Dame Judi Dench earned her eighth Oscar nomination in 2021 and since then, she's been increasingly candid about her ongoing battle with macular degeneration. Though medical professionals say it's rare that people with the condition go completely blind, it's very common for those with the disease to go legally blind--something Dench says she's now nearing. In a recent interview with The Daily Mirror, Dench said she can't see much on a film set anymore.

"I mean I can't see on a film set any more," Dench told the tabloid. "And I can't see to read. So I can't see much. But you know you just deal with it. Get on. It's difficult for me if I have any length of a part. I haven't yet found a way. Because I have so many friends who will teach me the script. But I have a photographic memory."

It's not the first time Dench has spoke about her condition this year, previously revealing on The Graham Norton Show she has had to ask people to read her scripts to her in recent years. She was first diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in 2012.

"It's become impossible because I can't see now, I can not read or anything," she said on the talk show. "Normally somebody could just teach you the lines, and goodness knows that's happened before, but now I've just found I have a photographic memory."

Dench's latest role came in Apple TV+'s Spirited, appearing as herself alongside Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. Before that, her films included Allelujah (2022) and Belfast (2021), where she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Dench is set to turn 89 this December.

She has one Oscar win under her belt--for 1998's Shakespeare in Love--and countless other awards.

Tributes have been pouring in for Angus Cloud, after it was announced on Monday that the fan-favorite actor has suddenly passed away at the age of 25. Cloud was best known for his stint as Fezco "Fez" O'Neill on HBO's hit series Euphoria, a role he played since the show's inception in 2019, and series creator and director Sam Levinson is joining in to memorialize the actor. In a recent statement obtained by Variety, Levinson called Cloud "too special, too talented, and way too young to leave us so soon." The official Euphoria social media account also addressed Cloud's death, writing that "he was immensely talented and a beloved part of the HBO and Euphoria family."

"There was no one quite like Angus. He was too special, too talented and way too young to leave us so soon," Levinson wrote. "He also struggled, like many of us, with addiction and depression. I hope he knew how many hearts he touched. I loved him. I always will. Rest in peace and God Bless his family."

We are incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Angus Cloud. He was immensely talented and a beloved part of the HBO and Euphoria family. We extend our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/PLqkz5Rshc

-- euphoria (@euphoriaHBO) July 31, 2023

The news of Cloud's passing was confirmed in a statement from to TMZ, revealing that the death occurred just days after Cloud's father had passed away. Cloud was perhaps best known for playing Fezco "Fez" O'Neill on HBO's Euphoria, a role he portrayed ever since 2019. The cause of death, which occurred in Oakland, CA on Monday, July 31st, is currently unknown at this time.

Who Are Angus Cloud's Movies and TV Shows?

Cloud was born Conor Angus Cloud Hickey in Oakland, California on July 10, 1998. As a teenager, he sustained a traumatic brain injury, which partially led to his distinct onscreen voice. After attending the School of Production Design at Oakland School for the Arts, he was actually scouted by Euphoria casting director Jennifer Venditti while working in a New York restaurant. Playing Fez in Euphoria would be Cloud's first onscreen, and his portrayal would go on to be one of the most tweeted-about characters of the past decade. Cloud would go on to have appearances in the 2021 movie North Hollywood, as well as the recently-released The Line. He also appeared in a trio of music videos in recent years -- Noah Cyrus' "All Three", Juice WRLD's "Cigarettes", and Becky G & Karol G's "Mamiii".

Just a few months prior to his passing, it was announced that Cloud would be among the cast of a currently-untitled Universal Monsters movie, alongside an ensemble cast that includes Kathryn Newton, Giancarlo Esposito, and Dan Stevens. The film, which is directed by the duo Radio Silence, is currently expected to hit theaters in April of 2024.

What do you think of Sam Levinson's tribute to Euphoria star Angus Cloud? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Our thoughts are with Cloud's family, friends, and fans at this time.

One Piece is gearing up to enter a new era of the anime with the climax of the Wano Country arc and Gear 5 Luffy's upcoming debut in the next episodes, and Japan's most famous cosplayer is showing the One Piece franchise some love by highlighting the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock. One Piece's anime has been steadily getting closer to the end of the Wano Country arc with its latest episodes as Luffy is getting ready to attain new levels of strength, and that means that the anime is readying for a brand new era of the series with the Final Saga fast approaching.

The Final Saga throws all sorts of characters back into the thick of the action once Luffy and the others finally leave Wano's shores after the fight with Kaido, and that thankfully includes Boa Hancock. The Pirate Empress is gearing up for a new kind of role in the grand finale along with many of the other players now in flux, and now she's come to life once more with some cool cosplay from Japan's most famous cosplayer (with over two million followers on Twitter) Enako. Check it out below:

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-- ??? (@enako_cos) June 21, 2023

How to Catch Up With One Piece

If you wanted to keep up to date with Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga, the One Piece manga is now currently available to read with Viz Media's digital Shonen Jump library. You can even find the three most recent chapters completely for free. If you wanted to check out the One Piece anime instead, you can now stream it with Crunchyroll together with many of the specials, movies, and more released over the years (including the English dub release of the TV anime series as well).

If you're jumping into the world of One Piece for the first time, Crunchyroll teases the One Piece anime as such, "Monkey. D. Luffy refuses to let anyone or anything stand in the way of his quest to become the king of all pirates. With a course charted for the treacherous waters of the Grand Line and beyond, this is one captain who'll never give up until he's claimed the greatest treasure on Earth: the Legendary One Piece!"

What are some of your favorite Boa Hancock moments in One Piece so far? What are you hoping to see from the Pirate Princess before it all comes to an end? Let us know all of your thoughts about it and everything One Piece in the comments!

SAG-AFTRA has been on strike for a few weeks now, something Stephen Amell now admits he doesn't support. As SAG-AFTRA members hit the picket lines in search of fair wages and better residuals in a new digital-fueled age, the Arrow star says striking is a "reductive tactic" in the union's negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

"I feel like I'm insulated in Hollywood, because that's where I live. I feel like a lot of people in this room aren't aware of the strike," Amell said at Raleigh's GalaxyCon over the weekend. "I support my union, I do, and I stand with them but I do not support striking. I don't. I think that it is a reductive negotiating tactic and I find the entire thing incredibly frustrating. I think that the thinking as it pertains to shows, like this show that I'm on that premiered last night, I think it is myopic and I stand with my union."

#stephenamell support's his union. Let him live. All those popping up with tweets about how he chooses to do what he does,.can go suck an electrical socket. He has a right to his own opinion and how he chooses to move forward. I got his back 100%.
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-- ??Opal Valencia??S?? ???? (@playthetape58) July 30, 2023

Why is the actors' union on strike?

According to SAG-AFTRA officials, negotiators with the AMPTP were hoping to pay actors just a day's salary to use their likeness in perpetuity, being able to digitally recreate their face at a later date without payment or consent.

"This 'groundbreaking' AI proposal that they gave us yesterday: they propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day's pay, and their company should own that scan their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation," SAG-AFTRA's Duncan Crabtree-Ireland revealed earlier this month. "So if you think that's a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again."

The biggest names in Hollywood have spoken out against the technology, with the likes of Christopher Nolan saying studios needed accountability if they were to continue using AI.

"The rise of companies in the last 15 years bandying words like algorithm - not knowing what they mean in any kind of meaningful, mathematical sense - these guys don't know what an algorithm is," Nolan shared. "People in my business talking about it, they just don't want to take responsibility for whatever that algorithm does."

He continued, "Applied to AI, that's a terrifying possibility. Terrifying ... Not least because, AI systems will go into defensive infrastructure ultimately. They'll be in charge of nuclear weapons. To say that that is a separate entity from the person wielding, programming, putting that AI to use, then we're doomed. It has to be about accountability. We have to hold people accountable for what they do with the tools that they have."

If you've ever seen a food advertisement and gotten immeasurably disappointed after ordering the real-life item, you're definitely not alone. In fact, a new class-action lawsuit has been filed against Taco Bell alleging deceptive advertising with two of the chain's most popular items. Filed in a Brooklyn federal court on Monday, New York resident Frank Siragusa accuses the taco joint of misleading advertising regarding its Mexican Pizza and Crunchwrap Supreme line. According to Siragusa, Taco Bell advertisements show a dramatically increased amount of ingredients in its items than what's actually put into the pizza and Crunchwraps in-store.

"Taco Bell materially overstates the amount of beef and/or ingredients contained in its advertisements for the Overstated Menu Items by at least double the amount," the lawsuit reads.

The lawsuit seeks $5 million in damages for New Yorkers who've eaten at the chain, only to be misled by its advertising.

"Taco Bell's advertisements for the Overstated Menu Items are unfair and financially damaging to consumers as they are receiving a product that is materially lower in value than what is being promised," the lawsuit adds. "Taco Bell advertises larger portions of food to steer consumers to their restaurants for their meals and away from competitors that more fairly advertise the size of their menu items, unfairly diverting millions of dollars in sales that would have gone to competitors."

Taco Bell has yet to comment on the matter.

Though the Crunchwrap Supreme has been a staple on Taco Bell menus since its inception in 2005, the Mexican Pizza has had a tumultuous run with the national chain. It once found itself as a staple, but was removed from the menu at the height of the pandemic in the name of efficiency. Now, Mexican Pizzas are once again a permanent item after a massive fan campaign to restore it to the menu.

"Our menu is full of fan-favorites, but the Mexican Pizza is at the top of that list," Taco Bell CEO Mark King said in a press release announcing the return last year. "From its flashy introduction to menus in 1985 as 'Pizzazz Pizza' to its inspiration behind the creation of infamous jingles, Mexican Pizza has a long history with the brand and I'm glad we could give fans what they crave and bring our classic Mexican Pizza back home where it belongs."

The discussion surrounding UFOs and UAP (unidentified anomalous phenomena) has never been more prevalent, with the House of Representatives opting to recently host a hearing regarding the matter. Since that hearing, plenty of tidbits have hit the news cycle, including allegations the government has retrieved "non-human biologics" from UFO crash sites.

Given that the topic is still dominating social conversation thanks to TikTok and other viral social platforms, we've got to ask the question...

Did the government really reveal that aliens are real?

Unfortunately for believers everywhere, the answer is a resounding no. What happened earlier this month was a hearing hosted by a subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee. In the hearing, members of the subcommittee heard from three witnesses about their experiences with UFOs and UAP. At no point during the hearing did an elected official confirm the existence of aliens.

Some of the witnesses, on the other hand, went into the personal experiences with UFOs. Retired Air Force Major David Grusch found himself at the root of many of the hearing's revelations, given he was the one that's revealed he's heard stories of alien and UFO retrieval.

"As I've stated publicly already ... biologics came with some of these recoveries, yeah," Grusch said in response to a question from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-NC). When pressed on if those biologics were human or extraterrestrial, the official confirmed "non-human" biologics are what have been recovered from certain UFO crashes.

Other officials claimed members of the United States Armed Forces have more frequent sightings than reported, but few reports are made for fear of being reprimanded.

"These sightings are not rare or isolated, they are routine," Graves said during the hearing. "Military air crew and commercial pilots, trained observers whose lives depend on accurate identification, are frequently witnessing these phenomena. The stigma attached to UAP is real and powerful and challenges national security."

What's next for alien disclosure?

The next steps for Congressional hearings have yet to be officially unveiled, though members of the Senate are hoping to introduce legislation to help move things along. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) revealed earlier this month he plans to introduce legislation that would force the Pentagon to declassify UAP reports after a certain amount of time.

"For decades, many Americans have been fascinated by objects mysterious and unexplained and it's long past time they get some answers," Schumer said in a statement released by his office. "The American public has a right to learn about technologies of unknown origins, non-human intelligence, and unexplainable phenomena."

Schumer's statement continued, "We are not only working to declassify what the government has previously learned about these phenomena but to create a pipeline for future research to be made public. I am honored to carry on the legacy of my mentor and dear friend, Harry Reid and fight for the transparency that the public has long demanded surround these unexplained phenomena."

For additional space and cosmic stories, check out our ComicBook Invasion hub here.

Pop superstar and actress Madonna has provided a major update following her sudden medical emergency in late June. In a post on Madonna's Instagram page, she revealed that she has been doing fine in the month following her hospital stay, which was reported to be due to a "serious bacterial infection." Madonna uses the post to thank her family and friends for their support amid this time, including from her manager, Guy Oseary. Part of the post shows Oseary gifting Madonna a framed Polaroid photo, which was allegedly taken by Andy Warhol and shows Keith Haring wearing a jacket adorned with Michael Jackson's face.

"Love from family and friends is the best medicine," the post reads in part. "One month out of the hospital and I can reflect. As a mother you can really get caught up In the needs of your children and the seemingly endless giving... But when the chips were down my children really showed up for me. I saw a side to them I had never seen before. It made all the difference. So did the love and support from my friends... I sobbed when I opened this gift because I realized how lucky I am to be alive. And how fortunate I am to have known these people and so many others who are also gone. And thank you to all my angels who protected me and let me stay to finish doing my work."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Madonna (@madonna)

What Happened to Madonna?

Late last month, it was confirmed via Page Six that Madonna was recovering from the infection in a New York hospital. While the timeline of events is currently unclear, the report suggests that she was found unresponsive and rushed to the hospital that prior weekend, where she was intubated in the ICU. As a result of the hospitalization, Madonna's Celebration tour has been temporarily posted, just weeks before it was set to kick off in Vancouver.

"On Saturday June 24, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which lead to a several day stay in the ICU," Madonna's manager, Guy Oseary, said in an Instagram post shortly after. "Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care. A full recovery is expected... As this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour. We will share more details with you soon as we have them, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows."

Is Madonna Directing Her Own Biopic?

In recent years, reports have indicated that Madonna will be adapting her own life into a biopic film, which she would direct for Universal Pictures. The project underwent a grueling audition process, enlisting Ozark and Inventing Anna star Julia Garner to star, only to be put out of development in order to prioritize the Celebration Tour. The currently-untitled film was set to be produced by Amy Pascal, with its narrative ending on the 1990 "Blonde Ambition" tour.

Garner was cast in the role following a series of grueling auditions that reportedly also included Florence Pugh (Black Widow), Alexa Demie (Euphoria), Odessa Young (Mothering Sunday), and Emma Laird (Mayor of Kingstown). According to reports from last year, the audition process included 11-hour choreography sessions with Madonna herself, as well as singing auditions.

"I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer -- a human being, trying to make her way in this world," Madonna said in a statement when the project was announced. "The focus of this film will always be music. Music has kept me going and art has kept me alive. There are so many untold and inspiring stories and who better to tell it than me. It's essential to share the roller coaster ride of my life with my voice and vision."

"This movie is an absolute labor of love for me," Pascal added. "I have known Madonna since we made 'A League of Their Own' together, and I can't imagine anything more thrilling than collaborating with her and Diablo on bringing her true-life story to the big screen with Donna and our partners at Universal."

What do you think of the latest update on Madonna's recent hospitalization? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

After releasing the latest chapter of Coheed and Cambria's Amory Wars saga in 2022, lead singer Claudio Sanchez is hitting the road as his solo side project, The Prize Fighter Inferno, in 2024. Originally conceived of as a spinoff of The Amory Wars, Sanchez now considered The Prize Fighter Inferno, which is a blend of acoustic and electronic tracks, has become an entirely separate narrative. Tickets are already on sale for the 11-stop "Before They Bury Me Tour," which has shows in Philadelphia, Detroit, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago. Speaking to ComicBook.com at San Diego Comic-Con, Sanchez explained why now, is the right time to bring back The Prize Inferno, after releasing the act's latest album, The City Introvert, in 2021.

"For me, for a long time, I felt guilt, being the figurehead of the band [Coheed and Cambria, and knowing that if I'm going to exercise a project like this, I'm going to take away this time from the others," Sanchez explained. "Whereas I think everybody in the band is growing and have done are starting to do their own thing. So, for me, I feel less guilt about taking the project out."

In addition to feeling like all of the performers in Coheed and Cambria are better occupied these days, Sanchez also mentions that the tour comes shortly after releasing the comic book adaptation of The Prize Fighter Inferno's 2006 debut album, My Brother's Blood Machine, through his publisher/record label, Evil Ink. "We did finally release the comics component of My Brother's Blood Machine just recently," he says, "so, I thought, 'Well, why not? This makes a lot of sense now."

Sanchez made the announcement that he'd be taking The Prize Fighter Inferno on tour in July. "The Before They Bury Me Tour" will follow Coheed and Cambria's "Neverender: No World for a Waking Mind Tour" with Deafheaven later this year (tickets are also available to order for that tour).

"I've spent the last few months reacquainting myself with the early PFI material and I'm sparked with memories that glued triumphs to the tragedies, the spaces in-between, the highlight reel that many don't get to see," Sanchez said in a statement announcing the solo tour. "These intimate performances could inspire something, maybe even birth a whole new avenue of expression for me, and with that, I welcome the experience and hope the audience will too."

The Prize Fighter tour kicks off in February, and tickets are on sale now. The six-issue comic book adaptation of My Brother's Blood Machine is also available now.

Zachery Ty Bryan, an actor best known for starring in the hit sitcom Home Improvement, has been arrested and charged with fourth-degree felony assault. The news was first broken by TMZ on Sunday, before subsequently being confirmed by the police department in Eugene, Oregon, where the incident allegedly occurred. According to a statement from the Eugene Police Department, a physical dispute involving Bryan and an unnamed woman occurred on Friday, July 28th. People.com confirms that Bryan is still is police custody as of Monday.

"At around 6:00 p.m. on July 28, Eugene Police received report of a physical dispute between a male and adult female at a north Eugene residence," the statement reads. "The dispute was reported to have occurred several hours prior and the suspect, identified as Zachery Ty Bryan, age 41, of Laguna Beach, California, had left the location. Eugene Police subsequently contacted Bryan in the area. Bryan was lodged at Lane County Jail on a charge of Assault in the Fourth Degree APA (Abuse Prevention Act)."

This is the second time in three years that Bryan has been arrested on similar charges, after previously pleading guilty to two misdemeanor counts regarding a 2020 incident in which he strangled a woman, later revealed to be his fiancee, Johnnie Faye Cartwright. In 2021, he was subsequently sentenced to 36 months of bench probation, and additional charges, including two Class C felonies, were dropped. Bryan later claimed to The Hollywood Reporter that the event, which was sparked by the fact that he was having an affair with Cartwright while married to his first wife, Carly Matros, was "so blown out of proportion."

"We didn't even really get that physical," Bryan said at the time. "We got really loud. We were screaming and because we were in a townhome that had [thin walls], everybody could hear. Johnnie was, at the time, just really upset about my situation. At the end of the day, [the police] throw a bunch of counts at you because they ultimately want you to plead to something. I could've fought it ... but that's more stress and drama. I got two misdemeanors and called it a day."

Bryan is best known for portraying Brad Taylor, the son of Tim Allen's Tim "The Toolman" Taylor, on the aforementioned sitcom Home Improvement, as well as appearances on The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Smallville, The Game of Their Lives, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Thor: Hammer of the Gods. He most recently lent his voice to the Netflix original animated series The Guardians of Justice.

In addition to these domestic violence charges, Bryan made headlines in June of 2023 for being accused of fraud, in relation to an agriculture-technology startup. The Hollywood Reporter's article reports allegations from four separate sources that Bryan stole anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 from them. Bryan reportedly promised contracts to those who gave him money, but the contracts had no actual value.

Paul Reubens, the comedic actor best known for his character Pee-wee Herman, has died at age 70. Reubens' passing was confirmed by the Pee-wee Herman Official Page on Facebook, which posted the following information and euology:

Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.

There was also a message from Paul Reubens included in the Memoriam post, thanking his fans while apologizing for this sudden, surprising, exit:

"Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years," Reubens wrote. "I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you." -Paul Reubens

A note on the post also instructs fans how to honor Paul Reubens: "Paul asked that any expressions of sympathy be made in honor of his late parents, Judy and Milton Reubenfeld, to Stand Up to Cancer or organizations involved in Dementia and Alzaheimer's care, support and research."

Paul Reubens was born "Paul Rebenfeld" in Peekskill, New York, in 1952. He grew up in a Jewish family, spending a lot of his time going between New York and Sarasota, Florida, where his parents Judy (a teacher) and Milton Rubenfeld (an auto salesman and combat pilot) owned and operated a lamp store. Paul was the oldest of three siblings, growing up with his younger brother Luke (a dog trainer) and younger sister Abby (an American Civil Liberties Union attorney in Tennessee).

Sarasota introduced Paul Reubens to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, whose winter headquarters were located in that city. Between the circus and I Love Lucy, Paul Reubens gained a love of entertainment and performance, putting on his first plays with his siblings starting at age 5. He became president of the National Thespian Society at Sarasota High School and gained a lot of academic acclaim for his performance skills. He went to Boston University and, after numerous acting school rejections he ended up at the California Institute of the Arts, which moved him out to California.

In the 1970s Reubens was working in comedy clubs and appearing on The Gong Show with Charlotte McGinnis, in an act called The Hilarious Betty and Eddie. That led Reubens to the famous Groundlings improv group, working with the likes of Phil Hartman, which led to appearances in films like The Blues Brothers. It was in The Groundlings that Reubens took a bit character from a 1970 play he'd done, and fully developed his Pee-wee Herman character (named after a Pee Wee harmonica Reubens owned as a child, and a boy surnamed "Herman" from his youth).

Reubens launched "The Pee-wee Herman Show" in LA's Roxy Theater in the early 1980s, after infamously getting rejected from Saturday Night Live (who gave Reubens' slot on the cast to comedian Gilbert Gottfried that year). After selling out both late-night shows (for adults) and matinees (for kids), HBO featured The Pee-wee Herman Show on their uncensored stand-up series On Location. Reubens leaned into playing Pee-wee in public outings, appearing in movies like the Cheech & Chong films before getting his own film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, in 1985. Big Adventure made $40.9 million on a $7 million budget and gained a big cult following for Pee-wee Herman, leading to CBS developing Pee-wee's Playhouse with Reubens as a live-action children's program. Pee-wee's Playhouse ran from 1986-1991 and became Reubens' biggest success and most legacy in the entertainment industry, winning 15 Emmy Awards, inspiring generations of children, and even helping launch the careers of actors like Laurence Fishburne.

Reubens suffered an embarrassing 1991 controversy where he was arrested at an adult theater in Sarasota, Florida; the resulting backlash from business partners and sponsors, not to mention public ridicule and mockery, made Reubens largely retreat from the public eye. He popped up in movie roles (Batman Returns, Matilda) and did a recurring stint on Murphy Brown. He finally became a full-fledged public figure again in the late '90s/00s, after breakout roles in films like Mystery Men and Blow - the latter of which sparked a whole new era of roles for him as "Paul Reubens," the serious actor, rather than "Pee-wee Herman."

Following another controversial case about his personal sexual memorabilia collection in the mid-2000s, Reubens went even harder with his comeback, appearing on hit shows like Reno 911!, Tina Fey's 30 Rock, FX's Dirt, and voicing numerous characters for Cartoon Network shows like Re-Animated or Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

By the 2010s, Paul Reubens had come full circle, starting a new era of The Pee-wee Herman Show for the stage, which sold out over $3 million in advanced tickets and was filmed as an HBO special that aired in 2011. He resumed work on the unproduced Pee-wee works he'd had in mind - working with Judd Apatow to launch a new film, Pee-wee's Big Holiday on Netflix in 2016.

It's now clear that Reubens found out about his cancer battle after Pee-wee's Big Holiday was released, and it likely derailed his subsequent plans for the character. Still, millions of fans around the world are both mourning and celebrating the legacy of laughter and learning that Paul Reubens (and Pee-wee Herman) left them with.

Paul Reubens would've turned 71 on August 27th. We send his family and friends our condolences in their time of grieving.

In the coming months, NASA will update its entire digital identity. Friday, the space agency revealed a beta version of its new website, allowing users to see what they can expect from the organization's content-first reimagining. As a part of NASA's ongoing digital efforts, the agency also unveiled NASA+, a streaming service packed full of content from the group.

"We're putting space on demand and at your fingertips with NASA's new streaming platform," Marc Etkind, associate administrator, Office of Communications, NASA Headquarters, said during a reveal. "Transforming our digital presence will help us better tell the stories of how NASA explores the unknown in air and space, inspires through discovery, and innovates for the benefit of humanity."

Like NASA TV, the agency's current programming outfit, NASA+ will be available for free. The platform will be available wherever regular streaming platforms can be downloaded, including on iOS and Android as well as most streaming hardware boxes including Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV. NASA+ will also be available on web and mobile devices through a web browser.

"From exoplanet research to better understanding Earth's climate and the influence of the Sun on our planet along with exploration of the solar system, our new science and flagship websites, as well as forthcoming NASA+ videos, showcases our discovery programs in an interdisciplinary and crosscutting way, ultimately building stronger connections with our visitors and viewers," added Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters.

The service will remain ad-free and family-friendly while carrying NASA's regular programming, including the agency's Emmy-winning live broadcasts based around its various missions.

"Our vision is to inspire humanity through a unified, world-class NASA web experience," concluded Jeff Seaton, chief information officer at the agency's headquarters in Washington. "NASA's legacy footprint presents an opportunity to dramatically improve the user experience for the public we serve. Modernizing our main websites from a technology standpoint and streamlining how the public engages with our content online are critical first steps in making our agency's information more accessible, discoverable, and secure."

For additional space and cosmic stories, check out our ComicBook Invasion hub here.

Oshi no Ko took over the anime world when it premiered its debut anime season last Spring, and now one awesome cosplay is helping to highlight one of the anime's big arcs with Akane Kurokawa! Oshi no Ko took on the darker sides of the entertainment industry in Japan, and started out with one of the more shocking premieres of the year overall. But as the anime continued through its first season, these darker stories only continued as fans were introduced to more characters with their own complicated pasts and mentalities as well. Each one ended up taking fans by surprise by how far these stories had gone.

Akane was introduced to the anime as one of the many young cast members who had joined a reality show, only to be bullied to the point where she wanted to take her own life. This mirrored some real life events in Japan that unfortunately did not end up like in the anime's take as Akane has only become a stronger actress as a result. It's this transformation after her trauma that brought her to a new idol like level, and artist @seracoss on Instagram has brought this Akane to life with next level cosplay! Check it out:

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Where to Watch Oshi no Ko

The Oshi no Ko anime has officially ended its first season with 11 episodes airing this Spring, but it proved to be such a hit that a second season of the anime has already been announced to be in the works. A release window or date has yet to be set for Oshi no Ko Season 2 as of this writing, but that means you can catch up with everything that happened in the anime so far as the anime is now streaming exclusively on HIDIVE. As for what to expect from the anime's story, HIDIVE teases Oshi no Ko as such:

"When a pregnant young starlet appears in Dr. Gorou Amemiya's countryside medical clinic, he takes it upon himself to safely (and secretly) deliver Ai Hoshino's child. But on the eve of her delivery, he is slain by Ai's deluded stalker -- and subsequently reborn as Ai's child, Aquamarine Hoshino! The dark underbelly of the entertainment industry threatens to dull the shine of his favorite star. Can he help his new mother rise to the top? And what will he do when disaster strikes? Based on the seinen drama manga series by Aka Akasaka and serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump."

What did you think of Akane's arc in Oshi no Ko's anime? How did you like the first season of the anime overall? Let us know all of your thoughts about it and everything Oshi no Ko in the comments!

This week's UFO hearing on Capitol Hill was nothing short of "insulting" to members of the Department of Defense, according to one of the department's top officials. In a letter shared to his LinkedIn profile, Sean Kirkpatrick--the boss of the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)--spoke out against the witnesses testifying to a House Oversight subcommittee.

"I cannot let yesterday's hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community who chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail," Kirkpatrick wrote in the letter. Since then, Kirkpatrick has confirmed the authenticity of the letter, which was initially visible to only the official's connections on the professional social network.

Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, head of the AARO office within DoD that investigates UAP/UFOs, issued a statement about Wednesday's hearing on Capitol Hill.

** h/t to @ddeanjohnson for verifying this was, indeed, written by Dr. Kirkpatrick. pic.twitter.com/zO8DVFl8Mk

-- John Greenewald, Jr. (@blackvaultcom) July 28, 2023

"They are truth-seekers, as am I," Kirkpatrick added. "But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday's hearing."

During the hearing, testimony from retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch suggested he was made aware of cases where people where gravely wounded as a result of coming forward with information regarding UFOs and potential non-human life. Those are claims the Department of Defense has since denied.

The DoD "has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information," Pentagon spokesperson Sue Gough said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press. That statement also claims the Pentagon has not discovered "any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently."

While the House of Representatives will likely continue investigating the matter after the latest hearing, it would appear the Senate is preparing to introduce legislation that could declassify decades' worth of UFO-related documentation. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) revealed earlier this month he plans to introduce legislation that would force the Pentagon to declassify UAP reports after a certain amount of time.

"For decades, many Americans have been fascinated by objects mysterious and unexplained and it's long past time they get some answers," Schumer said in a statement released by his office. "The American public has a right to learn about technologies of unknown origins, non-human intelligence, and unexplainable phenomena."

Schumer's statement continued, "We are not only working to declassify what the government has previously learned about these phenomena but to create a pipeline for future research to be made public. I am honored to carry on the legacy of my mentor and dear friend, Harry Reid and fight for the transparency that the public has long demanded surround these unexplained phenomena."

For additional space and cosmic stories, check out our ComicBook Invasion hub here.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 has reached the climax of the Gojo's Past arc, and one awesome cosplay is breaking hearts all over again by bringing Riko Amanai back to life! Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 kicked off its new episodes this Summer by taking on the Hidden Inventory and Premature Death arcs from Gege Akutami's original Jujutsu Kaisen manga. These arcs highlighted a very distinct mission from Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto's shared pasts at Jujutsu Tech, and the results of which ended up sending them on their distinct paths we see play out in Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and beyond.

This mission had introduced them to Riko, who they were supposed to protect so she could be assimilated into Tengen to keep the barriers around the world intact. But when given the choice, Riko wanted to keep living her own life. This was unfortunately cut short, and seeing her death is what send Gojo and Geto into some very distinct paths that we are going to see even more of as the anime continues. Now Riko Amanai's place in Jujutsu Kaisen has been honored with some perfect cosplay from sailorkayla on TikTok! Check it out below:

@sailorkayla

HAPPY JUJUTSU KAISEN SEASON 2 DAY! ? introducing : riko amanai! rikoamanai rikoamanaicosplay jujutsukaisen

? Dear Arkansas Daughter by Lady Lamb - Loktauri | Comms Open!

How to Watch Jujutsu Kaisen

If you wanted to catch up with the anime as it is so far, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is now streaming its episodes exclusively with Crunchyroll along with the first season and Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie. They begin to tease the first half of the new season as such, "This is the innocent spring that the two strongest lost forever. Itadori Yuji took Ryomen Sukuna into his own body in June 2018. Okkotsu Yuta freed Orimoto Rika from her curse in December 2017. And now it's spring 2006. Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru, two peerless jujutsu sorcerers from Jujutsu High, have been given two missions by Tengen, an immortal known as the cornerstone of the jujutsu community."

The synopsis continues with, "One mission is the escorting and erasure of the 'Star Plasma Vessel', Amanai Riko, the girl chosen as the best match to merge with Tengen. So the two of them set out on their escort mission in order to keep the jujutsu community going, but an assassin calling himself Fushiguro interferes in an attempt to assassinate the Star Plasma Vessel. The pasts of Gojo and Geto, the ones who would later be known as the most powerful jujutsu sorcerer and the most evil curse user, are about to be revealed..."

What did you think of Riko Amanai's tragically short run in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2? Let us know all of your thoughts about it and everything Jujutsu Kaisen in the comments!

Taco Bell's newest item is taking inspiration from a fan-favorite burrito. Thursday, the fast-food joint announced the arrival of its Grilled Cheese Dipping Taco, the latest innovation on the taco spot's ever-changing menu. Inspired in part by Taco Bell's frequent limited-time Grilled Cheese Burrito addition, the dipping taco also features a cheese blend grilled onto the outside of the tortilla. Inside is slow-braised beef, effectively making this Taco Bell's first stab at a birria taco offering. That beef is then topped with a creamy jalapeno sauce and three shredded cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, and pepper jack.

"The rich and spicy flavors often found in birria were a major point of inspiration as we created the new Grilled Cheese Dipping Taco. By combining slow-braised shredded beef with the two dipping sauces, our fans can enjoy a new range of flavors they may have never had from Taco Bell before," Liz Matthews, Global Chief Food Innovation Officer at Taco Bell, said in a press release. "This Mexican-inspired dish represents an evolution of what fans typically expect from Taco Bell. We're excited to bring this menu item nationwide after an incredibly successful test in 2022."

The Grilled Cheese Dipping Taco will be available beginning August 3rd for a limited time. At launch, it will be available a la carte for $3.49, which also includes the choice of either a cup of nacho cheese or Taco Bell's red sauce to dip the tacos in.

"The Grilled Cheese Dipping Taco is the latest offering within the newly beloved Grilled Cheese platform," the chain says of the item. "Finding new ways to bring premium ingredients to customers is a major focus when creating new innovations. Alongside the shredded beef, the Grilled Cheese Dipping Taco is filled with a creamy jalape?o sauce and showcases a melty three-cheese blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and pepper jack inside and outside of the freshly fried daily white corn shell that tantalizes taste buds with its creamy texture and bold flavors. Complementing the taco are two dips - warm nacho cheese sauce and Taco Bell's zesty red sauce - carefully calibrated to achieve the perfect consistency and harmony of flavors with every bite."

This month, the actor's guild SAG-AFTRA went on strike after negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers broke down with no deal in place. Between the recent SAG strike and the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, most film and television productions have halted. Many famous faces have been spotted on the picket lines, and actors have been speaking out about the current state of Hollywood. Yesterday, Will Smith took to Instagram to pay tribute to his acting mentor and talk about what the art form means to him.

"I wanna talk for a second about ACTING. As some of yall mighta heard, my guild, @SAGAFTRA are on strike along with our writer colleagues in the WGA," Smith wrote. "It's a pivotal moment for our profession. 33 years into my career as an actor and there are still some days when I feel like I'm that kid from Philly who's on borrowed time, even though I know I've been extraordinarily blessed and lucky to have worked as an actor all this time. It's thanks to my friend, my teacher and my mentor @aaronspeiser whom I fondly refer to as 'coach' that those days when I feel like I don't belong are fewer and further between."

He continued, "Coach invited me to an acting class the other day and I met a group of our talented next generation of actors and they amazed and inspired me! I'm grateful to coach for continuing to support these talented hopefuls in this art-form that I love and have been lucky enough to work in for three decades of my life! Thanks COACH!" You can view his post below:

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A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith)

Bad Boys 4 Gets Release Date:

Will Smith's next project will see him renting with Martin Lawrence for a fourth Bad Boys film. Yesterday, Sony officially announced the movie will be coming on June 14, 2024. The duo first played Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett in Michael Bay's Bad Boys back in 1995 and they went on to reprise their roles in Bad Boys II in 2003 and Bad Boys For Life in 2020. After the success of the threequel, which was one of the only movies to have a full run at the box office in 2020 before the pandemic shut everything down, a fourth movie was quickly put into development and it was officially announced to be in the works this January.

In addition to Smith and Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens will be reprising her role as Kelly. Fantastic Four star Ioan Gruffudd has also joined the cast as Lockwood, "a high-profile attorney running for election." Aside from a few new character details, the plot of the fourth Bad Bays movie is currently unknown. Bad Boys For Life actors Paola N?nez and Alexander Ludwig are also expected to reprise their roles.

Stay tuned for more updates about the SAG strike.

Funko is reportedly undergoing new layoffs. On Friday, The Hollywood Reporter shared a securities filing from the toy giant. In the documents, there was a mention of laying off 180-200 employees. That would constitute about 13% of Funko's total workforce. As the company continues to grow, these kinds of cost-cutting measures have become a little more prevalent. Not too long ago they've acquired other outfits like Mondo and fired some people. For its part, Funko says that they will end up footing the bill for $2.8 million associated with these layoffs. But, in the same breath, assert that it will lead to as much as $22 million in cash savings annually. Fans, of course, don't like the sounds of any job loss in the current moment.

In the filing posted on Friday, Funko argued that the moves are, "part of the Company's initiatives to re-balance its cost structure into prioritized areas that the Company believes will drive long-term growth and improve margins. As the Company focuses on these goals, it is consolidating functions and eliminating or reducing investment in areas of lower focus."

Funko Acquired Mondo Last Year

When Funko acquired Mondo, a lot of eyebrows were raised. The poster company was founded in 2004 and the geek community absolutely loves their limited edition posters for films, shows, and comics. Mondo also has a reputation for creating vinyl movie soundtracks and various pop culture merchandise. The founders were laid off by Funko back in March. That includes co-founders Rob Jones and Mitch Putnam. So, it's been a weird couple of years for the company at large.

Last year, Funko acquired Mondo from Alamo Drafthouse. "Mondo's devoted fan base and high-end pop culture collectibles make it the perfect complement to Funko's current portfolio of brands. By leveraging our international distribution and licensing network, we feel well-positioned to expedite the growth of the Mondo brand," Chief Executive Officer Andrew Perlmutter said in a press release. "It's an exciting opportunity to couple Mondo's already stellar product assortment and aesthetic with Funko's massive property library."

Artists Were Upset About the Mondo Changes

People working with Mondo were completely caught off-guard. That includes artist Daniel Danger, who's had multiple projects with Mondo since 2006. "Do they not understand they just lost their entire artist base?" Danger told Gizmodo. "I want to work with Rob, Mitch, and [senior creative director] Eric [Garza]," he continued. "They're Mondo. If they're not there, it's just Funko." In the same Gizmodo report, Danger explained that he was recently speaking with the team about some more projects with Mondo. The was supposed to be San Diego Comic-Con this year. All of that has been pushed aside and he says the projects are now "dead in the water."

"To me, the heart of Mondo's artistic vision laid with the staff that was let go, and I'm nervous about ongoing and future planned projects continuing with the same enthusiasm and support," Gizmodo learned from another anonymous artist. "I'd love to continue working with Mondo but if they become a pale imitation of what they were, I'm sure many of us artists in the scene will migrate to wherever creative staff transitions to in the future."

Are you surprised by this Funko news? Let us know down in the comments!

Michelle Yeoh is having quite the year. First, the longtime star won her first Academy Award for her role in Everything Everything All At Once, which almost took home the award for Best Picture and more. Yeoh was also featured in American Born Chinese and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts this year, and she's been busy filming the highly-anticipated Wicked movie. In addition to having a thriving career, Yeoh's personal life is also flourishing. This week, it was revealed that Yeoh married her longtime fianc?, former Ferrari CEO Jean Todt, after a 19-year engagement.

Well-known racer Felipe Massa attended Yeoh and Todt's wedding and shared photos from their big day. "Happy marriage Jean Todt and Michelle Yeoh love you so much," Massa wrote. "We met in Shanghai on 4th June 2004," the wedding program reads. "On 26th July, J.T. proposed to marry M.Y. and she said YES! Today after 6992 days on 27th July 2023 in Geneva, surrounded by loving family and friends, we are so happy to celebrate this special moment together!" In Massa's post, you can see another important guest was present at the wedding: Yeoh's Oscar. You can check out the post below...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Felipe Massa (@massafelipe)

Will Everything Everywhere All At Once Get a Sequel?

Everything Everywhere All At Once was an action-packed multiverse story about mothers and daughters, and some have wondered if it would be getting a follow-up. However, you should not expect the Daniels to make a sequel any time soon. In fact, Yeoh took part in the Kering Women in Motion talks (via Variety) at Cannes earlier this year, and explained why there wouldn't be a follow-up to Everything Everywhere All at Once.

"There are mega films that suffer terrible losses, yet they still go and keep doing the same thing," Yeoh said. "It's the studios thinking that's their comfort zone: these movies, the budgets get bigger and they feel more violence, the more CGI will make it better - but the truth of the matter is it's not. It's really storytelling. In Everything Everywhere All At Once, even though we traveled the multi-verses, the main theme was love."

"There's no sequel," Yeoh added during her talk with Variety at Cannes. "We would just be doing the same thing."

"The most important thing it has done is it has generated such pride with our people," Yeoh continued, referencing the movie's Oscar wins, including her own, which made her the first Asian actor to win Best Actress and only the second woman of color after Halle Berry. "The day I won I honestly heard the roar of joy that came from that corner of the world. It's been slowly moving in that way and this has pushed the door open and it's not shutting behind me... When there's so few roles in the past it's so competitive. If you get the job, I don't get the job. But now we have to change the mindset. If I'm successful, you can be successful."

Congrats to Michelle Yeoh and Jean Todt!

Photo by Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

The ComicBook Nation Crew recaps Marvel's Secret Invasion Finale, reviews Disney's Haunted Mansion movie, Peacock's Twisted Metal TV series, and the epic conclusion to The Witcher Season 3. We also look at Invincible Season 2's Atom Eve Special, preview WWE NXT's Great American Bash, and dive into this week's biggest comics!

Haunted Mansion Review

In his review of Disney Haunted Mansion (2023), ComicBook.com critic Charlie Ridgley says:

Disney's new take on Haunted Mansion was always going to have its work cut out for it, thanks to the ill will earned from the 2003 film. Some wondered if the attraction was somehow unadaptable without Guillermo del Toro (who was once attached to helm the project). Enter the team of director Justin Simien and screenwriter Kate Dippold, who have made questions about Haunted Mansion's adaptability feel rather silly. Their Haunted Mansion movie is a breath of fresh air for everyone who has grown tired of Disney's lifeless live-action output of late, as well as die-hard Haunted Mansion ride fans who have been begging to see a film actually give the attraction the love it deserves.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Twisted Metal Review

In his review of Peacock's Twisted Metal TV series, gamer/critic Cade Onder said the following:

Twisted Metal is a very charming show that manages to accomplish a lot in its ten 30-minute episodes. There are tons of well-earned laughs, a diverse cast of eccentric characters with fleshed out and unique backstories, and a surprising amount of world-building. It's almost shocking that the show isn't longer, given everything it does and how well it pulls it all off. While there are some areas that suffer, such as the vehicular action scenes, everything else comes together in such a satisfying way that it makes Twisted Metal another very successful gaming adaptation.

Rating: 4 out of 5

BONUS ROUND: What's Going On With The MCU???

After the disappointments of the Secret Invasion Finale, the ComicBook Nation crew discusses what The Marvel Cinematic Universe needs to do in order to get back on track:

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Each episode has a deep dive into the current biggest discussion topics and debates within geek culture: movies, tv, comics, and video games are regular features, with genres like sci-fi, anime, and wrestling also featured regularly. The ONLY show covering ALL THINGS Geek Culture!

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Dolly Parton got her first Funko Pops back in January to celebrate her 77th birthday, and fans snatched them up quickly. Dolly is one of those rare public figures that is universally adored, and we expect the same to be true with the new figure based on her 2008 album Backwoods Barbie, which may or may not be a coincidence with Barbiemania currently sweeping the country.

Backwoods Barbie was Dolly Parton's 42nd studio album, which seemingly makes it an odd choice to kick of her Funko Pop Album line, but it was the first released on her own label. It also marked her return to mainstream country music after nearly a decade. Pre-orders for the Backwoods Barbie Funko Pop are available now here at Entertainment Earth (free US shipping on orders $59+ using the code FREESHIP59 at checkout) and should be available here on Amazon soon. Details about the previously released Dolly Pops can be found below.

You can grab the standard orange pantsuit with banjo version here at Entertainment Earth and here on Amazon. A version of Dolly in a white pantsuit with a guitar is exclusive to Funko, and is currently available right here with low stock.

Indeed, no Funko Pop collection would be complete without Dolly Parton. She's a multi-talented national treasure with a career that has spanned six decades and counting. For starters, she's a country music icon with hit songs like "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene" to her credit. She's also an accomplished actress with roles that include Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5 and Truvy Jones in Steel Magnolias. Then there's her Dollywood empire, which includes theme parks and restaurants.

These achievements would be enough to fill many well-lived lifetimes, but her fans also love Dolly for a long history of philanthropic work that includes the Imagination Library. And let's not forget that Dolly is well known for speaking her mind, which includes sharing her thoughts on Taco Bell's Mexican pizza.

Earlier this week, audiences get their first look at The Exorcist: Believer with a trailer for the unsettling new film, but this is just the beginning of the terror, as Halloween Horror Nights confirmed today that the new film will be honored at their Orlando and Hollywood locations. Halloween Horror Nights also revealed that the all-new mazes Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count and Universal Monsters: Unmasked would reimagine the frightening and beloved figures in all-new ways. Stranger Things and The Last of Us will also be honored with pulse-pumping new houses. Halloween Horror Nights kicks off at Universal Orlando Resort on September 1st and at Universal Studios Hollywood on September 7th.

Per press release, "The countdown begins for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood as the destinations announce additional all-new terrifying haunted houses, including The Exorcist: Believer, inspired by the new Universal Pictures film from Blumhouse and Morgan Creek Entertainment, Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count based on the popular USA & SYFY series, and Universal Monsters: Unmasked, inspired by Universal's legacy of iconic cinematic monsters.

"The terror kicks off at Universal Orlando Resort on Friday, September 1st and at Universal Studios Hollywood on Thursday, September 7th. Below is a sneak peek at what to expect:

The Exorcist: Believer

• Inspired by Universal Pictures' terrifying new horror film from Blumhouse and Morgan Creek Entertainment (in theaters Friday, October 13th), The Exorcist: Believer haunted house will unleash an entirely new level of terror to Halloween Horror Nights. In this new chapter, guests will be transported to a bustling street market in Haiti, where an innocent purchase of a strange folk doll with three eyes leads to the opening of a demonic portal, the awakening of sinister spirits, and the subsequent disappearance of two 12-year-old girls in the U.S. The girls are found three days later with no memory of what happened to them. After the girls begin to exhibit unsettling behavior, it soon becomes clear that only an exorcism can save them -- and everyone who comes in contact with them, including unwitting guests, is suddenly at risk of losing their souls.

Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count

• Inspired by the hit USA & SYFY series and cult classic films, Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count casts this killer doll as the star of his very own haunted house for the first time. A true sadistic killer, Chucky has been mired in the agony of disrespect he feels from his peers at not being taken seriously. Thus begins his quest to turn his haunted house into a living slaughterhouse by killing every person who enters.
  

Universal Monsters: Unmasked

• Lurking sixty feet beneath the bustling streets of the City of Lights, the dank Catacombs of Paris house a much darker secret. . . The all-new haunted house Universal Monsters: Unmasked takes guests down into the infamous burial grounds where every corner and crevice overflows with millions of skeletal remains and even more sinister secrets. Deep within the Catacombs, Universal's most notorious creatures -- The Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dr. Jekyll and his deranged alternate personality Mr. Hyde, and Dr. Jack Griffin, a.k.a. The Invisible Man -- also lie in wait as they bide their time and seek vengeance against guests after the opening of the Catacombs to public visitation. These desperate and dangerous fiends have become filled with a rage toward guests navigating the twisted tunnels of their underground labyrinth home. It is here, in the darkness, where they hunt these trespassers and where the sounds of guests' screams will go unheard.

"Once again, GRAMMY Award-winning musician, SLASH, is collaborating with Universal Studios Hollywood on an original score for the west coast version of the Universal Monsters: Unmasked haunted house."

Tickets are now on sale for Halloween Horror Nights at both Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Will you be checking out the attractions? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

How long can the current Hollywood writer's and actors' strike last? That question gets more critical by the day, as production on movies and TV shows had ground to a halt. Obviously, that's a particularly big threat to the economy of California, which is in part bolstered by Hollywood productions.

With Hollywood studio executives refusing to budge, and creative talent (actors, writers, directors, stunt performers, etc.) coming together to maintain the picket line, a third-party mediator may be required - and some industry insiders think they know who it will be: California governor Gavin Newsom.

"The strike has huge ramifications not just for writers and actors looking for a fair deal but all the crews not working, and the ancillary businesses," a veteran TV writer told Deadline. "Layoffs, closures, bankruptcies, declining tax base -- none of that helps with the burdens of homelessness and crime that many people already see out there. Newsom knows that; he has to be watching."

"He's the obvious choice to bring the parties together and bring down the temperature," a political/entertainment industry insider added. "Getting a deal will be a test of his Jenga skills, but that's where Newsom likes to surprise people."

A movie studio executive is quoted as further breaking down why Newsom may be the man to go to:

"Think about it, he's the governor of California, first of all. He knows all the players, and they know he's a guy who likes to take big swings. Secondly, the tax credits are all about job creation, and no production means no jobs. Lastly, what has he been up to lately? The guy wants to be president one day, so stepping in is good governance as well as great optics."

Finally, a major Hollywood producer argues that Newsom "has the leverage and the stature to get everyone back around the table. No one else has that muscle to wrangle the players -- [they] are a big deal, at least in their own minds."

Sources close to Governor Newsom indicate that he is, indeed, watching the situation with the Hollywood strikes, and is ready to take - that is, if he is asked to:

"His position remains that if both sides ask, he would step in and try to help," a source said "But no one's asking. Meantime, we are staying in touch with both sides."

The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes have centered on writers and actors demanding that studios come back to the table and renegotiate what is being deemed as outdated contract and payment structures. The dominance of streaming and the rise of new film technology like AI has left a lot of creators feeling like they are being exploited by contracts whose structures were set up before these modern advances were ever realities for the business. Studios and executives maintain that business as usual is the policy, and new payment terms and structures are unrealistic. Nobody is giving ground and current forecasts are that the strike - with no intervention - could extend into 2024.

One of the biggest pop culture surprises of the year thus far has been the Grimace Shake, which McDonald's debuted in June to celebrate the beloved mascot's birthday. The shake and accompanying meal became a popular commodity this summer, both for the fans who wanted to just enjoy the meal, and those who wanted to use the shake to create their own bizarre viral videos. Either way, it sounds like the hype around the Grimace Meal has manifested in some major ways for McDonald's itself. According to the newest numbers released by McDonald's, the company had a 14% increase in revenue and nearly doubled net income to $2.3 billion in the latest quarter, which covers the period of April, May, and June 2023. In a conference call with investors on Thursday, McDonald's executives cited the Grimace trend as one of the reasons for this success.

"Grimace has been everywhere the past few months. All over the news, and more than 3 billion views on TikTok," CEO Chris Kempczinski said. "This viral phenomenon is yet another proof point of the power of marketing at McDonald's today."

What Is the Grimace Birthday Meal?

Grimace's Birthday Meal provided customers with the option to select either a Big Mac or a 10-piece chicken nugget option, alongside fries. But the centerpiece of the meal might be the Grimace Birthday Shake, which is purple and has a distinctly berry flavor. The meal was available at participating locations beginning June 12th, and could be purchased in-store, through the drive-thru, or in the McDonald's rewards app. McDonald's even released a tie-in video game to celebrate the affair.

"Our fans have amazing childhood memories of their birthdays at McDonald's...and Grimace's Birthday is all about paying homage to the amazing, fun moments we all share," McDonald's chief marketer Tariq Hassan said in a press release. "We're excited to put a modern spin on these memories to continue to drive McDonald's relevance with a new generation. Grimace is the perfect lovable icon to have McDonald's meet our fans at the intersection of nostalgia and culture."

What Is Grimace?

In previous years, Internet lore has suggested that Grimace is really a giant tastebud -- but when announcing the Grimace Birthday Meal, McDonald's was less willing to confirm that information.

"For those just realizing how little you actually know about your purple pal...Grimace is from Grimace Island and comes from a huge family (including his Grandma Winky, aunts Millie and Tillie and his Uncle O'Grimacey!)," the company's press release added. "Our timeless bestie has become a fan-favorite known for his signature fuzzy purple look, friendly and playful personality, love for shakes, and of course - ambiguous nature. What exactly is Grimace? Perhaps we'll never know..."

What do you think of McDonald's latest numbers? Did you try the Grimace Birthday Meal? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

The 2023 Emmys are seemingly not happening this September, amid the ongoing Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes. On Thursday, a report from Variety revealed that vendors for this year's 75th Primetime Emmys have been informed that the ceremony will not be taking place on its previously-planned date of September 18th. If that's the case, this will be the second postponing in Emmys history, after the 2001 ceremony was delayed into November in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Although a new date for the 75th Primetime Emmys has not been set, previous reports indicated that the National Television Academy of Arts & Sciences was considering pushing into November, or even into January of 2024.

"Like the rest of the industry, we hope there will be an equitable and timely resolution for all parties in the current guild negotiations. We continue to monitor the situation closely with our partners at Fox and will advise if and when there is an update available," the TV Academy said last week in a statement.

What Is Nominated at the 2023 Emmys?

The top show amid the 2023 Emmy nominees -- which were announced just hours before the SAG-AFTRA strike took effect -- was the fourth and final season of HBO's Succession, with a total of 27 nominations. HBO's The Last of Us and The White Lotus, Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso, and FX/Hulu's The Bear were also prolificallly nominated.

"The strike rules will not allow any form of promotion for television series, streaming series, that have been produced under these contracts. My expectation is that it will bring any actor participation in any campaign to a close." Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, explained.

Why Are SAG-AFTRA Going on Strike?

In a statement tied to the strike announcement, SAG-AFTRA representatives revealed that the strike is commencing after four weeks of negotiations with the AMPTP, and an existing negotiation extension from June 30th to July 12th. Back in May, SAG-AFTRA's national board unanimously agreed to send an authorization vote to members, with and 97.91 percent of members ultimately voting in favor to authorize.

"Yesterday our union celebrated the 90th anniversary of the incorporation of Screen Actors Guild," Crabtree-Ireland said during a press conference. "During our nearly century long existence we've fought for and achieved countless gains for working actors. Today, we embark on a new important chapter in our unions history. Earlier this morning, the SAG-AFTRA national board convened following four weeks of negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television producers in a meeting, because AMPTP remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on key issues essential to protecting the livelihoods of working actors and performers. SAG AFTRA as national board unanimously voted to issue a strike order against the studios and streamers."

What do you think of the latest update regarding the 2023 Emmys? How do you feel about the ceremony potentially being postponed? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

For the first time in 10 years, Jell-O has a new logo. Thursday, the Kraft Heinz-owned dessert maker unveiled a new brand, one that will soon be added to all the company's packaging and marketing efforts. As has become the new norm in design, the new look is both simplified and vintage-inspired.

The new logo, which continues to put the emphasis on the "O" in Jell-O while retaining its scarlet hues, will start appearing on all products in the coming months. That means both the pre-made, cupped versions and gelatin mixes with both be part of the overhaul.

"As 'America's Most Famous Dessert', we aim to transcend generations and want to continue bringing our customers on a never-ending flavor journey," Kristina Hannat, associate director of desserts at Kraft Heinz says of the design. "After 10 years, it was time to take a look at our packaging and bring Jell-O into the future in a bold, playful, wonder-filled way."

The company worked with Brand Opus on the overhaul, a creative firm that's recently worked on re-designs for Oscar Mayer, Miller Genuine Draft, and Panera amongst others.

"With the Jell-O renovation, we're bringing back the jiggly fun and harnessing the wonder that the brand brings to adults and kids alike," Brand Opus creative boss Rebecca Williams adds. "Working with the team at Kraft Heinz, we've loved taking on the task of reimagining and reinvigorating the brand for the next generation of parents by creating an imaginative and playful brand world that invites them to see their everyday in inspiringly wonderful ways. We're excited for the possibilities that the new equities and iconic logo will unlock for the brand to propel it into the future."

The Jell-O rebrand is the 18th redesign Kraft Heinz has ordered on its brands over the past three years.

After weeks of anticipation, the United States House of Representatives held a hearing on UFOs and unidentified anomalous phenomena Wednesday. As some expected ahead of time, the trio testifying before members of the House Oversight Committee didn't pull any punches, revealing plenty about alleged covert government programs tasked with retrieving crashed crafts. According to one of those testifying--former intelligence official David Grusch--the United States has, in fact, retrieved "non-human biologics" from crashed UFOs.

"As I've stated publicly already ... biologics came with some of these recoveries, yeah," Grusch said in response to a question from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-NC). When pressed on if those biologics were human or extraterrestrial, the official confirmed "non-human" biologics are what have been recovered from certain UFO crashes.

Former fighter pilot Ryan Graves was amongst the three to testify, claiming that UFO or UAP sightings are far more common than officials currently let on.

"These sightings are not rare or isolated, they are routine," Graves said during the hearing. "Military air crew and commercial pilots, trained observers whose lives depend on accurate identification, are frequently witnessing these phenomena. The stigma attached to UAP is real and powerful and challenges national security."

Wednesday's hearing is likely the first of any on Capitol Hill as UAP discussions start gaining ground with Congresspeople. In one example, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) revealed earlier this month he plans to introduce legislation that would force the Pentagon to declassify UAP reports after a certain amount of time.

"For decades, many Americans have been fascinated by objects mysterious and unexplained and it's long past time they get some answers," Schumer said in a statement released by his office. "The American public has a right to learn about technologies of unknown origins, non-human intelligence, and unexplainable phenomena."

Schumer's statement continued, "We are not only working to declassify what the government has previously learned about these phenomena but to create a pipeline for future research to be made public. I am honored to carry on the legacy of my mentor and dear friend, Harry Reid and fight for the transparency that the public has long demanded surround these unexplained phenomena."

For additional space and cosmic stories, check out our ComicBook Invasion hub here.

The cause of death has been released for Julian Sands, the English actor whose remains were found last month after having gone missing while hiking on Mount Baldy in California back in January. According to the San Bernadino County Sheriff's Coroner Department, the official cause of Sands' death is "undetermined" due to the condition of the body, something that the department's public information officer said in a statement is not unusual given the circumstances around the case. Sands was 65 at the time of his death.

"The cause is 'Undetermined' due to the condition of the body and because no other factors were discovered during the coroner's investigation, this is common when dealing with cases of this type," Mara Rodriguez said in a statement (via CNN). "This is the final determination."

Sands, an experienced hiker, was reported missing on January 13th of this year and had been hiking in the Baldy Bowl hiking area around 50 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The search for the actor had resumed in June after having been hindered for five months due to extreme weather conditions over the winter. His body was located on Mount Baldy on June 24th with positive identification of his remains coming a few days later.

Born on January 4, 1958, in Otley, West Yorkshire, Sands' first role in front of the camera was in the TV series Play for Today, but would make a name for himself with 1984's The Killing Fields. The very next year he would star opposite Helena Bonham Carter in 1985's A Room with a View, which would go on to be nominated for eight Academy Awards and earn him critical acclaim. His other roles of the era included playing the title role in 1989's Warlock, and its 1993 sequel Warlock: The Armageddon. he also starred in Naked Lunch, Leaving Las Vegas, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Medallion.

DC fans may best know Sands for playing Jor-El in two episodes of Smallville, and Dr. Gerald Crane (father of Batman villain Scarecrow) in two episodes of Gotham. He has also appeared in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Elementary, and Netflix's What/If.

"I was very honored to play Jor-El, because he'd only been played before, I think, by Marlon Brando. I liked Smallville," Sands explained in a 2019 interview with Decider. "I found it very touching. I mean, it's a domestic story about people growing up. Again, I didn't seek to play Jor-El, I was just asked if I would play him, but it was a great privilege and a very dignified TV piece, I thought. As an actor, people quite often do ask you, "What do you want to play?" But I really have no idea. [Laughs.] I respond to other people's ideas about who I should play."

There's an unexpected Marvel crossover coming to the stage. Jeff Ward is best known for playing Deke Shaw in the last three seasons of Agents of SHIELD, and now he's taking his talents to the director's chair for an off-Broadway revival of John Patrick Shanley's Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. The show is set to star Aubrey Plaza and Christopher Abbott. Plaza is known for an array of projects ranging from Parks and Rec to The White Lotus, but she'll soon be joining Ward as a member of the Marvel family. It was announced last year that Plaza was cast alongside fellow Parks and Rec alum Kathryn Hahn in the upcoming Disney+ series, Agatha: Coven of Chaos. Today, Ward took to Instagram to announce the upcoming play.

"Dream come true. Come see Danny and Roberta at the Lucille Lortel this fall. Link for tickets in bio. ?? @christopher__abbott @plazadeaubrey @markbergernyc," Ward shared. While Abbott does not have a Marvel history, the actor previously worked with Plaza in the film Black Bear. He's also appeared in A Most Violent Year, It Comes at Night, Possessor, and more. You can check out Ward's post below:

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A post shared by Jeff Ward (@jjward12)

What Is Danny and the Deep Blue Sea About?

You can read a description of John Patrick Shanley's Danny and the Deep Blue Sea here: "Have you ever been caught in an earthquake? A chance meeting. A dive bar. Some encounters are so dangerous and so beautiful, they redefine the meaning of love. Follow two desperate people in the Bronx, Danny and Roberta, as they walk the line between destruction and transcendence." Abbott is playing Danny in the revival and Plaza is taking on the role of Roberta. According to Theater Mania, the show will run for ten weeks in the fall.

Who Is Patti LuPone Playing in Agatha: Coven of Chaos?

In addition to Hahn and Plaza, Agatha: Coven of Chaos will also feature Broadway legend Patti LuPone as Lilia Calderu.

"It's a coven of witches, and I play Lilia Calderu, who apparently is in the Marvel world. I researched her, she's hot, she's really hot, she's got a great body and hair," LuPone recently shared (via Entertainment Weekly). "I didn't know there were witches, I didn't know anything about the Marvel world. There are witches in the Marvel world. So, we are a coven of witches and the witches are: Kathryn Hahn, Aubrey Plaza, and [a] Familiar -- if anybody knows Heartstopper -- is Joe Locke."

Are you excited Jeff Ward is directing Aubrey Plaza in a play? Tell us in the comments!

O'Connor was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1966, beginning her career with her debut album, The Lion And The Cobra, in 1987. Since her musical beginnings, Sin?ad had merged her music with her political views and her spiritual journeys. Perhaps her most popular song, Nothing Compares 2 U, hit the top of the charts and was specifically a hit in Ireland for a number of weeks. Originally based on a song by the musician Prince, the musical number is still considered a major addition to the musical world to this day. In her career, O'Connor won a number of Grammys for her musical achievements, though in 1991, the musician boycotted the awards and released a letter to the academy.

The letter read as such, "They acknowledge mostly the commercial side of art. They respect mostly material gain, since that is the main reason for their existence. And they have created a great respect among artists for material gain -- by honoring us and exalting us when we achieve it, ignoring for the most part those of us who have not."

One of the most controversial moments in O'Connor's career was in 1992, wherein she was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live. In an effort to bring attention to controversies surrounding the Catholic Church, O'Connor tore a picture of Pope John Paul II live on air. NBC as a result received thousands of complaints from viewers as to the surprise scene which aired live. O'Connor has shared with fans over the years that she has long struggled with her mental health, stating many years ago that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

O'Connor's family released the following statement, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sin?ad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time."

O'Connor leaves behind three children. Our thoughts are with her family and friends during this difficult time.

Via Irish Times

Fantasmic! returns to the Disneyland Resort with "exciting new magic" next year -- but the nighttime show will be without the Maleficent dragon that caught fire during a performance in April. Months after Disney Parks temporarily suspended fire effects at select shows and entertainment experiences across all its theme parks worldwide "out of an abundance of caution," Disney says Fantasmic! performances will remain paused until the show returns in "spring 2024." But the 45-foot tall, fire-breathing dragon, inspired by a climactic sequence in 1959's Sleeping Beauty, won't be towering over the Rivers of America.

"Our goal is to always deliver the best possible show for our guests," a Disneyland spokesperson said in a statement. "With that in mind, we are planning the return of Fantasmic! with exciting new magic in spring 2024. As teams continue work on the show, we have launched nightly entertainment on the Rivers of America this summer and we are working on even more exciting entertainment offerings for our guests later this year."

Fantasmic! has performed nearly 11,000 shows it opened in 1992 at Disneyland, with the dragon that malfunctioned operating since 2009. An alternate "B-mode" version of the show projects Maleficent's dragon form onto water when the physical prop is unavailable.

"During the final showing of Fantasmic at Disneyland park on Saturday evening, the dragon prop caught fire. Anaheim Fire & Rescue quickly responded, and the fire was extinguished. All cast members were safely evacuated from Tom Sawyer Island," a Disney spokesperson said in April. "Due to smoke and wind, attractions near the island were safely evacuated of any guests, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time. We are temporarily suspending fire effects similar to those used at Disneyland Park's Fantasmic at select shows and entertainment experiences globally out of an abundance of caution following the Fantasmic prop fire at Disneyland Park. The continued safety of our cast and guests is of the utmost importance."

In the original show, during Mickey Mouse's climactic showdown with the mistress of evil, Maleficent rises to a height of 45 feet in 17 seconds before transforming into a dragon. Fully animated with a three-dimensional design that replicates Maleficent's dragon form in Walt Disney's animated classic Sleeping Beauty, the 45-foot tall, 28-feet wide, 18,000-pound dragon breathes flames to light the Rivers of America on fire for 25 seconds.

At Florida's Walt Disney World Resort, a fire-breathing Maleficent dragon float in the daytime Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade similarly burst into flame during a live performance in May 2018.

Subway recently shook up its sandwich line in a major way by announcing that all of its deli meat will now be sliced in-restaurant, but now they're making another big move. On Wednesday, the brand announced that they are looking to reward their biggest fan with an offer of free subs for life. There's just one catch: they have to legally change their first name to Subway.

Between August 1st and August 4th, sandwich lovers can head to SubwayNameChange.com and enter to win free Subway Deli Heroes for life if they commit to legally changing their name. Subway will then choose one lucky winner to not only win those free sandwiches for life, but also to take on the new Subway identity. The brand will give the winner money to reimburse them for the cost to legally change their name as well.

While it may sound wild for someone to actually change their name to Subway to get free sandwiches for life, Subway fans tend to be very dedicated and very loyal. Last year, one fan of the sandwich chain camped out for two days just to get a footlong tattoo of the Subway Series logo in exchange for Subway for life.

This campaign is just the latest part of Subway's ongoing overhaul which began with an overhaul of its pantry ingredients in 2021, the Subway Series in 2022, and then the change to the sliced meats and the Deli Heroes lineup earlier this year.

"Over the past two years, we overhauled our expansive pantry of ingredients and debuted a whole new way to Subway with chef-crafted signature sandwiches. These major changes led to rave reviews from our guests and record-breaking sales," Subway president Trevor Haynes offered in a press release.

He added, "This year's changes are even bigger and more transformational. The addition of freshly sliced meats is the most impactful yet as it gives our guests a better sandwich - raising the bar even higher for the brand that defined fresh. We can't wait for America to taste the difference and see how far we have come on our journey."

You can read more about the Deli Heroes line up below.

o Titan Turkey (#15): Turkey, double provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and mayonnaise. Served on Artisan Italian bread.

o Grand Slam Ham (#99): Ham, double provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and mayonnaise. Served on Artisan Italian bread.

o Garlic Roast Beef (#17): Roast Beef, double provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and Roasted Garlic Aioli. Served on Artisan Italian bread.

o The Beast (#30): Pepperoni, salami, turkey, ham, roast beef, double provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, mayonnaise, and MVP Vinaigrette. Served on Artisan Italian bread.

Will you be committing to change your first name to Subway for a chance to win free sandwiches for life? What is the wildest thing you've done for free food? Let us know in the comment section!

While coffee is staple of daily life for many, cold coffees have been having their moment in recent years with iced coffee and iced lattes becoming a growing segment of the coffee market -- at least in coffee shops. Now, Maxwell House is looking to bring the indulgence of iced lattes home with their first innovation in nearly a decade: the all-new Iced Latte with Foam. On Wednesday, the brand announced the introduction of the new product, which features a unique cold-stirred foam technology that provides a thick, creamy, flavorful coffee at home, no special equipment required. All you need is a glass, cold water, and a spoon.

According to the brand, only seven percent of coffee at home is consumed iced because of difficulty in recreating a cafe-style iced latte. Maxwell House's new product aims to deliver that experience by making it easier to make a coffee shop style iced latte for at home or on the go convenience.

"As iced beverages continue to rise in coffee shops, this opens a huge opportunity to continue the growth of cold in the coffee aisle at grocery stores," said Sweta Kannan, Director of Marketing and Coffee Innovation at Kraft Heinz. Our never-before-seen cold-stirred foam technology will allow coffee lovers to save the time and money of going to a coffee shop, and instead inspire them to unleash their inner barista by providing an easy-to-make caf? style experience with every sip in three simple steps."

The new Maxwell House Iced Latte with Foam is available in three flavors -- Vanilla, Hazelnut, and Caramel -- and comes in packs of six, 1 oz. sachets for $6.99. It is available now at online retailers and in grocery stores nationwide. The product comes ahead of Maxwell House's upcoming rebrand in 2024, its first in nearly 10 years, which will feature updated packaging as well as a new tagline, "Live Life to the Last Drop."

This is just the latest addition to Kraft Heinz's coffee portfolio. Earlier this year, the company launched their new, pancake-inspired IHOP Coffee in grocery stores nationwide with three unique roasts: Signature Blend, Buttery Syrup, and the top-selling pancake flavor Chocolate Chocolate Chip. The coffees are available in K-Cup pods and bags of ground coffee at retailers nationwide with a starting price of $7.99.

"Given Kraft Heinz's heritage with iconic coffee brands, we're thrilled to leverage our longstanding category experience to create a premium coffee product available in bags and K-Cup(R) pods," said Kaitlin Roe, Director of Marketing at Kraft Heinz. "This partnership allows us to combine our scale and capabilities with the power of a fan favorite brand like IHOP(R) to reach new consumers in the market."

"With more than 56 million cups of coffee sold per year, it only made sense to bring the joy of our coffee to retailers nationwide with innovative flavors inspired by our best-selling pancakes," said Kieran Donahue, Chief Marketing Officer, IHOP(R). "Kraft Heinz is the perfect partner to bring our iconic flavors to our guests and help serve up joy each morning with IHOP(R) Coffee as part of our fans' morning routines."

What do you think about Maxwell House's new Iced Latte With Foam? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Summer time is picnic season, but picnics take planning to put together. You have to get all the snacks and dishware and such together, not to mention a picnic basket. But now, Shake Shack has a solution for folks wanting to enjoy picnic season before summer comes to an end. To celebrate the launch of the chain's latest plant-based menu items as well as National Picnic Month, they're offering new "Veg Out" picnic kits at select Shake Shack locations across the U.S. for a limited time.

Announced on Tuesday, the "Veg Out" picnic kits contain everything you need to have a picnic in the park -- or anywhere you want to enjoy your picnic. They include two Veggie Shacks made from real, seasonal vegetables and grains, one pint of their Non-Dairy Chocolate Frozen Custard made with NotMilk, the sustainable plant-based beverage that tastes, cooks, and blends just like milk from NotCo, two orders of crinkle cut fries, two lemonades, a Dock & Bay picnic blanket, two Supergoop! Play sunscreens, S'well ice cream chiller, a Bluetooth speaker, a frisbee, a deck of playing cards, bamboo dishware and utensils, custom cloth napkins, and all of it packed up in a premium picnic basket.

Fans wanting to "Veg Out" with this picnic basket can go online here starting today, July 25th and reserve a kit for $60. The kit will be available for pickup on Saturday July 29th or Sunday July 30th and are available at select Shake Shakes across the country:

Madison Square Park, New York

Piedmont Park, Atlanta

Chicago Athletic Association (CAA), Chicago

Central West End, St. Louis

Dallas, Uptown, Dallas

Brackenridge Park, San Antonio

Edgewater, Denver

Santa Monica, Los Angeles

Cow Hollow, San Francisco

The Wharf, Washington D.C.

For those who aren't near a participating location -- or don't manage to snag one of the baskets while supplies last -- you can still get in on the celebration. Shake Shack is offering a free classic shake with online or in-app orders of any Veggie Shack burger through July 30th with the code VEGGIETIME.

In Other Fast-Food News

Shake Shack isn't the only fast-food chain with interesting news and updates. On Monday, it was announced that Taco Bell will be returning the beloved Beefy Crunch Burrito to menus this summer. According to the brand, the beloved menu item will return after a five-year absence, in August, arriving first on Tuesday, August 1st for Taco bell Rewards app users and then on Thursday, August 3rd for everyone else. The Beefy Crunch Burrito will be available a la carte for $2.49 or as part of a combo for $6.49.

Popeyes also announced menu changes on Monday as well. On Monday, they announced that they would be expanding their dessert menu with the introduction of the new OREO Cheesecake, the latest limited time offering at the chain. The OREO Cheesecake is available now at participating locations and uses crushed OREO cookie as the crust and has a cheesecake topping made up of OREO filling and more OREO cookie bits.

Will you be checking out Shake Shack's Veg Out picnic basket? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba fully introduced the Love Hashira back into the anime with the Swordsmith Village Arc in Season 3, and now one awesome cosplay has really taken off by fans by recreating Mitsuri Kanroji's acrobatic fighting style! Although she was first seen in Demon Slayer's first season along with the rest of the Hashira line up, Mitsuri fully made her way into the Demon Slayer anime as the fights ratcheted up against the Upper Moons during the Swordsmith Village Arc in the third season. It was here that fans finally got to see her Love Breathing style in action.

Mitsuri's Love Breathing style wasn't an immense elemental kind of fighting technique like the others, but instead was a combination of her body's secretly powerful strength and mobility. Together with a ribbon like sword, she had an acrobatic like fighting style that fans finally got to see in motion with the third season's episodes. Now the Love Hashira's wild moves have truly come to life thanks to artist @yuanherong.1229 on Instagram that perfectly recreates her moves! Check it out:

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How to Watch Demon Slayer Season 4

Demon Slayer Season 4 has been announced to be in the works and will be adapting the Hashira Training Arc from the Demon Slayer manga. There has yet to be a release window or date set for the next season of the anime as of this writing, but it will feature a returning staff and cast from the previous anime efforts. Now is the perfect time to catch up with everything that has happened in the anime so far, and you can now find the first three seasons of the Demon Slayer TV anime and Mugen Train Arc feature film now streaming with Crunchyroll.

If you're jumping in for the first time, Crunchyroll teases the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime as such, "It is the Taisho Period in Japan. Tanjiro, a kindhearted boy who sells charcoal for a living, finds his family slaughtered by a demon. To make matters worse, his younger sister Nezuko, the sole survivor, has been transformed into a demon herself. Though devastated by this grim reality, Tanjiro resolves to become a 'demon slayer' so that he can turn his sister back into a human, and kill the demon that massacred his family."

What are you hoping to see from Mitsuri in Demon Slayer Season 4? How did you like her first big introduction during the Swordsmith Village Arc? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments!

Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA held its largest rally of its ongoing work stoppage and shortly thereafter, things got real fiery, real fast. At another event, stunt performer Mike Massa took the stage to rally picketers in the most Hollywood way possible: by setting himself on fire. Massa, Harrison Ford's stunt double on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, was part of a rally at Stunts Unlimited and quickly wowed those in the audience with his stunt.

"We are tired of being burned by the AMPTP," Elena Sanchez shared on Instagram alongside video of Massa walking on a truck trailer whilst on fire. Massa himself added, "Proving Stunt People would rather get burned for real than the Metaphorical getting burned by the studios."

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A post shared by Elena Sanchez (@theelenasanchez)

How long will the actors' strike last?

There's still really no end in sight for either the ongoing actors' or writers' strikes. A major part of the negotiations, according to SAG-AFTRA chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, is the continued studios' insistence on unsupervised usage of artificial intelligence. During a SAG-AFTRA press conference last week, Crabtree-Ireland revealed the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) made a proposal to SAG-AFTRA that would have film and television extras' likenesses be used in perpetuity with only one day's payment in exchange.

"This 'groundbreaking' AI proposal that they gave us yesterday: they propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day's pay, and their company should own that scan their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation," Crabtree-Ireland revealed. "So if you think that's a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again."

The biggest names in Hollywood have spoken out against the technology, with the likes of Christopher Nolan saying studios needed accountability if they were to continue using AI.

"The rise of companies in the last 15 years bandying words like algorithm - not knowing what they mean in any kind of meaningful, mathematical sense - these guys don't know what an algorithm is," Nolan shared. "People in my business talking about it, they just don't want to take responsibility for whatever that algorithm does."

He continued, "Applied to AI, that's a terrifying possibility. Terrifying ... Not least because, AI systems will go into defensive infrastructure ultimately. They'll be in charge of nuclear weapons. To say that that is a separate entity from the person wielding, programming, putting that AI to use, then we're doomed. It has to be about accountability. We have to hold people accountable for what they do with the tools that they have."

One of the most notorious fast food mascots is back. Last week, Quiznos unveiled a new advertising campaign to proclaim their plans for a comeback, after filing for bankruptcy in 2014 and proceeding to close more than 4,000 locations. The centerpiece of this campaign is a new advertisement starring the Spongmonkeys, the surreal rodents who became part of the early Internet lexicon. Originally created by U.K. animator Joel Veitch, the Spongmonkeys are best known for shrilly singing about things they enjoy -- first the moon, and later Quiznos' various products. While the Spongmonkey commercials should have theoretically worked against Quiznos, their catchy and distinct songs became pretty well associated with the sandwich restaurant chain, even after they stopped appearing in their advertisements back in 2004.

"I didn't expect Quiznos to get back in touch, but I was so pleased they did," Veitch explained in a recent interview with Eater. "I was over the moon. My experience of the mayhem that was making these commercials originally was just unbridled joy. Really, really good fun. And I've enjoyed the way that they've continued to have a life afterward."

"The Spongmonkeys were last seen in 2005, when they were loved and hated in roughly equal measure," CEO Tim Casey said in the statement. "The return of the brand's most famous mascots, the Spongmonkeys, marks the resurgence of Quiznos."

Is Quiznos Relaunching?

As Quiznos revealed when unveiling the new Spongmonkeys commercial, the goal is to expand the chain's footprint and open "a completely new dining experience" in dozens of new locations.

"We hear you, it's harder to get to Quiznos these days," Quiznos' website reads. "And we miss you too. So we're here to do something about that. Today, we are going back to our roots to harness the core Quiznos DNA that started this whole thing back in 1981. Why? Because we lost our way. We tried to do too much at once and ended up with thousands of stores shutting down. Now, getting back to our roots doesn't mean standing still. We know that boring food is... well... boring so we're bringing a whole new level of commitment to innovation. Try our Philly Cheesesteaks to see what we mean."

"But we also know a classic when we see it. The recipes you cherish from the past, like the Chicken Carbonara, Classic Italian, and Black Angus Steakhouse, are still droolworthy today - so we're continuing to dish those up with pride. You can't touch this. We want to reward the millions of loyal fans who have stuck with us and filled the internet with comments asking for Quiznos to come back. We'll keep pushing the boundaries like we have from the start to give these toasted subs the platform that they deserve. With our all-star front-line roster of subs and a refreshed formula for franchisees we've got a whole new vision for the future of Quiznos. Are you coming?"

What do you think of Quiznos bringing back the Spongmonkeys? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

The House Oversight Committee is just hours away from hosting a hearing on UFOs and according to one former Defense official, it could include some of the most explosive testimony we've heard on Capitol Hill regarding the matter. According to Chris Mellon, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, it's possible one of the three witnesses testifying to the House subcommittee could speak to government-recovered "off-world" technology.

"I've been told that we have recovered technology that did not originate on this Earth, by officials in the Department of Defense and by former intelligence officials," Mellon said in a new chat with NewsNation's Chris Cuomo on Monday night.

The former intelligence official added, "The objective here, I think, and the opportunity, is for the American people to come to better understand why it is that so many in Congress actually take seriously the idea that there are UFOs, UAP [unidentified aerial phenomena] that are violating US airspace and the associated rumor, allegation, that we may have in our possession off-world technology recovered from someone else's space program."

Wednesday's hearing is being hosted by the House Oversight's Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs. Leading the charge for the subcommittee is Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), who's working with Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) on the topic.

"This is ridiculous folks. Either they do exist or they don't exist. They keep telling us they don't exist, but they block every opportunity for us to get a hold of the information to prove that they do exist," Burchett said during a press conference last Thursday announcing the hearing. "And we're gonna get to the bottom of that dadgummit. Whatever the truth may be. We're done with the coverup."

"If the answer is that there are no unidentified aerial phenomena, then say that, but that's not what the answers are. The answers are, 'We can't tell you." And so, that leads to speculation," Moskowitz added. "And so this is something that has undoubtedly captured the public's attention in multiple administrations."

Testifying Wednesday morning are former intelligence official David Grusch and former Navy Pilots Ryan Graves and David Gravor. Grusch came forward earlier this summer with a startling new claim, suggesting the United States government is in active possession of "non-human" technology while Graves and Gravor are former pilots who claim to have countered UFOs or UAP--unidentified aerial phenomena.

National Mustard Day is coming up on August 5th and as they have for the past several years, French's has yet again gone all out to celebrate the tangy holiday. In 2019, the brand surprised fans with Mustard Ice Cream. in 2020, they followed that up with Mustard Beer. In 2021, it was sun's out, bun's out with Mustard Buns, and last year, they woke up the taste buds with Mustard Donuts, but this year, French's is going somewhere truly unexpected by teaming up with Skittles for a truly one-of-a-kind treat. On Tuesday, French's announced that for National Mustard Day, they're teaming up with Skittles for the first-ever French's Mustard Flavored Skittles candies -- and they're giving them away via an online sweepstakes and at in-person pop-up events.

"From Mustard Ice Cream to last year's viral Mustard Donuts, this year marks the fifth time French's has gone all out with unique, flavorful innovations to celebrate National Mustard Day. With the yellow holiday landing on August 5th, we knew we had to outdo ourselves," said Valda Coryat, North America Vice President of Marketing for McCormick & Company. "We are thrilled to collaborate with Skittles to deliver our beloved Classic Yellow Mustard tang in a new, fun way to French's and Skittles fans alike."

"SKITTLES is always looking to inspire moments of everyday happiness and deliver unexpected ways for fans to experience the brand," said Ro Cheng, Marketing Director at Mars. "That's why we've teamed up with French's to create the first-of-its-kind SKITTLES that combines their tangy mustard flavor with our iconic chewy texture to deliver this unique summer treat for National Mustard Day."

For those wanting to try French's latest National Mustard Day celebration treat, this is what you need to know. Fans can have a chance to taste French's Mustard Skittles as well as snag some branded swag as French's hits the road on a multi-stop tour up the East Coast in their "Mustard Mobile" -- a bright yellow, custom designed vintage bust featuring a giant Mustard Skittles on top. French's will post a map so people can stop by as well as follow their journey and you can find the locations below:

? Monday, July 31: Atlanta - Ponce City Market from 11AM-3PM

o 675 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30344

? Wednesday, August 2: Washington D.C. - City Center from 11AM-3PM

o 825 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

? Saturday, August 5: New York City - Hudson River Park from 11AM-3PM

o 555 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036

Additionally, now through August 5th, fans can visit Frenchs.com/MustardSkittles to enter for a chance to win a pack of French's Mustard Skittles as well.

What do you think? Will you be checking out Mustard Skittles? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!

Sonic is taking things to the spicy side. The restaurant chain introduced their latest menu item, the all-new Buffalo Chicken Dip bites, available now for a limited time. The new Buffalo Chicken Dip Bites are a side order option and come in 3, 5, and 7-piece options. They feature juicy chicken, buffalo sauce, and melty cheddar cheese blended together and stuffed, then fried, in a crispy golden-brown wrapper. According to Sonic, they start at $2.99 and are available at participating Sonic locations nationwide for a limited time.

Not too much else is known about this new item, though thus far they are getting rave reviews from customers online. On Reddit, one poster in r/fastfood said that they were "fantastic" and described the bites as having a "crispy, almost wonton-like exterior" and noted that while they are small and definitely a side rather than a main dish offering, they were delicious.

Sonic Isn't the Only Fast Food Place With Menu Updates

Sonic isn't alone in making some menu updates. On Monday, it was announced that Taco Bell will be returning the beloved Beefy Crunch Burrito to menus this summer. According to the brand, the beloved menu item will return after a five year absence, in August, arriving first on Tuesday, August 1st for Taco bell Rewards app users and then on Thursday, August 3rd for everyone else. The Beefy Crunch Burrito will be available a la carte for $2.49 or as part of a combo for $6.49.

Popeyes also announced menu changes on Monday as well. On Monday, they announced that they would be expanding their dessert menu with the introduction of the new OREO Cheesecake, the latest limited-time offering at the chain. The OREO Cheesecake is available now at participating locations and uses crushed OREO cookie as the crust and has a cheesecake topping made up of OREO filling and more OREO cookie bits.

Will you be giving Sonic's Buffalo Chicken Dip Bites a try? Let us know in the comment section!

SAG-AFTRA is getting ready to host its biggest rally yet. Now over a week into its strike, the union announced late Monday night it's hosting a sizable event in New York City's Time Square early Tuesday morning. The group is getting some big names to appear at the event in hopes of drawing as many eyes to the work stoppage as possible. According to one report, actors set to be in attendance include Bryan Cranston, Steve Buscemi, Christian Slater, Lauren Ambrose, Christine Baranski, Matt Bomer, Tituss Burgess, Liza Col?n-Zayas, Gregory Diaz, Jennifer Ehle, Nancy Giles, Danai Gurrira, Jill Hennessy, Marin Hinkle, Stephen Lang, Arian Moayed, Wendell Pierce, Corey Stoll and Merritt Wever amongst others.

The guild is calling the event "Rock the City for a Fair Contract" and is categorizing it as a mass rally. "SAG-AFTRA is fighting to ensure its members receive their fair share of streaming revenues, increased compensation to keep pace with inflation, and an agreement that will give actors informed consent and fair pay when A.I. creates digital replicas of their performance, voice, and likeness," the guild said in a statement obtained by Deadline.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has been a major sticking point in negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP. During a SAG-AFTRA press conference last week, union executive Duncan Crabtree-Ireland revealed the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) made a proposal to SAG-AFTRA that would have film and television extras' likenesses be used in perpetuity.

"This 'groundbreaking' AI proposal that they gave us yesterday: they propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day's pay, and their company should own that scan their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation," Crabtree-Ireland revealed. "So if you think that's a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again."

Crabtree-Ireland is also set to be at Tuesday's event alongside SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer Joely Fisher, New York President Ezra Knight, and Executive Director New York Local, Labor Policy and International Affairs Rebecca Damon.

12 years after it first launched, Spotify is increasing its prices. Monday, the audio platform announced it would soon roll out increased pricing for all of its premium plans. Across the board, the pricing for each plan increase $1 per plan; that makes Spotify's Premium Individual Plan $10.99 per month, Premium Duo $14.99 per month, Premium Family $16.99 per month, and Premium Student $5.99 per month. It's the company's first round of price increases since it launched in the United States in 2011 and will go into effect next week.

"Since launching in 2008, Spotify has innovated and invested to build the best audio experience for you and your favorite artists and creators," the company's price increase announcement reads. "We have continually revealed new opportunities for fans and creators to connect through the power of our platform, from discovery tools like our new AI DJ, to fan-favorite shared experiences like Blend and the introduction of podcasts and audiobook content."

According to the announcement blog post, Spotify is the largest audio streamer in the world with over 200 million paid subscribers.

"With 200+ million Premium subscribers, we're also proud to be the world's most popular audio streaming subscription service, giving Premium users access to on-demand and ad-free music listening, offline music downloads, and quality music streaming," the company adds. "The market landscape has continued to evolve since we launched. So that we can keep innovating, we are changing our Premium prices across a number of markets around the world. These updates will help us continue to deliver value to fans and artists on our platform."

In addition to the United States, the price increase is impacting dozens of other countries as well. The full list of markets seeing increased pricing includes Andorra, Albania, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Croatia, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, Serbia, Sweden, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, San Marino, Thailand, T?rkiye, United States, Kosovo.

On a FAQ page, Spotify says subscribers will receive an email notifying them of the price increase. Subscribers will also have a one-month grace period before the pricing officially increases, giving them time to assess if they'd like to continue using the service before the increases.

Barbie made its debut in theaters over the weekend, becoming nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. A lot of elements surrounding Barbie have been praised, including the soundtrack filled with new and surprising songs. Spoilers for Barbie below! Only look if you want to know! One song that was hidden from the Barbie soundtrack until its release was Matchbox Twenty's "Push", which is established to be the Kens' favorite song that plays on a constant loop while they're taking over Barbieland. "Push" was then covered by the Kens at a key moment of the film, as the Barbies took the opportunity of being serenaded to turn the Kens against each other.

The movie has already provoked a newfound love for "Push", and it looks like Matchbox Twenty lead singer Rob Thomas is joining in on the positivity. In a viral TikTok, Thomas can be seen dedicating the band's latest live performance of "Push" to Ryan Gosling, who portrayed the main Ken in the Barbie film.

@hannahcroteau

"i'd like to dedicate this next song to ryan gosling" - rob thomas #matchbox20 #matchboxtwenty #robthomas #ryangosling #barbie #barbiemovie #push #fyp

? original sound - Hannah

Why Was Matchbox Twenty in Barbie?

In a recent interview with USA Today, Thomas revealed that although he was originally skeptical of agreeing to include "Push" in Barbie, his love for director and co-writer Greta Gerwig helped convince him.

"I want to preface this by saying that I thought it was hilarious. But in Bring It On, (Kirsten Dunst's character) has this douchey boyfriend. And there's a scene where he was in his dorm room with a Matchbox Twenty poster in the background. There was a whole period during the '90s where the more successful we got, the bigger target we were. We were an easy takedown," Thomas told USA Today after Barbie was released on Friday, July 21. "When I got the call for "Barbie," they told me, "Ken's by the fireside, he's playing the song and it's his favorite band." So I did this thinking I'd be the butt of the joke, and I was fine with that. I'm pretty thick-skinned. But Julie Greenwald (from Atlantic Records) came to the Hollywood Bowl a month or two ago. She had just seen the movie and was like, "You come out of it loving Ken and loving 'Push.'" And I was like, "Aww. Alright, really good!" Also, Greta Gerwig has been one of my crushes forever, to the point where I was on a plane one time and I called my wife, like, "Baby, Greta Gerwig just came on the plane, oh my god." So just the fact that it didn't diminish my crush of Greta, that's even better."

What Is Barbie About?

In Barbie, to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you're a Ken. From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie, which hit theaters on July 21st. Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel.

Heavenly Delusion was one of the biggest new anime releases of the Spring 2023 anime season earlier this year, and now one awesome cosplay is helping to show off why by highlighting one of the main duo at the center of the series, Kiruko! The anime adaptation taking on Masakazu Ishiguro's Heavenly Delusion manga series was one of the most intriguing new releases of the year overall. Fans were introduced to a mysterious new world with all kinds of questions about how its particular apocalypse went down, and those questions extended even further when it came to the main duo at the center of it all, Kiruko and Maru.

Heavenly Delusion introduced fans to Kiruko, and steadily revealed that there was much more to the character that meets the eye over the course of its first season. But by the end of it all, Kiruko's a much cooler character than fans ever could have expected. Now the character has gotten an awesome cosplay tribute from artist jucyzxz on TikTok to help celebrate how much of an impact Kiruko has had in just the first season alone. It's a great argument for a potential Season 2 return for sure, so check it out below:

@jucyzxz

New cosplay,no one asked for??Have u seen this masterpiece??#heavenlydelusion #kirukoheavenlydelusion #cosplay #foryou #viral

? original sound - faith/vin?

Heavenly Delusion: Where to Watch

If you wanted to catch up with everything that happened in the first season, Heavenly Delusion is now streaming with Disney+ in international territories, and is streaming all of its episodes with Hulu in the United States (under its Japanese title of "Tengoku Daimakyo," if you need to search for it). As for what to expect from one of the biggest anime releases of the Spring 2023 anime season, Denpa has licensed the Heavenly Delusion manga for an official English release and teases Heavenly Delusion as such:

"Within the safety of the walls, youths are raised in a nursery-style setting by robots. While life there may appear stale on the surface, the children are full of potential and curiosity. In many ways it is like a slice of heaven. The outside world is a hell-scape. It is almost entirely void of anything mechanical and is now inhabited by bizarre, yet powerful super-natural beings. Maru, with the aid of Kiruko, is out there crisscrossing what was once Tokyo for heaven. But after searching for so long, maybe heaven is more of an untenable dream than a potential reality."

Where does Heavenly Delusion rank among your favorite anime releases of the Spring 2023 season? Where does it rank among your favorite 2023 anime so far? Let us know all of your thoughts about it and everything anime in the comments!

Keeping a promise to host a hearing by the end of the month, a House subcommittee is preparing to present three former officials and their involvement in the world of UFOs and UAP, or unidentified anomalous phenomena, to others on Capitol Hill. Wednesday, members of the House Oversight Committee's Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs will invite David Grusch, Ryan Graves, and David Fravor to testify publicly regarding the aforementioned matters.

The hearing begins at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, and will be live-streamed online. You can see a video of it below.

The subcommittee includes Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) .

"This is ridiculous folks. Either they do exist or they don't exist. They keep telling us they don't exist, but they block every opportunity for us to get a hold of the information to prove that they do exist," Burchett said during a press conference last Thursday announcing the hearing. "And we're gonna get to the bottom of that dadgummit. Whatever the truth may be. We're done with the coverup."

"This hearing is going to be different. We're going to have witnesses who can speak frankly to the public about their experiences," the Congressman continued. "We've had a heck of a lot of pushback about this hearing. There are a lot of people who don't want this to come to light."

"If the answer is that there are no unidentified aerial phenomena, then say that, but that's not what the answers are. The answers are, 'We can't tell you." And so, that leads to speculation," Moskowitz added. "And so this is something that has undoubtedly captured the public's attention in multiple administrations."

Grusch first made waves in June after claiming the United States government had possession of "non-human" craft.

"We are not talking about prosaic origins or identities," Grusch told The Debrief in June. "The material includes intact and partially intact vehicles."

Graves and Fravor are both former Navy pilots who've reported seeing UAP during their time in the Armed Forces.

For additional space and cosmic stories, check out our ComicBook Invasion hub here.

As the SAG-AFTRA strike enters its second week, the union has announced its largest-ever donation. Monday, officials with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation revealed Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has donated a "historic" sum to the group, one that helps SAG-AFTRA members financially in times of hardship.

"It's the largest single donation that we've ever received from one individual at one time," SAG-AFTRA Foundation executive director Cyd Wilson said in a recent chat with Variety. "And what is amazing is that that one check is going to help thousands of actors keep food on their table, and keep their kids safe, and keep their cars running. And it's not lost on me that he's very humble about this, but it is a way to get us started.

She added, "This is how we did this during COVID -- some of the biggest stars in our industry stepped up. For him to step up like this is really going to get us started in the fundraising that we're going I need to do, because everything we're hearing and seeing, we feel we have to be prepared that this could go on through the end of the year. We're going to have to be able to help these people in the long run. We have 160,000 SAG-AFTRA performers and that's a lot of people that are going to need our help. This donation is the kickstart we needed in the first week of what we think will be a long haul."

There's no end in sight for both the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America Strikes, and some reports have suggested negotiations won't even pick back up until later this year.

"The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses," the report cites an executive as telling Deadline. Another insider called the strategy "a cruel but necessary evil." One executive told the outlet that strategy was agreed to "for months, even before the WGA went out" while another said that the studios are determined to "break the WGA".

More information on the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and its outreach benefits can be found here.

At long last, the Beefy Crunch Burrito is back at Taco Bell. One of the chain's most beloved items in recent memory has been missing from the chain's menus for over five years, and now it'll be returning as soon as next week. Monday, Taco Bell announced members that use the Taco Bell Rewards app will be able to start purchasing the Beefy Crunch Burrito on Tuesday, August 1st. For those that don't use the rewards app, the Beefy Crunch Burrito was be returning as a limited-time offering beginning Thursday, August 3rd.

The item won one of Taco Bell's new voting contests earlier this year, largely thanks in part to a viral Facebook group pushing for the item's return. Beefy Crunch Movement, as the group is called, has swelled to over 67,000 members led by founder Richard Axton.

"I couldn't be prouder of the Beefy Crunch Movement," Axton said in a press release announcing the item's return. "We banded together earlier this year, got the votes in and we are beyond pumped to finally get a taste of what we believe is the best item to ever hit Taco Bell menus. We are counting down the days until August 1 when it's available early access and looking forward to savoring every last bite while it's still available."

The Beefy Crunch Burrito will be available a la carte for $2.49 or as part of a combo for $6.49.

Also Monday, Taco Bell announced the winners of the fan-chosen sauce packet motto vote, with each of the chain's hot sauces receiving a new saying as voted on by fans. The winners of the five respective votes includes:

• Breakfast: "MORNING PERSON."
• Mild: "ALL LOVE HERE."
• Hot: "WHY NOT"
• Fire: "DON'T THINK, JUST DO."
• Diablo: "IF YOU WON'T, I WILL."

The rock-n-wrestling connection that helped launch WWE into the mainstream is alive and well today but in the form of a different genre. Wrestling's influence on the current hip hop scene is apparent, as a number of rappers regularly reference the scripted sport in songs. Migos name-drop Scotty2Hotty in multiple tracks. Trippie Redd has a song titled "Matt Hardy 999." Travis Scott even uses Mick Foley's alias of Cactus Jack as his own nickname. Some rappers have even gotten directly involved in the professional wrestling world, as evident by Bad Bunny's WWE matches and Action Bronson's lone AEW bout last fall.

If a recent concert is any evidence, another name from the hip hop game could make his way into a squared circle sooner than later. Rapper JELEEL! shared a video of him hitting a cross body and an elbow drop on stage.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by JELEEL! (@jeleeeel)

"BRO TRIED TO COME ON STAGE ?," JELEEL! wrote in the caption.

Will JELEEL! Wrestle For WWE?

If he has any input, it's a matter of when, not if.

"I see myself in WWE, I see myself in everywhere man. Jeleel is worldwide," JELEEL! said in a past interview. "My favorite wrestler is Jeff Hardy, Hardy Boyz!"

JELEEL! is a long-time wrestling fan and maintains his fandom to this day. This past fall, JELEEL! attended an episode of WWE SmackDown and posed with then-WWE United States Champion Bobby Lashley as he was heading back to the locker room.

Weeks prior, JELEEL! released "STONE COLD!", a single named after WWE Hall of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

Stone cold, rip 'em up, might flip 'em off
Name another radder than me, no sir
Oh, I just pulled up in the hummer
Watch out when I hit that stunner.

-"STONE COLD!", JELEEL!

WWE SummerSlam Card

• Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso (Tribal Combat Rules)
• World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor
• SmackDown Women's Championship: Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair
• Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar
• Intercontinental Championship: Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre (Rumored)
• Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus (Rumored)
• Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. TBA (Rumored)
• Ricochet vs. Logan Paul (Rumored)

WWE SummerSlam goes down on Saturday, August 5th. More matches are expected to be announced on tonight's edition of Monday Night Raw. Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for live coverage!

Today, Monday July 24th, is International Self-Care Day and to celebrate, Dove Ice Cream is encouraging people to indulge in a putting themselves first with a first-ever collaboration with Mien Studios. On Monday, the brand announced that they had partnered with the female-owned, sustainable clothing company for the launch of an eco-friendly line of "Silky Smooth Sets", each inspired by Dove Ice Cream.

Starting today, fans can head to DoveChocolate.com/SilkySmoothSets to purchase one of the exclusive, limited edition sets as well as one, six-count box of Dove Dark Chocolate Almond Vanilla Ice Cream Mini Sticks for just $25. The sets are valued at $300 each. The $25 purchase price goes to support a longtime Dove Partner, CARE.

"DOVE Ice Cream prides itself in being a decadent treat for those looking to take a moment for themselves," said Jayesh Shah, Mars Ice Cream Marketing Director. "Collaborating with an eco-conscious, female-led company like Mien Studios helps us do just that. By creating stylish sets inspired by our new packaging, we are doubling down on providing ice cream fans with the opportunity for more moments of indulgence, self-care, and everyday happiness while supporting our broader purpose of building the world we want tomorrow."

The sets come in a few options, including chic tanks, classic button-down blouses, and wide-leg pants in trendy pajama styles that can be worn while lounging at home or dressed up for going out with friends -- all of which pairs well with Dove Ice Cream. The sets also come in three colors, each inspired by Dove Ice cream: Raspberry Sorbet, Dark Chocolate, and Vanilla Blue. The items are designed with inclusive styling in mind and also complement Dove Ice Cream's sustainability program that works to improve the livelihoods of female vanilla farmers in Madagascar.

"Creating the Silky Smooth Sets in partnership with DOVE Ice Cream allowed us to tap into the Mien Brand mission to help women live and enjoy life beautifully," said Lisa Hsieh, Mien Studios Founder & Designer. "Our all-female team had such a fun time designing elevated sets to mirror the luxe aesthetic of DOVE's packaging. As a small-batch designer that works only with family-owned factories, we also love that the sets will help women celebrate themselves on International Self-Care Day while supporting a meaningful international organization."

About International Self-Care Day

Started in 2011, International Self-Care Day is a day developed to promote self-care as a vital foundation of health, according to International Self-Care Foundation. The World Health Organization has defined self-care as "what people do for themselves to establish and maintain health, and to prevent and deal with illness. It is a broad concept encompassing hygiene (general and personal), nutrition (type and quality of food eaten), lifestyle) sporting activities, leisure etc.), environmental factors (living conditions, social habits, etc.) socio-economic factors (income level, cultural beliefs, etc.) and self-medication."

Will you be checking out Dove's Silky Smooth Sets with Mien Studios for International Self-Care Day? Let us know in the comments.

For the first time in over 20 years, the '90s alternative rock band Dogstar has announced a new album. the record, which is to be titled Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees, will be accompanied by a nationwide tour starting on August 10 and running until December 20. The band performed live in May, marking the first time that had happened since 2001. They came together again on July 18 at West Hollywood's Roxy Theatre. The band, made up of guitarist and vocalist Bret Domrose, drummer Rob Mailhouse, and bassist Keanu Reeves, released the first single from the record, titled "Everything Turns Around," on music streaming services and on YouTube.

Dogstar formed in the early 1990s, and released two albums -- Our Little Visionary in 1996 and 2000's Happy Ending -- before breaking up. Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees will be available on October 6 via Dillon Street Records, a band-owned label.

"We are so excited to re-introduce Dogstar with our new single 'Everything Turns Around,'" Dogstar said in a press release. "It feels like a fun summer song to us. It has an uplifting message and a positive vibe that hopefully makes your day a little bit lighter. It's one of our favorite songs to play live and can't wait to share it on our upcoming tour."

Here's a look at the "Everything Turns Around" music video:

You can see the tour dates here:

"When creating this record, we were so excited about the idea of playing it live so we are thrilled to finally announce the Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees Tour and to soon play for our fans all over North America and Japan," the band said.

Here's a look at the tracklist for Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees:

01 - Blonde
02 - How the Story Ends
03 - Everything Turns Around
04 - Overhang
05 - Dillon Street
06 - Lily
07 - Lust
08 - Glimmer
09 - Sunrise
10 - Sleep
11 - Upside
12 - Breach

You can preorder digital copies of the new record on digital platforms like Amazon Music and Apple Music. The Dogstar website also gives fans an opportunity to preorder LPs and CDs.

Popeyes is expanding its dessert menu. Monday, the national chicken joint announced it's introducing the new OREO Cheesecake, the latest limited-time offering at the chain. Starting immediately, the OREO Cheesecake is available at participating locations. The treat uses crushed OREO cookies as the crust and has a cheesecake topping made up of OREO filling and more OREO cookie bits.

Thought the OREO Cheesecake is a limited-time offering as supplies last, it will join the chain's two permanent dessert items--Apple Pie and Strawberry Biscuits--for at least the immediate future.

Also on Monday, Popeyes announced the return of its Big Box. As a part of the deal, food fiends will get two pieces of the chain's fried chicken along with two sides and a buttermilk biscuit. For those that order the Big Box through the Popeyes app or website, it comes with a free drink as well.

The return of the Big Box is the second major item Popeyes has brought back this summer. In June, the chain brought the Blackened Chicken Sandwich back to menus, making it a permanent item on the chain's menu boards.

"Our Chicken Sandwich changed the QSR industry back in 2019, and since then, we've continued to innovate within the category to give our guests what they want - even more Chicken Sandwich options," Sami Siddiqui, President of Popeyes North America, offered in a press release last year.

He added, "After the immense success of the Chicken Sandwich, we wanted to reinvent the category of traditional grilled chicken sandwiches with our all-new take on a non-breaded option, the Popeyes Blackened Chicken Sandwich. We're excited for guests to try this delicious new offering, and knowing our history for trendsetting, we have a feeling it may spark some copycat Blackened Chicken Sandwiches down the road."