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.
The EU relaxed its Covid travel restrictions for vaccinated individuals among the union's 27 member states, doing away with testing or quarantine requirements for travelers. This comes soon after the World Health Organization said the omicron variant could help make the pandemic more manageable. The new rules take effect February 1st. Bryce Conway, Founder, 10xTravel joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
If you're in China you may have noticed that the 1999 film "Fight Club" which features Brad Pitt has somehow got itself a new ending. In the new ending on the streaming service Tencent, the narrator is killed and the explosions are replaced with a black screen saying "the police arrested criminals".It's unclear as to exactly why the changes were made. However, it is the latest example of China playing by its own rules when it comes to entertainment and attempting to control everything its citizens watch. Media Reporter at Axios, Sarah Fisher, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Some of Tiktok's biggest stars have a message for the platform: It is time to pay up! As the platform has skyrocketed in popularity, many content creators have been given the opportunity to garner millions of fans and even sometimes billions of views. In 2020, the company launched a creator fund in order to incentivize the platform's users. However, while the group of creators has grown larger, the pool of money has remained the same, and creators are fed up, they claim as Tiktok becomes more successful. Senior Editor at Engadget, Karissa Bell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
In 2021, QAnon, the community which traffics in conspiracy theories saw a rapid growth in its numbers. As a result of vaccine rollouts, a number of conspiracies surrounding them also began to circulate which then led to the rise of "Anti-Vaxxers". As a result, the QAnon and anti-vax communities have become increasingly intertwined and the results could be costing lives. Senior Researcher at Media Matters Alex Kaplan, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Neil Young gave the streaming service Spotify an ultimatum demanding that his music be removed if the Joe Rogan experience remained on the platform. Joe Rogan's platform has been questioned a number of times as a result of some of his takes on covid treatment strategies and at times downright misinformation. Ultimately, Spotify decided to stick with Joe Rogan's podcast. The Director for the Business and Entertainment Program at American University, John Simson, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Nutritional supplement beverage company Athletic Greens has achieved unicorn status. The company announced a new $115 million funding round, bringing its valuation to $1.2 billion. The company's flagship product AG1 combines 75 different vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients into one daily serving. Athletic Greens says it is poised to reach the millions of consumers who are currently driving the health and wellness market's exponential growth. Athletic Greens founder and CEO Chris Ashenden joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Michael Mitchell, senior director of brand at Mailchimp, joins Cheddar News to discuss the launch of Bloom Season and what every BIPOC entrepreneur needs to know to succeed.
Janet Jackson shared that she had a conversation with Justin Timberlake who had asked her if he should make a statement during the scandal over her Super Bowl XXXVIII wardrobe malfunction, in her new self-titled Lifetime documentary. The musical icon said that she viewed the incident as an accident and remains "good friends" with Justin Timberlake.
