When the euphoria dies down, when tearful fans hugging and kissing new owners in hotel car parks stops and the lager sprayed on the steps of St James' Park in celebration dries up, reality will still be waiting for Newcastle United.

Newcastle United will still be 19th in the Premier League without a win this season and with a lame duck manager in Steve Bruce, whose time on Tyneside can probably be measured in weeks if he is lucky.

The Saudi Arabian-backed takeover was greeted with undisguised elation by 'The Toon Army' as the valid questions about their human rights record was brushed aside by many in the rush to welcome in the new era.

In the purely footballing context, this is Newcastle United's Chelsea moment, their Manchester City moment and, if we wish to widen it out, their Paris St-Germain moment.

Football Daily: New era for Newcastle United

Bruce to talk with new Newcastle United owners over future

What's next for Newcastle after £305m takeover?

Newcastle's 14 years of lost hope under Ashley

It is akin to the day Roman Abramovich walked into Stamford Bridge in July 2003 and transformed the club. Newcastle United fans will liken it to when Manchester City's Abu Dhabi-based owners altered the Premier League's entire landscape within 24 hours in September 2008.

The work on rebuilding this broken football club and its fractured relationship with a fervent fanbase starts now.

Softly softly or big bang?

Newcastle United's new hierarchy has until January before the first test of their intent and financial muscle in the transfer market will be seen. In reality, this is a notoriously difficult market to get value although Newcastle's league position may focus their minds more sharply.

When Abramovich arrived at Chelsea, he elevated the club with regular sweeps of his chequebook. In the few weeks before his first season started, then manager Claudio Ranieri was given money to buy Joe Cole, Damien Duff, Juan Sebastian Veron, Glen Johnson and Geremi.

The spending went on and Chelsea won the Premier League in Abramovich's second season and became part of Europe's elite, winning the Champions League twice, the first of which coming in 2012.

Manchester City's new owners arrived in even more spectacular fashion, especially as they only had 24 hours to make their first big statements before the transfer window closed.

Everything you need to know - all in one place

Scroll through our Newcastle page for all the latest content on the takeover

And how they made it, by lifting Brazil superstar Robinho out from under Chelsea's nose for £32.5m then making an audacious - if ultimately unsuccessful attempt - to steal Dimitar Berbatov away from Manchester United as he left Spurs.

City have gone on to win five Premier League titles, although the Champions League continued to elude them.

This was the big bang theory. Two clubs who had fallen off the pace playing catch-up at lightning pace, which they continued to do until their power could no longer be denied. They have been in the upper echelon of the Premier League ever since, silverware has arrived regularly and Europe is now their playground.

Newcastle United are a million miles away in terms of position, prestige and attraction - and this is even before you factor Liverpool and Manchester United into the equation.

There is a lot of dirty work to be done first and the messages out of the new regime talk about organic growth, development of the training ground at Darsley Park (or delivering a new one) and the academy, ringfencing local talent.

There will still be a transfer fund on a different level than anything seen under the despised but now departed Mike Ashley, but any suggestions of a wild spending spree is being played down.

And yet, fuelled by the naked jubilation that seems to be gripping Tyneside, will the rulers from Saudi Arabia - whose wealth dwarfs the owners of Manchester City and the Qatari powerbrokers of PSG - be able to resist?

Will it be the quick fix, which it might have to be if they are still struggling in January, or the longer game?

It is a tricky balancing act and one that is very difficult to get right first time.

The expectations?

Newcastle United: Amanda Staveley arrives at St James' Park for the first time as co-owner

Much is made of the expectations of Newcastle United fans. It is the source of much mockery from rival supporters but the reality is far from what is often portrayed.

Newcastle's fans do not (in the Ashley years at least) demand titles, cups or Champions League entry. They simply wanted an institution with such vast support in a one-club city to show its potential, to punch its true weight. Not simply make up the numbers with Premier League survival its sole aim.

Nothing wrong with that at all.

The game changed once the takeover was confirmed. The expectations are now sky high. The demands will be more intense.

In the dream world Newcastle fans were occupying on Thursday, Kylian Mbappe was on his way over the Tyne Bridge to join new manager Antonio Conte.

It's a leap of imagination, to lure those stellar names to Newcastle United given their current plight, mega-rich new owners or not.

Newcastle was a feverish place in the hours after the confirmation and deal broker Amanda Staveley, who will be on the new board, said: "Of course we have the same ambitions as Manchester City and PSG in terms of trophies, absolutely, but that will take time."

Patience seems to be the watchword.

Newcastle United's fans have been patient a long time and it is a simple fact that Staveley and her cohorts will now have to deal with, and satisfy, expectations on the grand scale from supporters who have to cast their minds back to the Inter Cities Fairs Cup of 1969 and grainy black and white images for their last success.

The manager?

We all know how this ends. Steve Bruce will lose his job. It is simply a matter of when. Any new regime always wants their own man.

Claudio Ranieri took Chelsea to second place in the Premier League and the Champions League semi-final only to be sacked and replaced by Jose Mourinho in June 2004.

Manchester City's owners sacked Mark Hughes in December 2009 even though they were sixth in the league having lost only two games and had reached the League Cup semi-finals.

He had been given £200m to spend but more was expected and he was not an Abu Dhabi appointment - so in came Roberto Mancini to eventually win the title.

Former USA international Heather O'Reilly says that women's football in the US was guilty of ignoring issues in a bid to establish the National Women's Soccer League.

Paul Riley was sacked as coach of North Carolina Courage after sexual misconduct allegations were made against the Englishman, who has denied the accusations.

Riley also coached Portland Thorns in the NWSL, which began in 2013 after the previous professional women's leagues in the US had folded twice in the previous 10 years.

O'Reilly said that players felt they had to "just take" inappropriate behaviour to make a career for themselves, and that the management structure when Riley was in charge at North Carolina was "just dangerous".

"I think women's football has swept a lot of bad things under the rug because we want the league to succeed," she told World Football on BBC World Service.

"We want to continue our personal careers and there's not as many opportunities for players to be professional footballers so I think that's a reason why a lot of things are just dealt with. As a player, you just take it.

"In the NWSL there's not a ton of HR employees at clubs, there's not a hotline for players to call, so that's why so many things happen time after time and aren't disciplined."

NWSL players halt matches in display of solidarity amid sexual misconduct allegations

Former NWSL pair want more action to protect players after sexual misconduct allegations

O'Reilly, a World Cup winner in 2015 and three-time Olympic gold medallist, played the last two seasons of her career under Riley at North Carolina, winning back-to-back NWSL championships.

"He was certainly the man in charge of the club," said O'Reilly, 36. "He was in control of every facet of the club. He was the manager [coach] but if you had a complaint about ownership or the physio, you went to Paul.

"That lack of checks and balances I think is what helped spur this problem, because no one individual should have that power. Nobody should be dealing with playing time and also contracts, and health and wellness. It's just dangerous.

"There should have been better outlets for these two women, in particular, to be able to speak and not feel like they'd be penalised for it. They were worried for their jobs and careers."

Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim both spoke on record as part of an investigation by The Athletic, who spoke to more than a dozen players Riley had coached since 2010.

On Monday, Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson said Riley had been suspended in 2015 after a complaint over his behaviour and that the club shared the results of its investigation with the NWSL at the time.

But he felt they had been "opaque" with the public over the issue, adding: "I deeply regret our role in what is clearly a systemic failure across women's professional soccer."

I don't believe that misconduct is just in NWSL - Corsie

'Her last 10 years could have been completely different'

Farrelly, 31, played under Riley at Portland and previously at Philadelphia Independence, leading up to the 2011 World Cup.

"I remember that Sinead was a top young player coming through," says O'Reilly. "The World Cup squad hadn't been named yet but it was clear who the 23 were going to be. Then one of the 23 got injured.

Mana Shim (left) and Sinead Farrelly were team-mates at Portland Thorns

"They called Sinead but she essentially turned it down. I didn't know Sinead too well at that time but I remember being almost mad, almost disgusted, that this young player would turn down an opportunity to play, not just with their national team but at a World Cup.

"I look back at those feelings now and maybe that's part of the guilt too. Clearly I did not know what she was going through on a personal level, because the timeline says that things were starting in terms of her relationship with Paul and the control he had on her.

"That's what played into her decision and I'm sure that's something she looks back on and says 'my last 10 years, personally and professionally, could have been completely different'.

"Sinead has made a wonderful point that this has given her pain a purpose, because things are going to be in place now, for teams and even small organisations, to make sure you have a safe place to voice complaints and you shouldn't feel powerless."

'Essentially we were gaslit for 10 years'

In 2019, former Republic of Ireland international Ciara McCormack spoke out about alleged systemic abuse at Canadian club Vancouver Whitecaps, and ex-Whitecaps and Canada coach Bob Birarda is now facing nine sex-related charges.

"In 2007 he was essentially the gatekeeper, deciding who would move on and play," she told The Sports Desk podcast. "It felt like being in a dictatorship.

"We went to the president of the Whitecaps, told him what was going on and he told him [Birarda] we'd gone to him. My friend got benched that summer and I decided to leave.

"In 2008 three of us senior players spoke to a mediator, who decided he shouldn't coach anymore. A week later they announced it as a mutual parting of the ways but we knew he got fired for sexual misconduct. Three months later he was back on the field with teenage girls."

"Essentially we were gaslit [making someone question their reality] for 10 years, when we were trying to report what was happening and no-one was listening."

Scott Booth: Birmingham City WSL boss says male coaches must keep women safe

O'Reilly has joined high-profile US players Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe in demanding change across the NWSL. Its board of governors and US Soccer have launched investigations into the matter.

The NWSL launched a new executive committee after commissioner Lisa Baird resigned last week, and all NWSL games last weekend were postponed as a result of the allegations.

World governing body Fifa has opened a preliminary investigation "due to the severity and seriousness of the allegations being made by players".

Last year Fifa and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) launched a joint operation to tackle crime and abuse but Joyce Cook, Fifa's chief social responsibility and education officer, says football and other sports were "late to the table" and that Fifa "began to look at it seriously in 2018 but still has a lot of catching up to do".

"More recently we've provided training to all of our 1,000 staff and 10 regional offices on how to recognise, record and report any abuse, harassment or concerns they see," she added.

Chelsea's Jorginho, Paris St-Germain's Lionel Messi and and Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski are on the shortlist for the men's Ballon d'Or award.

Messi was the 2019 winner for a record sixth time.

The forward picked up a first major international title when he helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa America.

Italy midfielder Jorginho helped Chelsea win the Champions League last season before victory at Euro 2020 with his country in the summer.

Poland striker Lewandowski won the 2020-21 European Golden Shoe, having scored 41 Bundesliga goals as Bayern Munich won the German league title last season.

Women's Ballon d'Or: Ellen White and Fran Kirby on shortlist

Manchester United's five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid's Luka Modric - the only players other than Messi to win the award since 2008 - are both nominated.

There are 14 Premier League players on the 30-man 2021 shortlist and five members of Italy's European Championship-winning squad.

The Ballon d'Or, organised by France Football, is awarded annually to the world's best footballer.

The prize was not given out in 2020 - for the first time since 1956 - because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The winner of the award will be announced on 29 November at Paris' Theatre du Chatelet.

England's Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Mason Greenwood (Manchester United) and Bakayo Saka (Arsenal) are among the 10 nominees for the Kopa Trophy, which is for players under the age of 21.

The Yashin Trophy is for the best goalkeeper and the four Premier League players on the 10-man shortlist are Chelsea and Senegal's Edouard Mendy, Manchester City's Brazilian Ederson, Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel, of Denmark, and Aston Villa's Argentine Emiliano Martinez.

Ballon d'Or nominees

Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea, Spain)

Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan, Italy)

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, France)

Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus, Italy)

Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)

Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus, Italy)

Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal)

Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG, Italy)

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, Portugal)

Phil Foden (Manchester City, England)

Erling Braut Haaland (Borussia Dortmund, Norway)

Jorginho (Chelsea, Italy)

Harry Kane (Tottenham, England)

N'Golo Kante (Chelsea, France)

Simon Kjaer (AC Milan, Denmark)

Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich, Poland)

Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea, Belgium)

Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City, Algeria)

Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, Argentina)

Kylian Mbappe (PSG, France)

Lionel Messi (PSG, Argentina)

Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)

Gerard Moreno (Villarreal, Spain)

Mason Mount (Chelsea, England)

Neymar (PSG, Brazil)

Pedri (Barcelona, Spain)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Portugal)

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)

Raheem Sterling (Manchester City, England)

Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid, Uruguay)

What is the Ballon d'Or?

The Ballon d'Or has been awarded by France Football every year since 1956, with England's Stanley Matthews the first winner.

It was only for European players until 1995, when it expanded to become open for any player at a European club. From 2007 it opened up to the rest of the world.

The 30-man list of nominees is compiled by the editorial staff of the French magazine, with the winner voted for by journalists from around the world, with one representative per nation.

From 2010 to 2015 it merged with Fifa's awards, but they split and the world governing body set up its own awards again in 2016.

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Reigning Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians failed to reach the play-offs despite a 42-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Needing to win by 171 runs to qualify, Mumbai racked up 235-9 batting first, thanks to Ishan Kishan's 84 and Suryakumar Yadav's 82.

They then needed to bowl out their opponents for less than 65.

But Sunrisers cruised past that target as they added 64 for the first wicket, with England's Jason Roy making 34.

Once that important number was passed, with nothing to play for but pride, the run rate climbed too much for Sunrisers' batters to get anywhere near the imposing total.

Stand-in captain Manish Pandey hit 68 not out but his side lost wickets at regular intervals throughout their innings.

The result means that Kolkata Knight Riders, led by England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan, go through in fourth place thanks to a superior net run-rate.

The loss completes an IPL campaign to forget for Sunrisers - who were without their captain Kane Williamson because of injury - as they finished bottom of the table with just three wins.

In Friday's other fixture that concluded the group stages, Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Delhi Capitals by seven wickets. Glenn Maxwell finished with 51 not out but Srikar Bharat's unbeaten 78 sealed the win for RCB as he hit a six from the final ball when five runs were needed to win.

The result was irrelevant, however, as both teams' final position in the table had already been secured - Delhi finishing top and Virat Kohli's RCB in third.

Kishan goes big - but not big enough

As Mumbai won their match, opener Kishan's blistering innings was so remarkable that team-mate Suryakumar went almost unnoticed - despite scoring 82.

The task was enormous for Mumbai, but Kishan had evidently been given a licence to swing the bat and he delivered.

From ball one, he delivered one blow after another, showing no mercy to Sunrisers' bowlers, who had no answers to his powerful strokeplay.

He raced to his half-century from just 16 balls - the fastest of this year's IPL.

Mumbai's scoring stalled after his dismissal - especially with Kieron Pollard and Jimmy Neesham falling in consecutive deliveries.

Suryakumar picked up where his team-mate left off, and displayed a death overs masterclass that included 13 fours and three sixes as Mumbai reached their mammoth total of 235, but still fell short of the play-offs.

That will be a disappointment for the team who won the IPL in 2019 and 2020 - but this performance was a glimpse of the five-time champions at their destructive best.

Report

Report

What happens next?

A lot of other tournaments see the top four play in two semi-finals to decide the finalists, but the IPL does things slightly differently.

Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings will play each other in a First Qualifier, the winners of which will reach the final.

The top four teams will go through to the play-offs, starting on Sunday 10 October

The teams in third and fourth place - Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders - will meet in an Eliminator, with the winners facing the losers of the First Qualifier for the other final place.

England men's Ashes series in Australia this winter will go ahead "subject to several critical conditions", says the England and Wales Cricket Board.

England had concerns over their families being allowed to travel, quarantine and 'bubble' arrangements amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The five-Test series is due to begin on 8 December and end on 18 January.

The ECB said that "over recent weeks we have made excellent progress in moving forward" on the men's Ashes tour.

A statement read: "To facilitate further progress and allow a squad to be selected, the ECB board has met today and given its approval for the tour to go ahead. This decision is subject to several critical conditions being met before we travel.

"We look forward to the ongoing assistance from Cricket Australia in resolving these matters in the coming days."

England will name an Ashes squad in the coming days.

Covid, quarantine and Root - Ashes questions answered

Ashes schedule

Stokes likely to miss Ashes after second finger operation

Australia has some of the strictest Covid-19 protocols in the world, a situation complicated by the fact the five Tests are due to be played in five states, each of which have their own regulations.

Cricket Australia sent plans for the Ashes tour to the ECB in late September, with England's players presented with the arrangements on Sunday and the ECB holding a board meeting on Friday.

Australia hold the Ashes after retaining them thanks to a 2-2 draw in England in 2019.

Analysis

BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew

The can has been kicked down the road, but at least it appears to be in the right direction.

The board is not prepared to clarify exactly what these critical conditions are, and will now go about the process of selecting what will be a large squad. But it's not at all clear how that can happen before the players are satisfied that these critical conditions will be met by the Australian authorities.

Inevitably one assumes that much of this focuses on the quarantine arrangements of the players and also their families and that, eventually, an agreement will be reached. But the clock is ticking.

How it all unfolded

July: England players hold talks over plans for families to travel to Australia.

22 Aug: England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler says he is "open to saying no" to taking part in the Ashes tour.

28 Aug: The Times reports that up to 10 England players could pull out of the tour because of quarantine conditions.

19 Sept: England pace bowler Stuart Broad says he is "happy to get on a plane to Australia".

23 Sept: Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison says there will be "no special deals" for England players' families.

28 Sept: England captain Joe Root says he is "desperate" to play in Ashes but does not confirm he will travel.

3 Oct: England players presented with proposed travel arrangements and conditions.

8 Oct: Australia captain Tim Paine says he expects a "really strong" England to tour.

One of 2021's most anticipated bouts will roar into action in Las Vegas on Saturday as heavyweights Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder meet for a third time.

Britain's Fury will defend his WBC crown against the American, who he stopped in the seventh round during their second fight 20 months ago.

It was Wilder's first defeat of a 44-fight professional career and sparked him into accusing Fury of cheating.

"Deep down in his soul, he knows he lost and he'll lose again," said Fury.

"After this fight, he'll be back working in that fast food chain that he was working at earlier on in his career. It's retirement for him.

"You're in denial and you're getting knocked out. Do yourself a favour and retire - your legacy's in bits, all the excuses, you've been destroyed. No one's even believed you, everyone's laughing at you. You're a weak man."

In the weigh-in both were the heaviest they have been for a professional fight with Fury at 19st 11lb and Wilder coming in at 17st.

There was no face-off as usual, with promoter Bob Arum having said he felt the process treats fighters like "animals" and that he did not want them getting hurt before their bout.

The pair first met in December 2018 in a bout that ended in a controversial draw, but Fury was rewarded for taking the fight to his opponent last time out.

Afterwards, Wilder blamed the weight of his ring walk costume for draining his energy but also suggested Fury's gloves were tampered with.

Since then, the 35-year-old has parted ways with coach Mark Breland, who threw in the towel against Fury, and brought in former heavyweight opponent Malik Scott.

"I ask the question, if I only won because I cheated, what was the point of changing everything and doing all this other work?" said Fury in a heated final news conference.

"I don't care because obviously it's coming from an unwell person. He accused me of everything: His team, his trainer, the suit, injuries, the State Athletic Commission of Nevada, the referee.

"If he'd have come out with one of these excuses, it would have been believable but not 50 of them. He can believe what he wants, what it tells me is that he's a weak person who I'm going to knock spark out on Saturday night."

'Your legacy is in bits' - Fury tells 'weak' Wilder to retire

5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce: News conference and Wilder's new attitude

The old foe aiming to help Wilder win

Why the long wait?

Following the coronavirus pandemic, Fury was set to take on Anthony Joshua - who has since lost his belts to Oleksandr Usyk - in an all-British undisputed contest in the summer.

But Wilder's team took their case for a rematch clause to court and an arbitration ruling stated Fury had to fight the Alabaman again.

The trilogy bout was then delayed in July after Fury contracted coronavirus, meaning one year, seven months and 18 days after they last entered the ring the pair will finally meet again on Saturday.

"Deontay's dream is to get this match and I don't usually act arrogant, but I do believe Deontay is going to knock him out this time," Wilder's manager Shelly Finkel told the BBC's 5 Live Boxing podcast.

"There is no rematch, this is it - anything is open to negotiation. After the fight, I don't think Fury will want any more of Deontay - but if he does and we can't get Joshua or Usyk because they are fighting each other, who knows? But my gut is we will have seen the last of each other."

Who are former champions backing?

Tyson Fury's first coach Steve Egan recalls his first meeting with the boxer at age 14

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis believes Fury is the better boxer and is backing him to win if the fight goes the distance - but if it comes down to a knockout, he is going for Wilder.

"I believe that Tyson Fury has a lot more tools and weapons that he can use in his arsenal," he told BBC Sport.

"I think if Deontay went back and learned a couple of tricks he can put to use, he'll have a good time in there as well. So all around, it is going to be a good fight."

Meanwhile, Frank Bruno, who won the WBC heavyweight title in 1995, is confident his fellow Briton can get the job done.

"I think Tyson won't just beat him again - he's a much better boxer than Wilder and he'll school him," said Bruno.

"Fury will be going in nearly five stone heavier than Wilder and, if he boxes smart, and wears him down, that will make a big difference.

"But you have to be wary of Wilder's windmill punch. He's got a big punch, not much else, but you have to give him a puncher's chance.

"As long as Tyson Fury doesn't get involved with this guy, a very dangerous hard puncher... don't get stupid. This guy's got pure power but nothing else.

"I think Tyson's got it under control. I hope so. I think Tyson Fury will knock him out."

Will Wilder's changes pay off?

Tyson Fury has never seen this Deontay Wilder before - trainer Scott

In new trainer Scott, Wilder has brought in someone he says he "loves deeply" and makes it a "family team" but also someone he defeated in a first-round knockout in 2014.

"I am a student of boxing, Deontay ruled the division and was using one weapon but sometimes two or three," said Scott.

"I've watched him in the gym for 10 years, sparring guys from different walks of life stylistically, and watched him be creative but when he gets in the fight, he'll use just one or two tools.

"He got content using one weapon to knock people out - I went into his tool box and made sure we drilled it over and over again.

"I don't have him doing choreographed pad work, ducking down to the ground - he is fighting a tall guy. I don't want my fighter catching punches, I want him to slip punches, parry punches.

"He's more dynamic, more open-minded and this is the best Deontay Wilder people are going to see."

Inspired to try boxing?

Find out how to get into boxing with our special guide.

What about Fury versus AJ?

Two-time world heavyweight champion Joshua said he was "not too bothered" who won this bout but tipped Wilder for a knockout. However, British fans have been longing to see him face off against Fury.

Joshua's loss to Usyk complicates matters further, with the winner on Saturday likely to want a chance to unify the division by fighting the Ukrainian.

Lewis, the last man to hold all the heavyweight belts at the turn of the century, believes Fury's goal is "becoming undisputed heavyweight champion of the world".

"I believe he will go for Usyk," he said. "The Joshua fight will always be there but Usyk is there and that's the ultimate goal right now, to get all the belts.

"Joshua is part of the top five, top six, so he can fight any of those guys.

"But the fact that the fight never came when they were champions, I think people are still excited by that fight, want to see that match up and still want to see who will win."

England's Ellen White and Fran Kirby are on the 20-strong shortlist for the 2021 Women's Ballon d'Or award.

Kirby, 28, helped Chelsea to win the Women's Super League - scoring 16 goals in 18 league games, and being named the PFA and FWA player of the year.

White, 32, scored 15 goals in 32 games for Manchester City last season although they did not win a trophy.

There are five Chelsea players on the shortlist for the world's best player, plus Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema.

The other Blues candidates are Magdalena Eriksson, Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder and Jessie Fleming.

Emma Hayes' side are the joint-most represented team, along with European champions Barcelona.

This only the third edition of the Women's Ballon d'Or. Ada Hegerberg won in 2018 and Megan Rapinoe in 2019 - with no award last year because of the Covid pandemic.

Jorginho, Lewandowski and Messi lead men's Ballon d'Or shortlist

Denmark forward Harder, then at Wolfsburg, finished second in 2018 and England's Lucy Bronze - not on this year's shortlist - was runner-up in 2019.

The men's award has been going since 1956.

The winner of the award, which is organised by France Football, will be announced on 29 November at Paris' Theatre du Chatelet.

Women's Ballon d'Or nominees

Alexia Putellas (Barcelona, Spain), Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea, Sweden), Marie-Antoinette Katoto (PSG, France), Sam Kerr (Chelsea, Australia), Stina Blackstenius (Hacken, Sweden), Wendie Renard (Lyon, France), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage, USA), Pernille Harder (Chelsea, Denmark), Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal, Netherlands), Sandra Panos (Barcelona, Spain), Lieke Martens (Barcelona, Netherlands), Jessie Fleming (Chelsea, Canada), Irene Paredes (Barcelona, Spain), Ashley Lawrence (PSG, Canada), Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns, Canada), Ellen White (Man City, England), Christiane Endler (Lyon, Chile), Jennifer Hermoso (Barcelona, Spain), Fran Kirby (Chelsea, England), Kadidiatou Diani (PSG, France)

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James Bond dies in No Time To Die, and it makes for the perfect ending not only to Daniel Craig's spell as 007, but also for setting up the future of the franchise with James Bond 26. Throughout the lengthy build-up to No Time To Die, there's been a lot of speculation as to whether or not Craig's Bond would survive the events of the movie. After all, Bond hasn't been killed off before, but Craig's is the first to have a true sense of continuity mapped out across all of his movies. Similarly, it was already known well in advance that No Time To Die would be Craig's final Bond movie, which only increased his chances of a rather more permanent departure.

No Time To Die uses this to its advantage, as the question of whether Bond will live or die hangs over much of the movie like a spectre. He may well have no time to die or, indeed, all the time in the world, and yet there's a race against the clock to save the world from the villainous Safin (Rami Malek), protect those he loves, and in essence be Bond, James Bond one last time. It's only until late in the third act the movie shows its hand, but the setup is there along the way.

RELATED: Blofeld Predicted The End Of No Time To Die - Theory Explained

James Bond's death comes in a movie that both honors franchise traditions and introduces several firsts, not least the presence of his daughter with Madeleine Swann (Leá Seydoux). That gives No Time To Die an ever sharper edge and bigger, more personal stakes than the average Bond movie - but again, Craig isn't the average Bond. It builds to a climax where he has to make the ultimate sacrifice and, in the end, it's a fitting farewell.

Why James Bond Sacrifices Himself In No Time To Die

Towards the end of No Time To Die, James Bond has to make the hardest choice he's ever faced. Safin injects him with a nanobot virus that's specifically coded to Madeleine's DNA, meaning that while Bond could still live his life relatively normal in terms of health and longevity (the virus would not kill him, basically), he'd never be able to touch either Madeleine or their daughter, Mathilde, ever again. It's a testament to how Craig's Bond has changed across his arc that this is such a hard choice; while previous Bonds have married or fallen in love, there aren't too many for whom this would ever be a real consideration or threat. But this Bond does love, and not only that, but he has lost, and grieved, and had to learn to love and trust all over again.

The weight of that is a major factor in Bond's decision to die in No Time To Die. Ultimately, Bond not being to touch his daughter or the woman he loves ever again would be too much. That's not just the case for him - if it was only pain for him, then he might be able to stand it - but for them as well. Bond knows that kind of pain, and that ultimately it's easier for them, especially Mathilde, if he sacrifices himself in this moment. Similarly, it connects to M's (Ralph Fiennes) speech in No Time To Die's ending, as he quotes from Jack London: "The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time." This gets to the essence of Bond's decision. That, with the nanobots inside him, he cannot function properly, he cannot truly live. And rather than simply exist, it would be better do die.

Why James Bond's Death Is The Perfect Ending For Craig's Arc

Bond's decision to sacrifice himself in No Time To Die's ending is rooted in love and grief, and the weight of legacy and his own history. These are themes that run across not only the movie, but Craig's best outings as Bond: the idea of love and trust connects back to Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) and her death in Casino Royale; the notions of Bond''s legacy - of who he is and what is left behind - stems from Skyfall and is addressed again by Safin here. These factors are why James Bond dies, and why it's so impactful, because rather than this being a standalone adventure that just so happens to kill off 007, it's a conclusion to a 15-year journey that has transformed the character.

RELATED: No Time To Die Ending Explained: 12 Biggest Questions Answered

Because of what Craig's Bond has been through - few 00s have suffered more than he has - then there's an argument to be made that he deserved a happy ending. That the chance to retire quietly and go off into the sunset with Madeleine and Mathilde would have been well-earned. That, though, is rather the point of why Bond has to die, and why it's the more fitting option. Bond is, to a degree at least, a tragic figure, a man who is great at killing people but terrible at connecting with them, and who is driven by a compulsion to save the world no matter the cost. To see Bond's journey go full circle, from finding how to open himself up in Casino Royale, all the way to actually giving his life for the love of another is a poignant idea.

In particular, for that to be so rooted in him becoming a father and what that means - to have someone else in his life so worth fighting (and dying) for - is a decision that only Craig's Bond could have made. It ensures, too, that his legacy will live on, as MI6 remembers him and Madeleine tells their daughter all about the kind of man James Bond was. After No Time To Die, it's hard to imagine any other ending being so fitting for this version of the character, and it brilliantly ties his entire era together.

James Bond Dying Makes Bond 26'S Reboot Easier

It isn't just for Daniel Craig's arc that James Bond's death works, but for the purposes of rebooting the franchise with James Bond 26. This is, of course, part of the fabric of the Bond franchise, much like its fellow British, 1960s compatriot, Doctor Who. The idea that one Bond goes and another replaces him is why the movies have endured the way they have, and so there was always an expectation that Bond 26's story would simply pick up and start again. But where this differs is in giving Craig's Bond that sense of continuity. By breaking the conventions of the past, it made rebooting a more difficult task because there's such a strong throughline with these movies, it would be harder to imagine someone else simply emerging as the new James Bond were Daniel Craig's version alive.

With No Time To Die killing off James Bond, then that job feels much easier. The book is well and truly shut on the Craig era - there is no chance of him signing on for another movie, no confusion over whether or not he will be back, and less of a shadow for the next James Bond actor to work under. It's a much cleaner break this way, allowing a perfect sendoff to Craig's Bond, while still promising the future will be bright with the iconic words after No Time To Die's credits: James Bond will return. This time, it may as well say James Bond is dead, long live James Bond.

Two new LEGO sets based on The Batman have been revealed, showing the Riddler infiltrating the Batcave and a motorcycle chase with Catwoman. In the upcoming film, Robert Pattinson dons the cape and cowl as Batman while Zoe Kravitz steps into the role of Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, and Paul Dano plays the classic villain the Riddler. The Batman, which is directed by Matt Reeves, hits theaters in March 2022.

Many details about the film have been kept under wraps. The Batman's teaser trailer, released at DC FanDome 2020, revealed a creepy, ominous take on Batman's first few years as a hero. The short glimpse gave a good overview of the main characters in the film, though it didn't reveal much about the plot. Still, it showed Dano's Zodiac Killer-esque take on the Riddler and Kravitz's Catwoman in costume.

RELATED:The Batman’s Spin-Off Can Make Penguin More Like Burton’s Villain

LEGO revealed its range for The Batman movie today, showing off new sets that give a closer look at several important elements and characters in the movie.  Batman & Selina Kyle Motorcycle Chase portrays a sequence that fans got a look at in recent footage as well as early set leaks. The set features two LEGO mini-figures including Batman, with the film’s new version of the grey and black crime-fighting suit, and Catwoman. Both figures come with buildable bikes and the set also seems to confirm that the Bat-Signal will make an appearance. Batcave: The Riddler Face-Off features 6 mini-figures, including exclusive figures of Dano’s Riddler, Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon, and Alfred Pennyworth as played by Andy Serkis. Included in the set are various features of the new Batcave, which looks to be formed in an unused Wayne family train station.

Serkis’ version of Alfred has yet to be seen in any footage or images, so this LEGO figure is the first look at the Lord of the Rings actor in action. The set seems to imply an action scene or confrontation taking place within Bruce Wayne’s secret cave, with Gordon, Riddler, and Batman all included.

Of course, LEGO has tricked fans before and their products don’t always accurately represent the finished article. Sets for Avengers: Endgame, while featuring recognizable characters and locations, often shook things up by inserting and removing items and people to keep the mysteries alive. Iron Man 3’s tie-in LEGO in 2013 featured a battle with the Mandarin riding a flamethrower-car, a sequence which wasn’t in the movie and presumably wasn’t in any early drafts of the scripts either. DC has likely been selective with what LEGO can and cannot show, so many big secrets and surprises are surely still awaiting fans when they sit down in theaters to watch The Batman in March 2022. Until then, LEGO and Batman enthusiasts alike can pick up the new sets, ranging from $15-$100 each.

A Thundercats movie poster by artists Allan Portilho and Gabriel Rezende has fans wishing it were official. Created by Tobin Wolf, the popular animated series originally ran from 1985 to 1989 and followed a group of feline-like humanoids from the planet Thundera. The cartoon went on to span various video games and comics, though the live-action film got stuck in development hell for several years. That was until Godzilla vs. Kong director, Adam Wingard, signed on to helm the project for Warner Bros.

Wingard is also co-writing the Thundercats movie with his frequent collaborator, Simon Barret, who has teased that fans aren't prepared for what they have planned. Wingard is coming off his successful entry into Legendary's MonsterVerse franchise, which debuted to great success in spite of theaters not yet being fully reopened. Godzilla vs. Kong ended up grossing $467 million worldwide, which broke several pandemic box office records at the time and currently stands at the fourth highest grossing movie of the year. Wingard is now channeling all that momentum into development of the Thundercats movie.

RELATED: Why The Canceled ThunderCats Movie Never Happened

Though there haven't been many updates recently regarding Wingard's live-action movie and its official marketing campaign is still a ways away, artists Allan Portilho and Gabriel Rezende have created a Thundercats poster that will surely have fans wishing it were official. The poster shows Lion-O, the Lord of the ThunderCats, holding the Sword of Omens up over his head towards the sky, a fitting pose for the movie's presumed hero. Check out the poster below:

Fans of the original series have been stoked for live-action movie ever since Wingard was announced as the director, since his status as a life-long Thundercats fan makes him the perfect choice. Wingard began his career with films that could be categorized as mumblecore, later transitioning into horror. After his first shot at helming a major tentpole film was a resounding success, Wingard had the chance to be a little more choosy with his next project for Warner Bros. and quickly settled on a passion project of his.

Fans will more than likely be satisfied with Wingard and Barret's adaptation if it is anything in line with this unofficial poster. It seems to perfectly straddle the line between reimagining the original IP while still paying respect to the source material, and hopefully the film will do the same. Now that the live-action Thundercats movie has secured its writer and director, the next major step in the process will be casting.

Paramount has responded to the controversial lawsuit filed ahead of Jackass Forever by former series star, Bam Margera. From its earliest days, the stupid stunt franchise gave audiences the realism that they craved, with dangerous and hilarious stunts performed by a tight-knit group of friends. In fact, the unity among stars such as Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man and Margera, has arguably been a major factor in the franchise’s success to date.

Originally started by Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine, and Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Jonze, Jackass was initially nothing more than a series of tests performed by Knoxville for the long since defunct skateboard magazine, Big Brother. Having convinced Tremaine that he was willing to be tasered and even shot while wearing a bulletproof vest, Knoxville’s eagerness to push his luck began to expand and grow until an eventual deal with MTV was struck. The Jackass TV series ran for three seasons before kicking off a reign of successful feature films. But as the fourth Jackass film began production, Margera's troubling lifestyle continued to cause problems. Unable to stick to a strict contractual obligation regarding his sobriety, Margera was soon fired from Jackass Forever. Rather than accept that his substance abuse issues were causing tremendous problems for himself as well as his family and friends, Margera launched a lawsuit against Knoxville, Tremaine, Jonze, and Paramount. Among other things, the suit claims that Margera was forced to take a “cocktail of pills” from a doctor hired by Paramount and that he was fired for taking medication that was prescribed to him.

RELATED:Why Bam Margera Isn't In Jackass 4 (Firing & Lawsuit Explained)

The lawsuit was initially filed on August 25th of this year, and now Paramount has hit back. As The Wrap reports, the studio has stated that Margera’s lawsuit is “riddled with lies” and is “baseless." Read Paramount's reported statement from the filing below:

“Then, with no remorse or acceptance of responsibility for the damage he was causing his former partners, friends, and himself, Margera filed this baseless, manifestly dishonest lawsuit, which threatens to enjoin the upcoming release of ‘Jackass Forever. Apparently, Margera has decided that because he blew his opportunity to be in the film, the Defendants should not be allowed to release it, and the public should not be allowed to see it. Enough is enough.”

Margera’s drug and alcohol dependency spiraled out of control shortly after the death of his best friend and former Jackass co-star, Ryan Dunn, in 2011. For family, friends and fans, this has been a painful process to endure, and despite trying to get help numerous times, Margera hasn’t been able to stay sober. Substance abuse issues are unfortunately nothing new among the Jackass cast, with Steve-O previously having come close to suicide before getting help from his friends and staying sober. It was this sort of solidarity that was employed toward Margera, but unfortunately the sobriety contract did not work.

In addition to Margera’s lawsuit against Knoxville, Jonze, Tremaine and Paramount, the 42-year-old has a restraining order against him for reportedly threatening Tremaine and his family. It is extremely unfortunate that a group of friends who have long been close and succeeded in so many ways together have now been reduced to legal battles. The release of Jackass Forever was recently pushed to February 4, 2022, but without Margera, some fans will understandably feel that Jackass isn’t quite the same anymore.

Last Night in Soho director Edgar Wright recently released a playlist full of dreamy '60s songs that helped inspire the film. The psychological thriller sees Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, and Thomasin McKenzie trapped in a web of mystery when modern-day fashion student Eloise finds herself transported to a '60s London each night. After she falls asleep, Eloise inexplicably awakens as Sandy, a '60s fashion icon and cabaret singer. But with each passing night, the details of a decades-old murder start to have a horrifying impact on Eloise's real life.

Related: Last Night In Soho Trailer: Everything Revealed About The Story

On Instagram, Wright shared an image of star Anya Taylor-Joy to promote a playlist he curated titled "SOHO NIGHTS." It consists of 60 UK songs from the '60s that inspired the director when writing Last Night in Soho. The playlist highlights tracks from British rock groups like The Kinks, The Animals, and The Zombies. He captioned the photo, "As you get ready to travel back in time with us on October 29th, please enjoy this rabbit hole of great music." Fans can stream the playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube while waiting for the film to arrive in theaters later this month. Check out Wright's post below:

Click Here to View the Original Post.

Like many other recent releases, Last Night in Soho had more than its fair share of COVID delays. The film was originally slotted to premiere in September 2020 but was postponed to Spring 2021 before landing on its official release date of October 29th. Just in time for Halloween weekend, the time-traveling horror flick is one of fall's most highly-anticipated titles, with Taylor-Joy's performance earning high praise from early viewers. Last Night in Soho is sure to be a mind-bending trip through time and mystery, set against the backdrop of neon-lit London nights. There's still a couple of weeks to go before the film arrives in theaters, but in the meantime, fans can jam out to Wright's carefully crafted '60s playlist.

Ahead of Scream's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release, Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard discuss the possible fates of their characters, Billy and Stu, following the film's ending. Ulrich and Lillard played teens Billy Loomis and Stu Macher in Wes Craven's 1996 slasher horror film. Billy and Stu were part of Sidney Prescott's (Neve Campbell) group of friends, who are caught up in the murder spree and mystery of the Ghostface Killer.

In Scream, Billy and Stu are the boyfriends to Sidney and Tatum Riley (Rose Mcgowan), who get caught up in the Ghostface Killer case following the murder of a classmate. The pair are revealed to both be the killer, as Billy seeks revenge because his father had an affair with Sidney's mother, leading to his mother leaving. It is also revealed the pair killed Sidney's mother, and aim to kill Sidney too. With Scream celebrating its 25th anniversary through screenings and a new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release, both Ulrich and Lillard reunited to discuss their thoughts on their characters.

RELATED:How Stu Can Return And Be Reformed In Scream 5

While talking to Bloody Disgusting about the upcoming Blu-ray release, both actors were asked if they would be happy to return to the franchise. Lillard insisted that Stu was alive, before stating Billy was dead. Ulrich shot back, saying that Billy managed to survive as well, escaping his death at the last second. Lillard then suggested fans start a campaign to bring Stu back through writing and petitioning. Check out Ulrich and Lillard's responses below:

"Lillard: Yes! I’m alive! Stu is alive! You need to support me in this. Skeet’s Dead! He’s Dead!

Ulrich: No! That was a glancing blow. I turned really quick like that, at the last second.

Lillard: I’m alive. And I want you to know something. We need to start a writing campaign. We need to petition this."

In Scream's climax, Sidney, Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), and Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy) manage to outmaneuver and outsmart Billy and Stu, dispatching each killer by dropping a TV set on Stu's head, before Sidney shoots Billy in the head, killing the pair and ending their reign of terror. Returning characters have already been teased for the upcoming fifth installment in the franchise, also titled Scream, with set photos hinting at a return to Stu's home that featured heavily in the original film. Ulrich's return was also teased when the actor was tagged in a now-deleted post by returning star, Marley Shelton, who will reprise her role as Judy Hicks from Scream 4.

With Scream's fifth installment seeing the return of Campbell, Cox, Shelton, and David Arquette as Dewey Riley, it is possible that Stu and Billy could also see a return in some form. The first Scream film was praised for its satirical take on the horror genre at the time, poking fun at cliches that the genre had become overly reliant on. It is possible that bringing back either killer could perhaps allow the sequel to reflect on the Scream franchise in the same way the original did on the genre as a whole.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens originally opened with Luke's severed hand floating space, as confirmed by Mark Hamill himself. Ever since he portrayed the iconic Star Wars protagonist in the original 1977 film, Hamill's name has been synonymous with Luke Skywalker. He went on to reprise the role three years later in The Empire Strikes Back, followed by the threequel, Return of the Jedi, in 1983, which capped off the beloved original trilogy.

After George Lucas' maligned prequel trilogy that was released from 1999 to 2005, the Star Wars creator sold the franchise's rights off to Disney in 2012. The Mouse House quickly revived the dormant series with The Force Awakens in 2015, the first film in the Skywalker Saga's sequel trilogy. J.J. Abrams turned in one of the most well-received Star Wars movies of the Disney era, introducing plenty of new characters like Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Poe (Oscar Isaac), and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), while also bringing back familiar faces in Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Hamill's Luke Skywalker.

RELATED:Star Wars: Visions Understands The Force Better Than The Sequel Trilogy

Now, years after The Force Awakens' release, Hamill is confirming some details about one of the film's scrapped scenes. Responding to the Twitter page, UberFacts, which claims Episode VII's original script opened with Luke's severed hand floating through space (still holding his lightsaber), Hamill responded and confirmed that the long-standing rumor is true. Check out the tweet below:

Click here to see the original post.

This scrapped scene would have, of course, been a reference to the end of Empire Strikes Back in which Luke loses his hand during a lightsaber battle with his father, Darth Vader, in Cloud City. Hamill goes on to say that, after Luke's hand floats through space and burns away, his lightsaber "impales the surface of an unnamed planet," which presumably would have been Takodana. Though the film never addresses it, this opening sequence could have explained how his lightsaber ends up in Maz Kanata's chest.

Though Luke's severed limb never got its time shine on screen, Hamill did appear briefly at the end of Force Awakens, setting up his more prominent role in Rian Johnson's divisive follow-up, The Last Jedi. The Force Awakens fared just fine without the scrapped scene, as it grossed over $2 billion at the worldwide box office and successfully recalled the glory of the original trilogy. An opening scene showing Luke's hand floating through space might have soiled that, as it could have come off as a cheesy nod to the one the franchise's most iconic moments.

Actress Kyle Richards revealed that she broke her nose while shooting the upcoming slasher film, Halloween Kills. Richards first appeared in the original Halloween in 1978 as Lindsey Wallace, one of the children who Laurie Strode is tasked with babysitting on Halloween night. Unfortunately for Laurie, Lindsey, and the townspeople of Haddonfield, Illinois, it’s the same night that escaped murderer, Michael Myers, is hell-bent on hunting for his next victims. Directed by John Carpenter, Halloween went on to become a beloved cult classic and is often credited with jumpstarting the slasher flick boom.

Halloween spawned a film franchise comprised of eleven films, including a Rob Zombie-directed remake in 2007. With Carpenter’s blessing, a direct sequel to the original film was released in 2018. Simply titled Halloween, the film features Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle reprising their roles of Laurie and Michael. Forty years after surviving Michael’s killing spree, an older but still post-traumatic Laurie prepares to face her would-be killer. Now, audiences are gearing up for Halloween Kills, the forthcoming sequel to the 2018 film, in which Laurie enlists the entire Haddonfield community to finally take down Michael.

RELATED:Halloween Kills Will Tie A Special Friday The 13th Record

In an interview with ET, Kyle Richards admits that her return to the franchise was more physical than she had anticipated, resulting in a nose injury for the actress. The break occurred while Richards was rehearsing a fight scene with Michael Myers. Still, the actress kept it to herself, not wanting to slow production. It was only upon returning to L.A. that Richards “found out that it was indeed broken.” Read Richard’s recollection of her injury below:

“I was working with a stunt coordinator to do a fight scene with Michael Myers and umm, yeah, let's just say while I was rehearsing something flew back and hit me in the face and I knew immediately that something was wrong.”

Following a fruitful career as a child actress, Richards would go on to appear in series such as ER and Days of Our Lives. She is perhaps best known for her role as a main cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Richards joined the reality series upon the show’s premiere in 2010 and, as of 2021, is the final remaining original cast member. Richards’ return as Lindsey Wallace was highlighted in two TV spots for Halloween Kills. Released in September, the clips show a grown-up Lindsey protecting her kids from Michael as he returns to terrorize Haddonfield.

While Richards is reprising the role she last played as a nine-year-old, Brian Andrews, who played fellow youngster Tommy Doyle, won’t be returning for Halloween Kills. Instead, Tommy will be played by former Brat Packer, Anthony Michael Hall. Halloween Kills hits theaters on October 15. Fans will have to wait until then to see if Lindsey and Tommy can once again escape Michael’s wrath. If they do, there’s a chance Richards will be seen again when Halloween Ends releases in 2022.

Child's Play creator Don Mancini explains how the 2019 reboot could have impacted his upcoming Chucky TV show. Mancini started the Child's Play franchise back in 1988. Six sequels were released afterward within the same timeline before a reboot from the up-and-coming director Lars Klevberg came out. The Child's Play reboot was released in 2019, focusing on a high-tech Chucky doll, with Mark Hamill voicing the iconic character.

While some horror fans were excited to see the killer doll back up on the big screen, others were concerned since Mancini and long-time Chucky voice actor Brad Dourif were not involved in the film. In fact, both of them seemed to be incredibly against the idea of rebooting the series, likely because Mancini still had plans to continue his story in a TV show. Mancini even rejected a producer credit on the reboot. MGM's film got mixed reviews upon release, making Child's Play sequels within the reboot continuity unlikely to happen.

RELATED: Every Child's Play Movie Character Returning For Chucky's TV Show

Some may be disappointed that a new Child's Play 2 might not happen, but Mancini himself seems relieved. In an interview with Comicbook, Mancini was asked if he felt like he was reclaiming the character after the reboot. The Child's Play creator explained that the reception of the reboot could have affected his TV show if Universal decided there wasn't enough interest in the character. Mancini also hasn't seen the reboot because he doesn't want to be influenced by another version of his character. His full comments from the interview can be read below:

I did, sure, because there was no way of knowing how that could impact what we've been doing for decades at Universal. And there was worry about it, it wasn't just me. It was also powers that be at the studio, like how much appetite is there going to be for this character? And if that movie had broken out, if it had been successful, then it could have harmed our plans. Fortunately, that didn't happen. Honestly, I'm at a point in my life where the main emotion I feel at junctures like that is just relief and gratitude that we got to make our show. Seems like people are liking it. All good. I don't bear any resentment particularly against any of the people involved in that movie. They were doing a job. Although the producers, maybe I can bear a grudge for a while longer.”

"I've not seen the movie because I just didn't want to. I just don't want to be distracted. That is just another thing. It's just this other version of my character out there, I don't want to be distracted or influenced by that.”

If Child's Play 2 was greenlit, it certainly could have negatively affected Mancini's upcoming series. Having two different versions of the same character could have confused casual viewers and created competition for his show. That being said, if Child's Play 2 and Chucky did come out at the same time, Mancini would have had the upper hand. Die-hard fans would have been more excited to see the next chapter in Mancini's story, and with theaters still recovering from the pandemic, a TV show is likely to draw in a bigger crowd.

Klevberg mentioned last year that Child's Play 2 could still happen, yet there hasn't been any significant news on the sequel since. On the other hand, Chucky has the potential to live on for years to come if it is renewed for a second season. The 10-episode series will release weekly starting on October 12th, so USA and Syfy will likely wait to see how it does with viewers before they greenlight another season. Chucky could end up being a limited series, but with Mancini's clear enthusiasm for the franchise, he likely has more stories in mind for the characters.

Christopher Nolan's new movie is titled Oppenheimer, and gets a release date and star. Following the release of Tenet last year, Nolan didn't waste much time putting his next project together. Last month, it was revealed he was working on a World War II movie about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man responsible for creating the atomic bomb. It's notable not just for being Nolan's next film, but also for marking the end of Nolan's fruitful partnership with Warner Bros. Due to clashes over Tenet's release and his displeasure over WB's HBO Max decision, Nolan left his longtime studio.

After shopping his new movie around, Nolan agreed to a deal with Universal, with a list of demands that includes an exclusive theatrical release of at least 100 days, a $100 million production budget, a $100 million marketing budget, and complete creative control. With the project finding a home quickly after being announced, it was assumed more pieces would fall into place in the near future. Now, additional details about Nolan's latest have been revealed.

RELATED:Christopher Nolan's Next Movie Can Perfectly Combine His Best Genres

According to Deadline, Nolan's World War II movie is called Oppenheimer and it will release on July 21, 2023. Frequent Nolan collaborator Cillian Murphy has signed on to play J. Robert Oppenheimer, after being rumored for the role. Oppenheimer production will commence early next year.

Oppenheimer's July release date illustrates how confident Universal is in its prospects. That prime summer window has been home to several of Nolan's past films, including the final two installments of the Dark Knight trilogy and Inception. It's also where Tenet was originally scheduled before it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On-paper, an Oppenheimer biopic doesn't appear to be as much of a draw as a sci-fi heist or a comic book adaptation, but Nolan is one of the few directors whose name is like its own franchise. His last war movie, 2017's Dunkirk, was released in July and grossed over $527 million worldwide. Universal is obviously hoping for similar results with Oppenheimer.

Murphy has appeared in five Nolan films before, but Oppenheimer will mark the first time he takes on the lead role. Over the course of his career, he's proven to be a versatile actor, and this seems like it will be a meaty part for him to explore (and could perhaps land him an Oscar nomination). Nolan has his favorites to work with, so it will be interesting to see if any more familiar faces - like Michael Caine or Tom Hardy - sign on for Oppenheimer as well. With filming scheduled to start in the near future, there should be more casting confirmations over the next few months, as Oppenheimer hits the ground running.