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Bryce Dallas Howard will play Elton John’s mother in the biopic “Rocketman,” an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

The film stars Taron Egerton as the iconic singer, while Jamie Bell and Richard Madden have also been cast.

More to come…

Mexican multi-hyphenate Eugenio Derbez, whose latest comedy, “Overboard,” became the highest grossing Hispanic movie in the U.S. this year, is returning to his TV roots with the new Amazon Prime original comedy series, “LOL: Last One Laughing.”

The six-part reality game show, which just wrapped, is an adaptation of Amazon Prime’s hit Japanese game show “Hitoshi Matsumoto Presents Documental,” produced by and starring Matsumoto, who leads 10 comedians in a no-holds-barred “battle of laughter behind closed doors” where the aim is to make each other laugh in a closed room. The last person who manages to keep a straight face and stay in the room wins a cash prize.

In “LOL,” Derbez leads 10 renowned Mexican comics of varying styles — including stand-up, character, improvisational and physical comedy — who vie for a cash prize of one million pesos.

Twentieth Century Fox has set up the comedy project “Stoned Alone” with “Deadpool” star Ryan Reynolds producing and potentially starring in the movie.

Augustine Frizzell, who directed the comedy “Never Goin’ Back,” has been signed to direct. Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider wrote the script from an idea by Fox executive Matt Reilly with the project centering on a 20-something loser who misses the plane for his holiday ski trip and gets high at home — only to then discover that thieves have broken into his house.

The project is reminiscent of Fox’s 1990 comedy “Home Alone,” which starred Macaulay Culkin as an 8-year-old boy mistakenly left behind at his Chicago home when his family goes to Paris for Christmas vacation. “Home Alone” was a massive box office success with $476 million in worldwide grosses.

Reynolds will produce through his Fox-based Maximum Effort production company and Maximum Effort’s George Dewey will be an executive producer.

The final season of “Game of Thrones” will premiere in the first half of 2019, president of HBO programming Casey Bloys said Wednesday at the Television Critics Association summer 2018 press tour.

“Sometime in ’19,” Bloys said after being asked when we can expect the eighth and final season. When pressed, he said that it will air in the first half of next year. We knew it was airing in 2019, but now the window for an actual date is closing a little. As for what fans can expect from the final season? Bloys was tight-lipped, but said it’s “pretty great.”

Pivoting to the spinoff series in the works, Bloys said he hopes the pilot from Jane Goldman will go into production in 2019. “We have to find a director, we have to get it casted,” he said.

What we do know about the prequel is that it takes place thousands of years before “Game of Thrones,” and that the series will chronicle the world’s descent from the Age of Heroes. As the logline says, “Only one thing is for sure: from the horrifying secrets of Westeros’s history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend … it’s not the story we think we know.”

Goldman serves as showrunner, and will executive produce with George R.R. Martin, Vince Gerardis, Daniel Zelman.

Read original story ‘Game of Thrones’ Final Season to Premiere in First Half of 2019 At TheWrap

Rising British star Josh O’Connor will play Prince Charles in Netflix’s hit series “The Crown.” He will step into the royal role for the upcoming third and fourth seasons. In a double casting announcement, Thursday, the producers of the show also said Marion Bailey (“Allied”) will play the Queen Mother.

O’Connor was lauded for his starring role in indie British film “God’s Own Country,” which won him the best-actor prize at the British Independent Film Awards. He has also been nominated as a BAFTA Rising Star.

“I am thrilled to be joining The Firm for the next installment of ‘The Crown,’” said O’Connor, who replaces Julian Baring in the role. “Seasons 3 and 4 will follow some of the most turbulent events in the Prince of Wales’s life and our national story and I’m excited to be bringing to life the man in the midst of it all.

James Franco is in negotiations to direct the movie “Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN” for Focus Features.

The project is based on the 2011 book of the same name by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales, which recapped the formation of the sports network, based on interviews with more than 500 people. ESPN was launched in 1979 by Bill Rasmussen and his son Scott as the world’s first 24-hour cable TV network. It saw success by telecasting the early rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament and the NFL Draft.

“Halt and Catch Fire” co-creator Christopher C. Rogers has been hired to re-write the script. Miller was tapped to adapt the script in 2015. Michael De Luca, Jamie Patricof, and Julie Yorn are producing the film.

Franco produced, directed, and starred in “The Disaster Artist,” which received strong reviews and earned one Academy Award nomination for adapted screenplay

AMC has finished its investigation into “Talking Dead” host Chris Hardwick and given the suspended TV personality the green light to return.

“Following a comprehensive assessment by AMC, working with Ivy Kagan Bierman of the firm Loeb & Loeb, who has considerable experience in this area, Chris Hardwick will return to AMC as the host of ‘Talking Dead’ and ‘Talking with Chris Hardwick,'” an AMC spokesman told TheWrap. “We take these matters very seriously and given the information available to us after a very careful review, including interviews with numerous individuals, we believe returning Chris to work is the appropriate step.”

Hardwick will return as the host of “Talking Dead” in time for Its August 12 premiere, which follows the midseason return of “Fear the Walking Dead.” His interim replacement, Yvette Nicole Brown, will remain guest host for AMC’S “Walking Dead” Season 9 preview special on August 5, and will be

The final season of Emmy-darling sitcom “Veep” will premiere in Spring 2019, HBO programming president Casey Bloys said Wednesday at the Television Critics Association press tour.

Production is planned to begin in October, he added, and the writers are already hard at work. The start to the farewell season was delayed to allow time for star Julia Louis-Dreyfus to recuperate after undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer.

“They just started — the writers just got together,” Bloys said this morning. “We’ll be shooting in the fall and will be airing in the spring sometime.”

Also Read: 'Game of Thrones' Final Season to Premiere in First Half of 2019

Bloys had plenty to talk about during his executive session. In other big series return-date news, Bloys informed the room full of TV critics that “Game of Thrones” would be coming back for its own final season in the first half of

HBO “felt comfortable” proceeding with a second season of “The Deuce” after reviewing the accusations of sexual misconduct against James Franco and consulting with the show’s cast and crew, programming boss Casey Bloys said Wednesday.

“When the Franco issue came up, we talked internally,” Bloys told reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour. “We read the La Times article. We talked to the executive producers, to Maggie [Gyllenhaal], the actors and actresses on the set. We all felt comfortable moving forward with the second season.”

Bloys pointed to the network’s decision to cut ties with Russell Simmons and Mark Halperin — who faced accusations of rape and sexual harassment, respectively — as evidence of the network’s willingness to take action against troublesome behavior, but said the network did not see fit to end its relationship with Franco after reviewing the accusations against him.

Franco was accused of inappropriate conduct by five women, including multiple former students of his Studio 4 acting school, in a Los Angeles Times report in January. The women said Franco took advantage of their willingness to learn from an experienced actor to manipulate them into sexually exploitative situations.

In an interview after the report was published, Franco said some of the accusations being made against him were “not accurate,” adding that he supports victims of abuse speaking out and hoped not to “shut them down in any way.”

The network, which had already renewed “The Deuce” prior to the accusations becoming public, said later that it would not affect Franco’s involvement on the second season.

Also Read: James Franco Will Return for 'The Deuce' Season 2 After Sexual Misconduct Accusations

Bloys declined to comment the network’s decision to enlist Joss Whedon, who was accused of manipulative behavior by an ex-wife, for an upcoming sci-fi series, saying that he would not speak to the writer-producer’s personal life.

Read original story HBO ‘Felt Comfortable’ Proceeding With ‘The Deuce’ After Reviewing James Franco Accusations At TheWrap

Tom Cruise has revealed that a crucial stunt in 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout' took more than 100 takes to film.

Speaking to IMDb, the action star talked about the challenge of shooting a skydiving sequence that involved falling at 200 mph from nearly 5 miles up.

"We weren't getting it. It wasn't working," Cruise said. "We'd jump out [at] 25,000 feet, land, and the whole team would be there. We'd look at the take and know, did we get the take or not?

"It was 109 takes, and the moment that we got the shot was an exhilarating moment. I'll never forget that moment."

Cruise is reportedly the first actor to complete a high-altitude, low-opening (HALO) jump on camera. It was a technique developed in the 1960s by the U.S. Air Force to airdrop military personnel into hostile territory undetected.

The stunt demanded Cruise jump out of a plane at 165 mph, at 25,000 feet (normal skydiving occurs at around 13,000 feet), and then positioning himself just a few feet from the camera while falling at 200 mph.

When asked by IMDb as to which was the most challenging sequence to direct, filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie also called out the HALO jump, stating they only had "three minutes of light every day to shoot."

The full interview, including Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett, Simon Pegg, Michelle Monaghan, and Vanessa Kirby, can be seen here.

Plus, visit our Guide to Mission: Impossible for video, galleries, and more.

Yung Miami is readjusting. She’s only been rapping for 11 months, but is already signed to a major label as half of the duo City Girls, released a critically acclaimed mixtape (Period) and is currently featured on a Number One song (Drake‘s “In My Feelings“). Just as everything began to skyrocket, though, Yung Miami was left alone to handle the business; her best friend and rapping partner, Jt, began serving a two-year prison sentence for credit card fraud on June 29 – the same day Drake released Scorpion, and City Girls

Rising British star Josh O’Connor will play Prince Charles in Netflix’s hit series “The Crown.” He will step into the royal role for the upcoming third and fourth seasons. In a double casting announcement, Thursday, the producers of the show also said Marion Bailey (“Allied”) will play the Queen Mother.

O’Connor was lauded for his starring role in indie British film “God’s Own Country,” which won him the best-actor prize at the British Independent Film Awards. He has also been nominated as a BAFTA Rising Star.

“I am thrilled to be joining The Firm for the next installment of ‘The Crown,

Rlje Films has acquired U.S. rights to the drama “Galveston,” starring Ben Foster and Elle Fanning.

“Galveston,” which premiered in March at the SXSW Film Festival, is planning a fall theatrical release.

The movie, based on the novel “Galveston” by “True Detective” creator Nic Pizzolatto, is directed by French actress-turned-director Melanie Laurent from a script by Jim Hammett. “Galveston” is Laurent’s English-language directorial debut. Lili Reinhart (“Riverdale”), and Beau Bridges (“Homeland”) also star.

Tyler Davidson (“Take Shelter”) produced the film, with his company Low Spark Films providing sole financing and production services.

“Elle Fanning and Ben Foster deliver powerful performances in this provoking drama,” said Mark Ward, chief acquisitions officer for Rlje Films. “Their chemistry captures audiences on a gripping, emotional ride. We are so proud to bring this film to the big screen.“

Foster portrays a heavy-drinking criminal enforcer and mob hit man whose boss set him up in a double-cross scheme.

Rlje Films has acquired the U.S. rights to Melanie Laurent’s “Galveston,” starring Elle Fanning and Ben Foster, the distributor announced Thursday.

The film premiered at this year’s SXSW Film Festival and will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

“Galveston” is based on the novel of the same name by “True Detective” author Nic Pizzolatto, and was written by Jim Hammett and directed by Laurent. It also stars Lili Reinhart and Beau Bridges. Tyler Davidson produced the drama with his company Low Spark Films.

Also Read: Elle Fanning Says She 'Regrets' If Her Decision to Work With Woody Allen 'Hurt Anyone'

In the film, Roy (Foster) is a criminal enforcer and mob hitman when he becomes involved in a double-cross scheme. He discovers Rocky (Fanning) after the crime and reluctantly takes her with him on his escape. They try to find sanctuary in Galveston, hiding

"Castle Rock" stars Bill Skarsgärd, Jane Levy, and Melanie Lynskey have shared clues about their character's connections to the Stephen King Universe.

Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock - the setting of several King stories - the drama debuted on Hulu on Wednesday, July 25, and featured several references to the horror author's novels.

Skarsgärd, who played Pennywise the Clown in last year's blockbuster horror 'It,' is introduced as a mysterious inmate of Shawshank Prison.

Speaking to IMDb, the actor said: "The show starts with my character being found in this old old tank, in a cage, at a closed off section of the Shawshank penitentiary.

"The character is an original character. Big Stephen King fans might see parallels to some works of Stephen King's."

The prison is, of course, a direct reference to the penitentiary featured in IMDb fan favorite 'The Shawshank Redemption.' What has yet to be revealed is whether casting 'It' star Skarsgärd is mere coincidence or a link back to the demonic clown that has haunted the fictional town in Maine for centuries.

Psychic abilities also feature in the drama - a power displayed in King's "Carrie." Melanie Lynskey, who plays Molly Strand, said: "Molly is a heroine in the great tradition of Stephen King women. She has a very complicated, dark past that she's simultaneously trying to deal with and run from. There's also some kind of psychic ability that she has."

In addition, Jane Levy said of her character: "My character, Jackie, is the town taxi driver. She's also the self-proclaimed historian. She is very into gory details and the legends that she's grown up hearing about."

"Castle Rock" series creator Sam Shaw added: "We tried to imagine this town as an advent calender of horror where every window or door you open is a window onto somebody's worst day."

Watch the full interview here

Fall Out Boy performed Mania track “The Last of the Real Ones” on Late Night With Seth Meyers. The band will set out on another leg of their Mania tour this fall.

The group kept it simple for their performance on the late-night talk show. Bathed in the same neon purple light seen on the Mania album cover, lead singer Patrick Stump begins the song from behind the piano. He alternates from the piano to bouncing at the front of the stage as his bandmates blast through the power ballad.

Hannah Gadsby’s plan to leave comedy “backfired” with the universal acclaim of her debut Netflix special, Nanette, the stand-up comic told Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday’s Tonight Show. “I wrote the show because I’d had enough,” she said, detailing her surprise success. “It’s a quitting show. I’m quitting. I thought, ‘I’ll drop a bomb and leave.’ And I really thought it would divide audiences, and it just hasn’t.”

But Gadsby’s accepted the irony of her career approach. “I said I was quitting,” she said.

Police have arrested the third suspect in the shooting death of 20-year-old rapper XXXTentacion (real name Jahseh Onfroy), the Associated Press reports.

Robert Allen, a 22-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was taken into custody Wednesday after U.S. Marshals found him at his sister’s house in rural Georgia. He was booked in Dodge County, Georgia and is being held without bond on a warrant from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.

Marshals were able to locate Allen after receiving a tip that he was possibly staying with his sister in Eastman,

NBC finished first in primetime’s total viewers Wednesday with the new night and time for J. Lo’s “World of Dance” — but the network ended up in third among adults 18-49.

CBS and Fox edged NBC by one-tenth of a Nielsen in the advertiser-coveted demographic. For Fox, well, it was another night to be thankful it doesn’t program 10 p.m. nationally like CBS, NBC and ABC do.

“Big Brother” beat “World of Dance” straight-up in their only head-to-head hour at 8, though Jennifer Lopez’s dance competition topped the charts at 9.

Also Read: Ratings: ABC's 'The Last Defense' Season Finale Settles for Indefensible Nielsen Numbers

CBS and Fox tied for first in ratings with a 0.9 rating. Fox had a 5 share, CBS got a 4. CBS was second in total viewers with 3.7 million, Fox was third with 3.4 million.

For CBS, “Big Brother” at 8 landed a 1.5/8 and 5.6 million viewers. At

Comedy Central has acquired rights to reruns of “BoJack Horseman.” The agreement is believed to be the first such U.S. linear syndication deal for a Netflix original series.

Variety reported in January that Lionsgate-owned Debmar-Mercury and producer the Tornante Company were shopping linear rights to the series. Tornante was one of the first producers to work with Netflix. When the series was first sold in 2014, the streaming service had yet to adopt its current strategy of acquiring all worldwide distribution rights to its original series.

“Comedy Central has a long history of using potent satire to help make sense of trying times,