The Royal Shakespeare Company has unveiled its 2026-27 season, headlined by Tony Award-winning Broadway star Jonathan Groff making his RSC debut as Rosalind in an all-male staging of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” directed by RSC co-artistic director Daniel Evans.
Groff, who can currently be seen starring in “Just in Time” at New York’s Circle in the Square Theatre, previously originated the roles of Melchior Gabor in “Spring Awakening” and Kristoff in Disney’s “Frozen” franchise, and claimed his Tony for his portrayal of Franklin Shepherd in the recent “Merrily We Roll Along” revival. He will be joined by Fisayo Akinade as Celia. Akinade earned screen recognition through Russell T. Davies’ Channel 4 series “Cucumber” and “Banana,” and appeared as Mr. Ajayi in the 2022 Netflix series “Heartstopper.” The production runs Sept. 26 through Nov. 7 in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Harriet Walter will return to the company to reprise her role as Brutus in a revival of Phyllida Lloyd’s 2012 Donmar Warehouse production of “Julius Caesar,” originally staged under artistic director Josie Rourke and executive director Kate Pakenham. The all-female production is set in a women’s prison. The revival, co-produced with KPPL Productions, will tour to secondary schools across England from Sept. 21 through Oct. 23 before a run at The Other Place from Nov. 5-28.
The school tour anchors the RSC’s celebration of two decades of educational partnership work. The company’s Associate Schools Program now reaches more than 280 schools across 100 towns and cities in England. Each performance will be supported by workshops and post-show discussions, with the touring program culminating in a Young Creatives Festival at The Other Place on Nov. 21.
The Swan Theatre will stage a two-part dramatization of George Eliot’s “Middlemarch,” with Nina Raine writing the adaptation and Jeremy Herrin directing, in a co-production with Second Half Productions. Part 1 opens Oct. 1, Part 2 follows Oct. 10, with both running through Jan. 16.
Rounding out the season, theater company Told by an Idiot brings Alexandre Dumas’ “The Three Musketeers” to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in a new adaptation written and directed by company co-founder and artistic director Paul Hunter. The production runs Nov. 28 through Jan. 9.
The previously announced world premiere of “Game of Thrones: The Mad King,” written by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, arrives at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in summer 2026, in a co-production involving Simon Painter, Tim Lawson, Mark Manuel, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures on behalf of HBO, and Sir Leonard Blavatnik and Danny Cohen for Access Entertainment.
RSC co-artistic directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey described the season as one where themes of “identity, transformation, freedom, justice and the liberation that comes from breaking free of expectations loom large this autumn, as classic stories and universal struggles take on powerful new resonance in the hands of some of the most exciting artists of today.”
Joko Anwar’s horror-comedy “Ghost in the Cell” has secured distribution across multiple territories following its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, with Barunson E&A unveiling sales from the European Film Market.
Well Go USA has acquired North American rights to the Indonesia-South Korea co-production, which follows inmates in a violent Indonesian prison who must unite for survival when a supernatural entity begins targeting those with the darkest auras. Additional confirmed distributors include The World Pictures for Russia and CIS, La Aventura for Spain and Spanish-speaking territories, Calendar Studios for Taiwan, Shinesaeng Ad. Venture for Thailand theatrical rights, Purple Plan Pte for Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam theatrical rights, Filmbridge for Mongolia, and the previously announced Plaion Pictures for Germany and German-speaking territories. Negotiations are ongoing on several additional territories, including Benelux.
“We’re thrilled to bring ‘Ghost in the Cell’ to North America,” said Doris Pfardrescher, president and CEO of Well Go USA. “As longtime fans of Joko Anwar, having previously released his film ‘Gundala,’ we’ve seen firsthand how strongly his work resonates with audiences here. ‘Ghost in the Cell’ is an absolute blast – it’s wildly entertaining and deliciously gory in all the right ways.”
Purple Plan Pte added: “We acquired ‘Ghost in the Cell’ because it’s bold, unapologetic, and wildly entertaining. Its gory, high-impact action and horror elements create a thrilling experience. Under the direction of prolific storyteller Joko Anwar, the film has a distinctive voice that sets it apart from others in the genre. We’re excited to bring it to Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia giving audiences a brand-new horror experience.”
The film, which premiered in the Berlinale Forum, addresses Indonesia’s deforestation crisis through its supernatural premise. “The environmental and political realities have always been the origin of horror, not only as a sideshow,” Anwar told Variety in an interview. “I let the ghost carry the truth that the system made by humans refuses to articulate.”
The production represents a collaboration between Anwar and producer Tia Hasibuan through their Jakarta-based Come and See Pictures, alongside Rapi Films, Barunson E&A and Legacy Pictures. The ensemble cast features Abimana Aryasatya, Lukman Sardi, Bront Palarae, Aming, Rio Dewanto, Morgan Oey and Tora Sudiro.
The film is scheduled for Indonesian theatrical release in the second quarter of 2026.
The second half of “Bridgerton” Season 4 begins just shortly after Part 1 ended. Still reeling from the heated kiss she shared with Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) on the back stairwell of the Bridgerton House, Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) can’t even bask in the moment. Instead, the lady’s maid is feeling deflated about his request that she become his mistress. This is a less-than-enticing offer for 21st-century lovers, but for Regency-era women, it’s especially off-putting. Lady Whistledown (Julie Andrews) and the events of Episode 5, “Yes or No,” illustrate just how unsexy the position of “mistress” was in the time period. While “Bridgerton” Season 4 Part 1 felt like a knock-off of “Cinderella,” the remaining episodes are much stronger, stepping beyond the fairy-tale trope to address passion, loss and what’s at risk for high-society women who fail to secure a good match in the marriage market.
Benedict and Sophie remain at the core of the season, but the women orbiting them make Season 4 one of the series’ standouts. In the Season 1 finale, fans learned that Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) was behind the Lady Whistledown gossip pamphlet, and used her writing as an escape from life as an unnoticed wallflower. However, when her true identity was revealed to the public in Season 3, her passion for the work was stripped away. Now that she’s a wife and mother, it’s clear how much she’s evolved and wants to focus on other things. As Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) inches closer to her own debut (though it’s slower coming than she would like), “Bridgerton” highlights how vital it is for women to marry well, and what’s more, for the Bridgerton daughters to find a love match. A recital given on Hyacinth’s behalf at Bridgerton House begins to open the youngest Bridgerton’s eyes to the importance of compatibility and happiness, and not simply finding a husband.
Conversely, this season also opens the doors to the Stirling House. Francesca (Hannah Dodd) is intent on emulating her mother, Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), as the perfect wife to her husband John (Victor Alli). Yet the arrival of John’s cousin and best friend, Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), shows Fran that there may not be a single perfect way to live. Moreover, Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi) tries to find her footing in Queen Charlotte’s (Golda Rosheuvel) orbit, while Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) struggles to balance her close-knit friendship with the queen and her own personal desires. The bulk of my criticism of “Bridgerton” Season 4 Part 1 focused on the muted romance between Sophie and Benedict. Thankfully, Part 2 rectifies the issue by bringing forth the yearning, longing and desire between them that were sorely missing, and the couple’s relationship finally gets the lusty zeal fans have been waiting for. A large part of this shift is due to Benedict’s character development. During the first half of the season, he seemed unsure about himself, wearing his duties as the second son like a badge of shame. However, as the season evolves, he comes into his own, boldly stepping up for the woman he loves and even being vulnerable enough to share his fluid sexuality with Sophie. Additionally, fans of Julia Quinn’s novels will be delighted by the season finale, “Dance in the Country,” which includes a tantalizing scene ripped directly from the pages of her book “An Offer From a Gentleman.” “Bridgerton” Season 4 Part 2 also captivates by giving the most villainous character depth. Sophie’s stepmother and former employer, Araminta Gun (Katie Leung), aka Lady Penwood, comes back into focus, along with her two daughters, Rosamund Li (Michelle Mao) and Posy Li (Isabella Wei). Though she is still ferocious and cunning, showrunner Jess Brownell highlights this twice-widowed woman’s journey in a world where women are only seen as relevant as the men they are attached to.
The final chapters of “Bridgerton” Season 4 are beautifully detailed, allowing the characters (from various seasons, hint, hint) we’ve grown to know and love to expand, grow and change drastically — all while setting the series up for the remaining four love stories. It’s baffling that Netflix continues to slice some of its biggest series into two parts, especially since it interrupts the pacing of the romances in “Bridgerton,” especially this season. Yet, when everything comes together in the end, it’s clear Part 2 is well worth the wait.
All episodes of “Bridgerton” Season 4 are streaming on Netflix.
Fremantle’s is scaling “Hitster,” scoring its first format sales on new music TV game show of the same title, based on the party game which has burst onto the scene, proving a top seller in Northern Europe, Spain and Canada.
The game also ranked in retailer charts over Christmas in the U.S. and U.K.
In the first global territory commissions, Amsterdam-based Blue Circle, a Fremantle company, and NewBe will produce eight episodes for RTL4 in the Netherlands.
NewBe and historic German production powerhouse UFA, also part of Fremantle, are set to produce six episodes for RTL Deutschland. Meanwhile, in Canada, Attraction and Productions Déferlantes will produce two seasons in collaboration with Quebecor Content.
After Fremantle Australia and Amsterdam-based NewBe teamed to create the Netflix hit “Heartbreak High” reboot, Fremantle Netherlands and NewBe led the creative development of the “Hitster” TV format together with Jumbo Group.
Holding international production and distribution rights, beyond announcing its first three territory orders, Fremantle has shared in exclusivity with Variety a brand new image from the set of “Hitster.”
Invented by Stockholm-based Markus Carleson, “Hitster” was first played by Carleson at a dinner party in his kitchen on June 24, 2019. “I had some colleagues over and I figured I needed some sort of dinner entertainment,” Carleson has recalled.
“This was a very competitive crowd so I figured I needed some sort of competitive element and why not combine that with music. But I needed it to be lightweight and very inclusive so instead of having to guess some facts about the song I decided to go with timeline mechanics,” he added.
This spirit plays out in the studio-based TV show where two teams, pairing people from different generations, compete hearing hit after hit to place the tracks in a chronological order. The first team with 10 tracks placed correctly on their timeline progresses to a prize money final.
The format plays off the “addictive simplicity” and “instant playability” of the original game, “rewarding players’ instinct over expertise,” Fremantle said Thursday. “Transforming music trivia and pop culture nostalgia into a high-energy game show,” “viewers are invited to join an irresistibly feel-good, play-along party, packed with legendary tracks and lively performances,” “designed to create big, shared reactions and joyful moments that spark personal stories and anecdotes.”
The new “Hitster” set photo indeed shows a studio bathed by warm orange lights, three presenters behind consoles clapping or dancing to a song, accompanied by two packed levels of contestants or audience members, who look to be doing very much the same.
“‘Hitster’ has already proven it can spark conversation and bring people together in their living rooms – and that’s exactly what great entertainment does. It’s a brilliantly social, instantly playable format that taps into nostalgia and music passion across generations,” said Fremantle Director of Global Entertainment, Andrew Llinares.
“Building on our partnership with NewBe and Jumbo Group, with these first broadcast partners on board, there’s real excitement around scaling the format internationally and bringing an instant party into homes around the world,” he added.
“What started as a simple idea, bringing generations together through music, has grown into a global brand with real cultural impact. The TV adaptation captures the instinctive, feel-good energy that made the game a success, while amplifying the emotion and shared moments that music uniquely creates,” noted Isa Lana, CMO at the Jumbo Group.
“With Jumbo Group, ‘Hitster’ became a worldwide hit, and that gave us a strong foundation to build from together with Fremantle,” added Jeroen Koopman, NewBe founder & CEO. “From the start, our creative focus was clear: preserve the heart and DNA of the brand, while translating it into a television format that feels true to the original game experience.”
The film which dominated with 10 nominations, took home seven awards in total including outstanding character in a photoreal feature for Varang (played by Oona Chaplin, outstanding CG cinematography, and the Emerging Technology Award, given to the Kora Fire Toolset.
In total, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” needed over 3,000 visual effects shots. And since this was the third film in the franchise, the team upped their game. Aside from improving character animation, visual effects supervisor Eric Saindon at Weta FX says, technology-wise, fire was one of the hardest things to do properly in visual effects. Not only do people know what fire looks like, but it never looks the same. “Every time you look at a fire, it could dance a little differently depending on the environment it’s in or burn a different color.” That meant that any scene with fire required them to ensure they were pushing the right amount of fuel and oxygen to get the fire right. “The scale of the embers gives the idea of size,” he told Variety.
“KPop Demon Hunters” won three awards, including the top prize of outstanding animation in an animated feature, and outstanding character in an animated feature for Rumi.
“Zootopia 2” won outstanding environment in an animated feature for Marsh Market. In building that biome, co-director Jared Bush told Variety, “Marsh Market is for semi-aquatic animals. It’s for marine mammals.” He added that it would be a very comfortable place for beavers, who are adept in water and on land.
“Sinners” won the award for outstanding supporting visual effects in a photoreal feature.
“The VES is honored to recognize brilliant artistry and technological innovation across a wide range of disciplines,” said VES Board Chair, Kim Davidson. “The craft of visual effects is constantly evolving to push the limits of our imaginations, and tonight’s inspiring winners and nominees represent best-in-class work from around the world. Congratulations to all!”
In TV, “Andor” took home two awards including outstanding special (practical) effects in a photoreal project. “Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age” also nabbed two awards taking home the prize for outstanding visual effects in a photoreal episode.
Comedy duo Randy and Jason Sklar (the Sklar Brothers) hosted the 24th Annual VES Awards for the second consecutive year.
This year’s special honorees included film producer Jerry Bruckheimer receiving the VES Lifetime Achievement Award, and Wētā Workshop co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Sir Richard Taylor receiving the VES Visionary Award.
In his speech, Bruckheimer said, “You create the magic. You create the things that people go to theaters for. You’re the people that we dream about when we go to the movies, when we go into that dark space in the theater, and the work that you do is truly phenomenal.”
The VES Awards were held on Feb. 25 at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
Below is the full list of winners for the 24th Annual VES Awards:
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” Richard Baneham Peter Litvack Eric Saindon Nicky Muir Steve Ingram
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
“Sinners” Michael Ralla James Alexander Nick Marshall Espen Nordahl Donnie Dean
OUTSTANDING ANIMATION IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
“KPop Demon Hunters” Joshua Beveridge Jacky Priddle Benjamin Hendricks Clara Chan
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE
Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age; “The Big Freeze” Russell Dodgson Tracey Gibbons Francois Dumoulin Gavin McKenzie
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE
The Residence; “The Fall of the House of Usher” Seth Hill Tesa Kubicek John Nelson Gabriel Vargas
OUTSTANDING VISUAL ARTS IN A REAL-TIME PROJECT
“Ghost of Yōtei” Jason Connell Matt Vainio Joanna Wang Jasmin Patry
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A COMMERCIAL
BMW; “Heart of Joy | Meet Okto the Octopus” Tom Raynor Helen Tang Jack Harris Alex Kulikov
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SPECIAL VENUE PROJECT
The Wizard of Oz at Sphere Ben Grossmann Tamara Watts Kent Dr. Irfan Essa Matt Dougan Glenn Derry
OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”; Varang: Leader of the Ash Clan Stephen Clee Stuart Adcock Keven Norris Joseph Kim
OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
“KPop Demon Hunters”; Rumi Sophia (Seung Hee) Lee Andrea Centeno Marc Souliere Joshua Beveridge
OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN AN EPISODIC, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
It: Welcome to Derry; “The Thing in the Dark;” The Pickle Monster Philip Harris-Genois Pierric Danjou Chloe Ostiguy Jonathan Bourdua
OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENT IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” Bridgehead Industrial City Gianluca Pizzaia Steve Bevins Dziga Kaiser Zsolt Máté
OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENT IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
“Zootopia 2”; Marsh Market Limei Z. Hshieh Alexander Nicholas Whang Joshua Fry Ryan DeYoung
OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENT IN AN EPISODIC, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
Andor; “Welcome to the Rebellion;” The Senate District John O’Connell Falk Boje Hasan Ilhan Kevin George
OUTSTANDING CG CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” Steve Deane AJ Briones Zachary Brake Andrew Moffett
OUTSTANDING MODEL IN A PHOTOREAL OR ANIMATED PROJECT
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”; The Windtraders’ Gondola Michael Smale Sam Sharplin Joe W. Churchill Jacqi Dillon
OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”; Simulating Pandora Nicholas Illingworth Sarah C. Farmer James Robinson Ryan Bowden
OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
“KPop Demon Hunters” Filippo Maccari Nikolaos Finizio Daniel La Chapelle Srdjan Milosevic
OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
“Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age”; The Big Freeze Edward Ferrysienanda Kevin Christensen Guy Schuleman Kevin Tarpinian
OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A FEATURE
“F1: The Movie”; Modern Race and POV Footage Hugo Gauvreau Chris Davies Raushan Raj Amaury Rospars
OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN AN EPISODE
The Last of Us; “Through the Valley;” A Storm of Ice, Fire and Flesh Tobias Wiesner Mark Julien Owen Longstaff Brendan Naylor
OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A COMMERCIAL
BMW; “Heart of Joy | Meet Okto the Octopus” Alex Kulikov Jack Harris Adam Chabane Nicola Borsari
OUTSTANDING SPECIAL (PRACTICAL) EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL PROJECT
Andor; “Who Are You?” Luke Murphy Dean Ford Jody Eltham Darrell Guyon
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AWARD
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”; Kora Fire Toolset Alexey Dmitrievich Stomakhin John Edholm Murali Ramachari Aleksandr Isakov
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A STUDENT PROJECT
“Azimuth” Thomas Teisseire Cassandre Cinier Martin Bluy Mathis Giraudeau
Adult Swim‘s animated comedy “Smiling Friends” is ending after its third season. Creators and stars Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel revealed the news in a video posted to Adult Swim’s X account.
“I’m gonna cut right to the chase,” Hadel said at the top of the message. “This is not a bit, this is not a joke. Michael and I are here to announce that ‘Smiling Friends’ will be ending after Season 3 is done.”
“To be perfectly honest, after we finished Season 3, Zach and I just both had the same feeling where we felt pretty burnt out after putting years and years into this, but also pretty accomplished,” Cusack added. “We just came to this feeling where we were like, ‘I think that could just be it,’ after Season 3.”
Hadel explained that from the very beginning of the show, he and Cusack wanted to put “110%” into “Smiling Friends” and then “go out on top.” He said it was better to leave the audience “wanting more” than to have fans think, “‘That show is still on the air? Oh god.’”
“We wouldn’t want to be doing more seasons half-hearted or burnt out or not feeling it,” he added. “That’s not fair to us, and it’s not fair to the audience to give you guys fucking slop. That sucks.”
Cusack explained that ending “Smiling Friends” was “our decision,” and that Adult Swim has been nothing but “very supportive.”
The celebrated South Korean director, screenwriter and producer will succeed French actor Juliette Binoche, whose jury handed the Palme d’Or to Jafar Panahi’s Iranian drama “It Was Just an Accident.”
Known for his baroque and subversive work, Park has a long history with Cannes. He presented his feature debut, “Oldboy,” at the 2004 festival, where it won the Grand Prize and later became a cult film. He’s returned to the competition with most of his films since then, including “Thirst,” which picked up the Jury Prize in 2009, “The Handmaiden” in 2016 and “Decision to Leave,” which won best director in 2022.
“Park Chan-wook’s inventiveness, visual mastery, and penchant for capturing the multiple impulses of women and men with strange destinies have given contemporary cinema some truly memorable moments,” said festival president Iris Knobloch and director Thierry Frémaux in a joint statement. “We are delighted to celebrate his immense talent and, more broadly, the cinema of a country deeply engaged with the questioning of our time.”
Park will become the first South Korean president of the Cannes Film Festival in its 79-year history. Wong Kar-wai is the only other Asian filmmaker to have headed the jury, 20 years ago.
Park, whose latest film “No Other Choice” was nominated for three Golden Globes, said, “The theater is dark so that we may see the light of cinema. We confine ourselves within the theater so that our souls may be liberated through the window of film.
“To be enclosed in a theater to watch films, and enclosed again to engage in debate with the members of the jury, this double, voluntary confinement is something I await with great anticipation,” he continued.
Alluding to ongoing wars and political tensions, he said, “In this age of mutual hatred and division, I believe that the simple act of gathering in a theater to watch a single film together, our breaths and heartbeats aligning, is itself a moving and universal expression of solidarity.”
Cannes has long championed South Korean cinema. Back in 2002, the festival awarded Im Kwon-taek with the best director award for “Strokes of Fire.” Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean director to win the Palme d’Or in 2019 for “Parasite” and then made history winning best picture, director, screenplay and international feature at the Oscars.
Over the years, Cannes also shined a spotlight on a new generation of South Korean directors who presented their films in competition; notably Hong Sang-soo, with “Tale of Cinema” in 2005, Kim Ki-duk with “Breath” in 2007 and Lee Chang-dong with “Poetry,” which won best screenplay in 2010. Others have included Kim Jee-woon with “A Bittersweet Life” in 2005, Yeon Sang-ho in “Train to Busan” in 2016, Byun Sung-hyun with “The Merciless” in 2017 and Lee Won-tae with “The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil” in 2019.
Protestors gathered outside of Wednesday night’s “Scream 7” premiere at the Paramount Studios lot in Los Angeles, calling for a boycott of the horror film in a show of support for Palestine.
About 25 demonstrators were seen positioned around the lot with flags, drums and bullhorns. They were heard chanting phrases like “Paramount, Paramount, what do you say?” and “Palestine will live forever!”
While speaking on the red carpet, “Scream 7” director Kevin Williamson shared his thoughts on the protest.
“We live in a world where a lot of bad things are happening out there, and I think a lot of people want to be heard and they want to have their voice heard about the bad stuff that’s happening,” Williamson told Variety. “My heart goes out to them. I don’t know if canceling Paramount+ is the way to do it. But I think people should listen to their inner self and do what feels good for them.”
The outrage likely stems from the firing of the former series star Melissa Barrera. In the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack and Israel’s subsequent retaliation, Barrera took to Instagram to share her views on the conflict. She was largely critical of Israel, and she accused the nation of “genocide and ethnic cleansing.” She also shared a post from Jewish Currents Magazine about distorting “the Holocaust to boost the Israeli arms industry.” Shortly after, “Scream” producer Spyglass Media Group exclusively revealed to Variety that it had dropped the “In the Heights” actress from the franchise because of the posts.
“Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech,” a Spyglass spokesperson told Variety at the time.
Co-star Jenna Ortega, citing scheduling conflicts, exited “Scream 7” shortly after, along with original director Christopher Landon, who said he received death threats over Barrera’s firing. The script had to be rewritten, and Neve Campbell’s original heroine, Sidney Prescott, was inserted as the lead. Williamson, who wrote the first “Scream” movie, took over as director.
“Scream 7,” which premieres on Friday, follows Campbell’s Sidney Prescott as she relocates to Woodsboro for a quiet life with her daughter, only to have Ghostface return to burn it all down. Campbell stars alongside fellow original cast members Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Matthew Lillard, as well as Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Anna Camp, Joel McHale and Mckenna Grace.
SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for the Season 1 (or Season 10? Season 9?) premiere of “Scrubs” (2026), which premiered Wednesday night on ABC.
When the cast and producers of hit early 2000s comedy “Scrubs” reunited for a panel at the ATX TV festival in 2022, the question naturally turned to a series revival. Most of the cast loved the idea — but figured it was a non-starter. “It can’t be a full season of a show,” said star Donald Faison (Turk), who suggested a TV movie instead. “Everyone is doing things.”
But creator Bill Lawrence — who’s pretty busy at the moment (“Shrinking,” “Rooster,” “Bad Monkey”) — nonetheless was eager to get the gang back together again. “I just thought it would happen,” he says. “People often go, ‘why would you reboot this?’ If you enjoyed spending time with and working with people you know, I would think you would be crazy to not take a shot. Even if the worst thing that happens is that you get to spend some time again with people you love. We had reached points in our lives that we weren’t getting to spend as much time with each other — because everybody’s successful and doing their own thing — that everybody would ultimately be receptive to giving another spin and seeing if we had fun again.”
Star Zach Braff (J.D.) noted that the “Scrubs” rewatch podcast that he and Faison hosted over the pandemic, “Fake Doctors, Real Friends,” helped garner interest in a revival. And then there are those T-Mobile ads, where Braff and Faison play themselves — but remind viewers of their “Scrubs” characters’ chemistry. “I think that kicked it into even a higher gear,” he says. “I think that that’s when Bill started actually trying to figure out how to make it work.”
Because Lawrence is obligated to produce his other shows — and he’s under contract at Warner Bros. TV, whereas “Scrubs” is produced by Disney — he tapped “Scrubs” alum Assem Batra to showrun the revival. “I feel this show in my soul,” she says. “The balance of heart and funny. Bill gave me a lot of leeway of what will this be. It feels like we’ve been talking about it for years, so it’s exciting that it’s finally happening.”
Now that the “Scrubs” revival has officially premiered on ABC (next day on Hulu), here are some things to know about the show’s return:
The new “Scrubs” opens with a bit of an homage to “The Pitt” before revealing it’s all a J.D. fantasy, and he’s really working as a successful, but bored, concierge doctor.
“I’ll tell you right now, my favorite medical show on TV is ‘The Pitt,’” Lawrence says. “I’ll put Scrubs as a close second, but I’m obsessed, and it kind of represents that world of what it means to be dropped into a place that you know, on some level, just by the very simple act of being there. It’s because you want to be of service and do things that matter for the world. Man, that’s the kind of a storytelling arena that always hooks me.”
But as J.D. visits Sacred Heart, he realizes he misses the calling of being in the middle of the action. And so when Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) offers him the job to replace him as chief of medicine, he accepts.
Says Braff: “That’s in him, that passion, and that’s when Cox says, ‘what are you doing?’ He has the attitude of, ‘I trained you to be far more than what you’re doing, and you’re better than just being a concierge doctor. You should come back and make a difference.’ I think that really lands with JD, especially when he sees what a difference he can make. In that two days he spends at the hospital, he gets a little glimpse of what it’s like to be a teacher, to share your knowledge. It just kind of comes back into his system. Like, ‘I miss this. This is a lot harder, and the money might not be as good, but I want to make a difference again.”
The decision by Dr. Cox to retire was also out of necessity — McGinley was busy shooting Lawrence’s new HBO Max series “Rooster.” But that Dr. Cox/J.D. relationship is still front and center in the first episode. “We always kept that dynamic where Cox did not let him in, and he’s letting him in a little bit more now,” Aseem says.
As “Scrubs” returns after 15 years, its characters are now the veteran doctors teaching a whole new generation of “newbies.”
New cast members include Joel Kim Booster as Dr. Eric Park, J.D.’s new rival (and someone who was expecting to replace Dr. Cox in charge) and Vanessa Bayer as hospital HR director Sibby. Ava Bunn, Jacob Dudman, David Gridley, Layla Mohammadi and Amanda Morrow play the new generation of interns.
“It’s 21 minutes and 30 seconds, and you almost feel like you’re doing two shows,” Batra says. “You’re doing a show with our legacy cast, and you’re doing a show with the new cast. So it is tricky, but we hope there’s enough for old fans and new fans to hook into this.”
Among the themes for the returning “Scrubs” characters: What it’s like to be getting older.
“In healthcare, you’re dealing with humanity so much every day, and part of humanity is aging and getting older, and what that means emotionally and spiritually and physically,” Batra says. “It’s almost organic to see our cast go through these issues in a hospital setting. We’re actually talking head on about, ‘what does it feel to get older?’ And we have an episode of that coming up.
Fans quickly learn that J.D. and Elliot (Sarah Chalke) have divorced.
“The Elliot/J.D. relationship was always tricky, because people root for them so much,” Batra says. “But if you go back and look at their dynamic in the first season, it was a hot mess. There was something we felt we could get out of them not being together that would be more complex and layered than if everything had worked out. It felt like Turk and Carla were always the core, the solid couple. We were actually excited to do this, because even being split for Elliot and J.D. didn’t mean they don’t love each other. And being able to have that arc for them of how do they come back together, even if it’s not romantically, we don’t know. But seeing them rebuild something together is also gives us so much to do.”
Says Chalke: “Elliot and J.D. figuring out who they’re going to be to each other in this new iteration, that was really, I thought, such a smart way in. I thought it just leaves so much room for story lines and for conflict and interest. It’s such a unique experience to get to come back and play a character that you spent eight years doing. It’s unique to get to do it once, but then to get to do it again, feels really lucky.”
Batra and Braff, who directed the pilot, say they wanted to keep the return of “Scrubs” more grounded vs. the flights of fancy the show was famous for later in its run.
“I think what we both understood and agreed on was we had to keep it tonally grounded,” Batra says. “We couldn’t start at the ‘Scrubs’ 10 at goofiness. We had to give people a way in, to hook in emotionally. We know it’s going to get pushed more toward the comedy, but we really wanted to connect with our audience, and so we have grounded it more in that for now.”
Says Braff: “Outside of the fantasies, we really wanted to ground the show back to where it was in Season 1 of the original show. We got broader and broader over the years, and it almost became cartoonish at points. And we want to be real. When I was directing, I would catch myself and the other cast and go, ‘that’s kind of a heightened version of that. How would you really say it in the real world?’ And I just kept trying to ground it.”
That’s not to say there isn’t some fan service. Eccentric surgeon Hooch (Phill Lewis) — seemingly fired in Season 8 — is back, as is bro doctor The Todd (Robert Maschio).
“The Todd was a tricky one, because we’re like, ‘well, the Todd in this day and age, it’s so problematic,’” Batra says. “So for the spin on the Todd, he thinks he understands what’s going on, and he’s kind of like, ‘you get consent.’ So he’s not a bad guy. He’s just a dated guy, and he’s trying very hard to understand the rules, but probably getting them wrong. So that’s how we decided to address Todd in this day and age.”
Also making return appearances: Judy Reyes as Carla, Christa Miller as Jordan and Neil Flynn as The Janitor. “It is difficult to thread that needle of giving the fans everything they want, even just with availability and being able to introduce a new cast, versus putting emphasis on older cast,” Batra says. “After the pilot, we got eight episodes, which I think also determined what we can do. Hopefully in success and a Season 2, we’ll be able to bring back a lot more fan favorites and address some of the things. Sam Lloyd [who played Sacred Heart lawyer Ted] passed away, and we wanted to do a memorial to him. Something like that may come up next season, because we really feel his absence in the show.”
And yes, Turk and J.D. revive their “eagle” lift in the season opener — but soon realize that their bodies aren’t cut out for it anymore.
“We just didn’t want it to be a greatest hits nostalgia session,” Braff says. “Although we do have characters that people like, and of course, we do our probably first and last ‘eagle’ at 50 years old in the pilot, I think mostly it’s like, we want to introduce a new audience that doesn’t know ‘Scrubs’ to this world and have it be the case that you could just start the show anew without having known anything about ‘Scrubs.’ In that case, it’s about a doctor who returns to work at a hospital after being gone for many years.”
ABC is branding this as “Scrubs” Season 1, even if it’s technically Season 10. But Lawrence prefers to call it Season 9.
“I would say that this is the ninth season of Scrubs, and it just takes place 20 years later,” Lawrence says. That’s because the previous final season of “Scrubs” was actually a bit of a different show, as attention turned to new characters played by Eliza Coupe, Kerry Bishé, Michael Mosley and Dave Franco.
“The ninth season of ‘Scrubs’ wasn’t supposed to be ‘Scrubs,’” Lawrence notes. “It was called ‘Scrubs Med,’ and it was supposed to be a fun spin off. And as a spin off, I don’t regret it at all. I think a lot of those actors and actresses, Mike Mosley and Eliza Coupe and Kerry Bouche, Dave Franco, they were doing really funny, cool stuff. And if it would have been interesting to see where it went. But for me, the show ‘Scrubs’ ended the eighth year, and this is kind of picking it up 20 years later.”
Adds Braff: “In terms of going back to the Bill Lawrence vision of ‘Scrubs,’ it’s Seasons 1 through 8. And if you look at eight the way it ends, when all those images are projected on that sheet, that’s just what J.D. hopes will happen. That’s what he daydreams will happen. It’s not saying necessarily that any of those things actually occurred.”
That means some of what happened in Season 9 is no longer canon, and the new “Scrubs” instead picks up after the events of Season 8.
“It doesn’t mean that we don’t respect Season 9, but we feel like that was more of the spin off thing,” says Batra. “So we really decided, let’s follow after Season 8. We knew we would annoy some people with that, people who are hardcore about all that, but we decided that just felt right to us tonally and everything else.
Adds Faison: “For all my nerds out there, just look at Season 9 as a ‘what if.’”
The cast and producers are on board to keep the “Scrubs” revival going.
“We definitely want to keep going and tell more ‘Scrubs’ stories,” Braff says. “This is sort of like an audition, if you will, to see if people like it. And I think if people like it, I know that we and ABC would like to do more.”
SPOILER ALERT: Details follow for Season 14, Episode 7 of “The Masked Singer,” “Spice Girls Night,” which aired Feb. 25 on Fox.
“The Masked Singer” headed to the hills for this week’s episode, as Heidi Montag was the latest celebrity to be unmasked on Season 14 of the Fox singing reality competition.
Among the panelists, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg got it right with Montag. Guest panelist Taraji P. Henson went with Anna Faris. Ken Jeong thought it was Mandy Moore. Rita Ora guessed Moore as well, and Robin Thicke went with Leighton Meester.
In her final appearance, Montag — as Snow Cone — alluded to the loss of her home with husband Spencer Pratt during last year’s fires in Pacific Palisades. “The Spice Girls took over the world with girl power and left a legacy for generations to come. That’s all we can every ask for, something to pass on. This is especially true for me and my husband. Together we built a home where our kids could grow up surrounded by love and laughter. And then without warning, everything changed. We lost everything. Photos, favorite toys, I mean, this is the home my kids came home to from the hospital. I get so emotional. Putting our lives back together has tested me in ways I could never imagine. But you know what I’m learning? Nothing good or bad lasts forever. But love is our legacy.”
In another clue package on the show, Montag alluded to her music career: “I poured everything I had into it. Even turned down a record deal with David Foster. But when I released it, nobody bought it. For years, I was devastated. But when I was at my lowest point, everyone rallied behind me. Fans started buying my music again. And this once again album became No. 1.”
Here’s what she said on night 1 of this season: “I’m here to clear the air. I’ve been misunderstood. Look, from day one I knew I was destined for stardom. Sure, I was just modeling snow boots for a kids catalog. But I was the whole package. And then wham, I finally got my big break. I landed a role on one of TV’s hottest shows. Until one moment spoiled everything. I was kicked to the curb. You should have seen what the headlines said about me. All lies. Hollywood completely iced me out. And ever since then, I’ve been trying to shake that image… I’m not what you think. And I’m going to prove those people wrong.”
Ora opened the show by singing “Spice Up Your Life,” one of the Spice Girls’ classic tracks — along with the show’s remaining contestants. Guest panelist Taraji P. Henson — unmasked earlier this season as Scarab — also joined in, dressed as “Scarab Spice,” aka Scary Spice. McCarthy Wahlberg dressed as Baby Spice, Ora was Posh Spice, Thicke was Ginger Spice and Jeong was “Old Spice.”
On this week’s episode, the bottom two were Crane and Snow Cone. They battled by both performing their own versions of “Stop,” by Spice Girls. Crane was saved, leaving Snow Cone to be unmasked as Montag.
With Snow Cone gone, that leaves High Voltage, Pangolin, Eggplant, Galaxy Girl, Stingray, Cat Witch, Pugcasso and Crane left in the competition.
Heidi Montag (Snow Cone) joins Billy Ray Cyrus (Owl), Teddi Mellencamp (Calla Lily), Claudia Oshry (Queen Corgi), Taraji P. Henson (Scarab), Tone Loc (Handyman), Tiffany Haddish (Le Who Who), Todd and Julie Chrisley (Croissants) and David “Big Papi” Ortiz (Googly Eyes) as the celebrities unmasked so far on “The Masked Singer” Season 14.
Back for Season 14 are host Nick Cannon, alongside panelists McCarthy Wahlberg, Jeong, Ora and Thicke.
New this season is “America’s Insider,” in which singer, dancer and social media personality Kylie Cantrall will share behind-the-scenes hints and clues for viewers. The twist: Cantrall is in costume as Cat Witch, but will only unmask for viewers — so the audience knows who she is, but the panelists don’t.
“The Masked Singer” Season 14 themed episodes include a tribute to “Star Trek,” the ‘90s comedy “Clueless,” the comic franchise “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and the blockbuster “Twilight Saga” films. Also Fox’s new “Fear Factor” reboot will feature host Johnny Knoxville in a “Fear Factor: House of Fear Night,” and an “Ozzfest Night” honors late rocker Ozzy Osbourne, including a special tribute by “Masked Singer” alum Kelly Osbourne (Season 2’s Ladybug) saluting her father’s musical influence.
The 18 Masked contestants in Season 14 include Eggplant, Pugcasso, Queen Corgi, the Croissants, Owl, 14 Karat Carrot, Snow Cone, Galaxy Girl, High Voltage, Googly Eyes, Scarab, Handyman, Crane, Le Who Who, Pangolin, Stingray, Cat Witch and Calla Lily.
Per the show, the Season 14 contestants have sold a combined 94 million records, received 47 Teen Choice Award nominations, 12 Emmy nominations, two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one Tony Award win and one Academy Award nomination.
Here were the performances on Wednesday’s episode.
Crane, “The Masked Singer”
Trae Patton
Crane
Song: “Say You’ll Be There,” by Spice Girls
Clue: Train. “Not every journey sparkles, but this one was pure gold for my soul.”
Panel guesses: Keke Palmer, Ciara, Mya
Previous song: “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay,” by Whitney Houston
Crane voiceover: “I feel lucky to have an actual Spice Girl take me under her wing. Mel B. But, I’ve had an OG Spice in my corner since before I could even walk: My grandma. I remember being 5 and seeing her dressed as Tina Turner for Halloween. Legs out, strutting like a diva. I guess that’s where I got it from. She’s literally like my second mom. Sewing my costumes, making my evening gowns for pageants. Front row at every performance. I could hear her voice screaming the loudest: ‘That’s my baby! Do your thing, girl!’ And now to spice up her life a little bit, grandma! Your baby’s on your favorite show! I can’t wait for you to figure out it’s your baby under this mask all along.”
Snow Cone, “The Masked Singer”
Trae Patton
Snow Cone
Song: “Wannabe,” by Spice Girls
Clue: Wedding cake. “I’ve always embraced new beginning, especially after life’s toughest chapters. Resilience can be its own kind of healing..”
Panel guesses: Anna Faris, Heidi Montag, Leighton Meester
Previous songs: “When I Grow Up,” by the Pussycat Dolls; “Stronger,” by Britney Spears
Previous panel guesses: Mischa Barton, Nicole Richie, Taylor Momsen, Avril Lavigne, Paris Hilton, Mandy Moore
Snow Cone voiceover: “The Spice Girls took over the world with girl power and left a legacy for generations to come. That’s all we can every ask for, something to pass on. This is especially true for me and my husband. Together we built a home where our kids could grow up surrounded by love and laughter. And then without warning, everything changed. We lost everything. Photos, favorite toys, I mean, this is the home my kids came home to from the hospital. I get so emotional. Putting our lives back together has tested me in ways I could never imagine. But you know what I’m learning? Nothing good or bad lasts forever. But love is our legacy.”
Pugcasso, “The Masked Singer”
Trae Patton
Pugcasso
Song: “Too Much,” by Spice Girls
Clue: “Rejected.” “Some people told me I wasn’t good at music. Luckily they weren’t good at their job either, so it all worked out in the end.”
Panel guesses: Pat Monahan of Train; Vance Joy; Charlie Puth
Previous songs: “Ordinary,” by Alex Warren; “Fake Plastic Trees,” by Radiohead
Previous panel guesses: Dan Reynolds, Darren Criss, Ryan Tedder, Jack Johnson, Rob Thomas
Pugcasso voiceover: “Spice Girls? Man they were lucky to have each other. Call me jealous spice, because there were many times where I was on my own, feeling mighty lonely. Like when I was in another country doing the biggest show of my life, surrounded by legends. Bruce Springsteen to my left, John Mayer to my right. And it was my turn to go on stage in front of hundreds of thousands of people. All by myself. And all I could think was… But the moment I stepped on stage, the entire stadium went wild. And sand along to every single word. Turns out I wasn’t alone. I had a hundred thousand voices joining mine.”
Past “The Masked Singer” winners include T-Pain as Monster (Season 1), Wayne Brady as Fox (Season 2), Kandi Burruss as Night Angel (Season 3), LeAnn Rimes as Sun (Season 4), Nick Lachey as Piglet (Season 5), Jewel as Queen of Hearts (Season 6), Teyana Taylor as Firefly (Season 7), Amber Riley as Harp (Season 8), Bishop Briggs as Medusa (Season 9), Ne-Yo as Cow (Season 10), Vanessa Hudgens as Goldfish (Season 11), Boyz II Men as Buffalos (Season 12) and Gretchen Wilson as Pearl (Season 13).
“The Masked Singer” comes from Fox Alternative Entertainment. Rosie Seitchik, Craig Plestis and Cannon are executive producers, while Seitchik serves as showrunner. The series is based on the South Korean format created by Mun Hwa Broadcasting Corp.
