"If Mario makes $1B, we're screwed"
And 'White Lotus' star was fired from Apple show for sexual misconduct
What to know
AV Club: “If Mario makes a billion dollars, we might be screwed… Mario earned another $87M domestic this weekend, marking a remarkable just 41% drop. So yeah, it’s on its way to $1B and AV Club is predicting a video game movie apocalypse in which every even remotely popular game is going to get a bad Hollywood adaptation. I don’t know, high-profile shows or movies based on Crash Bandicoot or Spyro sound fun. Maybe the AV Club should look around, we’re already in the doomsday scenario of Hollywood adapting well-known IP — especially video games. 🎮
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F. Murray Abraham was kicked off Mythic Quest for sexual misconduct… Uh, no bueno. He was apparently let go by Rob McElhenney himself after two accusations made by women costars. Even worse, Abraham had received a warning after the first time it happened. The 83-year-old actor has been having a bit of a comeback with White Lotus, has been doing lots of press, and even accepted the ensemble SAG award on the cast’s behalf. His firing from Mythic Quest likely happened before that, which makes his recent publicity tour hard to stomach. 🤢
Disney reportedly lost $200M on Strange World, $100M on Lightyear… In case you’re wondering why Disney and Pixar are playing it extra safe with upcoming titles (more mainline Toy Story, more Frozen), this is why. People really didn’t want to see animated space adventures last year. Despite the headlines, both of these movies are good and it sucks to see them flop like this, because their bottom lines will likely define their legacies for years to come. I expect many articles to be written in the future about how both of these are underrated gems. 🚀
Netflix botches second-ever live stream… “Love is … late” tweeted Netflix Sunday night as it tried to calm fans eagerly awaiting the live Love Is Blind reunion show. Some fans were able to watch live, while others were left out in the cold. Netflix later issued an apology and said it would be available for everyone to watch on demand as soon as possible. Big yikes for a company attempting to get its foot in the live door — and one whose technology is usually on point. 😨
Game of Thrones’ Dunk and Egg show isn’t called “Dunk & Egg” because it sounds too silly… Most fans refer to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms stories as “Dunk & Egg,” referencing the two main characters, but George R.R. Martin says such a title would be too sitcom-y. He specifically said it would have sounded like Beavis & Butthead. Look dude, you wrote it. At least Dunk & Egg would have been original and catchy, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is generic and bland. ⚔️
Spotify is shutting down Heardle less than a year after acquiring it… That’s a shame, as Heardle was pretty cool. THR writes that shutting down the daily game is a cost-saving measure, which is ironic considering it just spent what must have been a large amount to get the game in the first place. 🔉
Monster Energy is suing Pokémon and Capcom for Monster Hunter… Apparently Monster Energy is super litigious and likes to go around threatening any company that uses the word “monster.” Is it going to work against a mega-brand like Pokémon? I doubt it. Their tactics are not very effective. 😂
Jon M. Chu drops first images from Wicked… Looks appropriately epic and also visceral — but more like the Les Mis movie musical than I was expecting? 🧹
Joe Wright is making a Mussolini series with a “rave aesthetic” and techno score… Moving images were a mistake. Love Joe Wright, but this MadLibs headline is a tough one for me, dog. 🧐
Anthony Ramos is the latest rising star to join the Twister sequel… I’m sure he’ll be playing a character exasperated with tornadoes. 🌪
Harry Styles and Will Ferrell will be James Corden’s final guests… Which I suppose is significant? 🤷🏻
Phantom of the Opera closes on Broadway after a record 13,981 performances… Have you done anything 13,981 times? 🎭
Netflix drops Sweet Tooth s2 trailer, HBO gives us full The Idol trailer… Two shows that couldn’t be farther apart. ▶️
The writers’ guild will strike if there’s no deal with the studios by May 1… Something to keep an eye on. 👀
But what Bill Hader really wants to do is direct movies… Barry proved he’s more than ready. 🎥
It’s official: Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon is 3 hours and 54 minutes… 😐
AMC+ launching cheaper ad tier… I’m shocked AMC+ is even still a thing. 📺
Baywatch remake series in the works… Leave no IP unturned. 🛟
What’s new
Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Once and Always — Apr 19 | Netflix legacy sequel movie | 🍅
Mrs. Davis — Apr 20 | Peacock high concept comedy drama series | 🍅
The Diplomat — Apr 20 | Netflix thriller drama series | 🍅
Evil Dead Rise — Apr 21 | Horror movie in theaters | 🍅 95%
Beau Is Afraid — Apr 21 | Indie drama in theaters | 🍅 75%
Ghosted — Apr 21 | Apple TV+ action romcom movie | 🍅
Judy Blume Forever — Apr 21 | Amazon documentary | 🍅 92
What to watch
TV Trailer: The Sympathizer — 2024 on HBO & Max
From showrunners Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar, starring Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Vy Le, Alan Trong, Duy Nguyễn, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr.
While Warner Bros. Discovery brass continues to make questionable decisions with the HBO brand, HBO itself continues to do what it does best: Turn out prestige TV. The Sympathizer looks absolutely fantastic. From its Pulitzer Prize winning source material, to Park Chan-wook directing and showrunning, to a mysterious and brooding lead performer in Hoa Xuande, to Robert Downey Jr. just going for it on the margins — this thing has so many wild and eye-catching elements. The trailer pops with vibrancy and intrigue. I’m picking up some Americans vibes from it, namely in the spying and the Cold War era setting — but that’s the only comp I can think of. Otherwise, I don’t think there are many parallels for the alchemy on display here, and that’s a wonderful thing.
For all past ‘what to watch’ recommendations, see the full list here!