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Final voting is February 11-18. The 97th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 2 and air live on ABC at 7 p.m. Et/ 4 p.m. Pt. We update our picks throughout awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2025 Oscar predictions.

The State of the Race

The Best Production Design nominees are “The Brutalist,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Nosferatu,” and “Wicked,” which is the favorite for its colorful and imaginative Oz world-building. But “The Brutalist” is getting plenty of buzz for its meta architectural work.

Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” tells the origin story of Elphaba/the Wicked Witch (Oscar-nominated Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda/Glinda the Good Witch (Oscar-nominated Ariana Grande). Production designer Nathan Crowley (a seven-time Oscar nominee) and set decorator Lee Sandales mapped out Oz using models, illustrations, and visual references to create each environment: The highlights are the rainbow-colored Munchkinland, with its 9 million tulips, the Italian-looking Shiz University,...

Since the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985, Nintendo has stood astride the world like a mighty colossus. Its theogony of video game characters has become even more ubiquitous and recognizable than Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes or Mickey Mouse and his gang. There are even Nintendo theme park areas and films now, like the animated "Super Mario Bros. Movie." The company is still going strong, too. The Nintendo Switch, introduced in 2017, soon became the third best-selling video game console of all time, trailing only behind Nintendo's own DS and Sony's PlayStation 2.

Apart from a few missteps (remember the Virtual Boy?), it's always been this way for Nintendo. Thinking back to the 1980s, certain enthused members of Gen-y might recall Nintendo Cereal, Nintendo wall calendars, and Nintendo-centric movies like "The Wizard."

In 1989, Nintendo even made its way onto the airwaves with "The Super Mario Bros. Super Show," a...

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Wicked, the 2024 movie and the Broadway musical.Wicked is a story about corrupt governments, discrimination, and propaganda, but it is also largely the story of the friendship between the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch, beginning long before Dorothy arrives in Oz. The narrative started out as Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which positions Elphaba Thropp as the main character and Galinda Upland as her unlikely and ironic friend. The Wicked book was greatly changed when it was adapted for Broadway, including the friendship being brought to the forefront.

In 2024, Wicked was revitalized with a movie adaptation, based on the show rather than the book. The Wicked cast is stunningly led by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera as Elphaba and Galinda/Glinda, respectively. With amazing individual performances and larger-than-life chemistry,...

Since its end in 1997, "Married... with Children" has maintained a legacy as one of the strangest and longest-running television shows of its kind. The Fox sitcom was, on its face, a standard multi-camera sitcom about a dysfunctional family and the colorfully zany characters that breezed in and out of their suburban enclosure. At the same time, it bucked contemporary genre conventions, daring to push the boundaries of acceptable behavior for sitcom protagonists while leaning into the surrealist subgenre -- which, relative to the tamer landscape of TV back in the late '80s and '90s, surely must've surprised some audiences.

And yet, as odd and abrasive as the show could be, the series was reliably anchored by a powerhouse cast of comedic actors at the top of their game. This included Ed O'Neill, Katey Sagal, and Christina Applegate, all three of whom have been receptive to revive the series...

Smash hit musical Wicked will be available to stream for a premium price this week ahead of a physical media release in February.

Not too many Broadway musicals have had the impact that Wicked has had over the last 20 years or so. With a book by Winnie Holzman based on Gregory Maguire’s novel and taking place both before and around the events of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz and its iconic 1939 film adaptation, the story follows Elphaba Thropp, a girl born with green skin who will become the Wicked Witch of the West.

She accompanies her paraplegic sister, Nessarose, to Shiz University. On arrival, she accidentally unleashes a burst of magic, attracting the attention of Madame Morrible, who enrols her at the school and forces popular socialite Galinda to share her room, sparking a mutual loathing between the girls. This covers the majority of part one,...

What If...? may be over, Beyond The Spider-Verse may be at least a good couple of years away, but we've not long left to wait before our next dose of animated Marvel action thwips its way onto our screens. Yes, Marvel Animation's hotly anticipated Spidey series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is only a month away from hitting our screens, and to mark the countdown commencing, today the streamer revealed the first official trailer for the show. So, for your first proper look at Hudson Thomas' Peter Parker in action — and first glimpses at Colman Domingo's Norman Osborn, Hugh Dancy's Otto Octavius, and more — check out the teaser for the series below:

Everything about this new trailer for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man — which started life as a Spider-Man: Homecoming prequel project and has now spun off and become its own alternate Marvel universe entirely — seems tailor-made to...

Following the magical moment of Wicked: Part One enchanting audiences ahead of Thanksgiving, a return to the land of Oz will take place in 2025 when the second film in the duology comes out.

Those anxious to see how the story of Ariana Grande’s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo’s Wicked Witch of the West, formerly known as Elphaba, have a little under a year before the second half of the story will arrive in theaters. The film underwent a title change in December 2024 to Wicked: For Good.

For everything we know about Wicked: Part Two, read below.

When does Wicked: Part Two come out?

Wicked: Part Two, now known as Wicked: For Good, will arrive in theaters Nov. 21, 2025.

Who is in the cast of Wicked: Part 2?

Of course, dynamic duo Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) will return in the second film, though they may be more separated than in the first film.

After premiering to incredible success at the end of 2024, Wicked could have secured itself an almost guaranteed Oscar nomination with a single addition that the sequel has already confirmed is happening. With $465 million under its belt, Wicked has proven to be one of the biggest movies of the year. Boasting a star-studded cast, outstanding musical performances, and vivid imagery, the movie has earned heaps of praise. Yet, even with all the love being thrown at Wicked right now, there is no guarantee that the film will earn award nominations come 2025, especially without one specific detail.

Wicked is eligible to take on just about any award, from Oscars to Golden Globes, yet the most obvious accolade the movie could have won is Best Original Song. As a musical, Wicked relies heavily on its soundtrack, and audiences have already fallen in love with the songs sung by the movie's leads, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

Konami is getting ready to mine some nostalgia with Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection , which brings over a dozen classic entries in the series to Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on February 27, 2025. Now the full lineup has been revealed, including games never released outside of Japan like 2001's Yu-Gi-Oh! Monster Capsule Gb . Other new additions include Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters , Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel , Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament 2004 , Yu-Gi-Oh! Destiny Board Traveler and Yu-Gi-Oh! 7 Trials to Glory: World Championship Tournament 2005 . Players will be able to save and load anywhere in these titles, and it will launch with online battle support for Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 4: Battle of Great Duelist . Some of the other games may get online battle support after launch, as well. Related: Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Adds More Nostalgic Games Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Full Lineup Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (1998/Game Boy) Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories Yu-Gi-Oh!

Exclusive: “Unlimited”, Cynthia Erivo sings, “My future is unlimited.” The lyrics from The Wizard and I, a number from the musical Wicked, tumble sweetly, melodically – effortlessly – from her mouth. Such a moment could not have happened 10, 15 or even 20 years ago, because, the star reveals: “I was not ready.”

Erivo, 37, says that she first had to understand life in order to play Elphaba, the young woman with green pigmentation in a world of Caucasians, whose story she recounts breathtakingly in Universal’s movie musical extravaganza Wicked.

Directed by Jon M. Chu, the film is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, and the long running Broadway show it’s adapted from, with a book by Winnie Holzman and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. It details the friendship that developed between Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda,...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Wicked!

The Wizard of Oz's first death is iconic, but the story of Wicked makes this scene so much more tragic than before. Wicked does a lot to flesh out the world of the Land of Oz, with it exploring many events that took place before and during the original story as well as providing additional context for some of The Wizard of Oz's biggest moments. While Wicked changes how fans see The Wizard of Oz in some big ways, the effect that it has on The Wizard of Oz's first death is absolutely the biggest.

L. Frank Baum's original Oz stories have been adapted in many different ways, making the canon status of Wicked a bit confusing. Wicked is not technically a prequel to 1939's The Wizard of Oz movie, as the film that made the Land of Oz iconic is still owned by Warner Bros.,...

Fans finally got to see Wolverine wear his comic-accurate yellow X-Men costume in 2024's Deadpool and Wolverine, over 20 years after Hugh Jackman first portrayed the character. X-Men helped define how pre-mcu movies attempted to adapt their comicbook inspirations, with 'realistic' black leather tactical wear rather than colorful costumes. However, back in 1999, a group of Marvel's best artists took a shot at guessing how the movie would redesign Wolverine, and their answers were way more creative.

In a recent post on X, Wizards! The Podcast Guide to Comics shared a page from Wizard's 1999 'Wolverine Special,' where major names including Dave Cockrum, Leinil Francis Yu and John Cassaday offered up their own big-screen redesigns of the X-Men's immortal brawler.

The Wizard #Wolverine special from 1999 featured new costume ideas from the likes of @JScottCampbell , @leinilyu , the late @JohnCassaday and more. Which of these do You like best? pic.twitter.com/TBQ4QrD3Y1— Wizards!

Warning: This article includes Major Spoilers for Wicked: Part 1, Wicked: Part 2, and the Broadway musical.

Some of the best moments from the Wicked Broadway musical will appear in Wicked: Part 2, increasing anticipation for the 2025 movie. Given the stage show’s incredible two-decade legacy, audiences went into Wicked: Part 1 with high expectations. Luckily, the show rose above and beyond in terms of acting, cinematography, and choreography. However, the movie cuts off at “Defying Gravity” because Wicked is releasing in two parts.

Consequently, Wicked’s story is far from over. The second act of the Broadway musical lasts around one hour, but the movie will certainly have a longer runtime, allowing it to expand upon the story from the source material. Fortunately, Wicked: Part 2 will include fantastic moments from the musical that bring this epic tale to a climactic ending.

Glinda Becomes The Figurehead For The Wizard’s Administration Glinda Is Given...

Rosé gets down to brass tacks at the outset of Rosie, her solo full-length debut: “Tell me that I’m special/ Tell me I look pretty,” the Blackpink member asks as the piano chords that open “Number One Girl” rise and fall, fueling the intensity of her request. As one-fourth of K-pop’s biggest girlband and an affiliate of big-name brands like Tiffany and Saint Laurent, Rosé has, no doubt, been bestowed with these superlatives, and more, by scores of people. But Rosie is no imperial-phase victory lap from a haughty A-lister.

You know that thing where social media and the press love to pit women against each other? The Wicked witches are doing their best to resist it, presenting an unyielding united front throughout the entire press tour for their big-budget musical moment. Somehow, the stakes have only gotten higher as...

Rosé is setting the vibes for her upcoming album, Rosie. On Monday, the Blackpink singer shared the track list on Instagram, writing, “I can’t wait for u all to hear everything.”

Rosie offers 12 tracks that promise to bring the party and plenty of heartbreak — at least according to some song titles like “3am,” “Dance All Night,” “Drinks or Coffee,” and “Toxic to the End.” She also seemingly invokes retro Nintendo handgame with the song “Gameboy.” Other song titles include “Two Years,” “Stay a Little Longer,” “Not the Same,” “Call It the End,...

Movie-themed popcorn buckets and other merchandise have become more popular as of late, and Wicked is the latest movie with merch ending up on reselling sites like eBay. Per TMZ, one of the most popular items up for re-sale is the combo of the Wicked Witch hat cup and popcorn bucket that was exclusive to Regal Cinemas.

The Regal Wicked combo, which seems to be the most popular item for sale on eBay, is going for $85 from one seller who has already sold 25 sets. The popcorn bucket on its own sold for $35 on the Regal Cinema Store website, but it is sold out. Another eBay seller has the combo up for $100 (or best offer) and has sold nine sets with more than 40 people watching the listing for the set.

A set of Cinemark-exclusive merchandise containing two popcorn buckets and two wands is going for $200. For about the same price,...

Jon M. Chu counted himself a fan of “Wicked” long before he was hired to direct the big-budget movie adaptation of the popular Broadway musical.

So it was a question of where, not if, he should pay homage to Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the stage roles of Elphaba and Glinda, in the two-part film, the first of which landed in theaters on Nov. 22. After much deliberation among Oz’s powers that be, it was decided they would appear in the movie as the stars of Wizomania, an expanded show within the show that plays out when Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) visit the Emerald City during the song “One Short Day.”

“I told them, ‘I want you to experience for the first time what you gave us.’ I saw Idina and Kristin as they were workshopping the show at the Curran Theatre [in 2003]. I’ll never...

“Wicked” posed the greatest world-building challenge of production designer Nathan Crowley’s prodigious career, surpassing “Interstellar” in grandeur and complexity. The return to Oz required a sense of the familiar and the unknown for its origin story about Elphaba/The Wicked Witch (Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda/Glinda (Ariana Grande). Yet it also needed a touch of Americana in keeping with director Jon M. Chu’s vision of the American Dream.

“It’s an American fairy tale, and you have to find a way in and do something original,” Crowley told IndieWire. “And that is where the problem starts because there’s many trodden paths here.” He’s referring, of course, to “The Wizard of Oz” 1939 movie classic, Gregory Maguire’s 1995 “Wicked” novel, and the 2003 “Wicked” musical stage adaptation by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. “So it becomes a challenge to design Oz and you just have to pick away at something,...

Jon M. Chu explains why Wicked does not include Part One in its title. Based on the megahit Broadway musical of the same name, the movie version of Wicked was released in theaters on November 22. Despite its 2 hours and 40-minute run time, however, Wicked does not tell the full story but rather stops at the end of the musical's act one. Wicked: Part Two is in development and is set for release on November 21, 2025. Wicked features a leading cast including Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and Marissa Bode.

Speaking with Gizmodo, Chu explains why Wicked's title does not include a "part one" label. Chu begins by mentioning that "marketing has its own strategy for all those things." Despite this, the director feels that he was pretty clear that he was making a two-part film, and confident that this was the right decision.

[The following story includes major spoilers for Wicked.]

One short day. That’s, coincidentally, how much time the Wicked filmmakers had to shoot those cameos for the “One Short Day” scene in the film based on the iconic Broadway musical of the same name.

In the film, when Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) head to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), they watch a stage show on the history of Oz. At that point, original Broadway castmembers Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, who played Glinda and Elphaba, respectively, in the musical appear to take audience members through the vibrant story of the city.

“There was no world where we wouldn’t invite them to come be a part of this,” director Jon M. Chu tells The Hollywood Reporter. “The question for us was, how, and how much are they willing to do in it, and how much can the story itself handle it?...

“You’ll be with me like a handprint on my heart,” Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, sings to Glinda the Good at the end of the musical Wicked. For fans of the longest-running show to open on Broadway this century, it’s an apt metaphor: Over the past two decades, no musical has become quite so embedded in the DNA of theater aficionados of a certain age as this dark prequel to The Wizard of Oz.

For most of those audiences who grew up on this version of Oz, delivered through Stephen Schwartz’s delicious, rhythmically inventive songs and Winnie Holzman’s astonishingly propulsive book, Jon M. Chu’s two-part film adaptation will likely make those heart handprints glow bright. Just like Chu’s exuberant screen version of In The Heights, the first part captures the spirit of the original, a strange concoction of whimsical fairy tale and dystopian thriller,...

Warning: This article contains Major Spoilers for the Wicked musical and movie!

Michelle Yeoh plays Madame Morrible in the Wicked movie adaptation, continuing an exciting trend for the actor that I hope continues in her future projects. The actor began her onscreen career in the 1980s in Hong Kong movies. Since her debut with American audiences in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies, Michelle Yeoh has become an A-list actor with a large fanbase and an Oscar. The actor has appeared in some of the biggest movie and TV franchises, including playing multiple roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Scian in The Witcher: Blood Origins, and Emperor Philippa Georgiou in Star Trek: Discovery.

As a fan of both Yeoh and Wicked, I was overjoyed when the actor was cast as Madame Morrible in the two-part Wicked movie adaptation. While Yeoh isnt a vocalist, she worked with a coach before...

This article includes a brief discussion of sexual assault.

Warning: This article contains Major Spoilers for Wicked!

Throughout Wicked, Elphaba has a complicated relationship with the other members of her family tree, and the dynamics heavily influence her journey to becoming the Wicked Witch of the West. One of the biggest questions explored in Wickeds two parts is whether people are born wicked or have wickedness thrust upon themthe age-old nature versus nature debate. The movie leans solidly into the idea that Elphaba's environment shapes her into who she is by the time she appears in The Wizard of Oz. Her relationships with her family members exemplify the belief that Elphaba was forced to become evil by those around her.

By including Elphaba's family as characters and exploring her connections with each of them, the movie explains how she became an outcast, empathetic woman who cares about justice for the talking animals.

In space, no one can hear you stream. Luckily, 20th Century Studios is releasing Alien: Romulus on a "fully functioning VHS tape" on December 3. When we're all living sans-Netflix in Pharrell's Martian colony, at least we'll know there's one thing a corrupted satellite or space version of David Zaslav can't take away from us.

Zakk Sabbath, the Black Sabbath tribute band led by legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde, has announced a 2024-2025 US tour. In addition, the outfit has released a “Greatest Riffs” collection to all major streaming platforms.

The “King of the Monstours” outing features support from Led Zeppelin tribute band Zoso and the all-female Iron Maiden tribute act The Iron Maidens. The 30-date tour kicks off December 1st in Phoenix, Arizona, and runs through a January 12th show in Oklahoma City, hitting Las Vegas, Denver, Austin, New Orleans, Milwaukee, and many other cities along the way.

Get Zakk Sabbath Tickets Here

An artist pre-sale begins Tuesday (September 17th) at noon Et via Ticketmaster using the code Monstour, with a Live Nation pre-sale starting two hours later at 2 p.m. Et with the code Setlist. A general on-sale starts Friday (September 20th) at 10 a.m. Et. Fans can also look for deals or get...

Singer Nohemy answered fans’ questions about her favorite singers and first celebrity crush in her new uInterview.

Nohemy was born and raised in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. At 16 she moved to the United States after she was recognized as a promising basketball player. However, instead, she unexpectedly joined the music scene instead. Nohemy’s confident multicultural perspective promotes the Latin Pop-Urban movement with a fresh sound.

A fan wondered what song by another artist Nohemy wished she had written. Nohemy told uInterview founder Erik Meers, “Oh, that’s a good question – I’ve never gotten that one. Let me see… I would say, Rihanna, ‘Diamonds’, my god, that’s such a good song – I was listening to it yesterday actually.”

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Asked what her dream city to perform in would be, Nohemy replied instantly, “I...

Ti Wests slasher film Pearl, the highly acclaimed second installment of A24's X trilogy, is set to debut on Netflix screens nationwide on August 1, 2024.

Netflix announced the film's arrival on its official account, using Pearl's iconic line in a post that stated, "She's A Star. Pearl is comin' to Netflix on August 1."

Related X, Pearl, and MaXXXines Connection, Explained

A24's X trilogy is one of the horror genre's biggest success stories and MaXXine, Pearl, and X all relate in a unique way.

She's A Star. Pearl is comin' to Netflix August 1. pic.twitter.com/EroBn7BRe8 Netflix (@netflix) July 23, 2024

After collaborating on X, Ti West started working on a prequel script inspired by Mia Goth's character. Filming began right after the first movie in New Zealand, using sets from X and crews experienced from Avatar: The Way of Water, with strict Covid-19 safety measures in place.

Pearl...

As Nintendo prepares for its future with the eventual successor to the Nintendo Switch, it also has taken the time to celebrate its past, releasing the compilation title Nintendo World Championships: Nes Edition on the Switch. This release not only revisits the classic games from Nintendo’s inaugural home console but nearly coincides with the 35th anniversary of the cult classic 1989 movie The Wizard, which revolved around a similar competition involving Nintendo Entertainment System games. More than offering a trip down an Nes-tinged memory lane, both the movie and Switch compilation highlight the early, halcyon days of the proto-esports scene.

The earliest days of esports in the United States were a magical, untested period for the industry and Nintendo played a huge role in shaping it. The Wizard distills the innocent magic and cynicism-free spirit of the scene that modern esports unfortunately lacks and it explores this open gaming frontier.

In an industry rife with remakes, remasters, and re-releases, few companies have mastered the art of repacking leftovers for a nostalgia-driven appetite than Nintendo. With games like 1985’s Nes classic Super Mario Bros. reissued dozens of times over four decades, even the youngest players are familiar with the look, feel, and basic gameplay of Nintendo’s classics.

With a legacy like that, Nintendo doesn’t really need to try hard to sell its back catalog, and with its latest collection, Nintendo World Championships: Nes Edition, it most certainly isn’t.

Abigail's hair color mystery hints at a potential secret father: Magnus Rasmodius. Caroline's walks to The Wizard's Tower and Pierre's doubts about the resemblance add to the speculation. The community suspects a dark side to Pelican Town's peaceful facade, questioning Abigail's true lineage.

Avid Stardew Valley players likely already know that under Pelican Town's veneer of peaceful, rustic living there's a dark side to the community, as evidenced by some of the wild theories fans are suggesting regarding Abigail's father. The daughter of Pierre and Caroline, Abigail is one of the game's most beloved NPCs thanks to her inquisitive and rebellious nature, but while she may appear to be a typical small-town personality, her origins are somewhat mysterious. Thanks to a puzzling comment from her mother, players are wondering if Abigail's origin is as clear-cut as they were led to believe.

The postulation began when Reddit user handsome...

Keith Colburn always claimed that Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel is a documentary rather than a reality TV show, so a fire on F/V Wizard in Season 20 might not have just been for drama. However, some critics seem skeptical.

Keith Colburn Had Emergencies At Sea

Ahead of Season 20, Captain Sig Hansen talked about how his greatest fear is the weather in the Bering Sea. However, other dangers need constant attention. One of those is fire. Despite the cold conditions, fire on board a vessel can be a serious hazard to lives and the viability of the crabbing business.

Keith Colburn of F/V Wizard barks out orders. – Discovery

Keith Colburn once faced a scary situation when he ended up on a collision course with another vessel. So, there are navigation scares. Then, illness can become a problem as well. In 2021, Keith had a medical emergency. Fortunately, his brother Monte Colburn...

The extended Wicked trailer showcases the Emerald City and CGI special effects, emphasizing the opulence of the film. The trailer features vocal talents of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, transforming the musical into a more pop-style adaptation. The importance of consistent special effects is highlighted in the trailer, as any flaws may be less forgivable in a film adaptation.

A new Wicked trailer is here. The upcoming movie adapts the beloved Broadway musical of the same name. Cynthia Erivo takes on the role of Elphaba, while Ariana Grande stars as Galinda. Wicked's first trailer dropped during the Super Bowl, teasing the film's massive scale and offering a taste of Erivo's "Defying Gravity." In addition to Erivo and Grande, Wicked features a leading cast including Michelle Yeoh, Keala Settle, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, and Marissa Bode.

Now, Universal Pictures has released a new trailer for the movie.

Your...

This weekend, “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo will receive the Gold Ally honor at the Gold House Gold Gala, and filmmaker Jon M. Chu will present the award to her.

Ahead of the Gala, Chu spoke with Variety celebrating his leading lady. He recalls the first time he met her over Zoom while casting for his upcoming movie musical “Wicked.”

Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel that inspired Broadway’s acclaimed musical of the same name, “Wicked” precedes Dorothy’s arrival in Oz and tells the legend of the world and the story behind Elphaba, (Erivo) the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda (Ariana Grande), who becomes the good witch.

Chu shares insight into the performance that blew him away, and why Erivo receiving the Gold Ally award has special meaning for him.

What’s your earliest memory of meeting Cynthia?

It was meeting her over Zoom. She was in...

Animal Collective will release a new live album as part of a special 20th anniversary reissue of their 2004 LP, Sung Tongs, out Oct. 4 via Domino.

Sung Tongs Live at the Theatre at Ace Hotel captures a 2018 concert in Los Angeles, during which Animal Collective’s Avey Tare and Panda Bear performed Sung Tongs in its entirety (while also adding a rendition of the Sung Tongs-era deep cut, “Covered in Frogs”). Accompanying the reissue announcement is the pair’s live rendition of “Kids on Holiday,” which retains the original’s jittery folk surrealism,...

Worlds Beyond Number's "The Wizard, The Witch, and The Wild One" storyline follows three friends on a quest in a grand world full of magic and mystery. The podcast features rich sound design and original music by Fortunate Horse's Taylor Moore, taking performances to the next level. The new Umora one-shot started with nothing but quickly developed a deep and immersive story, giving listeners a sneak peek into the world of Umora.

Worlds Beyond Number is an independent creator-owned narrative-play audio drama created by Dimension 20 alumni Brennan Lee Mulligan, Lou Wilson, Aabria Iyengar, and Erika Ishii. Their main storyline, "The Wizard, The Witch, and The Wild One," follows three childhood friends who, after being reunited by adults, begin a quest to discover their place in a grand world full of magic and mystery. Ishii plays Ame, a young witch who inherits incredible power and responsibility to the world; Iyengar plays Suvi,...

Wicked director Jon M. Chu wraps up production on the musical adaptation, sharing behind-the-scenes photos of the leading characters. The film adds new details to Elphaba's story, including new characters portrayed by Adam Jame and Keala Settle. After a long period of development and delays, fans can look forward to the premiere of Wicked: Part One on November 24.

Wicked director Jon M. Chu has shared several new behind-the-scenes photos as production wraps on the musical, offering new glimpses at Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba, Ariana Grande's Glinda, and Jonathan Bailey's Fiyero. The two-part adaptation of Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz's acclaimed musical of the same name focuses on the early life of the Wicked Witch of the West, and her relationships with the people who would shape her future. After many stops and starts, Wicked wrapped filming on both installments in January, bringing production to a close after thirteen months.

When the Nintendo Entertainment System hit back in the ’80s, we saw this influx in the concept of gaming accessories. The light gun was iconic, allowing you to shoot down ducks and cowboys. The Power Glove and Rob the Robot looked godly, but worked like garbage. The Power Pad was a brilliant novelty of the time. The Game Genie was a literal game-changer. Playing games was one thing, but How we played the games was another avenue to be explored.

Not every accessory made such a footprint in video game history. They couldn’t all be shilled by Lucas during a throwaway scene in The Wizard. Some concepts fell into obscurity, like when Atari tried to make a headband controller for the 2600 that would control the game based on your “thoughts.”

I really should include the Atari Mindlink on this list of forgotten video game accessories, but unfortunately, it never got released.

South African filmmaker Neill Blomkamp has directed five major feature films to date: the Oscar-nominated "District 9" in 2009, the class-conscious sci-fi tragedy "Elysium" in 2013, the oddball "Short Circuit"/"RoboCop" mashup "Chappie" in 2015, the low-budget stinker "Demonic" in 2021, and now the video-game-adjacent biography "Gran Turismo" in 2023.

With the exception of "Demonic," each of Blomkamp's films is explicitly or implicitly about class. "District 9" is about alien visitors who are forced to live in a run-down shanty town outside of Johannesburg. "Elysium" features a posh space station where the wealthy live in comfort while the impoverished live on the overheated, overpopulated Earth below. "Chappie" is an Acab movie about a police robot coming to fight for the people and against its corporate creators. 

"Gran Turismo," meanwhile, is about Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe), an expert player of the titular racing video game, who is tapped by Nissan to become a race car driver for real.

If you were in Simi Valley, California, this past Monday night and just wanted to knock down some pins at Harley’s Valley Bowl, then you were probably pretty surprised by what you saw when you walked through the bowling alley’s door: Dave Grohl hopping on stage with Taylor Hawkins’ son, Shane Hawkins, to play a set of classic rock covers with the late Hawkins’ former side project Chevy Metal. Check out the setlist and watch videos of the performance below.

That’s right, Grohl joined the band for an upbeat, uplifting performance, which not only included songs from classic artists like Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Queen, and more, but also featured additional guest appearances from living rock legends. Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Addiction and Porno for Pyros, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Gregg Bissonette, known for his work with David Lee Roth and others,...

Warning: Spoilers for Knight Terrors: Shazam #2! DC's current Knight Terrors event has engulfed the Shazam family, as Mary Marvel joins the rest of DC's characters in being plagued by nightmares initiated by the entity known as Insomnia, in which she is antagonized by a shadowy, sinister version of Billy Batson, referred to as the Nightmare Captain.

Knight Terrors: Shazam #2 – written by Mark Waid, with art by Roger Cruz, ink by Wellington Dias, color by Arif Prianto, and lettering by Troy Peteri – features Mary Marvel fending off the Nightmare Captain, during which she subconsciously extends the powers of Shazam to her siblings, who help her fight the evil version of Billy until he makes his way into the real world.

The Shazam Family Come Together Again

While most readers will recall The Captain sharing his powers frequently in the Shazam movies, this is actually the first time in years that the...

Shane Hawkins, the son of late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, sat behind the kit with his dad’s covers band Chevy Metal at a couple of recent California gigs. The young stickman showed off his dynamic chops during shows July 27th and 29th at Gold Pacific Studios in Newport Beach and The Canyon in Agoura Hills, respectively.

Taylor Hawkins formed Chevy Metal in 2013, and would routinely gig with the outfit until his passing in March 2022. Shane, meanwhile, has proven to be a very skilled drummer himself, as seen at Foo Fighters’ September 2022 tribute concerts for Taylor, as well as a guest appearance at the Foos’ recent Boston Calling gig.

Shane pounded his way through songs by Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Mötley Crüe, The Police, Thin Lizzy, and more over the two nights (setlists here and here). Fan-filmed footage of him playing the Crüe’s “Looks That Kill,” Zeppelin’s “Moby Dick,...

Nintendo in the mid-to-late 80s sure was something to behold. It’s probably the closest thing the video game industry had to a monopoly. Sure, the Sega Master System was around and Atari was still on life support, but the Nintendo Entertainment System was absolutely dominant in society. We didn’t even call it “the Nes.” It was just “Nintendo.” For many, “playing video games” was “playing Nintendo.”

Nintendo’s major market share led to some interesting marketing experiments. Captain N: The Game Master was an animated series that not only advertised different games as part of its lore, but even included third-party game heroes like Simon Belmont and Mega Man as supporting characters. Then there’s The Wizard: an attempt to promote the upcoming Super Mario Bros. 3 via a bizarre family film version of Rain Man that included the questionable choice of casting Christian Slater and doing nothing with him.

Quick Links The Hermione Granger Deck The Wizard's Deck

While there is no wrong way to build a deck in Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, as every card in the game can be viable, certain deck combinations are more likely to guarantee success in specific situations. For example, any player that has entered the Forbidden Forest will notice one type of card that doesn't do as well there.

Compared to duels, where Summons Cards are a great thing to throw in the mix and highly recommended when it comes to the Forbidden Forest section of the game, they're not as handy. In fact, upon engaging in the forest, players will likely even receive a recommendation from the game itself against using Summons and, instead, focusing on Spell Cards.

As players will unlock echoes by completing the Forbidden Forest Solo Explorations, it is up to the player to select the echo that works for them,...

Warning: Spoilers for Black Clover: Sword Of The Wizard KingNetflix's Black Clover: Sword Of The Wizard King movie features many tie-ins to Yuki Tabata's ongoing manga. Although Netflix announced that the film isn't canon, this is contradicted by the fact that there are events from the manga that clearly influenced its overall storyline, which is set before Asta and the Black Bulls' journey into the Heart Kingdom. It would be more correct to say that Sword of the Wizard King is a standalone story that doesn't affect future events in the manga, but that does not mean that there are no tie-ins.

In the movie's first scene, Asta is unable to participate in a tournament since he's been exiled as a result of events in chapter #219. He manages to take part, however, by registering with a false name and wearing a mask. While this is a direct tie-in to the manga,...

Cynthia Erivo shared a sweet message about her experience filming Wicked and how one particular scene really spoke to her.

In an Instagram post, the Oscar nominee, who plays Elphaba in the movie adaptation of the award-winning musical, explained that they had just finished shooting “I’m Not That Girl.” The song is performed halfway through the first act in which Elphaba expresses her love for Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey).

“When we had come to the end of that moment, my heart broke open and tears fell. (Please know this happens Often),” she wrote in a long caption. “I thought of us, the ones who often feel like they’re on the outside. The ones who don’t know that their differences, oddities, quirks are what make them beautiful and special. The ones who, for some reason, believe they can’t be loved and I felt proud to sing a song...

Tubi opens June with an intense WWII drama “Inglourious Basterds.” Allied officer Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) assembles a team of five tough Jewish soldiers to spread fear throughout the Third Reich. They have one assignment: assassinate Nazi leaders. Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed the unconventional war drama. Eli Roth, Melanie Laurent, and Christopher Walz co-star.

Watch the trailer of “Inglourious Basterds”:

The network is also streaming the original documentary “Mystery Unsolved: The Adnan Syed Story” on June 7. The murder of teenager Hae Min Lee was the focal point of a “Serial” podcast, which questioned if boyfriend Syed was her killer. After serving 22 years in prison, Syed was released, still proclaiming his innocence. Now, he may return.

Another streamer original, “Magic Carpet Rides,” arrives June 14. It centers on a social influencer torn between sharing her budding romance or honoring her boyfriend’s request to keep their life private.

Check...

This post contains spoilers for this week’s episode of Barry, “A Nice Meal.”

“A Nice Meal,” the penultimate installment of Barry, opens with Barry hallucinating after an undetermined amount of time spent wearing the sensory deprivation goggles Jim Moss has placed over his eyes. There is darkness, then a glimpse of the desolate plains of the house where he and Sally have lived with John, then the beach from Hell he visited last season. The one leads into the next, then the next, then the next. To anyone less...

Tobey Maguire has had a long and prolific career as an actor. Since his debut film in 1989, The Wizard — in which the fourteen-year-old amateur actor played the role of a villain gooney — Maguire has gone on to make over 40 films.

Yes, Maguire has been in all kinds of movies. While he is most famous for being the original Peter Parker, a role he has reintroduced to the world to fall in love with all over again in 2022’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, Maguire has been a part of lots of different kinds of projects. He’s been a part of D-list movies and award-winning films. He’s been a part of coming-of-age stories, biopics, dramas, comedies, fantasies, mysteries, Westerns, and thrillers. Maguire's reputation has built him a loyal fan base that views Maguire’s films as a part of a series of classics that have to be watched simply because...

[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for Barry Season 4 Episode 6, “The Wizard.”] Barry (Bill Hader), after the post-time jump in the final season of the dark comedy, has returned to Los Angeles with a plan: kill Gene (Henry Winkler) after getting word of the movie being made about him with his former acting teacher consulting. After listening to podcasts about whether or not murder is Ok and buying a gun, Barry does end the episode approaching Gene’s open front door. But then someone puts a bag over his head … and he comes to, in front of Jim (Robert Wisdom), whose daughter he killed. So what’s coming for Barry, not that he’s in that garage? “I get to make a nine-course meal out of this. He’s in the garage, and we know what that means, and I don’t know whether I want to do it through his mind or through his body,” Wisdom tells TV Insider.