Category: 5. Entertainment

Plans to sell a council-owned TV and film studio are on hold after the potential purchase of the site collapsed.

Bristol City Council voted to explore plans to sell the Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove in October 2024.

In a statement, the council has now confirmed that it has “not been possible to conclude an agreement” for the sale of the leasehold of the studios to an unknown buyer.

“This has been a necessarily lengthy process to ensure all possible factors are considered and that an extensive level of due diligence is carried out throughout,” said councillor Tony Dyer, leader and chair of its strategy and resources committee.

“We entered into this process with the objective of securing a sustainable future for the studios and the opportunity to grow into its huge potential,” he added.

“Those aims remain the same, as does our determination to ensure that one of our city’s most successful regeneration projects continues an upward trajectory to deliver more jobs and more investment for Bristol.”

The council said that the sale of the site had been under an exclusivity agreement to the preferred bidder for three months.

This time was to allow for “detailed negotiations and the drawing up of fuller proposals for the potential sale.”

Bottle Yard Studios is the largest film and TV facility in the West of England, with shows such as The Outlaws, Rivals and Boarders filmed there.

The potential sale had drawn criticism from a performing arts and entertainment trade union over concerns around job losses.

“Bristol’s film and TV sector forms a critical part of our local economy, providing a catalyst for new jobs, new investment and bolstering our city’s reputation at home and abroad,” said councillor Ani Townsend, co-chair of the Bristol One City Culture Board.

“I can say with confidence that a key element of the growth seen in the sector over the past decade and a half has been the role played by The Bottle Yard Studios in providing a home for Bristol-based productions,” she added.

The studios will continue to operate as normal but the council said it had not ruled out selling them in the future and that officers would “now assess the various options open to us”.

The film and TV industry was worth approximately £55m to the local economy in 2024, according to Bristol Film Office.

Tom Blyth is lending his voice for an audio romance.

The Hunger Games: Songbirds and Snakes actor will star in The Muse, a three-episode immersive audio romance for audio erotica app Quinn, The Hollywood Reporter can exclusively announce.

The Muse will debut under the Quinn Originals banner, a curated series of elevated, Quinn-produced romances.

Blyth will portray “a disillusioned Regency-era pianist” named William who has “a reputation for brilliance.”

Quinn describes the drama as follows: “When he agrees to tutor Aurelia, the daughter of a wealthy patron, he finds in her a muse who both unnerves and inspires him. Narrated directly to the listener, who steps into the role of Aurelia, The Muse explores the electric tension between teacher and student, the line between discipline and desire, and the transcendent power of artistic connection. This is a story of restraint unraveling — of intimacy, music and mutual obsession, set against the lush, candlelit backdrop of early 19th-century London.”

“Voice acting demands total presence,” Blyth said in a statement. “You have to put everything into your voice: the story, the tension, the intimacy, the movement. William felt like a character with real depth, which you don’t always get in romance.”

“Tom brings a magnetic energy to William,” said Quinn Founder and CEO Caroline Spiegel. “This is one of the most romantic stories we’ve ever produced. We wanted to craft something for every listener who’s ever fallen for the one person they were supposed to stay away from.”

Launching in 2021, Quinn has offered a platform for “ethical, female-first audio erotica.” Quinn Originals—launched in 2022 — features “cinematic storytelling, award-winning voice talent and a signature second-person format that places the listener at the heart of the story.” Other actors who have lent their voices for the app include Jamie Campbell Bower, Victoria Pedretti, Jesse Williams, Thomas Doherty, Andrew Scott and Katherine Moennig.

Blyth is set to star in the highly anticipated adaptation of Emily Henry’s bestseller People We Meet on Vacation with Emily Bader.

The first two episodes of The Muse will premiere July 24, with the final episode dropping July 31.

Barcelona cocktail bar Paradiso, currently ranked tenth in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 ranking, has introduced an immersive cocktail experience inside the Pacha Ibiza nightclub.

A collaboration between The Pacha Group and Group Confiteria, Paradiso Ibiza is led by Giacomo Giannotti.

The 14-signature cocktail menu uses Mediterranean botanicals, tropical fruits, and locally sourced ingredients, with serves including the Paradiso Mule, Tartufo Gin & Tonic, and the Amalfi Spritz. 

Beyond the menu, the experience includes live cocktail performances, seasonal innovations, and guest appearances from globally renowned bartenders.

The bar will operate nightly from 11pm between June to October and is exclusively accessible to Pacha Ibiza ticket holders and patrons.

By Lukas I. Alpert

Paramount has reportedly reached a 5-year, $1.5 billion streaming deal with the show’s creators, after the company’s incoming owners sought to rework an earlier agreement

Looks like they didn’t kill Kenny after all.

Paramount Global (PARA) has reached a five-year, $1.5 billion global streaming deal with the creators of the long-running animated hit “South Park,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

The reported agreement comes after weeks of tension between the two sides that had delayed the premiere of the show’s 27th season. It also comes amid broader unrest at the company as it seeks to close its sale to David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

The deal grants Paramount full streaming rights across the globe for the show, which has aired on the company’s Comedy Central channel since the program launched in 1997, the report said. Previously, U.S. streaming rights for “South Park” were held by Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. (WBD), while Paramount held the international streaming rights plus the rights to air the show on Comedy Central.

A new deal with “South Park” signals that at least one bit of chaos around Paramount’s sale has been resolved.

The spat between Paramount and the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began when Skydance balked at a framework for a broader 10-year, $3 billion deal agreed upon by Paramount’s current owners.

That angered Parker and Stone, who accused Paramount of tampering with negotiations with other companies and brought in lawyers. That led to a two-week delay to the premiere of the show’s upcoming season.

Skydance, which is still awaiting regulatory approval to close its $8 billion acquisition of Paramount, has signaled that it has different priorities than the company’s current ownership.

“This merger is a s-show and it’s f-ing up ‘South Park.’ We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow,’” Parker and Stone wrote in a post on X on July 2.

Paramount’s stock rose 0.4% in morning trading. It has run up 25.1% in 2025, while the S&P 500 index SPX has gained 7%.

The Paramount sale has been under heavy political pressure, leading the company to agree to a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump over a lawsuit he filed arguing that Paramount’s CBS news division had deceptively edited an interview with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris during last year’s election.

Legal experts had widely deemed the lawsuit baseless, and the company’s move to reach a settlement angered many at CBS. It also led to the resignation of the head of CBS News and the executive producer of its flagship program “60 Minutes,” both of whom cited corporate tampering as the reason for their departures.

Just last week, Paramount announced it was canceling CBS’s top-rated late-night show, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” just days after its host called the settlement a “big fat bribe.”

Paramount said the cancellation was “purely a financial decision,” but the move led many to speculate that it was driven by politics as well, as Colbert had been a frequent critic of Trump on air.

-Lukas I. Alpert

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Anne Hathaway is showing off big smiles and bold new fashion choices on the set of “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” the long-awaited sequel which is now filming on the streets of New York City. The Oscar winner returns as Andy Sachs and was photographed shooting scenes for the new movie in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. The sequel is also shooting at various locations in midtown Manhattan this month.

The original “Devil Wears Prada” movie opened in 2006 and became an instant favorite, grossing a strong $326 million worldwide and earning a best actress Oscar nomination for Meryl Streep. The story centered on Hathaway’s Andy Sachs, an aspiring journalist who becomes the personal assistant to Miranda Priestly (Streep), the ruthless editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine named Runway.

While fans have long wanted a sequel to “The Devil Wears Prada,” the cast has been more hesitant over the years. Hathaway said on “The View” in 2022 that making a sequel would be “tempting” but perhaps not possible given the changes in media.

“I don’t know if there can be,” Hathaway said at the time. “I just think that movie was in a different era. Now, everything has gone so digital and that movie centered around the concept of producing a physical thing. It’s just very different now.”

Joining Hathaway for “The Devil Wear Prada 2” are original cast members Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci. Tracie Thoms, who played Andy’s best friend Lily, and Tibor Feldman, who portrayed the chairman of Runway’s parent company, will also reprise their roles in the sequel. Also back again are director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, making the sequel a huge reunion for the cast and crew.

Plot details for “The Devil Wears Prada 2” remain under wraps. Hathaway’s character quit Runway and joined a major New York City newspaper at the end of the original film. The sequel reportedly follows Miranda as she navigates her career amid the decline of magazine publishing. She faces off against Blunt’s character, her one-time assistant who is now a high-powered luxury executive with advertising dollars Miranda desperately needs.

New cast members for “The Devil Wears Prada 2” include Kenneth Branagh, who is set to play Miranda Priestly’s husband, as well as Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux, B.J. Novak and Pauline Chalamet in undisclosed roles. Broadway stars Helen J. Shen (“Maybe Happy Ending”) and Conrad Ricamora (“Oh, Mary!”), plus comedian Caleb Hearon, will also appear.

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” is set to open theaters on May 1, 2026, from 20th Century Studios and Disney. Check out set photos below.

We’re presenting the best films from Shudder, all of them Certified Fresh, including Host, Late Night With the Devil, The Ugly Stepsister, When Evil Lurks, Speak No Evil, and Arcadian. And while you can find virtually all of these horror films on Shudder’s popular streaming service, we’ve partnered with the company and Fandango at Home to give you a sale page where each can be purchased or rented!

#1

Critics Consensus: Brainy and bloody in equal measure, One Cut of the Dead reanimates the moribund zombie genre with a refreshing blend of formal daring and clever satire.

Synopsis: Real zombies attack a hack director and a film crew who are shooting a low budget zombie film in an [More]

#2

Critics Consensus: Lean, suspenseful, and scary, Host uses its timely premise to deliver a nastily effective treat for horror enthusiasts.

Synopsis: Six friends accidentally invite the attention of a demonic presence during an online séance and begin noticing strange occurrences in [More]

#3

Critics Consensus: Delightfully dark, Late Night with the Devil proves possession horror isn’t played out — and serves as an outstanding showcase for David Dastmalchian.

Synopsis: Johnny Carson rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated talk show ‘Night Owls’ that has long been a trusted companion to [More]

#4

Critics Consensus: Tigers Are Not Afraid draws on childhood trauma for a story that deftly blends magical fantasy and hard-hitting realism – and leaves a lingering impact.

Synopsis: When a girl’s mother disappears leaving her on her own, she goings a gang of street children, leading to a [More]

#5

Critics Consensus: A blunt yet visceral depiction of society’s treatment of the elderly, The Amusement Park sees George A. Romero exploring a different — yet still chilling — type of terror.

Synopsis: Recently discovered and restored 46 years after its completion by the George A. Romero Foundation and produced by Suzanne Desrocher-Romero, [More]

#6

Critics Consensus: Hellbender stirs a boiling cauldron of adolescent angst, serving up a coming-of-age story with dark horror overtones.

Synopsis: A teen and her mother live simply in a home in the woods, spending their time making metal music. A [More]

#7

Critics Consensus: The rare anthology that maintains a consistently high level of quality, The Mortuary Collection is a must-see undertaking for horror fans.

Synopsis: Desperate for work, a young drifter applies for a job at the local mortuary on the outskirts of town. There, [More]

#8

Critics Consensus: A talented cast and fiendishly frightening premise combine to make Anything for Jackson a must-watch for fans of supernatural horror.

Synopsis: After losing their only grandchild in a car accident, an elderly couple kidnaps a pregnant woman to perform a reverse [More]

#9

Critics Consensus: A tense, terrifying, and all-around outstanding feature debut for its co-directing duo, The Boy Behind the Door should thrill discerning horror fans.

Synopsis: In The Boy Behind the Door, a night of unimaginable terror awaits twelve-year-old Bobby (Lonnie Chavis) and his best friend, [More]

#10

Critics Consensus: An elegant and spooky ghost story punctuated with clever jolts, Oddity hews to the fundamentals of fright and achieves shout-inducing results.

Synopsis: When Dani is brutally murdered at the remote country house that she and her husband Ted are renovating, everyone suspects [More]

#11

Critics Consensus: Taking a hammer and chisel to a quintessential fairy tale, The Ugly Stepsister‘s masterful application of gore and subversion are the stuff that nightmares are made of.

Synopsis: In a twisted take on the classic Cinderella story, ‘The Ugly Stepsister’ follows Elvira as she battles to compete with [More]

#12

Critics Consensus: A hard-hitting horror film whose surface-level frights are just as engaging as its thematic concerns, When Evil Lurks marks a viscerally unsettling addition to the possession horror canon.

Synopsis: When brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón) discover that a demonic infection has been festering in a nearby [More]

#13

Critics Consensus: La Llorona puts a fresh spin on the familiar legend by blending the supernatural and the political to resolutely chilling effect.

Synopsis: Alma is murdered with her children during a military attack in Guatemala, but when the general who ordered the genocide [More]

#14

Critics Consensus: Sissy weaves timely themes into its rich blend of horror and dark humor, topped off by terrific work from a talented cast led by Aisha Dee.

Synopsis: Cecilia and Emma were tween-age BFFs who were going to grow old together and never let anything come between them, [More]

#15

Critics Consensus: A slim-cut slice of bizarre horror, Slaxx effectively balances quirk with gore — and has the good sense to get out before its oddball premise starts showing its seams.

Synopsis: A possessed pair of jeans is brought to life to punish the unscrupulous practices of a trendy clothing company. Shipped [More]

#16

Critics Consensus: Smart, dynamic, and fast-paced, Saloum mixes tones and genres into a tart, smoothly blended treat.

Synopsis: Shot down after fleeing a coup and extracting a drug lord from Guinea-Bissau, the legendary mercenaries known as the Bangui [More]

#17

Critics Consensus: Firmly rooted in classic horror, Birth/Rebirth uses a familiar framework to tease at fundamental fears from a chillingly relatable angle.

Synopsis: Rose (Marin Ireland) is a pathologist who prefers working with corpses over social interaction. She also has an obsession — [More]

#18

Critics Consensus: A chillingly effective creature feature with more on its mind than simple creepy-crawlies, Infested draws viewers into its web with stylish efficiency.

Synopsis: Kaleb is about to turn 30 and has never been lonelier. He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and [More]

#19

Critics Consensus: Delightfully dark and impressively ambitious, A Wounded Fawn offers a grimly distinctive treat for slasher fans.

Synopsis: Inspired by surrealist art and Greek mythology, A Wounded Fawn follows the story of Meredith Tanning (Sarah Lind, Jakob’s Wife), [More]

#20

Critics Consensus: Immersing audiences in pure pandemonium with technical ingenuity and an unblinking point-of-view, MadS is a thrill ride that never lets up.

Synopsis: Eighteen year old Romain has just graduated and makes a stop at his dealer’s place to try a new pill. [More]

#21

Critics Consensus: Leap of Faith may not offer hardcore Exorcist fans much new information, but its behind-the-scenes anecdotes are enlivened by William Friedkin’s magnetic charm.

Synopsis: A lyrical and spiritual cinematic essay on The Exorcist, Leap Of Faith explores the uncharted depths of William Friedkin’s mind’s [More]

#22

Critics Consensus: Revenge slices and dices genre tropes, working within an exploitation framework while adding a timely — yet never less than viscerally thrilling — feminist spin.

Synopsis: Jen is enjoying a romantic getaway with her wealthy boyfriend — until his two sleazy friends arrive for an unannounced [More]

#23

Critics Consensus: A rich visual treat for film fans, Mad God proves that even in the age of CGI, the cinematic allure of stop-motion animation remains strong.

Synopsis: Follow The Assassin through a forbidding world of tortured souls, decrepit bunkers, and wretched monstrosities forged from the most primordial [More]

#24

Critics Consensus: As ambitious as it is daringly transgressive, Prevenge should thrill fans of pitch-black horror-comedy — and open untold opportunities for writer/director/star Alice Lowe.

Synopsis: A pregnant woman kills an assortment of people. [More]

#25

Critics Consensus: Over the top and enthusiastically strange, PG: Psycho Goreman delivers all the cheesy midnight-movie goodness promised by its title.

Synopsis: Siblings Mimi and Luke unwittingly resurrect an ancient alien overlord who was entombed on Earth millions of years ago after [More]

#26

Critics Consensus: Proof that there’s still life in the found-footage gimmick, Deadstream is a scarily good bit of B-movie fun.

Synopsis: After a public controversy left him disgraced and demonetized, a washed up internet personality tries to win back his followers [More]

#27

Critics Consensus: A squirm-inducing period piece that locates true horror in both mind and spirit, The Devil’s Bath might be Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz’s most chilling directorial effort yet.

Synopsis: In 1750 Austria, a deeply religious woman named Agnes has just married her beloved, but her mind and heart soon [More]

#28

Critics Consensus: Although its story can feel circuitous and a bit baggy, Brooklyn 45‘s character-driven period horror is elevated by some excellent performances.

Synopsis: Friday, December 27, 1945. Five military veterans gather in the ornate parlor of a Brooklyn brownstone. Best friends since childhood, [More]

#29

Critics Consensus: Stopmotion takes the conflict between art and artist to chilling, visually thrilling extremes, distinguished by director Robert Morgan’s excellent effects work.

Synopsis: A talented stop-motion animator becomes consumed by the grotesque world of her horrifying creations — with deadly results. [More]

#30

Critics Consensus: Influencer should get plenty of likes from horror fans hungry for a smart, scary chiller with something to say.

Synopsis: INFLUENCER tells the story of Madison (Emily Tennant, “Riverdale”), a popular social media influencer who is having a lonely and [More]

#31

Critics Consensus: The Queen of Black Magic mixes buried trauma with supernatural horror to produce a dark blend that genre fans will savor.

Synopsis: A family travels to the distant, rural orphanage where the father was raised to pay their respects to the facility’s [More]

#32

Critics Consensus: What Josiah Saw may be too unrelentingly unpleasant for some viewers, but this slow-burning look at generational trauma leaves a lingering, nightmarish impact.

Synopsis: Everyone in town knows about the haunted Graham Farm on Willow Road. You’ll hear there’s a bad history to it. [More]

#33

Critics Consensus: The Dark and the Wicked delivers on its title with an unsettling horror story whose deep dread and bleak outlook further compound its effective jolts.

Synopsis: Plagued by waking nightmares, two siblings suspect that something evil is taking over their family at an isolated farmhouse. [More]

#34

Critics Consensus: Blood Quantum blends bloody horror with sociopolitical subtext, taking a fresh bite out of the crowded zombie genre in the bargain.

Synopsis: The dead are coming back to life and almost all of Earth’s population are decimated due to a zombie virus, [More]

#35

Critics Consensus: The V/H/S series shows no signs of the tape wearing out with this terrifying entry, boasting an assortment of shorts that’ll sate the appetite of horror and sci-fi aficionados alike.

Synopsis: Six bloodcurdling tapes unleash horror in a sci-fi-inspired hellscape, pushing the boundaries of fear and suspense. [More]

#36

Critics Consensus: An impressive feature debut for director/co-writer Nyla Innuksuk, Slash/Back puts a refreshing spin on the standard alien invasion thriller.

Synopsis: Set in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, a sleepy hamlet nestled in the majestic mountains of Baffin Island in the Arctic Ocean, SLASH/BACK [More]

#37

Critics Consensus: Well-acted by its young leads, Martyrs Lane tells a slow-burning ghost story that gathers real emotional weight.

Synopsis: In this unsettling ghost story, Leah, 10, lives in a large, old house with her family but can’t quite work [More]

#38

Critics Consensus: A fiendishly goofy premise, strong performances, and a strong dose of winkingly meta humor help Vicious Fun deliver on its title.

Synopsis: Joel, a caustic 1980’s film critic for a national horror magazine, finds himself unwittingly trapped in a self-help group for [More]

#39

Critics Consensus: Violation presents a powerful depiction of one woman’s trauma — and its uncomfortably gripping aftermath.

Synopsis: With her marriage about to implode, Miriam returns to her hometown to seek solace in the comfort of her younger [More]

#40

Critics Consensus: With thought-provoking themes lurking beneath its absurd premise, Glorious is a brightly blood-spattered genre treat from director Rebekah McKendry.

Synopsis: A heartbroken man finds himself trapped in a bathroom with a strange voice who says he may be the only [More]

#41

Critics Consensus: The Sadness lives up to its title with an unstintingly grim — and overall effective — slice of dystopian horror.

Synopsis: The city of Taipei suddenly erupts into bloody chaos as ordinary people are compulsively driven to enact the most cruel [More]

#42

Critics Consensus: Stuffed to the gills with memorable shocks and a thrillingly unhinged heel turn by Jai Courtney, Dangerous Animals will be irresistible chum for horror aficionados.

Synopsis: When Zephyr, a rebellious surfer, is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer and held captive on his boat, she must [More]

#43

Critics Consensus: Smart, well-acted, and suitably chilling, Scare Me uses its familiar horror setting as the backdrop for a fresh deconstruction of standard genre ingredients.

Synopsis: Two strangers tell scary stories in a Catskills cabin during a power outage. [More]

#44

Critics Consensus: A social satire with razor-sharp teeth, Speak No Evil offers a darkly delicious treat for fans of misanthropic thrillers.

Synopsis: On a vacation in Tuscany, two families — one Danish, one Dutch — meet and become fast friends. Months later, [More]

#45

Critics Consensus: Campy and creepy, Suitable Flesh delivers visceral, ’80s-inspired horror topped off by game performances from Barbara Crampton and Heather Graham.

Synopsis: Psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby becomes obsessed with helping a young patient suffering extreme personality disorder. But it leads her into dark [More]

#46

Critics Consensus: Even if its ambitions are occasionally unwieldy, Good Madam offers effectively slow-burning horror anchored by thought-provoking themes.

Synopsis: Tsidi, a single mother, is forced to move in with her estranged mother Mavis, a live-in domestic worker caring obsessively [More]

#47

Critics Consensus: A supernatural horror story grounded in real-world trauma, The Power marks writer-director Corinna Faith as an emerging talent to watch.

Synopsis: London, 1974. As Britain prepares for electrical blackouts to sweep across the country, trainee nurse Val (Rose Williams) arrives for [More]

#48

Critics Consensus: An effective spine-tingler despite clear budget constraints, Caveat suggests a deliciously dark filmmaking future for writer-director Damian Mc Carthy.

Synopsis: When a lone drifter with partial memory loss, Isaac, accepts a job to look after his landlord’s niece, Olga, for [More]

#49

Critics Consensus: Boys from County Hell stands out as an uncommonly good time in the crowded vampire genre — and proves the Irish countryside is a fine setting for slaying the undead.

Synopsis: Strange events unfold in Six Mile Hill — a sleepy Irish town that claims to have been traveled by the [More]

#50

Critics Consensus: With a hard fantasy story that stands in service of its eye-catching animation, The Spine of Night is a distinctive treat for genre enthusiasts.

Synopsis: In THE SPINE OF NIGHT, an ultra-violent fantasy epic, ancient dark magic falls into sinister hands and unleashes ages of [More]

#51

Critics Consensus: An intriguing and unsettling debut for writer-director Jeffrey A. Brown, The Beach House offers a delightfully grim getaway for fans of imaginative, ambitious horror.

Synopsis: College sweethearts on a romantic getaway struggle for survival when unexpected guests exhibit signs of a mysterious infection. [More]

#52

Critics Consensus: Visually and sonically distinctive, You’ll Never Find Me heightens its spooky atmosphere and claustrophobic setting with a story that’ll keep viewers guessing.

Synopsis: An isolated man living at the back of a desolate caravan park is visited by a desperate young woman seeking [More]

#53

Critics Consensus: A bizarrely memorable sci-fi/comedy hybrid, Fried Barry may be an acquired taste, but it certainly isn’t chicken.

Synopsis: Aliens take over the body of a drug addict and take it for a joyride through Cape Town. [More]

#54

Critics Consensus: Some of its contents are more entertaining than others, but genre fans should still find this Scare Package well worth opening.

Synopsis: Seven filmmakers present seven terrifying and comedic tales of horror. [More]

#55

Critics Consensus: A smartly ambitious supernatural thriller, Perpetrator blends an assortment of genres and influences into a bloody good time.

Synopsis: Jonny Baptiste (Kiah McKirnan) is a reckless teen sent to live with her estranged Aunt Hildie (Alicia Silverstone). On her [More]

#56

Critics Consensus: As single-mindedly focused on mayhem as its demonic monster, In a Violent Nature serves up a deliciously disgusting feast for gore aficionados.

Synopsis: When a locket is removed from a collapsed fire tower in the woods that entombs the rotting corpse of Johnny, [More]

#57

Critics Consensus: Led by a trio of strong performances, Arcadian blends family drama and post-apocalyptic horror to visceral, emotionally stirring effect.

Synopsis: In a near future, life on Earth has been decimated. Paul (Nicolas Cage) and his twin teenage sons, Thomas (Jaeden [More]

#58

Critics Consensus: Perhaps it isn’t quite as much fun as a movie about a murderous robot Santa ought to be, but for fans of holiday horror, Christmas Bloody Christmas is still a gift.

Synopsis: It’s Christmas Eve and fiery record store owner Tori Tooms just wants to get drunk and party, until the robotic [More]

#59

Critics Consensus: Drawing blood and yucks from its literal tourist trap setting, Get Away is uneven as comedy and horror but makes for a highly unique blending of the two genres.

Synopsis: The Smith family’s much-needed vacation to the remote Swedish island of Svalta takes a dark turn when they arrive during [More]

#60

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Scott Barber follows the heavy metal band GWAR, through its early days coming up through the late ’80s to [More]

Among my friends, the reaction to Rihanna’s sons Riot and RZA wearing custom Dior Homme on a recent red carpet fell into two camps: those aghast at the ludicrous spend on clothes the boys will surely grow out of in months, and those, like me, who wish we also had a direct line to Jonathan Anderson when our children need a special-occasion outfit.

I kid, somewhat—and anyway, Rihanna was probably gifted the bespoke looks. But what fascinated me most about the debate over the boys’ Dior was who took what side. The mothers in the chat? They were almost uniformly swooning over the tiny, double-breasted blazer and skinny pink tie. You’d think it would be the opposite—that being a parent would force you to confront how dangerous it is to put a child into white shorts (white anything, really); how many fruit snacks it would take to coax your newly mobile toddler into a jacket, wherever it came from. But I’ll take the liberty of speaking for parents here: Yes, we are aware…but sometimes, we do it anyway.

While Rihanna herself was similarly resplendent on that carpet, dressed in a Saint Laurent gown with an olive green sash, I’d venture to say that most parents I know plan their children’s outfits with far more meticulous care than their own, even for major events. But why, you may ask, when kids barely fit into clothes for a season, and—perhaps more importantly—they are mostly oblivious to labels (unless it’s the itchy kind)?

For one thing, anyone who has given birth knows that in the post-partum months, none of your own clothes fit. Your breasts are swollen to one, two, maybe even three cup sizes larger than what you normally wear. Regardless of what kind of birth you’ve had, you’re sore somewhere down there, which makes soft pants a necessity, not just a preference. And, most likely, there’s just … more of you. I’ll head criticism off at the pass: yes, birth is miraculous. Yes, my body can do wonderful things, like growing a human. But, Christ, it kind of sucks when you can’t fit into your favorite pair of baggy jeans months and months after delivery.

And so, you hunt for a modicum of control in this new life, one made up of nursing bras and shirts perma-stained with breastmilk. This is not the moment for debating whether to buy into low-rise jeans (again)—but does that mean you’re forbidden from caring about fashion? That because you’re now raising a child, you’re required to pay attention only to the big stuff, like sleep schedules and skin-to-skin? New parents, please read this sentence more than once: You are allowed to dress your baby however you damn well please.

Harry Potter star Miriam Margolyes has told Sky News she believes JK Rowling is “wrong about some things” when it comes to her stance on trans issues – but says it is also wrong for the author to be left out of “celebrations” for her famous books.

Margolyes, who played Professor Sprout in the film series, said it was “fair enough” to criticise Rowling, who has been outspoken in her gender critical views.

However, the 84-year-old actress said the backlash against the writer had become “unkind”, and highlighted her absence from certain celebrations of the Harry Potter story.

In 2022, Rowling did not appear in a 25th anniversary TV reunion featuring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, who starred in all of the films. All three stars have spoken out in support of the trans community.

Speaking to Sky News presenter Wilfred Frost, Margolyes said: “I think everybody can be criticised, I think that’s fair enough, but everybody’s so horrid and nasty and unkind and I don’t like that.

“I don’t want people to be unkind about trans… I mean, I’m a gay woman myself and you have to just put up with it. I don’t know if [Rowling’s] been badly treated but I think it was wrong that she wasn’t invited to the celebrations for Harry Potter. You know, she created the whole thing.

“She may be wrong about some things. And women’s bodies are tremendously important – I love my body, even though it’s fat and misshapen, and I wouldn’t be a man for anything. But trans – who cares? Let’s be kind, let’s be inclusive. I think there’s an awful lot of nonsense talked about it.”

Between 1997 and 2007, Rowling published seven Harry Potter books – which were turned into eight films between 2001 and 2011. The movies generated more than $7.7bn at the global box office.

The author will be involved in the upcoming Harry Potter series.

Margolyes said she does not know Rowling and has never met her, but praised her work and highlighted her series of crime novels, written under the pen name Robert Galbraith.

“I salute her as a very great writer and I think I like the detective stories best,” she told Frost.

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The actress spoke to Sky News as the patron of the Charles Dickens Museum, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary. The museum is based at 48 Doughty Street, central London, where Dickens lived for two years and wrote works including Nicholas Nickleby and Oliver Twist.

“A life was lived here,” she said. “A great writer, and he belongs to all of us. And that’s why I want people to come to this museum and enjoy it.”

During the interview, Margolyes also made her thoughts clear on artificial intelligence – an issue that many creatives are concerned about.

“I loathe AI and everything connected with it,” she said. “That is not about everybody sharing, it’s about people stealing and lying, which is what goes on a great deal these days. No, AI is a very bad thing and I won’t have anything to do with it – and I’m pretty sure that Mr Dickens would not like it either.”

Paramount Global‘s Africa offices may close, local channels may be shuttered, and staffers’ roles could be impacted, company executives told employees in the region on Tuesday, sources familiar with the situation tell The Hollywood Reporter.

The company has been prioritizing investments in its growing streaming business and core global content as it navigates shifts in audience behavior and the macro-economic environment. As part of that, it is reviewing its international pay TV strategy and considering adjustments to its linear channel portfolio in international markets, with a focus on cable brands. Management has also signaled a focus on businesses and regions with the most opportunity for revenue growth.

Tuesday’s news comes as Paramount continues to wait for FCC approval of Skydance Media’s deal to acquire it. THR understands that Paramount has fewer than 100 employees in Africa between its offices in Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria.

“We are at a point in our journey where we are facing immense industry disruption,” Monde Twala and Craig Paterson, co-general managers of Paramount Africa, said in a staff memo obtained by THR. “Our team is not immune to potential changes as our organization evaluates its pay TV strategy and local channel footprint here in Africa.”

In June, Paramount unveiled further U.S. workforce cuts to the tune of 3.5 percent, following a 15 percent reduction last year. As of the end of 2024, Paramount Global had 18,600 employees worldwide. Co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins said in a June memo that the focus was on U.S. headcount but the moves “may also result in some impacts to our workforce outside the U.S. over time.”

Twala and Paterson acknowledged in their staff memo: “Today was incredibly difficult. We want you to know your greatness is seen. We reach out with a heavy heart, but also with immense pride. Your dedication to excellence, creativity and passion for leveraging the power of our content have been the driving force behind our many accomplishments.”

They concluded: “We understand the coming weeks may be tough and feel unsettling. Through it all, please know your efforts are valued beyond measure.”