This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Zachary Levi, left, and Helen Mirren in a scene from "Shazam! Fury of the Gods." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)
From March Madness to movie madness, here are your top entertainment headlines.
Brackets Busted
March Madness officially tipped off this week, and after just one day of competition a mere 0.06 percent of Yahoo Sports brackets are still 100 percent intact after a slew of first round upsets — including No. 13 Furman University's shocker over No. 4 University of Virginia. According to Yahoo, just 13.5 percent of people selected Furman to win (its first NCAA tourney victory since 1974. Overall, only 23 total brackets on the site remain perfect.
Tyra Banks' New Ventures
Dancing With the Stars may have at least one less host with the departure of Tyra Banks. The model/entrepreneur announced that it may be time to leave the show after three seasons. "I think it's time to graduate from the dance floor to the stock market floor…I think my heart, my soul, is into my business, it's also into producing new TV," Banks told TMZ. Season 32 is expected to air on Disney+ in the fall with Len Goodman also departing after he's been a judge since the 2005 inaugural season.
'Shazam: Fury of the Gods' Previews
Warner Bros. and DC's Shazam sequel kicked off Thursday night previews with $3.4 million. Fury of the Gods is off to a more lackluster start than the original, which opened with $5.9 million in previews. The global box office outlook only anticipates the film raking up between $35 million and $40 million and reviews of the film have not been particularly glowing. The film cost at least $100 million to produce.
'Top Gun: Maverick' making an estimated $156 million domestically for its four-day opening weekend. Daniel Loria, SVP of Content Strategy and Editorial Director at Boxoffice Pro, joins Cheddar News to weigh in on the long-awaited sequel and the summer box office.
The holiday weekend saw Disney+ and Netflix competing head-to-head for streaming views as the Disney behemoth kicked off the unofficial start to summer with its release of "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and Netflix responded with the first part of "Stranger Things" Season 4. The streaming giants caught the eye of Wall Street, and Seth Schachner, the managing director at consultancy Strat Americas, joined Cheddar News to break down the heavy hitters. "This is a very tough, competitive game, and I don't see it getting any easier," he said. "I think you'll probably see more consolidation."
The founder and president of Cyborg Mobile Kobie Hatcher has been on a strong trajectory to disrupt his industry with a program called The New Technologists. It's not only meant to address the diversity gap within large tech companies but also help pave the way to transform the lives of young BIPOC students. He joined Cheddar News to talk about how he's working to make a difference with the lack of diversity in tech. “There's truly no lack of talent out there. It's just identifying them and letting them know that, hey, I've been in the tech sector for over 20 years. I see you. I know what you can bring, bring it, we need it," Hatcher said.
Catching you up on the entertainment headlines of the day with "Top Gun: Maverick" soaring up to a record opening at $160.5M, Harry Styles also hitting number one on Billboard with "Harry's House," Netflix released images of Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in "Maestro," and more.
Constituent service platform Indigov recently raised $25 million in a Series B funding round. Indigov bills itself as a constituent relationship management tool that helps elected officials improve the way they organize, respond to, and engage those they serve. The startup's services are being used by federal, state, and local governments across the country, including the U.S. House of Representatives. Alex Kouts, founder & CEO of Indigov, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
The 2022 NBA playoffs are intensifying as four teams vie for an NBA finals berth. Tonight, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors can book their finals ticket with a win over the Dallas Mavericks, while Miami will be feeling the 'heat' tomorrow night, facing elimination against the Boston Celtics.
And with the growing popularity of sports betting, the NBA playoffs offers a potential money-making opportunity for fans. Trysta Krick, host of BetMGM Tonight, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
As the holiday weekend arrives, travelers are bracing themselves for higher gas prices amid the inflation surge, but Robert Sinclair, AAA spokesperson, joined Cheddar News to discuss how the higher costs likely won't hold people back this Memorial Day Weekend. “We're near pre-pandemic levels. Nearly 40 million people are traveling. And of that total, about 35 million will be driving to their destinations," he said.
