September 29, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Art Streiber/NBC(LOS ANGELES) — It’s been almost a year since Gabrielle Union was fired as a judge from NBC’s America’s Got Talent after only one season. Now, Variety reports the actress has reached a settlement with the network.

“We’ve reached an amicable resolution. NBC Entertainment appreciates the important concerns raised by Gabrielle Union and remains committed to ensuring an inclusive and supportive working environment where people of all backgrounds can be treated with respect,” according to a joint statement from NBC and Union’s spokespeople.

Deadline reports Union received “significant” compensation from NBC as part of the settlement.

Union joined AGT in June of 2019, but her contract wasn’t renewed the following September, nor was fellow judge Julianne Hough’s.  June of this year, Union filed a discrimination suit against NBC and AGT‘s producers, Freemantle Media, claiming she was fired for speaking out about an on-set culture of racism, as well as workplace safety violations and other complaints.  She also claimed NBC’s entertainment chief Paul Telegdy threatened to retaliate against her for speaking out.

Variety reports that a subsequent investigation by NBC and FremantleMedia found no evidence of systemic racism, though the investigation reportedly wasn’t completed.

In May, Union discussed her negative experiences while on set of the competition series in a Variety cover story, including an alleged racist joke from guest judge Jay Leno and a lack of inclusiveness among producers.

Union said she initially signed up for AGT to become part of a “super diverse” show “that hails itself as the biggest stage in the world” and prides itself as “giving people the opportunity to shine where they otherwise probably wouldn’t.”  She also said she’d hoped her decision to speak out would bring “real change.”

“At the end of all this, my goal is real change — and not just on this show but for the larger parent company,” she told Variety. “It starts from the top down. My goal is to create the happiest, most high-functioning, inclusive, protected and healthy example of a workplace.”

By Rachel George
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 29, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Sony Pictures(LOS ANGELES) — The first trailer for Sony/Blumhouse’s The Craft reboot, The Craft: Legacy, has officially been released.

The film is a remake of the 1996 cult classic film that starred Rachel True, Neve Campbell, Robin Tunney and Fairuza Balk as a group of teenage girls turned witches who conjured up chaos at school. 

Similar to the original, the new version will also follow four aspiring witches, played by Lovie Simone, Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon and Zoey Luna, who create a teenage coven, but “get more than they bargained for as they lean into their newfound powers.”

The film also stars Nicholas Galitzine, Michelle Monaghan and David Duchovny.

The Craft: Legacy was initially set to launch in theaters, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it’ll be released via streaming on-demand October 28.

By Candice Williams
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 29, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Sophie Mutevelian/Netflix(LOS ANGELES) — Netflix has released the first photos from season four of The Crown, featuring actress Emma Corrin as Princess Diana.

Among the new images, we see Corrin’s Diana wearing a strapless purple gown as she arrives at a red carpet event with Prince Charles. There’s also a shot of her wearing a pale yellow suit as she gets photographed by paparazzi on the street and a photo of her meeting her husband’s eventual second wife, Camila Parker-Bowles, played by Emerald Fennell.

The streaming service also released photos of Gillian Anderson as U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, as well as new pics of Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II, Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip, and Helena Bonham-Carter as Princess Margaret.

Season four of The Crown debuts on Netflix November 15.

By Andrea Tuccillo
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Change is coming. 15th November. pic.twitter.com/MdRUGWxj6h

— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) September 29, 2020

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September 29, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — A new Lion King film is in the works, Disney sources have confirmed to Good Morning America.

The sources added that Barry Jenkins, who won a best picture Oscar in 2018 for Moonlight, is set to direct the project.

“Helping my sister raise two young boys during the ’90s, I grew up with these characters,” Jenkins said in a statement to Deadline. “Having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this magnificent tale of friendship, love and legacy while furthering my work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true.”

The original Lion King animated film, which premiered in 1994, grossed $968.5 million worldwide to become the 51st highest grossing movie of all time, according to Box Office Mojo. The Jon Favreau-directed live action Lion King, which debuted last year, earned $1.65 billion worldwide and is currently ranked #7 on Box Office Mojo’s list.

Jeff Nathanson, who wrote the Favreau-directed film, has reportedly finished an initial draft of the follow-up movie. According to Deadline, the story is likely to explore “the mythology of the characters, including Mufasa’s origin story.”

“Moving the story forward while looking back conjures memories of The Godfather: Part II, set on the African plain with a continuation of the tradition of music that was a key part of the 1994 animated classic, the 2019 film and the blockbuster Broadway stage transfer,” the publication reported.

No release date for the new film has been announced.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

By Good Morning America
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