Top news

One of the stars of the TruTv franchise series Impractical Jokers is leaving the comedy troupe after a decade-long run. Joe Gatto posted the stunning news on Instagram tonight in a note that alluded to “the challenges I am facing” and a promise to “create new ways to entertain you.” “Sorry in advance for the […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3JtJymC

Anderson Cooper will host a new parenting show for CNN+, the upcoming subscription streaming service from CNN, while a current online series will move to the new platform. Parental Guidance with Anderson Cooper, to air weekly, will feature Cooper consulting with experts on navigating the challenges of life as a working father. Cooper’s son Wyatt […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/32QAsPS

NASCAR driver Brandon Brown, whose interview led to the popular “Let’s go, Brandon” chant that is bedeviling President Joe Biden and his supporters, has decided to embrace the controversy. After initially claiming that he was not political and was having trouble finding a sponsor because of the chant’s dubious background, Brown is now being sponsored […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3JwkIT0

Covid, neither gone nor forgotten in 2021, batted investors and markets for another year as attempts at business as usual were stymied by cycles of angst and rebound. Defensive stocks, growth stocks, value stocks, stay-at-home stocks were in one day, out the next. After a volatile year of ups and downs, broader markets ended on […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3EKEFSH

UPDATED: The Consumer Technology Association announced late today that its CES trade show next week in Las Vegas will end one day early. The move comes amid record-setting Covid counts in many states across America. “The step was taken as an additional safety measure to the current health protocols that have been put in place […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3ySeyaU

Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, the producer/caretakers of the James Bond movie franchise including this year’s No Time to Die, and its star Daniel Craig were among the entertainment and media figures recognized Friday on the UK’s New Year’s Honours List. Other British arts and media figures named today included Oscar winner Vanessa Redgrave and […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3ELBw4Z

Fox remembered former NFL coach, broadcaster and video game namesake John Madden by airing its documentary All Madden, which originally premiered on Christmas Day. The documentary which charts Madden’s rise to one of the sports world’s most notable personalities, was one of Thursday night’s top-rated programs. Earning a 0.4 rating in the 18-49 demo and 1.88 […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3EIbsrs

FRIDAY AM UPDATE:Thursday box office figures Sony/Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home now ranks No. 11 on the list of highest grossing movies at the domestic box office with $557.19M collected during its first two weeks in release. The MCU title outpegs Jon Favreau’s 2019 version of The Lion King with $543.6M. The 14-day gross for No Way […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3EPygWs

Denis O’Dell, the British film producer whose association with The Beatles earned him the rare honor of being mentioned, if obliquely, in one of the group’s songs, died of natural causes at his home in Spain last night. He was 98. His death was announced to the Associated Press in Lisbon, Portugal, by son Arran […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/32BHSGY

It was another Year of Covid in 2021, and the sadness extended to many beloved and groundbreaking people in the show business and media worlds who died during the past 12 months. Scroll through a photo gallery above. The acting world lost such giants as Ed Asner, Cicely Tyson, Charles Grodin, Jessica Walter, Christopher Plummer, […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3EKQ9Wd

The sons of Jean-Marc Vallée have issued a statement on his shocking death at age 58 on Christmas Day. Deadline, which broke the tragic story, followed with sourced information that the death likely came from heart attack while the filmmaker was alone in his lakeside cabin. The statement seems to indicate it is headed that […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/31eGPfv

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is out with his 2021 Spotify playlist, in the spirit of other political figures (Barack Obama, for one) who’ve taken to releasing their end-of-year favorites. Blinken’s choices actually are two lists — one an “at home” compilation of American artists, the other an “on the road” selection inspired by places […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3n6Zdin

The year 2021 marked 10 years in the business for Mars Media, the leading Russian content company founded by Ruben Dishdishyan, who previously set up and ran fellow major player Central Partnership. At Mars, Dishdishyan and his team initially focused on producing TV, but have since moved more into the film business, at a time […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3zbkuvU

As 2021 draws to a close, here’s our rundown of nine storylines likely to dominate the international film and TV business in the coming year. Covid Phase Three It is a full two years since a cluster of pneumonia cases detected in Wuhan were reported to the World Health Organization and were soon labelled Covid-19. […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3zf8FoH

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control on Monday shortened the recommended isolation and quarantine guidelines for Americans who contract or are exposed to Covid-19 from 10 to five days. The move drew swift criticism from many experts, who questioned the logic behind the decision. “I don’t think there’s any big change in science that justifies […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3ELQDeG

Tiffini Hale, one of the original castmembers on The All New Mickey Mouse Club and part of the Disney-created pop group The Party has died, according to her costars and bandmates. Hale was 46. The actress and singer “suffered a cardiac arrest that resulted in her being left in a coma,” read a remembrance posted […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3sMaJmT

"I see A.I. as not really an opinion, it seems like truth." After playing at film festivals all year long, this one-of-a-kind mesmerizing, entrancing short film is now available to watch online. Forever is a short created by filmmaker Mitch McGlocklin , and it's made by an artificial intelligence system. The story follows a guy who has a life-changing experience. "A life insurance company uses an AI algorithm to determine the risk of a new applicant. The subsequent denial sparks a period of introspection for the individual in question." It's a deeply contemplative film in many ways, and doesn't look like your typical short film. Forever was created with the experimental technique of using LiDAR to capture real life moments and environments. The LiDAR unit used to acquire the footage was originally created for self-driving cars. This junction of technology and filmmaking intersects with the subject of the film. There's much more going on in this a

There’s a saying that every dog has its day. That’s true for 2022 as well, only the day will be pushed back slightly because of the omicron variant Covid-19 spike The 2022 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has been postponed from its January date at Madison Square Garden. Dogdom’s biggest night was set from Jan. […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3HCytOz

The people who make the jerseys for the New York Knicks got it mostly right. Unfortunately for one player, they weren’t perfect. Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley suffered the indignity of entering tonight’s game with his name misspelled on his jersey. Instead of “Quickley,” the manufacturer had it as “Qucikley.” The Knicks were taking on the […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/31agijz

Tragedy struck millions of homes across the world today, as one of the world’s most popular online games went offline for several hours. Fortnite, which boasts more than 350 million players worldwide, was offline for several hours, thanks to an unknown glitch. The timing couldn’t have been worse for parents, whose gaming-obsessed offspring are home […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3EyaRbK

The Delta and Omicron variants were driving a “dual surge” in Covid-related infections in Los Angeles today, according to health officials. That led to the county reporting 16,510 new cases in the past 24 hours, up 91% over the course of one week. It’s the highest daily case count since January 6 of this year, […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3FGuDTU

The Actors Fund Home in New Jersey, which saw the death of 10 residents during the horrific early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, is now free of the coronavirus. That’s despite the omicron variant spike that’s now sweeping the country. As a precaution, all visitations to the retirement home in Englewood have been suspended for […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3pD5x2v

The creators and stars of upcoming Stephen Merchant-starring BBC1 factual drama Four Lives about serial killer Stephen Port’s crimes have slammed London’s Metropolitan Police and the UK justice system for “monumental failings” over the case. Merchant also teased his approach to playing the lead role of Port, describing him as “like the shark from Jaws in […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3eC5qhA

Former manager and business partner of actor Michael Keaton, Harry Colomby has died at the age of 92. Colomby died on December 25, 2021.  Bobby Colomby, Drummer for Blood Sweat and Tears, and brother of Harry, confirmed his death with multiple sources. Also, Harry had been hospitalized five years after fracturing his pelvis in a […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3mBSlJy

Former Senator, Democrat Harry Reid of Nevada, who played a major role in President Obama’s most essential legislative accomplishments, died at age 82 of pancreatic cancer. His death was announced by political reporter Jon Ralston, who called Reid, “probably the most important elected official in Nevada history.” “Harry Reid was one of the most amazing […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3HnZzJ3

NFL players and teams, colleagues, friends and others are mourning John Madden, the Hall of Fame NFL coach-turned-broadcaster who died today at 85. Here are some of their tributes from social media: A statement on the passing of the great John Madden from CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus. pic.twitter.com/gyPhF91NGy — NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3JrUa5m

Andy Corren is closing his Andy Corren Management after 11 years of operation. He is leaving the representation business where he has been since 1991. Corren, who had been writing on the side throughout his career as a talent agent and manager, plans to focus on his hobby full-time as an author. The news, which […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3FDObIm

HBO recently unveiled the first poster for Euphoria season two starring Zendaya. The season premiere drops January 9, 2022. Along with Zendaya, the show stars Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeny, Jacob Elordi, Storm Reid, and Colman Domingo. Sam Levinson is executive produce alongside Drake, Future the Prince, Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin (the duo who created […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3JpqQfX

John Madden, the exuberant, successful NFL coach who became a broadcast-booth legend and pitchman and later lent his name to the wildly successful Madden NFL video game franchise, died today. He was 85. The National Football League said he died unexpectedly Tuesday morning. A Super Bowl winner and the second-winningest coach in NFL history during a […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3sG9Ko1

Joyeux Noel! Gledelig Jul! Frohe Weihnachten! Mele Kalikimaka! From all of us at FirstShowing.net , we want to wish every one our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays ! Whether you're in hanging out at home alone, spending the time with family or friends, or just with your partner; or whether it's snowing or sunny where you are, we hope you have a lovely weekend full of relaxation and warmth and smiles. Yet another year of the pandemic has added stress, but movies have still kept us entertained and moved and inspired. Thanks for reading and thanks for following FS throughout this latest year. I'm glad we've all been able to revel in many exciting movies from 2021 - The Matrix Resurrections , Spider-Man: No Way Home , Dune , The Power of the Dog , Godzilla vs Kong , Barb and Star , Candyman , Malignant , and No Time To Die . Stay safe, movie lovers. News and trailers always slow down during the holidays, but we'll be operating at full-speed again

"Ho ho ho! I'm going to unwrap your skull." Have a holly, jolly Christmas! It's the best time of the year… As long as Santa isn't killing you, then there will be plenty of cheer. How about a fun Christmas horror short to warm up these holiday days? Jolly is a new short film by from Todd Spence & Zak White . The two have been cooking up under-5-minute, low budget horror shorts for the last few years - including Where Is It and this year's Fear Wish . Jolly , about an animatronic Santa head, also stars Todd Spence with Zak White as the voice of Santa. These guys are damn good at putting together homemade shorts that are slyly entertaining and extremely creepy without much happening, which isn't as easy at it seems. Just don't make Santa angry. Thanks to Todd for the tip on this. Description from YouTube : "An animatronic Santa head has a different kind of present to give." Jolly is the latest short directed by talented filmmaker To

If you’ve watched The Matrix Resurrection, you might remember a scene where the character Smith (played by Jonathan Groff) takes a jab at Warner Bros possibly leaving Lana and Lilly Wachowski (the originators of The Matrix franchise) behind to direct another Matrix film. Well, turns out that’s not just hyperbole. In a recent interview with […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3mDnw7c

David Byrne will present a revised version of his American Utopia Broadway show beginning Tuesday, due to several breakthrough Covid cases among his onstage band. In an Instagram video today (watch it below), Byrne explained that with several band and crew members out, he and the remaining Utopia band will temporarily perform a new show […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3FzF6jU

Guillermo del Toro has been directing movies since 1986 with his first short film Doña Lupe. Many were familiar with his horror films in the 1990s but it wasn’t until 2006 Pan’s Labyrinth that made him a household name.  Nightmare Alley is his new cinematic venture with an all-star cast including Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3mFfvhZ

Los Angeles County reported 7,425 new cases of Covid and nine additional deaths on Monday. But those numbers were artificially low due to reporting delays from the holiday weekend. The region’s test positivity rate — which is considered a more accurate indication of infection spread because it is an average and also a percentage, rather […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/32AVNge

“The worst TV adaptations are slavishly devoted to the [original] text,” according to The Stranger creator Harlan Coben, who said he “hopes to continue” working with Netflix as his five-year deal draws to a close. Coben was speaking in a Q&A for his latest Netflix project, Red Production Company’s Stay Close starring Cush Jumbo, Richard Armitage and […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3Ev5ASi

Jean-Marc Vallée has died suddenly at age 58. The Canadian writer, director, editor and producer won Emmy Awards and a DGA Award for Big Little Lies, and was Oscar nominated for directing Dallas Buyers Club, the film that won Oscars for both Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto. I am still gathering details, but can divulge […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3et35Fm

SPOILER ALERT:  This post contains details of tonight’s Insecure series finale on HBO “Thank you for everything,” Yvonne Orji’s Molly proclaims to Issa Rae’s Issa in the series finale of Insecure tonight. After more than a spell of discord and distance between the treasured friends last year and throughout this fifth and final season, the […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3HdB0OJ

Wayne Thiebaud, a Sacramento-based artist and teacher famous for his colorful paintings of desserts and California landscapes, died Dec. 25 at the age of 101. Thiebaud’s death was announced on Instagram by his gallery, Acquavella. “An American icon, Wayne led his life with passion and determination, inspired by his love for teaching, tennis, and above […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3HdRdU3

The Duchess of Sussex received a printed apology today from the publishers of Mail On Sunday after years-long legal battle. The London High Court ordered the UK tabloid to print a front-page apology for breaching Meghan Markle’s privacy in February 2019 by printing parts of a five-page letter to her father after her wedding to […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/32EMgEI

SUNDAY: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported 7 new deaths from Covid-19, as well as 8,891 new positive cases. The number of deaths and confirmed cases reported today may reflect delays in weekend reporting. Today’s data brings the County to a total of 27,546 deaths and 1,616,033 positive cases. At time of […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3Jv6q5k

Refresh for latest…: Sony/Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home is having a joyous holiday as it is now officially the first movie of the pandemic era to pass the $1B mark at the global box office. The worldwide gross through Sunday is $1.05B which makes this installment Sony’s No. 2 film of all time, behind only […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3mycEYj

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Nobel Prize winner and leader who was a key figure in ending apartheid in South Africa, has died at 90, the country’s president confirmed today. “Ultimately, at the age of 90, he died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Centre in Cape Town this morning,” Dr Ramphela Mamphele said in a […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3mySYDx

When Saudi Arabia announced it was opening movie theaters for the first time in 35 years back in late 2017, there was excitement from international exhibitors and Hollywood studios who saw a fertile new market of opportunity. Importantly, 70% of the Kingdom’s 34M population is under 30 and has money to spend.  And spend they have, with […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3muCz2L

Wanda Young, one of the original Marvelettes on Motown’s Tamla label in the 1960s and later the group’s lead singer, has died. She was 78 and passed on Dec. 15 in Garden City, Michigan from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to her daughter. Young joined the Marvelettes as they signed their first record […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3FvWzcO

Pope Francis, aka Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the 85-year-old Pope, is alive and well. No thanks to ITV News, which wrongly announced his death on live TV Christmas Day. Announcer Kylie Pentelow was discussing the Pope’s annual Christmas address on Saturday when she made the blunder. Pentelow was reporting on the Pope’s call for more people […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3mz2hTR

Ariel Robinson, the former Worst Cooks in America Season 20 winner on the Food Network who stands accused of homicide by child abuse, has been ordered to submit to a DNA test, according to online court records. Robinson was arrested in January of this year for the death of Victoria Rose Smith, who had been […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/313QsxG

A 19-year-old man bearing what police termed “an offensive weapon” was arrested Christmas morning on the grounds of Windsor Castle, the chief residence of Britain’s monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The queen was on the premises at the time, celebrating the holiday with Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, according to multiple reports. The man […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3qo89Rc

The University of Southern California will only offer remote learning classes at least during its first week of the spring session, the school said Friday. The new semester begins Jan. 10. Students can still move into the dorms, but students and staff will be required to show proof of COVID-19 booster shots as soon as they […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3Hgw1wX

J.D. Crowe, a Grammy winning banjo player whose mastery of the instrument inspired generations of bluegrass fans, died early on Friday morning, his family announced on social media. No cause of death or location was given. “This morning at around 3 a.m,, our dad, JD Crowe, went home. Prayers needed for all during this difficult […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/30WA3Lc

Despite the continuing challenges of the pandemic, it was a year of highlights from film festivals around the world. Who could forget Spike Lee’s now-infamous moment when he accidentally revealed this year’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner early after a translation mix-up? How about Titane director Julia Ducournau making history as the first woman to win the […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/30XU0S1

They won’t be singing “Ya Got Trouble” at the Hugh Jackman Music Man revival. At least, not on the scheduled Christmas Day and Dec. 26 shows, which have been officially canceled because of Covid-19. The show was struck by illness earlier in the week, when actress Sutton Foster tested positive, causing her to miss Thursday’s […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3swvmDi

The King is not amused. Lakers forward LeBron James tweaked the NBA today by posting a new version of the “Spider-Man Pointing At Spider-Man” meme on Instagram. The image of the three super-heroes were labled as Covid-19, the flu, and the common cold. The cryptic message was that the NBA is being a tad too […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3z5lMbW

Some 50 years after its debut, Joni Mitchell’s melancholy song River finally has it own video. River first appeared on Mitchell’s 1971 album, Blue.  “River expresses regret at the end of a relationship… but it’s also about being lonely at Christmas time,” Mitchell says in a statement at the end of the animated work. It was […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3ekJGqc

The traditional White House telephone tracking on Santa’s Christmas Eve travels via NORAD resulted today in a bit of trolling by an unknown participant. A father, identified only as Jared from Oregon, wished a Merry Christmas to Biden and wife Jill on the call, then added a cheerful, “Let’s go, Brandon.” The phrase has gained […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3yV5jqs

A group of Apple workers in retail and corporate has issued a plea for the company’s employees to walk out or call out on Christmas Eve. The group has dubbed itself Apple Together. “Calling all Apple workers and patrons!” read the Tweet, “Tomorrow, December 24th, 2021, Apple workers are staging a walkout/callout to demand better […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3mxJo3F

A very diplomatic-sounding Paul Feig called out Sony & Columbia Pictures over an omission in the studio’s forthcoming “Ultimate Collection” of Ghostbusters movies. What’s missing? While the eight(!) disc boxed set includes the original Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II and this year’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, it does not include the Feig-directed Ghostbusters from 2016, starring Kristen Wiig, Melissa […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3JeK9bA

UPDATED: Waitress, the Broadway musical featuring music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, has canceled its remaining performances at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, producers announced tonight. The decision was made after new cases of Covid were detected among the company and crew. The production was to have run through January 9. Likewise, producers of the groundbreaking […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3H8hnHR

“Fifty percent of all of the sequenced genomes identify themselves as Omicron,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday. He was speaking of the positive Covid tests and wastewater in the state that have been examined for new cases of the variant. Newsom then hinted that numbers to be released today would be even higher. […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3qqtQ37

Ever since Todd Black got into the film business as a producer, he wanted to work with Aaron Sorkin. “I remember early on seeing things he wrote, even plays, and going ‘Wow, this guy has a voice like nobody’s business,'” says the Oscar-nominated producer of Fences.  However, Black says “I never had anything good enough […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3qpwHZS

Universal Orlando Resort announced today that, effective Friday, masks would be required in indoor portions of the park such as restaurants, shops, and indoor hotel public areas. They will likewise be mandatory “at all attractions from the moment guests enter the queue to when they exit the experience.” The mask requirement applies to workers as […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3mtY8Rf

UPDATE 12/23: LA County’s Public Health Department has updated their Covid Outbreak database to include 21 cases at WME’s Beverly Hills headquarters. The positive tests were produced last week, resulting in the agency closing the office, with employees working remotely for a couple of days until the start of agency’s holiday break this past Monday. […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3p3zfgL

The Critics Choice Association announced today the postponement of its  27th annual Critics Choice Awards, which were to be presented on January 9. Here is the statement: “After thoughtful consideration and candid conversations with our partners at The CW and TBS, we have collectively come to the conclusion that the prudent and responsible decision at […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3GXoRNU

At its core, fan service is material that's been added to a film for an audience's pleasure. Usually, it's not relevant to the story. It does not care for your "Save The Cat!" beat sheet or Robert McKee's three-act structure. Even at its best, it's extraneous. I was so worried that Jon Watts' "Spider-Man: No Way Home" was going to be "Fan Service: The Movie." I am thrilled to report that it isn't.  Yes, there are meta-textual gags about Tobey Maguire's back and Paul Giamatti's Rhino in "Spider-Man: No Way Home." But, more often than not, Watts' film is in conversation with the movies that preceded it, not blindly worshipping them. That leads to character beats that redeem misguided moments from the Spider-Man films of the past. It makes plenty of room for the characters who already exist in MCU's continuity. And, ultimately, it all adds up to a film that gives the fans exactly what they think they w

Grey’s Anatomy‘s record-breaking run may continue. Renewal talks are underway for a potential 19th season of ABC’s flagship scripted series though sources caution that conversations are in early stages. I hear series star and co-executive producer Ellen Pompeo also has been approached about continuing on the show for another season. Pompeo, who in the past […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3FpqK5t

( Superhero Bits is a collection of stories, updates, and videos about anything and everything inspired by the comics of Marvel, DC, and more. For comic book movies, TV shows, merchandise, events, and whatever catches our eye, this is the place to find anything that falls through the cracks. ) In this edition of Superhero Bits: The first poster for "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" "Aquaman and the Lost King" synopsis hints at an evil alliance "Eternals" crosses a major box office milestone The "Hawkeye" finale has arrived All that and more! Hawkeye Finale Teaser It's been a big week for MCU fans, and one of the biggest things from the big week is now streaming on Disney+, as the "Hawkeye" finale has arrived. The above teaser offers but a glimpse of what the episode has to offer. I'm including this more as a PSA of sorts, letting fans know they should definitely watch it ASAP, or risk

An aide who was in close contact with Vice President Kamala Harris has tested positive for Covid, according to a statement from the VP’s office late Wednesday. The person “staffed the Vice President throughout the day Tuesday” received a positive test result on Wednesday. Harris has tested negative. She and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff are […] from Deadline https://ift.tt/3H7rJIc

Nostalgia is a powerful drug. But even stronger than the power of remembering how good we once had it, is the power of wondering how good it might be. To yearn — for love, for a better life, for a better future — is to be human, and Hollywood has long tapped into that all-consuming emotion. Or maybe they've weaponized it against us and created stories of yearning so powerful that we live vicariously through them and forget what we ourselves truly want. Enter: "The Matrix Resurrections." The fourth installment in the envelope-pushing "Matrix" series, "The Matrix Resurrections" knows the weapons it has at its disposal — nostalgia and yearning — and instead of intravenously feeding them into us like the IP-hungry audience we are, it flips things around and aims them right back at the Hollywood machine. This is not the action-packed gun-fu extravaganza of the first three films, this is, a wild, angry, funny meta take on a story that we've seen before

On the December 21, 2021 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editorial director Peter Sciretta is joined by chief film critic Chris Evangelista and /Film editors Jacob Hall, Hoai-Tran Bui, Brad Oman, and Ben Pearson to narrow down our most anticipated movies of 2022. All the other stuff you need to know: You can find more about all the stories we mentioned on today's show at slashfilm.com, and linked inside the show notes. /Film Daily is published every weekday, bringing you the most exciting news from the world of movies and television as well as deeper dives into the great features from slashfilm.com. You can subscribe to /Film Daily on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Overcast , Spotify and all the popular podcast apps ( RSS ). Send your feedback, questions, comments and concerns to us at peter@slashfilm.com. Please leave your name and general geographic location in case we mention the e-mail on the air. Please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, tell

Sometimes "Star Wars" fans can be the worst. Sometimes they're the best people in the world. Sometimes they get really, really lucky. This is one of those times. According to Variety , some hardcore fans got to be extras in the upcoming Disney+ series " Obi-Wan Kenobi ," which stars Ewan McGregor. The news comes from "Pen15" star Maya Erskine, who will be in the spinoff series . She told the site's podcast "Just for Variety:" "The extras were incredible on the set, and a lot of them were mega 'Star Wars' fans ... One guy, he was so nice and he lifted up his sleeves and had 'Star Wars' tattoos over his whole body. And they build droids. There are lot of 'Star Wars' fans that build droids, and then the production companies will rent [them] from the fans." I know a lot of people who build droids. No kidding. I think a few phone calls are in order. Anway, Erskine also said that she got to bring her baby