USDA releases $71 million in grants in pursuit of ‘equality and justice for all’

EXCLUSIVE: Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights to coming-of-age drama Who Are You People, starring Ema Horvath (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Devon Sawa (Gasoline Alley), Alyssa Milano (Brazen) and Yeardley Smith (The Simpsons).

Katie Maloney is officially taken!

AleXa has signed a contract with California-based United Talent Agency (UTA) and is set to release a new mini-album next month.Billboard reported earlier today (October 20) that AleXa has signed with UTA for representation in all aspects, including fields aside from music such as television, film and licensing. However, the outlet clarified that the K-pop idol’s existing contract with her Korea-based label ZB Label is still in effect.Following her partnership with UTA, Billboard also announced that AleXa has an upcoming mini-album in the works. Slated for release on November 10, the singer will be dropping a pre-release single for the record titled ‘Back in Vogue’.

An adviser to Vladimir Putin has insisted Brittney Griner's release is not a priority for Russia. The 31-year-old basketball star - who normally lives in Houston, Texas with wife Cherelle Griner - was arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling in Russia just days before the country launched the ongoing invasion on Ukraine in February and in August, she was sentenced to nine years behind bars. Although US President Joe Biden has vowed to ensure the sportswoman's freedom, Yury Ushakov - one of the Russian leader's top advisors and the country's ambassador to America from 1998 to 2008 - suggested this was nothing more than a bid to bolster support ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

ITZY are set to release a new English-language single ‘Boys Like You’ later this week.On October 17 at Midnight KST, the quintet shared a poster on Twitter announcing their upcoming pre-release single ‘Boys Like You’, due out on October 21 at 12AM EST/1PM KST. Although ITZY have released English versions of their singles in the past, this will mark the act’s first original English-language track.At the time of publication, JYP Entertainment has yet to announce the exact details and date for ITZY’s upcoming return.ITZY Pre-Release English Single “Boys Like You”⏰ 2022.10.21 FRI 0AM (EST)│1PM (KST)⏰ https://t.co/kFcsIZRjwa#ITZY #MIDZY @ITZYofficial#ITZY_BoysLikeYou pic.twitter.com/3mJfmI9loS— ITZY (@ITZYofficial) October 16, 2022‘Boys Like You’ arrives just three months after the release of ITZY’s fifth mini-album ‘Checkmate’, which was led by the single ‘Sneakers’.

Judas Priest surprised fans by playing ‘Genocide’ live this week (October 13) for the first time in 40 years.The band launched the latest US leg of their ’50 Heavy Metal Years Tour’ in Wallingford, Connecticut earlier this week (October 13th) and performed ‘Genocide’ to the surprise of many fans in attendance.The set list featured fan-favourites as well as other rarities together with songs from the band’s acclaimed 1982 album ‘Screaming For Vengeance’, which turns 40 this year.Check out the moment the band played ‘Genocide’ below and view the full setlist:Judas Priest Setlist:‘The Hellion / Electric Eye’‘Riding on the Wind’‘Heading Out to the Highway’‘Jawbreaker’‘Never the Heroes’‘Beyond the Realms of Death’‘Judas Rising’‘You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’’‘Steeler’‘Between the Hammer and the Anvil’‘Halls of Valhalla’‘Firepower’‘Genocide’‘Screaming for Vengeance’‘Hell Bent for Leather’‘Breaking the Law’‘Living After Midnight’Recently, the band’s Rob Halford said he was “a bit pissed” that Judas Priest weren’t honoured as one of the main performer inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame this year.The metal band will accept the Award for Musical Excellence at this year’s ceremony, which will take place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California on November 5.

An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday that WNBA star Brittney Griner’s release is not imminent.

Frank Turner‘s touring band — have debuted their first single, titled ‘Liar Lover’.The four-piece outfit released the track on Friday (October 14), featuring Turner’s guitar technician Cahir O’Doherty on vocals. It’s a tender acoustic cut that captures a soft rock sound, with lyrics that reflect on a relationship breakdown.“We lie to ourselves and each other as easy as drawing breath,” the band commented in a statement.

Specialty film rollouts continues to accelerate with Chinonye Chukwu’s Till, Park Chan-wook’s Decision To Leave and A24’s Stars At Noon joining releases from previous weeks to populate theaters as awards season gathers steam.  

EXCLUSIVE: Sophia Bush (Good Sam) and Jeremie Harris (Fargo) will star alongside Simona Brown in MPI Original Films’ drama Freedom Hair from Oscar nominee Dianne Houston, which is currently in production in Atlanta.

Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz have officially gone their separate ways.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Laurie Strode is going out with a bang. “Halloween Ends,” the supposed finale to Universal’s long-running slasher series (are we ever going to be able to quit Michael Myers?) is targeting a healthy $50 million to $55 million in its opening weekend even with its hybrid release on Peacock. If those estimates hold, it’ll be the first movie since “Thor: Love and Thunder” in July to open to at least $50 million. “Halloween Ends” is the rare day-and-date release with a proper point of comparison since its predecessor also launched on streaming during the pandemic. “Halloween Kills” opened to $49 million last October while landing simultaneously on the NBCUniversal-owned Peacock — a bloody-good result given the COVID-era limitations in 2021. “Halloween Ends,” which is playing in 3,800 North American theaters, has the added benefit of monopolizing the entire Imax and premium large format footprint.

Specialty distributor 3388 Films has set an October 28 U.S. theatrical release for Vietnamese comedy A Hundred Billion Key. The movie will have its North American premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival a week prior on October 19. Check out the trailer below.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Duran Duran have confirmed details of a brand-new, 75 minute docu-concert film titled “A Hollywood High,” that captures the band performing live on a rooftop in Los Angeles, alongside interviews and archival footage that tells the story of their long-time relationship with the city. The film will be released in theaters on November 3, 2022.  “For our first US show in several years we wanted to do something really special and intimate,” explains keyboardist Nick Rhodes.  “After considering many options, a rooftop performance quickly became the frontrunner. It was post-pandemic, we had never done anything like that before, and we had just released a new album.  Somehow it seemed like a magical doorway to the next part of our journey.”

Rian Johnson’s murder-mystery sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will receive a theatrical UK release after Netflix struck deals with Vue International and Cineworld.

Netflix hit series ‘Inventing Anna’ said she got “exactly what I wanted” after being released from prison to house arrest in a Manhattan apartment. Anna Sorokin, 31, conned her way into New York’s high society by posing as a socialite with a £59 million fortune, culminating in a 2019 prison sentence for swindling US banks, hotels, and friends. Known as Anna Delvey, she collected investment for a planned members-only arts club, but funds were instead used to bankroll her luxury life of five-star hotels, private jet flights, and designer clothes - all inspiring the hit Netflix series starring Julia Garner and Anna Chlumsky.

Anna Diop and Michelle Monaghan are looking amazing on the red carpet!