Disney Just Laid Off the Team Responsible for Giving the MCU Its Shared Visual Identity
Disney announced a company‑wide reduction of roughly 1,000 jobs, with Marvel Studios taking a heavy hit. The visual development department that defined the MCU’s shared aesthetic was almost entirely eliminated. The team, assembled by Kevin Feige, crafted early character designs, costumes, and signature shots that ensured visual continuity across films. Disney plans to replace the full‑time staff with freelancers, a move that could reshape how the franchise’s look is developed.
Cassie Lang Will Return in Avengers: Doomsday
Kathryn Newton has confirmed she will reprise Cassie Lang in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, a reveal shared via an Instagram chair‑unboxing. The casting news arrives as Disney announces 1,000 layoffs and a near‑total dismantling of Marvel’s in‑house VFX team, raising questions about...
Roommates Continues Happy Madison's Unlikely Netflix Streak of Teen Girl Comedies
Netflix released "Roommates" on April 17, 2026, marking Happy Madison’s pivot toward female‑directed teen‑girl comedies. The film, directed by Chandler Levack and starring Sadie Sandler and Chloe East, blends realistic college‑room dynamics with a black‑comedy climax. A Dean‑of‑Student‑Life framing device...
Project Hail Mary Will Continue Orbiting Theaters for the Time Being
Amazon MGM announced at CinemaCon that the sci‑fi hit Project Hail Mary will stay in theaters longer, postponing its Prime Video debut and even returning to IMAX for a week. The film has already grossed $517 million worldwide, making it one...
Super Meat Boy 3D Is the Best Possible Execution of a Fundamentally Bad Idea
Super Meat Boy 3D, developed by Sluggerfly, brings the beloved 2D indie platformer into a three‑dimensional space with polished visuals and fluid controls. While the game captures the original’s fast‑paced, metal‑driven aesthetic and offers satisfying early levels, its core premise—3D...
Young Women Aren't Directing Enough Movies. Chandler Levack Has Two Out This Weekend.
Director Chandler Levack is making a rare splash by debuting two films on April 17— the indie theatrical *Mile End Kicks* and the Netflix comedy *Roommates*. Both movies spotlight imperfect young women navigating love, career, and friendship, but they differ...
Reports From Doug Liman's Big Gray AI Movie Box Sound Bleak
Director Doug Liman is shooting his cryptocurrency thriller *Bitcoin: Killing Satoshi* inside a massive gray‑box soundstage where all backgrounds, lighting and set extensions are generated by artificial intelligence. By swapping traditional locations and set construction for AI‑created environments, the production...
NCIS Franchise Now up to Seven Total Spin-Offs Thanks to LL Cool J's NCIS: New York
CBS announced the production of NCIS: New York, its seventh spin‑off in the long‑running NCIS franchise. The series will star Scott Caan alongside LL Cool J, who returns as special agent Sean Hanna from NCIS: Los Angeles. Veteran NCIS writer‑producer R. Scott Gemmill is penning...
It's Ghoulish Puppet Show Time as Val Kilmer "Appears" In As Deep As The Grave Trailer
The trailer for the historical drama "As Deep As The Grave" ends with an AI‑generated avatar of the late Val Kilmer whispering a warning line. Director Coerte Voorhees says Kilmer wanted to be in the film but was too ill, and his...
The BBC Is Also Laying Off 2,000 of Its Employees
The BBC announced it will cut roughly 2,000 jobs, representing about 10% of its workforce, as part of an $815 million cost‑reduction program unveiled in February. The layoffs are the largest staff reduction the public broadcaster has faced in 15 years...
Jury Says Ticketmaster and Live Nation Ran Monopoly, Hiked up Ticket Prices
A federal jury in New York found Live Nation and its Ticketmaster unit liable for antitrust violations, confirming the companies operate as a monopoly that overcharges fans by about $1.72 per ticket. The six‑week trial ended with a verdict that...
CBS Is Already Thinking About What Could Replace Byron Allen
CBS will fill The Late Show’s slot with Byron Allen’s "Comics Unleashed" under a one‑year time‑buy deal that delivers immediate cash but is not viewed as a long‑term solution. Network chair George Cheeks says CBS still believes in late‑night TV,...
Balls Up Proves Man Cannot Live on Dick Jokes Alone
Peter Farrelly’s new Amazon Prime comedy *Balls Up* stars Mark Wahlberg and Paul Walter Hauser as condom salesmen who stumble through a Brazil‑set World Cup adventure. The film, shot in Australian studios, leans almost entirely on repetitive genital jokes and...
In a Surprise Move, Capcom Now Lets You Buy the Original Resident Evil Games
Capcom surprised gamers by releasing the original Resident Evil 1‑3 on Steam for $4.99 each, using the PC ports originally prepared by GOG. The move brings the classic survival‑horror titles to Valve’s far larger marketplace, exposing them to a broader audience...
What's on TV This Week—Euphoria and Beef Finally Return
HBO launches the third and final season of Euphoria, returning after a four‑year gap, while AMC debuts The Audacity, a Silicon Valley satire already green‑lit for a second season. Apple TV+ introduces Margot’s Got Money Troubles, starring Oscar‑nominated Elle Fanning,...
Will Ferrell, KPop Demon Hunters, and Susan Sarandon Have All Crashed Coachella so Far
Coachella 2026 opened with pop star Sabrina Carpenter headlining a set that featured cameo appearances by Sam Elliott, Susan Sarandon and comedian Will Ferrell. The festival also spotlighted K‑Pop group Katseye, who performed Oscar‑winning Huntr/x’s song “Golden.” A severe wind and dust...
Maybe It's Best if Quantic Dream's Star Wars: Eclipse Never Comes Out
Quantic Dream’s Star Wars: Eclipse remains "years off" from release, according to an Insider Gaming source, despite its 2021 announcement. Development has slowed dramatically, highlighted by lead writer Adam Williams exiting the studio in 2024. The French developer continues to wrestle...
Stone Temple Pilots Crushed Their Critics with the Ambitious Tiny Music… Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop
Stone Temple Pilots released their third studio album, Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop, in 1996. The record marked a deliberate departure from the grunge sound of Core and Purple, embracing glam, post‑punk and experimental textures recorded at...
Super Battle Golf Turns the Favorite Sport of Old Rich Guys Into Absolute Chaos
Super Battle Golf, an upcoming PC title with console releases slated for summer 2026, reimagines golf as a chaotic real‑time multiplayer shooter featuring rocket launchers, power‑ups and rag‑doll physics. All players race on the same hole, making speed and creative...
AMC Decides to Recreate Quibi, Release The Audacity Pilot in Three-Minute Clips on TikTok
AMC is launching the pilot of its tech‑drama "The Audacity" on TikTok, breaking the episode into 21 three‑minute vertical clips. The move revives the short‑form streaming playbook popularized by the now‑defunct Quibi. The series, starring Billy Magnussen, will also air...
Former Red Ranger Dacre Montgomery Confirms We Were Denied a Power Rangers Film Tetralogy
Former "Power Rangers" star Dacre Montgomery revealed that the 2017 reboot was never intended as a standalone movie but as the first installment of a four‑film Lionsgate tetralogy. The film’s $100‑million‑plus budget barely broke even, prompting the studio to abandon...
20 Years Later, Leslie Vernon Rises, Once Again, for Behind The Mask II
At a 20‑year anniversary screening in Los Angeles, the original creators of the cult horror mockumentary "Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon" announced that a sequel, "Behind The Mask II: The Return Of Leslie Vernon," is officially back...
It Is 2026, and Hollywood Is Once Again Trying to Make a Metal Gear Solid Movie
Hollywood’s two‑decade quest to adapt Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid finally gained momentum as Sony signed directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein to a first‑look deal, earmarking the franchise for development. The duo, fresh from projects like an animated...
Glen Powell's Hollywood Speedrun Now Includes a New Show with Citadel's David Weil
Actor Glen Powell has signed on as an executive producer for Prime Video’s new drama *Calamities*, created by David Weil, the mind behind *Hunters* and the flagship series *Citadel*. The show received a direct‑to‑series order and will focus on a...
Juno Temple Assembles Avengers of Grooms for Apple TV's The Husbands
Apple TV announced the star‑studded series "The Husbands," starring Juno Temple alongside seven well‑known actors, produced by A24. Lionsgate revealed its action thriller "Mutiny," featuring Jason Statham, slated for an August 21, 2026 theatrical debut. A watchdog group urged shareholders to reject...
Rhythm Games Hit a New High Note Thanks to Independent Developers
Rhythm games have shifted from mainstream console hits like Guitar Hero to a vibrant indie‑driven renaissance. Small studios such as Beat Hazard, Crypt of the Necrodancer, and the upcoming People Of Note are fusing rhythm mechanics with RPG, shooter and...
James Gunn Immediately Shuts Down Reports of Man Of Tomorrow Screen Tests
Director James Gunn publicly refuted Deadline’s report that Adria Arjona, Ella Purnell and Marisa Abela were screen‑testing for the role of Maxima in the upcoming Superman sequel *Man Of Tomorrow*. Deadline issued a partial retraction, keeping Arjona’s name while removing the other two actresses. In...
Experimentation, Comedians, and Charli Xcx Headline New Directors/New Films
The 55th New Directors/New Films festival, a joint venture of Film at Lincoln Center and MoMA, runs April 8‑19 and showcases a wildly diverse slate of experimental works. Highlights include John Early’s drag‑comedy debut *Maddie’s Secret*, Vladlena Sandu’s memory‑laden *Memory*, Viv...
CBS Is Basically Leasing the Late Show Slot to Byron Allen
CBS has entered a time‑buy agreement with media entrepreneur Byron Allen, handing the network’s former Late Show slots to his productions, *Comics Unleashed* and *Funny You Should Ask*. Under the deal Allen pays CBS tens of millions of dollars and...
Universal Music Group Plans to Review Pershing Square Takeover Bid
Bill Ackman's Pershing Square has submitted a non‑binding, $60 billion offer to acquire Universal Music Group, nearly double its recent market price. The proposal, which would need two‑thirds shareholder approval, promises to keep CEO Lucian Grainge in place while leveraging AI...
Kalshi to Peddle Its Wares to Fox News' Famously Temperate, Disciplined Audience
Kalshi, the leading U.S. prediction‑market platform, has signed a multi‑channel partnership with Fox Corporation to embed its markets on Fox News, Fox Business, Fox One and Fox Weather. The arrangement mirrors existing collaborations with CNN and CNBC, positioning Kalshi’s odds...
Michael Will Conclude the King of Pop's HIStory at a Very Opportune, Legally Approved Point
The Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" is set to open this month with studios targeting a $700 million global box office, but the film’s finale was completely re‑shot to remove any reference to the child‑abuse allegations. The Jackson estate spent roughly $50 million...
Shaky-Cam Shakespeare Dooms Riz Ahmed’s Hamlet
Aneil Karia’s 2026 film *Hamlet* reimagines Shakespeare’s tragedy within a modern South‑Asian London community, starring Riz Ahmed as the grieving prince. While the cultural setting offers fresh relevance, the movie is hampered by excessive handheld camera work and rapid editing...
Emerald Fennell Isn't Working on an Anti-Woke Basic Instinct Sequel… Yet
The Hollywood buzz this week spans four distinct stories: writer Joe Eszterhas confirmed a $2 million‑backed "anti‑woke" Basic Instinct 3 but Emerald Fennell denied any involvement; Steven Spielberg told Empire that the Oscar‑winning horror film *Weapons* has temporarily quenched his desire to direct...
Oh, Hey, the Writers Guild Might Not Go on Strike This Year
The Writers Guild of America West has reached a tentative four‑year contract with major Hollywood studios a month before the current agreement expires, marking a rare early settlement in recent years. The deal, still pending board and member ratification, reportedly...
John Lithgow Claims some of J.K. Rowling's Views Have Been "Twisted and Misinterpreted"
Veteran actor John Lithgow told The New York Times and the New Yorker Radio Hour that he believes many of J.K. Rowling’s trans‑related statements have been "twisted and misinterpreted," yet he will continue working on HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series....
The Playfield: What The A.V. Club's Been Playing This Week
The A.V. Club launched The Playfield, a weekly column where writers and guests discuss the games they’re playing, starting with contributor Dia Lacina. The debut installment reviews three titles: Square Enix’s visual‑novel sequel Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse, Sony’s enduring baseball simulation MLB The Show 26,...
Ryan Coogler Is Helping Disney+ Develop a New Animorphs TV Show
Disney+ has entered early development on a new live‑action *Animorphs* series, tapping Ryan Coogler’s Proximity Media and veteran writer‑producer Bayan Wolcott. The project is being shepherded by Scholastic, the original book‑series owner, and aims to modernize the 1996‑2001 YA saga about...
My Undesirable Friends and Yours
Julia Loktev’s five‑and‑a‑half‑hour documentary *My Undesirable Friends: Part I—Last Air In Moscow* arrives on Mubi, offering an intimate portrait of Russian journalists branded as “foreign agents.” The film follows six women—Anna Nemzer, Ksenia Mironova, Sonya Groysman, Olga Churakova, Irina Dolinina...
Whatever Happened to College Basketball Video Games?
College basketball video games flourished in the 1990s and early 2000s but vanished due to weak sales rather than legal issues. EA’s 2024 success with *College Football 25* reignited interest, leading EA and 2K to submit competing licensing proposals to the...
Judge Rules Trump's Executive Order to Kill PBS, NPR Unconstitutional
A U.S. District Court judge ruled that President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14290, which sought to terminate federal funding for PBS, NPR, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, violates the First Amendment. Judge Randolph Moss relied on the 2024 NRA...
Everyone Drops Wisdom Bombs in a Satisfying The Fall And Rise Of Reggie Dinkins
The seventh episode of *The Fall And Rise Of Reggie Dinkins* weaves a rap‑beef subplot, physical comedy, and a surprise twist while deepening the bonds between Reggie, Arthur, Monica and Brina. Writer‑producers Mamoudou N’Diaye and Evan Susser use walk‑and‑talk interviews...
Dario Argento's Inferno Traps You in New York's Most Evil Building
Dario Argento’s 1980 giallo horror film *Inferno* returns to the spotlight as critics praise its nightmarish New York high‑rise setting and visceral practical effects. The movie, the second entry in Argento’s Three Mothers trilogy, uses a cursed apartment building to...
Podcast Canon Looks Back on 30 Years of This American Life
Podcast Canon commemorates the 30th anniversary of *This American Life*’s 1996 rebranding from *Your Radio Playhouse*. The show’s hour‑long, theme‑driven storytelling has become a benchmark for narrative audio, influencing a generation of podcasters. Its alumni launched landmark series such as...
What's on TV This Week—Your Friends & Neighbors, Paradise's Season Finale, and XO, Kitty
This week’s TV roundup highlights a wave of new season premieres and series launches across major streaming services. Apple TV+ rolls out the second season of the dark comedy "Your Friends & Neighbors," while Netflix debuts season three of "XO,...
Flamin’ Groovies Did More than Shake some Action on Teenage Head
The Flamin’ Groovies’ 1971 album *Teenage Head* has resurfaced as a hidden gem, praised by Mick Jagger for its blues‑driven vigor that rivaled his own *Sticky Fingers* era. Though the band never charted, the record’s raw garage rock, R&B, and...
Talamasca, Watson, and DMV All Just Got Tossed on the Friday Night Cancellation Pile
AMC announced the cancellation of *Talamasca: The Secret Order* after just one season, joining CBS's decision to pull the plug on both *Watson* and *DMV* as they wrap up final episodes. The three shows represent a mix of genre spin‑offs...
Radu Jude Turns the Screws on a Wry Guilt Trip in Kontinental '25
Romanian director Radu Jude released his latest feature, Kontinental ’25, on March 27, 2026, following a double‑feature festival run that also included the AI‑driven Dracula. Shot largely with static iPhone setups in Cluj‑Napoca, the film adopts a restrained visual style...
Sinker Sound Makes Fishing Feel Like Piloting a Gundam
Sinker Sound entered early access on March 14, 2026, redefining video‑game fishing as its primary focus. The title fuses rhythm‑game mechanics with traditional angling, requiring players to reel on the beat while tracking directional beat pulses. Each fish has a...
OpenAI’s Sora Is Headed to that Great Data Center in the Sky
OpenAI announced it will discontinue its AI video‑generation product Sora, shutting down both the consumer app and the developer API. The decision follows low user adoption, high compute costs, and mounting controversy over harmful deep‑fake content. OpenAI is redirecting resources...