Emily Browning as Essie Macgowan in ‘American Gods’ season one (Photo Credit: Starz)
Starz has released the first official photo of Emily Browning as Essie Macgowan in season one of American Gods. The series is based on Neil Gaiman’s bestselling, critically acclaimed novel and is currently airing on Sunday nights at 9pm ET/PT on Starz. In addition to Browning, American Gods season one stars Ricky Whittle as Shadow Moon, Ian McShane as Mr. Wednesday, Pablo Schreiber as Mad Sweeney, Yetide Badaki as Bilquis, Bruce Langley as Technical Boy, Crispin Glover as Mr. World, Orlando Jones as Mr. Nancy, Gillian Anderson as Media, Kristin Chenoweth as Easter, Jonathan Tucker as Low Key Lyesmith, Cloris Leachman as Zorya Vechernyaya, Peter Stormare as Czernobog, Chris Obi as Anubis, Demore Barnes as Mr. Ibis, and Corbin Bernsen as Vulcan.
“Essie was one of Michael and I’s favorite stories in the book. It’s essentially the tale of how Mad Sweeney made it to America. And we were talking about casting that role, and as we were in that conversation, Michael said, ‘Oh, we should just cast Emily in this role.’ And then we went to talk to Emily, and it was like, ‘So, the Essie episode’ — she was like, ‘Have you cast that actor yet? Because I think I should play her.’ And we were like, ‘Well, that just worked out well,’” said writer, showrunner, and executive producer Bryan Fuller in an interview with Variety.
Michael Green (Heroes) also writes, executive produces, and serves as a showrunner on season one. David Slade directed multiple episodes and executive produces, and American Gods author is also actively involved in the series as an executive producer.
American Gods Series Description: The plot posits a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of mythological roots from around the world steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. Its protagonist, Shadow Moon, is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday, a conman but in reality one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities.
Ed Sheeran and James Corden kicked off their Carpool Karaoke on The Late Late Show singing “Shape of You,” with Sheeran touching Corden’s thigh and telling him to work it. After finishing up the sexy song, Ed Sheeran confirmed he’s still on his no phone/no internet kick although he can be reached by email. He got tired of waking up to 50 messages, none of which asked how he was doing and so he got rid of his cell phone.
Next up, Corden and Sheeran dueted on “Sing” before moving on to a “how many Maltesers can you fit in your mouth” challenge. Rumor had it Sheeran could fit 47 in his mouth at one time, so of course Corden had to make his Carpool Karaoke passenger prove that’s true. Corden whipped out a jar containing the British chocolate snack and the countdown began. Corden barely made it to 26 before having to lean out of the car and empty his mouth. Sheeran kept going and crammed 55 in his mouth before calling it quits.
Grabbing a guitar, the duo sang “Thinking Out Loud” and then the conversation turned to drinking in dive bars/skanky clubs. Sheeran recently ended up in one in Tokyo with Justin Bieber and then went to a golf course where Bieber convinced him to hit a golf ball out of his mouth. Both were drunk and Sheeran admits to thinking, “I was like ‘focus, focus, focus.’ You can’t hit him. You can’t hit him. You can’t hit him.” Sheeran took a driving wedge and cracked Bieber across the face, but Bieber was cool about it and carried on.
Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself,” which was written by Sheeran, was next on the Carpool Karaoke agenda followed by One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.”
Sheeran confessed he was really nervous about taking part in Carpool Karaoke, unable to see what would be so funny about him singing in a car. He also revealed he feels more comfortable when he has his guitar. “As a person I can have conversations and be personable. When it comes to like musically, you stand me there with a microphone, I just feel a bit naked. I don’t know – a bit weird.”
Sheeran and Corden finished up the video with Sheeran’s “Castle on the Hill.”
The CW’s Reign season four episode 14 found Queen Elizabeth losing the love of her life, Charles deciding to marry Nicole while Henri confessed he enjoys dressing in women’s clothing, and Lord Darnley revealed he sees dead people (or at least one dead person – Kira). Episode 14 also established Narcisse is one sick puppy when it comes to revenge, castrating Knox and killing Gideon as payback for Lola’s death.
Up next, season four episode 15 titled ‘Blood in the Water’ airing on June 9, 2017. Charles Biname directed the episode from a script by Drew Lindo and Wendy Riss Gatsiounis. The season four cast includes Adelaide Kane as Queen Mary, Rachel Skarsten as Queen Elizabeth, Megan Fellows as Queen Catherine, Dan Jeannotte as James, and Will Kemp as Lord Darnley. Ben Geurens, Celina Sinden, Jonathan Goad, Craig Parker, Spencer MacPherson, and Rose Williams also star in Reign‘s fourth and final season.
The ‘Blood in the Water’ Plot: MARY’S LIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE — Childbirth threatens to take Mary’s (Adelaide Kane) life, which leaves her and her unborn child’s safety in jeopardy. Elizabeth (Rachel Skarsten) discovers that someone in her inner circle was the cause of the death of someone close to her.
Roadside Attractions and LD Entertainment have released a new teaser trailer for the romantic drama, Forever My Girl. The film’s based on the book by Heidi McLaughlin and was adapted for the screen by Bethan Ashton Wolf. Wolf also directed the dramatic movie starring Alex Roe (The 5th Wave), Jessica Rothe (La La Land), Abby Ryder Fortson (Togetherness), Travis Tritt (Brother’s Keeper), Judith Hoag, and John Benjamin Hickey.
The film features original Country music written by Brett Boyett. Forever My Girl is set to open in theaters on October 27, 2017.
Jessica Rothe and Alex Roe in ‘Forever My Girl’ (Photo credit: Jacob Yakob / Roadside Attractions / LD Entertainment)
The Plot:Forever My Girl tells the story of country music super-star Liam Page (Alex Roe) who left his bride, Josie (Jessica Rothe), at the altar choosing fame and fortune instead. However, Liam never got over Josie, his one true love, nor did he ever forget his Southern roots in the small community where he was born and raised. When he unexpectedly returns to his hometown for the funeral of his high school best friend, Liam is suddenly faced with the consequences of all that he left behind.
Corinne Olympios will participate in ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ season 4 (Photo by Mitch Haaseth / ABC)
ABC just announced the cast of the fourth season of Bachelor in Paradise set to premiere on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 at 8pm ET/PT before switching to Mondays the following week. Season four’s cast includes fan favorites from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette along with a few of the more controversial participants from the franchise, including Corinne Olympios. Chris Harrison returns to host the reality dating series, with Mike Fleiss, Martin Hilton, Nicole Woods, and Elan Gale executive producing.
The Plot: Over the course of six weeks, we’ll follow these former bachelors and bachelorettes as they explore new relationships while living together in Mexico, in a secluded and dreamy paradise. America will watch as they fall in love or go through renewed heartbreak. Bachelor in Paradise will feature shocking twists, surprises, unexpected guests and some of the most unlikely relationships in Bachelor history. There’s no telling who will find love this season, just like Jade and Tanner with their engagement and subsequent wedding.
Bachelor in Paradise Cast List
· Raven Gates of “The Bachelor” season 21 (Nick)
· Corinne Olympios of “The Bachelor” season 21 (Nick)
· Amanda Stanton of “The Bachelor” season 20 (Ben) and “Bachelor in Paradise” season 3
· Alexis Waters of “The Bachelor” season 21 (Nick)
· Derek Peth of “The Bachelorette” season 12 (JoJo)
· DeMario Jackson of “The Bachelorette” season 13 (Rachel)
· Lacey Mark of “The Bachelor” season 21 (Nick)
· Kristina Schulman of “The Bachelor” season 21 (Nick)
· Nick “St. Nick” Benvenutti of “The Bachelorette” season 12 (JoJo)
· Danielle Maltby of “The Bachelor” season 21 (Nick)
· Taylor Nolan of “The Bachelor” season 21 (Nick)
· Robby Hayes of “The Bachelorette” season 12 (JoJo)
· Ben Zorn of “The Bachelorette” season 11 (Kaitlyn)
· Jasmine Goode of “The Bachelor” season 21 (Nick)
· Vinny Ventiera of “The Bachelorette” season 12 (JoJo) and “Bachelor in Paradise” season 3
· Alex Woytkiw of “The Bachelorette” season 12 (JoJo)
The battle to take down the Hollow and save Elijah continues with The CW’s The Originals season four episode 11. Titled ‘A Spirit Here That Won’t Be Broken,’ episode 11 was directed by Hanelle Culpepper from a script by Carina Adly MacKenzie and Michael Russo. Season four’s 11th episode will air on June 9, 2017.
The cast of season four includes Joseph Morgan as Klaus, Charles Michael Davis as Marcel, Daniel Gillies as Elijah, Phoebe Tonkin as Hayley, Yusuf Gatewood as Vincent, Riley Voelkel as Freya, Summer Fontana as Hope, Christina Moses as Keelin, and Taylor Cole as Sofya.
The ‘A Spirit Here That Won’t Be Broken’ Plot: A FAMILY BETRAYAL — When its discovered that The Hollow is using a magical totem to fuel her power, Freya (Voelkel) enlists Rebekah (guest star Claire Holt) and Klaus’ (Morgan) help to locate and destroy it. Elsewhere, an ultimatum by The Hollow puts Kol (guest star Nathaniel Buzolic) at odds with his own siblings, while an unexpected run-in forces Marcel (Davis) and Rebekah to confront the growing tension between them. Finally, The Hollow’s plan for Hayley (Tonkin) leaves her in the fight of her life.
Filming has just begun on the feature film The Papers* starring Oscar winners Tom Hanks (Philadelphia, Forrest Gump) and Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady, Sophie’s Choice, Kramer vs Kramer). 20th Century Fox and Amblin Entertainment announced production kicked off on May 30, 2017 in New York, with Oscar winner Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan, Schlinder’s List) producing and directing. Liz Hannah and Josh Singer wrote the screenplay for the drama, with Amy Pascal and Kristie Macosko Krieger on board as producers.
The Papers marks the first collaboration between Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg. The ensemble cast also includes Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Jesse Plemons, Matthew Rhys, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bradley Whitford, and Zach Woods. 20th Century Fox is targeting a limited theatrical release on December 22, 2017 followed by a wide release in theaters on January 12, 2018.
The Papers Plot: In June 1971 The New York Times, the Washington Post and the nation’s major newspapers took a brave stand for freedom of speech and reported on the Pentagon Papers, the massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned four decades and four US Presidents. At the time, the Post’s Katherine Graham (Meryl Streep) was still finding her footing as the country’s first female newspaper publisher, and Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), the paper’s volatile, driven editor, was trying to enhance the stature of the struggling, local paper. Together, the two formed an unlikely team, as they were forced to come together and make the bold decision to support The New York Times and fight the Nixon Administration’s unprecedented attempt to restrict the first amendment.
Disney·Pixar’s upcoming animated film Coco from directors Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3) and Adrian Molina will feature an all Latino voice cast. Pixar’s released details on the colorful characters who make up the family-friendly film as well as the list of actors who are lending their voices to bringing the roles to life on the screen. Set to open on November 22, 2017, Coco‘s described as a “multi-generational story about the power of family relationships, features characters from the Land of the Living, and their loved ones who’ve moved on to the Land of the Dead.”
“These parallel worlds couldn’t be more different,” explained Unkrich. “One is the Rivera family’s charming and hardworking hometown of Santa Cecilia, and the other is the vibrant, rich land where loved ones go when they’ve passed. ‘Coco’ introduces characters from both worlds on the eve of Día de los Muertos—one extraordinary night when a living boy named Miguel gets a glimpse of the other side.”
“Our voice cast is incredibly talented, helping to shape our eclectic group of characters,” said co-director Molina who’s making his directorial debut with the 2017 animated film. “Each actor has told us they find something relatable in this film, so they’re finding it easy to capture the heart of this story—it’s all about family, so we hope that these characters will resonate with everyone.”
Coco‘s Characters from the Land of the Living:
• ANTHONY GONZALEZ (The Last Ship) lends his voice to MIGUEL, a 12-year-old aspiring musician who struggles against his family’s generations-old ban on music. When a magical mishap lands him in the Land of the Dead, Miguel seeks out his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, to help him return to the Land of the Living before it’s too late.
• ANA OFELIA MURGUÍA (Mozart in the Jungle) voices Miguel’s cherished great-grandmother MAMÁ COCO. She is very old and fragile, but that doesn’t stop Miguel from sharing his daily adventures with her.
• RENÉE VICTOR (Weeds) provides the authoritative voice of ABUELITA, Miguel’s grandmother and the ultimate enforcer of the Rivera family’s ban on music. She loves her family very much and will do anything to protect them. But when she gets angry, she wields a mean slipper.
• JAIME CAMIL (Jane the Virgin) is the voice of PAPÁ, Miguel’s supportive father who hopes that someday Miguel will join him in the family shoemaking business.
• SOFÍA ESPINOSA (Gloria) provides the voice of Miguel’s loving MAMÁ who gently encourages her son to embrace their family’s traditions.
• LUIS VALDEZ (Which Way Is Up) is the voice of TÍO BERTO, Miguel’s uncle, a hard worker in the Rivera family shoemaking business.
• LOMBARDO BOYAR (Murder in the First) lends his voice to a friendly MARIACHI who Miguel encounters in Santa Cecilia Plaza.
Characters from the Land of the Dead:
• GAEL GARCÍA BERNAL (Mozart in the Jungle) helps bring to life HECTOR, a charming trickster in the Land of the Dead who is forced to enlist help from Miguel to visit the Land of the Living.
• BENJAMIN BRATT (Star) is the voice of Miguel’s idol ERNESTO DE LA CRUZ, the most famous musician in the history of Mexico. Revered by fans worldwide until his untimely death, the charming and charismatic musician is even more beloved in the Land of the Dead.
• EDWARD JAMES OLMOS (Blade Runner) lends his voice to CHICHARRÓN, a curmudgeonly friend of Hector’s who is sadly being forgotten—an unfortunate condition in the Land of the Dead.
• ALANNA UBACH (Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce) provides the voice of MAMÁ IMELDA, Miguel’s great-great-grandmother, the matriarch of the Rivera family and the founder of their successful shoemaking business. Miguel meets Mamá Imelda in the Land of the Dead and discovers she does not share his passion for music.
• SELENE LUNA (Celebrity Wife Swap) voices TÍA ROSITA, Miguel’s late aunt who resides in the Land of the Dead.
• ALFONSO ARAU (Three Amigos) is the voice of PAPÁ JULIO, Miguel’s late great-grandfather who he meets in Land of the Dead.
• HERBERT SIGUENZA (Ben 10: Alien Swarm) lends his voice to both TÍO OSCAR and TÍO FELIPE, Miguel’s late identical twin uncles who he meets in the Land of the Dead.
• OCTAVIO SOLIS is the voice of an ARRIVAL AGENT in the Land of the Dead’s Grand Central Station.
• GABRIEL IGLESIAS (Planes) provides the voice of the HEAD CLERK in the Land of the Dead’s “Department of Family Reunions.”
• CHEECH MARIN (Cars 3) is the voice of a CORRECTIONS OFFICER in the Land of the Dead.
• BLANCA ARACELI (The Bridge) voices the EMCEE for a colorful talent show in the Land of the Dead.
The Plot: Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself magically transported to the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.
U2 is expanding their 2017 “The Joshua Tree” tour to include 12 additional stadium shows. New stops include San Diego, Buenos Aires, Kansas City, and Detroit in September and October, with tickets to the North American performances going on sale beginning on June 12th. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will be joining the tour on the Mexico and South America dates. Additional guests will be announced soon.
The 2017 tour is in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the band’s The Joshua Tree album. A special anniversary edition of The Joshua Tree hit stores on June 2nd and includes live recordings, original recording sessions, 2017 remixes, and a hardback book of photos shot by The Edge during the 1986 Mojave Desert photo session.
Tickets for the U2: The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 start at $35.00, with general admission floor tickets at $70.00. A priority presale for U2.com subscribers gets underway on June 8th at 10am.
U2 THE JOSHUA TREE TOUR 2017 NEW DATES
3-September – Detroit, MI at Ford Field
5-September – Buffalo, NY at New Era Field
8-September – Minneapolis, MN at US Bank Stadium
10-September – Indianapolis, IN at Lucas Oil Stadium
12-September – Kansas City, MO at Arrowhead Stadium
16-September – St. Louis, MO at The Dome At America’s Center
22-September – San Diego, CA at Qualcomm Stadium
3-October – Mexico City, Mexico at Foro Sol
7-October – Bogota, Columbia at Estadio El Campin
10-October – Buenos Aires, Argentina at La Plata
14-October – Santiago, Chile at Estadio Nacional
19-October – Sao Paulo, Brazil at Morumbi Stadium
Disney’s live-action version of their classic Beauty and the Beast animated film opened in theaters on March 17, 2017, posting the sixth largest opening weekend of all time and snagging the #1 spot among all March releases. The PG-rated romantic musical went on to ring up $1.2 billion worldwide during its theatrical release as of June 6, 2017, the date of its debut on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital HD, and On Demand.
Directed by Bill Condon, the 2017 Beauty and the Beast stars Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the titular Beast. The cast also includes Luke Evans as Gaston, Kevin Kline as Maurice, Josh Gad as LeFou, Ewan McGregor as Lumière, Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, Audra McDonald as Madame de Garderobe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, Hattie Morahan as the enchantress, Nathan Mack as Chip, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts.
The live-action version incorporated the popular songs from the 1991 animated film and also replicated many of the visual elements from the Oscar-winning animated feature film. From Belle’s iconic yellow dress to the design of the Beast, director Bill Condon and his talented crew paid tribute to the original film while expanding the classic story. Audiences awarded the live-action version an A, according to Cinemascore, and it’s likely Disney’s 2017 take on the tale as old as time will become a must-own on Blu-ray and DVD.
Disney’s loaded the Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD combo pack with hours of bonus material including deleted scenes, music videos, and behind-the-scenes featurettes revealing how the entertaining live-action film was created. Much of the content was created specifically for the home video release and the studio didn’t skimp when it pulled together the extras for the film’s Blu-ray. The movie itself makes the transition to the small screen with all of its vibrant colors and crisp audio intact, and combined with the terrific selection of extra material, Beauty and the Beast‘s Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD is a worthy addition to any home video collection.
The Bonus Features:
Enchanted Table Read – The entire cast takes part in a table read that breaks the mold and includes musical numbers from the film complete with back-up dancers.
A Beauty of a Tale – Fans get a lengthy peek behind the scenes at the making of this 2017 musical with information on how the motion capture technology and Dan Stevens brought the Beast to life.
The Women Behind Beauty and the Beast – Emma Watson and female members of the Beauty and the Beast team, including department heads, discuss their involvement in the project.
Making a Moment with Celine Dion – This featurette focuses on Celine Dion as she talks about performing “Beauty and the Beast” in the animated film as well as performing “How Does a Moment Last Forever” in the live-action movie.
From Song to Screen: Making the Musical Sequences – Venture behind-the-scenes to look at the sets, costumes, and the filming of select musical numbers including “Gaston,” “Be Our Guest,” and “Beauty and the Beast.”
“Beauty and the Beast” Music Video with Ariana Grande and John Legend along with a special “Making the Music Video: Beauty and the Beast” featurette.
Extended Song – Director Bill Condon introduces a special version of “Days in the Sun.”
Deleted Scenes – The Blu-ray includes eight deleted scenes including one in which LeFou encounters Monsieur Toilette.
Disney Song Selection – For those who feel the need, Disney’s made it easy to sing along to select musical numbers.
