Tag: Hollywood

  • Harrison Ford is coming back for a fifth and final ‘Indiana Jones’ film

    Harrison Ford is coming back for a fifth and final ‘Indiana Jones’ film

    Harrison Ford may be pushing 80, but he’s not too old to don the wide-brimmed fedora of adventurer Indiana Jones for one final film.

    Disney has announced that Ford will be returning as Indiana Jones for a fifth and last Indy flick in 2022 — which has been in development for years.

    “We’re in pre-production on the next and final installment of Indiana Jones,” Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said on Disney’s mammoth investor day presentation.

    “Of course, Indy himself, Harrison Ford, will be back to conclude this iconic character’s journey. Indy will begin shooting late spring of 2021, and will be released in July of 2022.”

    At the helm will be James Mangold, director of racing flick Ford vs Ferrari and Logan, the final chapter in the long-running series of Wolverine flicks starring Hugh Jackman.

    Steven Spielberg, who directed the first four Indy flicks, had initially been set to direct the final chapter in the Indiana Jones saga but has instead handed the reins to Mangold. He will, however, remain involved as a producer.

    Ford, now 78, first created the role of Indiana Jones in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, just a few years after achieving global fame as Han Solo in the original Star Wars film.

    Three years later, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom followed. In 1989, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade hit theatres, with Sean Connery playing Indy’s dad. Connery passed away in October this year at the age of 90.

    Nearly 20 years would pass before Ford starred in the fourth film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which had box office success but was critically panned.

    Disney first announced plans for a fifth film in 2016, with a 2019 release date, but the project was delayed over creative differences between Spielberg, screenwriters and producers.

    Then the coronavirus pandemic upended Hollywood’s production schedule.

  • Taylor Swift surprises fans with a new album ‘Evermore’

    Taylor Swift surprised fans with a new album titled Evermore, her second album of this year, saying “we just couldn’t stop writing songs.” Evermore comes less than five months after Swift’s eighth studio album Folklore.

    The award-winning singer described the 15-track album as a “sister record” to Folklore, which she produced entirely during the coronavirus lockdowns and released unexpectedly in July. Folklore, a change of style that showed an indie-folk sensibility, earned Swift some of the best reviews of her career as well as triggering six Grammy nominations, including for the coveted album of the year.

    “To put it plainly, we just couldn’t stop writing songs,” Swift wrote on Thursday. “I’ve never done this before. In the past, I’ve always treated albums as one-off eras and moved onto planning the next one after an album was released. There was something different with Folklore. In making it, I felt less like I was departing and more like I was returning.”

    “I loved the escapism I found in these imaginary/not imaginary tales. I loved the ways you welcomed the dreamscapes and tragedies and epic tales of love lost and found in your lives. So I just kept writing them,” she added.

    The mysterious William Bowery, who Swift last month revealed was a pseudonym for her British actor boyfriend Joe Alwyn, is also credited as a co-writer on the new album.

    Evermore features collaborations with alternative artist Bon Iver and Aaron Dessner, guitarist with indie rock band The National

    Taylor also dropped the music video for its lead single ‘Willow’, which she directed herself.

    In the YouTube chat before the album’s premiere, Swift revealed the meaning behind the visual. “One scene represents how I feel about fame,” she said.

  • Man watches ‘Bigg Boss’ as doctors perform brain surgery on him

    Man watches ‘Bigg Boss’ as doctors perform brain surgery on him

    An Indian man from Andhra Pradesh reportedly watched reality TV show Big Boss to stay awake during a brain surgery. Doctors at a private hospital in the state’s Guntur district conducted the rare and critical open-brain surgery, in which the patient had to be kept awake.

    According to reports, as the doctors performed the surgery on the 33-year-old patient named Vara Prasad, he watched Bigg Boss and the 2009 Hollywood sci-fi movie Avatar.

    While three surgeons removed a recurrent glioma (a type of tumor), the man enjoyed the show followed by the Hollywood sci-fi movie Avatar on a laptop.

    While further details of the surgery are not specified, pictures of the operation were shared on social media channels, with many users wondering how this was possible.

    However, in a similar incident, in January, Dagmar Turner, a professional violinist played her violin while undergoing a critical brain procedure.

  • Co-creator of ‘Scooby-Doo’ passes away at 82

    Ken Spears, who co-created the character of ‘Scooby-Doo’ passed away at the age of 82 on Friday.

    After Gene Deitch’s (creator of Tom & Jerry and Popeye the Sailor) death, Spears’ death is something every 90s kid can relate to, given how addicted they were to Cartoon Network and watching Tom and Jerry and Scooby-Doo.

    Spears also created Saturday Morning Kids programming at CBS and ABC, all with his longtime creative partner, Joe Ruby. He is a four-time Daytime Emmy nominee as well.

    According to details, Ken died in Brea, California, of complications from Lewy body dementia, his son, Kevin confirmed. His passing comes less than three months after Scooby-Doo’s other co-creator Ruby died on August 26.

    In a statement, his son Kevin said: “Ken will forever be remembered for his wit, his storytelling, his loyalty to family and his strong work ethic.”

    “Ken has not only made a lasting impression on his family, but he has touched the lives of many as co-creator of Scooby-Doo. Ken has been a role model for us throughout his life and he will continue to live on in our hearts,” he went on to say.

    In a statement to USA TODAY, Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation called Spears “a true innovator in the industry.”

    Our childhood’s favorite Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! was first aired on CBS in September 1969.

  • Will Spider-Man wear two masks now?

    Will Spider-Man wear two masks now?

    Tom Holland treated Spider-Man fans with a new photo from Spider-Man 3 in which he can be seen in his Spidey costume along with a face mask.

    Holland shared a picture of himself dressed in Spidey’s iconic red and blue costume while striking the trademark pose.

    View this post on Instagram

    Wear a mask, I’m wearing two…

    A post shared by Tom Holland (@tomholland2013) on

    However, Tom also had a face mask on adhering to the COVID-19 safety protocols while on set.

    The 24-year-old actor couldn’t resist cracking a Peter Parker pun in his caption as he wrote, “Wear a mask, I’m wearing two…”

    The title of the third part of Spider-Man franchise has not yet been announced.

    Also starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Jamie Foxx, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, Spider-Man 3 is being directed by Jon Watts and is slated to release on December 17, 2021.

  • Anne Hathaway apologises to disabled community for hurting sentiments in ‘The Witches’

    Oscar-winning actor Anne Hathaway has apologised to the limb difference community after her latest film The Witches received an online backlash from the community.

    According to details, the villainous witches in the Warner Bros. film including the coven leader played by Anne Hathaway, are seen as having only three fingers.

    The design of the fingers resembles ectrodactyly, also known as a split or cleft hand, which is a limb disability.

    Several social media users have objected to the representation of the limb as disrespectful as it was used to portray Hathaway’s character as non-human.

    Following the outrage, the actor took to Instagram to share a video by Luck Fin project featuring people with limb differences, with which she penned a long caption dedicated to people with disabilities and apologised to the community for offending them with her film.

    “I have recently learned that many people with limb differences, especially children, are in pain because of the portrayal of the Grand High Witch in The Witches,” she wrote.

    “Let me begin by saying I do my best to be sensitive to the feelings and experiences of others not out of some scrambling PC fear, but because not hurting others seems like a basic level of decency we should all be striving for,” her caption further read.

    The actor then went on to extend her heartfelt apologies to the entire community and especially to “kids with limb differences.”

    “As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really, really detests cruelty, I owe you all an apology for the pain caused. I am sorry. I did not connect limb difference with the GHW when the look of the character was brought to me; if I had, I assure you this never would have happened,” the 37-year-old actor wrote.

    “I particularly want to say I’m sorry to kids with limb differences: now that I know better I promise I’ll do better. And I owe a special apology to everyone who loves you as fiercely as I love my own kids: I’m sorry I let your family down,” she added.

    View this post on Instagram

    I have recently learned that many people with limb differences, especially children, are in pain because of the portrayal of the Grand High Witch in The Witches. Let me begin by saying I do my best to be sensitive to the feelings and experiences of others not out of some scrambling PC fear, but because not hurting others seems like a basic level of decency we should all be striving for. As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really, really detests cruelty, I owe you all an apology for the pain caused. I am sorry. I did not connect limb difference with the GHW when the look of the character was brought to me; if I had, I assure you this never would have happened. I particularly want to say I’m sorry to kids with limb differences: now that I know better I promise I’ll do better. And I owe a special apology to everyone who loves you as fiercely as I love my own kids: I’m sorry I let your family down. If you aren’t already familiar, please check out the @Lucky_Fin_Project (video above) and the #NotAWitch hashtag to get a more inclusive and necessary perspective on limb difference.

    A post shared by Anne Hathaway (@annehathaway) on

    Earlier last week, Warner Bros studios had also extended apologies to the community. In a statement, the studio said it “regretted any offense caused.”

    The Robert Zemeckis-directorial has been adapted from the classic Roald Dahl children’s book. The story centres on a young boy who stumbles upon a gathering of witches while staying with his grandmother at a hotel. After finding out their evil plan to turn the world’s children into mice, he works with his grandmother to thwart their wicked plot. Along with Hathaway, the cast includes newcomer Jahzir Kadeem Bruno, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, Chris Rock and Kristin Chenoweth.

    The Witches was released on October 22 on HBO Max, which is Warner Bros.’ sister streaming service. It was earlier scheduled for theatrical release before the coronavirus induced shutdown of theatres in March.

  • Jemima Goldsmith’s next production is a rom-com directed by Shekhar Kapur

    Jemima Goldsmith’s next production is a rom-com directed by Shekhar Kapur

    Jemima Goldsmith, who has been producing short films and documentaries, is all set to delve into the rom-com genre with a romantic comedy tentatively titled What’s Love Got To Do With It? The film will be directed by Shekhar Kapur of Mr India and Dil Se fame and produced by Goldsmith under the banner of her production house Instinct Productions.

    Sharing the news on social media, Jemima said: “It’s taken 10 years and a million drafts to get here, but it was worth the wait as (COVID/God willing). I now get to work with all these legends. I am so bloody excited. And terrified.”

    According to Deadline, the film has been written by Jemima herself. Shooting for it is expected to begin next month.

    Starring Lily James (Baby Driver), Shazad Latif (Star Trek: Discovery) and Emma Thompson (Beauty and the Beast), the movie is set between London and South Asia, exploring cross-cultural conflicts of love and marriage.

    Read more – All single Pakistanis will relate to trending rom-com ‘Holidate’

    Meanwhile, a release date is not yet been announced.

    Goldsmith’s work roster includes her 2019 Emmy-nominated The Case Against Adnan Syed and her 2018 drama The Clinton Affair with producer credits for the upcoming American Crime Story. What’s Love Got To With It? marks her narrative feature debut.

  • Imran Abbas will soon be seen in an international film

    Imran Abbas will soon be seen in an international film

    Imran Abbas has revealed that he is working on an international film and will not be seen on television for at least the next year and a half.

    In an interactive question and answers session with his fans on Instagram, when a follower asked if he was growing his hair for a special project, Imran said that he is working on an international film. He added that although extensions can be added, “your own hair makes it feel different”. While the actor did not share further details on his upcoming project, it is likely that he is referring to the British feature film, titled The Trojan Horse, he had announced he will be doing back in May 2018. Imran had shared that he will be playing a spy in the film who is of Syrian-Morrocan descent.

    “I have many get-ups in the film and I will be seen in about six to seven disguises as I play the lead protagonist,” the actor had said. Filming for the movie was scheduled to begin in July 2018 but it appears that it might have been delayed.

    Later, when another follower asked when he will be seen next on television, Imran responded: “You won’t be able to watch me on TV at least for another one and a half year more (And even don’t know about after that either).”

    Meanwhile, Imran also joked that one of his recently concluded serials Jo Tu Chahy “kaafi farigh tha”. He added that this is what happens when you sign a project without reading the script.

    Read more – Imran Abbas defends himself after backlash on lion picture

    Imran also said that he is looking forward to watching Dil Bechara because it is his “moo bola bhai” Mukesh Chhabra’s first film and “the last film of the very talented Sushant Singh Rajput”. Dil Bechara released on Disney Hotstar on Friday and has become a huge hit. On the other hand, Imran has done several Bollywood films, the last one being Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in which he played Alizeh’s (Anushka Sharma) boyfriend.

  • Adnan Jaffar makes Hollywood debut with ‘Homeland’

    Adnan Jaffar makes Hollywood debut with ‘Homeland’

    Adnan Jaffar, who is currently essaying the role of Dr Feroz in the blockbuster drama Ruswai, has silently made his Hollywood debut with Homeland. The actor appeared in the ninth episode of the eighth season titled In Full Flight and essayed the role of a Pakistani General named Aziz who has a brief but heated exchange with Bunny Latif, played by the enigmatic Art Malik.

    In a recent interview, Jaffar, who started his career as a broadcast journalist, shared how he ended up getting the role in the final season of the award-winning series. He revealed that the team of Homeland was looking for an “English-speaking actor with a South Eastern face” and since a few of his films are available on Netflix, they ended up discovering him.

    “I was approached through a casting person who sent me an audition script, which I promptly recorded and sent back. They took a few weeks and luckily, the production team cast me in the character. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting it, being a ‘nobody’ on the international scene. So many people audition without success, plus it was such a high profile series. Any Indian actor could easily have done it, but I guess me (a Pakistani actor) being in it brought more authenticity,” Jaffar has said.

    Adnan further shared that the scenes were shot in Casablanca, Morocco and that his whole experience was very professional. He added that “playing a Pakistani Army officer was a proud moment” for him.

    Adnan began his career as a broadcast journalist for Dawn News. He made his film debut in 2015 in Jalaibee followed by Manto (2015), Moor (2015) and Jeewan Hathi (2016). He has also been part of many successful dramas, the most recent being Daasi and Ruswai.

    Meanwhile, Homeland in the past has often come in the line of fire for hurting Muslim and Middle Eastern sentiment. The show has also been criticised for showing Pakistan in a negative light within its storyline.