We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. There's one particular journey the makers of “Arco,” a soulful animated movie premiering in the Special Screenings section of Cannes 2025, are hoping to follow, whether they say it or not. That animated triumph premiered to raves at Cannes in 2024 and slowly built momentum until finally winning the Best Animated Feature Oscar earlier this year. For all Cannes represents to global cinema, it had never been a particularly fecund environment for animation: The festival used to play host to splashy premieres for blockbuster hits such as “Shrek 2” and “Bee Movie,” not eventual Academy Award winners. Related Stories How ‘Love, Death and Robots' Season 4 Made the Ultimate Cute Little Guy ‘Eddington' Review: Ari Aster's Bleak and Brilliant Look at Post-COVID America Feels Like the First Truly Modern Western Not that it isn't a worthy film — though not as worthy as the wordlessly universal “Flow,” which, at times, truly feels like a movie that's never been made before — but the path that movie took feels almost unreplicatable. For one, “Arco,” with its copious French dialogue and unmistakably Gallic sensibility (even if dubs into other languages do eventually happen) simply doesn't have the borderless resonance. For another, it simply wears its influences on its cinematic sleeve a little too readily: A little bit of “Peter Pan,” “E.T.,” Studio Ghibli, even “Star Trek” — with director Ugo Bienvenu‘s stated aim of presenting a positive, hopeful vision of the future in “Arco,” and the colorful palette with which he's realized it, Roddenberry Entertainment should seriously consider coming onboard as producing partners for the U.S. release. As Bienvenu's first feature, “Arco” is undoubtedly a promising start for a budding auteur who's been toiling away at short films, music videos, graphic novels, and short animations for Hermès. But Bienvenu embraces an explosion of color that's all his own. “Arco” introduces us to a young boy of 10 or 11 living in a far future where humanity now resides among the clouds on “Jetsons”-like platforms on stilts. We meet Arco himself giving feed to chickens and pouring food in a trough for pigs. This may be an extremely advanced civilization he's part of, but it's also back to basics. And soon, we discover that people, once they turn the age of 12, don a rainbow cloak with a special light-refracting diamond, and use the colorful garment to fly through the air — and go back in time. After that, we're introduced to a raven-haired girl of about the same age named Iris. She's living on the ground in a suburban community where her primary caregiver is a robot named Mikki, and bubble-like shields pop up over everyone's homes when the climate-change-fueled thunderstorms wreak havoc or devastating wildfires break out. Iris has a caring companion in Mikki — she asks him to play cowboy and Captain Hook, and he obliges — but she still dreams of something more fulfilling. Yes, Iris is living in Arco's past even if it's our future. And some choices don't quite work, like the monochromatically-attired, turtleneck-wearing identical triplets who are tracking Arco — having before seen visitors from the future like him, who fly in the sky and leave rainbow trails behind them, the brothers are determined to prove their existence — and are in the story as just a particularly French kind of comic relief. As in any story like this, Iris is both trying to help Arco get home, and also doesn't really want him to leave. But Bienvenu comes up with a stirring ending, one so emotional it almost paves over the bumps in the narrative road that got us there. Still, much of the film is absolute retina candy. Like “Flow” director Gints Zilbalodis, Bienvenu built his studio around recent graduates of top animation schools, and there is a youthful energy pointing to new possibilities for the medium. He also has a unique idea animating his entire vision: Why do visions of the future have to be uniformly grim? Can't they be full of wonder also? That said, it's important to stay a bit clear-eyed about the way things are, too. Like Gene Roddenberry, Bienvenu is imagining a hopeful far-future, and a pretty miserable near-future that's a continuation of our miserable present (oh yeah, the “Star Trek” creator foretold that the 21st century would be rough). The path ahead may be full of peril, but hope might still wait on the other side of that rainbow. And Bienvenu certainly gives us hope that animation can continue to be a vessel for epic visions and intimate musings, and can be one of the most deeply personal forms of cinematic expression there is. Subscribe here to our newly launched newsletter, In Review by David Ehrlich, in which our Chief Film Critic and Head Reviews Editor rounds up the best new reviews and streaming picks along with some exclusive musings — all only available to subscribers. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services.

How do you make a satirical movie about modern America when the news that comes out of there every day is quite literally beyond a joke? Ari Aster is one of the rare directors willing to go there, and his new film Eddington is extraordinary not only for that but for depicting a slice of history that we have yet to see properly shown on film, even though it happened only five years ago. The setting — late May 2020 — is crucial: Covid-19 has just become a thing, and the residents of Eddington in Sevilla County are getting used to life with masks and social distancing. Most comply, but others are skeptical, including Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix), who, in the film's opening scenes, is pulled up by cops from the neighboring district of Santa Lupe Pueblo. His views collide with those of the town's mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), a local bar owner who briefly dated Joe's wife Louise, now recovering from a nervous breakdown. Her rehabilitation is going slowly, not helped by the fact that her mother, Dawn (Deidre O'Connell), is staying with them and shows no signs of leaving. RELATED: Everything We Know About Ari Aster's ‘Eddington' So Far In ordinary times, the likes of Dawn would be dismissed as crackpots, but in pandemic limbo, with everyone bored and at a loose end, her weird suppositions start to get traction, sending everyone down internet rabbit holes. Joe's anger isn't immediately apparent, but it does prompt him to stand for mayor against Garcia, a move he announces over social media. This piques Garcia's concern, and the pair meet for a High Noon-style showdown scored with a suitably Western sting courtesy of composer Daniel Pemberton. Affronted by what he sees as Garcia's condescension, Joe doubles down on his bid for mayor and turns his squad car into a campaign vehicle, complete with anti-lockdown signs with slogans that say, for one example, “Your (sic) being manipulated.” The local college kids form their own branch of Black Lives Matter and stage a protest, which Joe does his best to tamp down in his so-far perfectly serviceable way (he is, after all the kind of man who says “super-duper, thank you very much”). But the rebellion is real, and it starts to dawn on Joe that the regular tools of small-town politicking are woefully inadequate in this strange new world, where news spreads more like a malignant virus than wildfire. RELATED: Cannes Film Festival 2025: Read All Of Deadline's Movie Reviews Although less confrontational than Aster's last film Beau Is Afraid, Eddington is certainly going to divide audiences with its ambitious mix of genres — without spoiling the first of several shocking twists, he pivots midway from gentle Western pastiche to bloody neo-noir, with a middle section that resembles the stylish early '90s westerns of American director John Dahl. But more explosive is its approach to American politics; from Bitcoin to Pizzagate, TikTok to vaccine denial, Eddington takes aim at all the quirks and absurdities of President Trump's administration and how its compliant MAGA zealots have radicalized whole generations of a country once known for its compassion. But though all its parts don't quite knit together, Eddington is what you might call a big swing, a film that's more serious than it first seems, seeing Covid as the Big Bang that landed us right where we are now. Without ceremony or mercy, Eddington rips the Band-Aid off, and not everyone is going to want to look at, or think about, what's there underneath it. Title: EddingtonFestival: Cannes (Competition)Director-screenwriter: Ari AsterCast: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Luke Grimes, Deidre O'ConnellDistributor: A24Running time: 2 hr 25 min Get our Breaking News Alerts and Keep your inbox happy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services.

Fiennes inherits the role from Donald Sutherland, who passed away in June 2024, aged 88. “We wanted to honor Donald Sutherland by having one of this generation's greatest actors play President Snow 24 years before Katniss Everdeen entered the arena,” said producer Nina Jacobson of Color Force. “Working with Ralph has been on my bucket list since he traumatized me for life in Schindler's List. The story centers on 16-year-old Haymitch (Joseph Zada), a clever and resourceful boy from District 12, who's unexpectedly chosen for this edition of the games, which will feature a deadly twist: twice the number of tributes, with 48 children sent into the arena to battle for their lives. Franchise vet Francis Lawrence is directing from a script by Billy Ray. Meredith Wieck and Scott O'Brien are overseeing the project for the studio and Robert Melnik negotiated deals for Lionsgate. Slated for release on November 20, 2026, the new film comes on the heels of five installments that have grossed more than $3.3 billion worldwide. Upcoming, Fiennes will be seen in Danny Boyle's highly anticipated zombie flick 28 Years Later and Nicholas Hytner's film The Choral. He is repped by CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern in the U.S. and 42MP in the UK. Get our Breaking News Alerts and Keep your inbox happy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks Send us a tip using our annonymous form. Sign up for our breaking news alerts We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services.

We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. Alexander Skarsgård — the six-foot-four Swedish actor you may know from playing one of two Northmen — is a giant, beautiful weirdo. Those less familiar with his work as a bloodthirsty creature of the night (or his character in “True Blood”) may only see a classic Hollywood hunk — the kind of guy who could conceivably marry Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst; who looks like he was built by Hasbro to sell Tarzan action figures but can still slap on a tuxedo and win the red carpet; who can convincingly step onscreen as a soldier or a doctor or an international man of mystery. They know the star's mysterious allure sparks from within. They know his characters range from terrifying monsters to hilarious parodies of those monsters to something indefinable in between. They know even when he plays himself, he'll somehow end up jerking off to his own erotic humiliation and eating a gourmet dinner made from human hands. They know that in real life, the heads turning to see him in a tuxedo are also wondering why he's not wearing any pants. Related Stories Matthew Weiner and ‘Hacks' Creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky to Mentor AFI 2025 Writers' Room Ready Program The First-Dayers of ‘The Pitt' Highlight the Need for More Portrayals of Competent Young Professionals No matter your previous impression of Skarsgård, an oddball so wonderfully at ease with his place in the world he's allowed everyone to mispronounce his name for years, you'll be delighted to see how he boots up Murderbot. As the titular cyborg in Apple's adaptation of Martha Wells' award-winning science-fiction books, “The Murderbot Diaries,” Skarsgård's supermodel packaging and eccentric inner life enrich a violent security robot's Pinocchio-like journey from a wooden, regimented machine to a thinking, feeling, real boy. The first season is largely fun and silly — a buoyant black comedy with all but one episode clocking in under 30 minutes — but among all the weirdness, co-showrunners Chris and Paul Weitz (“About a Boy,” “Mozart in the Jungle”) also sneak in a savvy story about how community brings out the best in mankind. Standing stoically amid the screaming, spitting, scrapping miners is a security robot. Skarsgård's omnipresent narration may be an early red flag for anyone unfamiliar with Wells' novels, but Murderbot's ongoing inner monologue is baked into the show just as it's baked into the books — how he sees the world and its inhabitants becomes a source of humor, suspense, and empathy, not to mention a speedy way to mow through exposition. It's how we come to learn the pessimism Murderbot has for most of humanity (he calls most of the miners “assholes,” even when they're not torturing him for shits and gigles), and it's how we discover what makes this corporation-owned security unit unique: He's free. Most robots like Murderbot are kept in check by the “governor module,” a handy piece of code that makes sure the machine obeys every human command. But Murderbot got so bored during his latest assignment that he started hacking his own code, and just now, as he endures random abuse from the hard-partying dudes all around him, Murderbot is finally able to disable his governor module. Shackled no more, Murderbot — a name he gives himself because his first thought for what to do with his newfound freedom is to “kill all these idiots and take a starship to a distant galaxy” — instead decides to lay low. So he signs up for his next mission and flies off with a new crew to protect, hoping a safe path to his own personal paradise soon emerges. Murderbot's “clients” aren't like the usual “greedy psychopaths” he safeguards. They're… “weird.” Mensah (Noma Dumezweni) leads a team of scientists who set up camp on a new planet to conduct research. Arada (Tattiawna Jones), Pin-Lee (Sabrina Wu), and Ratthi (Akshay Khanna) are in a throuple. They all make their own clothes, snap in approval, and dance to “truly upsetting music.” Gurathin (David Dastmalchian) doesn't quite fit in with the rest of them, but his black fingernails and handmade accessories show he's trying to blend in with his adopted family, even if he's skeptical about their decor and can't quite dance to their beat — although the lack of rhythm may be because he's an “augmented human,” meaning he's got similar cybernetics to Murderbot, just not as powerful. Meanwhile, to keep up the action, the team encounters local aliens (which look like the worms from “Tremors,” crossed with a two-headed centipede) and scraps with neighboring humans. Every so often, Murderbot has to bust out his arm-guns (actual arms in his guns, not Skarsgård's oft-showcased biceps), and the results evoke conflicting feelings within the team members. Debating what makes us human is well-trodden territory in science-fiction stories (and a topic co-creator Chris Weitz has recently tackled in scripts for “The Creator,” Robert Zemeckis' “Pinocchio” remake, and even, one could argue, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”). As soon as he's freed from his oppressive corporate job, Murderbot downloads thousands of hours of “premium entertainment” to keep himself from getting bored. His favorite show is a “Star Trek” parody titled “The Rise & Fall of Sanctuary Moon,” which he obsessively watches (when he should be watching over the crew) and vigorously defends. (The way Murderbot snaps at anyone who dares to mock his favorite show is very funny.) Murderbot fawning over a science-fiction TV show within “Murderbot,” a science-fiction TV show, allows for plenty of self-referential jokes and gags (a personal favorite: when Murderbot delivers his version of director's commentary). Sometimes, Murderbot will take what he learns from “Sanctuary Moon” to connect with the humans he struggles to understand. Still more often, Murderbot's binge-a-thons interfere with important duties — rather than offer relief from the daily grind, they become a distraction from what really matters. “I don't watch serials to remind me of the way things actually are,” Murderbot says to himself. “I watch them to distract me when things in the real world are stressful as shit.” That “Murderbot” is able to do both — crafting a heartfelt plea for building communities while still serving as a giddy break from life's hardships — makes the show that much more enjoyable. Add such sneaky-smart attributes to Skarsgård's shrewdly measured yet snappily spirited performance, and “Murderbot” lives up nicely to its title's intrinsic promise: It's goofy, sure, but it's also kinda great. “Murderbot” premieres Friday, May 16 on Apple TV+ with two episodes. New episodes will be released weekly through the finale on July 11. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services.

The tight end flew solo at Patrick Mahomes' charity gala in Las Vegas. Travis Kelce flew solo at Patrick Mahomes' charity auction Thursday night (May 15), but Taylor Swift‘s presence was still felt — especially during one hilarious moment when the Kansas City Chiefs tight end withdrew his bid on a guitar signed by his superstar girlfriend. In a clip filmed by one attendee of the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation's Golf Classic gala in Las Vegas, Kelce stands near his table with his bidding paddle in hand as an auctioneer fields offers on an acoustic guitar autographed by Swift. The quarterback's wife, Kansas City Current co-owner Brittany Mahomes, also sits at their table, covering her face as she chuckles. Founded by Patrick Mahomes in 2019, 15 and The Mahomies is “dedicated to improving the lives of children” and supporting initiatives that “focus on health, wellness, communities in need of resources and other charitable causes,” according to the charity's website. In 2024, Kelce attended the same gala with the “Fortnight” singer on his arm, at one point auctioning off four tickets to Swift's Eras Tour for $80,000. Travis' older brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, recently revealed that the singer-songwriter had made time to meet his and Kylie Kelce's new daughter, Finnley, whom they welcomed in April. “We were fortunate to have them all in,” Jason told Entertainment Tonight on Monday (May 12). A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry

Donald Trump is not too happy with Bruce Springsteen, whom the president called “highly overrated” and “dumb as a rock” in a heated post on Truth Social after the musician slammed his administration during a concert in Manchester, England. On Friday morning (May 16) — two days after Springsteen voiced his disdain for the United States government's “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous” leadership at the kickoff show of his 2025 European tour — Trump began by writing, “I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States.” “Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he's not a talented guy — Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK, who fervently supported Crooked Joe Biden, a mentally incompetent FOOL, and our WORST EVER President, who came close to destroying our Country,” Trump continued. “Sleepy Joe didn't have a clue as to what he was doing, but Springsteen is ‘dumb as a rock,' and couldn't see what was going on, or could he (which is even worse! “This dried out ‘prune' of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country, that's just ‘standard fare,'” Trump added. Springsteen — who also posted the speech on his Instagram — has long been open about his stance on American politics, endorsing Trump's opponent Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Also on Friday, Trump insulted Taylor Swift, writing that the 14-time Grammy winner is “no longer ‘HOT? A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry

On May 14, Variety reported that NBC greenlit the new show starring Clarkson, which will turn a popular feature on her talk show called “Songs & Stories” into a limited series. Clarkson will not only host but executive produce her “Songs & Stories” show, according to Variety. When Clarkson has hosted “Songs & Stories” themed episodes of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” which airs on over 200 stations across the U.S., she's had in-depth discussions about music with R&B singer Babyface, country stars Miranda Lambert and Garth Brooks, 90s icon Alanis Morisssette, and pop superstar Pink. The “Breakaway” singer's primetime show will follow a similar format, according to Variety. The outlet reported that NBC's logline for the “Songs & Stories” series says each episode is “a front-row pass for Kelly Clarkson to engage with some of her favorite celebrities and examine both their music and personal lives. The specials are a forum where iconic voices meet heartfelt storytelling through unfiltered conversation and sung in an intimate, unplugged setting.” It's not clear if NBC and Clarkson hope to continue “Songs & Stories” after its initial four-episode run. The singer was eager for a fresh start for herself and her kids — daughter River and son Remy — following her drawn-out divorce from their dad, Brandon Blackstock, per People. On May 9, while performing in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Clarkson lamented to the audience that her concerts were few and far between because of her taping schedule, the outlet reported. It's like a whole other job,” she told the crowd. Meanwhile, Clarkson will return to her old stomping grounds at “The Voice” for the May 20 season finale, to perform her new single, “Where Have U Been?” She was a coach on the show from seasons 14 through 21, and returned for season 23.

The couple, who wed in 2018, already had Wyatt, 5, Elliotte, 4, and Bennett, 2. Jason and Travis both recently appeared at the Amazon Upfront 2025 presentation, since their “New Heights” podcast is attached to the tech giant. While speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Jason shared some details about family life in the newborn bubble since Finnley's birth. We are not sleeping much, but it's been good,” the former Philadelphia Eagle shared. A post shared by Kylie (McDevitt) Kelce (@kykelce) Jason confirmed that Swift has met baby Finn, and then he shared a bit more information about the family dynamic in recent weeks. We were fortunate to have them all in … it doesn't happen often,” Jason Kelce explained. “Everybody is busy, but it was really special. Thankfully we have a tight-knit family that makes time for each other, and it's been awesome.” In addition to being the mom of four, Kylie Kelce has also been keeping busy with her own podcast, “Not Gonna Lie.” In early 2025, Swift wrapped up her Eras Tour and Travis Kelce finished out the season with the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX. But, they were recently spotted in Philadelphia spending Mother's Day with the Kelce clan. The couple joined Jason, Kylie, and mom Donna for a meal at Talula's Garden. The Grammy winner accessorized with a $6,000 Chanel purse. Travis Kelce kept things casual for the outing, wearing a short-sleeved button up shirt. Do you think Jason Kelce's daughters call Taylor Swift auntie?

The Zelig of popular music, no collaborator is off limits: Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, Katy Perry, Quincy Jones, Daddy Yankee, the Bee Gees, Limp Bizkit, BTS, Patti LaBelle, Prince Royce, Banda MS, Tiësto, Popcaan, Jelly Roll, Charlie Sheen. He's sold his own app, his own breakfast cereal and recently opened a weed store in L.A., the city where he will likely serve as NBC's ambassador to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. If any of this ever seemed incongruous with being gangsta rap royalty, it has never once affected the Teflon Dogg, America's lovable uncle. Who's going to care if the guy sells an NFT or two? That all changed in January when Snoop did a short DJ set at David Sacks' Crypto Ball, a Washington D.C. schmoozefest held to celebrate Donald Trump's re-inauguration. Fans on social media rebelled, calling him a sellout, but Snoop stood his ground, telling The Breakfast Club, “I'm not a politician. Luckily, a defensive Snoop is still classically and effortlessly cool: “Me and Dre at the So-Fi the only way I sell out,” he raps on “Unsung Heroes” Mexican Beauty Influencer Shot and Killed on TikTok Live “Unsung Heroes” is also the album highlight with its droning organ that sounds like it's stripped from an Ethiopian jazz record providing a hot slab of asphalt for Snoop to spit venomous invective. Tracks like “Iz It a Crime?” with its breathy Sade sample and the breezy “Sophisticated Crippin'” are less antagonistic as middle fingers go, listing his achievements and brushing off crumbs. isn't really the pugalistic battle record it's being made out to be. Instead it's another dependable Rhythm & Gangsta offering in a career full of them. There's his cadre of producers he's been using for the last 20-30 years (Battlecat, Soopafly, Denaun, Nottz, Rick Rock); there's the always liquid flow (“I'm talking lolos, a couple of cholos, la vida loco/Facts in a chokehold/Hey Siri, we need some more hoes”); and there's the occasional misstep (in this case, the narcotic would-be-club-banger “Spot”). The duet with still-rising raunch-rapper Sexxy Redd (“Me and OG Snoop”) is naturally electric and Wiz Khalifa shows up like an old friend to get a little wistful (“Just the Way It Iz”). Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation.

Justin Bieber denied online rumors that he was abused by Sean Combs in his first public statement since Combs was arrested for sex-trafficking and racketeering. With Combs' trial underway this week in New York, Bieber's rep released a statement Friday in part due to the many rumors that have propagated since Combs' arrest that alluded to Bieber being an abuse victim of Combs. “Although Justin is not among Sean Combs' victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him,” the rep said in a statement to People. But it's definitely a 15-year-old's dream,” Combs said in one clip. The resurfaced clips — coupled with Bieber's worrying public activity, rumors of drug use, and emotional social media posts — led some to assume that he was abused by Combs or participated in the alleged “Freak-Offs,” but the singer's rep denied those claims Friday. Bieber himself has not yet directly commented on the Combs situation. Kesha Is Horny and 'Boy Crazy' on Hyperpop Single Donald Trump Swears He's Not a Fan of ‘Highly Overrated' Bruce Springsteen This week has been the first time the former celebrity couple of Combs and Cassie had seen each other in years. Combs is on trial for the sex-trafficking of two women between 2009 and 2024, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation.

Former FBI Director James Comey is under investigation by the Secret Service after posting a picture of seashells spelling out “8647” on Instagram — which conservatives claim is a secret call for President Donald Trump's assassination. To “86” something is an extremely common parlance in the restaurant and bar industry. Trump, top officials in his administration, Republican lawmakers, and MAGA commentators on social media took the post as a cold call to murder the president. “Our country has become respected again and all this, and he's calling for the assassination of the president,” Trump continued, adding that “if he had a clean history, I could, I could understand if there was a leniency,” but in his view Comey was a “dirty cop.” Trump's allies quickly seized on Comey's post on Thursday, with Donald Trump Jr. writing that Comey was “casually calling for my dad to be murdered.” Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.” Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's Director of National Intelligence, even told Fox News that Comey should be in jail. “James Comey in my view should be held accountable and put behind bars for this,” she said. Now, former disgraced FBI director James Comey is either threatening to kill Donald Trump or suggesting someone should. “I didn't realize some folks associate those numbers with violence,” he continued. In 2020, prominent lawmakers and influencers accused Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer of calling for the president's murder after she displayed an “8645” pin during a televised interview. Donald Trump Swears He's Not a Fan of ‘Highly Overrated' Bruce Springsteen All the Things Donald Trump Has Said About Taylor Swift Last we checked all three of those individuals were very much alive and un-murdered. In response to Comey's post on Thursday, Posobiec wrote: “The fmr director of the FBI is calling for left-wing assassins to target our president and kill him. Have no idea why he hasn't been arrested yet.” If that's how he really feels, Posobiec is welcome to print out his tweets about Biden and self-surrender at the nearest convenient FBI office.

When Bono hits the road for a tour, he usually brings along about 200 trucks, a stage that weighs roughly 170 tons, hundreds of employees, and three high-school buddies named Adam, Larry, and Edge. But when he went out in early 2023 to promote his memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, he brought little else besides a table and chairs, a fake beer, and a keyboardist, cellist, and harp player. The shows were a unique hybrid of rock concert and one-man Broadway-style production in which Bono paid loving tribute to his wife, Ali Hewson, his three bandmates, and his late father, Paul Hewson, pausing often to perform U2 classics like “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “With or Without You” and “I Will Follow” in radically stripped-down fashion. The tour only hit a handful of markets around the world, and never played to anything larger than a theater, so the vast majority of U2 fans had no ability to experience it. That's finally changing on May 30 when the film Bono: Stories of Surrender lands on Apple TV+. In the middle of a very busy press day at Cannes, we had 18 minutes with Bono to chat about putting together his first solo show, the new documentary, the status of U2's long-awaited new album, and the health of drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who missed out on the band's recent Sphere residency to recover from an injury. Most book tours, even for really high-profile ones, are just a series of public interviews and readings. What made you want to do something so radically different?You've put your finger on it. The stage play came out of a desire to not be on a promotional book tour, and to keep my own interest in it. And to become other people was a bit of a holiday for myself, number one. The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time You're accustomed to a pretty big stage, a pretty big production budget, and all sorts of props. This time around, you had very little. It must have forced you to get creative considering those limitations.That's right. There's maximalism of the U2 show in every which way to this table and chairs. If I wasn't Irish, it would be pretentious to talk about Krapp's Last Tape and Samuel Beckett. But there's a simplicity that I enjoyed learning, or relearning, you might say, because in our early days, the sort of fireworks were just the mood you were in. I started to get into gestures and understanding how powerful a simple gesture could be. Staring at a single person in the crowd. Going back to your teenage years, you've never really done a full concert without the other guys in U2. Did you have any trepidation about going onstage on your own?I was terrified. But I seem to enjoy that. And I also am a student of performers who wish to break the fourth wall. Iggy Pop, for me, was just a master. But then there were actors like Mark Rylance. I went to see Mark Rylance in [the play] Jerusalem. And I felt this confrontational performer. She isn't comfortable on an elevated stage. One show I saw Patti Smith Group, and she entered from behind, fought her way, elbowed her way, through the crowd. Bono Shares the ‘Tall Tales of a Short Rock Star' in New Documentary Trailer A Matthew Perry Shout-Out, an Andrea Bocelli Feature, and (Maybe Not) a Ye Track: Everything We Know About Lil Wayne's ‘Tha Carter VI' Bono's 'Stories of Surrender' Documentary Heading to Apple TV+ Did you see Bruce on Broadway or any other recent one-man shows to get some inspiration for how to do this?I saw Bruce on Broadway. I just tried to create these different characters and play them. You're backed by keyboardist Jacknife Lee, cellist Kate Ellis, and harp player Gemma Doherty during the show. Edge is in awe of his arrangements. Only Edge, by the way, wouldn't be thinking, “Where's the guitar in this?” Edge just doesn't think like that. I got the privilege to sing “Sunday Bloody Sunday” to [Doherty] from Derry who was a child of the peace process. That version of “Sunday Bloody Sunday”…I'm scared I'll never reach it again because it just took me somewhere else. I felt like Nina Simone walked through the room, and I was like, “Wow.” Kate Ellis, I think it's Philip Glass who said this is one of the most astonishing cellists he'd ever worked with. I can be really easy and walk onstage and feel confident about the night and look forward to it, or I want to throw up in the bathroom. I don't seem to be on top of that, even in my sixties. And when I get a break, which is coming up apparently in the next few months, I might need to go and see a shrink. I might need to lay down on that couch. Did you do that to pay him back for everything he did for you?Certainly. And playing him night after night…and then just those put-downs. And I'm saying, “You know Pavarotti rang the house, and he's looking for a song?” “Did he ring the wrong number?” He was funny. Your old editor, Jann Wenner, sent me on this road. He was the one 20 years ago, after one of those Herculean interviews you do with Rolling Stone where you guys put us through our paces, and it was days that felt like weeks and weeks that felt like days. And eventually he said, “I think you owe your father an apology.” And I was like, “What? I've just been telling you how difficult he was.” He said, “No, no, you've just been telling me how difficult you were.” When I apologized to my father, it changed a lot for me. I'm sure it was cathartic.I don't know enough about the theater to know if this has been done before, but maybe I should put a health warning on it. There was a part of me that was just more concerned that people just laugh at my jokes. Do we trust people who aren't funny anymore? And people don't come to U2 shows for belly laughs. But I've never been in a great conversation that hasn't had one. What approach did you want him to take in capturing this show?He made a movie called Chopper, and it's one of my favorite films. Not the Eric Bana that we know now. Clearly, he was great at working with non-actors. He makes my wife laugh out loud quite a lot. When we'd be discussing a scene or whatever, if he didn't like what I was saying, he'd be like, “I can't hear you, mate.” But I'm grateful to him. I'm so grateful to him because he got those performances out of me. I don't know how he did that. And with Erik Messerschmidt as his DP and a whole host of other brilliant people around us, we got this thing. It doesn't look like we just came to record that show. He said, “Look, it's another art form, Bono. And you'll have to let me take it into a different place.” I said, “Well, I just want the stage show.” “You have to let me take it into another place.” And I don't know if it ever got to the place he wanted me to go, but I'm very proud of the work we did together. The last album of new U2 songs was eight years ago. It's the longest gap ever between albums. What can you tell them to keep their spirits up?Well, they're right. Get back to this moment we're in. And it sounds like future to me. We had to go through some stuff, and we're at the other end of it. And I can tell you he is completely through whatever storm of injury he's been through. His playing is at its most innovative. He's just all about the band. He doesn't want to talk about anything else, which is kind of amazing. By the way, being a band in a room where each individual musician has a role that's singular and collective is so rare because music is assembled these days. And even some of our music we have assembled, and we'll do that again, but to try and capture a moment of a rock & roll band in full flight is at the heart of this record that we're making that we've recorded, but we are not finished. Kesha Is Horny and 'Boy Crazy' on Hyperpop Single Donald Trump Swears He's Not a Fan of ‘Highly Overrated' Bruce Springsteen Do you know when it might be finished?No. The 30 year anniversary is coming up. Will we get a Pop 30 box set?Well, I never thought about that. Actually, I'm sure somebody clever has thought of that. But if they have, I'm not aware of it. I love the imagery around that album. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation.

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter A bet-the-company lawsuit filed by Village Roadshow against the studio ultimately helped bankrupt the financier, which was found to have breached a series of deals over 'The Matrix' films. When it filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, Village Roadshow pointed to the souring of its longtime partnership with Warner Bros. for its financial woes. Discovery CFO Explains Reasoning Behind Max Rebrand, Potential Company Split Discovery Upfront: Branding Whiplash and "The 'White Lotus' Effect" In March, Village Roadshow filed for bankruptcy protection. Matrix Resurrections wasn't the only film at issue in that legal battle. Village Roadshow alleged that it was shut out of cofinancing sequels and remakes to key franchises based on movies it shares the rights to with WBD, including Wonka, Joker and I Am Legend. One example that predated the Matrix feud: Village Roadshow wanted in on a TV series that was being developing based on Edge of Tomorrow but was told the project wouldn't move forward if it didn't relinquish its rights, according to court filings. WBD prevailed on claims Village Roadshow advanced for unfair competition, breach of contract and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, which covers bad faith dealings, said the person familiar with the arbitration. An arbitrator sided with WBD that Village Roadshow breached the co-ownership and distribution agreements, added the person, who confirmed that the studio was awarded over $107 million in damages plus $17 million in interest. That ruling has been confirmed on appeal, though damages will be recalculated to account for a would-be day-and-date license for the movie and other distribution revenues that WBD had already received and would've had to pay, according to a court document. Interest on the outstanding co-financing obligation has ballooned to nearly $32 million. Last month, the court approved a $417.5 million offer from Blade Runner 2049 producer Alcon Media Group for Village Roadshow's film library, including stakes in The Matrix and Ocean's franchises. Also up for sale: the derivative rights to proven tentpoles, among other movies, and Village Roadshow's studio business. Since 2018, the company has had 99 feature films and 233 television series in development, though only six movies and seven television shows went into production at a price tag of $47.5 million. WBD and Village Roadshow declined to comment for this story. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter Charlie Polinger's directorial debut, also featuring Everett Blunck and newcomer Kayo Martin, observes a young boy trying to fit in at a summer water polo camp. Charlie Polinger opens his thrilling and uneasy directorial debut feature The Plague with an arresting sequence that quickly establishes the haunting undertones of this adolescent psychological thriller. Their spindly legs move awkwardly as they try to get in sync. From this angle, Polinger and his cinematographer Steven Breckon make these kids look like phantasmic figures. Legendary Entertainment Names Di Mu CEO of China Division Working from a screenplay he also wrote, Polinger uses horror conventions to tease out the psychic terror and intimidation of pre-teen social codes. Polinger's film is not as dark as Netflix's popular miniseries Adolescence, but it does circle similarly unsettling themes — like the way the terms and tenets of masculinity are dictated by arbitrary rules, or the cost of nonconformity among young men. Venue: Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard)Cast: Joel Edgerton, Everett Blunck, Kayo Martin, Kenny RasmussenDirector-screenwriter: Charlie Polinger Relative newcomers Everett Blunck (stellar in Griffin in the Summer) and Kayo Martin portray opposite ends of youthful angst with an engaging sincerity and terrifying accuracy. The actor plays well against Blunck, who portrays Ben, a new camper trying to figure out where he fits among the various cliques. An anxiety-inducing sound design (by Damian Volpe) and score (by Johan Lenox), coupled with an appropriately icy visual palette built on grays and blue, help tell Polinger's nail-biting story. This skill keeps Jake in power, making him an intimidating person to everyone, including the boys' coach Daddy Wags (Joel Edgerton, in a brief but effective turn). Ben watches the others too, and he quickly picks up that no one hangs out with Eli (Kenny Rasmussen, also excellent). He understands that people shouldn't be exiled for their differences and yet the idea of losing his place within the hierarchy keeps him up at night. Blunck deftly portrays Ben's inner turmoil and the anxiety his journey produces. Polinger deploys jump scares, intimate close-ups (especially of Jake and Ben staring at one another) and elements of body horror to recast these coming-of-age dilemmas as high-stakes, nightmarish challenges. In one of those scenes Polinger observes the boys during lunch, excitedly speaking over each other and laughing. For the most part, they are children having a good time, but if you look closely you can see a flash of panic beneath the cheerful visages. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Send us a tip using our anonymous form.