Britt Hayes is a writer, movie lover, and sensible sweater enthusiast living in Austin, Texas. She watches too much TV and never eats her vegetables.
Britt Hayes
Warner Bros. Cuts Ties With Brett Ratner as Rape Accusation Surfaces
Brett Ratner is the latest in a handful of powerful Hollywood men accused of sexual harassment and assault in the wake of extensive allegations against former executive Harvey Weinstein. Following yesterday’s damning revelations about Brett Ratner and his alleged history of harassing and / or assaulting Olivia Munn, Natasha Henstridge and others, the producer tried to get out ahead of an inevitable break with Warner Bros. — which has a first-look deal with Ratner’s RatPac banner. But WB has gone further, officially severing ties with Ratner, who has filed a libel suit against another woman accusing him of rape.
Disney Reveals Full ‘Lion King’ Live-Action Voice Cast
As usual, Disney waited until late afternoon to make a major announcement, but it’s always nice to end the day with some awesome news. Today, it’s the full voice cast ensemble for The Lion King, Jon Favreau’s live-action (-ish) reimagining of the studio’s animated classic — and perhaps the most exciting project on their upcoming (and growing) slate of live-action remakes.
Some Theaters Are Refusing to Show ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’
While Disney and Lucasfilm are preparing to unleash Star Wars: The Last Jedi in theaters on December 15, some theater owners aren’t feeling the Force — specifically, the demands Disney has in place for screenings and their cut of the profits. Although most moviegoers in larger markets with bigger theaters won’t have to worry about missing out on the next chapter in the Star Wars saga, fans in smaller cities might get burned.
Dustin Hoffman Accused of Sexual Harassing Former Production Assistant in 1985
Brett Ratner isn’t the only Hollywood heavyweight whose history of alleged sexual misconduct was exposed today. Around the same time that The LA Times published their extensive report on Ratner, The Hollywood Reporter ran a guest column from Anna Graham Hunter, an author and former production assistant who alleges that Dustin Hoffman sexually harassed and forcibly groped her on the set of a 1985 TV film.
Jamie Lee Curtis Teases ‘Halloween’ Reunion With a Spooky New Photo
Few celebrities are able to get into the Halloween spirit like Jamie Lee Curtis, the star of the classic horror franchise named after the holiday itself. Sure, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Se7en costume this year was inspired, and LeBron James makes for a fantastic Pennywise, but you really can’t top Jamie Lee Curtis posing with iconic boogeyman Michael Myers for a new Halloween teaser photo…on Halloween.
‘Blade Runner 2049’ Was Originally Four Hours Long and Split Into Two Parts
163 minutes is a pretty intimidating runtime for casual viewers, which partially accounts for the underwhelming box office returns on Blade Runner 2049. If you hesitated to commit to a visually ambitious sci-fi epic that’s almost three hours long, then a four-hour sci-fi epic might be out of the question (at least until it arrived on Blu-ray). But that was almost the case with Blade Runner 2049; according to the editor of Denis Villeneuve’s sequel to Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic, the first cut of the film was much longer, and may have required repeat visits to the theater.
Weekend Box Office: ‘Jigsaw’ Scares Off ‘Boo 2!’ With a Weak Halloween Opening
Jigsaw may have won the weekend, but don’t count on a full revival of Saw just yet. Although you’d think audiences would be flocking to the theater for a few pre-holiday thrills, this Halloween weekend was incredibly weak overall. Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! and Geostorm round out the top three at the box office, but low grosses make these “wins” feel more like consolation prizes just for showing up.
You Can Watch the Terrifying Opening Scene From ‘IT’ Right Now
IT is the biggest horror film of the year, and if you still haven’t seen Andy Muschietti’s surprisingly great adaptation of Stephen King’s classic novel (doubtful, you’re smart people), then perhaps the opening scene from the movie will persuade you…or maybe it’ll just reinforce your decision to stay the heck at home in your comfy, cozy, sewer clown-free environment. Beep beep!
Michael Bay Is Producing a ‘Dora the Explorer’ Movie
Hi, friends! Can you tell us where the Dora the Explorer movie is hiding? Did you say, “In Michael Bay’s bank account”? Very good! …But also: What?! Michael Bay, purveyor of glistening biceps, incomprehensible robo-action and explosives, is producing a a live-action (emphasis on ACTION, am I right) movie based on the popular animated series. You know, for kids.
What’s Leaving Netflix: November 2017
Alright, you know the drill: Just as the Netflix lords giveth, so too must they taketh away — which is to say that as dozens of new movies and TV shows hit the streaming service next month, several will be making their exit…possibly for good. November’s expiring titles include a handful of Wachowskis faves (including The Matrix trilogy), Twilight (sorry, YA lovers), Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, and all nine seasons of How I Met Your Mother.