Month: October 2022

Michelle Yeoh and Pete Davidson have joined the cast of Paramount’s upcoming film Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts, based on Hasbro’s Transformers action figures. The latest film in a franchise chronicling the war between factions of alien robots, and will ‘take audiences on a ’90s globetrotting adventure, introducing the robot tribes known as the Maximals and Terrorcons to the existing battle on earth between the Autobots and Decepticons.’

Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback will lead the cast of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, set for release on June 9, 2023. Yeoh will voice the Maximal Airazor, with Davidson voicing the Autobot Mirage. Announcing the news today via behind-the-scenes videos with the actors in the recording booth was director Steven Caple Jr.: “Pete Davidson in disguise.  @transformersmovie cast is amazing, man. Sneak peek of Pete voicing Mirage & @michelleyeoh_official blessing us as the voice of Air Razor #rotb 2023.”

Yeoh will soon be seen in Avatar: The Way of Water and three more films in the James Cameron franchise, as well as Netflix’s The School for Good and Evil and The Witcher: Blood Origin.

SNL alum Davidson recently starred opposite Kaley Cuoco in Peacock’s rom-com Meet Cute, and will soon be seen in David Michôd’s A24 pic Wizards!, James DeMonaco’s horror-thriller The Home, Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Money and the Peacock series, Bupkis.

Editorial credit: Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock.com

Freevee, the streaming service backed by Amazon, has ordered a pilot for Jessica Simpson’s memoir, ‘Open Book.’  The half-hour scripted comedy will star singer/songwriter/actress Katelyn Tarver, and Fuller House’s John Stamos.

Open Book is described as ‘a propulsive, music-soaked coming-of-age story that is inspired by Jessica Simpson’s best-selling memoir.’  The show follows pop star Sadie Sparrow (Tarver) from her mid-20s rise from ingenue to mogul, introducing viewers to the family, friends and lovers she collects along the way.  Stamos will play Butch Thorn, a divorced former singer-songwriter and alcoholic with self-destructive tendencies who is attracted to Sadie, making things awkward when he realizes she’s the young pop star he’s been hired  to write songs with.

Simpson’s memoir sold half a million copies and was the highest-grossing memoir from a female entertainment personality in history at the time of its debut.  In 2020, Simpson signed a multimedia rights deal with Amazon which also included a series of short stories published by Amazon Original Stories. The next project from that deal — ‘Movie Star: They Always Say They’re Single — A True Story ‘— will debut in February.

Katelyn Tarver & John Stamos To Star In Amazon Freevee’s ‘Open Book’ Pilot Inspired By Jessica Simpson Memoir

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

The Emmy Award-winning musical competition series ‘The Voice’ will return next spring, with NBC announcing that Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan will join returning coaches Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton for Season 23, with Carson Daly back as host.

Just after the Season 23 coaches were revealed, Shelton announced his plans to leave the show after his appearance on Season 23. The 46-year-old Shelton took to social media to share in a statement: “I’ve been wrestling with this for a while and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from ‘The Voice’ after season 23. This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me. It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns and I want to thank everyone at ‘The Voice’ from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people, you are the best. It takes a lot of work, passion, and adult beverages (Ha!) to pull off a live show twice a week. I’ve made lifelong bonds with Carson and every single one my fellow coaches over the years, including my wife, Gwen Stefani! I have to give a huge shoutout to the singers – the ‘Voices’ who come on this stage season after season and amaze us with their talent and a special thanks to those who chose me to be their coach. Lastly, it’s about y’all, the fans, who watch and support these artists, us coaches and everyone at ‘The Voice’ chasing their dreams. It wouldn’t happen without you!”

Shelton has been a coach on The Voice since its premiere in 2011, becoming a mainstay since its inception and holding the title for the longest running coach. He has earned the most overall wins on The Voice with eight wins under his belt; and he’s also coached 15 artists whose songs have hit No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs chart.

Fans can watch Shelton on the current Season 22 of The Voice airing on NBC every Monday and Tuesday at 8/7c, along with fellow coaches Camila Cabello, John Legend, and wife Gwen Stefani.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

The new trailer for Netflix’s upcoming Addams Family series ‘Wednesday’ was revealed during New York Comic Con, giving viewers their first look at the roles which Christina Ricci and Fred Armisen will play.  In the show’s official trailer, Armisen will portray Uncle Fester and Ricci will play Nevermore professor Miss Thornhill.

Armisen appeared as a surprise guest at Comic Con and confirmed he shaved his head for the role: “I shaved my head because this was like a role as soon as I heard about it I was like ‘Oh, I gotta be Fester.’ I really wanted to do it, and I wanted to do it right and not like have like a bald cap or anything. So, I just shaved my head and I was proud to do it. And tonight I’m going to do it again,” Armisen joked.

Series stars Jenna Ortega, Luis Guzmán, Gwendoline Christie and showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar also teased their characters, with Ortega promising: “It’s its own different reality … and it’s very special and very odd.”  She added: “I think having gone through the teenage experience myself [was] incredibly informative. I think any teenager can relate to the wanting to create an identity outside of your family or kind of being thrown out into the world for the first time on your own and wanting to be independent.”

Take a look at the trailer for ‘Wednesday’ – here.

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