Category: Entertainment

Netflix has officially set the release date for “The Body,” which draws inspiration from ‘90s and Y2K teen movies such as “Carrie” and “Jennifer’s Body.”

Created by Quinn Shephard, a group of unholy Catholic school girls start to have prophecy-like visions that send their town into a panic after a dance-team initiation takes a turn for the worse. 

The eight-episode series will release on the streaming platform Nov. 11 with Kristina Bogic (“Playing Gracie Darling”) as Anya Butler, Sara Boustany (“PEN15”) as Elise Zakaria, Geena Meszaros (“The Order”) as Lisbeth Anderson, Nnamdi Asomugha (“The Knife”) as Father Franklin, Louisa Krause (“King Kelly”) as Maddie Delaney, Jackson Kelly (“The Pitt”) as Leo Anderson and Sofia Wylie (“The Map That Leads To You”) as Grace Franklin. 

Recurring cast members include Kyra Pierce, Phallon Pierce, Marcel Ruiz, Orlando Norman, Gabby Windey, Ashley Madekwe, Motell Foster, Cale Ambrozic, Anna Tierney, Chloe Longname, Sarah Abbott, Emily Roman, Michela Luci, Bella Neuspiel, Julia Lowe and Christine Solomon. 

Shephard also serves as showrunner and director. Executive producing are Peter Chernin, Amy Israel and Josh Stern for North Road; Riley Keough, Gina Gammell and Sacha Ben Harroche for Felix Culpa; and Blair Breard.

See first like photos below.

CASTING

Netflix has announced new additions to the cast of “The Sticks,” the official title for the hockey series created by Nick Naveda. 

Series regulars include Scott Bakula (“Quantum Leap”) as Coach Brody Hansen, Logan Marshall-Green (“Marshals”) as Coach Sully and Alex MacIsaac (“The Social Reckoning”) as Emma Boone. 

The newly announced recurring characters features Bryan Greenberg (“Emily in Paris”) as Cliff Barnes, Chelsea Field (“NCIS: New Orleans”) as Alice Hansen, Patrick Gallagher (“Big Sky”) as Principal Montgomery, Alison Araya (“Riverdale”) as Joan Garcia, Aman Smardon (“Allegiance”) as Kai Becker, Krista Bridges (“Narc”) as Frankie Ryder and Ben Cotton “(The Night Agent”) as Mr. Marchbanks. 

After a tragedy rocks a small hockey town in Minnesota, “a grieving wife steps behind the bench of the team her husband built, guiding a found family of wounded young athletes through a season of loss, love and rivalry that will decide whether South Dorothy has anything left to believe in, and who will lead it into its next chapter,” per the series logline.

“Sticks” will premiere on Netflix in 2027, with Naveda executive producing alongside showrunner Bridget Bedard and director Trey Edward Shults. Additional executive producers include Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Robert Atwood for 21 Laps.

The eight-episode series previously announced cast members Michelle Monaghan as Harper Sullivan, Emilie Bierre as Riley Sullivan, Shari Chase as Henry Sullivan, Josh MacQueen as Rhett Nelson, Costa D’Angelo as Owen Boone, Carter Shimp as Austin Ryder, Ethan Holder as Cooper Cunningham, Isaac Arellanes as Manny Rodriguez, Chloe Avakian as Izzy Miller, Caleb Baumann as Elu, River Codack as Tyler Walker, Angus Albinati as Jack McGrath and Callum Orchison as Derek Marchbanks. 

See behind-the-scenes photos below. 

Ella Langley‘s “Choosin’ Texas” is unquestionably the biggest hit single of the year, and all that’s left to decide is where the seemingly unstoppable song ultimately lands among the biggest chart hits of all time. The country crossover smash just landed its 17th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, which gives it still more bragging rights, as the tune is now in sole possession of the No. 4 spot on the list of historic chart-topping streaks.

As of last week, “Choosin’ Texas” was tied with three other songs that had also landed 16 weeks at No. 1: Morgan Wallen‘s “Last Night,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” and Mariah Carey and Boys II Men’s “One Sweet Day.” Now that she has left those songs in the dust, there are just three more tunes to surpass to set an all-time record: Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” each of which was No. 1 for 19 weeks, and Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas,” the all-time record-holder with 22 weeks on top. Not long ago, it would have seemed impossible to imagine anyone edging past Carey’s holiday perennial, but with the roll Langley is on, another six weeks at No. 1 is not a laughable goal.

One reason to think that “Choosin’ Texas” may not be slowing down much, if at all, on its march toward setting further records: it just reached the top 10 on Billboard’s pop airplay chart for the first time this week, as stations that would have never, ever played a traditional country song find themselves giving in to audience demand. Overall radio play for the song was up 4% for the week, because of the added pop play, according to Billboard.

Langley landed another week at the top despite a strong showing from Ariana Grande, who has two songs in the top 10 as a result of the “Petal” album’s release. Leadoff single “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” which debuted on top when it came out in May, jumped back up from No. 8 to No. 2. One other song from the new set made it into the upper ranks: “Petal,” the album’s title track, debuted at No. 4.

Of course, the Grande resurgence means that country songs do not occupy all five of the chart’s top spots, as they did on last week’s historic chart. But the representation for the genre is barely diminished. Wallen’s “Been by Now” dropped just one position, to No. 3, in its second week out. Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You” fell two spots to No. 5. Stella Lefty’s freshman smash “Boston” dropped a single spot to No. 6. The Wallen/Langley duet “I Can’t Love You Anymore” dropped three slots to No. 7. And Langley’s “Be Her” slipped one spot to No. 10.

Obviously, there is not much room in the top 10 at present for anyone who is not either a country star or Ariana Grande. But two songs that don’t fit either of those criteria made the grade. “Dracula” by Tame Impala and Jennie is at No. 8, down two spots from last week, and Olivia Dean’s “So Easy (to Fall in Love)” is right behind it at No. 9, also down two slots.

While Grande wasn’t able to surge past Langley to reclaim the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100, she does own the top position on the Billboard 200 album chart with “Petal,” as reported Sunday. (Langley’s “Dandelion” album is No. 4 on that chart.)

This week’s metrics for “Choosin’ Texas,” as reported by Billboard, add up to 24.9 million official streams (down 2% for the week) and 54.5 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 4%)..

If “Choosin’ Texas” manages to go the distance and somehow beat “All I Want for Christmas” as the all-time leader in weeks at No. 1, it may be a short-lived victory, of course, since the Carey song has tended to go No. 1 for a few weeks every December in recent years. But who knows — at this rate, listeners could yet choose Texas over Xmas.

Comedian, actor, and entertainer Bill Bellamy will be presented with the Icon Award at the 2026 Whats Funny Comedy Festival, recognizing his decades of excellence and impact on stand-up comedy and entertainment.

The Whats Funny Comedy Festival was co-founded by Knowledge Beckom and Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out,” “Rel,” “Vacation Friends 2”) with the mission to spotlight Black and Brown comedians and make Chicago the “next great home of comedy discovery.”

The festival’s upcoming third edition will be held September 19-26 at venues throughout Chicago, including Comedy Bar, Laugh Factory, Bellagio 223, ETA Theater, and Wax Vinyl Bar. More than 50 comedians from 20 cities will perform in showcases, including Cousin Tiera, Correy Bell, Eva Evans, Rich Thomas, Shang and Chris ‘CP’ Powell, host of the latest reboot of BET’s “Comic View.”

On Sept. 21, Bellamy will receive the Icon Award during the inaugural Whats Funny Today Show Chicago Comedy Legends ceremony. Bellamy will be honored alongside 15 Chicago comedians whose careers helped shape the city’s comedy legacy. The celebration will conclude with a live taping of the “Whats Funny Today Show” podcast featuring Bellamy and special guests.

Another one of the week’s marquee events will be the live taping of Howery’s next stand-up comedy special on Sept. 20; his previous special, “Rel Talk,” was filmed during the inaugural Whats Funny Comedy Festival and released on Tubi last year. Howery will also lead a master class, sharing insights from his journey through stand-up, television and film.

“The Whats Funny Comedy Festival was created to celebrate the incredible legacy of Black comedy while creating meaningful opportunities for today’s comedians to learn, perform, and build lasting careers,” Beckom, the festival’s co-founder and executive director, said in a statement. “Every year we strive to elevate the experience for audiences and performers alike, and 2026 will be our biggest and most impactful festival yet.”

For the full schedule, tickets and additional information, visit the Whats Funny Comedy Festival website.

Singapore’s Silver Media Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesian boxing legend Chris John to develop “Dragon’s Dojo,” a mobile-first vertical animated series drawing on Indonesian folklore.

The project marks the first chapter of the ASERYA Asian Mythology Franchise.

The venture unites Silver Media Group with Chris John, longtime Indonesian TV executive Harun Kurniawan and Koollab Studios as co-production partners.

“Dragon’s Dojo” launches the ASERYA Universe, an interconnected Asian mythology franchise spanning animation, comics, games and merchandise. The universe pairs real-world figures with young protagonists, folklore and mythical beings drawn from across the continent, with the goal of introducing Asian stories to global audiences.

The story follows ancient creatures appearing in the modern world, prompting heroes from different countries to confront a rising darkness threatening the region. In “Dragon’s Dojo,” Chris John takes on an animated alter ego, cast as the head instructor and mentor at the show’s namesake martial arts academy, which works with young people facing hardship. As creatures from Indonesian mythology emerge to threaten his students’ community, Chris and his pupils find their fight extends beyond monsters to their own inner struggles.

The series is designed as a multi-platform franchise with potential extensions into comics, games and merchandise.

Chan Gin Kai, founder and CEO of Silver Media Group, said Asia holds some of the richest histories, cultures and mythologies in the world, but many of these stories remain little known outside their home countries.

“With ASERYA, we want to build an interconnected universe where these stories can come alive for a new generation of audiences,” Chan said. “‘Dragon’s Dojo’ is the beginning of that journey in Indonesia, combining the legacy of a true champion in Chris John with the power of mythology, action and values-driven storytelling. As we open the door to a wider universe of stories from across Asia, we hope to share this rich heritage with the world.”

Chris John said martial arts involves more than learning how to fight, teaching discipline, respect, courage and how to face life’s challenges. “Throughout my career, boxing has taught me that the greatest victories are not only achieved in the ring, but also in overcoming the challenges we face every day,” he said. “‘Dragon’s Dojo’ brings these values into an exciting adventure where young people can discover their strength, purpose and the courage to find their own path while experiencing the richness of Indonesian mythology.”

Kurniawan said Indonesia has extraordinary stories, legends and cultural heritage passed down through generations. “‘Dragon’s Dojo’ gives us an opportunity to bring these elements into a contemporary format and introduce them to audiences around the world,” he said. “We are creating something that is proudly Indonesian while being part of a much larger Asian storytelling universe.”

Koollab Studios co-founder Oliver Guse said the future of entertainment will be shaped by the collaboration between human creativity, technology and new approaches to storytelling. “At Koollab Studios, we believe innovation should empower creators to tell bigger and more ambitious stories while preserving the authenticity and emotional heart that make them meaningful,” Guse said. “‘Dragon’s Dojo’ represents an exciting opportunity to combine creative vision with new production possibilities, bringing Indonesia’s rich culture and mythology to audiences around the world.”

“Dragon’s Dojo” is in development, with production and release details to be announced.

Silver Media Group, founded by Golden Horse Award-winning producer Chan Gin Kai, manages a portfolio of more than 1,500 intellectual property assets spanning film, animation, games and graphic novels. The company has partnered with a fund manager licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore to establish the Silver Media Fund, an institutional-grade media investment vehicle focused on developing and financing scalable IP.

Koollab Studios was co-founded by Guse, who has spent three decades working in animation production, and focuses on production workflows built around emerging technologies.

The BFI London Film Festival has announced that two of the U.K.’s most acclaimed producers will lead the industry program at its upcoming 70th edition.

Pippa Harris, who produced “Hamnet,” “1917” and is currently working on “The Beatles” biopics, and James Wilson, who produced “The Zone of Interest,” “The Voice of Hind Rajab” and “Under the Skin,” are set to take part in their own spotlight conversations as part of the LFF’s industry forum.

Harris and Wilson will, according to the festival, discuss their careers, current projects and navigating the international film and TV market in a rapidly changing landscape. 

“This year our industry programme puts a spotlight on producers and the vital role they play in shepherding artistic visions from their earliest stages through to the screen,” said BFI London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson. “I’m delighted that industry colleagues will have the opportunity to hear from Pippa Harris and James Wilson – two esteemed producers whose unique creative careers have given us some of the most memorable and critically acclaimed films of recent years.” 

Harris is best-known for her longstanding partnership with Sam Mendes, with whom she co-founded Neal Street Productions. Alongside Oscar and BAFTA winners “Hamnet” and “1917,” her film credits including “Revolutionary Road,” “Jarhead” and recent family feature “The Magic Faraway Tree,” while on TV her productions include “Call the Midwife,” “Penny Dreadful” and “Britannia.”

Wilson, meanwhile, has an ongoing collaboration with director Jonathan Glazer, with whom he’s worked on both the Oscar and BAFTA-winning “The Zone of Interest” and “Under the Skin.” Last year, he produced Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nominated “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” while his other credits include Lynne Ramsay’s “You Were Never Really Here,” Aneil Karia’s “Hamlet” and “20,000 Days on Earth,” directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard.

The full LFF industry forum programme will be announced mid- September. The festival runs Oct 7-18.