I know that I’ve sucked the last few weeks and have only managed to get out the pop culture roundup. For that I am sorry. The good news is that I managed to go to the movies twice over the weekend, so I’m hoping to end the week strong with some reviews. Of course, I thought that I’d have at least one review up already this week, so maybe don’t bet the farm on my promises. My word is usually my bond, but lately I’ve been in such a funk that while I have the best of intentions, my execution is a little lacking.
But let’s not focus only on the negative – at least you have the weekly pop culture roundup as a shining oasis in the otherwise barren blog, proof that I am in fact still alive and consuming pop culture. So I’ve got that goin’ for me, which is nice. Until I get around to reviewing Get Out and Logan, hopefully this will tide you over.
Television
- For the first time ever, the final four episodes of SNL this season will air live for the entire continental U.S. (sorry Alaska and Hawaii).
- SNL’s final four hosts will be Jimmy Fallon, Chris Pine, Melissa McCarthy, and The Rock.
- The Game of Thrones dragons will be “the size of 747s” for season six.
- Penelope Cruz will play Donatella Versace in American Crime Story.
- The Big Bang Theory has been renewed for two more seasons.
- The Good Fight has been renewed by CBS All Access.
- Master of None returns in May. Hooray!
- HBO renewed Crashing.
- AMC is marathoning themed Breaking Bad episodes to get people ready for the return of Better Call Saul.
- Legion renewed by FX.
- Netflix added 20 classic episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in advance of the upcoming reboot.
- Jane Lunch joins a NBC comedy pilot, playing a role that was originally written for a male actor.
- Nia Long to star in the ‘90’s Goldberg spin-off.
- Spike TV is planning a roast of Alec Baldwin.
- How to make cocktails from The Simpsons:
- RuPaul’s life will be the inspiration for a half-hour dramedy series produced by Bad Robot.
- Comedy Central has renewed Detroiters for a second season.
- Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig are the new hosts of The Great British Bake Off/the Great British Baking Show.
- Amazon has ordered the “darkly comedic animated crime show” Amberville.
- Hulu renewed Shut Eye for a second season.
- Ryan Murphy is leaving anthologies behind for his new FX series Pose, which will focus on various echelons of New York society in the ’80s.
- Shades of Blue renewed for a third season on NBC.
- The Carmichael Show will air an episode with the N-word uncensored.
- A second season of Fleabag is happening and could be here as early as next year.
- Syfy has renewed 12 Monkeys for a fourth and final season; season three will air over the course of three days.
- Sesame Street has introduced Julia, a Muppet with Autism.
- Leah Remini’s Scientology documentary series has been renewed for a second season.
- Jessica Paré (Mad Men’s Megan) has been cast in a Navy SEAL drama pilot for CBS.
- Rob Lowe and his sons will travel around the country and attempt to solve mysteries for A&E’s The Lowe Files. No, I’m not kidding.
- Comedy Central has ordered a pilot from SNL’s Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider.
- Emily VanCamp will be the female lead in the pilot for the Fox medical drama The Resident.
- Gina Yashere joins The Daily Show as a contributor.
- Yvette Nicole Brown has been cast in an ABC comedy pilot.
- A Spring Breakers TV show is coming to the streaming service Blackpills.
- Amy Brenneman will star in a CBS drama pilot about online journalists.
- Problematic with Moshe Kasher will debut on Comedy Central in April.
- Tyra Banks will return as host for America’s Nest Top Model.
- MTV’s Scream series will reboot for its upcoming third season.
- An upcoming episode of Say Yes To The Dress will feature a transgender bride.
- Netflix is changing their rating system for users.
- Here’s what is coming and going from Hulu in April. And HBO Now.
Movies
- Attention Harry Potter fans: Butterbeer ice cream is a thing that now exists.
- Robert Downey Jr. will play Doctor Dolittle.
- Aquaman’s released pushed to Christmas 2018.
- The live-action Mulan won’t have any songs.
- Malin Akerman to star with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in Rampage.
- Alicia Vikander and Ben Wheatley are teaming up for the movie Freakshift.
- A solo (non-Spider-Man) Venom movie will debut fall 2018.
- Henry Cavill joins the cast of Mission Impossible 6.
- Michael Pena hasn’t been approached yet about reprising his role in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Get on that, Marvel!
- World’s most adorable couple John Krasinski and Emily Blunt are making a movie together. Krasinski will also write and direct.
- Could Infinity War be Chris Evans’ swan song as Captain America?
- The Batman delayed as the whole script is being rewritten. Always a good sign.
- Joe Manganiello is less confident about his participation in The Batman.
- In the Marvel movie universe, Thor and Jane Foster are dunzo. Thank goodness for that.
- Smallville’s Michael Rosenbaum has a mystery role in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2.
- Steve Carell and Any Ryan will reteam for the drama Beautiful Boy.
- Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon have joined the cast of The Spy Who Dumped Me.
- Mads Mikkelsen walked out of his audition for Fantastic Four. Smart man.
- Emma Stone and Steve Carell’s Battle of the Sexes will hit theaters in September.
- Tom Hardy’s War Party drama has landed at Netflix.
- Justin Lin will direct a drama about the LAPD raid of the Blank Panther Party headquarters in 1969.
- Shawn Mendes will appear in a movie musical.
- Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” will become a movie.
- Lucy Hale will star in the horror movie Truth or Dare.
- The Fly remake has found a director.
- An unrated version of Fifty Shades Darker will be released in April.
- The 10 worst ways that movie characters have died in outer space (spoilers, obviously).
Trailers
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks:
- Midnight, Texas:
- Voice from the Stone:
- Early Man:
- Black Butterfly:
- Harlots:
- A Beauty and the Beast-themed trailer for Baby Boss:
- A Family Man:
- American Playboy:
- The Trip to Spain:
- Fargo, season 3:
- The Leftovers, final season:
- Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie:
- Churchill:
Music
- Weezer dropped a new single and some tour dates.
- Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are doing a joint album.
- The music lives on – a new Chuck Berry album will be released soon.
- Adele has a secret Twitter account.
- The people behind TLC’s “No Scrubs” just got a writing credit on Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You.”
- Taylor Swift may be working on her own streaming service.
- The Cranberries are releasing an unplugged album.
- The Space Jam soundtrack is getting a vinyl release for Record Store Day.
- A pregnant Natalie Portman stars in James Blake’s music video for “My Willing Heart.”
- Royal Trux will release their first new album in 20 years.
- Tupac’s handwritten “Dear Mama” lyrics are hitting the auction block.
- Thelonious Monk’s only film score was released after nearly 60 years.
Books
- Ivana Trump, the president’s first wife, is writing a book called Raising Trump.
- Chelsea Clinton is releasing a children’s book entitled She Persisted.
- Vulture has a spring book preview.
- The Black Eyed Peas are making a zombie graphic novel for Marvel.
- Clueless is getting a comic book series.
- James Franco has read Stephen King’s The Dead Zone for an audiobook due out in April.
Theater
- Mandy Patinkin approves of Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance in Sunday in the Park With George, a role that Patinkin originated on Broadway.
Stand-up
- Kevin James is the latest comic to get a Netflix stand-up special.
- Don Rickles will interview friends and comedians in Dinner with Don.
- Here are the comedians that will be featured on Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents in 2017.
Odds and Ends
- Monopoly introduces its new tokens. R.I.P. thimble, boot, and wheelbarrow.
- A bunch of famous people are doing a Facebook Live telethon for the ACLU on March 31st.
- This may be end times – Woody Harrelson has stopped smoking weed.
- The Weather Channel named a winter storm after Stephen Colbert.
- Matthew Perry once beat up Canadian Prime Minister (and Internet heartthrob) Justin Trudeau.
- Mischa Barton has obtained restraining orders against two former boyfriends.
- Meek Mill allegedly charged with assault after an incident at the St. Louis airport.
- Actor Ricardo Medina Jr. pleads guilty to killing his roommate.
- Artie Lange arrested for cocaine and heroin possession.
- This baby looks disturbingly like Ed Sheeran:
- RuPaul has revealed that he’s married.
- Marion Cotillard and her partner Guillaume Canet have welcomed their second child.
- Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski have eloped.
- Mel B and husband Stephen Belafonte have called it quits after ten years of marriage.
- Roy Rodriguez, father of Modern Family’s Rico Rodriguez, has passed away.
- The Gong Show’s Chuck Barris is dead. He was 87.
- Music legend Chuck Berry has died. He was 90.
Mashups and Supercuts
- Mr. Bean as a horror movie:
- John Wick recreated with Nerf guns in place of real guns:
- The sampling of Daft Punk:
- A Latin remix of “Shape of You”:
- A Star Wars-themed spoof of the kid-interrupting BBC interview:
- This Domino’s commercial channels Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with Stranger Things’ Joe Keery:
- The cast of Sesame Street reads famous movie quotes:
