Author: Ada Blood

Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), a labor union representing over 51,000 professional live theater actors/stage managers, has ceased issuing contracts for work on productions in development. This massive decision is due to stalled negotiations between the AEA and the Broadway League over contracts. In January, AEA started contract negotiations with the Broadway League. Unfortunately, the organizations could not agree and the contract expired on February 11th. “We never wanted it to come to this,” Stephen Bogardus, Equity Negotiating Team Chair, said in a statement. “But the wage package put across the table by The Broadway League was just plain unacceptable. Our…

In the summer of 1999, “The Blair Witch Project” became an inescapable cultural phenomenon. The independent film starred Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard. Despite being in one of the most profitable films ever that launched an entire horror sub-genre, the cast were barely scraping by financially.  25 years later, it seems that very little has changed in terms of them being compensated for their work. Casting Call & Contract In August 1997, writer-directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez placed an open call in Backstage under the working title, “The Black Hills Project,” via their Haxan Films production…

Prime Video’s hit show “The Boys” did a delightfully meta promotion for its recently launched 4th season. On June 14th, everyone’s favorite superhero/villain Homelander, did an Ask Me Anything (AMA) thread on Reddit. He spoke with his fellow patriots about everything from Jesus to OnlyFans, to what Jeffrey Epstein was like. Based on a comic book co-created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, “The Boys” follows a group of vigilantes who set out to take down corrupt superheroes who abuse their powers. Homelander (Antony Starr) runs a group of superheroes called The Seven, owned by Vought International. His leadership style…

After last year’s “Blue Beetle” movie underperformed at the box office, fans thought it was over for Jaime Reyes’ adventures. However, Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios haven’t given up on our favorite arthropod, as a new animated series is currently in development. The Creative Team The project has been in the works since earlier this year with Miguel Puga (“The Casagrandes”) set as showrunner and director. The script for the series will be handled by Cristian Martinez (“Women of the Movement”). Angel Manuel Soto and Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, director and screenwriter of the 2023 film, will executive produce with John…

Listen up, brother! Legendary hall of fame wrestler Hulk Hogan is getting into the beer business. The Hulkster’s new brew is fittingly christened Real American Beer. Just in case you didn’t know what demographic he was trying to appeal to. On June 13th, Hogan posted “Bringing America together one beer at a time, with Real American Beer. Coming to a city near you ?,” to Instagram. The post has a video of him promoting it by making an appearance at another American staple, a Hooters restaurant. The new beer is described as “American-made easy-drinking light lager.” It’s brewed with “100%…

In May of this year, seafood chain Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy. Shortly thereafter, an unlikely hero rushed to its aid. Personality Flavor Flav announced that he went to a location and ordered the entire menu to help save the restaurant. This helped kick off an avalanche of online support with the hashtag SaveTheBiscuits. Flav is now teaming up with the company to announce the return of Crabfest! “We love seeing our fans show up and rally for us, so when Flavor Flav reached out, we answered the call and invited him to join us in reminding fans we’re here…

In 2017, Warner Bros. Pictures (WB) announced they were developing an animated movie based on the DC Comics title, “Watchmen.” Since then, there has been very little information outside of another announcement at San Diego Comic-Con in 2023, giving it a 2024 release window and an R-rating.  On June 13th, DC and WB surprised everyone by dropping a trailer for the two-part film out of nowhere. Even though the trailer doesn’t give us much to go on, it does open with Rorschach narrating about the death of fellow superhero, The Comedian. So we think it’s safe to assume at least…

MGM+ is adapting Stephen King’s 2019 novel “The Institute” into a limited-run series. Mary-Louise Parker (“Weeds”) and Ben Barnes (“Shadow and Bone”) will star in the thriller. The Plot “The Institute” will run for eight episodes. The plot centers around a yet-to-be-cast 12-year-old genius named Luke Ellis. Luke is kidnapped and wakes up in a facility known only as The Institute, full of kids who were abducted. All of these kids also possess unusual abilities.  The facility is run by a charming but iron-willed Ms. Sigsby (Parker), a true believer in its awful mission. Meanwhile, in a nearby town, haunted…

Competitive eater Joey Chestnut has been barred from participating in Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest. This took many by surprise since he has won 16 times in a row since 2016. But fear not! For Chestnut will gorge again, in a face-off against rival competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi. (Who is actually coming out of retirement for this.) The showdown between the two competitive eating all-stars has been dubbed “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef,” and will stream live on Netflix in September. What Happened With Nathan’s? Major League Eating (MLE) announced Chestnut’s ban on June 12th claiming it …

On June 11th, 1933, the late great Jerome Silberman was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The world would eventually know him better as Gene Wilder. He starred in movies like “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” “Stir Crazy,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein,” “The Producers,” and many other classics.  In honor of what would have been his 91st birthday, Netflix has added 2023 documentary “Remembering Gene Wilder” to their streaming service. Ron Frank directs the film, which features interviews with friends and colleagues like Mel Brooks, Alan Alda, Peter Ostrum, and Carol Kane. Wilder’s widow, Karen Boyer, who was married to him…