The late Robert Duvall passed away earlier this week, and in a recent post on social media, a co-star of his on a 1990 Tom Cruise action movie recounted a story about his time on set.
What movie did Robert Duvall yell at Tony Scott over?
In a recent post on X, Randy Quaid recounted a brief story that took place while filming the 1990 sports action movie Days of Thunder. Quaid joked that, now that both Duvall and director Tony Scott have passed away, he hopes to never see someone “rip a director a new a–hole quite like Duvall did on Days of Thunder.”
While Quaid didn’t go further into details on just what happened, the story quickly had fans laughing about the situation. Quaid appeared alongside Duvall and Cruise in the film, which followed the story of a young hotshot racer recruited by Quaid’s character to drive for his NASCAR team. The film was a success, earning more than $150 million at the box office.
Now that Tony and Robert are both departed to heaven and I hope laughing together I have never seen an actor rip a director a new asshole quite like Duvall did on Days of Thunder.
Duvall is best known for his performances in The Godfather films, Apocalypse Now, Tomorrow, True Grit, MAS*H, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more. The legend was also known amongst the world of theater as well, having acted in a number of plays, while also starring in a litany of television shows, including The Defenders, Playhouse 90, and more.
Duvall won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Mac Sledge in Tender Mercies (1983) and received Oscar nominations for The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, The Great Santini, The Apostle, A Civil Action and The Judge. He portrayed Tom Hagen in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), Lt. Col. Kilgore in Apocalypse Now (1979), and Augustus “Gus” McCrae in the 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove.
Screams, silence, and stunned reactions followed this unforgettable Paramount screening
From the moment you pass through the gates of Paramount Studios, the feeling is always unique. The Paramount lot is striking, with its classic production buildings standing like monuments to another era of Hollywood. This is where films that shaped generations were made, including The Godfather, Forrest Gump and Titanic, works that are not merely successful films but integral parts of global cinematic memory. Walking through the studios, you feel the weight of that history and the energy of a place where some of the most compelling stories in cinema were written.
Jessica Alexander as “Hannah” and Miguel Torres Umba as “Ben” in Primate from Paramount Pictures.Credit: Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures created a distinctive, welcoming event, bringing together top influencers, film professionals and content creators. The exceptionally young cast of Primate set the tone for the evening, radiating freshness, confidence and a rare combination of professionalism and speed. Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, Gia Hunter, Charlie Mann and the rest of the team moved comfortably among the guests, posing for photos, laughing and projecting the feeling of a group that fully believes in the final result. The first part of the evening was light, fun and filled with positive energy, almost celebratory.
The arrival at Paramount’s Sherry Lansing Theatre intensified the anticipation even further. It is an iconic venue, defined by timeless elegance and a sense that cinema here is treated with genuine respect. The audience was eager, conversations were animated and the seats filled quickly. Nothing in this initial atmosphere hinted at the shock that was about to follow.
We had heard things. We had read reactions. Yet no one was truly prepared for just how terrifying Primate would be.
Troy Kotsur as “Adam” and Gia Hunter as “Erin” in Primate from Paramount Pictures.Credit: Paramount Pictures
From its very first scenes, it becomes clear that this is not simply a horror film. It is a creature horror with a clear identity and tightly controlled storytelling. The story unfolds in an isolated mansion in Hawaii, a beautiful home that initially feels idyllic and almost dreamlike. Nature, light and architecture create a false sense of safety. That illusion quickly collapses. The house turns into a trap. It’s very design works against the characters. There is no escape. There is no safety.
And then the terror begins.
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The theater reacted constantly. Screams, nervous laughter, moments of absolute silence followed by sudden eruptions of fear. People jumped from their seats, covered their faces and then looked back at the screen, unable to resist. It was one of those screenings where the audience feels like a single organism, experiencing fear simultaneously.
The chimpanzee is not portrayed merely as an uncontrollable threat. It feels almost human, intelligent, with memory and a dark instinct. The tension is built not only through violence but through anticipation. Every appearance makes time slow down for a few seconds before the next shock lands.
The young cast is essential to the film’s impact. These characters are not invulnerable. They are afraid, they panic and they make mistakes. That vulnerability makes the horror immediate and real. Troy Kotsur’s father figure adds a deeply unsettling layer through the use of sound and silence. In several moments, the absence of sound is more terrifying than any scream. Troy Kotsur, the Oscar-winning actor from CODA, was born deaf, grew up using American Sign Language (ASL), and is a prominent advocate for the Deaf community in Hollywood.
Victoria Wyant as “Kate”, Jessica Alexander as “Hannah”, Gia Hunter as “Erin”, and Johnny Sequoyah as “Lucy” in Primate from Paramount Pictures.Credit: Paramount Pictures
The contrast between the glamorous, joyful, welcoming event and the raw brutality of the film is what made the night unforgettable. We entered the theater relaxed and left with racing hearts, adrenaline at its peak and images that linger long after the credits rolled.
For fans of the genre, Primate is pure intensity. It is raw, modern and relentless. It does not attempt to explain fear. It imposes it. It does not let you leave untouched. It follows you beyond the screening and forces you to confront just how far a horror film can go when it understands exactly how to push its audience.
Based on the reaction of the crowd and the power of the experience, Primate appears poised for a strong run at the box office in the United States and internationally. And if a sequel eventually arrives, a second chapter to this story, it will surprise no one. The legend has only just begun.
Paramount+ has launched its latest streaming offer, giving new subscribers two months of access for $6 total through December 2 for Black Friday. With prices rising across other platforms, this short-term deal offers a chance to explore either the Essential or Premium plan and see which fits your viewing habits best. Yes, you can pick either plan and get the $3-per-month deal — of course, that makes the Premium plan the better option in terms of the greater discount.
Paramount+ continues to expand its catalog with a mix of current CBS shows, exclusive originals, classic TV and live sports. The service is available in two main tiers: Essential, which includes ads, and Premium, which removes most of them and adds a few key extras like 4K streaming, offline downloads and live CBS access. Both tiers include select Showtime programming, giving subscribers a taste of the premium network’s lineup.
Paramount+
Get two months of either Paramount+ plan for only $3 per month for Black Friday.
The Essential plan provides access to more than 40,000 episodes and movies, along with live coverage of the NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League matches. It supports up to three simultaneous streams, making it a practical choice for households that share accounts. The Premium plan builds on that by offering ad-free on-demand viewing (with exceptions for live broadcasts), higher-quality playback and the option to watch CBS live in participating regions.
Paramount+’s growing library combines new releases with well-known favorites, offering titles from across CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. Sports fans get live coverage of key events, while movie watchers can find recent cinema releases from Paramount Pictures joining the lineup throughout the year. The inclusion of Showtime series in both plans adds another layer of variety, with dramas and documentaries available alongside the core Paramount+ content.
If you’re keeping an eye on subscription costs, an offer like this is a practical way to test the service without paying full price. It also gives you time to see whether the Essential plan’s ad-supported setup or the Premium tier’s extras are worth the difference.
If you’ve been watching your streaming spend as prices go up elsewhere, this deal from Paramount+ offers a well-balanced opportunity to experience both plan levels at a lower cost. Paramount+ is one of the best streaming services thanks to its vast selection of original shows like Star Trek: Discovery, Ink Master and Frasier. If you’re ready to stream big shows and live events without a heavy commitment this Cyber Monday offer is one to keep in mind.
Disney+ Hulu bundle — $60 for one year: The Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) bundle is on sale for $5 per month for one year (for a total of $60) through December 1. New and eligible returning subscribers can take advantage of this deal, and considering the bundle typically costs $13 per month, this deal represents more than a 50 percent discount on the standard monthly price.
Apple TV+ — 6 months for $36: Apple TV+ is offering six months of access for only $36 for Black Friday, which comes out to a discounted price of $6 per month for the six-month period. The deal is live now for new and eligible returning subscribers and runs through December 1, giving you a chance to stream shows like Silo, The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less. The biggest caveat to the deal is that you must subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service.
HBO Max — one year for $36: HBO Max’s Black Friday deal gives subscribers one year streaming for $36 through December 1. This Black Friday streaming deal is on the ad-supported option, which normally goes for $11 per month. With this discount, you’re getting it for $3 per month for one year. You can sign up via HBO Max’s website or, if you’re a Prime Video subscriber already, via that service as an add-on.
Sling TV Orange — day pass for only $1: Sling TV launched Day Passes earlier this year, giving users one-day access to a variety of its packages. This deal cuts $4 off the normal price of a day pass for Sling Orange. With that, you get unlimited access for 24 hours to Orange’s more than 30 channels that includes ESPN, CNN, TBS and others.
Scream 7 arrives in United States theaters in February 2026 from Paramount Pictures. Directed by Kevin Williamson, the movie stars Lillard, Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers, Isabel May as Tatum Evans, Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin, Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin, Joel McHale as Mark Evans, and more.
What did Matthew Lillard say about Scream 7?
Speaking with ComingSoon in an exclusive interview, Lillard said that Scream 7 is “testing through the roof” following some test screenings.
He explained when asked about how it feels to come back to the Scream franchise and work with Williamson again, “It was awesome. The reality is that I remember where I was when I got the phone call. I remember in the park, exactly where it happened. Seeing the phone call from Kevin Williamson. We had seen each other at a party like three weeks beforehand at Mike Flanagan’s house. I was like, ‘What is he calling me for? That’s so strange.’ He was talking about going in and doing Scream 7. And even at the party, he was like, ‘Yeah, we’re going to go shoot the movie, I’m going to direct it.’ I was like, ‘That’s incredible.’ And he never mentioned anything. But we got on the phone and was like, ‘Do you want to come back and play with us?’ I was like, ‘You bastard, you could have said something like three weeks ago!’
“Look, I’m excited. What I’m most excited about is I think the movie, with Kevin involved and with Neve back — listen, I love the Radio Silence guys. I thought Melissa Barrera was fantastic. But I’m excited to see where this new iteration of Scream goes. The movie is testing through the roof, I think people are going to love it, and I think fans are going to lose their minds. It’s very fun.”
The official synopsis for Scream 7 reads, “When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter (Isabel May) becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.”
Scream 7 will be released in United States theaters on February 27, 2026.
Skydance’s takeover of Paramount Pictures continues to send shockwaves across IP at the studio. Recently, it was Star Trek, and now the studio is in talks to hire mega-producer Neal H. Moritz to reboot the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a live-action theatrical franchise.
We know what you are thinking. Yes, that already happened in 2014. Yes, there were already plans for that on the table. And no, this shouldn’t impact the next animated film, still scheduled for release in 2027. But, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount wants to “Sonic-fy” the Turtles, so they turned to Moritz, who produced the three (and counting) live-action Sonic the Hedgehog films to billion-dollar success. What does that mean exactly? Well, according to the trade, it’s just a kind of family-friendly, four-quadrant tone that was lacking from the previous live-action iterations.
And Moritz can certainly deliver hits. In addition to Sonic, he’s best known for being a leading producer on the Fast and Furious franchise, but also made all the I Know What You Did Last Summer, 21 Jump Street,Goosebumps, the Escape Room movies, and more.
The news does put a pin in the R-rated Last Ronin film that was in the works, however. That’s now been put aside, though it might come back at a later date. And while Paramount’s new direction did mark the end of the Turtles animated show, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the sequel to Mutant Mayhem is still in the works (with a related short debuting in theaters next month).
No word yet on when or how this new version of the Turtles will arrive, but it certainly sounds like it’ll share more in common with its original 1990s TV and movie versions than the Michael Bay-produced films. And, you’d imagine, it would also have to be different enough to stand apart from the animated films. Basically, there are a lot of questions to be answered, but for Turtles fans, getting them back on the big screen is rarely a bad thing.
Earlier this week, the biggest news in Hollywood was mega-producer Taylor Sheridan leaving Paramount for Universal. Today, though, Sheridan has signed on to write and produce arguably one of the biggest franchises in the entire world for the same company he’s leaving. And his attachment says way more than the usual breaking movie news.
The news is that Sheridan (who created the insanely popular Yellowstone universe and all its spinoffs) has signed to write and produce a Call of Duty movie along with Peter Berg. Berg, best known for films likeFriday Night Lights, Battleship, and Lone Survivor, will direct, as well as write and produce. There’s no word on which, if any, specific Call of Duty game will be at the center of the adaptation, but Paramount says the film will be “designed to thrill its massive global fan base by delivering on the hallmarks of what fans love about the iconic series, while boldly expanding the franchise to entirely new audiences.” Call of Duty, of course, is the mega Activision video game franchise that’s sold over 500 million copies.
Berg hasn’t directed a feature film since 2020, instead spending most of his time doing streaming and TV. Sheridan has also been away from the big screen for a few years (he wrote and directed Those Who Wish Me Dead in 2021) but has been more than busy writing, producing, and creating not just the Yellowstone shows, but also Tulsa King, Landman, Mayor of Kingstown, and more. He’s basically the king of Paramount+, which is why it was such a big deal that he signed a deal worth a reported billion dollars to leave Paramount and move to Universal when his Paramount contract runs out.
But that’s not until 2028. Now, he’s joining Call of Duty. The timing almost feels like a shout to Paramount shareholders that “Hey, we’re still gonna profit from this guy for a while!” But beyond that, it’s a fascinating pairing because both Sheridan, with his aforementioned TV work, and Berg, especially with some of his more recent film work (Patriots Day, Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon), seem to carry with them a real rah-rah sense of traditional Americana. Very blue-collar, very working man, very everyman. That certainly makes it seem that’s what Paramount is looking for with Call of Duty. More of a down-the-middle military action film rather than anything too out there or weird. A blend of Black Ops and Modern Warfare, perhaps, while ignoring the franchise’s weirder entries. And, for a major corporation in today’s America, that’s probably the safest bet.
If that’s the Call of Duty Paramount wants, it’s certainly recruited the right guys. Will they actually be able to bring it all together and get a movie in theaters? Who knows? But rarely have two filmmakers joining a project given us such a clear vision of what that final film might be and how important it is to the studio.
This weekend, Regretting You, the second Colleen Hoover book-to-movie adaptation following last year’s tumultuous release of It Ends With Us, heads to theaters. Written by Susan McMartin and directed by The Fault in Our Stars’ Josh Boone, the film centers on two star-crossed couples—Morgan (Allison Williams) and Jonah (Dave Franco), as well as Morgan’s teen daughter Clara (Mckenna Grace) and her classmate Miller (Mason Thames), who works at his local AMC Theater. His job isn’t integral to the movie’s soapy romance plot—yet the theater chain’s logo is splashed across multiple scenes.
There are plenty of other sponcon moments in Regretting You: lingering shots of Starry soda, a storyline lifted from the book involving Jolly Ranchers, and repeated scenes where Williams’s character watches Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. (RHOSLC star Heather Gay recently hosted a screening for the movie in her Utah hometown.) But AMC’s integration into the movie feels far more brazen. Some of the most pivotal points in Clara and Miller’s relationship take place within the theater’s walls—most memorably, a scene where Clara halts their makeout session (again, at Miller’s place of work), to declare that she’s a virgin as Clueless plays onscreen. (The obvious virgin-who-can’t-drive joke goes unsaid in the movie.)
AMC has also announced a Regretting Yousweepstakes, hosted specially themed screenings, and promoted the movie on social media. Reddit users picked up on the AMC promotion from the trailer alone—and so have multiple film critics since watching the movie. “A truly deranged amount of AMC product placement,” wrote Indie Wire, with The Hollywood Reporter calling the integration “agonizingly unsubtle” in nature. That review also notes the multiple “Paramount plugs,” particularly in relation to Miller’s love of movies. His teenage bedroom is practically a shrine to Paramount Pictures releases of yesteryear—some more realistic for an adolescent boy to idolize (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Patriot Games) than others (who showed this kid Terms of Endearment?).
Vanity Fair has reached out to representatives for both Paramount Pictures and AMC Theatres, but has yet to hear back about the terms of a potential partnership. But it’s not hard to draw the connection, given that AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aronsaid that he expects Paramount to increase its theatrical release slate under the leadership of chairman and CEO David Ellison following the company’s sale to Ellison’s Skydance Media in August. Ellison told CNBC at the time that “we’re going to invest into our studios business” with Paramount releasing 6 to 8 movies next year, and increasing to 15 in 2027.
Paramount Skydance will begin mass layoffs the week of October 27, eliminating around 2,000 U.S. jobs as part of a $2 billion cost-cutting plan under new CEO David Ellison, Variety reported on Saturday.
The layoffs follow the $8.4 billion merger between Skydance Media and Paramount Global, which closed in August.
Additional international job cuts are expected, with the company aiming to disclose full details in its third quarter earnings report on November 10, the report added.
Variety had reported on August 22 that Paramount was looking to cut between 2,000 and 3,000 jobs by early November.
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As of December 2024, Paramount had nearly 18,600 full- and part-time employees, and 3,500 project-based staff.
Paramount Skydance did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Reporting by Rajveer Singh Pardesi in Bengaluru; Editing by Jan Harvey and Marguerita Choy
Never did I think that the lone Toys R Us by the Pineville Mall would get its time to shine but thanks to Roofman, my beloved Charlotte was displayed in all its glory. The Derek Cianfrance film tells the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, a thief known as the “Roofman.”
Jeffrey (Channing Tatum) is a former Army Reserve soldier who was suspected of stealing from McDonald’s in the surrounding Charlotte, North Carolina area. In Cianfrance’s film, we get to see the kind of family man Manchester is. He starts to steal because he wants to make a better life for his daughter and sons but makes bad decisions to get there.
He’s a deeply flawed man who doesn’t really understand that his family not wanting to talk to him is warranted but it makes Tatum’s take on the man so much more interesting. He is, at his core, a man who just wanted a better life for his wife and kids. Yes, he went about it in the wrong way, but it is the kind of movie that really tugs at your heart strings when it comes to compassion and understanding.
The use of humor in Cianfrance’s script, which he co-wrote with Kirt Gunn, lulls the audience into a “cutesy” little feeling as Jeffrey hides away in a Toys R Us to keep himself safe from the police. But there, he meets Leigh (Kirsten Dunst) and all his caution goes out the wind.
A story of compassion, love, and bad decisions
(Paramount Pictures)
Maybe my love of this movie comes from a mix of going to school in the Carolinas and living in Charlotte or maybe I have a deeper understanding of men trying but I do love it. My own father always thought of these half-baked ideas to make things easier for our family and he was never right, much like Jeff. Which is why I think I found myself moved by Jeff’s attempts to still be a great guy.
And even with the true story element to this movie, we still have moments that shock us. Like the reveal at the end of what Jeff continued to do behind bars and Cianfrance and Gunn’s work make the 2 hour run time fly by as we’re learning who Jeffrey Manchester really is.
What makes Roofman special is that it doesn’t pretend like Manchester’s crimes are nothing to worry about. Those trying to track him down are not villains, he’s not some hero. But we do see why he was forced into that possession. It’s an interesting balance between understanding why someone does the things they do and knowing that you might not do the same but you can understand their motivations.
Tatum’s work as Jeffrey is a perfect character study and one made that much better with the scenes between Leigh and Jeff. These two people just want a fresh start and while a lot of it is based around Jeff’s lies, it is still a beautiful story about resilience and how long someone can sustain living behind the bike rack.
Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She’s been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff’s biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she’s your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell’s dog, Brisket.
Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.
Sony Pictures released the animated The Angry Birds Movie in 2016. That was followed by a sequel, The Angry Birds Movie 2, in 2019. A third movie is in the works and was previously dated for January 29, 2027.
When is the new release date for The Angry Birds Movie 3?
The Angry Birds Movie 3 now arrives almost a month earlier than expected, as Paramount Pictures has bumped up its release date to December 23, 2026. This means that it will now be released in the same month as Avengers: Doomsday, Dune 3, the next Jumanji movie, Violent Night 2, and Robert Eggers’ Werwulf.
The move does, however, allow for some more space between Angry Birds and Ice Age 6, also known as Ice Age: Boiling Point, as that movie currently has a February 5, 2027, release date from 20th Century Studios.
Additionally, MrBeast and Salish Matter have joined the vocal cast of The Angry Birds Movie 3, while it’s also been announced that Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox will reprise their respective roles as Hal and Bubbles.
The cast further includes Jason Sudeikis as Red, Josh Gad as Chuck, Rachel Bloom as Silver, Danny McBride as Bomb, Emma Myers, Keke Palmer, Tim Robinson, Lily James, Marcello Hernandez, Walker Scobell, Sam Richardson, Anna Cathcart, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Nikki Glaser, James Austin Johnson, and Psalm West.
The screenplay comes from Thurop Van Orman, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Toru Nakahara, John Cohen, Dan Chuba, and Carla Connor serve as producers. John Rice is the director.
The first Angry Birds Movie made approximately $352.3 million at the global box office, while The Angry Birds Movie 2 brought in around $152.8 million. The first film is currently available to stream on Peacock, while the sequel is streaming on Tubi.
Paramount Pictures has released the behind-the-scenes featurette for Transformers One, the highly-anticipated animated prequel to the long-running action sci-fi franchise. It features the main cast, including Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry, as they discuss what to expect from their respective characters.
The Transformers One movie is slated to make its debut in theaters on September 20, 2024. Described as the first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers movie, the film will feature the voices of Hemsworth as Orion/Optimus Prime, Brian Tyree Henry as D-16/Megatron, Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee, Scarlett Johansson as Elita, Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime, Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion, and Steve Buscemi as Starscream.
“The film is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever,” reads the synopsis.
The prequel is directed by Josh Cooley from a screenplay written by Andrew Barer, Steve Desmond, Gabriel Ferrari, and Michael Sherman. It is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Zev Foreman, Olivier Dumont, Bradley J. Fischer, B.J. Farmer, and Matt Quigg. Producers are Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Don Murphy, Michael Bay, Mark Vahradian, and Aaron Dem.
While Campbell appeared in 2022’s Scream along with franchise mainstays Courtney Cox and David Arquette, she wasn’t in 2023’s Scream VI due to a pay dispute between her and Paramount Pictures.
Speaking to People, Campbell said she missed not being in the franchise, and is happy to be back.
“Those movies have been such a big part of my life and it means so much to me, and I was sad to miss the last one, to not be a part of it,” Campbell said. “I was really grateful that they came back to me in a respectful way. I think that means a lot to women and to society. I’m grateful to be able to step in into Sidney’s shoes again and tell her story.”
While Campbell’s return is being praised by fans, the development of Scream 7 has been filled with some controversy, to say the least.
The road to Scream 7 has been controversial
Earlier this year, Spyglass Media Group fired Melissa Barrera from the franchise for speaking out against the Israel and Palestine conflict. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Barrera recalled what a tough time it was in the moment.
“It’s definitely hard, because I was just in such a cloudy state of mind, but I was very fortunate,” said Barrera. “I had a lot of support from the people around me: my team and specifically my publicists — they just carried me.”
Shortly after Barrera was fired, Jenna Ortega also dropped out of Scream 7 before Christopher Landon announced he’d no longer be directing the film in December 2023.
“It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare,” Landon said on X at the time. “And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on. I have nothing more to add to the conversation other than I hope Wes’ legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world. What he and Kevin created is something amazing, and I was honored to have even the briefest moment basking in their glow.”
Here we are again, gang: Glasgow Worldcon has unveiled its list of nominees for this year’s Hugo Awards. Once again, Worldcon is changing locations: this time, it’ll be Glasgow, Scotland that’ll host the annual ceremony celebrating the year’s best genre media like sci-fi and fantasy books, TV, games, and criticism.
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Nominee highlights include Ann Leckie’s Translation State and The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi S. A. Chakraborty for Best Novel, while Wang Jinkang’s Seeds of Mercury and T. Kingfisher’s Thornhedge feature in Best Novella. Video game nominees include 2023 big dogs like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Baldur’s Gate 3, and TV is headlined by the likes of Loki and The Last of Us’ respective standout episodes “Glorious Purpose” and “Long, Long Time.”
The 82nd Hugo Awards will take place on Sunday, August 11, and the full list of nominees can be read down below.
Lodestar Award for Best YA Book
Abeni’s Song by P. Djèlí Clark (Starscape)
Liberty’s Daughter by Naomi Kritzer (Fairwood Press)
Promises Stronger than Darkness by Charlie Jane Anders (Tor Teen)
The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix (Katherine Tegen Books, Gollancz and Allen & Unwin)
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose (Del Rey)
Unraveller by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan Children’s Books; eligible due to 2023 U.S. publication by Amulet)
Astounding Award for Best New Writer
Moniquill Blackgoose (1st year of eligibility)
Sunyi Dean (2nd year of eligibility)
Ai Jiang (2nd year of eligibility)
Hannah Kaner (1st year of eligibility)
Em X. Liu (1st year of eligibility)
Xiran Jay Zhao (eligibility extended at request of Dell Magazines)
Best Fan Artist
Iain J. Clark
Sara Felix
Dante Luiz
Laya Rose
Alison Scott
España Sheriff
Best Fan Writer
Bitter Karella
James Davis Nicoll
Jason Sanford
Alasdair Stuart
Paul Weimer
Örjan Westin
Best Semiprozine
Escape Pod, editors Mur Lafferty and Valerie Valdes; assistant editors Benjamin C. Kinney, Premee Mohamed and Kevin Wabaunsee; hosts Tina Connolly and Alasdair Stuart; producers Summer Brooks and Adam Pracht; and the entire Escape Pod team
FIYAH Literary Magazine, publisher and executive editor DaVaun Sanders, poetry editor B. Sharise Moore, special projects manager L. D. Lewis, art director Christian Ivey, acquiring editors Rebecca McGee, Kerine Wint, Joshua Morley, Emmalia Harrington, Genine Tyson, Tonya R. Moore, sponsor coordinator Nelson Rolon
GigaNotoSaurus, editor LaShawn M. Wanak, associate editors Mia Tsai and Edgard Wentz, along with the GNS Slushreaders Team
khōréō, produced by Aleksandra Hill, Zhui Ning Chang, Kanika Agrawal, Isabella Kestermann, Rowan Morrison, Sachiko Ragosta, Lian Xia Rose, Jenelle DeCosta, Melissa Ren, Elaine Ho, Lilivette Domínguez, Jei D. Marcade, Jeané Ridges, Isaree Thatchaichawalit, Danai Christopoulou, M. L. Krishnan, Ysabella Maglanque, Aaron Voigt, Adil Mian, Alexandra Millatmal, E. Broderick, K. S. Walker, Katarzyna Nowacka, Katie McIvor, Kelsea Yu, Marie Croke, Osahon Ize-Iyamu, Phoebe Low, S. R. Westvik, Sara S. Messenger
Strange Horizons, by the Strange Horizons Editorial Collective
Uncanny Magazine, publishers and editors-in-chief: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas; managing editor Monte Lin; nonfiction editor Meg Elison; podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky.
Best Fanzine
Black Nerd Problems, editors Omar Holmon and William Evans
The Full Lid, written by Alasdair Stuart and edited by Marguerite Kenner
Idea, editor Geri Sullivan
Journey Planet, edited by Michael Carroll, Vincent Docherty, Sara Felix, Ann Gry, Sarah Gulde, Allison Hartman Adams, Arthur Liu, Jean Martin, Helena Nash, Pádraig Ó Méalóid, Yen Ooi, Chuck Serface, Alan Stewart, Regina Kanyu Wang, James Bacon and Christopher J. Garcia
Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together, editors Roseanna Pendlebury, Arturo Serrano, Paul Weimer; senior editors Joe Sherry, Adri Joy, G. Brown, Vance Kotrla.
Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog, editors Olav Rokne and Amanda Wakaruk
Best Fancast
The Coode Street Podcast, presented by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe
Hugos There, presented by Seth Heasley
Octothorpe, by John Coxon, Alison Scott, and Liz Batty
Publishing Rodeo, presented by Sunyi Dean and Scott Drakeford
科幻Fans布玛 (Science Fiction Fans Buma), production team 布玛（Buma)，刘路（Liu Lu)，刘倡（Liu Chang)
Worldbuilding for Masochists, presented by Marshall Ryan Maresca, Rowenna Miller, Cass Morris and Natania Barron
Best Editor (Short Form)
Scott H. Andrews
Neil Clarke
刘维佳 (Liu Weijia)
Jonathan Strahan
Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas
杨枫 (Yang Feng)
Best Editor (Long Form)
Ruoxi Chen
Lindsey Hall
Lee Harris
Kelly Lonesome
David Thomas Moore
姚海军 (Yao Haijun)
Best Professional Artist
Micaela Alcaino
Rovina Cai
Galen Dara
Dan Dos Santos
Tristan Elwell
Alyssa Winans
Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form)
Doctor Who: “The Giggle”, written by Russell T. Davies, directed by Chanya Button (Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for The BBC and Disney Branded Television)
Loki: “Glorious Purpose”, screenplay by Eric Martin, Michael Waldron and Katharyn Blair, directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Marvel / Disney+)
The Last of Us: “Long, Long Time”, written by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, directed by Peter Hoar (Naughty Dog / Sony Pictures)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: “Those Old Scientists”, written by Kathryn Lyn and Bill Wolkoff, directed by Jonathan Frakes (CBS / Paramount+)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: “Subspace Rhapsody”, written by Dana Horgan and Bill Wolkoff, directed by Dermott Downs (CBS / Paramount+)
Doctor Who: “Wild Blue Yonder”, written by Russell T. Davies, directed by Tom Kingsley (Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for The BBC and Disney Branded Television)
Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form)
Barbie, screenplay by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, directed by Greta Gerwig (Warner Bros. Studios)
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, screenplay by John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein and Michael Gilio, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (Paramount Pictures)
Nimona, screenplay by Robert L. Baird and Lloyd Taylor, directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane (Annapurna Animations)
Poor Things, screenplay by Tony McNamara, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (Element Pictures)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, screenplay by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Dave Callaham, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson (Columbia Pictures / Marvel Entertainment / Avi Arad Productions / Lord Miller / Pascal Pictures / Sony Pictures Animation)
流浪地球2 / The Wandering Earth II, based on the novel by 刘慈欣 Liu Cixin, screenplay by 杨治学 Yang Zhixue, 郭帆 / Frant Gwo, 龚格尔 Gong Geer, and 叶濡畅 Ye Ruchang, script consultant 王红卫 Wang Hongwei, directed by 郭帆 / Frant Gwo (中影创意（北京）电影有限公司 / CFC Pictures Ltd, 郭帆（北京）影业有限公司 / G!Film (Beijing) Studio Co. Ltd, 北京登峰国际文化传播有限公司 / Beijing Dengfeng International Culture Communication Co, Ltd, 中国电影股份有限公司 / China Film Co. Ltd)
Best Related Work
All These Worlds: Reviews & Essays by Niall Harrison (Briardene Books)
中国科幻口述史, 第二卷, 第三卷，(Chinese Science Fiction: An Oral History, vols 2 and 3) ed. 杨枫 / Yang Feng (8-Light Minutes Culture & Chengdu Time Press)
A City on Mars by Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weinersmith (Penguin Press; Particular Books)
The Culture: The Drawings, by Iain M. Banks (Orbit)雨果X访谈 (Discover X), presented by 王雅婷 (Tina Wong)
A Traveller in Time: The Critical Practice of Maureen Kincaid Speller, by Maureen Kincaid Speller, edited by Nina Allan (Luna Press Publishing)
Best Graphic Story/Comic
Bea Wolf, written by Zach Weinersmith, art by Boulet (First Second)
Saga, Vol. 11 written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
Shubeik Lubeik, Deena Mohamed (Pantheon); as Your Wish Is My Command (Granta)
三体漫画：第一部 / The Three Body Problem, Part One, adapted from the novels by 刘慈欣 (Liu Cixin), written by 蔡劲 (Cai Jin),戈闻頔 (Ge Wendi), and 薄暮 (Bo Mu), art by 草祭九日东 (Caojijiuridong) (Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House)
The Witches of World War II written by Paul Cornell, art by Valeria Burzo (TKO Studios LLC)
Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons written by Kelly Sue DeConnick, art by Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha and Nicola Scott (DC Comics)
Best Game or Interactive Work
Alan Wake 2, developed by Remedy Entertainment, published by Epic Games
Baldur’s Gate 3, produced by Larian StudiosChants of Sennaar, developed by Rundisc, published by Focus Entertainment
DREDGE, developed by Black Salt Games, published by Team17
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, produced by Nintendo
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, developed by Respawn Entertainment, published by Electronic Arts
Best Series
The Final Architecture by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tor)
Imperial Radch by Ann Leckie (Orbit)
The Last Binding by Freya Marske (Tor)
The Laundry Files by Charles Stross (Tor)
October Daye by Seanan McGuire (DAW)
The Universe of Xuya by Aliette de Bodard (Gollancz; JABberwocky Literary Agency; Subterranean Press; Uncanny Magazine; et al.)
Best Short Story
“Answerless Journey”, Han Song / 没有答案的航程, 韩松, translated by Alex Woodend (Adventures in Space: New Short stories by Chinese & English Science Fiction Writers)
“Better Living Through Algorithms” by Naomi Kritzer (Clarkesworld May 2023)
“How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub” by P. Djèlí Clark (Uncanny Magazine, January-February 2023)
“The Mausoleum’s Children” by Aliette de Bodard (Uncanny Magazine, May-June 2023)
“The Sound of Children Screaming” by Rachael K. Jones (Nightmare Magazine, October 2023)
美食三品 (“Tasting the Future Delicacy Three Times”), 宝树 / Baoshu (银河边缘013：黑域密室 / Galaxy’s Edge Vol. 13: Secret Room in the Black Domain)
Best Novelette
I AM AI by Ai Jiang (Shortwave)
“Introduction to 2181 Overture, Second Edition”, Gu Shi /〈2181序曲〉再版导言, 顾适 translated by Emily Jen (Clarkesworld, February 2023)
“Ivy, Angelica, Bay” by C.L. Polk (Tor.com 8 December 2023)
“On the Fox Roads” by Nghi Vo (Tor.com 31 October 2023)
“One Man’s Treasure” by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny Magazine, January-February 2023)
“The Year Without Sunshine” by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine, November-December 2023)
Best Novella
“Life Does Not Allow Us to Meet”, He Xi / 人生不相见, 何夕, translated by Alex Woodend (Adventures in Space: New Short stories by Chinese & English Science Fiction Writers)
Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo (Tor)
The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older (Tor)
Rose/House by Arkady Martine (Subterranean)
“Seeds of Mercury”, Wang Jinkang / 水星播种, 王晋康, translated by Alex Woodend (Adventures in Space: New Short stories by Chinese & English Science Fiction Writers)
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher (Tor)
Best Novel
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty (Harper Voyager)
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (Tor)
Turning a short-lived parody TV series into a feature film was always going to involve taking a chance, but as the team behind the Naked Gun franchise learned, it wasn’t quite on the level of sticking your face in a fan.
Following the breakout success of the 1980 smash hit Airplane!, that film’s writer-director team — David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker — found themselves grounded when ABC promptly canceled their police-spoofing show Police Squad! in 1982. But the series’ co-creators refused to let the concept die and went on to adapt it for The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, which Paramount Pictures released theatrically on Dec. 2, 1988. The movie, featuring Leslie Nielsen reprising his Police Squad! lead role as accident-prone police lieutenant Frank Drebin, also starred Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalbán, George Kennedy and O. J. Simpson.
To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the original Naked Gun film that collected $78 million ($204 million today) on its way to becoming an endlessly quotable comedy classic that spawned two sequels, The Hollywood Reporter chatted with director David Zucker and co-writer Pat Proft, who both worked on the script with Abrahams and Jerry Zucker. Interviewed separately, the pair explain why they immediately regretted making the project as a TV series, how Presley landed as the romantic lead instead of initial choice Bo Derek, the drama surrounding the filming of the pivotal baseball game, and why they aren’t involved in the planned Naked Gun reboot that Paramount is developing with producer Seth MacFarlane, filmmaker Akiva Schaffer and star Liam Neeson.
O.J. Simpson, Leslie Nielsen and George Kennedy in Naked Gun
Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
What inspired the series Police Squad!, and how did the movie materialize several years after the show’s cancellation?
David Zucker: We loved this 1950s black-and-white television series called M Squad, which stars Lee Marvin, and it’s the exact same thing as Police Squad! Our first idea was actually to do a movie based on M Squad, but we couldn’t figure out a plot. Instead, Paramount’s Michael Eisner — who was the only one who had seen any potential in Airplane! — said, “I can get you six episodes on the air if you do it as a half-hour TV show.” That’s what we decided to do, but we immediately thought better of it and said, “What are we doing? We don’t want to do a TV show.” So we came back to Eisner the next day and said, “We don’t want to do this,” and Eisner said, “No, I’ve already pitched it to ABC — they’re going to do it.” And we believed him.
Pat Proft: I was a story editor on Police Squad!, and I wrote an episode of it. The show [only lasted] six episodes, and I get a call about three weeks after that saying, “We’re going to do a movie version of this, and we want you to join us.” So that’s how we began writing films together.
Zucker: ABC couldn’t cancel it fast enough. It was canceled after four episodes. So then we did Top Secret! in 1984, and then Ruthless People in ’86. We really wanted to go back to doing what we most enjoyed, which was the Airplane!-style spoof. I thought we should do a movie of Police Squad! We just needed to reformulate it so that there was a love interest, and then by that time, we realized that you needed a character arc. We went in and pitched the idea for a movie to Frank Mancuso at Paramount. Easiest pitch we ever had.
What was the writing process like for the film?
Zucker: Jerry, Jim, Pat Proft and I wrote the first draft of the first script, and I wrote the 20 subsequent drafts on the set. Pat and I would rewrite every day on the set.
Proft: We just made each other laugh all day long. When “nice beaver” came up, we laughed for a day and a half. That was one of the stupidest things we ever came up with.
Leslie Nielsen in Naked Gun
Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
What made O.J. Simpson right for Nordberg?
Zucker: We always cast people in our movies precisely because they had not been in a comedy. When we cast Leslie Nielsen in Airplane!, he was the fourth choice; other actors turned the part down, and he was unknown. But we wanted somebody who had never been in a comedy. As a person, he was a very nice guy, a great actor, a prankster, kind of a closet anarchist.
What do you remember about working with Priscilla?
Zucker: First of all, a wonderful person, girl next door, the sweetest person. She was with Elvis, but she was like any girl that I knew in my high school. But what I remember most is the first table read. She was very nervous and said, “I don’t know how to be funny.” And I said, “You don’t have to worry about that at all. Just let the lines do the work. I want exactly the character that you played on Dallas.” Once she knew that, she was very comfortable doing it and needed next to no direction. This kind of spoof that we do is, it’s not comic timing. It’s dramatic timing. What Leslie did best was, he acted as though he didn’t know he was in a comedy.
Proft: Priscilla was perfect. It was just fun to write for her. Leslie loved working with her, and it shows.
Were others considered for Jane?
Zucker: Our first choice was Bo Derek. We offered it to her because she was a bigger name at the time, [but she turned it down]. I don’t know how Derek would have been, but Priscilla was fabulous, and she never had any qualms about doing it.
Ricardo Montalban and Priscilla Presley in Naked Gun
Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
There are moments in Naked Gun that were taken directly from Police Squad!, like Frank’s line about taking a chance when you stick your face in the fan.
Zucker: It’s one of my favorite lines. When anybody in my real life says, “Well, that sounds pretty risky,” I immediately say that line, and it only gets a laugh half the time. Usually people just don’t even know what I’m talking about. We used a lot of [Police Squad! bits]. Al, the guy who is so tall that his head is out of frame, that whole routine that was taken right from Police Squad! I just figured, in the movie, people are seeing stuff for the first time, and I loved a lot of those lines from Police Squad!
I believe you had the third act figured out before the rest of the film?
Zucker: Yeah. In all the Naked Guns, we started off first with, what was the love story? And then the next most important thing was, what was the third act? The third act had to be a very public setting. So we had the baseball game, and we worked back from that and figured out the whole Queen plot — that the Queen would be visiting a baseball game, and that the assassination was to occur during that.
In terms of portraying the Queen, did you run that by the royal family?
Zucker: No, because they would have said no. We heard later that the royal family actually enjoyed it. And we had heard before that one of Prince Philip’s favorite movies was Airplane. I think the royal family always knew that we were not being mean-spirited.
With using the baseball stadium, were there particular challenges to make that happen?
Zucker: The Dodgers were very skittish about being associated with this. They said later that they didn’t like the rhubarb at the end, that all the players were fighting — as though that never occurs. They let us use Dodger Stadium, but we couldn’t say it was Dodger Stadium. We also wanted Vin Scully to be one of the announcers, and they wouldn’t let us use Vin Scully. The Angels were fine with it. And Major League Baseball said we had to use the Mariners because the Mariners were a really weak franchise at the time, and they wanted to promote them.
Proft: I was making up the words for the National Anthem, and we were just laughing about that. Enrico Pallazzo, which people bring up when they talk about The Naked Gun, it was a stupid name that I had, and it’s now become a thing.
Did the studio have notes?
Zucker: Very few. The studio was pretty much hands-off. What the studio was most concerned about was whether I made the days because we would fall behind the schedule a lot, and they would have a guy on set who was a studio goon. Finally, I just threw a rehearsed tantrum on set, and the guy never complained again.
Was “Weird Al” the top choice for that cameo?
Zucker: He was the only choice. He was a big fan of Airplane! and Top Secret!, and he got to know Bob Weiss, our producer. And so Weiss says, “How about ‘Weird Al’ to do this cameo?” And then we used him in every Naked Gun after that.
When did you know you had something special?
Zucker: Every first screening of every Naked Gun movie has been a disaster. Once we had the second and third previews, we knew they were great, and we knew with all three of the movies, they worked great.
Does it seem tougher now than in the past to get a comedy made?
Zucker: Yes, it is hard to get a comedy made with the studios. You have to get past them gatekeepers. So Pat and I, along with our third partner, Mike McManus, we wrote this film noir comedy parody called The Star of Malta, and we’re going to shoot that in the spring, probably on the Warner Bros. lot. We’re going to start pre-production in January. Not that the studios ever would have done it — it’s totally independent financing. [For the studios,] it’s only superhero movies and big franchises, Tom Cruise movies — which by the way, I love Tom Cruise movies, but those are $200 million budgets. Ours is a $10 million budget, which is probably Tom Cruise’s catering budget.
I know that a new Naked Gun movie is in the works with Liam Neeson starring and Seth MacFarlane producing. Was it ever a possibility that you would be involved?
Zucker: Pat, Mike and I wrote a script for Naked Gun 4, and we heard Jon Gonda at Paramount had read the script and laughed all the way through it. But somewhere along the line, they decided not to go with Pat and Mike and me. So that’s when they got Seth MacFarlane, and he has Akiva Schaffer directing Liam Neeson. I was never able to meet with Seth.
Proft: I’m not happy — and there’s a story with it. But I’m not pleased. It may come out and may be great — and good for that — but I sure as fuck should be writing it. I should have done this one.
Zucker: About four years ago, Pat and I had one meeting over at Paramount with the then-head of production there. It was a woman who complained about some joke that Pat and I wrote about a police officer having to adjust her Kevlar vest or have a breast reduction or something. It’s just a stupid, mild joke, but that was too much for them. So I can’t even imagine how they’re limiting whoever does Naked Gun 4, if they’re that frightened. We’re not involved, and we’ve repurposed what was going to be Naked Gun 4 — as we called it, Counterintelijence, spelled with one L and a J — and we’re going to go out with that one.
Proft: We’ve been totally blocked out of it. The unfortunate part of it is that Paramount owns it, so they can do what they fucking want. So that’s it.
Did Seth or Akiva reach out?
Zucker: Akiva did reach out and came to my house. I had a very nice meeting with him. He’s a great guy, and we just talked about comedy. At some point, maybe they were going to give me the script. They wanted me to be involved, but I never got a script, so nothing ever came of it.
How do you feel when you think back on the original Naked Gun?
Zucker: I’m happy that it’s lasted this long. It’s still funny, or that’s what they tell me, so I’m very proud of it. I’m happy to hear that people still are watching.
Proft: When we started writing it, I just knew that this thing is going to be funny. It just really felt great, and I think it’s a great movie. It clicks on humor. It just clicks.
The author whose book inspired “Mean Girls” is speaking out as production on a new iteration of the era-defining coming-of-age comedy gets underway.
Speaking to the New York Post, Rosalind Wiseman said she is considering taking legal action against Tina Fey and Paramount Studios for what she says is her fair share of the money generated by the ongoing success of “Mean Girls,” which is adapted from her 2002 book “Queen Bees and Wannabes.”
Wiseman said she was paid just over $400,000 for the movie rights to her book, which Fey used as the basis for the “Mean Girls” screenplay. Though her contract reportedly included net profits, or extra cash from the movie’s success at the box office, she claims she hasn’t seen the additional compensation to which she believes she’s entitled.
“For so long I was so quiet about it, so, so quiet, but I just feel like the hypocrisy is too much,” she said. “I think it’s fair for me to be able to get compensated in some way for the work that has changed our culture and changed the zeitgeist.”
Lindsay Lohan (left) and Tina Fey in 2004’s “Mean Girls.”
CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images
She went on to note: “Over the years Tina’s spoken so eloquently about women supporting other women, but it’s gotten increasingly clear to me that, in my own personal experience, that’s not going to be the experience. You don’t just talk about supporting women, you actually do it.”
Echoing those sentiments was Wiseman’s attorney, Ryan Keech, who told the Post that his client has been treated “shabbily” by Fey and Paramount Pictures, which distributed “Mean Girls.”
“It is nothing short of shameful for a company with the resources of Paramount to go to the lengths to which it has gone to deny Ms. Wiseman what she is fairly entitled to for having created what has become one of the most iconic entertainment franchises of the last 25 years,” he said.
Representatives for Fey and Paramount did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment.
“I think it’s fair for me to be able to get compensated in some way for the work that has changed our culture and changed the zeitgeist,” author Rosalind Wiseman said.
Bruce Glikas via Getty Images
Released in 2004, “Mean Girls” was a critical and commercial hit, grossing a reported $130 million at the box office worldwide. It remains a breakout moment for stars Lacey Chabert, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried, each of whom has continued to enjoy major success in television and film.
In 2018, a musical adaptation of the movie opened on Broadway, featuring an updated script by Fey and songs by Fey’s husband, Jeff Richmond, and Nell Benjamin. Once again, it was a hit with critics and audiences, receiving 12 Tony Award nominations ― but Wiseman said she remained left out in the cold.
“What’s hard is that they used my name in the Playbill,” she said. “And Tina, in her interviews, said I was the inspiration and the source, but there was no payment.”
Fey (center) at the opening night of the “Mean Girls” musical on Broadway.
Bruce Glikas via Getty Images
Wiseman’s claims come as Paramount is firming up plans to adapt the musical as a movie. Though details of the project are scarce, the film will star Reneé Rapp and Angourie Rice, with Fey and Tim Meadows set to reprise their respective roles as Ms. Norbury and Mr. Duvall from the 2004 movie.
Reportedly absent from the new film, however, will be the actors who played the now-iconic “Plastics” quartet in the original. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight last month, Seyfried noted she was “still hoping for a miracle” with regard to making an appearance.
“It’s not really up to us, is it?” she said. “All four of us are 100% into it.”
Big arms big arms big arms. Image: Sony / Naughty Dog /Kotaku
We’re only one episode deep into HBO’s live-action adaptation of The Last of Us and fans think they’ve discovered the actor who’ll play Abby.
In a recent tweet, The Last of Us News, a community-run TLoU fan account, uploaded a screenshot of the game creator, Neil Druckmann, following actor Shannon Berry on Instagram. Of course, Druckmann’s following of The Wilds actor could just be his way of pulling a Hideo Kojima by showing interest in actors who star in shows that are similar to his own works.
But give the internet an inch and they’ll take a mile because Twitter has been buzzing about how perfect Berry’s casting would be for Abby, especially when you consider how closely her face resembles the former Firefly and surprise co-star of The Last of Us Part II. It probably also doesn’t help that Berry’s followed Druckmann back on Insta, but that’s show business baby!
“Hey, she’s 22. Bella Ramsey is 19. Their age difference is spot on for Ellie and Abby,” one Twitter user wrote.
Reserve the next gen Samsung device All you need to do is sign up with your email and boom: credit for your preorder on a new Samsung device.
“God, I hope it happens. She’s the perfect Abby,” wrote another.
“Whoever gets the role I really hope they don’t get the abuse Laura Bailey did!! Neither Laura or whoever gets the role for the series deserves it!” another observed.
“Becoming a Shannon Berry Abby Anderson truther as we speak,” wrote one Twitter user, who went the extra mile by making a Kpop-style fancam video of the actor after someone’s suggestion that Florence Pugh would be a good Abby.
Should Abby appear in TLoU (prestige TV edition), “Abby Anderson truthers” think the show should save her appearance for the final episode of the season, so as to create a neat throughline between the original game’s ending and its sequel.
Since The Last of Us premiered on the streamer, fans and critics alike have heralded the HBO show as the one that’s finally broken the terrible video game adaptation curse. While I think the show knocked it out of the park with its 80-minute pilot episode, I can’t help but notice the pop culture zeitgeist’s tendency to haphazardly regurgitate that accolade whenever a new video game adaptation that isn’t dog water comes out.
The ‘95 Mortal Kombat movie (which is good, don’t @ me), Paramount Pictures’ Sonic films, and Netflix’s Castlevania, League of Legends, and Cyberpunk 2077 shows have all rightfully received the same praise for their overall quality and respect for source material. But much like how Disney keeps having new “first LGBTQ characters,” gamers always tout the latest video game adaptation hotness as finally having “broken the curse” despite us having gone through this whole song and dance like five times over the past two years or so. I suppose recency bias is a bitch.
Regardless, we’ll have to wait and see whether the internet’s admittedly parasocial stalking of Druckmann’s Insta follows results in Berry’s casting as Abby. But right now let’s just appreciate how yoked out Abby is.
