From celebs stirring up Spider-Man rumors to Pete Davidson's sentencing, here's what's happening in entertainment.
Spider-Man IV?
Let's immerse ourselves in a bit of gossip and rumors for just a second and I think if you're an MCU fan, you'll enjoy this one.
Actor Thomas Haden Church, has fans of Spider-Man buzzing about the possible return of Tobey Maguire as your friendly neighborhood superhero. In an interview with USA Today, he said he heard that another fourth installment in the Spidey franchise was in the works with director Sam Raimi behind the camera.
Both actors reprised their roles, Church as Flink Marko aka Sandman and Maguire as Peter Parker, in the 2021 Spider-Man 3: No Way Home. Earlier this year, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that a fourth installment was in the works but that writers had just begun to put pen to paper.
With the introduction of the multiverse in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, anything is truly possible at this point. So standby MCU fanatics.
Pete Davidson's Driving
SNL alum Pete Davidson is getting off relatively easily after crashing his car into a Los Angeles-area home earlier this year.
The comedian was recently sentenced to community service and will have to attend traffic school after being slapped with a reckless driving charge. The 18-month program will include a hospital visit and a trip to the morgue, to show the severity of how reckless driving incidents can end in tragedy.
Fortunately, there were no injuries in his March 4 accident. The sentencing comes just weeks after Davidson was reportedly admitted into rehab after dealing with mental health struggles.
'Jeopardy!' Strike
Former Jeopardy! champions are planning to boycott the Tournament of Champions over concerns that the show will be forced to use recycled questions as a result of the Hollywood writer's strike. Deadline reported that last season's winner Ray Lalonde told the show's producers that he would not cross the picket line to play if the strike continues.
"I believe the show's writers are a vital part of the show and they are justified in taking their job action to secure a fair contract for themselves and their fellow WGA members," Lalonde said in a Reddit post.
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.
