Steve Pond's Blog, page 145

Kieran Culkin Joins ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ as Caesar Flickerman

Fresh off his Oscar win for “A Real Pain,” Kieran Culkin is joining the cast of “Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” as Caesar Flickerman, the witty showman who hosts the deadly event that was previously played by Stanley Tucci.

He joins Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor, Ben Wang, Elle Fanning and Ralph Fiennes in the announced cast of the film.

Set a quarter-century before the events of the “Hunger Games” trilogy, “Sunrise on the Reaping” tells the tale of how Haymitch Abernathy, played by Zada in the upcoming film, became the first District 12 competitor to win the Hunger Games. The film is based on the Suzanne Collins novel released this past March, which has already sold more than 1.5 million copies.

In the series, Caesar Flickerman serves as the public face of the Hunger Games for the viewers in the Capitol of Panem, interviewing the underage contestants of the deadly game that only one of them will survive.

The film adaptation of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be released on November 20, 2026. Francis Lawrence will direct from a screenplay adaptation by Billy Ray. Color Force’s Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson will produce. Cameron MacConomy will executive produce. 

Culkin got his breakthrough role in the hit TV series “Succession,” receiving an Emmy and Golden Globe for his work on the show as the immature Roman Roy. He received his second Golden Globe and his first Academy Award for his performance in Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain” as David Kaplan, a charming but neurotic man who joins his fastidious cousin on a trip to Poland following the death of their grandmother.

Currently, Culkin is on Broadway starring alongside Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr in a revival of “Glengarry Glen Ross.”

Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien are overseeing the project for Lionsgate. Phil Strina negotiated the deal for the studio. Culkin is represented by WME, Brookside Artist Management and Relevant.

The post Kieran Culkin Joins ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ as Caesar Flickerman appeared first on TheWrap.

Harvey Weinstein Gives Candace Owens First Interview in 8 Years From Prison: ‘I’m Angry at the System’ | Video

Harvey Weinstein gave his first interview in eight years to conservative podcaster Candace Owens on Tuesday, defending himself over a videoconference link from Rikers Island prison where the disgraced movie mogul is being held as he undergoes retrial for rape and sexual assault.

Wearing a dark suit and crisp white dress shirt, Weinstein reiterated his innocence to Owens, who has recently supported the “Pulp Fiction” producer as he fights multiple charges in a Manhattan courtroom for a second time.

“I just wanted to say that I’m not angry, but I’m angry at the system,” Weinstein said to kick off the 20-minute interview, an unusual move for an inmate in the middle of a criminal trial. “You know, my situation was transactional, you know, looking back at it.”

He thanked the right-wing Owens (exited from Daily Wire for what the ADL has called “antisemitic vitriol”), who has said Weinstein (a major Democratic supporter in the past) is being railroaded in a cultural battle, for granting him the chance to speak – then launched into his defense. Weinstein admitted to rampant infidelity and trading his influence for sex, but maintained, as he has since the beginning of the #MeToo movement, that he never assaulted or raped anyone.

“I just want to say something very clearly: I believe women should be heard,” he said. “But I’m wrongfully convicted, you know what I mean? … Justice demands a clear, honest look at each case. And I am here for fairness and the truth.”

Weinstein said he made mistakes that hurt his family and friends, “but I did not commit these crimes. I swear that before God and the people watching now and on my family, I’m wrongfully accused. But justice has to know the difference between what is immoral and what is illegal.”

He also thanked Joe Rogan, who has recently begun to agree with Owens that Weinstein’s accusers all had something to gain by sleeping with him, then jumping onboard when he was accused publicly.

“Evidence has to matter. I’ve lost everything, you know what I mean. I’ve lost everything a man can lose, but still the truth matters. I’ve been condemned of crimes I did not commit. I understand why people want someone to blame, but I am telling the truth.”

Weinstein says while Hollywood has fully abandoned him, “the friends that stayed with me were my friends that I grew up with. The people that I knew before I was famous, before I had power. The people in my life who were steadfast all through my life were the ones who remain loyal.”

Harvey bemoaned that the media has been “obsessed” with his relationship to Gwyneth Paltrow, admitting that he “made a pass” at her, but swearing he never touched her.

“It’s a complete fabrication, you know, about my relationship with Gwyneth,” Weinstein said. “You know, I’m going to talk about it and just say that I had a meeting with her. … At the end of the meeting we had a glass of champagne. As I was walking out the door, I said to her, ‘I’d love you to give me a massage.’ And she went [dismissively], ‘Yeah.’ And, you know, that was it. I didn’t put my hand on her. I didn’t touch her. I definitely made a pass, I guess. You know, you could call it that. But that was the sum total of that situation.”

Weinstein recounted the oft-told story of how Brad Pitt, her boyfriend at the time, called him: “Brad, very manly, very cool, just said, ‘Don’t do that again.’ And that was that.” Paltrow and Weinstein went on to make 11 movies together and turned into “total friends.”

“And now I heard, you know, that she thought the relationship was abusive,” Weinstein said. “There’s pictures of her hugging me when I was sick, when I was sick and in the hospital and didn’t think I was going to make it in 1999. … In her Academy Awards speech, she thanks me.”

Watch the entire interview in the video above.

The post Harvey Weinstein Gives Candace Owens First Interview in 8 Years From Prison: ‘I’m Angry at the System’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Diddy’s Ex-Assistant Says He Cleaned Up Baby Oil, Drugs and Gatorade From Hotel Rooms After ‘Freak-Offs’

George Kaplan, a one-time assistant to Sean “Diddy” Combs,” testified Wednesday about being charged with clean-up duty for the music mogul after his sex parties.

According to AP, Kaplan’s cleaning usually included baby oil, tossing bottles of alcohol and drugs, and making the room look like nothing happened. He said that the job fell to him over staff because “It was implied — protect his public image. I was keen on doing that.”

Bottles of baby oil, Gatorade,” Kaplan said as he listed things he’d cleaned from Diddy’s rooms. “Once brown crystalized powder on the counter of the bathroom sink.”

Kaplan worked for Combs from 2013-2015 and was not just tasked with cleaning up the mogul’s parties, but also preparing them. According to the testimony, he was sometimes called to deliver a “medicine bag” that contained both prescription and over-the-counter pills or even head out to buy ecstasy.

“As he grew to trust me more, he had me around more,” Kaplan said.

Combs did not just have his assistant picking up after his parties. Kaplan was also tasked with setting them up. Before he would arrive at a hotel – often under the alias Frank Black, a play on the nickname Frank White given to Biggie Smalls – Kaplan was given a bag of supplies he was expected to set up in the room.

“There was a bag. I unpacked it,” Kaplan testified. “Clothes, a speaker, a candle, Astroglide, baby oil, liquor.”

According to Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Gerard Gannon, investigators found items that were hallmarks of “freak-offs” including lubricants and dozens of bottles of baby oil.

Combs longtime girlfriend and R&B singer Cassie previously testified that Kaplan quit as an assistant after seeing the media mogul beat her. Kaplan’s testimony will continue Thursday followed by rapper and actor Scott Mescudi aka Kid Cudi.

The trial is expected to last at least eight weeks. Diddy, who has denied all allegations of sexual assault, is facing up to 15 years in jail for the combined charges, including racketeering.

The post Diddy’s Ex-Assistant Says He Cleaned Up Baby Oil, Drugs and Gatorade From Hotel Rooms After ‘Freak-Offs’ appeared first on TheWrap.

NBCUniversal Bids on MLB Rights Dropped by ESPN

NBCUniversal submitted a bid to take over the rights for a package of Major League Baseball games that have been dropped by ESPN, TheWrap has learned.

The offer from NBCUniversal to the MLB for the package, which includes both regular-season and postseason games, comes in a lower rate than ESPN has been paying, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal, which noted the bid was submitted earlier this month. Should the MLB accept the offer, MLB games will air Sunday nights on NBC beginning after the 2025 season, when ESPN will no longer air the games.

The move comes as NBCUniversal gears up to welcome back the NBA after more than two decades. NBA games are set to air on NBC for the entirety of Tuesday night primetime beginning this fall, and will also air exclusively on Peacock on Mondays, giving a peak at what could be in store should the deal with the MLB go through.

Representatives for NBCUniversal and MLB declined to comment on this story. ESPN did not respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

The news comes three months after the MLB and ESPN “mutually agreed” to end their partnership of more than 35 years at the end of the 2025 season as both parties opted out of the final three years of their contract, which is valued at $550 million per year.

A memo from baseball commissioner Rob Manfred explained that the league has “not been pleased with the minimal coverage that MLB has received on ESPN’s platforms over the past several years outside of the actual live game coverage.”

Likewise, ESPN said the decision was made by applying “the same discipline and fiscal responsibility that has built ESPN’s industry-leading live events portfolio as we continue to grow our audience across linear, digital and social platforms.” “As we have been throughout the process, we remain open to exploring new ways to serve MLB fans across our platforms beyond 2025,” the statement read.

The post NBCUniversal Bids on MLB Rights Dropped by ESPN appeared first on TheWrap.

‘The Studio’: Dave Franco Says Finale Cameo Was About Turning Up His Personality ‘to an Unbelievable Degree’

Note: This story contains spoilers from “The Studio” Episodes 9 and 10.

As soon as Dave Franco heard that Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen were working on a new show, he was in. But it wasn’t until after he filmed his first episode of “The Studio” that he begged to come back.

“It was a nice surprise that I got to be in a fake Ron Howard movie doing a crazy New York accent opposite Anthony Mackie,” Franco told TheWrap, referencing “Alphabet City,” the fake movie that appears in the Apple TV+ original. “From there, I had such a good time filming that first episode that I begged them to bring me back.”

That’s what brought Dave Franco to CinemaCon. As with every other element of “The Studio,” the comedy’s two-part finale is wild. After learning that Continental Studios is at risk of being sold to Amazon, studio head Matt (Rogen) becomes obsessed with creating the best presentation possible at CinemaCon, an annual convention where studios show off their wares. If Continental is poised to have its best year ever, surely it won’t be sold. Part of that impressive showing includes throwing the kickass party of Matt’s dreams. At first it’s perfect. But because Matt is almost chronically incapable of being cool, he accidentally messes up the drug dosage on his “old school Hollywood buffet” leading to this Hollywood head drugging his team, his biggest stars, his boss and himself.

Most of “The Presentation” follows the incredibly high Continental team as they try to prepare for this make-or-break event. That means wrangling Zoe Kravitz, finding their CEO (Griffin Mill, played by Bryan Cranston) and in general dealing with Dave Franco in one of the funniest performances of the actor’s career. When TheWrap likened Franco’s manic and drug-addled performance to “toxic positivity,” the actor noted, “That’s a very good way to put it.”

Dave Franco in “The Studio” (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)

“When we started filming those episodes, we were trying to hone in on how f–ked up I should play this. We quickly realized that the funniest version of it would be me being as optimistic and positive as possible to juxtapose where everyone else was at mentally,” Franco explained. “They’re all going through hell and extremely stressed out. Meanwhile, I’m just floating and having the greatest time of my life, which infuriates all of them.”

The realities of filming Episodes 9 and 10 added to the juxtaposition between Franco and the rest of “The Studio” cast. By the time Franco returned to set, the rest of the cast and crew had been filming for months and had been in Las Vegas for a while.

“I was popping in and coming in with slightly fresher energy. But I was just so happy to be there because I immediately recognized that they were making something very special,” he said. “So I think it was partially me being slightly more rested than them and then partially the nature of this role and knowing I had to bring my energy to 100 for every single take.”

Franco made it clear he’s not like the version of himself that appears in “The Studio,” a high maniac who uses magic to swindle violent criminal bosses. But just like every other celebrity cameo on the show, Franco’s characterization does come from a kernel of truth.

“I do think that they took the seed of my general positivity and amplified it to an unbelievable degree,” Franco said. “In general, I’m a pretty happy person who wants everyone around me to have a good time.”

As for all of those “Now You See Me” references in “The Presentation,” those weren’t Franco’s idea. Everything from plugging “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” in Franco’s recap to the idea that his character was using magic to cheat at poker was already written into the script before Franco rejoined “The Studio.”

“I thought it was fun,” Franco said. “My character in the ‘Now You See Me’ movies is very proficient when it comes to cards, so it felt like a natural marriage with the two. It’s also a nice promo for ‘Now You See Me 3,’ November 14.”

Returning to the heist franchise has been a highlight for the actor. “I’ve known this cast now for nearly 15 years, and we all genuinely adore each other. I don’t think there’s any set that I have more fun on, where I laugh more,” Franco said. “If audiences come out and see it, we will hopefully make these for the rest of my life and reunite with this cast every few years.”

“The Studio” is now streaming on Apple TV+.

The post ‘The Studio’: Dave Franco Says Finale Cameo Was About Turning Up His Personality ‘to an Unbelievable Degree’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Stephen Colbert Roasts Paramount Over Rumored $50 Million Trump Settlement, Offers to Defend Company for Same Amount | Video

Stephen Colbert bit the hand that feeds him during his monologue on Tuesday in a hilarious way, roasting Paramount Global — which owns “The Late Show” network CBS — over rumors it intends to settle Donald Trump lawsuit with a sky high payment.

What inspired Colbert’s commentary was a rumor, shared Monday night by CNN’s Jake Tapper, that Paramount Global could end up paying Trump as $50 million to settle the president’s baseless lawsuit. But before Colbert got to that point, he first talked about Trump’s larger attacks on press freedom, and the outlets who “capitulate” rather than stand up for themselves.

“I better be careful talking about this at all, because even talking about Trump’s Qatari jet can get you into trouble these days,” Colbert said during the monologue. “Just take ABC News. Last year, you may remember, Trump sued them for defamation after Trump claimed that George Stephanopoulos mischaracterized his sexual abuse of E Jean Carroll.”

Colbert then noted how ABC News parent company Disney settled with Trump by giving $15 million to Trump’s presidential library,” then joked “and to punish Stephanopoulos, Disney replaced him on this week with live action Stitch.”

“Now, emboldened by their folding,” Colbert said, pronouncing “folding” to rhyme with “embolden.” He then noted Trump’s threat over the weekend to sue Disney again for any negative coverage of the luxury jet Qatar offered to him as a gift, which included Trump bragging about the millions Disney paid him when it caved.

“You see Disney. This is what happens when you capitulate to an autocrat. He’s just gonna keep coming back for more,” Colbert said, adding, “thanks to this precedent, thanks to this terrible precedent, Trump thinks he can extort the media wherever and whenever they do something he doesn’t like, and that directly affects my beloved parent, conglomerate, Paramount.”

“You know, their slogan: Paramount. I don’t know. Maybe SpongeBob could fight a transformer on Star Trek?” Colbert joked.

Colbert then reminded his audience how Trump is suing Paramount over the 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris. “Legal experts say this is a nuisance lawsuit, widely seen as lacking legal merit,” Colbert said, joking, “that is also embossed on Rudy Giuliani’s business cards.”

“Now, at first, at first, CBS said they’d fight this frivolous lawsuit. But here’s the rub,” Colbert continued. “Paramount is in the process of being sold right now, and they need the Trump administration’s FCC to approve transferring the CBS broadcast license to the new owners, which, for vague reasons, they just haven’t done yet. And last night, Jake Tapper tweeted, a source close to negotiations, says Paramount CBS could settle with the President Trump for as much as 30 to $50 million.”

Colbert then noted the letter sent to Paramount Global majority shareholder Shari Redstone on Tuesday warning her a settlement could violate bribery laws, noting that “handing over a pile of cash to a president over a frivolous lawsuit to get your broadcast license approved sounds so shady.”

Then Colbert, with mock decisiveness, said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I am a proud company man, I love who I work for, and I will stand up against these scurrilous accusations that Paramount is engaged in corporate and political malfeasance… for the low price of $50 million.”

“Paramount, come on, let’s just talk turkey here. Daddy just wants to get his beak wet. You cut the check and zip,” he continued, miming zipping his mouth shut.

“I’m joking, obviously, satire, etc. I would, I would never take a bribe from CBS,” Colbert said, turning to another camera and hastily adding, “if Donald Trump outbids them! Because, Mr. President, I’m willing to testify on your side in this lawsuit for 50 million and $1.”

“And remember, remember, sir. This is not this is not a gift to me. It is a gift to the Stephen Colbert Presidential Library and pizzeria,” he added.

Watch the whole thing below:

The post Stephen Colbert Roasts Paramount Over Rumored $50 Million Trump Settlement, Offers to Defend Company for Same Amount | Video  appeared first on TheWrap.

Democratic Senators Warn Shari Redstone Settling Trump’s ’60 Minutes’ Lawsuit Could Be Criminal Bribery

Democratic senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden warned Shari Redstone on Tuesday that settling Donald Trump’s “60 Minutes” lawsuit in order to win approval for Paramount Global’s merger with Skydance Media could violate federal anti-bribery laws.

In a letter sent to Redstone dated May 19 and first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the trio said they were concerned “Paramount appears to be trying to settle a lawsuit that it has assessed as ‘completely without merit,’ and moderating the content of its programs in order to obtain approval of this merger.”

“Under the federal bribery statute, it is illegal to corruptly give anything of value to public officials to influence an official act,” the letter continued. “If Paramount officials make these concessions in a quid pro quo arrangement to influence President Trump or other Administration officials, they may be breaking the law.”

Read the full letter here.

The senators’ letter noted that Paramount Global previously dismissed the lawsuit as “completely without merit” and vowed to “vigorously defend” itself.

Then they asked Redstone address several related questions, among them if she still believes the case is without merit, if she or other company leaders have discussed settling in order to smooth things for the merger, of the company has forced changes on CBS News programming with that in mind, and if further such changes are coming.

The senators also wanted to know Paramount has policies for compliance with federal laws against public corruption and if it has planned any further concessions to Trump.

The senators cited as evidence for their concerns the increasing tumult at CBS news, which has effectively been in conflict with its parent company since Trump was elected for a second term. This included the resignation of CBS News president Wendy McMahon, who quit on Monday after 2 years on the job.

“It’s become clear the company and I do not agree on the path forward,” McMahon told employees, capping a tenure that saw increasing interference and public criticism from Redstone.

She followed former “60 Minutes’ executive producer Bill Owens, who quit in April, saying at the time that “my ’60 Minutes’ priorities have always been clear. Maybe not smart, but clear. Over the past months, it has also become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it.”

Trump is suing CBS News and Paramount Global for $20 billion over the “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris last year, a lawsuit experts have called a “sham”. Trump has baselessly accused the show of deceptively editing that interview. Since taking office, Trump’s FCC has also opened an investigation.

The news of the letter comes one day after Sanders, separately, urged Redstone to “not capitulate to Trump’s attack on a free press.” Sanders and Warren were also signatories to a letter sent on May 7 urging Redstone to fight the lawsuit.

The company has not announced a settlement, but on Monday, CNN’s Jake Tapper shared a rumor, per unnamed sources, that Paramount Global could end up paying Trump as $50 million to settle the lawsuit.

The letter demanded answers to a series of questions by June 2, such as:

Please describe any changes to Paramount’s mediation of 60 Minutes content made to facilitate approval of Paramount’s pending merger with Skydance. What other actions is Paramount taking to facilitate approval of its pending merger with kydance?Specifically, have Paramount officials discussed settling the lawsuit or making other concessions with President Trump or Trump Administration officials in the context of the merger approval?

The post Democratic Senators Warn Shari Redstone Settling Trump’s ’60 Minutes’ Lawsuit Could Be Criminal Bribery appeared first on TheWrap.

‘The Voice’ Season 27 Winner Revealed: Who Won the $100,000 Prize and Record Deal?

“The Voice” has found the winner of its 27th season.

During Tuesday’s finale, “The Voice” crowned its Season 27 winner as Adam David from coach Michael Buble’s team, who will take home a $100,000 cash prize as well as a record deal with Universal Music Group.

David was among the five finalists of “The Voice” Season 27, which also included Jadyn Cree, Renzo, Lucia Flores-Wiseman, Jaelen Johnston and Adam David.

Cree was part of Michael Bublé’s team alongside David, giving Bublé two singers in the finale, with coaches John Legend, Kelsea Ballerini and Adam Levine only had one singer each make it through to the finale. Renzo was on Legend’s team while Flores-Wiseman was on Levine’s team and Johnston was on Ballerini’s team.

Viewers voted for their pick to win Season 27 after seeing the top 5 finalists perform during the first part of the finale on Monday, May 19.

Beyond the finalists and the coaches — who all took the stage for special duets with their artists — “The Voice” finale saw performances from Alicia Keys, Blake Shelton, Chance the Rapper, Foreigner, James Bay, Sheryl Crow, Joe Jonas, Kelly Clarkson and Season 22 winner Bryce Leatherwood.

Keys was joined by Amanda Reid from Broadway’s “Hell’s Kitchen” to perform the TV debut of “The River”/”Empire State of Mind,” while Bay and Crow took the stage together for the debut TV performance of “You and Me Time.”

Shelton returned to “The Voice” stage for the first time since his final season in Spring 2023 to perform “Texas,” from his new album “For Recreational Use Only” and Leatherwood performed a song from his debut album, which was released on May 16.

Produced by MGM Television, Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon, and ITV Studios The Voice USA, Inc, “The Voice” is executive produced by John de Mol, who created the show, as well as Mark Burnett, Audrey Morrissey, Amanda Zucker, Kyra Thompson, Adam H. Sher and Barry Poznick. 

“The Voice” Season 26 is now streaming on Peacock, with the finale available starting Wednesday.

The post ‘The Voice’ Season 27 Winner Revealed: Who Won the $100,000 Prize and Record Deal? appeared first on TheWrap.

Lucas Museum Lays Off 14% of Staff to Make 2026 Opening: ‘Changes Were Needed’

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art — the still-under-construction project from George Lucas and wife Mellody Hobson — has laid off 15 full-time employees, or 14% of its staff, in effort to open as scheduled in 2026, the Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday.

Two people familiar with museum operations who spoke to the Times anonymously, described the layoff announcement last Thursday as “shocking and chaotic.” They were given until 2 p.m. to leave the premises and told their personal belongings would be sent to them later by courier. Seven part-time, on-call positions were also cut.

Among those whose positions were eliminated was Bernardo Rondeau, who had been hired as curator of film programs and had previously been the founding director of film programs at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

He posted about the news from the Cannes Film Festival, writing on LinkedIn: “As of today, my role as Curator, Film Programs at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has been made redundant, effective immediately. I’m deeply grateful for the time I’ve spent there and for the many talented people I’ve had the privilege to work with.” He noted he’ll be at the French film fest through May 22.

“As the Lucas Museum progresses as an institution from planning to implementing to opening, we have evaluated our current organizational structure and determined that changes were needed,” the Lucas Museum shared in a statement to TheWrap. “As a result of these decisions, last week, the museum eliminated 15 full-time roles and 7 part-time on-call roles (mostly from within the Learning & Engagement and Museum Services teams) and provided severance packages to all. It is a tremendously difficult decision to reorganize roles and to eliminate staff, but the restructure will allow the museum’s teams to work more efficiently to bring the museum to life for the public. The museum will also continue hiring new roles in strategic operational areas in anticipation of the 2026 opening.”

The statement continued: “Education remains a central pillar of the Lucas Museum. One of the main reasons Los Angeles’s Exposition Park was chosen as the location for the museum was its proximity to other museums, USC, and more than 400 schools in a five-mile radius. The importance of education for the museum can be seen by the educational spaces baked into the museum’s design from the beginning, including 10 large classroom spaces, a vast library, and two state-of-the-art theaters. Educational program plans are still in development, and we look forward to sharing more closer to opening.”

The museum first broke ground in Exposition Park in 2018. Supply-chain issues during the pandemic moved the originally planned opening from 2023 to 2025. In December, the opening date was moved once again to 2026.

The layoffs come after the April departure of the museum’s director and CEO Sandra Jackson-Dumont, who had spearheaded the project for five years. According to the Times, Lucas “did not seem engaged” in the education and public programming that Jackson-Dumont had planned.

When her exit was announced in February, the museum released a statement saying that her role would be split into two positions, with Lucas responsible for content direction and Jim Gianopulos, former chairman and CEO of 20th Century Fox and Paramount Pictures, stepping in as the interim CEO, in addition to an ongoing role as “Special Advisor to the founders.”

The museum, which is part of an 11-acre campus. was designed by architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects. The main 300,000-square-foot building will feature galleries, two state-of-the-art theaters, as well as spaces for learning and engagement, dining, retail and events.

The post Lucas Museum Lays Off 14% of Staff to Make 2026 Opening: ‘Changes Were Needed’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Bill Belichick’s Girlfriend Got HBO ‘Hard Knocks’ Doc Scrapped Over Creative Control, Ownership Stake Demands | Report

NFL films scrapped plans for a season of the documentary show “Hard Knocks” focused on former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick over escalating conflicts with Belichick’s girlfriend Jordon Hudson, the New York Times reported Tuesday.

That installment of the HBO series would have focused on Belichick’s first season as the head coach of the University of North Carolina. But just days before it was to be announced, the 24-year-old Hudson demanded partial ownership of the show as well as be given content approval. NFL Films also learned Hudson was engaged in negotiations with the production company EverWonder to create a similar docuseries.

In response, according to the New York Times, NFL films ultimately decided to cancel the project.

EverWonder did not respond to TheWrap’s request for comment. 

The scuffle is not the first time Hudson has made headlines. In April, when Belichick sat down for an interview with “CBS News Sunday Morning” to talk about football and his new book “The Art of Winning: Lessons from a Life in Football” Hudson also became a point of contention. His relationship with her took center stage after a seemingly innocent question (“How did you guys meet?”) was posed, Hudson abruptly cut into the interview and said off-camera, “We’re not talking about this.” 

Days later Belichick spoke out about the interview in a statement shared via his employers at UNC Chapel Hill and said, “I agreed to speak with ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ to promote my new book, ‘The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football.’ Prior to this interview, I clearly communicated with my publicist at Simon & Schuster that any promotional interviews I participated in would agree to focus solely on the contents of the book. Unfortunately, that expectation was not honored during the interview.”

You can read Belichick’s full statement below.

UNC football coach Bill Belichick has released a statement related to his viral CBS interview over the weekend: pic.twitter.com/rlUysaAggX

— Brendan Marks (@BrendanRMarks) April 30, 2025

TMZ previously reported the pair met on a flight in February 2021 when Hudson, who was born in March 2001, was 19. At the time, Belichick had been in a 16-year relationship with Linda Holliday.

Hudson has since become a prominent figure in Belichick’s life and entered into a number of partnerships with the former Patriots head coach. She has also listed on her LinkedIn that she is the chief operating officer of Belichick productions.

The post Bill Belichick’s Girlfriend Got HBO ‘Hard Knocks’ Doc Scrapped Over Creative Control, Ownership Stake Demands | Report appeared first on TheWrap.