Earlier this summer during the Mediterrane Film Festival, Malta’s film commissioner Johann Grech teased plans for an ambitious new soundstage, dubbed the Land Sea Super Stage. Housed at Malta Film Studios, the facility could host major Hollywood blockbusters with blueprints that include a water tank and construction sturdy enough to hang two Black Hawk helicopters.
We want to create something unique,” Grech told The Hollywood Reporter in June. “To build the entire facility — in addition to the soundstage, there will be workshops, offices, production offices, warehouses, etc. — it will take two years. We have every detail in place. We just need to issue this public call.”
Grech is back with an update: The call has been made and Malta is now accepting proposals for investments to finance, build and operate the first-of-its-kind superstudio. Per the Malta Film Commission, the project would see more than €80 million in private investment in Malta’s film industry.
A rendering of Malta’s proposed Land Sea Super Stage.
Courtesy of Malta Film Studios
“Today’s launch marks the final piece of the jigsaw in creating a world-class film industry in Malta. We are committed to taking Malta’s film infrastructure to the next level,” Grech explains. “We have already seen major franchises such as Gladiator and Jurassic World repeatedly choose Malta for our versatile locations and our water tanks. We now want to complete Malta’s offer to the global film industry by developing a world-class studio facility that is truly unique.”
Grech has not been shy about the bid to lure more blockbusters to the country after hosting such high-profile productions in the past like Gladiator and its sequel, Napoleon, Captain Phillips, Troy, Munich, Assassin’s Creed, Murder on the Orient Express and Enola Holmes 3.
“By developing the world’s first Land-Sea Super Stage at the Malta Film Studios, we will strengthen our ability to attract more high-end, high-budget and high-value productions. Malta can become the home of some of the world’s biggest movies and film franchises,” added Grech. “I’ve always been ambitious for Malta’s film industry and now we are ready to reach even higher.”
Submissions are now open for a three-month period.
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For more than 25 years, the drama/comedy series has been tied with the cozy fall season, thanks to its iconic New England foliage, sharp and witty dialogue, and quirky, but relatable characters and situations.
Luckily, all seasons of Gilmore Girls are streaming online.
Little People Collector ‘Gilmore Girls’ Special Edition Set
Includes four character figures in display package.
Where to Stream Gilmore Girls Online Without Cable
While the TV drama was a Warner. Bros Television production, all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls are not streaming on HBO Max (although there is a new documentary in the works from the streamer). However, every episode can be found on Prime Video and Hulu.
Amazon
Prime Video
Prime Video starts at $8.99 per month
All seasons of Gilmore Girls is streamable on Prime Video for subscribers only with prices starting at $8.99 per month. If you’re not a member, then you can sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of all that Amazon Prime has to offer, including access to Amazon Music, Amazon Photos and Prime Reading; fast and free shipping in less than two days with Prime Delivery; in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market; access to exclusive shopping events, such as Black Friday in November, and other perks.
Hulu
Hulu
You can watch Hulu starting at $11.99 per month for the ad-supported plan, but for the best bang for your buck, opt for the Hulu/Disney+ bundle, starting at the same $11.99 per month for the first six months, then $12.99 monthly thereafter.
Meanwhile, Hulu (No Ads) costs $18.99 per month. Both the ad-supported and ad-free plans offer unlimited access to Hulu‘s massive streaming library, including entire seasons of exclusive series, hit movies, Hulu Originals and music festival livestreams. Meanwhile, Hulu (No Ads) comes with the ability to download movies and TV shows on your device for offline viewing.
Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, Gilmore Girls follows the lives of single mother Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her overachieving daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel) in the small fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. Lorelai can’t afford private school for Rory, so she turns to her wealthy, yet estranged, parents Richard (Edward Herrmann) and Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop).
The TV drama stars Melissa McCarthy, Keiko Agena, Yanic Truesdale, Scott Patterson, Liza Weil, Chris Eigeman, Jared Padalecki, Milo Ventimiglia, Matt Czuchry and Sean Gunn.
Additionally, the revival mini-series, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, is available to stream on Netflix. However, episodes can be purchased on Prime Video too.
After tackling witches, vampires and werewolves, Robert Eggers is tackling perhaps the scariest of monsters: teenage love.
Eggers is setting up an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at Focus Features, which has come out on top of a bidding war that included A24, Sony and Warner Bros.
When deals close, it will reteam Eggers with the Universal specialty arm that released his 2024 surprise hit Nosferatu and will be releasing his latest, Werwulf. Eggers will direct the feature and produce. It was not immediately clear who else was producing or executive producing.
As befitting a filmmaker who is known for his meticulous attention to detail in capturing a time period, even when it comes to dialogue, sources say that this adaptation will feature actors speaking in Olde English.
A tragic romance, Shakespeare’s play told the ill-fated story of the titular young lovers who hail from two warring families, the Capulets and the Montagues, in the city of Verona, Italy.
Written in the 1590s, it has been one of the Bard’s more enduring and famous plays and has consistently attracted cinematic attention. Among the more notable productions have been the 1968 iteration directed by Franco Zeffirelli and the 1996’s Romeo + Juliet, Baz Lurhman’s modern take (Verona Beach, anyone?) that starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
While numbers were not revealed, sources say the deal for the project is in the high-seventy millions, which will include filmmaker and talent fees as well as the budget for the production. Romeo and Juliet is intended to be Eggers’ next production.
Focus had no comment.
While he doesn’t have a deal with Focus, Eggers has consistently set up films at the studio division. The company, run by Peter Kujawski, has released and worked with Eggers on all his films, including The Northman, and his earlier movies, The Witch and The Lighthouse. (Focus handled international distribution through Universal International for The Lighthouse.)
Eggers’ latest, Werwulf, reunites him with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lily Rose Depp, who both starred in Nosferatu, in a unique and arty-looking take on the werewolf horror story. Like Nosferatu, it is set for a Christmas Day theatrical opening.
Mahershala Ali is dumbfounded like the rest of us when it comes to Marvel’s inability to get his “Blade” movie reboot off the ground. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige told the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast over the summer that he was “feeling like a gigantic loser and failure” for bungling Ali’s “Blade,” and now the actor told GQ that he agrees with that assessment.
“That’s a Kevin Feige question,” Ali said when asked why Marvel never got to the point of putting “Blade” into production. “They had, as you said, a two-time Oscar-winning actor under contract and you got billions of dollars. That’s a question for them. I don’t mean anything personal to you, but I don’t know why it didn’t. To this day, I don’t know why it didn’t happen. I just know that it was—Kevin, he said it was the biggest failure of his career and I agree.”
Marvel originally announced “Blade” in July 2019. Bassam Tariq (who now directs Ali in “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother”) was the first director to join the movie, but he exited in September 2022 roughly two months before it was set to begin shooting. Variety reported in November 2023 that “Blade” had gone through at least five writers, from “Watchmen” scribe Stacy Osei-Kuffour to Michael Starrbury. Yann Demange stepped in as the movie’s director after Tariq’s exit, but Demange ended up dropping out in June 2024.
Amid the film’s development struggles, Ali’s interest in playing Blade has never wavered. He told Varietyon the “Jurassic World Rebirth” red carpet last summer: “I’m ready. Let them know I’m ready.” In an interview with GQ earlier this year, Ali called out Marvel point blank by saying: “You had me under contract, they have billions of dollars, if they wanted to do the movie, we would’ve done the movie. So we’re not doing the movie.”
Speaking to press in July 2025, Feige explained how the prolonged delays on “Blade” were a symptom of Marvel’s “over-expansion” into Disney+ streaming content where “for the very first time ever, quantity trumped quality.” When Marvel began to reevaluate its development process, the “Blade” movie was one of the projects that stalled.
“Blade” was the latest example of Ali’s career never being sure-footed despite being a two-time Oscar-winning actor for “Moonlight” and “Green Book.” The actor told GQ in his latest interview that he thought his career would break through after the Oscar wins, yet he still found himself fighting to be cast in HBO’s “True Detective” Season 3 as opposed to getting any offers.
“I don’t feel any bitterness or disappointment around that. I want to be careful of it coming off that way because it’s honestly not how I feel,” Ali explained. “If anything, there’s sort of a relief in the epiphany of like, ‘Oh, ain’t nobody coming to save you. You got to build your boat. They’re not coming. There’s no helicopter coming. Get to cutting wood.’”
Ali also said in the interiew, “I don’t know why I constantly feel like I have to remind people of stuff or prove myself to people, but that’s just how this business works. And it exhausts me. And so then you start thinking about: How long do I have to do this this way, or do it at all?”
Watch Ali’s full interview with GQ in the video below.
Sombr says it’s “incredibly insane” that people would consider him a child of nepotism.
The Grammy nominee addressed nepotism claims in a Tuesday profile with Elle, where he pointed out both of his mother’s and father’s professional history with amFAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. He said he’s proud of his parents’ work, and doesn’t think that specifically his father, Andy Boose, boosted his career.
“Every time I see an artist blow up, I’m like, ‘OK, this artist is great. I love them so much. They’re so talented.’ Three months later, somehow they’re a nepo baby,” Sombr said. “I will forever respect my dad and my mom. I’m so fucking proud of them, because to devote your life to something like that is so incredible and important. To think that that could help me get signed or become a big artist because my dad devotes his life to fight AIDS is just incredibly insane.”
Boose worked at amFAR for a decade and became the director of special events, he told The World’s Best Events in a 2018 interview. He was also a musician, and now serves as the president of AAB Productions, a single-source event management company that has managed and developed charity dinners for amFAR, The Elton John AIDS Foundation, The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, Madonna’s Raising Malawi and more, per its website. Bennah Serfaty, the singer’s mother, works at the nonprofit as the senior director of public relations.
Boose explained to The World’s Best Events, after 2018’s UNICEF Summer Gala, how he books talent, citing Ricky Martin’s participation in the event as an example.
“He’s a UNICEF ambassador, so the cause is close to his heart. I happen to have known his publicist for many years,” Boose said of Martin. “We have a lot of relationships because we have been doing this for a while, and we are constantly building new bridges to help connect actors and musicians and the fashion elite with new causes.”
The “Back to Friends” singer also opened up about criticism he’s seen of his body online. He said, “Women get the worst of it. So who am I to complain? But no, it’s real. People fucking body-shame me.”
Somber said he has seen people “mak[ing] fun of how skinny I am, which is why I’m in the fucking gym now.” He also spoke about why it was important for him to release the song “My Body Isn’t Ready,” which touches on body image.
“I feel like it’s so important to have this message for the kid who’s growing up and going through this,” he said. “Everything you see on the internet is these sexy people with perfect bodies. I want there to be a song for the kid who is growing up and doesn’t always love the way he looks, and I want him to know that Sombr feels the same thing.”
Netflix’s latest YA drama series “Crew Girl” is racing right into Season 2, the streamer announced on Wednesday.
“Crew Girl” came out on Sept. 10 and rowed to the top in the Netflix English TV Top 10, where it has remained since its release, climbing to number two this week. It reached the top 10 in more than 90 countries and now has more than 16 million views.
“I am beyond excited for Crew Girl season two!” star Miku Martineau said. “There’s so much left to explore with the characters, the romances and the rowing team, it’s going to be a ride for sure! All I know is that it will definitely be a packed, juicy, drama-filled second season so I’m ready to get back in a boat and on camera! #teamteagan.”
The eight-episode inaugural season follows 16-year-old Teagan Tao (Martineau) as she adapts to her new life after her father’s financial fraud forced her family to move across the country and back to her mother’s close-knit hometown. Tao must navigate the choppy waters of her elite prep school Easton Academy and its all-boys crew team. Unwilling to give up her own rowing dreams, she finds a spot for herself as coxswain, leading the team to victory and falling in love with some of her teammates along the way. To celebrate the team’s success, former-stroke seat Josh (Samuel Braun) opened up to his family about his ongoing health issues, while his replacement Cam (Kyle Clark) romantically rejoiced with Tao.
Along with the unanswered questions about her complicated love life and family circumstances, the season ends with Tao’s nemesis, Britney (Sage Linder), pledging to help create a girls crew team.
Fans will have to sit tight for the second season to see if Tao is team Josh, team Cam or team girls crew.
The Netflix original series is executive produced by Vivian Lin, Jeff Norton, Lindsay Macadam, Hillary Zwick Turner, Tony Chung, Lori Massini and Matthew Hornburg, Mark J.W. Bishop, Jennifer McCarron for Blue Ant Studios.
Patty Jenkins, Halle Berry, Regina King, Misty Copeland and others gathered at downtown Manhattan’s Locanda Verde on Tuesday morning for Tribeca and Chanel’s Through Her Lens luncheon. The timing was notable for an event centered on emerging filmmakers, coming just 24 hours after news that the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal is essentially complete — a consolidation that many in Hollywood fear could have profoundly negative effects on the industry.
“I didn’t even look at it, frankly. I’ve been tuning all of that out,” “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins, who has a longstanding relationship with Warner Bros., tells Variety of the news. “It’s such chaos. I think the studio system is in such bad shape that I’m kind of tuning it out.”
Still, Jenkins remains optimistic about the industry’s future. Asked whether she would make a film with Warner Bros. under Ellison’s leadership, she says, “You never know.”
“I never say no to anything because so many people have different projects,” she continues. “Something may come along, and they’ve been making some great films, and who knows.”
Despite the turmoil within the studio system, Jenkins believes emerging filmmakers face fewer barriers than they did when she was starting out. She points to films like “Backrooms” and “Obsession” as encouraging proof that talented directors can make films on shoestring budgets — and find box office success.
“People are able to make their own films and it’s a game-changer,” she says. “I see it coming and I’m so excited about it — the democratization of being able to get your films to your audiences.”
Tribeca boss Jane Rosenthal, who co-founded Tribeca and Chanel’s Through Her Lens program 11 years ago, takes a somewhat different view, arguing that young filmmakers actually face more obstacles than when she started out. “The business is really kind of a mess,” she says, noting that streaming has contributed to an uptick in the number of films being made. Still, she adds, “Who knows what this merger is gonna do.”
One potential silver lining of the merger, according to Rosenthal, is that it could create an opening for new models of independent film distribution. “You see what AMC is doing, let’s see what that really means,” she says, referring to the indie distribution venture announced by the country’s largest theater chain last month.
That hopeful, solution-oriented attitude carried throughout the event, which kicked off this year’s Through Her Lens program. The initiative brings together five filmmaking teams for workshops, one-on-one mentorship and industry conversations before culminating in a live pitch to a jury. One team will receive full financing to produce its short film with support from Tribeca Studios, while the remaining four will receive development grants.
Berry, King and Meg Ryan were announced as this year’s jury members alongside cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw (“Sinners”) and “Sterling Point” actress Ella Rubin.
Emmy Rossum, who attended Tuesday morning to support the initiative, says she “just wants the best people to tell stories” — and, she adds, “to be seen by lots of people in theaters and on streaming.”
René “Residente” Pérez Joglar is moving behind the camera for one of the most ambitious projects of his career. The Puerto Rican rapper, filmmaker and actor is making his feature directorial debut with Porto Rico, an epic Caribbean western and historical drama inspired by real events in Puerto Rico during the turbulent final years of the 19th century. Production is now underway in the Dominican Republic, with Bad Bunny taking his first leading role in a feature film.
And the cast has become considerably bigger since the movie was first announced. Alongside Benito “Bad Bunny” Martínez Ocasio, the current lineup includes Viggo Mortensen, Edward Norton, Richard Gadd, Rhenzy Feliz, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Daniel Brühl, Rubén Blades, Alberto Guerra, Marcel Ruiz, Arian Cartaya, Óscar Jaenada, Carmen Machi and Luis Tosar.
Javier Bardem was part of the original cast announcement in February 2026, but the latest production report says the film subsequently “lost” Bardem while adding its new Spanish cast members.
Here is everything currently known about Porto Rico.
What Is Residente’s ‘Porto Rico’ About?
Porto Rico has been described by its producers as an “epic Caribbean western and historical drama” inspired by true events. Residente co-wrote the screenplay with Alexander Dinelaris, the Oscar-winning co-writer of Birdman, as informed by Live Nation Newsroom.
The project has been developing for several years. When it was first reported in 2023, the story was described as being based on the life of Puerto Rican revolutionary José Maldonado Román, better known as Águila Blanca, or White Eagle, according to Dominican newspaper, Diario Libre.
Set around the end of the 19th century, the story follows a period when Puerto Rico was undergoing a dramatic transformation from Spanish colonial rule to American control.
Maldonado was involved in the 1897 Intentona de Yauco, an unsuccessful uprising against Spanish rule. Historical accounts describe him joining Fidel Vélez and other revolutionaries who gathered outside Yauco and marched toward the town.
Earlier descriptions of Residente’s screenplay said Maldonado would lead a group of 17 former convicts as part of a story examining Puerto Rico’s struggle over colonialism, resistance and national identity.
Residente’s Porto Rico stars Bad Bunny, Edward Norton and Viggo Mortensen in an epic Caribbean western exploring Puerto Rico’s colonial history.
Deadline says the film will also address the events surrounding the United States’ 1898 takeover of Puerto Rico from Spain. That history also explains the movie’s title.
Why Is the Movie Called ‘Porto Rico’ Instead of ‘Puerto Rico’?
The missing “u” is intentional. After Puerto Rico came under U.S. control following the Spanish-American War, “Porto Rico” became the spelling used by the U.S. government. Federal law did not officially restore “Puerto Rico” as the island’s name until May 17, 1932.
Residente has connected that linguistic change directly to the themes of his film. Speaking about the project in September 2026, he described Porto Rico as Puerto Rico seen through the perspective of a new colonizing power and suggested that losing a letter from the island’s name symbolized losing power over how the country identified itself. “The loss of a single letter summarizes the loss of power over one’s own name: occupying a country can also mean deciding what it is called,” indicated Residente, as informed by EFE Noticias.
That makes the title much more than a historical spelling choice. It points directly toward the movie’s exploration of identity, political power and colonial control.
Bad Bunny Leads the ‘Porto Rico’ Cast
The biggest casting development is Bad Bunny’s leading role. Benito Martínez Ocasio has appeared in films including Bullet Train and Caught Stealing, but Porto Rico marks his first lead role in a feature film.
His exact character has not officially been disclosed, as character details for the newly announced actors are being kept under wraps. Edward Norton also has a major role behind the scenes as one of the film’s producers.
The Oscar-Winning Talent Behind the Camera
The filmmaking team extends well beyond Residente.
Academy Award-winning cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, whose credits include Slumdog Millionaire, is serving as director of photography. David Crank is the production designer, while Anna Terrazas is handling costume design.
Residente and Erick Douât are producing through 1868 Studios. Edward Norton, Bill Migliore and Michael Bederman are producing through Class 5 Films. The film is backed by Live Nation Studios and Class 5 Films along with several strategic financing partners.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu received a Special Award Oscar at the November ceremony, a prize that is rarely given out.
Perhaps the most notable name among the executive producers is filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the Oscar-winning director behind Birdman and The Revenant. Other executive producers currently listed include Michael Rapino, Ryan Kroft, Stella Bulochnikov, Scott Budnick, Kwanza Jones, José E. Feliciano, Mike and Sukey Novogratz, Noah Assad, Henry R. Muñoz III, Ric Elias, Sherrese Clarke, Niija Kuykendall, Regina Solórzano and Lakshmi Iyengar.
When Will ‘Porto Rico’ Be Released?
There is currently no announced release date for Porto Rico. Cameras are officially rolling in the Dominican Republic as of September 2026. No studio or distributor has announced a theatrical release date, streaming date or festival premiere. A trailer has also not been released.
‘Porto Rico’ Could Be a Major Moment for Caribbean Cinema
Porto Rico is notable not simply because Bad Bunny is starring in it or because Residente is directing. The production is positioning a Puerto Rican historical story as a large-scale Caribbean western with an international cast and an unusually decorated creative team. Rather than using the traditional American frontier as the setting for a western, the film applies elements of the genre to Puerto Rico’s own history of rebellion, colonial rule and political transition.
Residente has also emphasized the significance of making the film in Spanish, recalling that he had previously encountered the argument that studios were not interested in Caribbean stories.
It’s officially the last New Music Friday of the summer, and artists did not play when it came to dropping fresh bangers. From A-list names and collaborations to highly anticipated albums, get your playlist ready and let’s have some musical fun.
Maluma & Shakira – AGUA
Shakira and Maluma reunite on “Agua,” their first major collaboration since 2018’s “Clandestino.” It marks their first merengue together, and they did not miss. The Colombian superstars turn up the heat and show off their chemistry and sexual energy in the spicy music video. Shakira looks incredible, per usual, as she flaunts her amazing body and signature dance moves.
CA7RIEL, Paco Amoroso, PinkPantheress, Fred again..–Sexy Magic
CA7RIEL, Paco Amoroso, PinkPantheress, and Fred again come together for “Sexy Magic,” which is featured on the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI soundtrack. CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso are on fire, scoring 7 nominations at the Latin GRAMMYS, the second most after producer Edgar Barrera.
Piso 21, Micro TDH & Gangsta – Segunda Cita
Piso 21, Micro TDH & Gangsta will have you feeling flirty and ready for date night with “Segunda Cita.” It’s a powerhouse collaboration with all the artists seamlessly blending their sounds. It includes a sweet moment with Micro TDH celebrating their first collab with Piso 21, “Te VI’s” initiation into the billions club on Spotify.
Michelle Maciel – espresso martini
Mexican singer-songwriter Michelle Macielbegins a new chapter with her album La Gloria, a 13-track project that explores love, personal growth, and experimentation while blending corridos, reggaetón, and boleros. The album’s focus track, “Dolencias,” featuring Ana Gloria, brings the two artists together for a fun, dance floor-ready collaboration that highlights Maciel’s ability to move between genres.
Zulia – Birkin
Following the release of his album Ya No Me Importa Si Nadie Me Escucha, Venezuelan rising star Zulia drops “Birkin.” The singer has one of the most unique voices in music, with bold, sensual lyrics, and a smooth sound.
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Guaynaa- SE PARECE AL PAI
Puerto Rican singer Guaynaa gets into his salsa swag with “SE PARECE AL PAI.” The catchy track has incredible instrumentals, an infectious melody, and lyrics inspired by his own life as a father. It stars his wife, Lele Pons, and their daughter, Eloísa.
Rodrigo y Gabriela – Somos Como Tú
GRAMMY-winning Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela release their new album OurHome. They step into new territory with “Somos Como Tú,” their first-ever song featuring lyrics and vocals. The track explores migration, displacement, and the connections that unite people across cultures, marking a new chapter for the duo as they continue to expand beyond their signature acoustic sound.
Feid, Bad Gyal – DE DIOR XL
After postponing its release, Feid drops his new EP, EL GREEN PRINT: La Saga (Disc 2) – EL CLUB DE LAS 19 FLORES, the next chapter of his Green Print era. It includes collaborations with Vicente García, El Americano 4KT and Pirlo, Divino and Baby Ranks, Icon, Yandel, and Spanish star Bad Gyal.
Elvis Crespo, beele – PA´BAILAR
The one and only Elvis Crespo adds another collaboration with the new generation, this time with Beele. The genre-blending track has merengue, urban, and pop sounds with exciting instrumentals that will have you ready to move your hips.
MILEY – Let’s Get Married
Miley’s highly anticipated album Bass Persuades is here, and it’s beautiful. It’s the first album since dropping Cyrus and shows off the multifaceted sides of the singer. “Let’s Get Married” is a gorgeous track dedicated to her fiancé, Maxx Morando, and comes with an intimate music video starring the couple.
“Looksmaxxing” influencer Clavicular has been charged with rape and drugging in Massachusetts, according to NBC News.
Court records filed on Sept. 8 and obtained by NBC News show that the 20-year-old, whose real name is Braden Peters, faces one count of rape, one count of drugging someone for sexual intercourse and one count of procuring liquor for someone under 21 years of age. The alleged offenses occurred on May 23, 2025, and an arraignment is set for Oct. 14.
The Bulwark was the first to report on the charges. Clavicular’s representative, Mitchell Jackson, said in a statement to NBC News: “Braden Peters has not been physically served. As usual The Bulwark is exaggerating.” A lawyer for Clavicular did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.
Clavicular has gained internet fame for his “looksmaxxing” practices, which have included injections and “bone smashing,” where one breaks facial bones in the hopes of achieving more defined features. He often demonstrates these methods on social media, including on TikTok and the livestream platform Kick.
Though more details about the allegations were not immediately available, reports have noted that the timeline seems to match up with a recent civil lawsuit brought against Clavicular by an 18-year-old influencer.
In a complaint filed in April in Miami, Aleksandra Vasilevna Mendoza accused Clavicular of battery, fraud and sexual misconduct in a series of events that took place in 2025. As reported by CBS News, she alleged that he injected her face with Aqualyx, a fat-dissolving substance not approved by the FDA, without her consent when she was a minor. Mendoza also alleged she had nonconsensual sexual encounters with Clavicular at his family home in Cape Cod while she was intoxicated. Clavicular denied the allegations and filed a motion to dismiss several counts of the lawsuit in July, including that of sexual misconduct, claiming that it was not included in the first iteration of the complaint.
Clavicular was quick to take to social media following news of the charges on Monday night, posting a video of Mendoza where she called him “super nice” and a letter she allegedly wrote thanking him for “helping me as much as you have been.” He also shared a livestream clip where Mendoza says she is 18, though it is unclear when it was filmed.
This is not the first time Clavicular has faced legal trouble. In summer 2024, he was arrested after a bar fight and faced with assault and battery charges, though they were dismissed. In February of this year, he was arrested in Arizona on suspicion of dangerous drug possession, but prosecutors dropped the case. In March, he was arrested in Florida on battery charges relating to an alleged altercation between his girlfriend and another woman, which were later dropped. And, a month later, he was charged with unlawfully discharging a firearm relating to shooting a deceased alligator on a livestream. He was sentenced to six months of probation and 20 hours of community service following a plea deal.
