Month: September 2024

HBO debuted the first episode of The Penguin miniseries, starring Colin Farrell. The HBO Original series is a spinoff of 2022’s The Batman and instead of focusing on Batman (aka the Dark Knight), The Penguin will show the underbelly of Gotham City. Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, James Madio, Scott Cohen, Carmen Ejogo and Theo Rossi also star alongside Farrell in the series.

HBO had previously released the trailer for the miniseries, in which Farrell plays “The Penguin,” otherwise known as Oz, who is hungry for power in Gotham city. An official synopsis reads:  “Oz must confront his enemies, including Carmine’s children, Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) and Alberto Falcone (Michael Zegen); the Maroni family, led by their imprisoned patriarch, Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown); and Oz’s own demoralizing reputation as ‘The Penguin.”

The first of the eight-episodes premiered on Sept. 19, and can be streamed on MAX. Each new episode of The Penguin will debut on Sundays at 9 p.m. with Episode 2 airing Sunday, September 29th.

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Olivia Munn and John Mulaney shared that they welcomed their second child together, a daughter, via gestational surrogate on Sept. 14.

Munn announced in a social media post: “Méi June Mulaney came into the world September 14, 2024, the year of the dragon I had so many profound emotions about not being able to carry my daughter. When I first met our gestational surrogate we spoke mother to mother. She showed me so much grace and understanding, I knew I had found a real-life angel. Words cannot express my gratitude that she kept our baby safe for 9 months and made our dreams come true. I am so proud of my little plum, my little dragon for making the journey to be with us. My heart has exploded. Méi (pronounced may) means plum in Chinese 梅”.  Munn, 44, shared photos of cradling their daughter as they sat near a large window and a family photo featuring the new family of four looking out at the ocean.

In his own post on Instagram, Mulaney, 42, wrote: “Méi June Mulaney came into the world September 14, 2024, the year of the dragon. We stole so much stuff from the hospital. I love my little girl so much.” Mulaney shared the same photos as Munn, adding a video of the little one spitting up on his shirt as he burped her.

Méi June join the couple’s son, Malcolm Hiệp Mulaney, 2, who they welcomed on Nov. 24, 2021. Munn announced in March she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and later revealed she underwent a hysterectomy as a part of her treatment. Mulaney and Munn later tied the knot in July in an intimate ceremony at a friend’s home in New York state.

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Hayden Panettiere and Tyler James Williams team up in the  trailer for new thriller Amber Alert, written and directed by Kerry Bellessa and produced by Summer Bellessa. The film follows the duo as they race against time to rescue a kidnapped child.

In the new trailer for the film, an operator providing a description of 7-year-old Charlotte Bryce, who was abducted while her mother was distracted on the phone. The teaser then cuts to Jaq (Panettiere) talking to her rideshare driver Shane (Williams) when they get the Amber Alert notification.  An official synopsis reads: “Quickly realizing they are behind a car that matches the description of the kidnapper’s, Jaq and Shane desperately race against time to save the child’s life.”

Panettiere, 34, and Williams, 31, also executive produce the film, alongside David Gendron and Ali Jazayeri. Kerry Bellessa directs.

‘Amber Alert’ premieres on Sept. 27; check out the trailer – HERE.

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Hulu announced it has given a series order to Mid-Century Modern, a series about gay friends navigating their “golden years.” Per Deadline, the multi-camera comedy pilot from ‘Will & Grace’ creators David Kohan & Max Mutchnick and Ryan Murphy will star Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, Nathan Lee Graham and Linda Lavin. A premiere date has not yet been released.

A show synopsis states that the series “follows three best friends — gay gentlemen of a certain age — who, after an unexpected death, decide to spend their golden years living together in Palm Springs where the wealthiest one lives with his mother. As a chosen family, they prove that no matter how hard things get, there’s always someone around to remind you it would be better if you got your neck done.”

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Lane stars as Bunny Schneiderman (Nathan Lane), a successful businessman with one foot in retirement who is forever in search of love, but he first has to be convinced he’s worthy of it. The nearly-retired Bunny lives with his mother Sybil (Linda Lavin), the good-hearted ex-Mormon Jerry Frank-Jerry (Matt Bomer), and the fashionable Arthur (Nathan Lee Graham).

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Netflix shared the release date for Ellen DeGeneres’ final stand-up comedy special, ‘Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval’.  Per Variety, “Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval” will premiere globally on Sept. 24 on Netflix; it marks DeGeneres’ second special for Netflix following Relatable (2018).

According to DeGeneres, the new special will be the last comedy special of her career, where she will discuss being “kicked out of show business” (after her daytime talk show ended after allegations of intimidation, racism and sexual misconduct). DeGeneres said in a statement: “To answer the questions everyone is asking me — Yes, I’m going to talk about it. Yes, this is my last special. Yes, Portia really is that pretty in real life” 

The Netflix logline reads: “For the first time in six years, Ellen DeGeneres returns to the stage in her new comedy special ‘Ellen Degeneres: For Your Approval.’ The final comedy special of her historic career, Ellen gets personal and reveals what she’s been doing since being ‘kicked out of show business.’ From the mundane world of raising chickens and parallel parking to the harsh reality of becoming a brand-name celebrity, she goes deep into her stand-up roots and brings laughs through life’s most real and absurd realities.”

DeGeneres returned to the stage earlier this year for her stand-up comedy tour, “Ellen’s Last Stand…Up Tour,” where she took significant time to address the controversy around her talk show that began with an internal investigation of poor working conditions on the show. Her Netflix special was filmed during the final two dates of the tour in Minneapolis.

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