed through nearly 8,000 episodes and have chosen 20 of the most compelling shows in the series’ history, many of which have not been seen since their first airing.
… Trebek also spoke about his recovery from stage 4 pancreatic cancer, saying: “I’m doing well. I’ve been continuing my treatment and it is paying off, though it does fatigue me a great deal. My numbers are good, I’m feeling great. In fact, during the break from the studio, I even wrote a book that will be coming out July 21.”
NETFLIX REVEALS ITS TOP 10 MOST-WATCHED ORIGINAL MOVIES
Netflix typically keeps its viewing figures pretty quiet, but every now and then they release some stats. This week Netflix announced its top ten most popular original movies of all time.
- Extraction – 99 million views
- Bird Box – 89 million
- Spenser Confidential – 85 million
- 6 Underground – 83 million
- Murder Mystery – 73 million
- The Irishman – 64 million
- Triple Frontier – 63 million
- The Wrong Missy – 59 million
- The Platform – 56 million
- The Perfect Date – 48 million
STAR WARS FANS CAN BUY OFFICIAL BABY YODA CEREAL STARTING THIS MONTH
Since The Mandalorian premiered last year, Star Wars fans have fallen head over heels for Baby Yoda, a.k.a. The Child. The character’s infectious cuteness has spawned a wide variety of memorabilia, including a Baby Yoda Chia Pet, Baby Yoda Monopoly, and even The Mandalorian Christmas ornaments, which will be available online and in Hallmark stores this October. Filming on season two has concluded and is set to premiere this fall. This year on May 4, otherwise known as Star Wars Day, General Mills revealed it would be releasing a Baby Yoda cereal, and we finally have the details. The new product will be available this month. The cereal features sweetened corn puffs and marshmallow bits shaped like The Child and will be priced at $5.98 per box. It will be available for a limited time at Sam’s Club in late July before coming to Walmart as a single pack in mid-August.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S NEW SWIMSUIT MODEL IS 56
Almost three decades ago, Kathy Jacobs was a model who landed the cover of Woman’s World. After years of modeling in New York, the married mother of one turned to a career in baking and making her own beauty products. Now, at the age of 56, the 5-foot-3 resident of California is a first-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model, featured in this year’s issue, out July 21. She had entered SI’s open-call contest Swim Search, and is one of six finalists among thousands of swimsuit hopefuls.
NEW 21 JUMP STREET SEQUEL REPORTEDLY IN DEVELOPMENT _ A source says another 21 Jump Street film is in development, with the majority of the core cast expected to return. The original 21 Jump Street came out in March of 2012. The sequel, 22 Jump Street, was released in June of 2014. A third film, 23 Jump Street, was announced but never happened….Also in 2014 Sony said it was planning a crossover between Men in Black and Jump Street.
KANYE WEST FILES KANYE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE DOCUMENTATION
Kanye West filed a document with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday, seemingly confirming he is moving forward with his 2020 bid for president of the United States. Media outlets have obtained the 43-year-old rapper’s Statement of Candidacy document, which lists his party affiliation as “BDY,” which stands for “Birthday Party.”
His committee’s name is also listed on the document as “Kanye 2020.” … The filing comes on the heels of reports that Kanye suspended his presidential bid.
TOM CRUISE’S ORIGINAL MAVERICK FIGHTER PILOT HELMET FROM TOP GUN IS UP FOR AUCTION A big virtual auction of genuine movie props will be held next month and one of the items up for grabs is Tom Cruise’s iconic Maverick flying helmet used in the 1986 film Top Gun. The Prop Store’s live auction will be held on August 26-27 and it will include over 850 incredible items from classic movies, including the most famous fighter pilot helmet of all time.… As well as the Maverick helmet and accompanying oxygen mask, the auction includes a Darth Vader costume from a 1977 promotional tour for Star Wars, along with items such as Sylvester Stallone’s boxing gloves from Rocky, and much more.
ROCKY BALBOA’S ORIGINAL BOXING GLOVES ARE UP FOR SALE
If you’re a fan of the Rocky movie franchise starring Sylvester Stallone and have always dreamed of one day sticking your mitts into an authentic pair of Rocky Balboa boxing gloves, here’s your chance. Prop Store in Los Angeles will be holding a live entertainment memorabilia auction on August 26 and August 27. Among the items will be a pair of gloves used by Stallone during the filming of 1976’s Rocky.
… The black gloves with white trim can be seen in training sequences where Rocky’s mentor, Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith), urges Rocky to believe he can conquer foe Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). The gloves are expected to fetch between $12,000 and $16,000.
THE OLD GUARD VIDEO GAME WANTS TO HELP YOU WIN 83 YEARS OF FREE NETFLIX
The Old Guard, a new action flick about butt-kicking immortals, wants to help you win an “immortal” Netflix account. A video game named after the new movie will give players the chance to score 1,000 months of free Netflix if they’re able to rack up the most points. The competition will be held starting today through Sunday. The player who scores the most points will win 83 years of free Netflix. • LINK
… The game mirrors the events of the film. It’s a browser-based, beat-em-up game where you play as the lead character of the film and fight off hordes of enemies using only the film’s iconic one-handed Labrys (aka a giant, double-bladed axe). But just like in the movie, dying is not the end. Getting killed only slows you down, so to get the highest score, you have to defeat enemies without getting hit, and as quickly as possible.
NOAH CENTINEO JOINS DWAYNE JOHNSON IN DC SUPERHERO FILM _ Noah Centineo, the rom-com heartthrob male lead of Netflix’s To All the Boys movies, is stepping into the DC Extended Universe. Centineo is joining Dwayne Johnson in Black Adam, the Shazam! spin-off. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Centineo will play a character named Albert Rothstein, AKA Atom Smasher, a hero who has the power to alter his molecular structure so he can manipulate his size and strength. He’s kinda like Marvel’s Ant-Man, but without the suit.
… Black Adam was once scheduled to hit theaters on December 22, 2021, but the coronavirus pandemic has pushed back its filming — and presumably its release date — to an undetermined time.
CHRIS EVANS SENDING CAPTAIN AMERICA SHIELD TO LITTLE BOY
Chris Evans is giving a special gift to one very brave little boy. The Captain America star sent a video message to 6-year-old Bridger Walker, who saved his four-year-old sister from a dog attack. Walker was badly injured requiring a two-hour surgery and 90 stitches to his face.
… Evens said in a video message to Bridger: “Captain America here. So I read your story, I saw what you did and I’m sure you heard a lot of this over the last couple days, but let me be the next one to tell you, pal, you’re a hero, what you did was so brave, so selfless, your sister is so lucky to have you as a big brother. Your parents must be so proud of you. I’m going to track down your address and I’m going to send you an authentic Captain America shield because pal, you deserve it.”
… When Walker’s father asked him why he jumped in between his sister and the dog, he is said to have told them, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.”
JUSTIN’S WIFE, HAILEY BIEBER, APOLOGIZES TO WAITRESS WHO SAYS SHE WASN’T VERY NICE
Hailey Bieber has apologized to a waitress on TikTok who called her out for being rude, with the model dropping into the comment section to insist that was never her intention. Earlier this week, TikTok user Julia Carolan went viral for sharing insight into what certain celebrities had been like to serve in a “fancy Manhattan restaurant.” And while revealing Bella and Gigi Hadid were lovely and Kylie Jenner allegedly doesn’t tip very well, she said Hailey was “not nice.”
… Hailey saw the viral video and posted in the comment section: “Just came across this video, and wanted to say sorry if I’ve ever given you bad vibes or a bad attitude. That’s not ever my intention!”
TOM HOLLAND’S NEXT MOVIE WILL HIT NETFLIX IN SEPTEMBER
It might be a while before any new Marvel or DC movies come our way, but Netflix has the next best thing. The streaming giant has revealed that its psychological thriller The Devil All The Time will premiere on the site in September. Based on the novel by Donald Ray Pollock, The Devil All The Time takes place between World War II and the Vietnam War and tells a non-linear story involving various disturbed people who suffer from the damages of war. Among the top-tier cast is Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Sebastian Stan. Yes, that’s Spider-Man, Batman and the Winter Soldier all leading the same movie. … The Devil All The Time is coming to Netflix on September 16.
“THE NEW MUTANTS” CAN’T BE STOPPED IN NEW TRAILER
The New Mutants has spent an incredibly long time teetering on the verge of seeing the inside of a theater. In fact, it’s kind of become a bit of a running joke, to the point where the studio (formerly Fox, now Disney) recently reintroduced the X-Men spinoff by declaring “we’re back,” and giving it an August 2020 release date. • VIDEO
… For now the release date stands, so Disney has delivered an updated trailer, which tells us: Nothing will stop the New Mutants.
THE SOPRANOS CREATOR TALKS POTENTIAL REBOOT
David Chase says he’s been hearing about an uptick in Sopranos viewing since last summer, long before the coronavirus lockdown led many to binge-watch his HBO series. Chase, who’s been working on Sopranos prequel movie The Many Saints of Newark, was recently asked if The Sopranos can come back for more stories, or as a reimagined series. He said, “I make no predictions, really. I don’t think about that stuff. But if what happened to The Wonder Years — currently being developed as a reboot featuring Black lead characters — happens to The Sopranos, that’s got to be kind of weird. … It would probably be cool, actually, but it would be quite a bit of work.”
JON HAMM IS BRINGING BACK FLETCH WITH A REBOOT OF THE CHEVY CHASE CLASSIC
Jon Hamm will star in the upcoming reboot of Fletch, which originally starred Chevy Chase back in the ’80s. The movie, like the Chevy Chase films, is based on Gregory Mcdonald’s 1970s and 1980s Fletch mystery novels.
… The new film adaptation will specifically be based on the second book in the Mcdonald series, Confess, Fletch. In a mysterious chain of wild events, Fletch finds himself in the middle of multiple murders — one of which pins him as a prime suspect.
GREG KINNEAR WILL PLAY COURTENEY COX’S HUSBAND
Courteney Cox has found her new TV husband: Greg Kinnear will star opposite the Friends vet in the Starz horror-comedy pilot Shining Vale. The potential series is about a dysfunctional family that moves into a small-town house “in which terrible atrocities have taken place. But no one seems to notice except for Pat (played by Cox), who’s convinced she’s either depressed or possessed.”
CHUCK WOOLERY TRIES TO SAVE FACE AFTER HIS SON GETS COVID-19
On July 12, former game show host Chuck Woolery tweeted, “The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, Media, Democrats, our Doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust.” Woolery’s tweet was even retweeted by the president.
… But what a difference a day makes. On Monday, July 13, Woolery tweeted, “To further clarify and add perspective, Covid-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones.”
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE’S NEW MOVIE FINDS A HOME WITH APPLE TV+
Justin Timberlake’s new movie, Palmer, is heading to Apple TV+. Palmer tells the story of a former college football star named Eddie Palmer, played by Justin, who returns to his hometown after serving time in prison. Not only is he working to get his life back on track and deal with the consequences of his past, but he finds himself in charge of a young boy who’s been abandoned by his mother. A release date for Palmer has not yet been announced.
KANYE WEST REPORTEDLY OUT OF 2020 PRESIDENTIAL RACE _ Just 11 days after announcing on Twitter that he was running President of the United States, Kanye West is reportedly no longer running for President of the United States. West’s short-lived Presidential campaign was marked by a bizarre Forbes interview in which he distanced himself from Donald Trump, slammed Joe Biden, said he would be running under “The Birthday Party” because “when we win, it’s everybody’s birthday,” and envisioned a White House run like Wakanda from Black Panther panther.
… The day after the Forbes interview (July 9) TMZ reported that West’s family was concerned that the rapper was going through an intense bipolar episode.
TYRA BANKS REPLACES TOM BERGERON ON DANCING WITH THE STARS _ Tyra Banks is the new host of Dancing with the Stars on ABC. She replaces Tom Bergeron, who was axed this week after hundreds of seasons.
NETFLIX TO DEVELOP BIOPIC TRUE SPIRIT ON TEEN WHO SAILED THE WORLD SOLO
Netflix is developing a feature film called True Spirit based on the life of Australian sailor Jessica Watson, who at age 16 became the youngest person to sail around the world solo.
… Watson self-filmed a documentary called 210 Days: Around the World With Jessica Watson, which was released in 2010 and narrated by Richard Branson. Watson will consult on the Netflix biopic.
GOLDEN GIRLS HOUSE FOR SALE
The 1950s house that served as the home for The Golden Girls just hit the market for the first time. The 4-bedroom home in the super-exclusive Brentwood area of Los Angeles is one of the most famous houses in TV history, and it’s listed for $2.9 million.
… The home’s exterior was used in the first season of Golden Girls for establishing shots of a fictional house in Miami shared by the main characters — Betty White’s Rose, Rue McClanahan’s Blanche, Bea Arthur’s Dorothy, and Estelle Getty’s Sophia. In later seasons of the NBC sitcom, which aired from 1985 to 1992, Disney’s Hollywood Studios built an exact replica of the home. The replica also hosted backlot tours for years, but in 2003 it was demolished.
… The real home, built in 1955, is still standing and is for sale.