Netflix’s The Boys in the Band will premiere on September 30, 2020. The premiere date announcement was accompanied by five new photos from the drama based on the play of the same name by Mart Crowley.
The talented ensemble cast includes the stars of the 2018 Broadway 50th anniversary revival. Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carver, Robin de Jesús, Brian Hutchison, Michael Benjamin Washington, and Tuc Watkins return to star in the feature film adaptation.
Joe Mantello, director of the 2018 Broadway play, directed the film from a screenplay by Mart Crowley and Ned Martel. Mantello, David Stone, Ryan Murphy, and Alexis Martin Woodall served as producers.
The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
More than fifty years after Mart Crowley’s play became an unexpected smash hit for putting gay men’s lives center stage with honesty and humor, The Boys in the Band returns to the screen in a new adaptation that reunites acclaimed director Joe Mantello with the all-star cast of the Tony-winning, 2018 Broadway production.
In 1968 New York City – when being gay was still considered to be best kept behind closed doors – a group of friends gather for a raucous birthday party hosted by Michael (Parsons), a screenwriter who spends and drinks too much, in honor of the sharp-dressed and sharp-tongued Harold (Quinto). Other partygoers include Donald (Bomer), Michael’s former flame, now mired in self-analysis; Larry (Rannells), a randy commercial artist living with Hank (Watkins), a school teacher who has just left his wife; Bernard (Washington), a librarian tiptoeing around fraught codes of friendship alongside Emory (de Jesús), a decorator who never holds back; and a guileless hustler (Carver), hired to be Harold’s gift for the night.
What begins as an evening of drinks and laughs gets upended when Alan (Hutchison), Michael’s straight-laced college roommate, shows up unexpectedly and each man is challenged to confront long-buried truths that threaten the foundation of the group’s tight bond.
Global superstars BTS held a press conference in Seoul, South Korea on August 21, 2020 just hours before their single “Dynamite” dropped. Due to COVID-19, the press conference was held online with a live stream to select invited press.
The seven-member boyband consisting of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook took to the press conference stage to talk about their single “Dynamite,” along with their upcoming album and life during the pandemic.
BTS Press Conference Q&A:
Moderator: It has been since February since I last met you for the press conference of your album Map of the Soul: 7. How have you all been?
RM: “It has been a while since we have said hello; we have been doing many things. Sharing what we have been doing, we have been working on new songs for our upcoming new album. We have also been spending our time doing our favorite hobbies. We also held our online concert ‘Bang Bang Con’ in June. Although we could not meet ARMY in person, we were happy we could perform. We also filmed a new reality show ‘BTS in The Soop’ that started airing already.”
Moderator: Anyone else?
Jimin: “We’ve been working on our new album and we really wanted to share how we worked on our album, so we revealed who is in charge of what and we also have shown us having meetings. We had a really meaningful time. While we were working on the new album, we came across this song ‘Dynamite’ and it wasn’t our plan, but we released this song as a digital single first.”
Moderator: Some of the members of the media emailed in some questions for you to answer. Which we will get to, but let me ask you, can you tell us about “Dynamite?”
Suga: “’Dynamite’ is disco-pop and it is a very fun, cheery vibe. It sends a message of happiness and confidence. It is very bright and disco so I’m sure many people can dance to it and it’s a fun song.”
Jin: “The lyrics are very fun and cheery and fit the melody. One of the lines goes, ‘I’m gonna light it up’ so I hope many people can gain energy from listening to this song. And I would like to say this is the song that we want you to hear.”
Moderator: I had seen the teaser and I can tell it is a very fun and exciting song. Can you tell us how you came to release it and why?
RM: “We mentioned this earlier, but it wasn’t on our plan at all. We’ve been working on our album from earlier this year aiming to release it the second half of this year and when we are preparing the album, we record a lot of songs and we came across this song, ‘Dynamite.’ As soon as we heard it, we thought it was really fun and exciting. It was a song we really wanted to try. We really wanted to share this energy. I wanted to release this fun song as soon as possible.”
BTS (Photo: Courtesy of Big Hit Music / HYBE)
Moderator: “Dynamite” is entirely in English, so it felt new. Is there a reason you sang it in English?
V: “As RM mentioned, when we first heard this song, we all liked it. It just made us feel excited hearing it. When we recorded the guide version, we felt that the English lyrics fit better and it felt new and different from what we have tried before. So considering the song and melody, we felt singing it in English would be better.”
J-Hope: “Yeah, that’s right when I first heard it, I really liked the vibe, I really liked the message. I felt the message fit the direction we wanted to go and when we were recording it made us feel good. It energized us so I wanted to share this feeling with many people. The release of this digital single is a new challenge, a new try for us, so I think it is more meaningful.”
Moderator: How about Jimin?
Jimin: “Everyone in the world is going through tough times right now. Nobody has expected this and we ourselves could not do a lot of things we had planned. We really wanted to be on stage and really wanted to meet the fans. As artists who wanted to meet our fans, we felt empty and we also felt helpless. We needed a breakthrough to help overcome this emptiness and helplessness and came across this opportunity to try something new.
‘Dynamite’ is a song that could lift anyone’s spirits. We gained a lot of energy singing this and prepared this song thinking about you, (the fans).”
Moderator: What kind of message does “Dynamite” have?
Suga: “’Dynamite’ sends a message of happiness and confidence. So, it says even though you are going through a tough time we will do what we can in our place to find freedom and happiness through dance and music. So, I would say it is a song dedicated to all the people who have felt like they have fallen down while running the marathon. There is a lyric ‘I’m gonna light it up’ and I hope everyone can cheer up listening to this line.”
Moderator: Through the teaser, we see “Dynamite” has a lot of flashy dance moves. What kind of dance does “Dynamite” have?
Jungkook: “Yes, there are some flashy moves and the dance also fits the song really well. It is very cheery and refined, and there are also some easy moves that you can try yourselves. I’m sure the fans can do some covers in their rooms. It is going to be really fun and you may look forward to it. There are a lot of moves that bring out our unique personalities and vibes. We also enjoyed practicing for this song, and I hope you really enjoy it.”
Moderator: “Dynamite” is going to be premiered on August 30, 2020 at the MTV VMAs. Is that correct?
RM: “We released through our promotion schedule image, we are going to do our first comeback stage reveal on a show we have never been on before on the VMAs 2020. We are really, really excited since this is our first time; we really wanted to be on it. We are nervous but also very excited. We really can’t wait to be on stage and meet many people. [Side note: Due to COVID-19 BTS will be performing virtually from Korea.] We will try our best to show our stage.
‘Dynamite’ is a new try, as we said before, so we are trying some new ways of promoting than we did before so we are going to show some new things. I hope you stick around and stay tuned.”
Moderator: You said this single wasn’t planned so are there going to be any changes to your album schedule?
Jimin: “Nope. We are still working on our album. It is still a go and our goal is to release it the second half of this year. This album has the highest participation rate that we have done on an album. We are trying really hard and we are working really hard. We can’t say the exact release date yet, but as much as ARMYs is waiting for us, we really want to see you too, so we are going to work harder.”
Moderator: You talked about participating. Can you tell us how you are working on the new album?
Jimin: “I am the project manager of this album and V is in charge of visuals. We have taken part in planning stages in the past, but it is our first time of who’s in charge of who. I’m not sure if I did a good job, but the members are doing a good job.”
V: “Jimin did really good and worked on our schedules.”
Moderator: Can you tell us of any goals you are looking forward to?
Jungkook: “On September 10th we are releasing a movie that follows our stadium tour, ‘Love Yourself Speak Yourself.’ Break the Silence the Movie is going to come to the theaters, and I hope you enjoy it.”
Press Member: We are all curious about the Billboard chart rankings for this new song because it is a single. We are curious how it will rank on the Hot 100. What are your hopes and goals for chart performance?
Suga: “I’m actually wondering that myself. The chart rankings are always something we watch with a lot of nervousness and a lot of excitement. Of course, if they are good results it is always, always a great honor. But rather than have some sort of result that we have as a target, it is better to do our best so that we can repay the love and attention that our fans show us.
I think for our new single ‘Dynamite’ our goal is special. Everyone is going through hard times and we built this song to give a little bit of strength to people who listen to it. So our goal is for as many people as possible to hear it and get a little bit of healing and reassurance from it. We hope this song will be meaningful to the fans and us.”
Press Member: Why did you choose “Dynamite” and what were some of the behind-the-scenes preparations for this song?
J-Hope: “We felt rather than have the single in the new album we wanted to enjoy this right now with everybody. That’s why we decided to release it now. It was kind of a last-minute decision. The schedule was very tight, but we all worked together recording, making the jacket, and making the video.
Throughout this whole process, we really had a lot of fun. For behind-the-scenes for my part my key was pretty high – very high, actually – so it was a little bit difficult for me when I was recording this song, but I think it will be very good. For the music video, it was fun and free, a lot of improvising.”
Press Member: Recently BTS appeared on I-Land. It has been a while since BTS has appeared on a Korean program and you were able to spend some time with the trainees. A lot of their role models are BTS members so what did you get out of this? How did you feel? And do you have a message to all the people who want to become K-pop artists?
J-Hope: “We visited the set of I-Land. It really reminded me of the way it was for us when we were trainees. A message for them I would like to say even if you are doing your best, I know as well as anyone else you still have this anxiety and nervousness and so I want to cheer you up and I want to encourage you.”
Jungkook: “When I saw them I learned a lot of things about not resting on my laurels and remembering this time that I actually experienced and how I should keep going.”
Press Member: How has this pandemic affected BTS’ music?
V: “Right now, not just us but everyone is going through a very difficult times and we did not plan to release this song. We have a situation that nobody predicted. We also had a lot of plans which did not happen so it naturally allowed us to think about music and we love music more than anyone. And I can say we are passionate about singing and dancing as anyone else but it was more important that we have people inspired by our music and heal people through music. So, I think that is the reason why ‘Dynamite’ came into this world. We learned throughout this whole process that we will be more open towards our attitude to music.”
Press Member: Why do you continue to stress the importance of you, I and us together?
Suga: “Because of COVID-19 things have become very difficult all over the world. Our world tour concert had to be rescheduled. When this happened it made us feel very powerless. These were things we couldn’t change, even if we tried. It was sad we couldn’t see our fans and perform on stage, so we prepared this online concert to make up for a little bit of these feelings. We realized we really belong on stage and when singing and dancing BTS can really be BTS. Even though it was online it was a time to come together and engage with our fans. We felt very thankful, grateful, and happy.”
Queen + Adam Lambert will release their first live album – Live Around the World – on October 2, 2020. Live Around the World will be available in CD, CD+DVD, CD+Blu-ray and Vinyl formats. The 20 tracks were selected by Brian May, Roger Taylor, and Adam Lambert and were recorded during their 200+ live shows.
The surviving members of Queen originally performed with Adam Lambert on the season finale of American Idol. They instantly hit it off and decided to get back out on the road for sold-out shows across the globe. Since they began touring together, Queen and Adam Lambert have performed in front of nearly 4 million fans.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced the Queen + Adam Lambert tour planned for the UK and Europe during the summer to be postponed until next year. They hated disappointing fans and took to YouTube to entertain with a special Queen + Adam Lambert “Tour Watch Party.” The hour-long show included the best moments from previous tours. Fans ate it up and that ultimately led the band to come up with the idea of a live album.
“We hadn’t really watched those clips before, we were always too busy touring,” said Roger Taylor. “We weren’t aware of how good the band sounded. So we thought, well, maybe there’s a live album of highlights of concerts that we’ve done over the last eight years with Adam Lambert to be made.”
“As we all grapple with the challenge of creating live shows in a world dominated by a formidable viral enemy, it seemed the perfect time for us to create a collection of hand-picked live highlights from our Queen shows over the last 7 years with our brother Adam Lambert, stated Brian May. “It’s a first! As you watch and listen to these tracks you’ll be journeying all around the world with us, and experiencing a complete virtual live set. The collection climaxes in Sydney earlier this year when, in support Fire Fight Australia, we recreated the complete Queen Live Aid set. It was a historic event for a great cause – with perhaps the highest adrenaline level since the original Live Aid in 1985. It makes me particularly happy that we can now share this unique moment with the whole world.”
Adam Lambert added, “When we couldn’t tour this year we wanted to give the fans something in place of that, and a Live album just felt right. It’s the first time we have released an album together and we have had a lot of fun putting it together, picking out favorite performances over the past seven years.”
Queen + Adam Lambert Live Around the World Details:
CD / VINYL TRACK LIST
“Tear It Up” (May) The O2, London, UK, 02/07/2018
“Now I’m Here” (May) Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
“Another One Bites The Dust” (Deacon) Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
“Fat Bottomed Girls” ft. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (May) American Airlines Center, Dallas, USA, 2019
“Don’t Stop Me Now” (Mercury) Rock In Rio, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016
“I Want To Break Free” (Deacon) Rock In Rio, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016
“Somebody To Love” (Mercury) Isle of Wight Festival, UK, 2016
“Love Kills” (The Ballad) (Mercury/Moroder) iHeart Radio Theater, Los Angeles, USA, 2014
“I Was Born To Love You” (Mercury) Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
“Under Pressure” (Queen/Bowie) Global Citizen Festival, New York, USA, 2019
“Who Wants To Live Forever” (May) Isle of Wight Festival, UK, 2016
“The Show Must Go On” (Queen) The O2, London, UK, 04/07/2018
“Love Of My Life” (Mercury) The O2, London, UK, 02/07/2018
“Bohemian Rhapsody” (Mercury) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“Radio Ga Ga” (Taylor) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“Ay-Ohs” (Mercury) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“Hammer To Fall” (May) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (Mercury) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“We Will Rock You” (May) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“We Are The Champions” (Mercury) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
DVD / BLU-RAY TRACK LIST
“Tear It Up” (May) The O2, London, UK, 02/07/2018
“Now I’m Here” (May) Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
“Another One Bites The Dust” (Deacon) Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
“Fat Bottomed Girls” ft. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (May) American Airlines Center, Dallas, USA, 2019
“Don’t Stop Me Now” (Mercury) Rock In Rio, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016
“I Want To Break Free” (Deacon) Rock In Rio, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016
“Somebody To Love” (Mercury) Isle of Wight Festival, UK, 2016
“Love Kills” (The Ballad) (Mercury/Moroder) iHeart Radio Theater, Los Angeles, USA, 2014
“I Was Born To Love You” (Mercury) Summer Sonic, Tokyo, Japan, 2014
“Drum Battle” (Taylor) Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia, 2014
“Under Pressure” (Queen/Bowie) Global Citizen Festival, New York, USA, 2019
“Who Wants To Live Forever” (May) Isle of Wight Festival, UK, 2016
“The Guitar Solo” (Last Horizon) (May) The O2, London, UK, 2018
“The Show Must Go On” (Queen) The O2, London, UK, 04/07/2018
“Love Of My Life” (Mercury) The O2, London, UK, 02/07/2018
“Bohemian Rhapsody” (Mercury) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“Radio Ga Ga” (Taylor) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“Ay-Ohs” (Mercury) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“Hammer To Fall” (May) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (Mercury) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“We Will Rock You” (May) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
“We Are The Champions” (Mercury) Fire Fight Australia, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia, 2020
Two-time Oscar winning actor, writer, and director Ben Affleck (Argo, Good Will Hunting) will put on the cape and cowl to portray Batman once more in the upcoming Warner Bros. film, The Flash, starring Ezra Miller as the Scarlet Speedster. The director of the film, Andy Muschietti (Mama, It) revealed the news in an interview with Vanity Fair.
According to Muschietti, Affleck got the script a week ago and agreed to join the project this week.
Ben Affleck first slipped into the role of the Caped Crusader in the 2016 film Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. He reprised the role in the 2017 superhero extravaganza, Justice League, which was critically panned. Affleck was planning to both star and direct a stand-alone Batman film but walked away from the project. That film – The Batman – is being directed by Matt Reeves with Robert Pattinson taking on the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.
In the VF interview, Muschietti said he expects Affleck as Batman will deliver an unexpected emotional impact. “It’s Barry’s movie, it’s Barry’s story, but their characters are more related than we think. They both lost their mothers to murder, and that’s one of the emotional vessels of the movie. That’s where the Affleck Batman kicks in,” explained Muschietti.
Muschietti also confirmed Michael Keaton is returning to the role he played in the 1989 Batman film. Apparently Keaton will have a “substantial part” in The Flash stand-alone film.
The Flash feature film will draw most of its plot from the DC graphic novel, Flashpoint. In it, Barry uses his speed to go back in time to save the life of his mother and returns to an alternate, dark and fractured timeline. The film is scheduled to hit the big screen on June 3, 2022.
National Geographic and Disney+ announced The Right Stuff, based on the bestselling book by Tom Wolfe, will premiere on October 9, 2020. The season consists of eight episodes, with the first two episodes dropping on premiere day.
The premiere date announcement was accompanied by a full trailer introducing the Mercury 7 astronauts.
The cast includes Jake McDorman (“Lieutenant Commander Alan Shepard”), Patrick J. Adams (“Major John Glenn”), Colin O’Donoghue (“Captain Gordon Cooper”), Michael Trotter (“Gus Grissom”), Aaron Staton (“Wally Schirra”), and Micah Stock (“Deke Slayton”). James Lafferty (“Scott Carpenter”), Nora Zehetner (“Annie Glenn”), Shannon Lucio (“Louise Shepard”), Eloise Mumford (“Trudy Cooper”), Eric Ladin (“Chris Kraft”), and Patrick Fischler (“Bob Gilruth”) also star in the series based on true events.
Mark Lafferty (Castle Rock) is the showrunner and executive produces along with Appian Way’s Jennifer Davisson and Leonardo DiCaprio. Will Staples, Emmy winner Danny Strong, Howard Korder, and director Chris Long also executive produced.
The Plot, Courtesy of National Geographic and Disney+:
The Right Stuff is an inspirational look at the early days of the U.S. Space Program and the incredible story of America’s first astronauts, the Mercury Seven. At the height of the Cold War in 1959, the Soviet Union dominates the space race, and America fears it is a nation in decline.
Newly-formed NASA has the monumental task of sending a man into space, and its engineers estimate they need decades to accomplish the feat. They are given two years. Dubbed Project Mercury, the program recruits and trains just seven astronauts from a handful of the military’s best pilots. Within days of being presented to the world, the Mercury Seven become instant celebrities, forged into heroes before they achieve a single heroic act.
At a time when many wondered if America’s glory days were behind it, The Right Stuff is an aspirational story about how ordinary human beings can achieve the extraordinary. As much about who we are today as it is about historic achievements, the series evokes the wonder of this singular era, when the free world looked towards a new horizon of hope as we first stepped off the bounds of our only home to venture into the vast unknown.
Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are grandparents attempting to retrieve their grandson after a family tragedy in the gripping official trailer for Let Him Go. The film, based on the novel by Larry Watson, also just debuted new photos and an official poster.
In addition to two-time Oscar winner Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves) and Oscar nominee Diane Lane (Unfaithful), the cast includes Lesley Manville, Jeffrey Donovan, Kayli Carter, and Booboo Stewart. Thomas Bezucha adapted Watson’s novel for the screen and directed the 2020 drama, with Paula Mazur and Mitchell Kaplan producing.
Focus Features has set a November 6, 2020 theatrical release date. Fingers crossed that by then the Covid-19 pandemic will be under control enough to allow movie fans to safely visit theaters.
The Let Him Go Plot:
Following the loss of their son, retired sheriff George Blackledge (Costner) and his wife Margaret (Lane) leave their Montana ranch to rescue their young grandson from the clutches of a dangerous family living off the grid in the Dakotas, headed by matriarch Blanche Weboy. When they discover the Weboys have no intention of letting the child go, George and Margaret are left with no choice but to fight for their family.
Diane Lane (left) stars as “Margaret Blackledge” and Kevin Costner (right) stars as “George Blackledge” in ‘Let Him Go’ (Photo Credit : Kimberley French / Focus Features)Kevin Costner stars as “George Blackledge” (Photo Credit : Kimberley French / Focus Features)Diane Lane and Kevin Costner in ‘Let Him Go’ (Photo Credit: Kimberley French / Focus Features)Kevin Costner and Booboo’ Stewart (Photo Credit: Kimberley French / Focus Features)
The short teaser for season four of Netflix’s critically acclaimed award-winning drama, The Crown, provides a sneak peek at two new characters: Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin as Diana Spencer. The new video also confirms season four will premiere on November 15, 2020.
Olivia Colman returns as Queen Elizabeth II, Tobias Menzies reprises his role as Prince Philip, and Helena Bonham Carter is back to steal scenes as Princess Margaret. The season four cast also includes Erin Doherty as Princess Anne, Josh O’Connor as Prince Charles, and Marion Bailey as The Queen Mother.
The 10 episode season is set between 1979 and 1990.
Peter Morgan returned as writer and executive producer for the fourth season. Stephen Daldry, Andy Harries, Suzanne Mackie, Benjamin Caron, Robert Fox and Matthew Byam Shaw also executive produce.
The Season 4 Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
As the 1970s are drawing to a close, Queen Elizabeth (Colman) and her family find themselves preoccupied with safeguarding the line of succession by securing an appropriate bride for Prince Charles (O’Connor), who is still unmarried at 30. As the nation begins to feel the impact of divisive policies introduced by Britain’s first female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Anderson), tensions arise between her and the Queen which only grow worse as Thatcher leads the country into the Falklands War, generating conflict within the Commonwealth.
While Charles’ romance with a young Lady Diana Spencer (Corrin) provides a much-needed fairytale to unite the British people, behind closed doors, the Royal family is becoming increasingly divided.
A Look Back at Season 3:
The third season of The Crown sees a new guard sweep into Downing Street, as Queen Elizabeth and her family struggle to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing Britain. From cold-war paranoia, through to the jet-set and the space age – the exuberance of the 1960s and the long hangover of the 1970s – Elizabeth and the Royals must adapt to a new, more liberated, but also more turbulent world.
Covid-19 shut down film and television productions, shuttered businesses, and forced most of us to remain sheltered at home. With a pandemic raging across the globe, large gatherings of pop culture enthusiasts such as the San Diego Comic-Con, WonderCon, and the New York Comic Con canceled their 2020 events. DC found an alternative venue and is hosting the DC FanDome, a free virtual event showcasing their many current and upcoming television and film projects.
The DC FanDome was originally scheduled to be a one-day event jam-packed with DC goodies including the first sneak peeks at big projects, major announcements, and cast Q&As. But just days ahead of its launch, DC expanded the fan fest into two separate events: the DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes on August 22, 2020 (beginning at 10am PT) and DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse now scheduled for September 12th.
The DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes will be accessible on August 22nd for 24 hours via DCFanDome.com. The event is hosting panels featuring casts and creators from Wonder Woman 1984, The Suicide Squad, the Snyder Cut of Justice League, The Flash, Black Adam, Titans, Aquaman, SHAZAM!, The Batman, and Harley Quinn.
DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse follows on September 12th will feature Batwoman, Black Lightning, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, DC’s Stargirl, Doom Patrol, Lucifer, Pennyworth, Superman & Lois, Superman: Man of Tomorrow, Teen Titans GO!, Watchmen, and Young Justice: Outsiders casts and creators.
Both sessions also feature panels that focus on games and comics.
Fans are invited/encouraged to browse the lineup and create their own timeline using the Official DC FanDome Online Scheduler Tool in advance so as not to miss out on any of the action.
DC promises they’ll be showing off exclusive content throughout the virtual events, and director Zack Snyder teased what’s in store for his Justice League panel:
“There is no fan like a DC fan. For more than 85 years, the world has turned to DC’s inspiring heroes and stories to lift us up and entertain us, and this massive, immersive digital event will give everyone new ways to personalize their journey through the DC Universe without lines, without tickets and without boundaries,” said Ann Sarnoff, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros. “With DC FanDome, we’re able to give fans from around the world an exciting and unparalleled way to connect with all their favorite DC characters, as well as the incredible talent who bring them to life on the page and screen.”
In addition to the DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes and the DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse, the official site will include other special content:
DC YouVerse: Venture into this world where the FANS are the stars to see the most amazing user-generated content, cosplay and fan art from around the world, including, perhaps, your own.
DC KidsVerse: Need a way to entertain your kids for hours on end? We’ve got you covered inside a special world, which can be accessed directly at DCKidsFanDome.com. This area features a broad range of family-friendly activations for our younger fans.
DC InsiderVerse: This creativity-based world contains a centerpiece video featuring legendary artist and DC CCO/Publisher Jim Lee, President of DC-Based Film Production Walter Hamada, and creator of the DC TV Arrowverse, Executive Producer Greg Berlanti, welcoming fans with a 101-style introduction to the DC Multiverse. From there, go behind the scenes with the master artisans who bring DC to life in all its forms, from comic books to games, TV, movies, theme parks, consumer products and more.
DC FunVerse: Take your DC FanDome experience and gather cool shareables; check out our comic book reader; DIY cool WW84 Golden Armor and Batmobile kits; plus digital giveaways and a store filled with merchandise, including some limited-edition exclusives.
Sean Teale and Brittany O’Grady star in ‘Little Voice’ (Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+)
They say write what you know. Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award nominee Sara Bareilles does just that with Apple TV+’s Little Voice, loosely inspired by moments in her life and thoroughly infused with a Bareilles vibe. Bareilles co-created the series with her Waitress collaborator Jessie Nelson and her songs drive the narrative of this New York-based story that’s appeal reaches far beyond existing Bareilles fans.
Little Voice centers around Bess (Brittany O’Grady), a struggling singer-songwriter who’s set up shop in a storage unit away from prying eyes and eavesdropping ears. She’s undeniably talented but after an unfortunate performance, she needs time to regain her confidence and allow her original songs to be heard by more than her super well-behaved – and adorable – dog.
Music doesn’t pay the bills and so she tends bar and works as a dog-walker to make ends meet. She fills what little downtime she has with her close circle of friends who support her through thick and thin. Benny (Phillip Johnson Richardson), a co-worker, is eternally optimistic and wholeheartedly believes in her talent. Roommate/BFF Prisha (Shalini Bathina) is a sounding board and confidante who’s hiding a huge secret from her caring but overbearing parents. Samuel (Colton Ryan) is a new member of Team Bess, a handsome and talented guitar player who challenges Bess and urges her to trust in herself.
And then there’s Ethan… Ethan (Sean Teale) also works out of a storage unit and is artistically inclined. A struggling filmmaker in a relationship that’s on its last legs, Ethan ignites a passion in Bess that helps restore her self-confidence.
Of course, there’s a ‘will she or won’t she thing’ going on with both Ethan and Samuel over the course of season one. Samuel’s decent, earnest, and a good match musically. Ethan, on the other hand, comes with a lot of baggage including a girlfriend who moved across the ocean to support him while he follows his dreams in America. One offers a smoldering, comfortable warmth while the other’s almost too hot to get close to for fear of permanent emotional damage.
Little Voice features existing songs Sara Bareilles wrote over the past few decades as well as new songs penned expressly for the series (including the gorgeous and mesmerizing “Ghost Light.”) The titular song was actually written when Bareilles was in her 20s and, in a fortuitous twist of fate, did not make it onto her first album as she had intended but instead fit snugly here.
“When Jessie Nelson and I were discussing the idea of a theme song, I tried to write something and just couldn’t seem to crack it. I remembered this song and sent it to her to see if there was anything that resonated about our show. And here we are,” recalled Bareilles in an interview with Variety.
Colton Ryan and Brittany O’Grady in ‘Little Voice’ (Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+)
Brittany O’Grady’s voice is perfectly suited to Bareilles’ smooth pop tunes and there’s a sweetness about her that makes you want to protect her as she slowly spreads her wings like a butterfly emerging from her comfortable, sheltering cocoon. O’Grady also has terrific chemistry with all members of Team Bess, but in particular with Sean Teale as Bess and Ethan gauge each other’s worth.
Bareilles and showrunner/writer/director Jessie Nelson incorporated select aspects of Bareilles’ life into Bess. Bess has a brother who is on the Autism Spectrum and Bareilles had an uncle with a developmental disability. And, like Bess, Bareilles practiced in a storage unit. Fans will also connect other attributes of Bess’ character to Bareilles, however, Little Voice doesn’t box out those who aren’t hip to the Bareilles Easter eggs.
Little Voice is sweet, genuine, and hopeful. It’s full of flawed people striving to achieve their dreams and not always making the best choices. Watching Bess find her way as she struggles to discover who she is as both an artist and a person is a journey well worth following.
GRADE: B
Little Voice season one consists of nine episodes. The drama premiered on Apple TV+ on July 10, 2020.
Carlotta Walls LaNier’s memoir A Mighty Long Way is being adapted into a television series with Eisa Davis (She’s Gotta Have It series) on board as writer and executive producer. Currently referred to as the Untitled Little Rock Nine Project, the limited series is being developed by UCP and Fuzzy Door’s Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins. X•ception Content’s Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) and Logan Coles are also executive producing.
The limited series will have the input of author Walls LaNier, the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine, who is confirmed as a consultant.
This is MacFarlane and Fuzzy Door’s second development project announced since they signed a deal to develop series for NBCUniversal. (The first was The Winds of War announced earlier this year.) It’s the first television production for X•ception Content after producing feature films Message from the King and 21 Bridges. Additional executive producers include Nick Marell, Coby Greenberg, and Joe Micucci.
UCP has not announced a targeted start date for production.
The Story, Courtesy of UCP:
In 1957, after the landmark Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education, 14-year-old Carlotta Walls is among the first black students to attend the all-white Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas. She walks into an unexpectedly violent struggle against integration, which suddenly turns her and the other black students into civil rights icons.
For Carlotta – a teenager at the center of a cataclysmic moment in American history – graduating with her diploma means risking her life. But Carlotta searches for a way to keep her humanity intact at school and beyond, losing then regaining her selfhood in a coming of age leavened by humor, family, friendship, and solidarity.
