What's news: L.A.-based manager Angie Kukawski has died and her boyfriend arrested on suspicion of murder. LL Cool J has pulled out of ABC's NYE concert after testing positive for COVID-19. Palm Springs Film Fest has been canceled amid rising virus cases. Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk is discussing a second and third season of the hit show with Netflix. Plus: Dwayne Johnson has snubbed Vin Diesel's offer of returning to the Fast franchise — Abid Rahman
Review: 'The Book of Boba Fett'
►"More a Mandalorian interlude than anything intriguing on its own." THR's chief TV critic Dan Fienberg reviews Disney+'s latest Star Wars series The Book of Boba Fett. Temuera Morrison's enigmatic bounty hunter Boba Fett gets a Tatooine-based showcase in this new spinoff of The Mandalorian. The review.
—Boba's redemption. A huge favorite from the Star Wars universe, Boba Fett's demise in The Return of the Jedi has always rankled fans. Fett deserved better than to end up in the Sarlacc, writes THR's Ryan Parker, and The Book of Boba Fett goes a long way to making things right. Warning spoilers.The story.
—ICYMI. With Book of Boba Fett now streaming on Disney+, it's the perfect time to read (or re-read) THR's behind the scenes look at the production that is set to shake up the Star Wars universe. The story.
"No Chance": Johnson Snubs Diesel’s 'Fast' Overture
►Vin, he's just not into you. Dwayne Johnson says there’s “no chance” of him rejoining the Fast & Furious family, shutting down all talk of his return to the franchise despite recent overtures from co-star Vin Diesel for the pair to bury their well-publicized beefcake feud and collaborate on Fast 10. Speaking to CNN, Johnson accused Diesel of "manipulation" for including his children and Paul Walker in a November Instagram post. The story.
—Suspected murder. Angela “Angie” Kukawski, a Los Angeles-based business manager whose high-profile clients included the Kardashians, has died. Her boyfriend was arrested on suspicion of murder, according to Los Angeles police. Kukawski was 55. The story.
—Convicted. Brit socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted Wednesday of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by the American millionaire Jeffrey Epstein. The verdict capped a monthlong trial featuring sordid accounts of the sexual exploitation of girls as young as 14, told by four women who described being abused as teens in the 1990s and early 2000s at Epstein’s palatial homes in Florida, New York and New Mexico. The story.
—Canceled. The Palm Springs International Film Festival has been canceled due to rising number of COVID-19 cases brought on by the Omicron variant. The festival was scheduled for Jan. 7-17 and the news comes after the event had already scrapped plans for its starry Film Awards gala. The story.
Biggest TV Shows of Fall 2021
►When size matters. THR's Rick Porter runs through the list of shows with the biggest audience, mindful of course of the caveat that in the streaming era no platform willingly gives up all its data. Unsurprisingly, nothing touches the NFL, but Squid Game, The Voice and Yellowstone carried the banner for their respective outlets. The list.
—Missing the show. LL Cool J has tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t be performing on ABC’s Dick Clark New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest2022 as planned. In addition, singer Chlöe also will no longer be performing, leaving just Journey and Karol G on the bill. The story.
—It's official. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver’s marriage is officially over more than 10 years after the award-winning journalist petitioned to end her then-25-year marriage to the action star and former California governor. A Los Angeles judge finalized the divorce on Tuesday, court records show. The story.
Why Production Companies in 2022 Will Need to Get Big or Go Home
►Production boom. THR's Scott Roxborough forecasts that the worldwide consolidation of independent producers looks likely to continue in 2022 as the global streaming boom pushes up both demand and budgets for film and TV series. The analysis.
—We the north. Ontario is set to benefit from the recent deal struck between IATSE and the studios as the cloud of uncertainty has been removed. New Toronto studio expansions and builds has local production execs predicting another year of major activity by Hollywood producers north of the border in 2022. The story.
—More squid on the menu.Squid Game may return for two more rounds, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk confirmed in a recent interview with Korean broadcaster KBS. Hwang said that he’s presently in talks with Netflix over not just a second but a third season of the international hit. The story.
What else we're reading...
—Facebook’s Pushback: Stem the Leaks, Spin the Politics, Don’t Say Sorry [Wall Street Journal]
—Insecure’s Key Creators Reminisce About Their Favorite Moments From the Show [Vanity Fair]
—Maggie Gyllenhaal Has Dangerous Ideas About Directing [New York Times]
—The Marvel vs. Martin Scorsese Feud Needs to Die [Daily Beast]
—Opinion: Anyone Can Boycott The Beijing Olympics. Everyone Should [Washington Post]
Today...
...in 1952, Warner Bros.’ The Jazz Singer made its world premiere in Technicolor at Hollywood’s Fox Beverly Theatre, the final gala debut of that year. A close remake of the Al Jolson talkie from 1927, the film starred Danny Thomas and Peggy Lee. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Tracey Ullman (60), Eliza Dushku (41), Tyrese Gibson (43), Andra Day (37), George Newbern (57), Faye Marsay (35), Caity Lotz (35), Meredith Monroe (52), Sheryl Lee Ralph (65), Bennett Miller (55), LeBron James (37), Chris Vance (50), James Burrows (81), Lucy Punch (44), Daniel Sunjata (50)
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