Category: News

House of the Dragon has thus far been much better received than the final season of Game of Thrones. This certainly wasn’t easy to pull off, given that plenty of viewers were not thrilled about several outcomes from the original series, not the least of which was the manner in which Daenerys went mad.

As it turns out, though, Targaryens have been making bad decisions for hundreds of years in George R.R. Martin’s Westeros, and some of the worst moves will soon be on display in HotD‘s second season. Granted, a few terminally awful decisions already went down in the first season. Those include King Viserys I’s decision to yield so much decision-making ability to the Hightowers (Otto being quite the mastermind and Queen Alicent being onboard with her dad’s plans). Additionally, Aemond Targaryen screwed the pooch when deciding to scare Luc and Arrax, who ended up being a tasty snack for loose cannon Vhagar.

Still, some decisions that were arguably more damning are yet to be seen onscreen. Those should happen in up to four seasons of HotD to finish up the events of GRRM’s Fire and Blood book. As well, HBO is prepping a full season of another GoT prequel called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight. Yet let’s not get too far ahead of our current subject. As the second HotD outing grows closer to release, here’s what we know.

Plot

The Targaryen civil war, a.k.a., “The Dance of the Dragons,” shall soon be on fiery display in your living room as battle lines are drawn across Westeros on behalf of Teams Black and Green on Dragonstone and within King’s Landing, respectively. As the show’s recent teaser trailer confirms, yes, mistakes are made immediately following Viserys’ demise, and this leads to a bloody and flame-filled war that torches nearly half of Westeros’ population but also ends up tearing the House of Targaryen apart from the inside.

This is a Shakespearean theme, of course, but also, if the second season matches up to the applicable portions of the Fire and Blood book, this could be one of the most thrilling seasons of TV that we’ve seen in a long time. It also helps that HotD has already established itself as an event series, and the masses will tune in to watch the “Dance of the Dragons, which is actually a label that GRRM drags a little bit in the Fire and Blood book and is actually dreamed up by Westeros residents who observed the giant creatures flying above. We will also see much more of Westeros than the King’s Landing and Dragonstone locations that dominated the first season.

As well, we can look forward to many more dragons. Daemon was seen attempting to tame Vermithor in one of the most recent episodes, but Ceraxes could still be his ride as well. Rhaenyra will take flight on Syrax. Team Green and Aemond will still have Vhagar, who is the largest dragon, but Team Black will have more numerous dragons (including possibly Seasmoke), and we might also see wildcards, including Sheepstealer, Grey Ghost, and Cannibal.

Although the dragons shall be the main instrument of this war, make no mistake that this is a very human conflict. The two halves of the Targaryen crew will take up arms on behalf of Queen Rhaenyra, who was Viserys’ true chosen heir, and King Aegon II, who “accidentally” ended up on the throne after Queen Alicent “misheard” Viserys’ dying words. And you know, a lot of this sources back to the rivalry (unwittingly stoked by Viserys) between Alicent and Rhaenyra. The latter lost a son, and since the first episode is titled, “A Son for a Son,” the Hightowers had better watch their back.

Daemon will also take center stage in the battle because, let’s face it, he’s been dying to get back into the saddle, and the chaotic prince loves mayhem. In the book as well, Daemon ends up doing much of the early intimidation by fire while Rhaenyra is grieving the loss of both Luc and her father.

Cast

New characters for Season 2 shall be plentiful and include the following:

– Lord Gregan Stark (Tom Taylor), the Lord of Winterfell, who receives a visit from one of Rhaenyra’s surviving sons, Jaecerys, who spends the war’s earliest phases attempting to take a headcount of lords, houses, villages, and cities who support his mother’s claim to the Iron Throne. Although Fire and Blood doesn’t detail much about Stark’s meeting with Jaecerys, the series will likely go off book to provide details on Stark’s alliance.

– Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin), a healer and unusually prolific wet nurse within Harrenhal, one of the first castles to surrender to Team Black in the book.

– Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale), who an uncle to Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham), he of the foot fetish, and the Castellan of Harrenhal.

– Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), who is Otto Hightower’s son, Alicent’s brother, and King Aegon II’s uncle.

– Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim), a Velaryon fleet sailor who served in the Stepstones campaign.

Additionally, HBO announced the following characters: Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty), Ser Rickard Throne (Vincent Regan), Ser Alfred Broome (Jamie Kenna), and Ulf (Tom Bennett).

Returning cast members? Oh yes: Emma D’Arcy (Rhaenyra), Matt Smith (Daemon Targaryen), Olivia Cooke (Alicent Hightower), Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen), Steve Toussaint (The Sea Snake), Fabien Frankel (Ser Cristan Cole), Ewan Mitchell (Aemond Targaryen), Tom Glynn-Carney (Aegon Targaryen II), Sonoya Mizuno (Mysaria/The White Worm), and Rhys Ifans (Otto Hightower).

Release Date

House of the Dragon‘s second season will return in early Summer 2024. Post-production surely continues at this time, given that plenty of special effects are needed to render all of those dragons and their fire. That’s less than two years from the series premiere, which is a miracle, especially considering how long those final Game of Thrones seasons took to arrive and all of the upheaval that hit Hollywood in 2023.

Trailer

HBO released this teaser trailer on December 2, and they did not hold back on showing off the dragons in battle.

HBO’s first ‘House of the Dragon’ season can currently be streamed on Max.

50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) has been extremely invested in his longtime foe Diddy’s legal battles. On Saturday, December 2, the rapper even hinted at developing a documentary about him. But his attention might have been best served elsewhere. Although he reportedly won’t face criminal charges in his mic-throwing incident, he’s still facing another case.

In court documents obtained by AllHipHop, Jackson and his attorneys reportedly want to have one lawsuit tossed out due to its delayed filing. Back in March, Corey Holland named Jackson in two lawsuits. The first filing, worth $1 billion, accused Jackson, Courtney Kemp, and the Starz Network of using his life’s story, even down to his nickname of Ghost, as the foundation for their Power series.

In the second case, this one for $300 million, Holland alleged Jackson intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon him. According to Holland, Jackson at one point even physically assaulted him, and Starz’s parent company, Lionsgate Entertainment, didn’t make any effort to stop it. Jackson hasn’t released a public statement regarding the matter. However, in the responding legal paperwork, Jackson’s attorneys agree that the timing of Holland’s filing should be examined further.

“The alleged conduct—Jackson ‘came to plaintiff home and neighborhood’—took place over a year before this Action was commenced,” the documents read. “Around late July or early August 2021, Plaintiff can’t remember exactly your honor, but defendant Jackson decided to come to the Plaintiff’s neighborhood, not once, but twice. This claim is thus untimely. The assault claim should, therefore, be dismissed for failure to state a claim because the First Amended Complaint is devoid of any allegations to support such a claim against Jackson.”

It’s unclear if the judge presiding over the case has made a formal decision on the matter. However, the allegation of assault is just one minor part of Holland’s $300 million lawsuit against Jackson.

Martin Scorsese, vindicated. This weekend was the fourth for The Marvels, the latest from, well, Marvel. But where is it in the box office Top 10? Nowhere.

Per Variety, the latest from the once indefatigable Marvel Cinematic Universe added merely another $2.6 million to its paltry sum. That means it’s bubbling under, at #11, behind Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving but ahead of the surrealist Nicolas Cage indie Dream Scenario. It’s not common for blockbusters to tumble after a great first weekend. But The Marvels never had a great opening weekend.

What’s more, while it’s common for MCU titles to gross $200 million, $300 million domestically, and even more internationally, The Marvels is currently sitting at a mere $80.7 million. (For perspective, Scorsese’s 3 1/2-hour Killers of the Flower Moon has grossed about $66.5 million so far.) The Marvels is already running on fumes, so it’s likely it won’t even cross the $100 million mark, which Marvel movies tend to speed by on opening weekend.

It’s a tough break for all involved, including its Oscar-winning star, Brie Larson, the talented Teyonah Parris, and charming Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani. The same goes for director Nia DaCosta, whose previous film was the more relatively successful reboot of Candyman. DaCosta is already hard at work on another film, though, so she should be fine. Still, yowza.

(Via Variety)

Cardi B is often credited as one of the most fashion-forward entertainers in rap music. The “Bongos” rapper’s sartorial skills have landed her on the cover of several major fashion magazines and front row at countless designer collection previews. Now she’s taking things even further: On Saturday, December 2, Cardi made her debut as a runway model.

Fashion house Balenciaga held an outdoor show in Hollywood, California, to display their Fall 2024 collection. Cardi appeared in the show sporting the brand’s floor-length royal blue faux fur off-shoulder coat. Cardi’s look was paired with a diamond Cuban chain containing a Balenciaga initial clasp necklace and name ring.

In September 2020, Cardi was featured in the brand’s campaign. So walking in their show was a full-circle moment for her.

Fellow musicians Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Tinashe, Sexyy Red, and more attended the show.

Last year, many of Balenciaga’s celebrity brand ambassadors, including Kim Kardashian, distanced themselves from the company after their holiday advertisement campaign, which featured children in provocative situations, sparked outrage. However, like several others, Kardashian has since recounted with the high fashion company.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Latto, SZA, and several other musicians have shared how beauty standards have affected their self-esteem. This pressure eventually led them to undergo different cosmetic procedures. However, others, like Cardi B, maintain that any time she’s undergone plastic surgery, it was as a special treat. Another musician is saying something similar.

During an Instagram livestream on December 1, GloRilla revealed that she, too, made a slight modification to her frame. This led fans to ask, did GloRilla get breast implants? Based on what she shared in the broadcast, it seems like yes.

“I just bought some new titties,” GloRilla said. “Y’all like my new titties? I’m on my bullsh*t, I just bought some new titties. I ain’t with that overboard sh*t. These are just a little fill-in. Just filled them in. I just got them done so my man can grip on.”

GloRilla confessed to having had breast enhancement surgery, but the nature of the procedure was not revealed. To be fair, given the advancement in plastic surgery, GloRilla could’ve gotten some sort of filler to pump up her breast rather than a saline or silicone implant.

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

A second Donald Trump presidency would not be pretty. The former president wouldn’t be a leader so much as a guy out for revenge on his many, many enemies, including anyone who disagrees with him. Then again, maybe he’s not up to the task. He certainly seems more tired, more prone to weird gaffes than he has in the past. His brain seems broken, so much so that he even accidentally told the truth.

Per Newsweek, the only Republican presidential candidate with 91 criminal charges against him — or any, really — spoke at a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he launched into a rambly, semi-sensical detour about how great he did during his lone term in office.

“We want to put our country first. They haven’t done that in a long time, but we did it for four years and that’s why we did so well,” Trump told the crowd. Then he kept talking:

“That’s why it was one of the great presidencies, they say. Even the opponents sometimes say he did very well, I have to say. ‘Take it back,’ they scream. his people say ‘Take it back.’ From that day on, our opponents, a lot of opponents, but we’ve been waging an all-out war on American democracy.”

Even Trump seemed to catch that he’d said the quiet part loud, so he attempted to correct himself, claiming it was Democrats who really wanted to end the Great American Experiment after nearly 250 years.

“You look at what they’ve [Democrats] been doing and becoming more and more extreme and repressive,” Trump spun. “They have just waged an all-out war with each passing day.”

Every now and then Trump accidentally tells the truth. Recently, though, he’s been making some truly dunderheaded slips of the tongue, claiming his successor wants to start World War II, even confusing presidents. When he attempted to spin that one, he only made it worse.

(Via Newsweek)

On December 1, GloRilla revealed that she underwent breast enhancement surgery as a special treat to herself and her boo. “I just bought some new titties,” the “Lick Or Sum” rapper said during a broadcast. “Y’all like my new titties? I’m on my bullsh*t, I just bought some new titties. I ain’t with that overboard sh*t. These are just a little fill-in. Just filled them in.”

She added, “I just got them done so my man can grip on.”

In a screengrab captured by The Shade Room, GloRilla slammed negative comments about her slender physique. “This is my last time addressing this,” wrote GloRilla via her Instagram stories. “You motherf*ckers better get use to this slim body, green pretty ass eyes, and big beautiful nose of mine cause ain’t a damn thing gone change. Y’all can hate y’all self all you want, but I love me some Big Glo.”

GloRilla isn’t the only woman musician to speak candidly about undergoing cosmetic procedures. Nicki Minaj, Latto, Cardi B, and SZA are just a few others who have revealed the work they’ve had done.

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

Recording artists worldwide continue to pay their respects to late musician Shane MacGowan. Over the weekend, Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, and Nick Cave took to their social media platforms to share a few kind words about the The Pogues singer after his death on November 30. The praise didn’t stop there.

U2 carved out a section of their Las Vegas residency show on December 1 to drive home just how much MacGowan’s artistry meant to them. In front of The Sphere crowd, the group performed a cover of The Pogues’ 1991 song “A Rainy Night In Soho.” The emotional rendition moved the crowd as they swayed along with the band from their seats.

U2’s first tribute to MacGowan came by way of a short yet heartfelt note online. “Shane MacGowan’s songs were perfect, so he or we his fans didn’t have to be…,” wrote the band on their official X (formerly Twitter) page.

The post included an illustration of MacGowan with lyrics, “I’ve been loving you a long time / Down all the years, down all the days / And I’ve cried for all your troubles / Smiled at your funny little ways,” which are from “A Rainy Night In Soho.”

Listen to U2’s cover of “A Rainy Night In Soho” below.

The final College Football Playoff rankings announcement on Sunday was always going to lead to anger and frustration, as the committee was going to have to do one of three things: leave the SEC out entirely, leave Texas out for an Alabama team it beat, or leave out an undefeated Florida State team that won the ACC because its quarterback got hurt.

Ultimately, they chose leaving Florida State out, citing their offensive struggles in the ACC title game as they had to start their third-stringer in a 16-6 win over Louisville. That set up a very enticing semifinals of Michigan-Alabama and Washington-Texas, but it certainly didn’t feel fair to leave an undefeated Power Five conference champ out for a pair of one-loss teams. With this being the final year of the four-team playoff, with expansion coming to bring 12 teams in, it felt like the committee almost had cover to make the best television decision rather than the fairest decision, because they wouldn’t be setting a precedent.

On the ESPN selection show, Greg McElroy and Kirk Herbstreit felt it was the right move, even if a surprising and even difficult one, but Booger McFarland was furious with the choice. McFarland lit up the committee, calling FSU being left out a “travesty to the sport.”

There was never going to be an easy decision with the way things fell, but I can’t blame anyone for feeling the way McFarland does. There’s literally nothing else Florida State could have done, they managed to still win their conference title game despite being on their third string quarterback to finish off an undefeated season, and now they won’t get a chance to try and compete for a national title. Even if I think Michigan-Alabama will be a better game, I also can’t know for sure FSU wouldn’t figure it out over the next month to make it competitive, and that will make it all the more painful for the Noles.

In the final year of the four-team College Football Playoff, there was some real drama surrounding what teams would make it into the semifinals and have a chance at the national championship. After a conference championship weekend that saw the true chaos scenario play out for the Playoff Committee, with Alabama beating Georgia, Texas beating Oklahoma State, and Florida State beating Louisville.

That meant Alabama, Georgia, and Texas all finished the season one loss — with Texas beating Alabama on the road earlier in the year, while Florida State became an undefeated conference champion now playing with their third-string quarterback. That led to some serious consternation about what teams should be selected behind Michigan and Washington, who cemented their spot in the Playoff by completing undefeated, conference title winning seasons.

Florida State, obviously, will point to them being the only other undefeated conference champ in the Power 5 as reason they belong. Texas, meanwhile, has one of the best wins of the season with a road win in Tuscaloosa, which makes it extremely difficult for the committee to justify keeping Bama ahead of the Longhorns. Alabama and Georgia’s case is, effectively, that the SEC is the consensus best conference and they each believe they’re one of the four best teams in the country, with the Tide boasting the only win over Georgia in three years.

Ultimately, the committee rolled with the Tide over the Noles, with Texas landing at No. 3 setting up these matchups for the semifinals on New Year’s Day.

Rose Bowl: 1. Michigan vs. 4. Alabama
Sugar Bowl: 2. Washington vs. 3. Texas

Florida State finished at No. 5 and Georgia finished at No. 6, meaning the committee chose to decide that an undefeated Power 5 conference champion was not deserving of a spot because of an injury situation. The Florida State team and its fans will be understandably furious at the decision. What makes it all the more interesting is that Alabama wasn’t a juggernaut following their loss to Texas, needing a miracle to beat a 6-win Auburn team just a week ago. And yet, the win over Georgia, which hadn’t lost in three years, was enough to get them in over the Noles, largely because of Florida State’s injury situation that had them very limited offensively against Louisville in the ACC title game.