Month: August 2025

Focus Features has released the first official trailer for Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, the third and final film in the movie series based on the PBS period drama created by Julian Fellowes. The film is directed by Simon Curtis, from a screenplay by ‘Downton’ creator Julian Fellowes.

The 2 1/2-minute preview shows Robert and Cora Crawley (Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern) preparing to hand over their palatial British country estate to their elder daughter Mary (Michelle Dockery), whose divorce is making her a pariah in social circles.

An official film synopsis reads that Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale “follows the Crawley family and their staff as they enter the 1930s. When Mary finds herself at the center of a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble, the entire household grapples with the threat of social disgrace. The Crawleys must embrace change as the staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future.”

The extensive cast also includes Simon Russell Beale, Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Michael Fox, Joanne Froggatt, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Alessandro Nivola, Dominic West, Penelope Wilton, Arty Froushan, Joely Richardson, Paul Copley and Douglas Reith.

The film, which follows two others and a six-season TV show, is set for theatrical release on Sept. 12. See the trailer: HERE.

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Talent manager Brandon Blackstock, the ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson and the former stepson of Reba McEntire, has died at age 48. The news of Blackstock’s passing comes just one day after Clarkson cancelled the remainder of her Las Vegas residency dates this month, noting that her ex-husband was ill and she needed to spend time with their children, River, 11, and Remington, 9.

A rep for the family told PEOPLE in a statement: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away. Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”

Clarkson had announced on social media the cancellation of this month’s concerts in Las Vegas, sharing that she needed to spend time with her children as their father was battling an undisclosed illness: “Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas. While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them. I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”. The four dates affected included August 8, 9, 15, and 16, with new dates now added for July 17, 18, 24, 25, 31, and August 1, 2026. Clarkson is tentatively set to return to Las Vegas for four more dates in November.

Clarkson and Blackstock were married from 2013-2022 and share 11-year-old daughter, River Rose, and 9-year-old son, Remington Alexander. During that time, Blackstock served as Clarkson’s manager; his father, Narvel Blackstock, was her previous manager. Clarkson filed for divorce from Brandon in 2020 after nearly seven years of marriage, which was finalized in March 2022 after a messy court battle over property and finances. Clarkson was granted primary custody of their two children.

Prior to his relationship with Clarkson, Blackstock was married to Melissa Ashworth from 2001-2012, with whom he shares daughter Savannah, 23, and son Seth, 18. Blackstock later became a grandfather in January 2022 when Savannah gave birth to her first baby, son Lake, with Quentin Lee; she announced in July 2025 that she is pregnant with the couple’s second baby.

Blackstock was seen in pictures with River and Remington at the Houston Rodeo back in March 2024, alongside his brother Shelby and Shelby’s mother, Reba McEntire. McEntire was previously married to Blackstock’s father, Narvel Blackstock, from 1989-2015.

Blackstock is survived by his sons Seth and Remington, daughters Savannah and River, grandson Lake, father Narvel Blackstock and siblings Shelby, Shawna and Chassidy.

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The first trailer was released for Spike Lee’s new movie, Highest 2 Lowest, which stars Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Ice Spice and A$AP Rocky, who also soundtracked the film.

Per Deadline, Highest 2 Lowest is a modern reinterpretation of the 1963 Akira Kurosawa classic High and Low, which was itself based on the novel King’s Ransom by Ed McBain. The original thriller follows a shoe company exec who becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake and held for ransom; however the new film is set in contemporary NYC, and sees a music mogul (Washington) contend with a similar plot.

Highest 2 Lowest debuted out of competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, marking the sixth time Lee debuted a film in the Cannes Official Selection, – 36 years to the day since his first appearance with Do the Right Thing.

Highest 2 Lowest arrives in theaters on August 15, and debuts on Apple TV+ on September 5. See the trailer – HERE.

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Leo Woodall has joined the cast of Netflix’s limited series, Vladimir, in the titular role.  The eight-episode series is based in the Julia May Jonas novel of the same name.

Netflix announced: “Leo Woodall will star as the titular VLADIMIR — joining Rachel Weisz in the upcoming adaptation of the Julia May Jonas novel. As a woman’s life unravels, she becomes obsessed with a captivating new colleague and is hell-bent on turning her fantasies into reality.”  Weisz also serves as an executive producer on the project.

A series synopsis reads: “As a woman’s (Weisz) life unravels, she becomes obsessed with her captivating new colleague (Woodall). Full of sexy secrets and dark humor, the series is about what happens when a woman goes hell-bent to turn her fantasies into reality. As a woman’s life unravels, she becomes obsessed with a captivating new colleague and is hell-bent on turning her fantasies into reality.”

In addition, actors John Slattery   (“Mad Men,” “Spotlight,” “Nuremberg”), Jessica Henwick (“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” “Silo”), and Ellen Robertson (“Mickey 17,” “Black Mirror,” “Too Much”) have been cast as series regulars in the roles of John, Cynthia, and Sid respectively.

Recurring cast members including Kayli Carter as Lila., Miriam Silverman as Florence, Mallori Johnson as Edwina, Matt Walsh as David, Tattiawna Jones as Alexis and Louise Lambert as Dawn.

Kate Robin (‘One Mississippi,’ ‘The Affair,’ ‘Dead to Me’ and ‘Six Feet Under’) serves as show runner, with production underway in Toronto; no premiere date disclosed as of press time.

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Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons star in the first trailer for Bugonia, a new dark comedy from Oscar-nominated director Yorgos Lanthimos.

An official synopsis reads: “Two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.”

The latest film from Lanthimos (who previously received Oscar nods for The Lobster, The Favourite, and Poor Things) is an English-language remake of the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet! directed by Jang Joon-hwan.

The teaser trailer for Bugonia follows Plemons as a conspiracy-minded beekeeper and one of two conspiracy-minded men who kidnap a powerful corporate CEO (played by Stone), convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying Earth.  The film reunited Stone with Lanthimos alongside Plemons, with the cast also including Alicia Silverstone (who is reuniting with Lanthimos after The Killing of a Sacred Deer) Aidan Delbis and Stavros Halkias.

The film will be released by Focus Features on Oct. 24 in limited theaters before going nationwide on Oct. 31; see the trailer: HERE.

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