Stray Kids unveil venues and dates for ‘Maniac’ tour in North America

from the American Film Institute reveals that “Star Wars” director George Lucas paid actor James Earl Jones only $7,000 to voice Darth Vader in the first-ever “Star Wars” film.Actor David Prowse — who died in 2020 at age 85 — famously wore the Darth Vader suit in “Star Wars: A New Hope” in 1977, but Lucas did not envision his natural voice for the now-iconic character. “George wanted, pardon the expression, a dark voice,” Jones said.

What Happens Later.The actor will both direct and star in the new film, which has been described as an “evolved and nostalgic” romantic comedy, according to Variety.What Happens Later adapts American playwright Steven Dietz’s stage show Shooting Star, who co-wrote the screenplay with playwright and novelist Kirk Lynn.Ryan will be starring in the film alongside David Duchovny as ex-lovers Willa and Bill, who are reunited for the first time since separating decades prior in an airport overnight.A logline for the movie reads: “What if late one snowy night you came face to face with someone from your long ago? Someone who once held your secrets, because once, long ago, that person held your heart.”The film will mark the second film directed by Meg Ryan after directing and starring in 2015’s Ithaca alongside Sam Shephard and Alex Neustaedter. It is co-produced by Bleecker Street, and Ten Acre Films.Ryan made her name in romantic comedies including You’ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle.

Stray Kids have added three more shows to their sold-out North American tour.Today (May 5), the K-pop boyband announced they would be bringing the North American leg of their ‘Maniac’ world tour to Anaheim, California along with an additional night for Seattle, Washington.This comes after Stray Kids sold out all seven of their original stops across the United States. Late last month, the boyband had also announced additional nights to their gigs in Newark, New Jersey and Los Angeles, California, all of which are also now sold out.Stray Kids(스트레이 키즈) 2nd World Tour "MANIAC" in North AmericaAdditional Show InfoTicket Open 2022.05.09 (MON) 3PM (Local Time)https://t.co/JjF0JwYkr7#StrayKids #스트레이키즈#2ndWorldTour_MANIAC#ODDINARY#MANIAC #MANIAC_SKZ#YouMakeStrayKidsStay pic.twitter.com/VP0L6W1q46— Stray Kids (@Stray_Kids) May 4, 2022Tickets for the three new Stray Kids shows will go on sale on Ticketmaster at 3pm on Monday (May 9) in the respective cities’ local time.

Wilson Chapman editorAsian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month arrives on Sunday, and Ella Jay Basco is celebrating with “Bubble Tea,” the latest single from her upcoming album.Best known for her role as Cassandra Cain in the 2020 superhero film “Birds of Prey,” Basco got her start as a child actor in show’s like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Veep.” But after “Birds of Prey,” she began exploring music, releasing an EP “Middle School” when she was just 13. Half-Korean and half-Filipino, Basco often draws upon her heritage and culture when constructing her songs.

Kristen Bell and Yumi teamed up to raise funds for those affected by the war in Ukraine through the new book,, by donating all proceeds from print sales to World Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization founded by Chef José Andrés that provides fresh meals in response to crises while working to build resilient food systems with locally led solutions.   Jodie Comer wore the Hunter x Killing Eve Chasing Boots, a knee-high style boot, available in black, olive and camel, on the final two episodes of the television series. George Lopez attended the Grand Opening of Impact Museum’s Immersive Frida Kahlo Exhibit At Lighthouse ArtSpace in Hollywood, California, in support of Global Gift Foundation USA.Charli D’Amelio enjoyed Cold Stone Creamery backstage at the Kids’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California, after she won Favorite Female Creator.Carly Rae Jepsen stunned in a For Love & Lemons white lacy dress at the Interscope Coachella Party in Palm Springs, California.Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller attended a Celebration of Life in Los Angeles, California, to support a former HFC care grant recipient and volunteer advocate who was caring for her late mother with Alzheimer's.

The American Film Market will return to Santa Monica as an in-person event from November 1 through November 6, after being forced online for two years due to the Covid pandemic, the Independent Film & Television Alliance announced today.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefNew York-headquartered documentary distributor Icarus Films has picked up all North American rights to Hong Kong protest film “Blue Island.” The film plays this week at the HotDocs Documentary Festival in Toronto, Canada.Directed by Chan Tze Woon (“Yellowing”), the film confronts the large-scale protests in Hong Kong, describing events through a mix of documentary footage and filmed reenactments. The distributor has not yet elaborated release plans, but says that it is taking booking requests from museums, arts organizations, film festivals and theaters across North America.“A new wave of young people took back the streets, as one generation after another has done throughout Hong Kong’s history.

Lizzo is hitting the road for a North American tour!

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentHulu says “The Kardashians” — the new series from the Kardashians — is its biggest series premiere in U.S. history.Hulu did not provide specific viewing numbers, as the platform does not release ratings.The streaming service also claims the new show is the most-watched Star Originals series, (so not including Disney’s Marvel or “Star Wars” streaming titles) on Disney+ and Star+ across global markets.“‘The Kardashians’ is the most-watched series premiere on Hulu in the United States, and on Disney+ and Star+ among Star Originals, across all global markets to date,” a Hulu spokesperson tells Variety exclusively.Hulu’s record-breaking numbers for “The Kardashians” is based on the premiere episode hours watched in the first three days of its release, since the show launched on April 14.

BISMARCK, N.D. -- Hollywood actor and “Transformers” star Josh Duhamel will continue to promote his home state of North Dakota.North Dakota’s tourism agency confirmed Tuesday to The Associated Press that the star of several “Transformers” movies will be paid $75,000 to be the face of the state’s tourism campaign for the next two years.Duhamel already has earned more than $1 million since 2013 to help lure visitors to North Dakota, a state better known for its brutal cold weather than as a vacation destination.Duhamel is from Minot, a city in the north-central part of the state that’s about an hour’s drive from the United States border with Canada.Past campaigns have featured the former fashion model as just a regular guy doing everything from fishing and biking to attending college football and hockey games.

Ringo Starr has added further dates to his upcoming 2022 North American tour – you can see the full list of dates below and buy tickets here.The legendary Beatles drummer and his band – Toto‘s Steve Lukather, Men At Work‘s Colin Hay, Warren Ham, Gregg Bissonette, Average White Band‘s Hamish Stuart and Edgar Winter – are set to kick-off their tour on May 27 in Ontario, Canada.Following the tour’s initial announcement which had it wrapping up on June 26, they have confirmed 19 new dates extending the run to October 20, with new shows in Michigan, Washington, New Jersey, California and more.A post shared by Ringo Starr (@ringostarrmusic)Tickets for the newly announced shows are on sale now here.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefLee Jung-jae, the lead star of Netflix hit series “Squid Game” will be at the Cannes Film Festival this year with the world premiere of his feature directing debut “Hunt.”The film (aka “Namsun”) will be presented next month in the Cannes festival’s Midnight Screening section. Two other films will receive midnight screenings: “Fumer Fait Tousser,” by Quentin Dupieux and Moonage Daydream,” by Scott Morgen. The bulk of the festival’s Offical Selection was announced Thursday at a press event in Paris.“Hunt” is a 1980s-set Korean-language spy thriller that Lee got caught up in after buying the rights and rewriting the screenplay.

SEOUL, South Korea -- State media anchor Ri Chun Hi is one of North Korea’s most famous voices after announcing the country's major events of past decades — among them nuclear and missile tests and the death of a leader — in a resounding, booming voice filled with emotion.The anchor dubbed abroad as the “pink lady” for her bright, traditional attire was the topic of official North Korean media herself Thursday after leader Kim Jong Un gave Ri a luxurious residence and asked her to continue to vigorously serve as the voice of his ruling Workers’ Party.Experts say Kim is trying to boost his support from elite North Koreas while the country deals with pandemic hardships and a diplomacy stalemate.“(Kim) said it is the sincerity of the party that there is nothing to spare for the treasures of the country like her who has worked as a revolutionary announcer for the party for more than 50 years since her girlhood,” the official Korean Central News Agency said. Kim expressed “expectation that she would as ever vigorously continue her work in good health as befitting a spokeswoman for the party.”Kim met Ri at a newly built riverside terraced residential district that was inaugurated Wednesday in Pyongyang.

EXCLUSIVE: Greenwich Entertainment has acquired North American rights to the gospel documentary Stay Prayed Up, which premiered to critical acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival and DOC NYC, for release in theaters on June 17.

Alice Cooper has announced a month-long fall 2022 North American tour starting this September in support of his most recent album, ‘Detroit Stories’.The rocker, who is currently finishing up the spring leg of his North American tour before he tours Europe from late May to early July, announced the fall series of tour stops on his social media yesterday (April 12). Tickets for the Detroit Muscle Tour go on sale this Friday (April 15) 10am local time via Ticketmaster except for select festival tour dates.No opener has been announced for the fall tour dates, though Cooper will be joined by Buckcherry on his two New York tour dates in September.Cooper will also make stops at Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Alton, Virginia, on September 9 alongside In Flames, Lamb of God and others, and at Louder Than Life in Louisville, Kentucky on September 24 with Rob Zombie and KISS as part of the tour.Cooper recently revealed back in January that he is currently working on both his 29th and 30th studio albums simultaneously – less than a year after releasing his 28th.