Author: rb809rb

  • ‘Industry’ Renewed for Fifth and Final Season at HBO

    ‘Industry’ Renewed for Fifth and Final Season at HBO

    Industry” has been renewed for Season 5 at HBO, which will be the show’s final season.

    The series, created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, is set to air its Season 4 finale on March 1 one hour earlier than usual at 8 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and HBO Max.

    “We’re privileged to have joined the small, esteemed club of dramas that have run for five seasons on HBO,” Down and Kay said in a statement. “This March marks a decade since we first began to conceive of the world of ‘Industry’ and it exists because of the unwavering faith and vision of our partners and former partners at HBO — Casey, Frannie, Kara, Cela, Sam, Kathleen, and Max. Without Jane Tranter’s imagination and belief, the show would simply be a dead idea in a drawer somewhere. She — alongside her partners at Bad Wolf — has been our guiding light and fiercest champion. We’d also like to thank the BBC for their partnership.”

    “For some time now we have been thinking about how best to end the show on an unparalleled high,” the pair continued. “Unlike some of our characters, we know when to leave a party. We’d like to thank our evangelical fan base, especially those who have watched from day one. Finally: we owe everything to our crew and the best cast on TV for making our writing live. The characters will live on because of their world class performances. Seeing the HBO ident in front of our work will never stop being a thrill. It remains the best place to make television, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration well into the future.”

    Per HBO, “Industry” Season 4 has been averaging 1.7 million viewers per episode across U.S. platforms, roughly 30% ahead of where Season 3 was at the same point. The fourth season’s cast includes: Myha’la, Marisa Abela, Kit Harington, Ken Leung, Max Minghella, Miriam Petche, Sagar Radia, Toheeb Jimoh, Charlie Heaton, Amy James-Kelly, Roger Barclay, Andrew Havill, Kiernan Shipka, Kal Penn, Jack Farthing, Stephen Campbell Moore, Claire Forlani, and Edward Holcroft.

    “For four seasons, ‘Industry’ has thrilled us while examining power, money, politics, and class. Under Mickey and Konrad’s ambitious and singular vision, it has solidified itself as an important contemporary, genre-bending drama in HBO’s lineup that keeps viewers on the edge of their seat week after week,” said Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO Drama Series and Films. “It is gratifying that viewers and critics have recognized season four as bigger and more thrilling than ever, buoyed by career defining performances from our magnificent cast. Alongside the amazing team under executive producer Jane Tranter at Bad Wolf and executive producer Kathleen McCaffrey at Little Gems, we are so proud we can announce the fifth season of this terrific show, which Mickey and Konrad have decided will take us to the end of ‘Industry’s’ story.”

    The official description of Season 4 states, “At the top of their game and living the lives they set out to have as Pierpoint grads, Harper (Myha’la) and Yasmin (Abela) are drawn into a high stakes, globetrotting cat-and-mouse game when a splashy fintech darling bursts onto the London scene. As Yasmin navigates her relationship with tech founder Sir Henry Muck (Harington) and Harper is pulled into the orbit of enigmatic executive Whitney Halberstram (Minghella), their twisted friendship begins to warp and ignite under the pressure of money, power, and the desire to be on top.”

    “Industry” is created, written, and executive produced by Down & Kay. The series is a Bad Wolf Production for HBO/BBC and is executive produced by Jane Tranter, Kate Crowther, and Ryan Rasmussen for Bad Wolf; Kathleen McCaffrey for Little Gems; and Rebecca Ferguson for BBC. Directors this season include Down & Kay, Michelle Savill, and Luke Snellin. Writers include Down, Kay, and Joseph Charlton.

    “When we first pitched the idea for ‘Industry’ to HBO, Casey and I believed this might be ‘the little engine that could’. Over 10 years later, ‘Industry’ has more than proven this to be true,” said Tranter, executive producer, CEO, and founder of Bad Wolf. “Mickey and Konrad have magnificently matured a raw, brilliant idea into a bold and uncompromising drama series passionately appreciated by both critics and its fiercely loyal fanbase. It has been loved onto the screen by the ferocious talent of MK, the exceptional executives at HBO and the world-class production team in Wolf Studios Wales, where Bad Wolf has filmed every season. Watching Mickey and Konrad and our extraordinary and beloved cast grow over the seasons continues to be a huge privilege. And now to see ‘Industry’ take its place among HBO’s most distinguished long-running drama series is to the great credit of them all.”

  • Women’s Sports Media Joint Venture IX to Five Launches From TOGETHXR, Horizon Sports & Experiences (EXCLUSIVE)

    Women’s Sports Media Joint Venture IX to Five Launches From TOGETHXR, Horizon Sports & Experiences (EXCLUSIVE)

    IX to Five, a new joint venture “built to supercharge the business of women’s sports,” is launching from David Levy and Chris Weil’s global sports marketing agency Horizon Sports & Experiences and popular women’s sports media company TOGETHXR.

    Described as an offering “created in response to a clear and growing demand for authentic and engaging women’s sports content,” per the two companies, IX to Five “will focus on creating, developing, and commercializing women’s sports content through premium storytelling, unique intellectual properties, signature live experiences, and high-value brand partnerships.”

    IX to Five will launch with a programming slate featuring talent including StudBudz, professional basketball players Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, and Lily Shimbashi, founder of Sportsish, known for her fresh perspectives on sports and pop culture, with additional content offerings to be announced later this year.

    New joint venture IX to Five marks the second collaboration between TOGETHXR and HS&E, which preciously partnered in December at the annual early season basketball showcase Women’s Champions Classic. At the HS&E co-produced event at the Barclays Center, which was anchored by the University of Connecticut and featured Top 25 basketball teams, TOGETHXR recorded podcasts and additional content.

    “Women’s sports is a high-growth, big ROI business. We’re excited to team up with TOGETHXR, the leader in women’s sports media, to deepen our commitment and redefine the commercial and consumer opportunities in the category,” Horizon Sports & Experiences co-CEO and founder David Levy. “IX to Five was born out of the industry’s need for infrastructure and a year-round strategy to turn unprecedented momentum into sustained media and commercial impact. We are creating a scalable platform, which complements HS&E’s premium programming, for brands to invest in a more meaningful, authentic way and for fans to have more opportunities to engage with the athletes and content shaping culture.

    “Women’s sports doesn’t need more moments — it needs infrastructure that turns momentum into careers, culture, and commerce,” TOGETHXR executive chair Nancy Dubuc said. “TOGETHXR has helped move the space from ‘after hours’ attention to always-on storytelling, and this partnership with David and Horizon Sports & Experiences accelerates that shift — building a platform where athletes, creators, and brands grow together year-round.”

  • ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ Trailer: Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson Get Tangled Up in a Meta Slasher

    ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ Trailer: Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson Get Tangled Up in a Meta Slasher

    Mubi has released the trailer for “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” a gruesome meta-take on the slasher genre of yore. The film, starring Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson, is set for theatrical release via the distributor on August 7. 

    Dubbed a “new kind of horror remake,” the trailer gives fans a peek into the highly stylized world created by director Jane Schoenbrun; “If it get’s too real,” Anderson’s voiceover says, “you can always turn it off.” Spooky!

    The film is set to follow a young director (Einbinder) enthusiastic about resurrecting the Camp Miasma slash franchise after “years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom,” the official logline reads. “But when she visits the original movie’s star, a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear and delirium.”

    The film is the third from Schoenbrun, who wrote and directed “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair” in 2021 and “I Saw the TV Glow” in 2024. 

    In addition to Einbinder and Anderson, the film’s cast includes Amanda Fix, Arthur Conti, Eva Victor, Zach Cherry, Sarah Sherman, Patrick Fischler, Dylan Baker, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Quintessa Swindell, Kevin McDonald and Jack Haven. 

    Before she made her horror debut, Einbinder starred as Ava Daniels, a comedy writer, in four seasons of the hit Max Original series “Hacks.” In 2025, she won her first Emmy, for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, for the role. Best known for her roles in “The X-Files” and “Sex Education,” Gillian Anderson most recently appeared on Netflix’s “The Abandons.”

    Mubi financed while Plan B produced. “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” will be released in North America, Latin America, U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Benelux, Spain, Italy, Turkey, India, Australia and New Zealand.

    Watch the trailer below.

  • Ukrainian Filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa to Be Feted at Documentary Festival Visions du Réel

    Ukrainian Filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa to Be Feted at Documentary Festival Visions du Réel

    Ukrainian filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa will be the Special Guest at the 57th edition of documentary film festival Visions du Réel, which runs April 17-26 in Nyon, Switzerland.

    Loznitsa will conduct a masterclass on April 18, and present a selected retrospective of his documentary work.

    Emilie Bujès, artistic director of Visions du Réel, said Loznitsa was “a master of contemporary montage cinema.”

    She added, “His work notably includes the meticulous re-examination of archives highlighting state violence and the stutter of history, as the images’ subtext is revealed with force and perseverance.

    “In both his documentary and fiction works, Sergei Loznitsa retraces decisive moments in 20th-century history and questions the structures of power and memory through cinema of great rigor and precision.”

    Among the films screening are three that look at the political situation in Ukraine over recent decades.

    In “Maidan” (2014), which was made in just four months and then presented in a special screening at Cannes, Loznitsa chronicles the demonstrations that triggered the Ukrainian Revolution.

    Also playing is “Donbass” (2018), whose script was based on amateur videos found on YouTube. The filmmaker depicts the takeover of the Donbass region by Russian-speaking militias who entered into conflict with the Ukrainian army.

    In “The Invasion” (2024), Loznitsa continues his Ukrainian chronicles with a film about his country’s struggle against the Russian invasion. Filmed over a period of two years, the film depicts the lives of civilians across the Ukrainian territory and captures the population’s resilience in the face of the Russian war of aggression.

    Also screening is “Austerlitz” (2016), which examines the trivialization of Holocaust memory and uses lingering black-and-white static shots to capture tourists visiting a former concentration camp turned memorial.

    Other films question “the processes that shape the creation of post-communist collective memory,” the festival said. “Blockade” (2005) was assembled solely from footage shot during the Siege of Leningrad, which ran from Sept. 8, 1941 to Jan. 27, 1944, and leaves the war off-screen, focusing on the day-to-day survival of the population. “The Event” (2015) revisits the August 1991 coup in Moscow. “Babi Yar. Context” (2021) unfolds without narration, recounting the largest massacre of Jews in World War II, which took place near Kyiv. The film was awarded L’Œil d’or’s Special Jury Prize at Cannes.

  • Oscars Final Voting 101: How to Fill Out Your Ballot and Navigate This Year’s Changes

    Dear Academy member,

    Final voting will soon open, and with it comes the annual Oscar rite of passage: Doing your civic duty for cinema, making tough artistic choices and trying desperately to remember who won last year.

    Now, the Academy introduced real updates meant to make voting cleaner, fairer and less confusing. The headline change is simple: Members are now formally required to demonstrate they’ve watched a film before voting for it in that category. That’s always been the expectation. What’s new is the technology enforcing it, plus a few ballot tweaks that will change how voting feels in practice.

    Only 50 films are recognized across all categories, matching last year and marking the lowest total since 2008. It was a profoundly top-heavy year. Whether that reflects shrinking viewing habits, an oversaturated landscape or simply an unusually dominant crop of contenders remains to be seen. Watching 50 movies is, and should always be, enjoyable, even if you’re not a fan by the end credits.

    Below is the plain-English guide to what’s new, what counts, what doesn’t, how best picture works (because it still confuses some of us who are bad at math) and how to be a top-of-your-game voter without turning the living room into a screening committee.

    Consider this your cheat sheet, or your Oscar voting “tech support” — with a gentle attempt to ensure you actually contact the official Academy tech support (which, yes, is open Monday through Friday), because I honestly cannot help you during the week.

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    FAQ’s for Final Oscar Voting

    Q: Is watching all the movies a brand-new rule?

    Not exactly. The Academy has always encouraged and asked members to vote only in categories where they’ve watched the nominees. What’s new for the 98th Oscars is that final voting now requires you to certify through the Academy Screening Room (ASR) that you’ve viewed the nominated films in that category before you’re eligible to vote. Same expectation, new “proof you did the homework” button.

    Q: Where do I have to watch them?

    Pretty much anywhere you’d normally watch during the season: theatrical releases, festivals, FYC screenings, guild screenings, or on ASR. The Academy isn’t grading your venue. It’s grading whether you marked it.

    Q: What do I have to watch to be eligible to vote in a category, and

    The simple version: watch all nominated films in that category — typically all five (and all 10 best picture nominees) to vote in those specific categories. But if you don’t watch one of the movies in your category, you can’t vote. So do your homework!

    Q: How do I get credit for watching a film?

    No ticket stubs required, no receipts needed and you don’t have to be an AMC Stubs member. It’s still the honor system, just with a checkbox and accountability.

    Ultimately, there are two ways it records your viewing:

    • Automatic: Watch the film in full on ASR and it can record automatically.
    • Manual: If you watched it anywhere else, you’ll need to MARK WATCHED on ASR (or the member site or Academy Members app).

    Q: OK, but how do I MARK WATCHED? Where is it?

    You can MARK WATCHED in three main places:

    • On the film’s detail page in ASR, the member site, or the Academy Members app.
    • By selecting the Eligibility button inside a category in ASR/member site/app, it shows what you still need and lets you mark films you’ve already seen elsewhere.
    • During voting on the voting site: if you’re locked out, select View Eligibility and you’ll be routed to the same Eligibility Notice to fix what’s missing.

    Q: I watched it, but the ballot won’t let me vote. Now what?

    Stop spiraling, dude! This is usually a logging issue, not a personal assault against you. Try these:

    • Click View Eligibility (or the category’s Eligibility button).
    • Use the Eligibility Notice to see what the system thinks is missing.
    • If you watched it elsewhere, MARK WATCHED.
    • Return to the ballot and try again.

    Also, reminder emails leading up to voting often include direct links to each category’s Eligibility Notice — the Academy is basically preemptively saying, “You don’t have to call tech support if you just look at your e-mails.”

    Q: Do clips, Bake Off videos or craft explainers count as watching?

    Nice try, but no. Helpful isn’t the same as watched. Bake-offs and explainer content are there to inform your vote, not replace the actual films. You still need to watch the nominated films in full to be eligible — yes, even for best original song, where the clip is extremely tempting as a shortcut.

    Q: So what are the Bake-offs for, then?

    Knowledge is power! They’re your cheat codes for context — especially in casting, makeup and hairstyling, sound and visual effects. You can see the in-person presentations that took place in Los Angeles, New York and London. You can watch virtually and find excerpts with interviews with the artists from the shortlisted films. Great for understanding craft. Not a substitute for watching.

    Q: What other resources can help me vote smarter?

    A few genuinely useful ones:

    • “Academy in Brief” explainer videos on voting and final eligibility requirements.
    • Scene at the Academy (behind-the-scenes content on contenders)
    • Peer-to-peer nominee interviews (notably for Production Design)
    • The Academy Reading Room (where all nominated screenplays are available)

    Think of these as your study guides for your final exam.

    Q: Do AMPAS membership screenings count toward my record?

    Not automatically. If you watched outside ASR — including membership screenings — the safest move is still to MARK WATCHED manually. Certain official voting events tied to required processes may be recorded, but if you don’t want surprises on ballot day, treat manual marking like flossing: annoying, but it prevents pain later.

    Q: What’s new about the ballot itself?
    Two noticeable changes:

    • All designated nominees’ names now appear directly on the ballot (craft teams included — as they should).
    • Name order follows legal billing/credit submissions, so don’t expect alphabetical order for people. Films, however, are listed alphabetically.

    Q: How does best picture voting work?

    Well, Variety put together a beautiful explainer video that puts it in the simplest terms we can (watch above). Best picture uses preferential voting (ranked choice):

    • Rank the best picture nominees in order.
    • If a film gets 50% plus one of first-place votes, it wins.
    • If not, the film with the fewest first-place votes is eliminated.
    • Those ballots move to the next highest-ranked choice still in contention.
    • Repeat until someone crosses the threshold.

    Rank all the movies, folks — and definitely more than one or two. Ranking additional titles does not weaken your No. 1. It keeps your ballot active in later rounds if your favorite is eliminated early.

    Q: How do the other categories work?

    The other 23 categories are plurality: Most votes wins. It’s the Academy’s version of, “Whoever has the biggest pile at the end takes it.”

    Q: Who counts the votes?

    PricewaterhouseCoopers tabulates the ballots, as it has for decades. The Academy does not count its own votes.

    Q: What does all this mean for winners?

    If members actually watch broadly, the ballot gets stronger and the outcomes get more informed. If members watch narrowly, the new eligibility rules can reshape who’s even voting in certain categories — which can lead to fewer steamrolls and more chaos.

    The best-case scenario: More viewing = better winners.

    The most entertaining scenario: The upsets = very fun TV.

    The honest answer is that both are possible. The best-case scenario is that more members see more films, strengthening the ballot. The slightly more fun scenario is that it also strengthens the Oscars’ favorite genre: The upset.

    Q: When does voting close?

    Final voting closes at 5 p.m. PT on March 5. Set a reminder if you must — though the Academy is sending out e-mails and texts every day until you vote.

    Q: So how do I stop all the e-mails and texts?

    Send in your ballot, silly.

    Q: Fine. How can I earn the respect of cinephiles and journalists everywhere?

    If you want the simplest route to honor and respect, be an excellent voter. How do you become an excellent voter? Follow these five steps.

    1. Watch all the movies. It’s the job.
    2. Don’t skip the shorts. That is where some extraordinary filmmakers are doing extraordinary work.
    3. Rank best picture like you mean it.
    4. In everything else, pick your winner. Plurality rules.
    5. If you haven’t seen the movie, skip it. Leave it to the people who did their homework.

    Cinema thanks you. The Academy thanks you. Take it seriously. We’re depending on you. Also, don’t hit “Reply All.”

    Sincerely,

    Cinephiles.

  • NBA trade deadline hot topics & unhappy teams with Jason Timpf + NFL Playoffs talk with Justin Boone

    Subscribe to The Kevin O’Connor Show

    Kevin O’Connor is joined by Jason Timpf to check in with unhappy fan bases across the NBA. They discuss whether the criticism of Karl Anthony-Towns is fair and offer solutions to the problems in New York. Then, they break down the root of Atlanta’s issues since the Trae Young trade. Plus, what’s going on in Los Angeles and can it even be fixed?

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    Next, KOC shares why Collin Murray-Boyles could be the next Draymond Green and why the Celtics-Pistons matchup is the game of the week. Who should the Pistons target before the trade deadline? KOC gives his picks! Plus, is Ja Morant’s stock rising? Do the Timberwolves need to make a trade to find success this season?

    Later, Justin Boone joins to discuss why the Buffalo Bills parted ways with Sean McDermott, recap the wild NFL divisional games and preview the upcoming championship weekend.

    (0:15) Jason Timpf joins

    (1:23) Unhappy fan bases: New York Knicks

    (9:18) Unhappy fan bases: Atlanta Hawks

    (15:49) Unhappy fan bases: Los Angeles Lakers

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    (25:16)  Collin Murray-Boyles = Draymond Green

    (29:13) Celtics vs. Pistons preview

    (41:56) Is Ja Morant’s stock rising back up?

    (49:19) Do Timberwolves need to make a trade?

    (1:06:23) All-Star starters announced

    (1:10:26) NFL 6 Points! with Justin Boone

    Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks reacts during the game against the Phoenix Suns at Madison Square Garden on January 17, 2026 in New York City.  (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

    Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks reacts during the game against the Phoenix Suns at Madison Square Garden on January 17, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

    (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

    🖥️ Watch this full episode on the Yahoo Sports NBA YouTube channel

    Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family athttps://apple.co/3zEuTQj or atyahoosports.tv

  • 4 KEY offseason moves for Bills, Bears, 49ers, Texans + Saleh to Titans & latest coaching hire reactions

    Nate Tice & Matt Harmon react to the latest NFL coaching hire news before determining what went wrong for playoff losers and what each team can do to get further next season. The duo start with their thoughts on the latest coaching hires, including the Miami Dolphins hiring Jeff Hafley, the Tennessee Titans getting Robert Saleh, the Detroit Lions hiring OC Drew Petzing and the Kansas City Chiefs hiring OC Eric Bieniemy.

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    Next, Nate & Matt deep dive on the four Divisional Round losers, determining what direction each team needs to take to retool and get even closer to a Super Bowl next season. The duo cover the post-Sean McDermott Buffalo Bills and their need to nail the next coaching hire, the Chicago Bears and how they can fix their defense, the Houston Texans and next steps to fix C.J. Stroud and the San Francisco 49ers, who are entering a sketchier offseason than you may realize.

    (5:00) – Titans hire Robert Saleh

    (14:10) – Dolphins hire Jeff Hafley

    (20:30) – Key OC hires: Petzing to Lions & Bieniemy to Chiefs

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    (41:00) – Bills deep dive

    (1:00:45) – Bears deep dive

    (1:06:45) – Texans deep dive

    (1:20:15) – 49ers deep dive

    DENVER, CO - JANUARY 17: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills reacts after a play against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an AFC Divisional Playoff game at Empower Field At Mile High on January 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

    DENVER, CO – JANUARY 17: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills reacts after a play against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an AFC Divisional Playoff game at Empower Field At Mile High on January 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

    (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

    🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

    Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

  • Meet the New Mets Roster, Beltrán & Jones Elected to the Hall of Fame and the Phillies Bring Back a Familiar Face

    Subscribe to Baseball Bar-B-Cast

    The New York Mets struck big last year when they reeled in Juan Soto from the Bronx to headline an eventful winter. However, after a disappointing 2025 campaign, the Amazin’s have been on a mission to retool this offseason, and thanks to David Stearns, they’ll go into 2026 with plenty of new faces and hope for success.

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    On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the retooled lineup that the Mets have assembled, which includes signing Bo Bichette and trading for Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox. In addition to the signings of Devin Williams and Jorge Polanco, the new-look Mets are looking forward to a redemption season in 2026.

    Later, Jordan and Jake talk about Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, why the Houston Astros cheating scandal caused Beltrán to have to wait and the improbable climb for Jones to make it into the Hall. Then the guys discuss the Philadelphia Phillies bringing J.T. Realmuto back to the City of Brotherly Love, Elly De La Cruz rejecting a big contract extension from the Cincinnati Reds and take a look at the LIDOM Championship Series.

    1:12 – The Opener: New-look Mets

    22:09 – Luis Robert Jr. trade

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    33:24 – Hall of Fame results

    54:26 – Around the League: Phillies re-sign Realmuto

    1:03:02 – Three-team trade

    1:06:47 – Elly turns down extension

    1:09:33 – LIDOM Championship Series

    Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images
Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images

    Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images

    (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

    🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

    Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

  • The Fall and Rise of ‘Scream 7’: A Fired Star, a $500K Script Rewrite and Neve Campbell’s $7 Million Salary

    The Fall and Rise of ‘Scream 7’: A Fired Star, a $500K Script Rewrite and Neve Campbell’s $7 Million Salary

    When Ghostface returns to the big screen, the knife-wielding masked murderer is primed to make a box office killing. “Scream 7,” the latest installment in the long-running horror franchise, is tracking a scary-good debut of $45 million to $50 million in North America. Those estimates would deliver a series-best kickoff, underscoring Paramount and Spyglass’ success in reviving a property that only 10 years ago was deader than one of the notorious slasher’s many victims.

    Yet the journey back to theaters has been tumultuous, with a dramatic firing and high-profile cast and creative exits that required a major revamp of the script — and prompted a vocal backlash from fans.

    In late 2023, Melissa Barrera, the star of 2022’s “Scream” reboot and 2023’s “Scream VI,” was fired from the seventh installment by Spyglass over social media messages the production company deemed antisemitic. After war broke out in Gaza that year, Barrera reshared a post accusing Israel of “genocide and ethnic cleansing” as well as a magazine article alleging the Israeli government was distorting “the Holocaust to boost the Israeli arms industry.”

    Shortly after Barrera’s axing, her on-screen sister Jenna Ortega, whose profile has skyrocketed since she and Barrera joined the “Scream” team, announced she wouldn’t return for “Scream 7.” She cited scheduling conflicts with her hit Netflix series “Wednesday.” Amid the turmoil, the film’s original director, Christopher Landon, left the project because he was getting death threats over Barrera’s firing, even though he didn’t make the decision to boot her.

    At a creative crossroads, “Scream” producers turned to franchise veteran Kevin Williamson to take over directing duties on the seventh film. He and Guy Busick, a writer on the prior two installments, co-wrote the screenplay — which needed a serious retooling given the exits of Ortega and Barrera, whose characters were the protagonists of “Scream VI” in lieu of Neve Campbell’s resilient heroine Sidney Prescott. Sources peg the cost of the rewrite at roughly $500,000, which they say isn’t a major expenditure for a franchise of this size.

    With the sixth film, Paramount executives were concerned about making a “Scream” movie without Campbell, who didn’t return over a salary dispute. However, the studio’s say in the matter was limited because Spyglass had the final ruling on creative decisions. Any fears were quelled when “Scream VI” earned $161 million at the global box office, the biggest haul since the first two installments.

    Without the red-hot Ortega on board for the sequel, though, Paramount and Spyglass knew they needed a killer marketing hook. Spyglass chief Gary Barber is known as one of Hollywood’s toughest dealmakers, but this time around, Campbell had more leverage to return. The actor was able to secure a nearly $7 million deal, a hefty raise and a major salary for the horror genre. Courteney Cox, who has appeared in every “Scream” film since the original 1996 slasher, was awarded a $2 million payday.

    “Neve Campbell is to ‘Scream’ what Jamie Lee Curtis is for the ‘Halloween’ franchise,” says Shawn Robbins, director of movie analytics at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory. “She’s a big draw, especially for older generations who grew up with the original films.”

    Paramount and Spyglass are banking on nostalgia, as well as the enduring popularity of horror, to propel the slasher series to new box office heights. (The studio is tempering expectations by projecting a debut closer to $40 million; meanwhile, rivals and independent tracking services are predicting the initial figure could exceed $50 million.) That’s because production costs on “Scream 7” began to balloon as the film was delayed a year. The seventh chapter carries a $45 million budget, up from the sixth film’s $35 million price tag. One source notes that inflation, which has impacted everything from set construction to travel expenses, is partly responsible for the bigger budget.

    “Initially there was thought that the momentum from the two previous films could be lost. And there’s certainly a section of the audience that’s upset about who is not coming back,” says Robbins. “But now the pendulum is swinging. This is driving a lot of interest about how certain characters are coming back.”

    And this likely won’t be Ghostface’s final reign of terror. Insiders suggest plans are already in place for the killer’s lethal return in an eighth film. Tell the survivors to hide their families.

  • U.K. MPs Demand Answers From BBC Boss Tim Davie Over BAFTA Awards N-Word Slur Despite Delayed Broadcast

    U.K. MPs Demand Answers From BBC Boss Tim Davie Over BAFTA Awards N-Word Slur Despite Delayed Broadcast

    The chair of the U.K.’s parliamentary culture committee has written to the BBC to demand answers over the broadcast of the n-word during the BAFTAs on Sunday night.

    “I am writing regarding the BBC’s coverage of the BAFTA film awards on Sunday,” the head of the committee, Caroline Dinenage wrote to outgoing BBC director general Tim Davie. “As you know, the BBC’s broadcast included a racial slur made as a result of involuntary tics by a person with Tourette syndrome. I am seeking an explanation as to how the slur came to be broadcast in spite of a two-hour time delay.”

    “We have previously raised concerns with you about circumstances in which the BBC has allowed deeply offensive language to be aired, notably the broadcasting of antisemitic language during the BBC’s coverage of last year’s Glastonbury festival. This latest incident raises questions about the extent to which lessons have been learned and about the controls and systems you have in place to prevent such incidents.”

    Dinenage has asked Davie to answer a number of questions over the incident, including “What specific systems do you have in place to prevent the broadcasting of such language? Why did these systems fail in this case?” She also asked whether the broadcaster had learned any lessons from “previous incidents, including Glastonbury.”

    In response, a BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC has been reviewing what happened at BAFTA on Sunday evening. This was a serious mistake and the Director-General has instructed the Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) to complete a fast-tracked investigation and provide a full response to complainants.”

    The BBC has been widely criticized for not censoring a Tourette’s campaigner inadvertently shouting the n-word during the BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday night despite a two-hour delay between the ceremony and the broadcast.

    John Davidson, who has experienced tics and uncontrolled outbursts involving cursing since the age of 12, shouted the n-word when Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo took to the stage to present the award for best visual effects.

    The ceremony took place two hours before the broadcast, in part to allow for controversial statements to be edited out. A reference to “Free Palestine” during one acceptance speech did not make it into the broadcast on BBC One.

    However the n-word slur can clearly be heard during a pause in Jordan and Lindo’s introduction to the nominees for best visual effects. The slur was still present on the BBC’s streaming service iPlayer on Monday morning.

    Sources told Variety the n-word was not cut from the broadcast because production team Penny Lane, who were in an editing truck, “do not hear” the shouting. However, this claim has been contradicted by execs from Warner Bros., who were in attendance to support BAFTA-nominated film “Sinners,” who said they raised the issue about broadcasting immediately with BAFTA.

    Davidson had a number of uncontrolled outbursts during the first half of the ceremony, shouting “shut the fuck up” and “fuck you” a number of times before reportedly removing himself midway through.
    “Sinners” production designer Hannah Bleacher indicated that she had heard the n-word three times during the night, including once directed at her, in a statement on X, which she posted after the ceremony.

    During the ceremony a source told Variety that Davidson was an invited guest and stressed that under no circumstances would he be removed or asked to leave.

    While there has been sympathy for Davidson, some anger has been directed at both BAFTA and the BBC for failing to censor or remove the Tourette’s campaigner’s outburst from the broadcast.

    In a statement given to BBC News, a spokesperson for the BBC said: “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the Bafta Film Awards 2026. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette’s syndrome, and was not intentional. We apologise for any offence caused by the language heard.”

    Last summer the BBC broke its own editorial guidelines by broadcasting harmful and antisemitic statements made by a performer at Glastonbury who went on a tirade abut a former record label boss he described as a “fucking Zionist” and “bald-headed cunt” and led the crowd in chanting “death to the IDF.”

    Despite the BBC staff being aware of there being a “high risk” of antisemitic statements and having the option to cut the live broadcast, it went out in full.

    BBC chair Samir Shah later called it “unquestionably an error of judgement.”

    The latest controversy could not come at a worse time for the BBC, which is currently having its Royal Charter — the authority under which it is governed — reviewed. Part of that review will include funding options. The corporation is currently funded largely via a de facto tax called a license fee, which is required from anyone who watches any form of iPlayer or live TV on any platform or device. Currently the license fee is £174.50 for watching live TV in color. Conviction results in a court fine of up to £1,000 and non-payment of the fine can result in jail time.

    The BBC is also embroiled in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit with President Donald Trump after the broadcaster was found to have doctored one of his speeches in a documentary about the Jan. 6 insurrection. The furore led to both Davie and the BBC’s head of news Deborah Turness resigning. Trump is suing the corporation in Florida.