Month: February 2024

With Avatar: The Last Airbender heading to Netflix later this month, fans are understandably cautious about how well the live-action series will adapt the beloved cartoon that ran on Nickelodeon. Avatar fans have already been burnt once by the M. Night Shyamalan movie, so their apprehension is well warranted. It also doesn’t help that the Avatar animated series is considered a masterpiece, so Netflix has its work cut out for them.

To allay those fan fears, Avatar showrunner Albert Kim recently opened to IGN about the ambitious remake and how the creative approached bringing the source material to Netflix.

“I’ve used the term that this is a remix, not a cover, in that you’ve got to hit a lot of familiar notes, but you can’t forget that this is supposed to be a new song,” Kim said. “So obviously, there are story points and characters that you have to do fairly faithfully from the original. But at the same time, you’re literally translating something from 2D to 3D, and that meant dimensionalizing the story, taking it into new places, filling in some of the gaps.”

Kim expanded on that thought by revealing how the Netflix series will showing battles and events that didn’t appear in the Nickelodeon cartoon.

Via IGN:

There are certain scenes that you never saw in the original, whether it’s the attack on the Southern Air Temple or the Agni Kai between Ozai and Zuko. And those are things that I knew we needed to see in order to make it feel much more grounded as a live-action show. So it was about feeling your way throughout the process. Where can we take the story into the new directions that still feels true to the spirit of the original? And that’s what it all comes down to, making sure it feels like it was Avatar in spirit.

Kim also said there will be changes from the first season, which had a lot of “adventure of the week” episodes that needed to be condensed from nearly two dozen 20 minute episodes down to eight hour long episodes.

“The first season of the animated show [has a lot of] standalone episodes,” Kim explained. “The second and third seasons become more serialized, but in the first season of the animated show, it’s very much adventure of the week. So a big part of the process in the writers’ room was kind of pulling apart all of those storylines and seeing how the narrative threads lay, and then weaving them together into much more of a serialized drama.”

Avatar: The Last Airbender premieres February 22 on Netflix.

(Via IGN)

You’ll want to dig into your savings because “Dreamlover” singer Mariah Carey is heading (back) to Las Vegas. Beginning in April, Carey will reclaim her crown as the Queen Of Sin City. Today (February 6), Carey took to her official social media pages to announce her The Celebration Of Mimi residency.

The limited-engagement run (just eight dates currently announced) marks the chart-topping singer’s third trip to the strip. But with the 19th anniversary of her album The Emancipation Of Mimi approaching, she wanted to commemorate it grandly. Starting April 12, the Lambs and others naturally obsessed with Carey can head to Park MGM’s Dolby Live venue to join the festivities.

Each show, set to start at 8 p.m., aims to recognize not only the massive success The Emancipation Of Mimi was but also applaud Carey for her highly decorated career. Carey’s residency is in good company over at Park MGM’s Dolby Live, joining the likes of Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, and Lady Gaga.

Tickets for Mariah Carey’s The Celebration Of Mimi residency will be up for grabs to the public starting on Saturday, February 10 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET). Find more information here.

Mariah Carey’s The Celebration Of Mimi Las Vegas residency dates

04/12 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park MGM’s Dolby Live
04/13 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park MGM’s Dolby Live
04/17 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park MGM’s Dolby Live
04/19 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park MGM’s Dolby Live
04/20 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park MGM’s Dolby Live
04/24 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park MGM’s Dolby Live
04/26 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park MGM’s Dolby Live
04/27 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park MGM’s Dolby Live

Mariah Carey’s The Celebration Of Mimi Las Vegas residency poster

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

One of TV’s funniest sitcoms is almost back. ABC’s Abbott Elementary returns for season three on February 7, nearly 10 months since the season two finale where [SPOILER ALERT] Janine (played by creator Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) agree to not start a relationship and remain friends. The strike-shortened season will consist of 14 episodes, and Ava better wear HArVArd sweatshirt in all of them.

Brunson was asked by Cosmopolitan UK about the direction the show will go in season three. “It’s always just about more growth,” she said. “The school is the epicenter of this show and is what brings all these characters together, so I think it’s going to be fun to play with and attack that a little bit. In the second season, we really see them coming together as a crew to decide to protect the school they’ve all come love and make it a better place.

She continued, “So, next season, I think it’d be fun to ask what happens when people have the opportunity to go on to bigger and better things and make massive change, so that’s what I’m interested in playing with.”

You can watch all of Abbott Elementary on ABC or Hulu.

(Via Cosmopolitan UK)

Mitski kicked off her new tour last month in Miami Beach, as she is playing shows across North America (and then in Europe) in support of her The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We album. As she is set to play the first of two dates in Philly tonight, before continuing to more major cities, fans going to an upcoming show might be wondering what they’ll hear.

According to setlist.fm, Mitski delivered ten live performances of songs from the new record, including the viral hit “My Love Mine All Mine” and others like “Bug Like An Angel” and “Buffalo Replaced.”

Fans expecting selections from older Mitski albums will also be pleased, as she played “I Don’t Smoke” from Bury Me At Makeout Creek and “Thursday Girl” from Puberty 2, just as a few examples.

Continue scrolling to view the setlist from Mitski’s most recent concert in North Carolina.

Mitski’s The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We Tour Setlist

1. “Everyone” (Folk Version)
2. “Buffalo Replaced”
3. “Working For The Knife”
4. “The Frost”
5. “The Deal”
6. “Valentine, Texas” (Jazz Folk Version)
7. “I Bet On Losing Dogs”
8. “Thursday Girl”
9. “Geyser”
10. “I Love Me After You”
11. “First Love / Late Spring”
12. “Star”
13. “Heaven”
14. “I Don’t Like My Mind”
15. “Happy”
16. “My Love Mine All Mine”
17. “Last Words Of A Shooting Star”
18. “Pink In The Night” (Folk Version)
19. “I’m Your Man”
20. “I Don’t Smoke” (Folk Version)
21. “Bug Like An Angel”
22. “Love Me More” (Folk Version)
23. “Fireworks”
24. “Nobody”
25. “Washing Machine Heart”

For the first time since 2012, there’s only one Marvel Cinematic Universe movie coming out this year: Deadpool 3. (There are other 2024 Marvel movies like Madame Web, Kraven the Hunter, and Venom 3, but with all due respect to Madame Web’s mom, who was was researching spiders in the Amazon right before she died, the SSU is no MCU.) To get the maximum amount of attention on the fourth-wall-breaking mouthy Merc played by Ryan Reynolds, Disney is expected to premiere the film’s trailer during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday.

Variety reports that it’s “possible that viewers will enjoy a first look at Deadpool 3, which teams Ryan Reynolds with Hugh Jackman in the buzzy comic book adventure.” Disney could also debut trailers for Pixar’s Inside Out 2 and 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

More than 100 million people are expected to tune in on Feb. 11 for Super Bowl LVIII, pitting the reigning Kansas City Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers. Buying a 30-second ad during the most-watched television event of the year doesn’t come cheap; a prime spot in the first quarter could run for approximately $7 million this year. As the box office struggles to return to its pre-pandemic strength, Hollywood is hoping these massive marketing spends will translate into substantial ticket sales for blockbusters.

“Will Taylor Swift be in Deadpool 3“ is just about the only Super Bowl prop bet involving the Grammy winner that you can’t place.

Deadpool 3 comes out on July 26.

(Via Variety)

It’s been a tremendous past few days for Swifties. At the 2024 Grammy Awards this weekend, Taylor Swift added some more Grammys to her trophy case, bumping her career total up to 14. Most notably, though, she shocked the world by announcing a new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

Then, she unveiled the tracklist last night (February 5). (As Stereogum notes, it appears the tracklist was leaked on TikTok a few days ago.) So, what collaborators did she invite into the fold this time?

Who Is Featured On Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department Tracklist?

The album starts with “Fortnight,” which features Post Malone. Later on in the tracklist is “Florida!!!,” which features Florence + The Machine. Those are the only two credited features on the tracklist. Presumably, though, Swift worked with regular collaborator Jack Antonoff on the album, and perhaps also The National’s Aaron Dessner, who has entered the Swift-iverse over the past few years.

Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department Tracklist

1. “Fortnight” Feat. Post Malone
2. “The Tortured Poets Department”
3. “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”
4. “Down Bad”
5. “So Long, London”
6. “But Daddy I Love Him”
7. “Fresh Out The Slammer”
8. “Florida!!!” Feat. Florence + The Machine
9. “Guilty As Sin?”
10. “Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?”
11. “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”
12. “LOML”
13. “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart”
14. “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”
15. “The Alchemy”
16. “Clara Bow”
17. “The Manuscript” (bonus track)

The Tortured Poets Department is out 4/19 via Republic Records. Find more information here.

It was just revealed that on February 5, Toby Keith, the country music favorite known for hits like “As Good As I Once Was” and “Red Solo Cup,” died at 62 years old.

What Was Toby Keith’s Cause Of Death?

A statement on Keith’s social media pages announcing the news reads, “Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.” The phrasing of the statement (“He fought his fight”) seems to confirm Keith’s cause of death was related to stomach cancer.

Keith announced his diagnosis in June 2022, writing on social media, “Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I’ve spent the last six months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax. I am looking forward to spending this time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later. I can’t wait.”

In June 2023, Keith shared that his tumor had shrunk by a third. At the People’s Choice Country Awards in September 2023, Keith gave another update, saying, “I feel pretty good. It’s a little bit of a roller coaster. You get good days and, you know, you’re up and down, up and down. It’s always zero to 60 and 60 to zero, but I feel good today.”

Toby Keith — the popular country singer known for hits like “As Good As I Once Was,” “Red Solo Cup,” “Beer For My Horses,” and “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” — is dead at 62 years old. The news was confirmed in an update shared on his social media pages, which reads, “Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”

In June 2022, Keith revealed he was diagnosed with stomach cancer, writing on social media, “Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I’ve spent the last six months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax. I am looking forward to spending this time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later. I can’t wait.”

In June 2023, Keith said his tumor had shrunk by a third. At the People’s Choice Country Awards that September, Keith offered another health update, saying, “I feel pretty good. It’s a little bit of a roller coaster. You get good days and, you know, you’re up and down, up and down. It’s always zero to 60 and 60 to zero, but I feel good today.”

Keith began his career with his self-titled 1993 debut album, which was followed by a string of top-10 country albums throughout the rest of the decade. He had a handful of No. 1 albums in the 2000s and 2010s: 2002’s Unleashed, 2003’s Shock’n Y’all, 2007’s Big Dog Daddy, and 2010’s Bullets In The Gun. The final Keith album released during his lifetime was 2021’s Peso In My Pocket, his 19th LP.

Keith’s debut single, 1993’s “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” was a hit, topping the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. He ultimately had many more country No. 1’s, but his biggest crossover success was the 2011 single “Red Solo Cup,” which peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100.

This past December, Keith played a run of headlining concerts at Park MGM in Las Vegas, his first shows since revealing his cancer diagnosis. His final performance, of that run and overall, was on December 14.

Toby Keith — the popular country singer known for hits like “As Good As I Once Was,” “Red Solo Cup,” “Beer For My Horses,” and “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” — is dead at 62 years old. The news was confirmed in an update shared on his social media pages, which reads, “Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”

In June 2022, Keith revealed he was diagnosed with stomach cancer, writing on social media, “Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I’ve spent the last six months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax. I am looking forward to spending this time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later. I can’t wait.”

In June 2023, Keith said his tumor had shrunk by a third. At the People’s Choice Country Awards that September, Keith offered another health update, saying, “I feel pretty good. It’s a little bit of a roller coaster. You get good days and, you know, you’re up and down, up and down. It’s always zero to 60 and 60 to zero, but I feel good today.”

Keith began his career with his self-titled 1993 debut album, which was followed by a string of top-10 country albums throughout the rest of the decade. He had a handful of No. 1 albums in the 2000s and 2010s: 2002’s Unleashed, 2003’s Shock’n Y’all, 2007’s Big Dog Daddy, and 2010’s Bullets In The Gun. The final Keith album released during his lifetime was 2021’s Peso In My Pocket, his 19th LP.

Keith’s debut single, 1993’s “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” was a hit, topping the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. He ultimately had many more country No. 1’s, but his biggest crossover success was the 2011 single “Red Solo Cup,” which peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100.

This past December, Keith played a run of headlining concerts at Park MGM in Las Vegas, his first shows since revealing his cancer diagnosis. His final performance, of that run and overall, was on December 14.

Drake and J. Cole’s It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What? is a multiple-hour show filled with bromance. As the two longtime friends share their respect and admiration, attendees are treated to a high-energy evening of rap bangers (semi-excluding Drake’s verse on “Work”).

As if the night couldn’t get any more epic, Drake has decided to add another name to the fold. On February 5, the “First Person Shooter” rapper took his Instagram official to announce that Lil Durk will officially join the tour soon. Following Lil Durk’s recent win at the 2024 Grammys for Best Melodic Rap Performance, this is the perfect way for him to kick off his year.

Although Lil Durk hit the road in 2023 for his Sorry For The Drought Tour, he was forced to cancel multiple dates due to health concerns. With his health seemingly in a better place, Lil Durk can reunite with those who could not catch him live before. It also allows him and J. Cole to perform their now Grammy Award-winning collaboration, “All My Life,” nationwide.

At this time, it is unclear if Lil Durk will be a fixture on the tour until it wraps up in mid-April. So, be sure to stay tuned for further details. Continue below to view the It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What? schedule.

Drake And J. Cole’s ‘It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What?’ dates

2/7 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
2/8 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
2/12 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Arena
2/13 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
2/16 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
2/17 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
2/20 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
2/21 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
2/24 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
2/25 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
2/27 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center
2/28 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center
3/2 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
3/3 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
3/5 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum
3/6 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
3/7 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
3/10 – Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena
3/14 – San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
3/15 – San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
3/18 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
3/19 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
3/23 – Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena ~
3/24 – Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena ~
3/27 – Birmingham, AL @ Legacy Arena at The BJCC ~
4/4 – Belmont Park, NY @ UBS Arena ~
4/5 – Belmont Park, NY @ UBS Arena ~
4/8 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum ~
4/15 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
4/16 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena

~ Dates without J. Cole

Drake And J. Cole’s ‘It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What?’ poster