Category: Worldwide

With only a few days left until the launch of DC FanDome, the online event is keeping the momentum going with a brand new trailer that promises big reveals from major blockbusters.

Hosted by Aisha Tyler, the latest trailer showcases the actual DC FanDome where virtual panels for DC Comics’ growing slate of TV, film, and video game projects will roll out for fans. One of the biggest highlights is confirmation that The Batman director Matt Reeves will be on-hand with a first-look at the highly-anticipated Batman film starring Robert Pattinson. The new footage also pumps up previously announced appearances from James Gunn to show off The Suicide Squad, The Rock with an update on Black Adam, and The Flash director Andy Muschietti. And, of course, the cast of Wonder Woman 1984 will be on hand as the film prepares to (theatrically) barrel into theaters in October.

In a bit of scheduling news, DC FanDome will now be split into two days after fans voiced concerns with the virtual event’s jam-packed itinerary. Via Entertainment Weekly:

After fielding criticism from fans who felt that the programming offered was too much to handle in one day, DC Fandome will now debut the Hall of Heroes programming on the first day and feature a second on-demand experience three weeks later for another 24 hours of content. Plus, virtual attendees will be able to access the event across all mobile platforms in addition to desktop at DCFanDome.com.

What does that mean? In a nutshell, DC FanDome will go down as scheduled on Saturday, August 22. However, fans will get another chance to relive the event on September 12 where all of the content will be available on-demand. Users can also make their own custom schedule of panels to watch in any order.

However, this move does seem to signal that the virtual panels will not be available on YouTube, so if you’re hoping to catch a glimpse at DC Comics’ upcoming slate, you might want to set aside some time on Saturday, or get ready to wait a few weeks for the on-demand experience.

(Via Warner Bros. Pictures)

By taking down the 8-2 Las Vegas Aces and putting the clamps on MVP candidate A’ja Wilson on Tuesday night, the Chicago Sky reminded us why they remain so fearsome heading toward the WNBA playoffs. The Sky, led by reigning Coach of the Year James Wade, held Wilson to 11 points on 12 field goal attempts and took down Wilson and the streaking Aces with a mix of brilliant team basketball and clever scheming.

It’s no small feat to contain Wilson. Despite an old-school style, Wilson has one of the best face-up scoring games in all of basketball. She combines tremendous shooting touch with incredible ball skills and a surprising first step to get to her spots basically any time she wants. Basketball fans have been watching her do this since she was competing for championships at South Carolina and through the first three years of her WNBA career.

But here’s the thing about Wilson. She’s left-handed, and pretty reliant on her strong hand. Even through seven years of competing at the highest levels in basketball, Wilson’s lefty creativity still catches opponents off guard. But not the Sky. Chicago deployed the combination of the bruising Stefanie Dolson and the longer, quicker Azura Stevens to get Wilson out of rhythm, take away the left hand, and force her into contested jump shots rather than at-rim finishes.

Wilson was off to the best start of her career as an interior scorer heading into this matchup against Chicago, and Wade’s game plan showed how aggressively he wanted to take that away. The clips above show how Dolson and Stevens both sacrificed proper defensive positioning to take away Wilson’s ability to drive left. Both defenders are quite different but each is agile enough to execute this admittedly simple game plan, and it threw Wilson all the way off.

And while the Aces came out early bombing away from three, that’s not their identity. After jacking five triples in the first few minutes, Las Vegas took just 13 the rest of the way. This was also a game in which Las Vegas tried to run more offense through All-Star Kayla McBride, who is having quite a poor season so far offensively. That’s important long-term for McBride and the team, but against Chicago, she was still out of rhythm, unable to take pressure off Wilson when the Sky jammed her post-ups.

Most of the night, McBride was the one player Chicago wouldn’t leave to come double Wilson, and they were pretty diligent about that. The Aces just weren’t active enough to make them pay by involving McBride in action off the ball, and McBride herself didn’t do enough cutting to take advantage of lapses like this one.

This has been the Aces’ story all season. Nobody except Wilson and veteran wing Angel McCoughtry have consistently scored the ball. The Sky are just the first team to have the personnel and game plan to make them pay for their over-reliance on those two for offense.

When Las Vegas did try to mix things up and initiate offense through someone other than Wilson, they found some easy buckets.

Here, McCoughtry brings the ball up, and head coach Bill Laimbeer calls for an off-ball screen by McBride that frees up Wilson cutting toward the hoop. Stevens loses Wilson and the All-Star gets inside for her only easy bucket of the night.

The other way the Sky took advantage of Las Vegas is by limiting its own turnovers and playing good transition defense. The Aces are near the top of the WNBA in transition offense and play at the quickest pace in the league by average length of possession, but Chicago limited them to just four points off turnovers in this one, with both of those buckets coming off live-ball turnovers by point guard Courtney Vandersloot. The rest of the time, Las Vegas just didn’t have their usual fast-break juice.

The game nearly turned when the Aces made a late run. After entering the fourth quarter down 6, Las Vegas made several key free throws that put the game back within reach with less than a minute to go. Then, the Aces got an incredible pull-up three from McBride to get within two.

McBride nailed two free throws a moment later to tie the game. That could have made Chicago curl up into a ball and play for overtime, but what it really did is set Wade up for yet another masterful sideline out-of-bounds play.

While having Vandersloot, the best passing point guard in the WNBA, is an advantage Wade can boast against every coach he faces, what stands out in this play more than anything is Wade’s understanding of personnel. Just like he realized that Dolson was more capable of moving Wilson off her spot while Stevens would need to rely on positioning and recovery, he uses his players’ strengths to attack Las Vegas perfectly.

In the clip above, Wade can be heard calling for his team to make sure Wilson is the target on the double-drag screen Vandersloot operates with Dolson and Stevens. Sure enough, Wilson gets smashed by Dolson’s pick:

This play can’t be appreciated without remembering the last sideline out of bounds play that won Chicago a big game, back during the opening weekend of the WNBA season. That play also hinged on a killer screen from Dolson, but was a “hammer” action in which both bigs set back screens for the guards, and Vandersloot found Allie Quigley for a game-winning corner three.

Flash back to last night, and Wade smartly used Quigley as a decoy, with McBride racing out to contain her when she initially gets the ball. With two players cleared out to the weak side, it’s three-on-three for the Sky with a bunch of space to operate. Dolson knocks Wilson — the Aces’ only rim protector — out with that big screen, and that allows Stevens to waltz into the paint for a layup that should never have been so easy.

Whether it was using size and speed to take Wilson out of the game or a beautifully concocted out-of-bounds play to seal the win, Wade and Chicago showed that their chemistry, depth and fit are the reason why they remain a contender for the 2020 title, even if they lack the traditional star power of the WNBA’s best.

Megan Thee Stallion found an inventive way to thank fans for showing her music some love. After she and Cardi B broke the internet with their scandalous “WAP” video, the song debuted No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart and was certified Gold in just a week’s time. To celebrate the single’s success, Megan announced she is partnering with Twitter and Cash App for a huge giveaway.

Megan took to Twitter to thank her fans for supporting her viral hit. Now, the rapper wants to “celebrate all the powerful women out there” with a series of cash giveaways. Megan asked fans to drop their Cash App usernames to enter to win money from a pool of $1 million. “how can some $ help you or a woman you know right now?” she asked.

This isn’t the first time Megan has generously given back to fans. At the onset of the coronavirus, the rapper told her fans in need to drop their Cash App info so she could help pay their bills. Almost immediately, Megan began sending deposits of $215 to various followers who later expressed their gratitude.

Check out Megan’s generous giveaway above.

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

In a welcomed bright spot during a turbulent year, Sacha Baron Cohen was recently spotted filming in California as Borat, which has led outlets to speculate that the actor is working on a sequel to the 2006 comedy classic.

TikTok user “alexandheir” captured a film crew pulling a car with Cohen behind the wheel as the Kazakhstan journalist. The footage was shot in Long Beach and doesn’t contain much except for Cohen struggling with his outfit, but it is definitely some sort of Borat scene being filmed.

You can watch the video below:

As of this writing, there’s been no announcement or reports of a Borat sequel in the works, but the secretive nature of Cohen’s guerrilla style filmmaking could easily explain that. The element of surprise plays a significant role in the comedy of Borat, which uses a “Candid Camera” approach for laughs.

However, while a sequel is one possible explanation, Cohen has been busy in recent months pulling pranks on unsuspecting marks. In June, he punked a far right 3 Percenter rally and “tricked” the crowd into joining in a racist sing-along while disguised as a country singer. The stunt was a surprise appearance from Cohen in the middle of a pandemic, which led to Variety noting that his Showtime series Who Is America? hasn’t been formally renewed or canceled.

While Showtime refused to comment on the status of Who Is America? after the 3 Percenter prank, it became clear that Cohen is up to something. A few weeks later, the cops were called on the actor after he dressed in a “pink transgender outfit” and attempted to lure Rudy Giuliani into a prank interview in New York.

It’s now a few weeks after the Giuliani incident, and Cohen has been spotted again, but this time as Borat. So the clues are heavily pointing to the actor reviving the character for this Showtime show, but again, anything is possible.

(Via alexandheir on TikTok)

It’s been a little over a month since Megan Thee Stallion was shot in her feet and since then, she’s celebrated another No.1 record alongside Cardi B and secured the beauty bag as Revlon’s newest global ambassador, but there are still those online who question the details of her story — even after 50 Cent himself apologized for making light of Meg’s shooting.

In an effort to dispel the rumors, Megan decided to post the aftermath of her injury on Instagram. She clarifies that she was shot in the back of her feet as she walked away from her alleged assailant, Tory Lanez. Stitches can be seen crisscrossing her heel in one slide, while the other shows a doctor either inserting stitches or pulling them out. Meg’s caption also explains what happened and her reasoning for sharing the gnarly photos (which are way down at the bottom of the post, if you really want to see them).

Lol what I have learned about the majority of the people on social media is y’all like to hear bad news before good news, a lie spreads quicker than the truth, and y’all really be believing the sh*t Y’ALL make up… I got hit at the back of my feet because when I got shot I was WALKING AWAY FACING THE BACK. Why would I lie about getting shot? Why are y’all so upset that I don’t wanna be in the bed sad? Why y’all upset that I can walk? I got my stitches out my feet like 2 weeks ago and I was ready to go celebrate “WAP” going No.1… I usually don’t address internet bullsh*t but y’all people are so sick! God was really watching over me and I’m healing so well! Sorry I’m not as sad and miserable as a lot of y’all lol but I’ma keep being Megan Thee Mf STALLION.

Meg was likely responding to peanut gallery reactions to recent videos of her out and about, twerking on boats with friends like Maliibu Miitch. See the photo of Megan Thee Stallion’s injury below.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

When Bill And Ted Face The Music arrives on VOD and in select theaters in a week, George Carlin fans will be thrilled to see him in the movie, sort-of, since some old Carlin footage will be included. However, that’s not the only nod that this movie (which aims to gloriously reteam Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves) makes to the comedy legend.

As seen in the above clip, Rufus’ daughter comes to help the two still-righteous dudes in their quest to transform Earth and encourage peace and prosperity with their Wyld Stallyns music. Portrayed by Kristen Schaal (BoJack Horseman, Bob’s Burgers), she introduces herself as Kelly, who has a warning for Bill and Ted about what the future holds. And Carlin devotees will realize that his daughter’s name is also Kelly, so it’s a sweet gesture that’s tucked in like a little Easter egg tribute.

While speaking earlier this year to Fandango, screenwriters Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson revealed that this nod is one of two such tributes to Carlin. The other will include a reminder of the watch from the first movie that included this bit of wisdom from Rufus: “Sometimes things don’t make sense until the end of the story.”

Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K, obviously. Although Carlin can’t enjoy this reunion in person, his spirit will be alive and kicking throughout this threequel. And not only are Winter and Reeves aboard for this film, but William Sadler will return as Death (with the air guitar moves intact). Brigette Lundy Paine and Samara Weaving will be portraying the daughters of Bill and Ted, respectively, and we’ll also see Anthony Carrigan and Kid Cudi (as himself).

Bill And Ted Face The Music arrives on August 28.

While we drink bourbon all year long, there’s something about the end-of-summer and beginning-of-fall transition that really makes us want to trot out our favorite bottles. While the days remains cloudless, sunny and often downright scorching, the nights are growing just the slightest bit shorter and cooler. Depending on where you live, you might see a sweatshirt come out of the drawer in the next week or two. It’s the perfect time of year to chase a day on the beach with a toasty campfire.

Understanding that finding the right bourbon for this shoulder season can feel daunting, we decided to do the hard (easy) work for you. We tasted a slew of bourbons and picked the six best bottles for the summer-fall changeover. Each pick pairs perfectly with a cool night spent outside after a hot, adventure-filled day.

Widow Jane 10

ABV: 45.5%

Distillery Name: Widow Jane

Average Price: $71.99

The Story:

Founded in 2012, Widow Jane has racked up awards while gaining a cult following in the process. This New York City-based whiskey brand was named for the water used to make it — sourced from the Widow Jane Mines located in Rosendale, New York. The bourbon itself is actually made and aged in Kentucky before being finished in New York in 5- barrel batches. It’s non-chill filtered and proofed using the aforementioned mineral water before being bottled for sale.

Tasting Notes:

Any tasting begins with a subtle nosing. If you take a moment to sniff this bourbon you’ll be met with alluring aromas of dried cherries, sweet vanilla, and subtle caramel. Now you’re ready for the first sip where you’ll dive into fresh, sweet corn, charred oak, and butterscotch. It all ends with a hint of warmth that ends in a pleasing kick of pepper spice.

Bottom Line:

While only aged for 10 years, the hand-selection of the bottles used and the high-quality make this feel much older. A perfect late-summer sipper.

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel

ABV: 47%

Distillery Name: Heaven Hill

Average Price: $50

The Story:

Elijah Craig was a Baptist preacher in Virginia who, according to many, invented bourbon whiskey. Apparently, he was the first person to ever mature whiskey in charred oak barrels, a must for bourbons today. The brand’s newest expression, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel, is an homage to the innovation. They make it by adding its Small Batch to a specially made toasted barrel in order to add extra flavor.

Tasting Notes:

Right away, you’re met with rich, charred oak and sweet, toasted caramel. The first sip leaves your mouth enveloped with velvety toffee, dried fruits, and Christmas spices with just a hint of smokiness. The finish is long, warming, and finished with dried orange peel and peppery heat.

Bottom Line:

This recently released bottle is a bargain. It’s full of flavor and is the perfect warmer for a cool summer or fall evening.

Larceny Barrel Proof B520

ABV: 61.1%

Distillery Name: Heaven Hill

Average Price: $51.99

The Story:

Part of the appeal of Larceny Barrel Proof is the fact that, depending on the time of year you purchase it, the bottle can be completely different. That’s because this offering is dropped three times every year. Depending on the batch, the proof and age of barrels (between six and eight years) will differ. We tasted Larceny Barrel Proof B520. This means it’s from the spring, specifically May of this year.

This small-batch bourbon is a chill-filtered, wheated bourbon bottled at full barrel proof. It’s bold, high in alcohol, and undeniably sippable.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is all brown sugar and sweet, dried cherries. It smells so sweet, you might think you’re about to drink sugar water instead of whiskey. But by the first sip — with its warming, rich, charred oak, nutmeg, and vanilla flavors — you know you’re enjoying something special. The finish is long and warming like a nice hug on a cold night (the Kentucky hug!). It’s full of toasted caramel, honey, and a pleasing peppery kick.

Bottom Line:

Who needs hot cocoa this fall when you can simply sip on a dram of Larceny Barrel Proof in front of a roaring outdoor or indoor (hopefully in a fireplace) fire.

Knob Creek 9

ABV: 50%

Distillery Name: Jim Beam

Average Price: $32.99

The Story:

When it comes to the hierarchy of Jim Beam’s Small Batch Collection, Knob Creek falls somewhere between Booker’s and Basil Hayden’s. Though it’s lacking the acclaim of Booker’s, the brand continuously drops high-quality whiskeys like Knob Creek 9. It’s 100 proof, distilled in the traditional style, and aged for 9 years in charred oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Sometimes you expect a bourbon to have a sweet corn aroma first and foremost, but this offering is full of toasted caramel and subtle peppery spice scents. The first sip yields hints of salted caramel, charred oak, and cacao. The finish is long, dry, and full of sweet vanilla, toffee, and dried cherries.

Bottom Line:

This full-flavored bourbon is perfectly suited for slow sipping with a single ice cube or in your favorite bourbon-based cocktail.

Barrell Bourbon Batch #23

ABV: 53.8%

Distillery Name: Barrell Craft Spirits

Average Price: $89.99

The Story:

Released in February, Barrell Bourbon Batch #23 is made by blending straight bourbon whiskeys aged between 10 and 15 years. It’s then matured for a few more months to ensure that all the flavors meld together to create a complex, balanced juice. This might seem like enough to craft a high-quality whiskey. But, the folks at Barrell then layer in bourbon that aged for 15 years.

Tasting Notes:

The result of all of that aging and blending is a very unique bourbon that all begins with the nose. The first whiff of Batch #23 brings you toasted oak, cinnamon, spicy rye, and butterscotch. The first sip yields rich brown sugar, dried cherries, orange peel, and just a hint of espresso. The finish is long, warming and full of more cinnamon, orange zest, and subtle cereal sweetness.

Bottom Line:

This highly nuanced, complex bourbon deserves to be enjoyed neat. Don’t waste all of the hard work by mixing it into a cocktail.

Four Roses Single Barrel

ABV: 50%

Distillery Name: Four Roses

Average Price: $39.99

The Story:

According to legend, founder Paul Jones, Jr. fell in love with a woman and renamed the brand “Four Roses” to show his affection. It’s now one of the most popular whiskey brands in America and its Single Barrel is 100-proof, high-rye, and made with its proprietary fruit yeast strain.

The most unique thing about this offering is that, due to the different barrels chosen, each batch is a subtly different flavor experience.

Tasting Notes:

From nose to finish, this is a well-rounded bourbon. Before tasting, you’re met with fragrances of charred oak, floral honey, and dried fruits. The first sip brings you sweet vanilla, molasses, and buttery toffee. The finish is long, slightly warming, and pleasing with dried leather, caramel, and subtle cooking spices.

Bottom Line:

This 100-proof bourbon is a great combination of mellow and high-octane. It’s well suited to warm you on a cool, end-of-summer night, but it also shines in a Manhattan.

If the Wikipedia for your amusement park includes a section for “Fatalities,” it’s probably not a good amusement park. Action Park was not a good amusement park. Action Park, located in Vernon, New Jersey, was open from 1978 and 1996, and in that time, six people died on the grounds; countless more were bruised and bloodied. It’s now the subject of an HBO Max documentary titled after one of its nicknames: Class Action Park.

Directed by Chris Charles Scott and Seth Porges, Class Action Park “reveals the truth about New Jersey’s Action Park; widely regarded as the world’s most dangerous amusement park and a staple of growing up in the New York/New Jersey area in the ’80s and ’90s,” according to HBO Max. “For the first time, fans new and old will be able to experience firsthand the insanity of this dangerous water park via real-life footage and testimonials.” One talking-head interview in the trailer above calls the story of Action Park a “true crime story,” while you don’t often hear the words “electrocuted,” “decapitated,” “fractured vertebrae,” and “impaled on the bowl” said about Disney World.

Here’s more:

Class Action Park is the first-ever feature-length documentary to explore the legend, legacy, and truth behind a place that long ago entered the realm of myth. To some, New Jersey’s infamous Action Park was the most spectacularly fun amusement park on Earth: A place where unruly 1980s teenagers were given free rein to go gonzo on strange contraptions that seemed to violate the laws of common sense (and perhaps physics). To others, it was an ill-conceived death trap. One thing is sure: It’s the type of place that will never exist again.

Class Action Park premieres on HBO Max on August 27.

Few are going to go quite as far as Charles Barkley and bring out the broom after a narrow Lakers loss to Portland in Game 1 of the first round, but it’s clear after Los Angeles’ poor showing that their shot-making woes and poor depth did not get left behind in the seeding round.

The Lakers put up just 93 points against Portland’s depleted defense, shooting 35.1 percent from the field and 15.6 percent from deep. As Seth Partnow noted at The Athletic, they shot just 2-for-11 from the corners, and set a record since tracking data started being counted for transition misses in one game. Altogether, Partnow wrote, the Lakers set a record for the single worst “shooting luck” game as measured by Second Spectrum data since 2013-14.

But the Lakers, a veteran team with plenty of experienced playoff players, certainly are not packing it in after one measly loss.

“We’re getting good looks. It’s just a matter of taking our time and knocking them down,” Anthony Davis told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. “That’s been our whole little M.O. in the restart, not being able to consistently knock down the three-ball. We shot like 15 percent tonight. We have to make sure that when the ball comes to us, we take our time and knock down the shot.”

What’s worse, there isn’t even one Laker we can point to as the main culprit of the team’s icy shooting. It’s a team-wide cold streak that’s lasted the entirety of the restart. Added Davis, “Guys are sinking in the paint and daring us to make shots, and right now we’re not doing that. It’s just making it tough on everybody.”

This leads back to the superstars. The counting stats from Davis and LeBron James were strong as ever, but they were not themselves, shooting a combined 17-for-44 from the field.

Though Portland presents a great matchup for James athletically, the MVP candidate who was in peak form back in March before the hiatus has not been present in Orlando. That’s where Davis believes it’s his responsibility to pick up the slack and provide support for James.

“There’s always going to be critics when you’re playing with the best player in the game,” Davis told Yahoo Sports. “My job is to relieve pressure off of him. But I don’t listen to what anybody has to say about my play or the play of my teammates. I do have a responsibility to play at a high level and help make things easier for LeBron. We’re not panicking. We’re going to figure this thing out. Our shots will start to fall.”

The stats show that when James initiated offense, the Lakers were quite good. It was all the other shots that led to the loss.

What Davis is saying is not unlike the message Damian Lillard came with during his postgame interview on TNT: It’s just one game. There are too many stars in this series for it to play out in any sort of predictable, routine way. As Davis said, the Lakers will respond, and they can’t possibly get less lucky than they did on Tuesday night. But shot-making is an issue that’s plagued them for a month now, no matter who’s played or who the opponent is.

Sister duo Chloe x Halle debuted their glowing sophomore record Ungodly Hour back in June. On the effort, the two shed their innocence and got candid about issues of infidelity and empowerment. Chloe x Halle showcased these themes on Tuesday when they appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to give a soaring rendition of their record’s lead single, “Do It.”

Donning bright red vinyl outfits and matching instruments, Chloe x Halle belted out their song’s lyrics with fluttering harmonization. “I beat my face / Moving fast ’cause the Uber on the way / Taking pictures make sure you can’t see no lace,” Chloe croons at the hook.

Speaking to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe about Ungodly Hour before its release, Chloe said she and her sister explored new territory on the record: “My sister and I, we are such music heads of real musicality and I feel like we kind of showed that on our first album, The Kids Are Alright. And for this one, we really just wanted to show how we could pair our musicianship with a few bops and letting people enjoy themselves and have fun as well as the lyrics and the messaging of the album. We called it Ungodly Hour because it’s okay to not be perfect all the time. It’s okay to have those moments of self reflection when you just don’t feel okay.”

Watch Chloe x Halle sing “Do It: on Jimmy Kimmel Live above.

Ungodly Hour is out now via Parkwood/Columbia. Get it here.