Following news of Valerie Harper’s death Friday, Hollywood – including many of her former co-stars – paid tribute to the Mary Tyler Moore Show actress.
“A beautiful woman, a wonderful actress, a great friend and with balls bigger than mine. Her brilliance burst through and shined its light upon all of us. Goodnight beautiful. I’ll see you soon,” Ed Asner tweeted of his fellow Mary Tyler Moore Show co-star; both Harper and Asner went on to star in their own spinoff series, Rhoda and Lou Grant, respectively.
Harper, who portrayed Rhoda Morgenstern in the main cast of the pioneering Mary Tyler Moore Show for four seasons before spending five seasons playing the character on Rhoda, died at the age of 80 following a long battle with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a rare condition where cancer cells spread to the membranes around the brain; even after the diagnosis, and given months to live, Harper still appeared on the 2013 season of Dancing With the Stars.
Over a career that spanned seven decades, the four-time Emmy-winning Harper would also make guest appearances in shows like Melrose Place, Sex in the City, The Simpsons and That ’70s Show.
“I was so sad to hear that the amazing Valerie Harper passed away. ‘Aunt Paula’ was as wonderful to work with as she was funny. My best to her family,” Topher Grace tweeted of the That ’70s Show guest.
Alyssa Milano, who appeared alongside Harper on Melrose Place, tweeted of the actress, “Valerie Harper was always the most gracious and the kindest actor on set. She will be missed. Rest In Peace.”
A beautiful woman, a wonderful actress, a great friend and with balls bigger than mine. Her brilliance burst through and shined its light upon all of us. Goodnight beautiful. I’ll see you soon. pic.twitter.com/FicADkSAzS
The SAG Awards mourns the loss of the iconic Valerie Harper. Our thoughts go out to her fans and loved ones during this difficult time. https://t.co/WZyjRqap2q
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Franco Columbu, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best friend, training partner, confidant and one-time strongman who won the Mr Olympia bodybuilding title twice, has died in a boating tragedy.
Columbu’s death has left Schwarzenegger devastated and the Terminator star wrote a heartfelt tribute to his “partner in crime” in one of sport’s most unusual partnerships/friendships that had stood the test of time.
“I am devastated today. But I am also so, so grateful for the 54 years of friendship and joy we shared,” wrote Schwarzenegger in his Instagram account.
“The pumps [exercise], the chess games, the construction work, the meals, the pranks, the life lessons – we did it all together. We grew and we learned and we loved. My life was more fun, more colourful, and more complete because of you.”
According to US reports, the former Sardinian-born strongman died in the late morning in San Teodoro, a small town in Sardinia, Italy on Thursday as a consequence of “an accident at sea”. Reports could not confirm Columbu’s exact death with some suggesting that he died of a heart attack while other reports said he had drowned. Emergency services airlifted Columbu to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was 78.
Arnold and Franco became fast buddies, dominating the bodybuilding world together and forming a sort of “Batman and Robin” bromance after first meeting in Munich in 1965. “Arnold and Franco”, as they were always known, both emigrated to the United States in 1969 to become two of Joe Weider’s (the father of modern bodybuilding) biggest bodybuilding stars.
Columbu, whose feats of strengths are legendary (benchpress 525 pounds, squat 655 pounds, deadlift 750 pounds), was a champion boxer in his native Sardinia (he hung up his gloves after knocking out his opponent cold) before he found fame and fortune as the “sidekick” to Schwarzenegger during the golden age of bodybuilding in the 1960s and 1970s.
FRANCO COLUMBU , The greatest and strongest bodybuilder I have ever met has passed... He taught me many things that I have applied throughout my life - We will NEVER HAVE A MAN LIKE THIS AGAIN - thank you for the memories Franco pic.twitter.com/vJgzlI4Jyk
The pair went on all sorts of “madcap” adventures together, even working as bricklayers in the early days of their blossoming friendship. They built a wall together in Venice Beach, California which still stands today.
But it was bodybuilding they would become famous thanks partly to the success of the breakthrough 1977 documentary Pumping Iron that introduced the dynamic duo and many of the world’s top bodybuilders to the mainstream media for the first time.
Arnold and Franco helped each other out during their formative bodybuilding years; Franco being a powerlifter in the early stages of his career taught Arnold useful powerlifting moves, while the Austrian Oak reciprocated by teaching the Sardinian Strongman his bodybuilding techniques that helped Columbu become Mr Olympia twice in 1976 and 1981 – the year he won the Sandow trophy in one of the most controversial triumphs a year after Schwarzenegger himself sealed his seventh Olympia comeback title after a five-year hiatus from competition.
Columbu completed his second Olympia success four years after tearing his knee while lifting a “quarter ton” refrigerator during The World’s Strongest Man contest and legend has it that Schwarzenegger used his influence to get his best friend the nod.
Columbu was also an author of several exercise and nutrition books and was a part-time actor who appeared in the opening scene of Conan the Barbarian and later The Terminator and The Running Man, blockbuster movies for the aspiring Hollywood star, Schwarzenegger, who, even in those early days wielded influence on studio executives to include his best friend in his movies. Such was the tight friendship they had.
Schwarzenegger, 72, wrote a moving tribute to his best friend on Instagram and added:
“You’ve heard me say that I don’t like when people call me a self-made man. You’ve even heard me say that you’re part of the reason I could never accept that label.
“But I wanted you to know why. From the minute we met in Munich, you were my partner in crime. We pushed each other, we competed with each other, and we laughed at every moment along the way.
“When I finally got to America, I was alone. I’d left my family, my country, my whole life behind. So when I asked Joe Weider to bring you to train with me, it was because I knew I wasn’t the same without my best friend. I could thrive without money, without my parents, but I couldn’t thrive without you.
“I will always miss you. But I’ll also know that a part of you lives on in me, in Debbie, in Maria, and in the millions of people you inspired every day you lived. And I will be there for Maria and Debbie, so you can rest now with no worries.
“I love you Franco. I will always remember the joy you brought to my life, the advices you gave me, and the twinkle in your eye that never disappeared. You were my best friend. Love always, Arnold.”
Rambo and Rocky star Sylvester Stallone also paid tribute to Columbu, who helped Sly pump up for Rocky II, while becoming the Hollywood megastar’s personal trainer and long-time friend.
“The greatest and strongest bodybuilder I have ever met has passed … He taught me many things that I have applied throughout my life – We will NEVER HAVE A MAN LIKE THIS AGAIN – thank you for the memories Franco,” wrote Stallone on Instagram.
A successful chiropractor in Los Angeles for more than 30 years after quitting the bodybuilding scene in the 1980s, Columbu is survived by his wife, Debbie, and their daughter, Maria.
In the decade-plus since her last album, Missy Elliott has been trapped in a cycle of returns and retreats. Albums have been teased, then coming soon, then renamed, and later scrapped. Singles have been released and choreographed but then left at sea, never followed-up or built upon. Though Missy has remained an active producer, songwriter, and guest artist, it’s hard not to think of those efforts as busywork. When she rapped, “Thought I fell off, I ain’t quite finished,” on 2012’s single “9th Inning,” it felt like a Freudian slip more than a threat. Released the weekend before her receipt of the VMAs’ Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award, Iconology confirms what’s long been implied by these recurring starts and stops: Missy Elliott is no longer the future.
There is nothing rapped or sung on this EP that is not beholden to Missy’s past. “Throw It Back” is a tepid nostalgia trip that does little to hide its lack of inspiration. Retracing her steps, Missy recycles tired rhyme schemes and stuffs her verses with dry nods to her hits. Her allusions to her glory days are so artless and undercooked that they could be Genius annotations: “Missy still got ’em losing control/And every night is still ladies’ night.”
The production, courtesy of Timbaland, Missy, and Atlanta producers Wili Hendrix and Michael Aristotle, is a toss-up. The drum programming on “Throw It Back” and “Cool Off” is shifty and colorful, but painfully quantized. As Missy raps in staccato lockstep with the beats, the lack of bounce becomes grating. The doo-wop sway of “Why I Still Love You” fits Missy’s vocals well, but it’s damning that the a capella sounds better than the full song. The sole outlier, “DripDemeanor,” is groovy and indulgent; at one point background coos bleed into a guitar and harmonica melody that’s peppered with what sounds like hiccups. Paired with Sum1’s sultry crooning, the result is weird and charming and sensuous—but then Missy starts rapping.
There’s nothing insightful or fun about Missy looking back rather than ahead, especially when she’s already released two compilation records during her hiatus. The focus on iconography is frustrating in its neglect of Missy’s extensive influence throughout the past decade (Missy’s genes can be found in Tierra Whack, Tyler, the Creator, Azealia Banks, M.I.A., FKA twigs, J. Cole, among many others) and her lauded accomplishments (earlier this year she was the first woman rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the third rapper, period). Missy invited listeners to view her body on her terms; she condensed emotions into the perfect onomatopoeia; she befriended and supported the artists around her. Iconology could have tapped into all these dimensions. Instead, it settles for the safe and familiar. Throw it back.
1968. With her ex-husband Sid Luft (Rufus Sewell) demanding custody of her children and struggling to pay a $4 million tax bill, fragile Hollywood legend Judy Garland (Renée Zellweger) takes up a sold-out residency at London’s Talk Of The Town nightclub. Can she keep it together so the show can go on?
There is an image around halfway through _Judy_ that captures Judy Garland (Zellweger) slumped in her dressing room, head bowed, cigarette burning in hand, surrounded by wall-to-wall flowers, a depleted Garland before literal garlands. It’s a moment that gets to the heart of the last days of Garland’s life, the difference between the private and the public, despair and sadness crystallised against a rose-coloured world-view. It’s something Rupert Goold’s film doesn’t quite manage again. For, despite an imposing performance by Renée Zellweger, Judy never exposes the dark heart of Garland’s last years, creating an enjoyable backstage drama movie while failing to get under its protagonist’s skin.
Like last year’s much better _Stan & Ollie_ (it shares a character in showbiz impresario Bernard Delfont), Tom Edge’s screenplay examines Garland through the prism of a late-in-life UK engagement peppered with flashbacks to key moments in her early years as a child star. After a talk-y start in Los Angeles (Gemma-Leah Devereux is a dead spit for Liza Minnelli), things pick up when Garland arrives in London, refuses to rehearse then knocks ‘By Myself’ out of the park. Garland is paired with an assistant-cum-minder, Ros (Jessie Buckley, using a fraction of her talents), and the subsequent uphill struggle to get Garland stage-ready is entertaining. We see glimpses of other areas of Garland’s life — a brutal TV interview about her children, her lover Mickey Deans (Finn Wittrock) surprising her in London — but it’s in the theatre where ‘Judy’ impresses most.
The uphill struggle to get Garland stage-ready is entertained.
The film is less surefooted when it comes to dealing with Garland’s past. Interspersed in the ’60s timeline are flashbacks to young Judy in ’30s Hollywood, being ugly-shamed on the set of The Wizard Of Oz by Louis B. Mayer, denied a French fry at lunch with Mickey Rooney to control her weight, and an act of rebellion as she jumps in a tank at a manufactured birthday party staged two months before the actual date. Yet the correlation between Judy’s brutal management by Mayer and her later-in-life troubles feels simplistic, psychoanalysis 101 that undercuts any attempts at complexity. Equally banal is a plot thread back in London involving Garland and two gay fans (Andy Nyman, Daniel Cerqueira) that feels entirely engineered to pay homage to Garland’s status as a gay icon rather than offer any sense of convincing organic drama.
It’s a small film that never successfully evokes the scale of old-school Hollywood — the LA sequences feel very stage-bound — or the louche London of the ’60s. Zellweger goes some way to etching Judy’s loss — there’s a touching late-on moment when Judy phones home to daughter Lorna (Bella Ramsey) — and goes for broke on stage, barnstorming her way through ‘The Trolley Song’ or smouldering on ‘Come Rain Or Come Shine’. Yet the film really stumbles in its big climax, pulling a cheap trick, parlaying one of Hollywood’s saddest, most tragic stories into a feel-good moment. Garland — and Zellweger — deserved so much more.
Judy is an enjoyable, sincere attempt to present a multi-faceted portrait of a Hollywood legend, bolstered by a strong Renée Zellweger. Yet it never really finds the subtleties and depths to make it compelling and the ‘inspirational’ ending diminishes a sad, complex life.
It’s finally Judgement Day, and to commemorate it, the team behind Terminator: Dark Fate has finally released the final trailer of the movie, as well as its official movie poster.
The sixth instalment in the Terminator franchise, Terminator: Dark Fate will be produced by James Cameron and Tim Miller. Dark Fate will serve as a direct sequel to the first two Terminator films. According to Tim Miller, every Terminator film that came after Terminator 2: Judgement Day happened in an alternate universe and will not affect the main canon.
Terminator fans can also look forward to the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton. While Hamilton will be reprising her role as Sarah Connor, it has long been revealed that Schwarzenegger will come back as a different Terminator, with a whole new chassis number.
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New year, new Terminator, are we right?
The new trailer gives us a better glimpse at what to expect from the movie, including an older Sarah Connor that is just as much of a badass as she was in every other Terminator film, as well as several cool fight scenes including the new cast and, of course, Schwarzenegger himself.
We can’t wait to see what the full movie has in store for us.
Terminator: Dark Fate will be released in theatres on November 1, 2019.
Germaine is a fun-sized introvert who loves nothing better than sleeping in on rainy days. She can be found reading fanfiction and manga while still waiting for her Hogwarts acceptance letter. It’ll come eventually.
Marriages are stressful even under the best
of circumstances. But when you have millions of people watching your every
move, criticizing your actions at every turn, those strained
feelings will increase exponentially. And that’s exactly what some fans
fear is happening with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson – Pool/Getty Images
On the outside, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appear happier
than ever. With a new baby at home, a stunning new home, and all the wealth and
power in the world, Harry and Meghan have more than their fair share of
advantages. But despite it all, these two are under an enormous amount
of pressure we can’t even begin to imagine.
That’s why their most loyal fans are worrying about how all
the criticism could be negatively affecting their marriage.
Harry and Meghan rushed into marriage
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Aaron Chown/AFP/Getty Images
Prince Harry met Meghan Markle in the summer of 2016 after
the pair was set up on a blind date. Their shockingly short courtship — the two
went from dating to engaged to married in less
than two years — has been an endless source of contention amongst both
friends and family members.
Some believe these two hurried to get married because they
were deeply in love. Others insist that their ages played a factor. But either
way, their sprint down the altar (at least compared to other royals) has caused
a lot of drama in the family.
One other problem with getting married so quickly was that Meghan
Markle didn’t have as much time to get
used to being a royal under the constant glare of the spotlight. Kate Middleton
had a very clear picture of what she was getting into before she married Prince
William. But for Meghan? It wasn’t so obvious.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Meghan Markle might have spurred a feud between the brothers
Speaking of rushing into marriage, another reason why things
are troublesome for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle right now is she may have
come between one of the strongest relationships in the royal family — the bond
between brothers.
Prince William and Prince Harry were always close growing
up, especially following the tragic death of their mother Princess Diana. But
when the Duke of Cambridge warned Harry not to rush into marriage with the
woman he loved, the lovestruck younger brother took
it badly. That’s allegedly the thing that started this whole royal feud we
keep hearing about.
If Meghan Markle did come between Harry and William, however
indirectly, it could be making the Duke of Sussex feel upset about that missing
bond in his life.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince William, and Kate Middleton | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Signs of stress in their marriage are obvious
No one can be perfect all the time, and Prince Harry and
Meghan Markle are proving that now. They’ve been called out a couple of times
for having small, dramatic
moments in public.
There was the time at the queen’s birthday celebration when Prince Harry had to turn his wife to “Turn around” and “Look” as she appeared to fight back tears. Or when the Sussexes attended an MLB game and Prince Harry appeared to ignore his wife speaking to him.
Like any marriage, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle most
likely have good days and bad days. The only difference is that their small
arguments look much worse than they really are, especially broadcast across an
international stage.
Though fans are fearful that the pressure could be
negatively affecting this couple, it seems highly unlikely that it would be
enough to split them up. They have their love for each other, the love for
their child, and the shared goal of making the world a better place.
What more could you need?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Owen Humphreys – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Heads up, prospective Disney+ members— D23 is offering a limited time deal that will help you save more than a few bucks on your new Disney+ subscription!
But fans who might be looking to save some money when it comes to subscription services, may want to head over to D23.com to check out their can’t-miss deal.
Right now, for a limited time only, the official Disney fan club is offering D23 members a chance to save 33 percent off of the standard annual price for a Disney+ subscription for the first three years.
That discount brings the total of Disney+ down from $69.99 per year to $46.99 per year for your first three years.
Though the streamer previously announced plans to launch a bundle deal, which would allow subscribers to pay $12.99 a month for a bundle package including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, there’s no denying D23’s offer definitely delivers more bang for your buck.
Opting in for the offer requires those interested to sign up for a D23 membership (which you can do for free by signing up for a D23 General membership). That being said, you’ll definitely want to act on the deal sooner rather than later.
According to the fine print, the offer is only valid from August 26, 2019 through September 2, 2019 at 11: 59 p.m. PT. The offer also states that it takes about 36 hours for the offer link to appear in your D23 account.
Since launching the offer, D23’s website has seen quite a bit of increased traffic. In fact, on Tuesday (August 27) night there were so many people trying to create accounts to get in on the discount that it actually caused the site to crash.
It’s clear fans are already flocking to the deal in an effort to make sure they’re not left out, and who can blame them— $46.99 per year for the first three years sounds like a total steal to us!
Even though most movies pretty much vanish from your local multiplex after a month anyway, major theater chains are holding fast to their three-month release window even though in practice a film’s run is far shorter. That creates a predicament for a company like Netflix, which wants to give some of its movies theatrical releases, but also runs into a wall with major theater chains that don’t want to agree to the studio’s abbreviated theatrical run. It happened last year with Roma, which played at some smaller chains like Landmark, and now it’s happening again with The Irishman.
Indiewire reports that Netflix could not convince major theater chains to budge for even the new Martin Scorsese. The theater chains were worried about opening up the floodgates of abbreviated releases, and so The Irishman will be in indie theaters for three weeks only. Per Indiewire, “On November 1, it will open in Los Angeles and New York, followed by a platform release in the U.S. and the U.K. November 8, adding more theaters each weekend on November 15 and November 22. When it premieres on Netflix November 27, it will see ‘an expanded theatrical release in the U.S. and international markets.’”
While this won’t necessarily hurt or help The Irishman’s Oscar chances—Roma managed to pick up three Oscars and was seen a serious contender to take home Best Picture—it does signal that theaters are so scared of losing their release window that they’ll miss out on the profits from a new Scorsese picture that brings together Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. The calculus seems to be that if they give an inch to streaming, they’ll lose a mile and eventually they’ll be sharing profits on major releases with streamers. Theater chains are banking on their exclusivity, and if you significantly shorten that window, then it gives people less of an incentive to show up. I’d counter that high ticket prices and crummy service also give people less of an incentive to show up, but the theater chains don’t seem too concerned about solving those problems.
MTV Video Music Awards hosted in New Jersey and was met by protesters
MTV's Video Music Awards saw performances from some of music's biggest stars, including Taylor Swift and Lil Nas X. It also honored them, with Swift earning multiple awards, including one for video of the year. Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" earned him an award for song of the year.
Missy Elliott received the Video Vanguard award in celebration of her decades long, genre-bending career, making her the first female emcee to be awarded the distinction. She was lauded by fellow artists and gave a show-stopping performance showcasing a slew of hits and even featured "Work It" dancer Alyson Stoner.
Designer Marc Jacobs earned the show's first-ever Fashion Trailblazer award in celebration of his contributions and collaborations with musicians as well as his eye-catching runway shows and campaigns.
Here's a full list of winners as they were announced:
Video of the year
21 Savage ft. J. Cole - "a lot"
Billie Eilish - "Bad Guy"
Ariana Grande - "thank u, next"
Jonas Brothers - "Sucker"
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus - "Old Town Road (Remix)"
WINNER: Taylor Swift - "You Need to Calm Down"
Artist of the year
Cardi B
Billie Eilish
WINNER: Ariana Grande
Halsey
Jonas Brothers
Shawn Mendes
Song of the year
Drake - "In My Feelings"
Ariana Grande - "thank u, next"
Jonas Brothers - "Sucker"
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - "Shallow"
WINNER: Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus - "Old Town Road (Remix)"
Taylor Swift - "You Need to Calm Down"
Best new artist
Ava Max
WINNER: Billie Eilish
H.E.R.
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
ROSALÍA
Best collaboration
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus - "Old Town Road (Remix)"
"I screwed up," Spencer said on air. "The comment I made about dance was stupid and insensitive and I am deeply sorry."
Controversy arose last week after "GMA" aired a segment that mentioned that the future king of England's favorite activities include ballet lessons.
"We'll see how long that lasts," the GMA co-anchor deadpanned about the 6-year-old's interest before chuckling.
Viewer response was swift, with even dance legend Debbie Allen offering a video rebuttal on social media that was posted with the hashtag #boysdancetoo.
Spencer offered an apology over the weekend on her official Instagram account.
"My sincere apologies for an insensitive comment I made in pop news yesterday," she wrote in conjunction with a picture of an open field and outdoor skyline. "From ballet to anything one wants to explore in life, I say GO FOR IT. I fully believe we should all be free to pursue our passions. Go climb your mountain - and love every minute of it."
On Monday, cast members from the "Cher" Broadway musical led a protest outside the "GMA" studio in which men danced.
Spencer said on her show Monday that she had reached out to and spoken with members of the dance community.
"I have learned about the bravery that it takes for a young boy to pursue a career in dance," she said. "And last night, I sat down with three influential dancers who lived it - firsthand."
The segment that followed included male dancers Travis Wall, Fabrice Calmels and Robbie Fairchild sharing their experiences.
Wall had earlier shared on social media that Spencer wanted to make amends for her comment.
"So Lara Spencer just called me on my cell phone, she got my number from Debbie Allen, and she is completely horrified and just truly just issued this massive apology," Wall said in an Instastory on his Instagram account.
Feeling bummed about the whole Sony/Marvel Spider-Man rift? The tug of war over the beloved character has led to statements from Sony and Marvel president Kevin Feige, as well as reassuring comments from Tom Holland. It might not be enough to assuage fan concerns about the future of Peter Parker on the big or small screen, but there are other avenues to see him.
One of them is through the new Marvel animated Spidey show
on Disney. An announcement was made at this year’s D23
Expo during the Marvel Animation & Family Entertainment panel on Friday.
Marvel Spider-Man display, Hong Kong | Daniel Fung/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The show isn’t about Spider-Man as you know him
Set to air on Disney Junior, the series is titled Marvel’s
Spidey and His Amazing Friends and is geared toward preschool audiences. It
won’t hit Disney Junior until 2021, but it’s at least one new Spider-Man
project on the docket after the Sony disagreement. According to Marvel,
here’s what the new series will be about:
“Our favorite neighborhood web-slinger is used to working solo, but now Peter Parker must discover what it takes to become a truly amazing super hero: being a spider friend who works well with others. Together with his friends Miles Morales and Gwen AKA Ghost-Spider, they will team up with heroes such as Hulk, Black Panther and Ms. Marvel, to defeat evil foes and learn that teamwork is the best way to save the day.”
It will be first full-length Disney Junior series ever for Marvel
The team behind the program is excited about its creation
and launch, with Marvel Animation’s SVP Cort Lane stating,
“Everyone at Marvel is thrilled to launch our first preschool series on Disney Junior, the gold standard platform for the audience. We believe parents and kids will be excited about these stories filled with themes of friendship, cooperation, solving problems and using your abilities to help others.”
Since you’re really never too old for cartoons, there’s no
reason for Spidey fans to skip checking out the show, whether preschoolers are
around to watch it with or not. The family-friendly series could be the perfect
introduction for Marvel fans-to-be.
Behind the Spider-Man split with Sony and Marvel
If you’re wondering how this new series is possible based on the “divorce” and custody rights over Spider-Man, it’s because Sony has ownership over the character’s film rights. In the past, Sony worked out arrangements so that the hero could appear in the Avengers films and the MCU Spider-Man movies led by Tom Holland.
Now, negotiations are said to be stalled but ongoing over which
company—Disney or Sony—will get to make more Spidey films moving forward. Fans
and critics of the split believe it all boils down to money, but it remains to
be seen if Disney (Marvel’s owner) will budge.
The timing of the announcement for Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends seemed a little awkward to some, but as ScreenRant notes, it can give fans something to look forward to while the other Spider-Man disconnect is being ironed out. And with that, Tom Holland wants fans to know that “he loves you 3000!” Don’t give up hope just yet.
Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige and Tom Holland addressed Spider-Man’s inevitable exit from the Marvel Cinematic Universe following a breakdown in negotiations between Disney and Sony Pictures earlier this week. The two studios reportedly failed to reach an agreement over producer credits on future Spider-Manmovies.
Feige and Holland both sat down with Entertainment Weekly during appearances at Disney’s D23 Expo over the weekend to share their thoughts on the result of the Marvel-Sony rift: Spider-Man’s inevitable exit from the MCU and what that means both for Marvel and for Holland’s future playing the character. Both men were pragmatic about the still fresh, ostensibly tense situation. It was especially brutal to see Holland have to go on record with a comment mere days after the split and deal with the implications of the fallout happened considering he was part of the collateral damage.
Image via Sony Pictures
Feige was diplomatic in his comments but it’s hard to feel anything other than a sense of finality about the split, unlike folks like Jon Favreau who are holding out for a reconciliation between the studios so Spidey can return.
“I’m feeling about Spider-Man gratitude and joy. We got to make five films within the MCU with Spider-Man: two standalone films and three with the Avengers. It was a dream that I never thought would happen. It was never meant to last forever. We knew there was a finite amount of time that we’d be able to do this, and we told the story we wanted to tell, and I’ll always be thankful for that.”
Holland reflected on his time working in the MCU, telling EW:
“Basically, we’ve made five great movies. It’s been five amazing years. I’ve had the time of my life. Who knows what the future holds? But all I know is that I’m going to continue playing Spider-Man and having the time of my life. It’s going to be so fun, however we choose to do it. The future for Spider-Man will be different, but it will be equally as awesome and amazing, and we’ll find new ways to make it even cooler.”
An additional, albeit sentimental, twist of the knife into the Spider-Man fandom’s heart when Holland addressed the crowd during the Onward presentation at D23. Towards the end of the presentation, Holland turned to the crowd and told them,
“It’s been a crazy week but I want you all to know from the bottom of my heart I love you 3000.”
Holland’s remark recalls a memorable line from his now second-to-last MCU movie, Avengers: Endgame, said by Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) daughter, Morgan, as a way of showing how much she loves him. For fans, the line is no doubt deeply wrenching if only because it’s a reminder Holland has to put on a brave face as he faces a transition period he was likely not ready for.
There are currently no announced plans for Spider-Man’s future at Sony. It’s similarly unclear what Holland’s next professional move will be. Feige already has his sights set on the future, juggling all of the projects tied up in the MCU’s Phase 5 and the soon-to-be-launched streaming service Disney+.
At Disney's D23 convention, the 23-year-old British actor quoted Robert Downey Jr.'s famous Tony Stark line from "Avengers: Endgame," telling the crowd, “It’s been a crazy week, and I love you all from the bottom of my heart, and I love you 3000."
Last week, it was reported that the cross-studio partnership between Disney and Sony, which allowed Holland’s Spider-Man to appear in Marvel films such as “Avengers: Endgame” and Marvel Studios to have a hand in producing stand-alone Spider-Man films like this summer’s “Far From Home,” was ending.
Fellow Marvel stars, including Jeremy Renner, have spoken out, begging for Holland to return to the Marvel Universe.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told Entertainment Weekly of the situation, “I’m feeling about Spider-Man gratitude and joy ... We got to make five films within the MCU with Spider-Man: two standalone films and three with the Avengers. It was a dream that I never thought would happen. It was never meant to last forever. We knew there was a finite amount of time that we’d be able to do this, and we told the story we wanted to tell, and I’ll always be thankful for that.”
Holland himself expounded on the situation, saying, “basically, we’ve made five great movies. It’s been five amazing years. I’ve had the time of my life. Who knows what the future holds? But all I know is that I’m going to continue playing Spider-Man and having the time of my life. It’s going to be so fun, however we choose to do it."
"The future for Spider-Man will be different," he said, "but it will be equally as awesome and amazing, and we’ll find new ways to make it even cooler.”
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♫ Have you ever looked beyond today into the future? Picturing a world we’ve yet to see? ♫
It seems those lyrics from Horizons have a new meaning with Epcot’s display at Disney Parks’ “Imagining Tomorrow, Today” pavilion at the 2019 D23 Expo.
One of the centerpieces of the exhibit is this stylized model of Epcot, where pavilions present and future are arranged in Epcot’s famed five-ring emblem.
Here’s a look at the Journey of Water attraction, inspired by the film Moana.
And there’s the Mexico pavilion, with some very oversized flowers and maracas.
Reflect on this stylized representation of the China pavilion.
And it wouldn’t be Epcot without some sort of dedication or caption. The plaque reads:
“The EPCOT Center logo symbolizes unity, fellowship and harmony around the world. Five outer rings are linked to form the shape of a flower – a celebration of life. The heart of the logo is the Earth, embraced by a star symbolizing hope – the hope that with imagination, commitment and dedication, we can create a better tomorrow.”
Here’s the future Festival Center, which resembles early concept art for what would ultimately become The American Adventure.
And here’s the France pavilion, featuring three great examples of French cuisine: Chefs de France, Monsieur Paul, and Gusteau’s. Except one isn’t exactly a restaurant… it’s Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure!
I am Groot. (Translation: And here’s the site of the future Guardians of the Galaxy attraction.)
The former Wonders of Life pavilion gets a makeover as it prepares to become the Play Pavilion.
As we wrap up our tour of this imaginative model, we finish at the Imagination pavilion.
And this is what it looks like all together.
But where is Epcot going? And what kind of future will we discover there? Surprisingly, the answers lie in our past. With apologies to Spaceship Earth, let’s take a look at a display of some of Epcot’s history…
I am super jealous of you if you own any of these things.
(Fun fact: You too can own an Epcot Center opening day ticket stub if you earn enough Corbucks.)
And there you have it: a look to the past on the way to the future. Keep reading WDWNT as we learn more about Epcot’s transformation!
