Although The Flash was one of the first movies to be announced as part of the DC Extended Universe slate, the movie's gone through a number of setbacks in the years since, including losing two directors. Now titled Flashpoint, the Scarlet Speedster's movie is now courting Game Night duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein to be the new directors. With Gal Gadot reportedly reprising Wonder Woman for Flashpoint, as well as DC president Geoff Johns saying that it will have Batman elements, it sounded like this movie could be a reasonably faithful adaptation of the 2011 Flashpoint story. However, a new report claims there will be plenty of differences from the source material, particularly by using Dr. Light, Captain Cold and Heat Wave as the villains. Although Eobard Thawne, a.k.a. Professor Zoom/Reverse-Flash, was the shadowy antagonist of the original Flashpoint story, supposedly he won't retain that role for the cinematic Flashpoint, although apparently the movie will include a reference or flashback to the accident that turned Barry Allen into The Flash, which will include Eobard "in an interesting way." Instead, Dr. Arthur Light is supposedly Flashpoint's lead villain, though Flash will also have to contend with Captain Cold and Heat Wave, two of his oldest enemies from the comics who are leading members of The Rogues. However, if the Flashpoint movie is retaining the temporal craziness of the original story, then it's possible that this versions of the characters might not fully match the villains we're used to seeing on the printed page. As for Dr. Light, he has primarily clashed with the Justice League and Teen Titans in the comics, and while he could certainly pose a threat to Flash, it's hard to imagine how he might be used in a Flashpoint adaptation. But these weren't the only character details That Hashtag Show dropped. Supposedly Flashpoint will also include Dr. Caitlin Snow, who is one of the main cast members on The Flash TV show and is better known as Killer Frost, though that doesn't necessarily mean her icy persona will emerge in the movie. Supposedly Barry Allen will also work alongside Detectives Jared Morillo and Fred Chyre, the latter of whom Barry will help investigate the death of Jonathan Chambers, known in the comics as Johnny Quick. Moving to returning DCEU characters, Ray Fisher and Billy Crudup are expected to reprise Cyborg and Henry Allen, respectively. Kiersey Clemons is also still attached as Iris West, who was supposed to be introduced last year in Justice League, but her appearance was cut. We'll have to wait and see if any or all of these Flashpoint details are legitimate, but if they are, this movie certainly isn't shying away from including both longtime players in the Flash mythology and a few folks from other corners of the DC Comics universe. Flashpoint doesn't have an release date assigned yet, but Warner Bros supposedly wants to start production in the latter half of this year so the movie can be screened in 2020. To learn what else the DCEU has in development, head to our DC movies guide.

The art of the trailer is a fascinating one. Sometimes a good trailer can sell us on a bad movie, and other times a good movie can have a bad trailer. One surefire way to deliver a good trailer is to cut it to a killer song. Employing this strategy, one industrious editor took it upon himself to spice up the Solo: A Star Wars Story trailer with the Beastie Boys classic, "Sabotage." Frankly, it's pretty great; maybe even better than the original. Take a look (and listen) below. https://youtu.be/3TPY4TKo6uQ Man, that song was practically built for trailers and movies. The Beastie Boys could have been one-hit wonders with that and probably lived off the licensing fees for the amount of play "Sabotage" gets in movies and TV. I can't think of a better song to pair with the galaxy's most lovable scoundrel. Given the characters in this movie and the story, Solo has the potential to simply have a lot more fun than other Star Wars movies, and that's what this recut trailer is selling. This recut trailer is simply a lot of fun. The use of "Sabotage" here is just phenomenal, teasing the action-packed heist film full of colorful characters that we're hoping this movie will be. This also provides a fun little connection to the Star Trek universe, as "Sabotage" actually served a role in the plot of Star Trek: Beyond. This recut trailer from the War Starts at Midnight Podcast is arguably more fun than the Super Bowl spot or the first full trailer for the film. If it seems like "Sabotage" fits perfectly with the trailer, that's because the editor, Chris Galegar, didn't simply drop in the song over the existing audio track, he also recut the video in the trailer to fit with the song. So "Sabotage" really carries us on a galactic romp as we go on a fast-paced and frenzied adventure, and likely the Kessel Run, with Han Solo and his band of rogues. The whole trailer really moves at a decent clip to the song, and if we're lucky, such a cool trailer couldn't possibly have been produced from anything less than a stellar movie. Of course, this isn't the first time a fan has added some Beastie Boys magic to a Star Wars trailer. A fan also recut the Rogue One trailer to "Sabotage," which produced similarly awesome effect. At some point, maybe Disney and Lucasfilm will just take the cue, beat fans to the punch and use "Sabotage" from the beginning. It's not just fans that love both Star Wars and the Beastie Boys, though. In The Force Awakens, there is a Resistance pilot of the Abednedo species by the name of Ello Nasty. This is a tribute to The Beastie Boys and their 1998 album Hello Nasty. So the Beastie Boys' influence extends across space and time, and perhaps if you're in a dingy cantina that doubles as a hive of scum and villainy, you might just hear something that sounds like "Sabotage" playing from the jukebox. Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters on May 25th. For all the biggest movies hitting theaters this year, check out our release guide.

If you count Black Panther's Thursday night preview domestically last week, the latest venture from Marvel has been out for just around a week now. Anyone keeping track of the film's progress should already know that it doing quite well, and now, despite its limited time in theaters, Black Panther is actually about to hit a box office milestone: The flick is about ready to pass the half billion dollar mark at the box office. That's right, in just a week Black Panther is about to make $500 million dollars. That's nine figures, and a pretty enticing nine figures, too. Of course, we need to point out that this is global gross that we are talking about and not domestic. Through Wednesday, the movie has made $491 million worldwide, with the international numbers hopping up to nearly $24 million. The movie already made over $200 million during the extended President's Day weekend. Although movies often drop 50% or higher during the second weekend in theaters, even if Black Panther's box office drops by that percentage, the numbers should remain high. Deadline is also noting that the way Black Panther has been released seemingly contributed to this milestone. A lot of times movies come out on different weekends internationally and domestically. When that happens, even high-grossing movies will take a little more time to reach the $500 million mark. Marvel movies, including Avengers: Age of Ultron, usually follow this pattern, but this time _Black Panthe_r was released during the same week both domestically an internationally. The end result is that the overall box office numbers have hit really high marks really fast. There are a number of theories regarding why Black Panther has been so successful -- even when compared with other Marvel solo movies. This includes the cultural moment the movie is having and the unprecedented success of some big budget movies during this quarter in recent years. Whatever the reason(s), Black Panther is seeing really high numbers, and without a ton of competition (although there are some interesting flicks) coming up, those numbers should stay high in the coming weeks. As of the time of this writing Black Panther hasn't quite squeaked past the $500 million mark--or at least the numbers haven't been tallied yet. Still, it's imminent, it is expected to happen today and it is quite a big deal. This is a movie that saw presales higher than any other superhero movie that has come out so far. It's a movie that is certainly having a moment, and the numbers reflect that. You can currently catch Marvel's Black Panther in theaters, or if you've already seen it, you can read more about the making of the movie here.

Next month, a classic piece of literature will come to life when Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time debuts in theaters. The film looks like a proper adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's story, but one noticeable difference that has been made to the original story is the casting of a far more diver ensemble of actors to play these classic characters. So why the change? The Selma director addressed the diversity of A Wrinkle in Time's cast to CinemaBlend and other outlets during a visit to the set last year and explained that the casting represents the real diversity that exists in our own world, saying: I just wanted a cast that reflects the real world. We're not doing anything that shouldn't have already been done. The question is, why hasn't this been done before? There's nothing outstanding and outlandish about this cast. It's outstanding and outlandish that there's been casts without true reflections and inclusiveness of our daily lives. It's about the way that you see it. So, I get that question a lot and my question back is, why haven't we been asking that question for the last 75 years or so? That's my answer to that. If you have read the book, then you already know that the original version of A Wrinkle in Time doesn't focus excessively on the concept of diversity. In the original text and the previous movie, Meg Murry was a white girl with red hair, but Ava DuVernay made a point to cast African-American actress Storm Reid in the role. Beyond that, the parts of Mrs. Which and Mrs. Who will be played by Oprah Winfrey and Mindy Kaling, respectively, and the role of Red will be performed by Ant-Man's Michael Pena. The intention was not to force diversity for the sake of diversity, but to create an ensemble that felt indicative of the real diversity that exists in the world. Building off of those ideas, Ava DuVernay explained later in the set visit that she ultimately hopes that a movie like A Wrinkle in Time can move the bar forward and set the standard for how we view inclusivity in our films, allowing us to treat it like the norm instead of as a novelty. DuVernay continued: I hope this kind of film is the new normal and that they don't see anything odd or unique about a cast like this. I think we're a generation that's moving closer and closer to that, so that's a beautiful thing. Of course, it's worth mentioning that diversity can also serve as a savvy business decision for a movie like this. Data has surfaced in the last few years suggesting that diverse ensembles of performers can translate to quantifiable improvements in box office performance overseas, and Marvel's Black Panther has definitively proven that there's an appetite for diverse and representative stories at the domestic box office as well. A Wrinkle in Time is just the next step towards making that "the new normal." If you are looking for a glimpse at the diversity and inclusivity in A Wrinkle in Time, then look no further than the film's first trailer -- which you can check out below.

Perhaps it's our love for nostalgia or just Hollywood's current obsession with recognizable brands, but either way, many long dormant buddy cop franchises are revving up for possible comebacks. First it was Lethal Weapon, then it was 48 Hrs., then Bad Boys and now Rush Hour may be headed back to the big screen. The potential returns of old franchises can often be taken with a grain of salt, as they frequently never come to fruition or languish in the imagination or development hell. But it appears that Rush Hour 4 shall be a real thing, at least according to star Chris Tucker, who had this to say: It's happening. This is gonna be the rush of all rushes. Jackie is ready and we want to do this so that people don't ever forget it. Well, that's certainly encouraging and it sounds like the franchise could be returning to close things out with a bang. Speaking to ESPN's The Undefeated The Plug podcast, Chris Tucker seems excited about returning to the successful and fan favorite action-comedy franchise. He also said that they are working on it now, so it's possible that Rush Hour 4 may hit theater screens sooner than we expect if the ball is already rolling. Part of what makes the actor's comments so encouraging is that we had previously heard that Chris Tucker's approval and agreement to be a part of the project was the final obstacle to Rush Hour 4 actually becoming a reality. Jackie Chan had said that they finally had a script worth making and if Chris Tucker signed on the filming could possibly start this year. The action-comedy genre misses more than it hits, so hopefully if everyone involved waited this long for a good script that bodes well for Rush Hour 4. The franchise has been commercially successful but, after the original, critical reception went downhill drastically. The buddy cop formula is a huge crowd-pleaser when done well and people have a lot of fond memories of this franchise. As such, CBS tried to capitalize on this name value with a Rush Hour TV series a few years back. I can't attest to the quality of the show, although I have my suspicions, as it was cancelled after one season. The big difference is that part of what makes beloved buddy cop movies so memorable is the chemistry between the lead actors. Thus, without Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, the series couldn't possibly live up to fan expectations. With Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker back on board as Lee and Carter for Rush Hour 4, audiences should expect that same dynamic from the first three films, with (hopefully) some fresh ideas this time around. The buddy cop and action-comedy genres are evergreen and so long as each new entry has two compatible leads and does something fun and new, it should find an audience. We now patiently await the inevitable news of a Tango & Cash 2. For all the latest in movie news and understanding the words that are coming out of my mouth, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

There was a time, not all that long ago, when Brendan Fraser was one of the top action heroes in Hollywood. As it turns out, part of the reason that isn't the case anymore is that those roles took a serious toll on the actor's body. In a recent interview, Fraser talks about his career and reveals that he spent seven years in and out of hospitals repairing the damage that countless movie stunts had caused. According to the actor... I believe I probably was trying too hard, in a way that's destructive. By the time I did the third Mummy picture in China, I was put together with tape and ice---just, like, really nerdy and fetishy about ice packs. Screw-cap ice packs and downhill-mountain-biking pads, 'cause they're small and light and they can fit under your clothes. I was building an exoskeleton for myself daily. I needed a laminectomy. And the lumbar didn't take, so they had to do it again a year later. In addition to the laminectomy, which is a surgery designed to relieve pressure on the spinal column, Brendan Fraser also had a partial knee replacement along with additional back surgeries, and even work on his vocal chords. Having to go in for spinal surgery, twice, is absolutely brutal. Surgery like that is something that professional wrestlers get done after years of being dropped on their neck. Based on Brendan Fraser's description, it sounds like, while he may have been in and out of hospitals for seven years, he probably should have started a couple of years earlier. It makes you really start to appreciate what all actors, Fraser especially, put themselves through. The profile in GQ of Brendan Fraser helps to explain why the actor seemed to vanish for so long. As the actor himself points out, working in between his various surgeries wasn't always possible, which led to him seeming to vanish from the big screen for some time. While Fraser never entirely took a break from acting, there is a pretty significant shift in his filmography following 2008's The Mummy: Curse of the Dragon Emperor. After that, you see some voice acting roles and much smaller movies, followed by a shift to television in 2015 that takes us up to the current day. Fraser is currently filming the FX series Trust, which tells the same story as Ridley Scott's recent movie All the Money in the World, about the kidnapping of the grandson of J. Paul Getty. Fraser will play the role of James Fletcher Chase, the role played by Mark Wahlberg in the movie. Hopefully, with all the pain and surgery behind him, we'll see Brenden Fraser again down the road. I hear the Mummy franchise is in need of some help.

The horror genre is in a renaissance, with studios producing new and exciting scary movies from original concepts. Many of the genre's most exciting additions come to us from Blumhouse Productions, including Get Out, Don't Breathe, and Happy Death Day. Now Blumhouse is turning its attention on the 1978 classic Halloween, producing a new sequel set 40 years after the original attack. The new movie will retcon all of the sequels out of existence, instead focusing on paying homage to the John Carpenter classic, and Laurie Strode's journey. Director Nick Castle is returning to play Michael Meyers from the first film, and recently spoke to one specific way the new Halloween feels like the original. It's very neighborhood-centric, you know, like the first one. It feels a lot like [the first film]. There are a lot of things coinciding [in the new film] that feel like clever ways to introduce a kind of déjà vu of the first one, without feeling like it's being copied. The script had some very clever people working on it. It looks like Halloween is going back to basics, and focusing on denizens of Haddonfield, Illinois. The original film followed Laurie Strode and her friends on Halloween night. The girls decided to have fun and babysit to varying degrees, with Michael stalking and killing the girls throughout the course of the movie. This small town concept was abandoned in any of the following sequels, including Halloween II. Like Nick Castle's comments to Halloween Daily News echo what other production team members have teased about the return to Haddonfield. The new Halloween is focusing on Laurie and the other two generations of Strode women. This includes her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak). Allyson and her teenage friends are in the film, likely playing the unsuspecting victims of Michael Meyers' return. As such, the new Halloween will continue feeling reminiscent of the first film, while also revealing how Jamie Lee Curtis' signature character grew up in the current timeline. It's actually surprising to think about it, but the overall scoop of the Halloween movies never returned to the simplicity of the first film. Halloween II saw Laurie fighting for her life on the same night from hell, this time at a local hospital. H20 followed Laurie as the headmistress of a fancy boarding school, and Resurrection brought a reality TV show into the Meyers house. While Michael was there through it all, no sequel has ever felt quite as connected to the 1978 original. All will be revealed when Halloween arrives in theaters October 19, 2018, just in time for the holiday of the same name and to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Back in the early 2000s, Brendan Fraser was at the peak of his career. He was a leading man in Hollywood, headlining popular fare like The Mummy and more critical fare like The Quiet American and Crash. However, he was also dealing with demons personally while working so hard in the industry, including mental health issues and various incidents he couldn't shake. This week, Brendan Fraser has opened up about his time in the limelight, also talking about a 2003 incident involving former Hollywood Foreign Press President Philip Berk for the first time. This story has been out there for a while, with Philip Berk actually admitting he once "pinched" Brendan Fraser's butt cheek. Berk's side of the story has indicated he felt the incident was just a joke, but Fraser is now describing the incident in more graphic detail. His left hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint. And he starts moving it around. I felt ill. I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry. I felt like someone had thrown invisible paint on me. Speaking to GQ, Brendan Fraser is now recounting his side of the events that happened back in 2003. Per the actor, he thought many times over the years about making what happened public knowledge, but he says he kept holding himself back. Instead, he asked for an apology from Philip Berk and got one in written form, which Berk has admitted to. However, the Hollywood Foreign Press member has also told the outlet he admitted no wrongdoing in the letter, and still denies the graphic wrongdoing that Brendan Fraser says happened more than a decade ago. There have been a lot of talks about powerful people in Hollywood taking advantage of people in vulnerable positions following the news about Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and others. The #MeToo conversation is still a hot button topic in Hollywood, which is likely why this story is resurfacing now. However, Brendan Fraser has changed a lot since 2003. He is no longer the charming leading man he was in his younger years. He's still acting, but he's reinvented himself as a character guy and seems to be a different person than he was 15 years ago, appearing on shows like Showtime's The Affair and more. He also says that at the time of his height in fame he was pushing himself really hard, maybe too hard, and it was the incident with Berk that really pushed him over the edge. Per the actor: Am I still frightened? Absolutely. Do I feel like I need to say something? Absolutely. Have I wanted to many, many times? Absolutely. Have I stopped myself? Absolutely. And maybe I am over-reacting in terms of what the instance was. I just know what my truth is. And it's what I just spoke to you. Brendan Fraser's next big gig is on FX's Trust, which will follow the abduction of John Paul Getty III. Trust will hit the network on March 25, 2018.

Time marches on. So it's only fitting that March sees the Netflix streaming library change, delivering the first thrills of the coming spring season. While the days are getting lighter, and February is fading ever faster in the rear view, there's sure to be plenty of material on the list of incoming thrills and spills that'll see some viewers staying inside just a little longer. If you're interested in what we saw coming online throughout the month of February, check out last month's list of incoming Netflix titles here. Other than that, keep in mind that titles and their status are subject to change on this list, and have fun perusing what's hitting Netflix in March! Week of March 1st 300 - 3/1/18 21 Thunder: Season 1 - NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/1/18 2307: Winter's Dream - 3/1/18 Adel Karam: Live from Beirut - NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/1/18 Adventureland - 3/1/18 Algo Muy Gordo - 3/1/18 Alpha and Omega - 3/1/18 Battle Drone - 3/1/18 Beerfest - 3/1/18 Casino - 3/1/18 Cruel Intentions - 3/1/18 Cruel Intentions 2 - 3/1/18 Cruel Intentions 3 - 3/1/18 Deathgrip - 3/1/18 Forgetting Sarah Marshall - 3/1/18 Ghostbusters - 3/1/18 Ghostbusters 2 - 3/1/18 Gridiron Gang - 3/1/18 Guess Who - 3/1/18 Hostage - 3/1/18 I Am Number Four - 3/1/18 I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry - 3/1/18 Jackass: Number Two - 3/1/18 Land Gold Women - 3/1/18 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Eighteenth Year - 3/1/18 Martian Child - 3/1/18 Moon - 3/1/18 People Like Us - 3/1/18 Revolutionary Road - 3/1/18 Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild - 3/1/18 The Brothers Grimm - 3/1/18 The Bucket List - 3/1/18 The Descent - 3/1/18 The Descent: Part 2 - 3/1/18 The Experiment - 3/1/18 The Fifth Estate - 3/1/18 The Gift - 3/1/18 The Lazarus Project - 3/1/18 True to the Game - 3/1/18 Untraceable - 3/1/18 Up in the Air - 3/1/18 Wet Hot American Summer - 3/1/18 Women at War 1939-1945 - 3/1/18 B: The Beginning: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/2/18 Flint Town: Season 1-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/2/18 Girls Incarcerated: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/2/18 Les Affamés -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/2/18 Malena Pichot: Estupidez compleja -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/2/18 Natalia Valdebenito: El Especial -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/2/18 Voltron: Legendary Defender: Season 5 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/2/18 Week of March 4th Expedition China - 3/4/18 The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/4/18 F The Prom - 3/5/18 The World's Most Extraordinary Homes: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/5/18 Benji - 3/6/18 Borderliner: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/6/18 For the Love of Benji Gad Elmaleh: American Dream -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/6/18 Aftershock - 3/7/18 Bad Guys: Vile City: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/8/18 Ladies First -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/8/18 Marvel's Jessica Jones: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/8/18 A.I.C.O. Incarnation: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/9/18 Collateral: Limited Series -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/9/18 Love: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/9/18 My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman: Malala Yousafzai -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/9/18 Nailed It: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/9/18 The Outsider -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/9/18 Trolls: The Beat Goes On!: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/9/18 Septiembre, un Llanto en Silencio - 3/10/18 Week of March 11th Kygo: Live at the Hollywood Bowl - 3/12/18 Troy: The Odyssey - 3/12/18 Children of the Whales: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/13/18 Ricky Gervais: Humanity-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/13/18 Stretch Armstrong: The Breakout -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/13/18 Terrace House: Opening New Doors: Part 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/13/18 Jackass 3.5: The Unrated Movie - 3/15/18 Power Rangers Ninja Steel: Season 1 - 3/15/18 Tabula Rasa: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/15/18 The Hollywood Masters: Season 2 - 3/15/18 Benji -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/16/18 Edha: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/16/18 On My Block: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/16/18 Spirit Riding Free: Season 4 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/16/18 Take Your Pills -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/16/18 The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/16/18 Wild Wild Country: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/16/18 Week of March 18th In Search of Fellini - 3/19/18 100 Years: One Woman's Fight for Justice - 3/20/18 The Standups: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/20/18 Conor McGregor: Notorious - 3/21/18 Alexa & Katie: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/23/18 Dinotrux Supercharged: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/23/18 Game Over, Man!-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/23/18 Layla M.-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/23/18 Requiem: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/23/18 Roxanne Roxanne -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/23/18 Santa Clarita Diet: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/23/18 SWORDGAI The Animation: Part 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/23/18 The Mechanism: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/23/18 Red Trees - 3/24/18 Week of March 25th Men on a Mission: 2018 - 3/27/18 50 First Dates - 3/28/18 Little Women - 3/28/18 Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown - 3/28/18 The Art of War - 3/28/18 A Series of Unfortunate Events: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/30/18 First Match -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/30/18 Happy Anniversary -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/30/18 Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir Season 2 Part 1 - 3/30/18 Rapture: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/30/18 Reboot: The Guardian Code: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/30/18 Sofía Niño de Rivera: Selección natural -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/30/18 The Titan-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/30/18 Trailer Park Boys: Season 12 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/30/18 Trump: An American Dream: Season 1 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL - 3/30/18 Let Me In - 3/31/18 On the movies side of the house, things are looking pretty fantastic in March. As if to signal their continued support of recent collaborator Martin Scorsese, another of the director's classics has been added to the Netflix streaming library with Casino. Also, if you're looking for a quick and fun double feature, Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II are both in the queue this month. Seriously, the sequel is worth at least another look. As for you action folk, 300 has joined the menu in the month that helped it become such a mega hit back in its heyday. The TV branch of Netflix sees a lot of originals heading to screens this month, with everything from talk to terror! Fans of Santa Clarita Diet will be thrilled to see season 2 premiering before the month is out, Joel McHale fans get another does of his trademark sass with The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale, and Marvel's Jessica Jones has returned for a second solo season. Though if you want something a little more family friendly, there's new seasons of Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events and Spirit Riding Free, as well as the debut of Reboot: The Guardian Code. Depending on how that last one plays out, the parents may be as excited as the kids. From the looks of March's Netflix line-up, there's no shortage of material for you folks at home to watch and enjoy. Don't forget to check the full listing above for more of what's landing throughout the month, as this is but a sampling of what's ahead. Also, if you're interested in seeing what original films are coming onto the Netflix platform throughout this year, and into the future, head over to our rundown of those titles and their release dates.

Fans of the Evil Dead movies know how instrumental Stephen King was in helping the first film get noticed, however, they may not know that he also had a hand in making sure the sequel even happened. As it turns out, the film was having such serious money problems that they had to let some of the crew go. However, as luck would have it, one woman who had been working on Evil Dead 2 ended up in North Carolina on the set of a film being directed by Stephen King, and a famous movie producer. According to Bruce Campbell... Dino De Laurentiis is making movies down there. Who does she run into? She gets on the crew of Maximum Overdrive, directed by Stephen King. Stephen was like, 'What are you up to?' And she was like, 'I just came from working with these guys trying to get money for Evil Dead 2.' He goes, 'Evil Dead 2? They can't get the money for that?' She goes 'No.' He calls Dino De Laurentiis and goes, 'You should make this movie.' I think we had a deal... we met with Dino and I think we had a deal in about half an hour, and a basic understanding. With a phone call, Stephen King is able to get Evil Dead 2 a meeting with one of the biggest producers in the history of Hollywood, which eventually gets them the funding they needed to complete the movie. Bruce Campbell tells Consequence of Sound that it was the foreign success of the original Evil Dead which sold Dino De Laurentiis on the sequel. From there, Evil Dead 2 would go on to spawn Army of Darkness, which De Laurentiis would also produce, followed, many years later, by the Ash vs. Evil Dead TV series. One can confidently say that if Evil Dead 2 had died on the vine we never would have seen the rest of the franchise. Stephen King's stepping in to help Evil Dead 2 makes sense considering that he had already made his love for the original movie known. He famously referred to the film as a "ferociously original horror movie," a quote that the movie has been using to this day. As a fan, he wanted to see a sequel as much as anybody else. Evil Dead 2 probably qualifies more as a reboot than a direct sequel, as it pretty much copies the plot of the first film, though with more intentional humor that would become part of the Evil Dead brand. It's nice to have friends in high places like Stephen King, who, even in 1986, was somebody capable of making things happen. If only his directorial debut had gone as well as Evil Dead 2.

It's been an exiting time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Last week brought the debut of Ryan Coogler's Black Panther, which has shattered box office records and is a near universal critical darling. The blockbuster further fleshed out Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, after his triumphant debut in Captain America: Civil War. Coogler also assembled a fantastic cast to fill out the world of Wakanda, with the clear fan favorite appearing to be T'Challa's sister Shuri, played by Letitia Wright. The teenage tech genius was equal parts delightful and determined, but how will she interact with characters like Tony Stark and Bruce Banner when she shows up in Avengers: Infinity War? Wright seems to think that Shuri would hold her own, saying: I think she'll be OK. I think she would humble herself to learn from them, and challenge them as well with new designs and new ideas from Wakanda. And she's willing to learn from the West because her brother is so open now. I think she's embracing that as well. She would hold her own. While a bit younger than fellow tech genius Tony Stark, Shuri certainly seems to have the technological prowess an ingenuity to go toe to toe with Robert Downey Jr.'s signature character. Who knows, she might even be able to teach him a thing or two. Letitia Wright's comments to the LA Times is sure to excite hardcore MCU fans who are eager to see the various worlds collide in Avengers: Infinity War. It's unclear how each of the shared universe's characters will function within the greater story, but the trailer showed an epic battle in Wakanda. This will likely be the opportunity for Shuri to share the screen with members of The Avengers, including Black Widow, Captain America, and Bucky. But she'll also be working in the outreach center established by T'Challa in Black Panther's final moments, so perhaps she'll interact with some characters within the US. Shuri's debut in Black Panther is already beloved, and the character has the potential to become extremely important in the overall shared universe. With Robert Downy Jr.'s contract up after Avengers 4, it's unclear if Tony Stark will remain within the MCU. If RDJ walks, then there will need to be a new tech provider for The Avengers. Shuri seems like the perfect candidate, as she outfitted the entire country of Wakanda with fantastic Vibranium tech. To take things further, Shuri could even be a candidate to take on the mantle of Iron Man. The comics recently introduced a female Iron Man, so the MCU may follow suit. We'll just have to wait and see how it all pants out as Phase Three of the shared universe comes a close.

Following his introduction in last year's Justice League, Aquaman is getting ready for his solo outing later this year. An early test screening has reportedly taken place and some of the people in it have talked about what they saw. While the movie was almost certainly in an early phase, a couple of the people who attended the test screening have said that Aquaman is looking pretty good, with solid action and drama. People who attend audience test screenings are usually required to remain silent about what they saw. However, Batman-News is reporting that they spoke with two different people who attended the test screening and were told that the film had "tons of action," but was also "very emotional." While the sources of this information are anonymous since they're not technically supposed to be talking about what they saw, the test screening apparently did take place, and so there's every reason to believe the information is accurate. It's great to hear that Aquaman is looking so good. With a cast that consists of Jason Momoa in the title role, along with the likes of Nicole Kidman, Amber Heard, and Willem Dafoe among others, the film had certainly built a rock solid cast. And with James Wan behind the camera, we knew that the movie would be capable of putting together some solid action, but it sounds like there's more to the overall film than simply being a spectacle. With Aquaman not set to be released until December, this test screening would have been of a very early cut of the film, while some of the digital effects were reportedly completed, many were not. These test screenings are done to try and get a general audience's early reaction to the film. If audiences react poorly to it, it can often mean significant changes to the movie, resulting in scheduling reshoots that could add or remove characters, and potentially drastically change the final product. If these two sources are representative of the total audience, then it sounds like Aquaman is on the right track and simply needs to finish doing what it's doing. Aquaman has always been a somewhat divisive character. His power set has often been the butt of jokes and Jason Momoa's version of the character, while very different from the orange and green-clad classic version that many are familiar with, was received with mixed reviews, in much the same way that Justice League as a whole was received. If Aquaman post-production continues without any major changes we can likely expect a trailer for the film to drop this summer ahead of the film's holiday release. To catch up on DC's next extra, check out everything we know about the upcoming movie.

It's a very exciting time to be a Star Wars fan. With Disney now in charge of the beloved property, there are a ton of movies being worked on for the generations of rabid fans. This past December brought Rian Johnson's subversive sequel The Last Jedi, which turned the franchise on it head. The current trilogy will be completed by J.J. Abrams, following Colin Trevorrow's departure from the project. Fans are eager to see the man who kickstarted the trilogy complete the final chapter, and now Abrams has given fans an update about Episode IX. We have a script, which is a big deal for me. It starts shooting end of July... Having a script in advance is something I haven't always been lucky enough to have. I'm writing this with Chris Terrio who is a genius, and I'm having a great time. This little tidbit is enough to get most self respecting fanboys giddy with the joy. Episode IX's script is already here, meaning that J.J. Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio must have had some interesting ideas to move the story forward. Now the question is: how's it all going to go down? J.J. Abrams' update comes from his recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Colbert is a major Star Wars fan, and seems to have a great relationship with the director/producer/writer. Abrams often opens up extra thanks to Colbert's enthusiasm, resulting in the delightful information about Episode IX. Colin Trevorrow's departure from Episode IX was initially troubling for the fandom; part of a trend where directors depart major blockbusters following creative or scheduling issues. After all, Solo lost its duel directors in Phil Lord and Chris Miller for that exact reason a few months ago. But in some ways, Abrams is perhaps the most appropriate director to complete the current trilogy of films. After all, J.J. Abrams was tasked with all the world building associated with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He created the four new protagonists, and will therefore be able to complete their journey within the franchise. While Rian Johnson took tons of risks with The Last Jedi, Abram can focus on bringing the story to a satisfying conclusion. The stakes have never been higher, and it should be fascinating to see where Abrams ultimately takes his characters in the next sequel. Of course, the writing does have some challenges, including how to write off Carrie Fisher's Leia Organa. Episode IX was meant to be Leia's biggest movie, only adding to the tragedy surrounding Fisher's passing. It would be a shame if the next movie didn't contain any of the original three heroes, so hopefully Luke Skywalker will be back as a Force Ghost at some point. Episode IX will arrive December 20, 2019. But first Solo: A Star Wars Story will fly into theaters May 25, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Disney is clearly trying to recapture some of that early Pirates of the Caribbean magic with the upcoming Jungle Cruise movie, another title based on a popular theme park attraction. However, that's not the only franchise this film is being compared to. Recently, the film's visual effects supervisor, Jake Morrison, compared the project to another huge action-adventure series, Indiana Jones. According to Morrison... I mean I've got to say, I'm incredibly excited about the whole thing, it's really like Dwayne is in a new Indiana Jones film. It's Dwayne at his best, and that is a man with some severe charisma. And then we're putting him on this huge adventure, and they've just literally announced the female lead in the picture is Emily Blunt. Without knowing a great deal about what the Jungle Cruise movie is really going to be about, it might seem premature to go comparing it to an Indiana Jones movie. However, based on what little we do know, it might not be that far off the mark. Dwayne Johnson himself is the one who has made Pirates of the Caribbean comparisons, and that, combined with the fact that Johnson himself has been cast in the lead, would indicate that we're looking for a Disney adventure movie in that vein. Combine this with the Disney Parks attraction the film will be based on, and it certainly gives off an early 20th-century vibe, putting it in the same time period as the Indiana Jones films, which makes Jake Morrison's comments to ComicBook.com make sense. With the actual next Indiana Jones movie delayed into 2020 at least, fans of the formula may be looking forward to Jungle Cruise. While the film doesn't have a release date yet, at this point it seems like we're likely to get the theme park based movie before the actual Indiana Jones returns. Jungle Cruise will see Dwayne Johnson play a riverboat captain who is enlisted by a scientist played by Emily Blunt. She is searching the jungle for some sort of cure, and need's Johnson, and his boat, to help her find it. Jungle Cruise is being helmed by The Shallows director Jaume Collet-Serra. Disney's track record for creating theme park based feature films isn't as strong as its string of live-action remakes of its animation catalog. While the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been a solid moneymaker, the actual quality of the movies is a topic of debate (except the first one, which is stellar). Beyond that, however, other attempts to make successful theme park based movies, like The Haunted Mansion and Tomorrowland, have failed both critically and financially. Here's hoping that Jungle Cruise finds the formula to make it a success, bad jokes and all.

After years of languishing in development hell, Shazam! is finally filming, with Zachary Levi playing the DC Extended Universe version of the World's Mightiest Mortal, formerly known as Captain Marvel. Principal photography kicked off late last month, but it remains to be seen when we'll finally get a look at Levi wearing the Shazam costume. However, for those of you wanting an idea of what the costume will look like in the upcoming DC movie, director David F. Sandberg revealed that it will look somewhat similar to what the superhero wore in the 2014 animated movie Justice League: War, as seen above. Sandberg said: Here's something though: The suit has some similarities to his look in Justice League: War. Once pics have been released I can tell you more about where the inspirations came from and why certain choices were made. When a Shazam fan recently speculated on Reddit that a Shazam! costume reveal might come at the end of February to coincide with the character's anniversary (Captain Marvel debuted in Whiz Comics #2, which was released in February 1940), Sandberg responded that the reveal will not be linked to that. However, thanks to this new piece of information, now we have a little more information to work off of regarding how the Shazam costume will look like beyond it being red and having a lightning bolt on the chest. Fan artists, do your thing! Although Justice League: War adapted writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee's Justice League arc that opened the New 52 reboot, the movie decided to use Shazam as one of the founding Justice Leaguers rather than Aquaman (Arthur Curry debuted a year later in Justice League: Throne of Atlantis). Voiced by Sean Astin, Shazam joined Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Green Lantern in repelling Darkseid's invasion. Arguably the biggest difference between Shazam's costume in the movie and the traditional Captain Marvel costume is the hood, which was a carryover over from Shazam's New 52 reintroduction (which was also written by Johns). The Shazam! movie is incorporating several notable elements from Shazam's New 52 stories, like Billy Batson living with a foster family and the look of the Wizard who gives him his powers, so it's not terribly surprising to learn that Shazam's cinematic costume is partly inspired by that era. Shazam was originally supposed to battle Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam, but with the Kahndaqian anti-hero now being saved for his own movie, the Big Red Cheese will instead battle Doctor Sivana for his DCEU debut. Along with Zachary Levi portraying the eponymous hero, Shazam!'s cast includes Asher Angel as Billy Batson, Mark Strong as Sivana, Ron Cephas Jones as The Wizard (also named Shazam), Grace Fulton as Mary Bromfield, Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman, Ian Chen as Euegen Choi, Jovan Armand as Pedro Peña and Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley. Shazam! will work its magic in theaters on April 5, 2019. To learn about what else the DCEU has in store, head to our DC movies guide.

Pink’s six-year-old daughter Willow did her bit for charity and set up a candy stall while her famous mum was busy rehearsing for her upcoming tour. Pink is gearing up to hit the road, with her Beautiful Trauma World Tour kicking off on 01 March (18) in Phoenix, Arizona. The singer has been joined by her husband Carey Hart and their children, Willow and 13-month-old Jameson, while she puts the finishing touches to her show, though her eldest child decided to do some work of her own on Thursday (22Feb18). Uploading a picture to Instagram of Willow surrounded by candy and new customers, Carey captioned the image: “Willz and her friend Gracie wanted to do some charity work. So they bought bulk candy and set up a table in catering at mama @pink rehersal (sic) Hall. They are donating the money to #Haiti. Good work ladies, doing your part. #DontTellTrump.” The post comes after President Donald Trump's administration decided to terminate the temporary protective status enjoyed by thousands of immigrants from Haiti and El Salvador. While most people flocked to praise Willow, some of Carey’s followers took offence at the political dig. “You took the opportunity to post about something beautiful and then blew it with your hashtag. How does that help?” one commented, while another user stated: “Why would you not tell trump you doing charity work?! He loves charity and giving to the needy. Your so brainwashed you don’t even know what your presidents about. What a shame.” Pink and Carey are both vocal about their dislike for the U.S. leader, with the What About Us singer causing a stir last year when she tweeted that he was doing a terrible job at running America.

Kevin Federline reportedly wants to re-examine his child support arrangement with ex-wife Britney Spears following her recent success. According to The Blast, Federline, who shares two sons Sean, 12, and Jayden, 11, with the Toxic singer, sent a letter via his attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan on Thursday (22Feb18), which asked for the discussion surrounding how much he gets from Spears in child support each month to be revisited. The website reports that Spears currently gives her ex, to whom she was married between 2004 and 2007, a cheque for $20,000 (£14,309) each month, which was based on a percentage of her income at the time the deal was arranged. However, now that Spears has enjoyed huge success in recent years, including her Las Vegas residency which saw her take home $475,000 (£339,836) per show and make a staggering $15 million (£10.7 million) per year, Federline is requesting more in child support. "Kevin feels that he has been very supportive of his ex-wife over the years - during the lows and during the highs with the resurgence of her career - and has always made it a priority to accommodate her schedule, even travelling to shows so she could see the kids," a source told the outlet. The letter didn't indicate how much more Federline is looking for, but indicated he is looking for a large increase, The Blast added. He is also said to be hoping to arrange a new deal with Spears over private discussions, rather than hashing everything out in public. Spears has yet to respond to Federline's letter.

Janelle Monae credits Prince with helping her become comfortable with who she is. The 32-year-old singer and actress is gearing up to release new album Dirty Computer, her first record in almost five years. She worked closely with Prince on the offering prior to his death in April, 2016, and finds it hard to talk about the late legend nearly two years later. "It's difficult for me to even speak about this because Prince was helping me with the album, before he passed on to another frequency," she said during an interview with Britain's The Guardian newspaper. His death was a "stab in the stomach" for Janelle, who added: "The last time I saw him was New Year's Day. I performed a private party in St Bart's with him, and after we sat and just talked for five hours. He was one of the people I would talk to about things, him and Stevie Wonder." In fact, Prince was one of Janelle's earliest champions, campaigning for her first appearance at the BET Awards, and he and Janelle had been "collecting sounds" for Dirty Computer prior to his death. "I wouldn't be as comfortable with who I am if it had not been for Prince. I mean, my label Wondaland would not exist without Paisley Park coming before us," Janelle continued. "He would probably get me for cussin', but Prince is in that 'free motherf**ker' category. That's the category when we can recognise in each other that you're also a free motherf**ker. Whether we curse or not, we see other free motherf**kers. David Bowie! A free motherf**ker. I feel their spirit, I feel their energy. They were able to evolve. You felt that freedom in them. "I dedicate a lot of my music to Prince, for everything he's done for music and black people and women and men, for those who have something to say and also at the same time will not allow society to take the dirt off of them. It's about that dirt, and not getting rid of that dirt." Janelle released singles Make Me Feel and Django Jane from Dirty Computer on Friday (23Feb18).

M.I.A. has bemoaned how "narrow and corporate" the music industry has become. The rapper, real name Mathangi 'Maya' Arulpragasam, began her recording career in 2002 and has since had hits with songs such as Born Free and Paper Planes. However, the 42-year-old isn't impressed with how the industry has changed over the years, explaining her dissatisfaction in an interview with BBC News. "Music has become so narrow and corporate," she vented. "To be a famous singer, you can go to Brit School, you can go on X-Factor, or maybe you are born into it. "It's not like bands often meet at school now and have a community spirit. I think music has become catalogue fodder, a corporate thing that when we bring Artificial Intelligence into it, for example, using holograms for tours, the human aspect is going to disappear even further." M.I.A. added that while she has been trying to find the magic formula for success since first trying her luck as a musician, she has now come to the conclusion that she "just likes working". "When I came as a refugee to England everyone said 'become a pop star, that's the best thing you can do, that's 'it', so I did that," she said. "Then they said, 'move to Beverly Hills and marry a prince and be Cinderella' and I did that too. I have been constantly trying to find what 'it' is in my life and I think now it's just making work. "I just like working. That's always what I've done. All the consequences of that - all the flak I've taken over the years - they've taught me about society and that feeds into the work I make." She has also had her rise to fame documented in Steve Loveridge's new documentary Matangi/Maya/M.I.A., which will be released later this year (18). The movie tackles some of the more controversial aspects of her life, including the lawsuit filed against her by the National Football League following her Super Bowl performance in 2012, and watching it was tough for her. "I'm going to have to treat it as free therapy," she added.

Hip-hop star T.I. fears the government will "enslave" Americans if citizens are banned from bearing arms. The rapper and producer spent several months in jail back in 2009 for federal weapons charges and he was also put on house arrest for a year and forced to perform 1,500 hours of community service following his 2007 bust for possession of three unregistered guns and two silencers. Although firearms landed him in big trouble in the past, T.I. is still convinced U.S. citizens should be allowed to own firearms, despite the outcry for harsher gun laws following the Valentine's Day (14Feb18) massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which cost 17 people their lives. "It's a tough one," he mused to TMZ on Thursday (22Feb18). "I think you should probably make it more difficult for people who aren't mentally stable to have guns... (but) I just honestly feel like if you lose the right to bear arms as a citizen, then you know what I'm saying, it's easy to enslave. It's easy for the government to enslave people when they don't have the right to bear arms." T.I., real name Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr., was also indicted for carrying weapons as a convicted felon, but he doesn't think focusing on former criminals is the solution to eradicating shooting deaths in the U.S. "I think mental stabilisation needs to be a big part (of gun legislation)... Just not being a felon isn't enough," he noted. "We see that, that isn't working. People think that (it's) the felons that's causing all the problems, but you know, it seems as though people who have been given a gun licence, who bought guns legally... those are the ones causing all the mass hysteria, so I think that our system's broken."

Lisa Marie Presley has accused her former business manager of mishandling her fortune and costing her millions. The rocker daughter of Elvis Presley claims Barry Siegel is responsible for dwindling her $100 million (GBP72 million) down to just $14,000 (GBP10,000) by behaving like a celebrity. According to documents filed on Wednesday (21Feb18) and obtained by The Blast, Presley claims his "reckless and negligent mismanagement and self serving-ambition" has cost her dearly, adding Spiegel placed her assets in "risky ventures" in the hope of "attaining his own celebrity in the entertainment industry". She alleges Spiegel sold 85 per cent of her interest in Elvis Presley Enterprises and used it to align himself with a famous investor, putting "his own best interests" ahead of her own "in order to put himself in proximity to (the investor) and his celebrity circle." She’s suing for breach of trust, negligence and constructive fraud. The legal complaint comes days after Lisa Marie revealed she is more than $16 million (£11.5 million) in debt in her ongoing divorce battle with estranged husband Michael Lockwood. Meanwhile, Spiegel has also filed his own lawsuit, insisting his former client's out-of-control spending is to blame for her financial struggles. Siegel tells The Blast, "It’s clear Lisa Marie is going through a difficult time in her life and looking to blame others instead of taking responsibility for her actions." He claims a 2005 deal at the centre of her complaint actually "cleared up over $20 million in debts Lisa had incurred and netted her over $40 million cash and a multi-million dollar income stream, most of which she managed to squander in the ensuing years". Documents filed by partners at Siegel’s company, Providence Financial Management, read: "Sadly, since inheriting her father’s estate in 1993, she has twice squandered it. The first time, she was rescued from insolvency by a deal she now calls fraudulent and self-serving." Siegel and his partners are suing for $800,000 in damages (GBP573,000).

Music producer Quincy Jones has apologised for shooting his mouth off about Michael Jackson and the Beatles in recent interviews, revealing his comments led to a family intervention. The legend stunned music fans when he took aim at the King of Pop in GQ and Vulture articles, suggesting he stole Donna Summer's State of Independence for Billie Jean, and attacked the Beatles for being subpar musicians. The defiant hitmaker hasn't taken back anything he said, but suggests he should have kept some of his comments to himself, stating his interviews left members of his family concerned. Quincy reveals his six daughters pulled him aside for a surprise "family intervention" due to some "silly things" he said, but the sober star insists he wasn't drunk, as has been suggested, when he lashed out at his former music collaborators, calling the Fab Four "no-playing motherf**kers" and Paul McCartney "the worst bass player I ever heard", and suggesting comedian Richard Pryor had been intimate with Marlon Brando, a claim that upset both Brandos son and Pryor's daughter. Both lashed out at Jones, while Michael Jackson's father Joe insisted the 84-year-old should have "known better" than to attack the Thriller hitmaker's songwriting credentials. Jones also claimed he dated President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, when she was 24 and he was 72, and criticised Taylor Swift and U2's music. In a statement released via Twitter on Thursday (22Feb18), the music mogul, who turns 85 next month, appears to regret his "wordvomit" writing: "I am sorry to anyone whom my words offended, and I am especially sorry to my friends who are still here with me and those who aren't." He adds, "I am an imperfect human & I’m not afraid to say it. And I’m sorry & I’m not afraid to say it... I have LEARNED MY LESSON. Let me tell you, I’m so grateful for my daughters because they aren’t scared to stand up to their daddy."

Rocker Jack Antonoff has escaped to New Zealand to hang out with his pop collaborator Lorde following his split from actress Lena Dunham. The fun. and Bleachers musician called it quits with Girls creator and star Lena in January (18) after five years together, and just days later, it was claimed Jack had already moved on to date Lorde, real name Ella Yelich-O'Connor. He shut down the unfounded speculation in a rare Twitter post addressing his personal life, but it appears the 21-year-old singer is providing Jack with some emotional support, after he paid Lorde a visit while on tour in her native Auckland. They were recently photographed smiling and hugging as they took a stroll in the city, although a source tells People.com their antics were strictly platonic. "There's nothing going on between Ella and Jack," says the insider. "There's not any type of romantic situation. They're just friends - they really are just friends." Meanwhile, TheBlast.com reports Lorde's new boyfriend, a man only identified as Justin, had also tagged along for the outing. Jack and Lorde became close friends while writing and producing her 2017 album Melodrama together, but when speculation about the true nature of their relationship first surfaced online last month (Jan18), the 33-year-old took to Twitter to insist he was single. "normally i would never address rumors but i resent having the most important friendships and working relationships in my life reduced to dumb hetero normative gossip," he wrote. "those relationships are deeply important and sacred. with that said, im not seeing anyone (sic)."

Ed Sheeran has denied claims he's married fiancee Cherry Seaborn in secret, revealing the band he's been wearing on his left hand is "an engagement ring". Reports suggesting the Shape of You singer had tied the knot with his long-time love have been swirling for weeks, and Ed fuelled the speculation by sporting a silver band on his left ring finger. However, as he attended the Brit Awards in London on Wednesday (21Feb18), Ed clarified that the accessory is not an indication that he's a married man. During an interview on the red carpet at the O2 Arena, Ed was asked by Sky News what the ring means, to which he replied: "It's an engagement ring. I don’t know, I feel like it’s good to both do things." The redhead was then asked when he and Cherry will be walking down the aisle but refused to be drawn on a potential wedding date, replying: "It will be a situation like this where no one knows." Ed proposed to Cherry on New Year's Eve (31Dec17) and announced the engagement in January, sharing a sweet Polaroid photo of him embracing his partner and revealed their happy news in the caption. "Got myself a fiance just before new year. We are very happy and in love," he wrote, adding: "And our cats are chuffed as well xx." Ed, 27, and Cherry's relationship blossomed in 2016 when the singer took time away from the spotlight to recuperate after years of touring. And he recently revealed that his romance with the risk advisory consultant even had him thinking about fatherhood. "I don't want to be touring when I have kids," he told U.K. programme Good Morning Britain last March (17). "I want to be nipping out now and then and actually being able to be a father. So yeah, I think I would definitely have kids, I'd definitely love all the kids in the world, but I don't want to have them right now."

The 31-year-old bass player was seen making flirtatious gestures behind singer Cheryl and boyfriend Liam Payne as they were interviewed by Brits host Jack Whitehall. Many people watching the British awards show commented online about the "random drunk woman", as did several news outlets, before she was identified as the singer and bass player from the hit Californian band. Este, who wore an eye-catching floral crown for the star-studded event matching her sisters' Danielle and Alana, playfully gestured to someone unseen, mouthing "call me" while cheekily winking to the viewers at home, as Cheryl and Liam remained oblivious. After news reports alleged Este was making fun of the singer and her beau, the star gave Cheryl a call to clear things up, insisting she has "no beef" with the Fight for this Love hitmaker, during an appearance with her sisters on Nick Grimshaw's BBC Radio 1 breakfast show on Thursday. "Hi this is Este Haim calling. I'm in a band call Haim with my sisters. We... wait before anything, congrats on the baby, big Mazel," she started. "I happened to be sitting behind you last night at the Brit Awards and had an amazing time however some people on the internet are claiming I may or may not have been thumbing my nose at the situation in front of me. But I just wanna let you know there's no beef and I'd like to invite you to my show at Alexandra Palace on June 13th (it's the 15th her sister corrected in the background) 2018... it's early and I haven't slept.” “Big kiss, lots of love there's no beef we're all friends here. Big hug, big kisses, call me, I'll text you my number," she said, finishing her extra-long voicemail. Cheryl has yet to respond to Este's voicemail. After Este’s Brits antics, online news outlet Lad Bible tweeted: "Drunk woman behind Liam and Cheryl at Brit Awards makes viewers p**s themselves laughing." Later Este retweeted it, adding: "Not drunk, just living my truth."