October 21, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Jeff Neira(NEW YORK) — Ryan Seacrest is back in the co-host chair on Live With Kelly and Ryan after testing negative for COVID-19. 

After a two-day hiatus, Seacrest returned to the New York City studio to join co-host Kelly Ripa. He sat out Monday and Tuesday’s shows while awaiting his COVID test results.

People reports that Seacrest got tested after having a “minimal cough” and returned to set once the results came back negative. 

The news of his return was confirmed on the official Live With Kelly and Ryan Instagram account on Tuesday. It was accompanied by a behind-the-scenes video of Ripa hosting the show solo.

“We have all of these new restrictions now so this is one, you have to wait until it comes back negative before you can get in here,” she explained. “We take it seriously, it’s public health.”  

Kelly and Ryan returned to the studio in September and has been filming without an audience. 

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 21, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Universal(LOS ANGELES) — Jordan Peele’s remake of the classic horror film Candyman has been pushed back to next year. 

Deadline reports Universal and MGM has decided to delay the movie’s release until Aug. 27, 2021 after filming was postponed due to COVID-19 earlier this year. The film was initially postponed from its previous June 2020 release date to Sept. 25th.

Directed by Nia DaCosta, the Candyman remake stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett from Misfits. 

The new film is billed as the “spiritual sequel” to the original 1992 Candyman, which followed the son of a slave who became an artist. He was later mutilated and killed by a lynch mob hired by his lover’s father, prompting his spirit to seek revenge.

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

October 21, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

© 2020 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (LOS ANGELES) — The Happiest Season is heading straight to Hulu. 

Falling in line with several other studio films that are being immediately serviced to streaming sites as opposed to major theaters in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, TriStar Pictures and Entertainment One have announced that Happiest Season will hit Hulu on November 25. 

The film stars Kristen Stewart as Abby, who plans to propose to her girlfriend, Harper, portrayed by Mackenzie Davis, during a trip home over the holidays. But the plans are put on hold when she learns that her partner has not come out to her parents.

Mary Steenburgen and Victor Garber play Davis’ conservative parents, with Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie, Dan Levy and Ana Gasteyer among the ensemble cast.

Directed by Clea DuVall, who also wrote the screenplay with Mary Holland, production on the film wrapped in February just before COVID-19 led to a massive studio shutdown.

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 21, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC(LOS ANGELES) — The Goldbergs returns to ABC tonight and in keeping with the shows traditions of paying homage to movies of the 80s, the season premiere episode includes a riff on the classic comedy Airplane!

David Leisure played one of the Hare Krishnas in the film, and he guest stars on tonight’s episode of The Goldbergs. Surprisingly, though, he tells ABC Audio that his guest role has has no ties to the original film. 

“I’m actually playing the part of the pilot, named Roger, so has nothing to do with the movie,” the longtime actor admits. “But I had so much fun.”

Although Leisure’s portrayal of Roger won’t be relevant to the 1980 ‘s spoof comedy, he explains how The Goldbergs episode will tie into the film.  

“They were doing a throwback to the movie because they’re all going on vacation and they’re all going to be on a plane. And then, of course, chaos breaks out on the plane just like it did in the movie,” he shared.

Leisure’s appearance in the Airplane!-inspired episode is a bit of a full circle moment, as it was actually his first ever job in Hollywood. And, while he recognizes that he was “thrown into the mix” with “some really substantial human beings” like Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, and Leslie Nielsen, he also made a shocking confession about the making of the parody film. 

He tells ABC Audio that although the movie is a classic — when he was making it he didn’t exactly understand its humor.

“I mean, OK, I’m just admitting it right now for the first time in public. I didn’t get the joke until I saw the movie,” Leisure said. “I was like, oh, oh, you’re playing it straight. And it’s really funny.”

By Danielle Long and Jason Nathanson
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 21, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Walt Disney Animation Studios(LOS ANGELES) — The debut trailer for Disney’s animated Raya and the Last Dragon follows lone warrior Raya on her journey to find the last dragon.   

The clip follows Raya on a quest with her armadillo sidekick, Tuk Tuk, as they venture into a mythical underground lair where she finds the coveted dragon gem and faces off against a mysterious character who tries to stop her from obtaining it. 

“My whole life, I trained to become a guardian of the dragon gem, but this world has changed, and its people are divided. Now to restore peace, I must find the last dragon,” the character declares, against a backdrop of action sequences. 

The film is set in the fictional land of Kumandra, 500 years after an evil force threatened the land and forced the dragons, who lived peacefully with humans, to sacrifice themselves in order to salvage humanity.  Now, young warrior Raya must find the last dragon to unify the people of Kumandra, learning about the values of teamwork and trust along her journey. 

Kelly Marie Tran, known for her breakout role as Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, is the voice behind Raya, while comedian and Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina voices Sisu, the last dragon. 

Raya and the Last Dragon is set to debut in theaters on March 12, 2021. 

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.