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Some genuinely wild names brushed by the Millennium Falcon during George Lucas's search for the right Han Solo in "Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope." In another timeline, that scruffy-looking nerf herder could've had the appearance of Al Pacino, Bill Murray (who almost became Batman as well), Christopher Walken, Jack Nicholson, or even "Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer, who once found himself auditioning to portray the hotshot pilot. But before Lucas looked to a very lucky carpenter for the job, an already established young star named Kurt Russell got a call to come in and try visiting a galaxy far, far away. Decades later, Russell's audition for the movie is now available to watch and provides excellent insight into the Solo we could've had.

Taking a look back at the breadth of Russell's acting career, there's no doubt that the charm and swagger needed for Han Solo was in there somewhere.

The tears were flowing on Monday’s (November 25) episode of The Voice as Jeremy Beloate delivered an emotional performance that had Reba McEntire and Snoop Dogg openly crying. As the second round of Playoffs got underway, Team Snoop’s Beloate took to the stage to perform “The Impossible Dream (The Quest),” the song best known from the 1965 Broadway musical Man of La Mancha. His powerful rendition earned high praise from the coaches. Beloate’s former coach, Michael Bublé, said, “The fact you could sing a song like that and make it yours… that is one of my favorite performances so far.” Fellow coach Gwen Stefani added that she loved Beloate with Bublé, “but this weirdo combo [with Snoop] is working. It’s so beautiful. You’re such an amazing singer.” When it came time for McEntire’s feedback, the Queen of Country fought back tears as she told Beloate, “I haven’t...

Tonight on “The Voice,” the Playoffs continued with performances from Team Reba McEntire and Team Snoop Dogg. In this round of the competition, each coach must narrow down their team of five to only two artists with the help of a “playoff advisor.” Helping out Snoop and his team is Olympian Simone Biles and assisting Reba with her team is country artist Lainey Wilson. Rapper Mgk advised Gwen Stefani in “The Playoffs Premiere” on Nov. 19. Performances from Team Michael Buble will be showcased in the Nov. 26 episode.

In Team Reba rehearsals, Lainey felt honored to be able to hone the skills of other artists in the same way that she feels she was taught by her own mentors like Reba. She thought Adam Bohanan “had a lot of soul” and told him he can “get sexy on ’em” earlier in the song because it took too long for her to...

Monday’s episode of The Voice turned Reba McEntire and Snoop Dogg’s swivel chairs into hot seats as they were called upon to cut their teams of five singers each to just two apiece. And no amount of guidance from advisers Lainey Wilson or Simone Biles would make their decisions any easier — or, in Snoop’s case, make any more sense. Read on, and we’ll discuss what went down.

Team Reba

More from TVLineThe Voice Recap: Et Tu, Michael Bublé? The Playoffs Deal Out One Last Crushing BlowDancing With the Stars Finale: Who Will Win Season 33? And Who Should?...

The playoffs are in full swing on The Voice Season 26 as all four coaches have to whittle their teams down to just two contestants. On Monday’s (November 22) show, Snoop Dogg will have to choose the best two of his five remaining contestants, and in TV Insider’s sneak peek clip, it’s clear Jeremy Beloate isn’t going out without a serious fight. In this exclusive first look at his performance, Beloate leaves absolutely nothing on the table by performing “The Impossible Dream (The Quest),” which was first popularized by the Broadway musical Man of La Mancha but has since been memorably performed by legends like Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Robert Flack, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, and even Jennifer Hudson on The Voice UK. Beloate’s signature baritone voice is an instant match for the weighty show tune, and his note reach throughout the difficult number has coach Snoop dancing in celebration,...

Jon Davison, the lead singer of the legendary progressive-rock band Yes since 2012, is firing back at a copyright-infringement lawsuit filed last week over the group’s 2021 single “Dare to Know.” In a lengthy statement posted on the band’s website today, Davison says the new legal claim from fellow prog-rock musician Riz Story — someone he says he previously considered a friend — is an “utterly fictitious” and “defamatory” attempt at a “shakedown.”

“While my initial reaction is to say nothing in the face of these blatant lies and this frivolous lawsuit,...

Kurt Russell was born to play a cowboy on the screen. After all, his old man, Bing Russell, starred in classics like "Gunsmoke" and "Bonanza," so one could argue that the Western genre has always been in his DNA. Unfortunately, horse operas were going out of style when Kurt landed a starring role on "The Quest" in 1976, a one-season wonder that NBC canceled after 15 episodes due to poor ratings.

Created by Tracy Keenan Wynn, "The Quest" sees Russell and Tim Matheson play Morgan and Quentin Beaudine, a pair of long-lost brothers who reunite to search for their long-lost sister in the wild frontier. The siblings couldn't be more different, as Morgan was raised by a Cheyenne tribe and only knows the Wild West, while Quentin is a doctor who grew up in San Francisco, making him quite unaccustomed to the rough-and-tumble cowboy lifestyle. However, their quest to find their sister,...

A new lawsuit alleges members of the legendary progressive rock band Yes used a composition stolen from fellow prog-rock musician Riz Story as the basis for “Dare to Know,” the second single off Yes’ 2021 album The Quest.

The copyright infringement complaint, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles and obtained by Rolling Stone, alleges Jon Davison, the lead singer of Yes since 2012, conspired with guitarist Steve Howe to pilfer protected portions from a song titled “Reunion.” While “Reunion” hasn’t been released as a standalone song, it was featured in A Winter Rose,...

Jack Jones, the singer and actor best-known for performing the famed “Love Boat” theme song, has died, his family confirmed. He was 86.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Jones’s stepdaughter Nicole Whitty said that Jones died after fighting Leukemia for the past two years.

Jones was born into a family of performers, the son of actress Irene Harvey and the actor-singer Allan Jones. He won two Grammys in the early Sixties for vocal performance on his songs “Lollipops and Roses” and “Wives and Lovers.” The artist was nominated five times in total,...

This side of "Star Trek" or "Doctor Who," it's hard to find a sci-fi TV show that had a more successful run than "Stargate Sg-1." The series, which is based on Roland Emmerich's 1994 movie "Stargate," ran for 10 seasons and more than 200 episodes, even switching networks along the way. For the actors involved, it was the sort of steady paycheck that is hard to come by in Hollywood. So, does Kurt Russell have any regrets about not reprising his role as Jack O'Neill? It sure doesn't sound like it.

In a 2006 interview with Dark Horizons, Russell was asked if he would like to return to the world of television in relation to the success of "Stargate Sg-1." The actor, who had previously starred in shows such as "The New Land" and "The Quest," made it crystal clear that he was far more interested in movies -- at least at that...

Exclusive: Young up-and-comers Levi McConaughey and Ava Torres (Match Me If You Can) have landed supporting roles in Way of the Warrior Kid, Apple and Skydance’s youth empowerment tale, based on the novel by Jocko Willink.

The duo’s roles are under wraps. As previously announced, Chris Pratt, Linda Cardellini and Jude Hill lead the cast, with the latter tackling the title role.

Written by Will Staples, with McG aboard to direct, Way of the Warrior Kid follows a self-doubting boy (Hill) who gets bullied and is hard-pressed to complete a single pull-up. That’s until his uncle Jake (Pratt), an elite Navy Seal, is injured on a mission and moves in with his sister (Cardellini) for rehab. When he discovers his 13-year-old nephew, Marc, is struggling academically, socially and physically, Jake takes on a new mission: using his Seal Team training over three months of summer to help...

Kurt Russell's most memorable character from his long history on the big screen, which stretches all the way back to when Walt Disney was still alive, is probably Snake Plissken from John Carpenter's classic sci-fi action movie "Escape from New York". But in an alternate universe, it could have been Han Solo or Luke Skywalker. 

A few years before Snake Plissken came along, Russell was one of many actors who auditioned for the "Star Wars" roles that would eventually make Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford huge stars. However, George Lucas couldn't figure out which role he like Russell in better. With another job opportunity on the table to star in a Western TV series called "The Quest," Russell opted not to wait around for Lucas to make up his mind, withdrew from consideration, and the rest is history. But it would seem "Star Wars" still lingers in the back of Kurt Russell's mind.

Derrick Kosinski knows a few things about winning multiple eliminations and competing in finals on MTV’s The Challenge.

The Og initially appeared on Road Rules and later won three seasons of MTV’s competition series. He returned to compete in the first three seasons of the All Stars spinoff.

Derrick reached the final in that first season but was eliminated during the event’s first leg due to struggles steering a kayak or canoe.

While he’s not part of the All Stars 4 cast, he and Challenge Mania podcast host Scott Yager have been reviewing the season.

They recently highlighted the show’s eight finalists, which Episode 11 revealed, with Derrick praising a former All Stars castmate.

He shared that he felt that individual could become a more worthy All Stars winner than Yes Duffy in Season 1.

Derrick praises his former All Stars castmate as finalist

One of the eight...

One of the most iconic movie scenes of all time is the terrifying opening of Steven Spielberg’s horror classic Jaws, wherein a young female swimmer is ruthlessly devoured by the film’s killer shark during a solo night swim. That swimmer was Susan Backlinie, forever immortalized on the silver screen as the ill-fated Chrissie Watkins in one of the greatest movies ever made.

We are saddened to learn that Susan Backlinie has passed away at the age of 77.

An actress and stuntwoman, Susan Backlinie appeared in a handful of movies in the wake of her unforgettable big screen debut in Jaws, including The Grizzly & the Treasure (1975), Two-Minute Warning (1976), A Stranger in My Forest (1976), Day of the Animals (1977), 1941 (1979), The Great Muppet Caper (1981), and Catalina C-Club (1982). She also appeared in episodes of “The Quest,” “Quark” and “The Fall Guy,” in addition to working as a stunt performer for the 1979 movie...

Susan Backlinie, who played the first shark attack victim in Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws,” has died. She was 77.

Backlinie died Saturday morning at her California home due to a heart attack, Convention All Stars owner Sean Clark confirmed to Variety. The former actor and stuntwoman was one of the company’s clients.

Backlinie was best known for her role as Chrissie Watkins in “Jaws,” who is dragged to her death by a killer shark in the 1975 film’s iconic opening scene. Backlinie specialized in swimming work as a stunt performer.

Contrary to widespread belief, Backlinie’s screams of anguish in the “Jaws” opening scene were not due to her being injured by the harness that jerked her back and forth. However, no one warned Backlinie when she would be pulled underwater in order to get a genuine reaction from her.

Variety‘s “Jaws” review said of the shark attack sequences:...

Many fans would recognize Kurt Russell from Guardians of the Galaxy as Ego the Living Planet, but did you know that he almost joined the Star Wars franchise? Rumors say that he was offered a role, and he declined it, a statement the actor firmly debunked.

Kurt russell as Ego the Living Planet in Guardians of the Galaxy

It would be intriguing, though, to imagine Russell in Star Wars playing Han Solo or Luke Skywalker, both parts he actually auditioned for. Perhaps it was not really for him because the circumstances at that time were not in his favor.

Kurt Russell Almost Teamed Up With George Lucas On Star Wars

During a conversation with The Daily Beast, actor Kurt Russell shared that he tried for both Han Solo and Luke Skywalker parts, but at the same time, another potential project was also lined up for him.

Suggested“It’s flying...

Barbara O. Jones, the admired actress who emerged from the L.A. Rebellion movement of Black filmmakers at UCLA in the 1970s to star in Haile Gerima’s Bush Mama and Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust, has died. She was 82.

Jones died Tuesday at her home in Dayton, Ohio, her brother, Raymond Minor, told The Hollywood Reporter.

“Rest In Peace & Power,” Dash wrote on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julie Dash (@dash_julie)

For Gerima, Jones portrayed an imprisoned woman fighting for social justice in the 36-minute short film Child of Resistance (1973) — the character was inspired by activist Angela Davis — and a welfare recipient in Watts who undergoes an ideological transformation in the filmmaker’s feature debut, Bush Mama (1979). Both films were made at UCLA.

Jones starred as a Ugandan nun questioning her faith in Dash’s 13-minute student film Diary of an...

The Western is a genre that's mostly gone by the wayside in recent decades, as portraits of straight-shooting American heroes and uncomplicated "bad guys" have become less digestible to the public. While popular neo-Westerns (like "Justified" or the works of Taylor Sheridan) and perspective-changing genre breakdowns have made a splash in recent yers, the genre has mostly died out. Of the relics that remain, few are as prolific and familiar as "Bonanza," a Western series that ran for an impressive 14 seasons on NBC in the '60s and '70s.

As a long-running TV series, "Bonanza" was able to chart the change — or stubborn lack thereof — within the genre and the country, frankly addressing topics like racism and bigotry while also delivering regular laughs and a dash of melodrama to loyal viewers. The series starred Lorne Green as widower Ben Cartwright and Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts, and Michael Landon as Ben's three sons.

It’s Eternal Sunshine season. Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this week. Now, for the first time, Mac Miller’s deep cut “The Quest,” which samples the score Jon Brion crafted for the film, is widely available on streaming services.

“The Quest” was previously only shared as a bonus track on the 10th anniversary edition vinyl for Watching Movies With the Sound Off, released by the late musician’s estate in 2023. It features the instrumental “Phone Call” from the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind...

Ahead of the first episode dropping on March 19, the podcast Black Velvet Fairies has been officially announced with an audio trailer this afternoon, and you can listen below.

Black Velvet Fairies comes from Mike Monello, Gregg Hale, and Eduardo Sanchez, the minds behind the found footage horror classic The Blair Witch Project.

From podcast publisher Prx, Black Velvet Fairies is the audio diary of Lucy Verdell, a woman whose grandmother leaves her four black velvet paintings of fairies. But not twinkly, little sprites – these are grim warriors, kings and queens.

As she investigates her family’s history with the artwork, disturbing dreams and unexplained encounters pull Lucy toward a dark and dangerous fairy world that some believe is real.

Black Velvet Fairies will be available free on demand across all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Overcast, with new episodes of the 13-episode series released on...

If you’re like us here at Reel Action, you probably love martial arts movies. And if you love martial arts movies, chances are, you are a fan of Mark Dacascos. And if you’re a fan of Mark Dacascos, then you probably know the movie, Only the Strong. Only the Strong is the best Jean-Claude Van Damme movie that Van Damme never starred in. In fact, if you look at the director’s filmography, he had a successful collaboration streak with Jcvd that led to Only the Strong. However, the movie actually fares better without him, because it features a star-making turn by the unanimously perceived underrated martial arts actor Mark Dacascos. Add in the teacher-savior plot and an introduction to a unique brand of martial art and you have an incredibly fun way to spend 90 minutes. We talk Only the Strong on this entry of Reel Action.

The...

Prepare for an underwater adventure like no other as “Spear Life” returns with Season 5, Episode 6, titled “The Quest for Giant Megalodon Teeth.” Airing on Outd at 6:30 Pm on Monday, February 5, 2024, this episode promises an exciting blend of spearfishing and treasure hunting in the depths of the ocean.

In this installment, the Spear Life Crew is back in North Carolina, and they are gearing up for their favorite pastime – spearfishing. However, there’s an added twist to the expedition this time. While they’re always on the lookout for the thrill of spearfishing, they also have their sights set on a more ancient treasure – giant Megalodon teeth hidden on the ocean floor.

Viewers can expect a thrilling and suspenseful journey as the crew dives into the depths, exploring the underwater world in search of these prehistoric relics. The hunt for Megalodon teeth adds a unique layer of excitement to their spearfishing adventure,...

Rod Holcomb, the Emmy-winning ER director, who also helmed episodes of Lost, China Beach, Wolf and The Six Million Dollar Man, has died. He was 80.

Holcomb passed away on Jan. 24 in Los Angeles, after battling a long illness, the Directors Guild of America shared on Friday.

“The DGA deeply mourns the passing of Rod Holcomb — a visionary director whose impact on television direction and the creative rights of television directors cannot be overstated,” DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter said in a lengthy statement. “Rod’s influence as a pilot director on shows like China Beach and ER among many others, resonated deeply with directors and audiences alike, leaving a cultural imprint. His pioneering use of Steadicam and other techniques brought a more cinematic style to television, helping establish a visual aesthetic that continues today.

She continued, “Yet his legacy stretches far beyond the lens. By dedicating himself to guild service...

Continuing their alliance into 2024, Eo Media, led by Ezequiel Olzanski and Spi International, a Canal+ company, have secured all rights for Latin America, including Brazil, to a star-stacked slate of movies from topline talent such as Keanu Reeves, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Michael Shannon and fanbase stalwart Jean-Claude Van Damme.

As star talent continues to mark apart titles in a crowded marketplace, the new nine-pic distribution lineup also features Alec Baldwin, Diane Keaton.

Eo Media and Spi International’s expanding film catalog now includes “Cold Deck,” headed by Alec Baldwin and Tom Welling, alongside indie “A Little White Lie,” starring Kate Hudson and Michael Shannon, and “The Upside” with Bryan Cranston, Nicole Kidman, and Kevin Hart, a standout in the movie.

Additionally, the lineup takes in the family fayre “Secret Kingdom,” helmed by Matt Drummond. Rounding out the diverse offerings is an intense and bearded Guy Pierce in horror thriller “Sunrise,...

Kurt Russell's Bone Tomahawk plays like a stealth remake of John Wayne's The Searchers. Russell previously starred in TV Western The Quest, itself an unofficial Searchers riff. Bone Tomahawk shows the violence that was impossible to depict in Wayne's The Searchers.

A Kurt Russell Western from 2015 is a secret remake of John Wayne's The Searchers. While the genre itself was largely out of fashion during his movie star heyday, Kurt Russell has still become a Western icon of sorts. This is largely thanks to playing Wyatt Earp in 1993's Tombstone, which has become a classic over the years. In 2015, he returned to the genre once again with The Hateful Eight, which was Quentin Tarantino's dark Western about a group of violent strangers trapped together in a snowy cabin.

Even the likes of Russell's sci-fi actioner Soldier is a Western in disguise, with the story being a thinly veiled riff on Shane.

October is around the corner and it is time to see what the folks at Legend have in store for viewers next month.    There will be two helpings of Jean-Claude Van Damme next month with The Quest and Universal Soldier: Regeneration. There is also a double dose of Kevin Bacon next month in Sleepers and The River Wild.    Adam Wingard's The Guest, which helped launch the careers of Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe, airs on Halloween night.    Do not forget the Vintage Vault programs that feature multiple films from horror icons like Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.    Legend reveals exciting slate of horror & action premieres for October 2023   Watch out for plenty of star-studied thrills and spills on Legend,...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Prey will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Uhd on October 3, providing viewers with the option to own the film outright and ensuring its accessibility even if it gets removed from streaming. The home video release comes with bonus features, including behind-the-scenes videos, deleted scenes, and an audio commentary, offering an immersive experience that can't be obtained through streaming. Despite recent streaming platform purges, Prey is unlikely to be removed from Hulu due to its critical acclaim and status in the Predator franchise, making it a reliable option for streaming or physical copies.

Prey director Dan Trachtenberg is celebrating the upcoming home video release of the latest Predator film, saving the movie from possible streaming removal danger. Taking place in 1719, Prey sees Comanche warrior Naru (Amber Midthunder) trying to protect her people from an alien Predator that's come to Earth to hunt. The installment has received critical acclaim, with...

Following the cancellations of ABC’s “Alaska Daily” and “The Company You Keep” in May, both series are being pulled off Hulu as part of Disney’s ongoing review and removal of content in an effort to cut costs.

The shows, which were initially set to remain on the streamer until September, will now be removed next month. However, they will still be available through iTunes and Amazon.

Other impacted shows include the Rashida Jones comedy “Angie Tribeca,” NBC’s “Blindspot,” Samantha Bee and Jason Jones’ “The Detour” and TNT’s “The Last Ship,” which will be removed on July 1.

Also Read:

Disney+ and Hulu Content Purge Underway as ‘Willow,’ ‘Dollface’ and More to Be Removed

The latest wave of titles follows the removal of Disney+’s “Willow” and “Big Shot” and Hulu’s “Dollface” and “Y: The Last Man,” which were removed on May 26.

Other departing Disney+ titles include “The Mysterious Benedict Society,...

Mac Miller’s sophomore album Watching Movies With the Sound Off turned 10 this week, and in honor of its anniversary, the late rapper’s estate and Rostrum Records have released a special 10th anniversary edition of the LP.

Featured on the album now is the original version of opening track “The Star Room,” titled “The Star Room (Og Version).” Miller had previously shared this version on SoundCloud in 2014. It features a different beat than the take that appeared on the album and also does not feature Miller’s alter ego Delusional Thomas.

Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” doesn’t sound much like Ray Charles’ music. Despite that, the song was originally meant for Charles. During an interview, the song’s co-writer explained how Nancy Sinatra helped her father put out the track before Charles had the chance.

Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer The lyrics for Frank Sinatra’s ‘That’s Life’ were taken away from Ray Charles’ office

Dean Kay co-wrote “That’s Life.” According to his website, he tried to pitch the tune to Ray Charles at first. Instead, an unknown singer named Marion Montgomery recorded it first. Then, O.C. Smith took a crack at the song.

Sinatra heard Smith’s cover on the radio and wanted the track for himself. He asked his daughter, Nancy Sinatra, to get the rights to it. Kay felt that it would’ve been difficult to pitch a Charles-style song to Sinatra,...

Exclusive: Eva Larue, who played DNA analyst Natalia Boa Vista in CSI: Miami and Maria Santos on the soap opera All My Children, is turning her own experiences of being stalked into a pair of TV projects.

Larue and her family, including daughter Kaya Callahan, were stalked by James David Rogers for 12 years and he was sentenced to just over three years in prison as punishment for his crime last year.

She has now teamed with Toronto-based producer Forté Entertainment to develop both scripted and unscripted projects. My Nightmare Stalker will include a scripted series, premium documentary series and a returning factual spin-off program.

In more than three dozen graphic letters and countless voicemail messages, Rogers threatened Eva and Kaya, who was five when the stalking began and is now 21, relentlessly over the years, with letters being sent directly to Kaya, when she turned 13. Prosecutors, in a sentencing memorandum, called...

The American Idol season 21 finale was a celebration of music, featuring many special guest performers who took the stage with the Top 12 finalists. Iam Tongi was crowned the winner, while Megan Danielle was the runner-up, and Colin Stough placed third. The show kicked off with an energetic performance of "Jumpin" by Pitbull and Lil' Jon. They were then joined by the Top 12 finalists for an exciting rendition of "Give Me Everything." The three finalists competed with several impressive songs.

Throughout the American Idol season 21 finale, there were many treats for fans of all music genres. The Top 12 finalists joined judge Lionel Richie for a powerful performance of "Sail On." Finale mentor Keith Urban took the stage to sing his inspiring hit song, "Wild Hearts." On the 20th anniversary of their American Idol finale, season 2 winner Ruben Studdard and runner-up Clay Aiken sang a stunning version of "The Impossible Dream (The Quest...

Disney is going there, you guys.

As previously teased during the company's quarter one earnings call, the company is purging several titles from its streaming services, Disney+ and Hulu.

The practice has become common in recent months, with HBO Max leading the charge, wiping several projects from existence.

Undoubtedly, fans and creatives are struggling with the concept, but maybe some of the affected shows could show up elsewhere.

"We will be removing certain content from our streaming platforms and currently expect to take an impairment charge of approximately $1.5 to $1.8 billion," Disney's chief financial officer, Christine McCarthy, said during the earnings call.

Westworld, The Nevers, and other HBO fare popped back up on Fast services shortly after the controversial decision.

But for some shows, this could be the death knell that could be the difference whether new fans find them down the line.

Initially, people purchased physical media, and with the rise of streaming,...

Disney did a little (late) spring cleaning of its streaming services this week, removing several properties from Disney+ and Hulu. Among those that will go on May 26 include some high profile recent shows like “Willow,” “Y: The Last Man,” “Dollface,” and “The World According to Jeff Goldblum.” What makes this troubling for many home viewers who may have been fans (or even stans!) of the affected programs is that, in most cases, there are no Blu-ray/DVD options. In the old days you could always hit record on your Vcr to build a personal library, but it’s not so easy to capture material from streaming—and the whole point of streaming is not needing to do that, right?

As per The Verge, Disney’s cost-cutting is due to a reduction in Disney+ subscribers, to the tune of 4 million in 2023. While the company will have to pay a “content impairment charge” of over $1.5 billion,...

Disney will remove select series, movies, and specials from Disney+ and Hulu, The decision was initially announced on May 10th during a Disney earnings call, and the list of impacted titles has now been revealed. Among there are the recently released Willow sequel series, Y: The Last Man, Danny Boyle’s Sex Pistols series Pistol, and The World According to Jeff Goldblum.

“We are in the process of reviewing the content on our Dtc services to align with the strategic changes in our approach to content curation,” Disney CFO Christine McCarthy said during the call.

Other titles in the purge include the Turner & Hooch reboot, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Just Beyond, Diary of a Future President, The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Hot Zone, Maggie, and more. Check out the full list below.

Disney isn’t the first media entity to make a move like this — HBO Max removed...

Willow and Y: The Last Man are among the titles that Disney will be removing from Disney+ and Hulu. As the streaming industry continues to adapt, certain services have begun to pull content off their platforms, including their own original programming, as a way to cut costs. HBO Max used this strategy with the removal of Westworld, The Nevers, and a number of other popular series. It was recently confirmed that Disney would be taking the same approach with Disney+ and Hulu.

Deadline has now revealed that during a recent Disney earnings call, it was revealed which titles will be removed from Disney+ and Hulu on May 26. A number of well-received television series, movies, and making-of specials will be removed. On Disney+, this includes Willow, The Making of Willow, and The One and Only Ivan. On Hulu, this includes Y: The Last Man, The Quest, and Little Demon. See a...

Content reduction is underway at Disney, as dozens of series have will soon be removed from Disney+ and Hulu, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap.

Several titles, including Disney+’s “Willow” and “Big Shot” and Hulu’s “Dollface” and “Y: The Last Man,” will no longer be available to stream globally beginning May 26.

Impacted titles that will soon depart Disney+ include “The Mysterious Benedict Society,” “Big Shot,” Turner & Hooch,” “Willow,” “The Making Of Willow,” “Just Beyond,” “The World According To Jeff Goldblum,” “The One And Only Ivan,” “Timmy Failure,” “Be Our Chef,” “Magic Camp,” “Howard,” “Earth To Ned,” “Foodtastic,” “Stuntman,” “Disney Fairy Tale Weddings,” “Wolfgang” and “It’s a Dog’s Life With Bill Farmer.”

Likewise, Disney will remove Hulu titles “Pistol,” Dollface,” “The Quest,” “The Hot Zone,” “Y: The Last Man,” “Maggie,” “Little Demon,” “The Premise,” “Love In The Time Of Corona,” “Everything’s Trash,” “Best In Snow” and “Best In Dough.

Both Disney+ and Hulu will “pull an HBO Max” on Friday, May 26, and (not-so-)quietly remove dozens of shows from their respecting streaming libraries.

Disney’s chief financial officer, Christine McCarthy, gave a heads-up on the library edit during the company’s recent Q1 earnings call, saying, “We will be removing certain content from our streaming platforms and currently expect to take an impairment charge” — or, write-off — “of approximately $1.5 to $1.8 billion.”

More from TVLineWith Hulu's Limited-Time $2/Month Offer, Catch Up on Abbott Elementary, The Great, The Bear and MoreFuturama Revival Premiere Date SetTVLine Items: Selena on Food Network, Indiana Jones...

Add Disney+ and Hulu to the list of streamers whose complete slate of original shows and films is no longer guaranteed to be there the next time you go looking for it. According to Vulture, the Disney-owned streamers are set to remove some titles from their catalog as soon as next week. The list of titles includes the high-budget "Willow" sequel series, the Danny Devito-led animated series "Little Demon," and the highly-anticipated yet swiftly canceled comic adaptation, "Y: The Last Man," among others.

While this content purge follows in the footsteps of Warner Bros Discovery's much-criticized decision to make select titles disappear from streaming for tax reasons last year, Vulture reports that the Disney+ and Hulu titles are likely set to resurface elsewhere — a guarantee that HBO Max was slow to make when its content started to disappear. The two likely landing spots for the removed titles, per the outlet,...

Well, this is just depressing. It was reported last week that Disney would start removing content from their streaming services, and the first casualties have been revealed. The dozens of TV shows and specials from Disney+ and Hulu that will be removed on May 26th include Willow, Big Shot, Y: The Last Man, and many more. Considering that Willow premiered on Disney+ less than a year ago… it hurts.

Related Willow: Jon Kasdan wouldn’t say the series has been cancelled, it’s just on hiatus

Here is a list of a few of the titles that are being removed:

The Mysterious Benedict Society [Disney+] Big Shot [Disney+] Turner & Hooch [Disney+] Willow [Disney+] The Making Of Willow [Disney+] Just Beyond [Disney+] The World According To Jeff Goldblum [Disney+] Pistol [Hulu] Dollface [Hulu] The Quest [Hulu] The Hot Zone [Hulu] Y: The Last Man [Hulu] Maggie [Hulu] Little Demon [Hulu] The Premise [Hulu] Love In The Time Of Corona [Hulu] Everything’s Trash [Hulu] Best In Snow...

As expected, Disney is following Warner Bros. Discovery and removing under-performing titles from its streaming services in a bid to write off nearly $2 billion from its bottom line.

Scripted titles set to be removed from Hulu and Disney+ include FX’s Y: The Last Man, Pistol, Little Demon, Hulu-turned-Disney+ series Mysterious Benedict Society, Disney+’s Big Shot, The Mighty Ducks, Turner & Hooch, Willow and ABC-turned-Hulu comedy Maggie, as well as National Geographic’s The World According to Jeff Goldblum. In all, there are more than 30 shows that will be removed starting next week from the platforms in this first round of reductions. The titles, many of which are listed below, will vanish starting May 26. Sources say the programming could be made available elsewhere, like digital sell-through platforms, etc.

Disney CFO Christine McCarthy revealed last week on Disney’s earnings call that the company would be reviewing the TV series...

Updated with more titles being removed: Disney is starting to pull content from streaming, with dozens of series and specials slated to leave Disney+ and Hulu on May 26, Deadline has learned. The titles, which are being removed from Disney’s streaming services globally, include Disney+’s Willow, Big Shot, Turner & Hooch, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Just Beyond, Diary of a Future President, The Mysterious Benedict Society and The World According to Jeff Goldblum and Hulu’s Y: The Last Man, Dollface, The Hot Zone, Maggie, Pistol and Little Demon. A number of Freeform series also are slated to leave Hulu.

The list features largely short-lived series, specials and direct-to-streaming movies.

The move, which comes with a content impairment charge of $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion, was announced during the recent Disney earnings call on May 10.

“We are in the process of reviewing the content on our Dtc services to align...

American Idol introduced platinum tickets to honor season 20, but the coveted prizes seem to be causing more problems than they're worth. The American Idol judges, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan, give one talented recipient in each audition city the platinum ticket to indicate that they see a lot of potential in the contestant. It also gives each winner the privilege of skipping the first round of Hollywood Week. In season 20, they also had the advantage of choosing their duet partners during the second round. However, in season 21, everyone chose their own partners.

During American Idol season 20, HunterGirl, Jay Copeland, and Kenedi Anderson were given the platinum tickets. Kenedi withdrew from the competition for undisclosed reasons before the semifinals, while Jay placed in the Top 7. HunterGirl was the runner-up to winner Noah Thompson. In American Idol season 21, Tyson Venegas, Kaylin Hedges, and Cam Amen received platinum tickets, but the...

“American Idol,” the iconic series that revolutionized the television landscape by pioneering the music competition genre, is back for another season on ABC. Helping determine who America will ultimately vote for to become the next singing sensation are music industry forces and superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

Performing with a band for the first time, contestants sing their hearts out in their last chance to make it to America’s vote. In the “Final Judgment,” contestants face off with the judges sealing their fate for a spot in the Top 24. Follow along with our live blog for this episode airing Monday, April 10 (8:00-10:00 p.m. Edt) on ABC, below.

Contestants who advanced on Sunday night (in the order shown) were Kaeyra, Warren Peay,...

World sales agency Impronta Films has boarded “La Ricerca” (“The Quest”) ahead of its world premiere on April 24 at Visions du Reel, a documentary film festival in Switzerland. The film was written, directed, edited and produced by Giuseppe Petruzzellis. Nicolás Jaar composed the original score.

The film focuses on the Italian artist Luigi Lineri, who has been working continuously on “The Quest” over the last 60 years. It’s a one-of-a-kind installation made of thousands of stones. Pebbles resembling primitive flint tools and symbolic sculptures illustrate the turning points in humanity’s evolution.

Petruzzellis said in a statement: “Luigi’s masterpiece is a formidable tool to investigate universal themes. He has materialized a vast field of anthropological, philosophical and even political topics. Many of these contents are extremely actual and urgent, as, for example, our conflicting relationship with the ecosystem.

“Shaping the film structure, I built on top of these elements.

Updated with complete winners list: Oscar Best Picture nominee Elvis scored wins in both motion picture period make-up and hair styling categories Saturday at the 10th annual Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards.

The contemporary make-up team from fellow Best Pic Oscar nominee Everything Everywhere All at Once and the special make-up effects team behind The Whale also took top honors tonight in the ceremony at the Beverly Hilton, as did Black Panther: Wakanda Forever for its contemporary hair styling.

Angela Bassett received the Distinguished Artisan Award on Saturday

Tonight’s film winners are now vying for Oscar frontrunner status in the Make-up and Hair Styling category; Elvis, Black Panther and The Whale are nominated there this year along with All Quiet on the Western Front and The Batman. Elvis and Batman were triple Muahs nominees tonight.

On the TV side tonight, multiple winners include Pam & Tommy, The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special,...

“Elvis” took the crown at the 10th annual Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards, leading all films. Presented Saturday evening at the Beverly Hilton, the Baz Luhrmann spectacle in which hair and makeup helped transform Austin Butler into Elvis Presley at every stage of his illustrious career, won two awards in the five feature-film categories, for period and/or character make-up and period and/or character hair styling.

Other film winners included “Everything Everywhere All at Once” for contemporary make-up, “The Whale” for special make-up effects and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” for contemporary hair styling.

“Elvis,” “The Whale,” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” are all nominated for the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar, along with “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “The Batman.”

Since the Muahs Awards started up again after a hiatus in 2013, all but one Oscar winner for makeup and hair had previously won an award from the guild.

The Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild held its 10th annual awards ceremony Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” dominated the night with two wins for best period and/or character make-up and period and/or character hair styling. Best special make-up effects went to Adrien Morot, Kathy Tse and Chris Gallaher for “The Whale. Michelle Chung (Variety’s 10 artisans to watch recipient for hair and makeup) and the “Everything Everywhere All At Once” team took home the award for best contemporary make up, while the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” team won for best contemporary hair.

On the TV front, Hulu’s “Pam and Tommy,” “American Horror Story: Dollhouse” and “Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special” all took home awards.

Make-up artist D’Andre Michael and Muah winner Camille Friend presented the Distinguished Artisan Award to Angela Bassett.

Bassett told the room full of local 706 artisans,...

Gunsmoke aired on television from 1955 to 1975. One of the first TV Westerns geared toward adults, the show was a huge hit for CBS. It centered on Matt Dillon (James Arness), a U.S. Marshal in the frontier town of Dodge City, Kansas. Plenty of conflicts and criminals blew into town, and the marshall and his deputies dutifully handled them all. Dillon also had a friend and confidant in Miss Kitty Russell. Actor Amanda Blake portrayed the local saloon and bordello owner for 19 of the show’s 20 seasons.

But after her successful stint, the actor faced challenges, including health problems that ultimately killed her. What was Amanda Blake’s cause of death, and why did her friends tell everyone she died of throat cancer?

Miss Kitty was a pivotal character in ‘Gunsmoke’ Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell in ‘Gunsmoke’ | CBS via Getty Images

When Amanda Blake signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the late 1940s,...

Exclusive: Award-winning documentary editor Lindsay Utz is turning her attention to directing.

Utz, who edited 2020 Academy Award winner American Factory and this year’s Oscar contender Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, has signed a first-look deal with This Machine to direct her own documentary films. This Machine, an Industrial Media company, is headed by filmmaker R.J. Cutler, who directed the Billie Eilish doc.

Utz’s credits include cutting Miss Americana, the 2020 film about Taylor Swift, Bully (2011), and Quest, a 2017 doc that earned her the Cinema Eye Honors Award for Outstanding Achievement in Editing. She has earned a pair of Primetime Emmy nominations, for her work on American Factory and Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry.

Cutler’s many credits include directing the 2020 documentary Belushi, The September Issue (2009), The World According to Dick Cheney (2013), and producing the seminal 1993 documentary The War Room, about Bill Clinton’s run for president.