Entertainment

'Super Mario Bros.' super on streaming, too

Universal

The Super Mario Bros. Movie keeps racking up points. The animated film, starring the voices of Chris Pratt, Charlie Day and Anya Taylor-Joy, just surpassed the $1.3 billion mark worldwide, surpassing Frozen to become the second-highest-grossing animated film in history.

And according to Fandango's streaming service Vudu, the movie continues to power up outside of theaters, as well: In its third week on streaming, Mario jumped to the #1 slot on the streaming charts for the week of May 29 through June 4. For the previous week, it was Number 2.

For the past week, Mario bested John Wick: Chapter 4, which ranked second, followed by a new release — Ben Affleck's thriller Hypnotic — which debuted in third place last week. Adam Driver's dinosaur sci-fi movie 65 took the fourth spot, followed by another new streaming release, the horror film Nefarious, rounding out the top 5.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Disney+ content headed to Apple's new headset device, the Vision Pro

Apple

At its Worldwide Developers Conference in California Monday, Apple unveiled its long-in-development so-called "spatial computer," the Vision Pro.

And while on the surface they may look like your everyday VR goggles, the company's promises sound like the bleeding-edge tech is more like those seen in Ready Player One than others that have come before.

According to the company, the Apple Visions Pro's visionOS is "the world's first spatial operating system" that "lets users interact with digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in their space."

Further, "an ultra-high-resolution display system that packs 23 million pixels across two displays" makes "every experience [feel] like it's taking place in front of the user’s eyes in real time."

And speaking of eyes, the Augmented Reality goggles are transparent, meaning even though somebody is wearing them, you can still see their peepers as they control the computer with voice, eye, gesture and finger inputs.

The company's CEO, Tim Cook, promised a "new era for computing" that will change our lives the way the Mac and iPhone have.

Mike Rockwell, Apple's vice president of the Technology Development Group, went further, calling the Apple Vision Pro "the most advanced personal electronics device ever."

Not only can the device change the way people use FaceTime and other apps, it promises to make content fully immersive via a "screen that feels 100 feet wide."

To that end, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that content from Disney+, which of course boasts movies and TV shows from properties like Star Wars and Marvel, would be available on the device, which will retail early next year starting at $3,499.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'1923' coming to Blu-ray and DVD August 8

Paramount+

The Yellowstone prequel series 1923 is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on August 8.

The record-breaking Paramount+ drama from creator Taylor Sheridan stars Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton and Helen Mirren as his wife, Cara, as the Dutton clan fights for their ranching empire in a changing America.

The series also stars Brandon Sklenar as WWI vet-turned-big game hunter Spencer Dutton, Julia Schlaepfer as his eventual bride, Alexandra, and Timothy Dalton as the sleazy baron Donald Whitfield.

The new release comes making-of featurettes including "Unstoppable Change: The Adventure of 1923"; "I Am the Land: Teonna Rainwater," centering on Aminah Nieves' native character; "Reflecting Humanity: The Art & Craft of Editing 1923"; and "Inside the Series," as well as other exclusive content.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Cuba Gooding Jr. scheduled to appear in court Tuesday over alleged rape

Gooding in court in 2022 -- David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

Cuba Gooding Jr. is scheduled to stand trial beginning Tuesday in Manhattan federal court on accusations he raped a woman he met in a bar 10 years ago.

The actor's civil trial is set to begin less than a year after he avoided prison by pleading guilty in a state criminal case that accused him of groping several women.

The woman who sued Gooding in Manhattan federal court said she met the Oscar winner in a Greenwich Village restaurant while having dinner with a friend. According to her lawsuit, Gooding invited the woman to the Mercer Hotel, where he was staying, for drinks and asked her to join him in his room while he changed clothes.

The lawsuit says Cuba put on music and stood in front of the hotel room door while he disrobed.

The woman said that as she tried to leave, Gooding "blocked her from the door and pushed her onto the bed."

According to her lawsuit, the woman told Gooding "no" multiple times "but he wouldn't stop" touching her before he "aggressively removed Plaintiff's underwear" and raped her. He raped her a second time a short while later, the lawsuit said.

Gooding denies it and has said the encounter was consensual.

Three other women who have accused Gooding of sexual abuse will be allowed to testify at the trial, according to an order from the judge issued Friday.

"The prior acts are sufficiently similar to Plaintiff's allegations because all involve sudden sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults connected with the Defendant and victims' presence in social settings prominently featuring drinking like festivals, bars, nightclubs and restaurants," Judge Paul Crotty wrote.

If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


See Kim Cattrall as supermodel-turned-mogul with Miss Benny in trailer to Netflix's 'Glamorous'

Netflix

Days after it was reported that Kim Cattrall would appear in the Sex and the City spinoff series And Just Like That..., the star appears as a supermodel-turned-business mogul in the trailer to Netflix's upcoming series Glamorous.

The show stars American Horror Story veteran Ben J. Pierce, also known as Miss Benny, as Marco, "a young gender non-conforming queer man" who gets the chance to work for Cattrall's Madolyn Addison, who launched "one of the industry's most successful beauty brands" just because "nobody thought I could."

Marco soon discovers going from the makeup counter to corporate America isn't so easy. "This job isn't just glitter and glamour," Cattrall warns Marco. "It's hard work."

Meanwhile, as Marco capers around the office, Madolyn's son (Zane Phillips) thinks the new hire is a "bad influence." He sniffs, "He's gonna 'yass kween' us into bankruptcy."

The streaming service teases, "It's Marco's first chance to figure out what he wants out of life, who he actually is, and what it really means for him to be queer."

The show debuts June 22.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Comedian, TikTok sensation Matt Rife sets first world tour, with a little help from Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis

Tommaso Boddi/Variety via Getty Images

If you're on social media at all, chances are you've seen comedian Matt Rife in action. The 27-year-old comic with 3.8 million Instagram followers has turned all those shares and clicks into his first-ever world tour.

He made the announcement in a social media video showing him in the middle of a tank-top-wearing workout session — no doubt a boon to his rabid female fanbase — and with the help of a magic genie lamp containing, well, Ashton Kutcher. "Thanks for rubbing me out," Kutcher says, to Rife's disgust.

"I have been summoned, and now it's time to grant you one wish," the That '70s Show veteran says, while reclining in a chair.

"Are you sure you're a genie, because you look more like Ashton Kutcher," Rife says, adding with a laugh, "Why would you want to do that?"

"It was the early 2000s, and it seemed like — " Kutcher says before interrupting himself, asking for Rife's wish.

And since wishing for more wishes was out of the question, and a wish to date Mila Kunis was overruled after she momentarily appears, only for the "very happily married" woman to be snapped away by her real-life husband, Rife's wish for a world tour, "bigger than he ever dreamed of," is granted.

Produced by Live Nation, the ProbleMATTic World Tour kicks off on Thursday, July 20, in Bend, Oregon, and will have him playing dates in North America, Australia and Europe throughout 2023 and 2024.

Oh, and if you doubt his popularity, Rife's official website crashed moments after the tour was announced as fans rushed for ticket info.

 

 

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Jeremy Renner looking "phenomenal" at Arizona fan convention

Photo courtesy Tony Contreras

Jeremy Renner's progress following his near fatal snowplow accident on January 1 continues to impress.

The Oscar-nominated actor and Marvel movie star attended an autograph signing Friday at Phoenix Fan Fusion convention in Arizona. Even after posing for hundreds of pictures with fans, he was still going strong, according to attendee and costumer Tony Contreras.

Wearing his Avengers: Endgame-era Iron Man suit, he had a photo snapped with the smiling star.

Contreras tells ABC Audio that Renner looked "phenomenal," adding, "I wasn't expecting to see him [looking] like his usual awesome self."

Calling Renner an "inspiration," the fan noted, "If you didn't know what he'd gone through, his appearance would never have given it away."

The actor also received a standing ovation at a Q&A panel at the convention, where he addressed the accident that left him fighting for his life, with more than 30 broken bones and other serious injuries.

"Under the snowplow, it's a different view," he said, according to AZ Central. "But you know, no harm no foul, essentially. I'm coming back stronger."

Renner was closer to home last week, touring the campus of University of Nevada, Reno, with his fellow Rennervations star and executive producer Rory Millikin. "I was inspired by the stories of these lovely students who just made my day !" the Hawkeye star said on Instagram, vowing, "I'm coming back!"

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'Cruel Summer' cast on the Y2K influences in season 2 of the hit teen drama

Freeform/Frank Ockenfels

When Freeform’s hit teen thriller Cruel Summer returns for season 2 on Monday, fans will be treated to a completely new mystery. The cast of the anthology series sat down with ABC Audio, where they shared they're ready for all the theories that are sure to come their way.

“Bring them on, because we sure had our own,” Lexi Underwood said. Griffin Gluck echoed her comment, adding, “I’d like to see a fan come up with a theory we haven’t had ourselves.”

Season 2 starts during the summer of 1999, and Underwood shares that Y2K influences reached every aspect of production – including wardrobe.

“I’m so obsessed with period pieces and just ‘90s, early 2000s in general. In my everyday life, I draw most of my inspiration from that time period,” Underwood says, sharing that the wardrobe department often asked for her opinion on her character's clothing.

“Obviously, because I was like, what, 3? How old? I was not even alive during the year 2000. So, I don’t know much about it,” Underwood said. “I was doing my deep dives on Pinterest and Tumblr of, like, everything I could find from that era.”

Gluck, on the other hand, was not as fond of the Y2K fashion trends. “It’s the flip-flops with the cargo shorts,” he said. “For me, that’s not doing it.”

And while this season promises something different storywise, star Sadie Stanley says it’s still the same show fans know and love.

“Season 1 was a wild, huge success and it was amazing. And we have that same formula of the three different timelines, and we have all that same drama and the twists and the big crazy ending where everybody’s like, ‘Oh my God,’ you know?” Stanley said. “The fans should be hopefully pleasantly surprised.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Michael J. Fox OK after on stage stumble at fan convention

Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for The Michael J. Fox Foundation

Michael J. Fox quickly showed fans he was no worse for wear after a stumble on stage at FAN EXPO Philadelphia on Sunday.

The 61-year-old star was taking part in a Back to the Future panel with trilogy co-stars Tom Wilson, who played Biff, and Christopher Lloyd, famous for playing Doc Brown. After his former co-stars took to the stage to applause, Fox was introduced.

According to the video of the event published by the UK Mirror, Fox waved to the crowd, and bowed to his co-stars in a "we're not worthy" gesture when he lost his footing, and fell forward onto a couch that had been set up for he and Lloyd to sit.

The couch broke his fall, and after a tense second of silence, the Emmy winner immediately jumped to his feet to cheers, showing the adoring fans he was OK.

Fox, who will turn 62 on Friday, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, and as the disease has progressed, he has become a tireless advocate for research. His Michael J. Fox Foundation, which he launched in 2000, has since raised $1.5 billion to fight the degenerative neurological disease, according to the non-profit.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


In Brief: 'Hocus Pocus' could get animated, and more

About My Father's Leslie Bibb has joined Kiefer Sutherland and Nicholas Hoult in the Clint Eastwood-helmed legal thriller Juror No. 2, from Warner Bros., according to Deadline. Toni Collette and Zoey Deutch are also on board for the film that centers on, "family man Justin Kemp -- played by Hoult -- who, while serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma ... one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict -- or free -- the wrong killer," per the studio. Bibb will next be seen in the Apple TV+ original series, Palm Royale, opposite Kristin Wiig, Alison Janney, Ricky Martin and Laura Dern...

A third, possibly animated film in the Hocus Pocus franchise -- once again featuring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker as a trio of Salem witches -- is currently in the works at Disney, Sean Bailey, President of the Studios' Motion Picture Production tells The New York Times. "Kathy had a good idea that the third one should be animated," he shares. "That would be cool and a smart idea. It's fun, funny, and could be interesting and innovative, like old-fashioned or new [animation].... Of course, I'd be happy to have a conversation [for a third film], it just depends on what Kathy and Bette want!" Hocus Pocus 2 broke streaming records for the Disney+ platform upon its debut...

Actor Barry Newman, best known for his roles as a man tasked with transporting a car from Denver to San Francisco in the 1971 cult classic Vanishing Point, and the titular defense attorney in the series Petrocelli, which ran for two seasons on NBC from 1974-76, has died, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He passed away May 11 from natural causes at New York-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center, his wife Angela told the trade. He was 92. Newman's work also included the movie City on Fire in 1979 and the TV series L.A. Law, Murder, She Wrote, The Fall Guy and The O.C., where he played Professor Max Bloom...

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'grown-ish' adds Kelly Rowland, Latto, Omarion, NLE Choppa to season 6 guest star lineup

Cécile Boko

Freeform's grown-ish has added musical icons Kelly RowlandOmarionNLE Choppa, and Latto to their lineup of season 6 guest stars.

The news was announced during a panel at ATX TV Festival in Austin, TX over the weekend. 

Rowland will portray Edie, "a tenured professor who serves as the head of the psychology department at Cal U" and Latto will take on the role of Sloane, "a wine rep who counts Doug -- played by Diggy Simmons -- as a client," according to a press release.

Omarion and NLE Choppa will portray themselves, respectively. 

The foursome will join previously announced guest stars Lil Yachty, and Anderson .Paak, and The Free Nationals for the sixth and final season of the series. 

Season 6 of grown-ish, which stars Marcus ScribnerTrevor JacksonDiggy SimmonsDaniella PerkinsJustine SkyeTara Raani and Yara Shahidi, will air in two parts.

grown-ish season 6A premieres June 28 at 10 pm on Freeform and the next day on Hulu. Season 6B will premiere summer 2024. 

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' webs $120.5 North American box office million debut

Sony Pictures

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse opened with an estimated $120.5 million at the domestic box office -- beating estimates by more than $30 million, and becoming the second-biggest opening of the year, after The Super Mario Bros. MovieAcross the Spider-Verse took in three-and-a-half times the 2018 original's opening gross, while scoring the third-biggest opening weekend for any Spider-Man film.

Across the Spider-Verse added an estimated $88.1 million overseas, bringing its worldwide total to $208.6 million to start.

The live-action The Little Mermaid remake slipped to second place, delivering an estimated $40.6 million at the North American box office in its second week of release. The film has grossed $186 million in North America and, internationally, an estimated $42 million, bringing its worldwide total to $326 million.

The Boogeyman, adapted from Stephen King’s short story, opened in third place with an estimated $12.3 million. The horror flick scared up an estimated $7.7 million at the international box office, for a total of $20 million worldwide.

Disney-Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 grabbed fourth place with an estimated $10.2 million. To date, the movie has generated $332 million domestically and $780 million worldwide.

Rounding out the top five was Fast X, earning an estimated $9.2 million. Its North American box office totals now stand at $128 million, to go along with $474 million overseas, for a global tally of $600 million.

Elsewhere, The Super Mario Bros. Movie crossed $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office, surpassing Frozen as the second-biggest animated film of all time.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Chris Pratt on the "shocking" success of 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' and Star-Lord's future

Marvel Studios

Chris Pratt has earned a little R&R.

The actor tells Entertainment Tonight that he's looking forward to celebrating his fourth wedding anniversary with wife Katherine Schwarzenegger, which is June 8, and Father's Day later this month.

As for Dad's Day, Pratt said his family will "kind of go offline and get back to nature" at their Washington ranch.

The actor had two huge hits this summer, first The Super Mario Bros. Movie, then Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.

The former film has made more than $1.2 billion and counting, recently surpassing Disney's Frozen to become the second-highest-grossing animated movie in history — behind only 2019's Frozen II.

Pratt calls the movie's success "really shocking."

He adds, "I mean, I expected that people would love it the way I was excited about it, but it's truly multigenerational around the world. People love it." He admits he "can't believe" he's part of the "heartwarming" family blockbuster.

Pratt also says fans will soon be hearing about plans for a follow-up, noting the writers strike is complicating matters. "[E]verything has been paused and [put] on hold for the right reasons," he expresses.

And while the end credits of the final Guardians film teased "the Legendary Star-Lord will return," Pratt is playing things close to the vest. "I've loved the character, love the fan reaction," he tells ET.

"If there was an organic way to tell the story that was meaningful and felt like it needed to be told, I want to be part of that," he adds. "But I don't think I'd want to do it just because people would see it. I think if the story is not right, then it's best left alone."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Chris Messina on 'The Boogeyman' film's focus on family

L-R: Thatcher, Messina, Blair - Photo: 20th Century Studios

In a major deviation from the Stephen King short story of the same name, much of the new movie The Boogeyman focuses on the effect the titular monster is having on the two grieving daughters of Will Sawyer, a therapist who recently became a widower.

In fact, the original story doesn't include the characters on which the movie focuses: Sophie Thatcher's teen Sadie and her younger sister, Sawyer, played by Vivien Lyra Blair.

Chris Messina, who plays Will Thatcher, tells ABC Audio that adding them was a good move by screenwriters Scott Beck, Bryan Woods and Mark Heyman.

"Yeah, I thought it was super smart," the Air actor says. "Because obviously you could take that short and do many different things, and the fact that they did what they did, I thought really worked."

Having the supernatural presence preying on his character, as well as his young daughters, helps sell the scares, according to director Rob Savage.

Messina explains the filmmaker really wanted the trio to bond before the cameras rolled. "We had, I think about a two-week rehearsal process where we got to hang out. We went to the aquarium, we went bowling, we ate pizza. By the time we got this set, we were really a tight-knit group. We were our own little family and we had so much trust in each other."

Like a proud dad, he calls his onscreen kids "awesome," adding, "I mean, they're great actresses, really kind souls."  

The Boogeyman is now in theaters.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Tennis star Naomi Osaka announces she's pregnant with a girl

Presley Ann/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka is pregnant with a girl.

Osaka, 25, shared photos on social media Friday from her baby shower, posing in front of a sign that reads, "A little princess is on the way."

Osaka confirmed her pregnancy in January, sharing a photo of an ultrasound on Twitter.

"I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future," she wrote. "One thing I'm looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, 'that's my mom.'"

Osaka continued, "2023 will be a year that'll be full of lessons for me and I hope I'll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I'll be at Aus 2024."

Just before Osaka's announcement, the Australian Open confirmed the two-time champion would not compete in this year's Grand Slam tournament.

Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, released a children's book, The Way Champs Play, in December.

She said on GMA while promoting the book that she hoped to return to tennis in 2023 after having an up-and-down season in 2022, playing in only 11 tournaments, according to ESPN. She dealt with several injuries during the season, including abdominal and right ankle injuries.

"For me, I feel like I'm a very curious person, so I've really been grateful to be given all these avenues to explore, and I am definitely looking forward to doing a lot of stuff," she said, referring to her recent ventures, like becoming an author and launching a talent agency. "But I am a tennis player, so if I don't play tennis for too long, I get an itch."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


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