Month: January 2023

Avatar: The Way of Water — a movie starring a white boy with dreads named Spider, a space whale, and Sigourney Weaver as a blue teenage girl — is about to become the highest-grossing movie of 2022. That sonuvabitch Cameron has done it again.

The Avatar sequel is up to $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office after being released in the U.S. on December 16th, including $444 million domestic and $956 million internationally. “That puts Disney’s film on track to surpass the $1.49 billion in sales for Paramount Global’s Top Gun: Maverick, the current highest-grossing film released in 2022,” according to Bloomberg. “The Tom Cruise fighter-jet movie made the most money at domestic theaters within the year, while The Way of Water tops it internationally.” (It’s worth noting that unlike Avatar: The Way of Water, Top Gun: Maverick was not released in China, one of the biggest markets in the world.)

The weekend performance demonstrates the unusual staying power of the Avatar franchise. The Way of Water didn’t even have one of the top three domestic openings of 2022. Its 2009 predecessor Avatar also started out slowly, but ultimately sold a record $2.92 billion worth of tickets… The Way of Water is probably on course to at least break even financially, an accomplishment given its high production costs. That bodes well for a series of sequels Disney has planned for the franchise through 2028.

This can only end one way: Tom Cruise challenging a mighty Ikran to a race.

(Via Bloomberg)

It looks like new music from J. Cole may arrive in 2023. The rapper’s latest stunt has fans abuzz.

Yesterday (January 2), fans noticed that Cole cleared his Instagram page. Soon after, fans began sharing their theories online.

“j. cole instagram is empty, time to rise & shine,” said one Twitter user.

In 2021, Cole dropped his sixth studio album, The Off-Season. Months before, he revealed via social media that The Off-Season would be part of a series of projects leading up to the release of The Fall Off, which he first teased back in 2018 with the closing track of his KOD album, which was titled “1985 (Intro To ‘The Fall Off’).

The item on the list reads “It’s A Boy.” It’s unknown if this is the title of an album, but fans seem to think so.

“J. Cole just cleared his Instagram,” said another Twitter user. “y’all think he’s gonna drop It’s A Boy on January 28th this year?”

January 28 is Cole’s birthday, and also the name of a song from his 2014 album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive.

As of now, the only hint of new music from Cole himself is the cleared-off Instagram page, however, fans have been theorizing since as early as last year about what It’s A Boy could potentially be about.

“J. Cole will drop his It’s A Boy project and showcase why fatherhood is dope,” said one Twitter user last month, sharing their music predictions for 2023.

Queens, New York rapper-turned-mogul 50 Cent is probably better known for producing the juggernaut Power universe for Starz and trolling his fellow celebrities than his music nowadays, but it looks like he wants to reverse that trend this year. While congratulating friend and mentor Eminem on reaching five billion views on YouTube, 50 promised to share new music in 2023. Posting a headline about Eminem’s success on Instagram, 50 captioned the photo, “That’s my boy. Im gonna remind people i’m nice this year. New Music New Tv New movie let’s go!”

Even a couple of decades removed from the peak of his rap chart dominance, 50 has apparently maintained plenty of popularity, despite putting “nothing out in a while,” according to another post he shared. This one, apparently a screenshot from Twitter (so take it with a grain of salt), put 50 on a list of rappers with the most YouTube views for 2022, among names like Eminem, Doja Cat, Drake, Lil Baby, Lil Nas X, and Juice WRLD. The top comment, from Snoop Dogg, reads, “Nice. Staying relevant.”

Truthfully, it’d probably be nicer if he maintained that relevance through new music releases rather than bullying women in the music business. He trolled Lil Kim, Madonna, and Megan Thee Stallion last year about everything from plastic surgery to getting shot in the foot. Let’s hope his new year resolutions included being a nicer person in addition to getting back to rap — but don’t be surprised if he reneges on either after turning down a $1 million record deal from Universal (and failing to follow through on repeated threats to take the Power shows elsewhere).

Former president/current wannabe president Donald Trump welcomed in 2023 by describing America as a “third world country,” which seems like a strange way to win over the voters who didn’t elect you last time around — but hey, what do we know? By all accounts (or at least his own), Trump is a master strategist — a fact backed up by some newly released testimony surrounding the events of January 6th, and reported by Politico.

On January 7, 2021 — one day after telling the insurrectionists who attacked the Capitol that he loved them and they were “special” — the just-barely-still-then president released what felt like a hostage video. In it, he came just about as close as he ever has to conceding the 2020 election, and through gritted teeth claimed that he was focused on “ensuring a smooth, orderly, and seamless transition of power” to the Biden administration.

More than a year later, in July 2022, the January 6th committee gave us a behind-the-scenes featurette of the making of that video, in which a clearly annoyed Trump refuses to say “the election is over” and admits that “‘Yesterday’ is a hard word” for him to say. (Three syllables can be difficult.)

But as Politico’s senior legal affairs reporter Kyle Cheney noted on Twitter, a trove of newly released evidence reveals even more embarrassing details (for Trump) of what went on during the filming of that video. And the fact that it managed to be recorded and released at all is a bit of a miracle.

​​ https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1610004023196749829

Shealah Craighead, the Chief Official White House Photographer during Trump’s reign (and who the former president allegedly tried to scam), was onsite for the filming of that video and told the January 6th committee that Donald seemed to be employing some pretty pathetic stall tactics in order to not stand in front of that camera. According to her testimony:

[Trump’s] agitation of stopping and starting the conversation was based on asking for Diet Cokes several times, or stopping to take a sip and then starting again, immediately stopping and taking another sip and then starting again, reading some of the scroll, and then asking for a new Coca-Cola, or needing a towel to wipe his head or something.

It was just there is anything — you know, as you procrastinate, you’re finding anything to do to not to do what you have to do. That’s what it seemed like in my observation. Anything that he could procrastinate with before getting the words out he would do.

If this whole “become president again” plan doesn’t work out, or those NFTs, maybe Coca-Cola has found its new spokesperson!

(Via Politico)

Today is January 3, meaning the holidays are very much over. Don’t tell that to the latest Billboard Hot 100 chart, though. The latest rank is dated January 7, but it reflects the data tracking week from December 23 to 29. Those first three days are prime Christmas music season, so you know what that means: On the new Hot 100, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is once again No. 1, for the 12th total week and the fourth week this holiday season. (This is actually the first time “Christmas” has had four consecutive weeks at No. 1.)

This means Carey has the first No. 1 song of 2013. Furthermore, “Christmas” is now the first song to be on top of the Hot 100 in five separate years (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023). For reference, no other song has been No. 1 in more than two years.

More broadly, Carey extends her record for most distinct years having a song rank on top of the Hot 100, with 19: 1990 to 2000, 2005 to 2006, 2008, and 2019 to 2023. She also ties Boyz II Men as the only other artist to have three songs top the Hot 100 for at least 12 weeks: Her and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” (16 weeks), “We Belong Together” (14 weeks), and now, “Christmas” (12 weeks so far).

Aside from Carey, the usual holiday song suspects are in the top 10, with the only non-holiday songs in the region this week being Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” (No. 8) and Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (No. 10).

R&B fans received plenty of gifts from their favorite artists long before the Christmas season in 2022. Ari Lennox returned with her first album in three years with Age/Sex/Location while SZA made her way back into our hearts with SOS, her first body of work since 2017. Newcomers like Amber Mark, Lokre, Giveon, and more made their mark in the game with their debut albums while seasoned vets like PJ Morton, Robert Glasper, Kehlani, and Alex Isley continued to do what they do best.

Despite all we got in 2022, there was also a lot that we didn’t get over the course of the year. Some artists were hard at work crafting their next musical presentations to the world, others pushed their initial 2022 releases back a year, and as for the rest, well, we’re just hoping they release something soon.

So aside from writing resolutions for 2023, let’s also take a moment to share our anticipations for the new year – that is the most anticipated R&B albums of 2023. Here are 16 artists we hope to receive albums from next year with 14 coming from the R&B world and the remaining two living in afrobeats.

Kelela — Raven

February 10

Of all the albums on this list, Kelela’s Raven is the only one that we actually have a set release date for. The D.C. singer will share her long-awaited sophomore album on February 10 which comes five and a half years after the release of her celebrated Take Me Apart debut. Kelela has described Raven as a “15 track deep-dive into facets of dance music that have always excited me” and her “first breath taken in the dark, an affirmation of black femme perspective in the midst of systemic erasure and the sound of our vulnerability turned to power.”

Baby Rose

Baby Rose’s last project arrived in 2021 with To: You (A Holiday Joint), but the D.C. soul singer hopefully has something in store for us next year. Her captivating voice was most recently used in October for her double-sided single “Go B/W Fight Club” which arrived two years after her stellar debut album To Myself. There’s no telling what kind of music will get on Baby Rose’s sophomore album, but at the very least, we hope it arrives sometime in 2023.

Bryson Tiller

It’s been two years since Bryson Tiller made his grand return to the music world following a three-year absence that featured little to no music. That return was Anniversary, and with that project’s release, came the announcement that a previously-mentioned effort, Serenity, would see the light of day soon. At the top of 2021, Tiller said that Serenity would be a triple disc release with a pop, rap, and R&B side. Tiller certainly has the versatility to pull this off, as his recent releases “Outside” and “Gotta Move On” suggest. It’s just a matter of time until we as listeners can be the judge of that.

Chlöe – Chlöe

Chlöe has been hard at work on her debut solo album Chlöe ever since Chloe x Halle impressed the world with their sophomore effort, Ungodly Hour. Chlöe’s own body of work will be a bit different from what we heard on Ungodly Hour as her “Have Mercy,” “Treat Me,” “Surprise,” and “For The Night” singles depict both contextually and sonically. While it still remains to be seen who will guest beside Chlöe on her album, we do have an idea of what Chlöe will sound like. “In the beginning, you can tell that [the person] who is singing is like a bird with broken wings,” she said in an interview with Allure. “As time went on, you can hear me finding my strength and confidence.”

Davido

In 2022, afrobeats had one of the strongest years in its modern era. Artists like Wizkid, Rema, Burna Boy, and Asake contributed to the genre’s greatness over the course of the year. A notable name that was missing from the mix was Davido who will soon enter his third year without a new album following 2020’s A Better Time. With ear-pleasing tunes like “Champion Sound” and “Stand Strong” out as possible previews of what’s the come, there’s no doubt that Davido will take the helm to show off afrobeats’ continued and undeniable growth. Plus, with a promise to return in March, we may not have to wait too long to see it all unfold.

FLO

Boy bands and girl groups are more or less a thing of the past nowadays, but the British singing trio FLO is using the open space to stand out. The female group comprised of singers Stella, Jorja, and Renée released their debut EP The Lead in 2022, and now have plans to share their debut album in the near future. Speaking of that future, it seems to be very bright for FLO as they’ve already made their television debuts in both the US and UK in addition to being the first British group to win the Brit Award for Rising Star, an honor previously received by Adele, Sam Smith, Jorja Smith, Florence and the Machine, and Ellie Goulding. The sky is the limit for FLO.

Frank Ocean

In all honesty, there hasn’t been a true sign that Frank Ocean will drop music in 2023. However, there are enough clues for us fans who’ve been waiting since 2016 to have just enough hope that he will. Frank is set to headline Coachella in 2023. He shared a nine-minute track on Christmas Day in 2021, effectively proving that he’s indeed in the studio — even if it’s sporadically. He even cleared out his Instagram posts which artists have often used as a rollout before the rollout in a sense. Nonetheless, these examples mean nothing just as much as they could mean something. So with that, we’ll just have hope that Frank returns with a body of work that is as artistically captivating as Channel Orange and Blonde, so much so that it joins the debate of which out the three is truly his best output.

Janelle Monáe

We most recently saw Janelle Monáe on the big screen through her role as Andi in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. However, it’s been a while since we received music from her. Monáe’s last album, Dirty Computer, dropped in 2018, and since then, she’s only dropped singles for inclusions in various movies. That changed with a preview of a new song to celebrate her 37th birthday to start December. Furthermore, Atlantic Records’ CEO Craig Kallman confirmed in an interview with Variety that Monáe has new music set to come out in 2023. Turns out, Glass Onion is just the start of what could be an impressive run for Monáe.

Jhené Aiko

Jhené Aiko’s last album Chilombo was her most celebrated and critically acclaimed album. It gave her three Grammy nominations, topped R&B album charts, and landed on multiple year-end lists. A lot has happened to Jhené since then. She gave birth to her second child and first with Big Sean. She launched her own record label Allel Sound through Def Jam. Nonetheless, there’s a decent chance that Jhené gives fans some music in 2023. It could be her fourth album or her long-awaited second album as one-half of Twenty88 with Big Sean. We’ll just have to see which one, if either, gets released next year.

Kiana Lede

Kiana Lede has one of the best voices in R&B today, it’s just unfortunate that we haven’t heard from her in some time. Don’t fret though, that reminder will surely be delivered in 2023 when she arrives with her second album and follow-up to 2020’s KIKI. Her eagerness to release this project has been made clear on social media multiple times over the past few months. She even dropped an EP, Unfinished Business, on SoundCloud to hold fans over and give them a taste of what’s to come next year – and based on that EP, what’s next is definitely worth the wait.

Masego

There’s no telling what Masego has in store next for his fans. It could be a traditional R&B and jazz release like his 2018 debut Lady Lady and it could be more flavorful like his 2020 Studying Abroad EP. Regardless, there’s no doubt that the multi-talented artist will deliver an equally impressive and intricate body of work for his second album. There’s already a collection of performances in place thanks to his You Never Visit Me Tour set to kick off in March, which is a pretty good sign that his new album could arrive bring the official start of spring.

Mariah The Scientist

Mariah The Scientist’s sharp pen is about this put on full display when she releases her third album at some point in 2023. Recent examples of her songwriting were noticeable through the viral “Spread Thin” which was housed on Buckles Laboratories Presents: The Intermission and “Aura” from Ry Ry World. It’s these tender lovelorn songs that have made Mariah The Scientist so enjoyable, and together with fun records like “Stone Cold” and slightly darker submissions like “Bout Mine,” there’s enough to look forward to for album No. 3.

PARTYNEXTDOOR

Just like he did after 2017’s Seven Days, PARTYNEXTDOOR’s activity in the music world after his fourth album PARTYMOBILE has been sparse. A single here, a feature there, SoundCloud songs put on streaming services here, and a post giving fans some hope of something new on the way there. Time says that PARTYNEXTDOOR’s next album is likely to arrive in 2023, more so than it was in 2022. However, with just two projects to his name in the last five years, it’s clear that PARTYNEXTDOOR moves on his own time and when he’s ready, he’ll pop back up with something. Let’s just hope it’s in 2023.

Tems

For someone who didn’t release a project this year, Tems had a big year in 2022. It came in large part through profiles that gave us a closer look into her life, moments with huge stars like Rihanna and Beyonce, and contributions to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever film. On this music side of things, it hasn’t been long since Tems dropped a project with her most recent being 2021’s If Orange Was A Place which followed her 2020 breakout For Broken Ears. The year “off” for Tems was well-deserved, but it comes with a promise for more and lots of exciting things in 2023.

Victoria Monet – Jaguar II

I won’t know what to do myself if I have to endure another year without a Victoria Monet project. Her excellent Jaguar EP probably shudders when I storm to it for the umpteenth relisten. Realistically though, Monet hasn’t completely disappeared from the music world and her songwriting contributions to Ariana Grande’s Positions, for example, are an example of that. Nonetheless, we hope that Monet sees that it’s time that she returns with her previously announced Jaguar II EP. Until then, it’s back to Jaguar with occasional stops at “Coastin’” and “F.*.C.K.”

6lack

My thought throughout the year was that 6lack would deliver his third album at some point during 2022. However, with just days until the year comes to an end, it’s clear that it’ll arrive in 2023. It’s only been two years since 6lack’s last project 6pc Hot was released, and ever since then, the Atlanta native has made sure not to go too long without treating supporters. 6lack stepped into the world of others through songs with Lil Durk, Lil Tjay, Eli Derby, Jacquees, Jessie Reyez, and others that made their way into our ears over the past couple of years. In 2023, we look forward to seeing 6lack create a world for himself and invite others into it for his third album.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

If 2022 was the year of dragons and over-the-top fantasy content, then 2023 might be the year of video game adaptations. After the success of Uncharted and Mortal Kombat, it seems like the 2020s will be the time when your favorite video game from your childhood will make its way to the big screen. Of course, for every good adaptation, there are bound to be some poorly-received ones in the mix. Not everything can be Detective Pikachu, but we’ve got high hopes for these upcoming new releases and returning favorites.

1. The Last Of Us

Date: January 15th, 2023 on HBO
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey
Created by: Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann

An adaptation of the hit post-apocalyptic game has been in the works for years, and the highly-anticipated series finally arrives in January nearly a decade after the game was first introduced. The Last Of Us will star Pedro Pascal as Joel, the tough survivalist accompanying Bella Ramsey’s Ellie as they navigate a zombie-infested future while grappling with their traumatic pasts.

We know that there will be some integral differences between the show and the game, mostly with the amount of violence that will be portrayed. All nine episodes of the series will be co-written by original game creator Neil Druckmann, so the bar is pretty high. The series also features Marvel favorite, Gabriel Luna, in addition to Anna Torv, Nick Offerman, and known survivalist Melanie Lynskey.

2. The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Date: April 7th, 2023
Starring: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black
Directed by: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic

Whether you want it or not, Chris Pratt’s Mario is coming. But that also means that Anya Taylor-Joy is about to make her debut as Peach, so that’s something to look forward to! The Super Mario Bros Movie has been a long time coming, and it will hit theaters on April 7th. Alongside Mario will be Jack Black as Bowser, the main antagonist of Pratt’s plumber. Also added to the mix is Charlie Day as the arguably cooler brother Luigi, plus Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and noted video game lover Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong. Despite the general lack of enthusiasm regarding the man behind Mario, the rest of the cast might just be able to make up for the lack of his signature Italian accent. Between the movie and the new Super Nintendo World opening up in Florida, 2023 is shaping up to be Mario’s year. Or maybe Peach’s.

3. Fallout

Date: TBD, Amazon Prime
Starring: Walton Goggins, Ella Purnell
Directed by: Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy

There has been no set release date for the upcoming Fallout series, but Amazon quietly wrapped production this summer, so it’s likely that we will get a series sooner rather than later. The hit franchise takes place in the late 2100s, when mutants run rampant and the threat of nuclear war is always lurking. You know, classic video game stuff.

The series is known for its signature 1950s-esque aesthetic and retrofuturistic design, which makes it distinguishable from the other (many) post-apocalyptic franchises out there. Fallout art director Istvan Pely has assured fans that the Amazon series will live up to the game’s legacy, including its signature art design. “I’ve been blown away by how much they’ve stuck with our original video and designs, directly translating that to the screen,” Pely recently recalled. “It’s reassuring.”

The upcoming series will be written by the Westworld showrunners and feature an aptly quirky cast: Walton Goggins of Justified and The Righteous Gemstones will be the unnamed lead. Also rounding out the cast will be Yellowjacket’s Ella Purnell and Twin Peaks’ Kyle MacLachlan.

4. Borderlands Movie

Date: TBD
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, Jamie Lee Curtis
Directed by: Eli Roth

There haven’t been many updates on the Borderlands adaptation since filming wrapped in the summer of 2021, but rumor has it the movie was going through some test screenings last month, which is a good sign! The other good sign is that the film will be led by Lydia Tár herself, Cate Blanchett. If the idea of an Oscar winner isn’t enough to pull you in, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Jamie Lee Curtis (!) also round out the cast.

Borderlands will follow Blanchett as Lillith, an infamous alien/siren who enlists the help of various beings and an annoyingly cute robot sidekick to help find a missing girl who may or may not be extremely powerful. The final indication that this movie will be worth the wait is that it will be written and directed by Eli Roth, who is known for his seamless blend of horror and humor.

5. The Witcher

Date: Summer 2023, Netflix
Starring: Henry Cavill
Created by: Laura Schmidt

There is a lot riding on season three of The Witcher. Henry Cavill had already filmed the upcoming season before exiting the series and passing the torch to Liam Hemsworth so that he could get back into Superman mode. That didn’t work out.

Still, the upcoming season will be a nice send-off for Cavill, who has portrayed Gertalt on his various medieval adventures since season one of the hit Netflix adaptation of the popular series, which includes books and video games, so the lore is pretty expansive. There will be one more final fourth season after Cavill’s exit, so now is the time to catch up on the rest of the epic series.

6. Twisted Metal Series

Date: Early 2023, Peacock
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz
Created by: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick

Not every video game adaptation has to be a big-budget film or gritty TV series: Twisted Metal is an upcoming half-hour comedy based on the long-running video game of the same name. The series is expected to drop on Peacock in early 2023 and will be penned by Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, so there will likely be some crude comedy to feast upon.

Anthony Mackie will star as a smart-ass outsider who is offered a chance at a better life… but only if he can deliver a mysterious package across a deserted post-apocalyptic wasteland while also being pursued by the bad guys. He will be joined by Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Stephanie Beatriz as Quiet, a new character with a mysterious past and a certain skill for carjacking. Will Arnett will also be lending his voice to the series, while Neve Campbell and Chloe Fineman will be recurring stars.

7. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Date: March 23rd
Starring: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez
Created by: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein

Dragons had quite the year in 2022, so it’s only natural to bring them back into the mix in the new year. The upcoming movie adaptation of the world-famous roleplaying game will arrive in theaters in March, jam-packed with a splash of violence, sorcery, and a little self-serving thievery.

Chris Pine leads the gang in this adventure film, which is shaping up to be a Guardians of the Galaxy-type quest, but with dazzling creatures and an even more dazzling Hugh Grant. Pine will work alongside Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, and Sophia Lillis in order to retrieve a coveted lost relic before the bad guys can get to it. Oh, and if you ever wanted to see Chris Pine play the loot? He does that too.

8. Gran Turismo

Date: August 11th, 2023
Starring: David Harbour, Orlando Bloom
Directed by: Neill Blomkamp

District 9’s Neill Blomkamp will be directing the upcoming film adaptation of Gran Turismo, the fast-paced racing game, which is expected to hit theaters on August 11th, 2023. This fast-paced tale will be based on the true story of a young Gran Turismo player who aspires to be a real-life racecar driver.

Archie Madekwe will star as the unnamed teen, while Stranger Things’ David Harbour will portray his trainer. Orlando Bloom will also appear as a motorsport marketing exec, while Darren Barnet will star as his rival at the coveted GT Academy. While unconfirmed, many fans believe the plot is modeled after the life of Jann Mardenborough, a teen who eventually made his way to the Dubai 24-Hour Race.

9. Knuckles

Date: TBD, Paramount+
Starring: Idris Elba

Thanks to the success of Ben Schwartz and Jim Carrey’s live-action Sonic movies, a live-action TV adaptation starring the anthropomorphic short-beaked echidna Knuckles is heading to Paramount+ in 2023. It might not be for everyone…but Idris Elba’s voice might make it worth a watch!

Is Chris Pratt the best or worst Chris? The debate ranges on, but he has the best Mario-looking mustache of the Chrises.

“New year, new stache, same us. Wishing all of you a healthy, happy, and blessed #NewYear,” the actor tweeted on the first day of 2023, along with a photo of him and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger. It’s the most surprising picture of the Guardians of the Galaxy actor since his ripped selfie, and it’s inspired people to compare him to Eric Bana (I can see it), Tom Cruise (nope), and Ethan Hawke (huh?).

It’s obvious who Pratt looks the most like, however:

Pratt has gone method to win over the hAtErS and prove he’s the right choice to voice Mario in the upcoming The Super Mario Bros. Movie. (Just don’t tell his MCU co-star Martin Freeman, who has no patience for method actors.) Or maybe Pratt is using the facial hair to distract from the bee stings on his face.

“So I’ve been following this bee lady on Instagram,” he said during a video that he posted on social media. “She’s so cool and brave and she goes in front of these hives of bees and says, ‘They’re very calm today. I’m going to remove the bee, I’m going to use my bare hands to sift through the bees and look for the queen.’ So it’s built up this false sense of security in me.” Here’s how that turned out. Could the bee stings be(e) method, too?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie comes out on April 7th.

Christian Bale seems to be making good on his recent comments that Method acting is getting out of hand. According to Harry Melling, Bale’s co-star in the gothic detective film, The Pale Blue Eye, The Dark Knight actor kept it cool on set and did not stay in character the whole time as he’s famously done in the past. Bale also didn’t employ one of his trademark body transformations like he’s done for Vice and The Fighter.

Via IndieWire:

“My experience working on it was that we’d turn up, not really talk about the scene, and just start playing it,” Melling told The Independent of working with Bale, citing the fact that he “doesn’t really know” what constitutes Method acting. “There was no staying in character, but I guess you’re always held within some form of character just because you’re wearing the clothes and you’re in that environment as that person.”

“I think Method acting sometimes gets a branding that’s unhelpful,” Melling added, and it appears Bale is of the same mind. Back in October, Bale talked about his work on Thor: Love and Thunder and he seemed to noticeably less enthralled with Method acting.

“That would’ve been a pitiful attempt to do that,” Bale said of going Method for his role of Gorr the God Butcher. “As I’m trying to get help getting the fangs in and out and explaining I’ve broken a nail, or I’m tripping over the tunic.”

However, Bale did admit to slipping into some of his old ways while filming Amsterdam. He confessed to telling Chris Rock that he couldn’t hang out on set with him anymore because he was making him laugh too much.

“If I get to know people too much, I find I just don’t believe what I’m doing in the scene,” Bale said.

(Via IndieWire)

It looks like Summer Walker received a double blessing this holiday season. Over the course of the past weekend, the “No Love” hitmaker revealed she welcomed twins.

Yesterday, Walker, 26, took to her Instagram Story to express joy after having birthed her twins. Her twins mark her second and third children, after having welcomed her first in March of 2021 with producer London On Da Track. She revealed that having many children before she turned 30 is something she’s been manifesting for years.

“I really reached my goal of hella kids before 30,” Walker said. “I’m so happy lol. [They’re] all so sweet.”

In a now-deleted Instagram post, she said of the birth, “I’m so proud of myself. Just sharing to inspire other women cause I know once you carry twins to almost 42 weeks especially with (one breech) people will try to steer you towards induction or c section (which there’s nothing wrong with these I just didn’t want it for myself). You can do it, this was my second home birth all natural 7 hrs, no tearing & I couldn’t of done it without my spirit guides, Godparents, birth team, my elders, & the best dad doula ever Larry lol, he was so hands on the whole time I was really impressed.”