Netflix just released four photos from the upcoming family-friendly sci-fi action film, We Can Be Heroes. The film comes from writer/director/producer Robert Rodriguez, the creator of the Spy Kids franchise, and is set to debut on January 1, 2021.
The first batch of photos features the film’s stars YaYa Gosselin (FBI Most Wanted), Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Isn’t It Romantic), Christian Slater (Mr. Robot), and Boyd Holbrook (Logan). The cast also includes Christopher McDonald (Mr. Iglesias), Adriana Barraza (Dora and the Lost City of Gold), Vivien Blair (Bird Box), Isaiah Russell-Bailey (Family Reunion), Akira Akbar (Captain Marvel), Lyon Daniels (Patriot), Nathan Blair (Best. Worst. Weekend. Ever.), Lotus Blossom (Magic Max), Hala Finley (Man with a Plan), and Andy Walken (The Kids are Alright).
Dylan Henry Lau, Andrew Diaz, Taylor Dooley, Sung Kang, Haley Reinhart, J. Quinton Johnson, Brittany Perry-Russell, Brently Heilbron, and JJ Dashnaw also star in Rodriguez’s upcoming film.
The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
When alien invaders kidnap Earth’s superheroes, their children must team up and learn to work together if they want to save their parents and the world.
The Weeknd will headline the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show on Sunday, February 7, 2021. The 2021 AFC vs NFC showdown will air live on CBS from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, FL.
“We all grow up watching the world’s biggest acts playing the Super Bowl and one can only dream of being in that position. I’m humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year,” said The Weeknd.
DPS is producing the 2021 Super Bowl Halftime Show and Roc Nation and Jesse Collins are serving as executive producers. Hamish Hamilton has been tapped to direct. Per the NFL, Roc Nation will serve as the “strategic entertainment advisors of the live performance.”
“The Weeknd has introduced a sound all his own. His soulful uniqueness has defined a new generation of greatness in music and artistry,” said Shawn JAY-Z Carter. “This is an extraordinary moment in time and the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show is going to be an extraordinary experience with an extraordinary performer.”
The Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show usually ranks as one of the most-watched musical performances of the year. More than 104 million people tuned in to check out the 2020 show.
“We are thrilled to have The Weeknd join us in Tampa Bay on the Pepsi Halftime Stage,” said Brian Rolapp, NFL Chief Media and Business Officer, “Halftime Show performances have a history of excellence and creativity and we look forward to seeing what he will bring to Super Bowl LV. “
The Weeknd is joining a list of halftime performers that includes Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Prince, and Madonna.
More on The Weeknd, Courtesy of the NFL:
“Filtering R&B and pop through an ambitious widescreen lens, The Weeknd took over popular music and culture on his own terms. The multi-platinum three-time Grammy Award winner is one of the most listened to artists in the world on Spotify (over 51 billion streams) and is a top 10 artist of all time for RIAA singles. His 2020 album After Hours is the #1 most streamed R&B album of all time (followed by his 2016 album Starboy at #2), and his 80’s nostalgic track “Blinding Lights” went 5X RIAA-certified platinum and broke the record for Billboard’s longest-running #1 on its US radio chart at 46 weeks and counting.
Alongside his gilded musical career, he’s graced the covers of TIME, Forbes, Variety, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, and GQ along with the late night stages with heralded performances on SNL, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert and the VMA‘s where he accepted the awards for Video of the Year and Best R&B. In recent times he has made acting appearances in TV and film with 2019’s film Uncut Gems as well as starring in and co-writing an episode of the hit show American Dad.”
Dr. Murphy is called on to mentor resident hopefuls on ABC’s The Good Doctor season four episode three. Episode three, “Newbies,” was directed by David Straiton from a script by David Renaud and Tommy Moran. “Newbies” will air on Monday, November 16, 2020 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast of season four includes Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Antonia Thomas as Dr. Claire Browne, Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews, and Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman. Christina Chang plays Dr. Audrey Lim, Fiona Gubelmann is Dr. Morgan Reznick, Will Yun Lee is Dr. Alex Park and Paige Spara stars as Lea Dilallo.
Sophia Bucior, Summer Brown, Noah Galvin, Bria Samoné Henderson, Michael Liu, Sam Robert Muik, and Samer Salem guest star in episode three.
“Newbies” Plot: With several candidates vying for residency at St. Bonaventure, Chief of Surgery Dr. Audrey Lim tasks Dr. Shaun Murphy, Dr. Claire Browne and Dr. Alex Park with mentoring the top first-year resident contenders. As their mentees shadow them for the day, Shaun and Park meet with Andrews to discuss a difficult surgery scheduled for a minor.
Later, Shaun inadvertently insults Lea while discussing the pros and cons of the controversial surgery. And elsewhere, Dr. Morgan Reznick seeks out Claire and Lim’s help on a consult.
Dr. Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, continues to use his extraordinary medical gifts at St. Bonaventure Hospital’s surgical unit. As his friendships deepen, Shaun tackles the world of dating for the first time and continues to work harder than he ever has before, navigating his environment to prove to his colleagues that his talents as a surgeon will save lives.
Antonia Thomas, Christina Chang, Will Yun Lee, and Freddie Highmore in ‘The Good Doctor’ season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Antonia Thomas and Fiona Gubelmann in season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Hill Harper and Will Yun Lee in season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Antonia Thomas, Christina Chang, Will Yun Lee, and Freddie Highmore in season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Antonia Thomas in season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Freddie Highmore in the “Newbies” episode (ABC/Jeff Weddell)
Freaky Friday gets a slasher film twist with director Christopher Landon’s Freaky arriving on Friday the 13th. Landon doesn’t reinvent the wheel but instead embraces and expands on the body-swapping premise, switching out Freaky Friday’s sweet family-friendly setting for the twisted world of a serial killer, sprinkled with a dash of Mean Girls.
Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies) stars as introverted high school student Millie Kessler. Millie’s definitely not living her best life, suffering through her time at Blissfield High School as the school’s mascot (a beaver) and frequent target of obnoxious bullies who make Mean Girls’ “Regina” look positively angelic. Oh, and she’s also subjected to daily putdowns by the world’s rudest shop teacher (played by Ferris Bueller’s Alan Ruck). High school’s rough, but Millie doesn’t realize how bad it can get until she’s sucked into the Blissfield Butcher’s orbit.
The Butcher (Vince Vaughn) steals a magical dagger while running up his body count and unwittingly activates its mystical qualities while attempting to murder poor Millie. The morning after the attack, Millie wakes to find she’s now inhabiting the body of a middle-aged psychopath. The Butcher discovers he’s suddenly a teenage girl surrounded by hundreds of possible victims who’ll be sitting ducks at that night’s Homecoming dance.
The dagger’s body-swapping powers have a special 24-hour do-over time frame, and Millie – who’s walking around in the body of a man who’s the subject of a city-wide manhunt – has to fix things or else she’s permanently stuck. Fortunately, Millie’s got two incredible BFFs (Celeste O’Connor and Misha Osherovich) who actually believe her crazy story and jump in with both feet to help. Millie’s secret crush, Booker (Uriah Shelton), also rises to the occasion and proves to be super sweet and understanding while Millie’s stuck in the Butcher’s body.
Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn pull off the switcheroo, with Vaughn hilarious as a teen girl and Newton doing a terrific job as a serial killer hiding out in a girl’s body. Sure, there’s the requisite scene of the Butcher touching Millie’s breasts after discovering he’s occupying her body. But there’s also fun unexpected bits after the swap where Vaughn as Millie figures out she’s actually extraordinarily strong and a lot taller than she’s used to being.
Newton’s transformation into a male serial killer trapped in Millie’s body is more nuanced and controlled, projecting a more serious, calculating attitude while cloaked in a red leather jacket and rocking a tight ponytail.
Writer/director Christopher Landon and co-writer Michael Kennedy are able to pay tribute to so many popular horror and coming-of-age films that it’s pretty astounding there’s a coherent storyline running through Freaky. All the head nodding at classic slasher and teen films should be enough to induce whiplash. It doesn’t – but it does make you want to watch a second time just to catch those references you missed during the first viewing.
There are plenty of grisly, shocking, and innovative death scenes – some involving characters who really had it coming – to keep those into blood and guts entertained. Landon’s Freaky is a fun, fast-paced horror comedy that hits all the right marks while mowing through tropes and honoring the best of the slasher genre.
GRADE: B+
MPAA Rating: R for sexual content, language throughout, and strong bloody horror violence
Running Time: 1 hour 41 minutes
Release Date: November 13, 2020
Studio: Universal Pictures presents a Blumhouse Production
Maren Morris performs on ‘The 54th Annual CMA Awards’ (ABC)
Marren Morris emerged from The 54th Annual CMA Awards with three awards, topping the list with wins in the CMA Single, Song, and Female Vocalist of the Year categories. Eric Church was the winner of this year’s CMA Entertainer of the Year award and Morgan Wallen was named New Artist of the Year.
The Country music celebration marked the first time Country artists gathered in person since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
While accepting his first CMA Entertainer of the Year award, Eric Church said, “You know what the win is? The win is we all were here tonight together as Country Music, in-person, live, not on Zoom. I believe this. It’s going to be music that brings us out of this. That is the one thing that is going to save the entire world…”
“It was a privilege to bring the Country Music community together tonight,” stated Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “We have worked tirelessly over the past few months to develop a safe environment that would allow us to deliver a show our fans have come to expect. We have followed all protocols established by the CDC, local health authorities and creative unions to ensure the safety of our staff, our crew and our artists at every turn. Every single person was tested prior to entering our footprint, with many individuals being tested repeatedly out of an abundance of caution. Our process enabled us to catch any positive test results immediately and before any of those individuals ever stepped foot into the venue. I am grateful for the grace and the patience shown to us during this process and to those individuals that were unable to join us tonight, you were greatly missed and we wish you and your families the very best.”
THE 54th ANNUAL CMA AWARDS WINNERS:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Eric Church
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s), and Mix Engineer
“The Bones” – Maren Morris
Producer: Greg Kurstin
Mix Engineer: Greg Kurstin
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist and Producers
What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs
Producer: Scott Moffat
SONG OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Songwriters
“The Bones”
Songwriters: Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Maren Morris
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Old Dominion
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Dan + Shay
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artists and Producer(s)
“I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice
Producer: busbee
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director
“Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
Director: Trey Fanjoy
Filming is officially underway on Doctor Who season 13 starring the 13th Doctor, Jodie Whittaker. According to the network, filming is being conducted with “strict industry and UK government guidelines to ensure the safety of all cast and crew.” Unfortunately, that means the upcoming season will be cut down to eight episodes rather than 11 because of the extra time needed to safely shoot each episode.
“In this strangest of years, the Doctor Who production team have worked wonders to get the show back into production. We’re thrilled to be back making the show. Given the complexity of making Doctor Who, and with new and rigorous COVID working protocols, it’s going to take us a little longer to film each episode, meaning we expect to end up with eight episodes, rather than the usual 11,” said showrunner Chris Chibnall. “But rest assured, the ambition, humor, fun and scares you expect from Doctor Who will all still be firmly in place. For everyone around the world, this is a challenging period – but the Doctor never shirks from a challenge!”
Executive Producer BBC Studios Matt Stevens said, “We are so thrilled to have unlocked the TARDIS, dusted down the sonic and be able to start filming again for the next season of Doctor Who. The amazing production team, crew and cast have worked wonders to get us shooting again in these challenging times. It’s going to be as fun-filled and action-packed as ever – with plenty of surprises.”
Details on Season 13 and “Revolution of the Daleks” Special:
The Thirteenth Doctor was last seen in the dramatic season 12 finale, when the fate of the Doctor was seemingly left hanging in the balance after she was locked away in an eternal prison. In the upcoming festive special, titled “Revolution of the Daleks,” the Doctor’s best friends Yaz (played by Mandip Gill), Ryan (played by Tosin Cole) and Graham (played by Bradley Walsh) have to pick up their lives without her. However, they soon discover a disturbing plan forming involving one of the Doctor’s biggest and most feared enemies – the Daleks. How do you fight the Daleks without the Doctor? With the Doctor’s fate unknown, just what will season 13 bring?
Linda Smith as Dr. Wendy Atwater, Hamza Haq as Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed, Torri Higginson as Claire Malone, and Kenny Wong as Arnold De Luca in ‘Transplant’ season 1 episode 9 (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV/NBC)
NBC’s Transplant season one episode nine finds Bash helping out a friend. Episode nine, “Under Pressure,” will air on November 17, 2020 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast of season one includes Hamza Haq as Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed, Laurence Leboeuf as Dr. Magalie “Mags” LeBlanc, John Hannah as Dr. Jed Bishop, Jim Watson as Dr. Theo Hunter, and Ayisha Issa as Dr. June Curtis. Sirena Gulamgaus plays Amira, Linda E. Smith is Dr. Wendy Atwater, and Torri Higginson plays Claire Malone.
“Under Pressure” Plot: Bash provides medical care to a friend who is reluctant about treatment, while Mags has her hands full with a young woman who seems to be withholding information. Dr. Bishop offers Mags an incredible opportunity.
The Season 1 Plot, Courtesy of NBC:
When Dr. Bashir Hamed (Haq), a charismatic Syrian doctor with battle-tested skills in emergency medicine, flees his war-torn homeland, he and younger sister Amira (Gulamgaus) become refugees, struggling to forge a new life in Canada. But if Bash ever wants to be a doctor again, he must redo his medical training from the ground up and obtaining a coveted residency position is nearly impossible.
When a horrific truck crash nearly kills a senior doctor right in front of him, Bash saves the doctor’s life and earns a residency in the biggest Emergency Department of the best hospital in Toronto.
Yet for all Bash’s experience, it’s a tough road. Bash’s training is different, his life experience are unique to him and he’s not an exact match for his new colleagues, who include Dr. Magalie “Mags” LeBlanc (Leboeuf), a ferociously analytical second-year resident who pushes herself relentlessly; Dr. June Curtis (Issa), a reserved, ambitious surgical resident whose loyalty doesn’t come easily; and Dr. Theo Hunter (Watson), a pediatric Emergency Fellow whose small-town upbringing is cracking wide open as life at the hospital changes his worldview.
The team works tirelessly to save lives and win the approval of the legendary head of the Emergency Department, Dr. Jed Bishop (Hannah), all the while managed by sharp-eyed, acerbic Dr. Wendy Atwater (Smith) and supported by longtime head nurse, the deadpan, confident Claire Malone (Higginson).
Through it all, Bash tries to meet the demand of his new country and new job, while trying to pay the bills, raise his little sister and carve out a new life for them both in this unfamiliar land. It’s a journey that’s universal to people everywhere. Bash aims high and is determined to succeed, and those around are quick to see that his passion and hopefulness are contagious. But will his newfound life reject him, or will this “transplant” take?
Thamela Mpumlwana as Trey and Jim Watson as Dr. Theo Hunter in season 1 episode 9 (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV/NBC)Hamza Haq as Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed, Torri Higginson as Claire Malone, and Fayçal Azzouz as Khaled Abdullah in season 1 episode 9 (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV/NBC)Hamza Haq as Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed and Torri Higginson as Claire Malone in season 1 episode 9 (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV/NBC)Hamza Haq as Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed and Fayçal Azzouz as Khaled Abdullah in episode 9 (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV/NBC)Ayisha Issa as Dr. June Curtis and Jim Watson as Dr. Theo Hunter in season 1 episode 9 (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV/NBC)
Netflix announced they’ve renewed Emily in Paris for season two via a clever letter from “Savior Agency” revealing Emily needs to stick around in Paris for an extended period of time. Netflix’s renewal announcement didn’t confirm when we can expect the second season to arrive.
The 10-episode first season premiered on October 2, 2020 and starred Lily Collins in the title role. The cast also includes Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (Call My Agent!) as Sylvie Grateau, Ashley Park (Mean Girls on Broadway, Tales of the City) as Mindy Chen, Lucas Bravo (Smart Ass) as Gabriel, Bruno Gouery (Doc Martin) as Luc, and Samuel Arnold (Antony & Cleopatra) as Julien.
Series star Lily Collins produces and Darren Star, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Bruns, and Andrew Fleming executive produce. Emily in Paris is a MTV Studios, Darren Star Productions, and Jax Media production.
Season one split critics, with 64% giving the series a fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Atlantic’s Shirley Li says it’s “a confection, a series so charming and fanciful that it becomes impervious to snobbery and cynicism.” On the other end of the ratings spectrum, Robert Levin from Newsday calls it a terrible show to be avoided at all costs. Netflix is betting subscribers lean toward Li’s assessment with their season two order.
The Season 1 Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
Lily Collins stars as Emily, an ambitious twenty-something marketing executive from Chicago, unexpectedly lands her dream job in Paris when her company acquires a French luxury marketing company — and she is tasked with revamping their social media strategy. Emily’s new life in Paris is filled with intoxicating adventures and surprising challenges as she juggles winning over her work colleagues, making friends, and navigating new romances.
CBS All Access’ upcoming docuseries Texas 6 shines the spotlight on a small Texas town’s six-man football team. The just-released trailer introduces the Strawn, Texas (population 676) Greyhounds as they battle on the field and deal with life off the gridiron.
The eight-episode docuseries from Jared Christopher (Titletown, TX) will premiere with three episodes dropping on Thanksgiving Day, November 26th. New episodes premiere on Thursdays beginning December 3rd.
“We are thrilled to continue our expansion into unscripted programming with Texas 6,” said Julie McNamara, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming, CBS All Access. “Jared has uncovered an emotional and riveting story of perseverance, sportsmanship and grit, set in the little-known world of six-man football. His commitment to and devotion to the subject and individuals is apparent from the first scene, and we are excited to showcase the Greyhounds’ season this Thanksgiving.”
The Plot, Courtesy of CBS All Access:
Texas 6 follows the Greyhounds, a high school six-man football team under the direction of Coach Dewaine Lee as they attempt a three-peat for the 6-Man Football State Championship. While football remains the spine of Strawn, Texas 6 ultimately depicts the spirit of a small town and a team that shows up for one another on and off the field.
The Strawn Greyhounds football team of the CBS All Access docuseries ‘Texas 6’ (Photo by Miller Mobley / CBS 2020 CBS Interactive, Inc)
Disney+ is showing off a first look at the upcoming holiday comedy, Godmothered. The Christmas-themed comedy’s first photos feature Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers) and Jillian Bell (Brittany Runs a Marathon).
The comedy’s cast also includes Santiago Cabrera (Big Little Lies), Mary Elizabeth Ellis (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Jane Curtin (United We Fall), June Squibb (Little Voice), Jillian Shea Spaeder (OMG!), Willa Skye, Artemis Pebdani (The Cool Kids), Utkarsh Ambudkar (The Mindy Project), and Stephnie Weir (Happy Together).
Godmothered is set to premiere on Disney+ on December 4, 2020.
Sharon Maguire (Bridget Jones’s Diary) directs and Justin Springer (Dumbo) produced the holiday comedy. Diane L. Sabatini, Tom Pollock, Ivan Reitman, and Amie Karp executive produced. Oscar-winner Rachel Portman (Emma) composed the score and Jillian Shea Spaeder performed “Rise Up (Joy to the World)” and “Hero” for the film’s soundtrack.
The Plot, Courtesy of Disney+:
Set at Christmas time, Godmothered is a comedy about Eleanor, a young, inexperienced fairy godmother-in-training (Bell) who upon hearing that her chosen profession is facing extinction, decides to show the world that people still need fairy godmothers. Finding a mislaid letter from a 10-year-old girl in distress, Eleanor tracks her down and discovers that the girl, Mackenzie, is now a 40-year-old single mom (Fisher) working at a news station in Boston.
Having lost her husband several years earlier, Mackenzie has all but given up on the idea of “Happily Ever After,” but Eleanor is bound and determined to give Mackenzie a happiness makeover, whether she likes it or not.
Netflix announced they’ve renewed 
