Happy Friday, listeners!
Gladys Knight was in the headlines this week after it was announced there is a modern retelling of Little Women coming out this Christmas. Knight will be performing a new original christmas song called Joy in the film and she will also serve as an executive producer.
The film will star Jillian Murray, Trevor Donovan, Laura Osnes, Jen Lilley, Jesse Hutch, and Julia Reill as well.
If you were a fan of the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada, after years of discussion, a sequel is finally in the works. The second film has been confirmed, but no casting so far. EW did reveal though that all the major stars from the first film – including Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci, plus director David Frankel and producer Wendy Finerman – are all in talks to return.
Over the years, the cast has commented against the making of a sequel film, saying they thought the original story was from a different era (i.e. with technology) and that there wasn’t room storywise to continue on with these characters, but it seems they’ve had a change of heart.
Netflix announced plans this week to create brick and mortar fan venues in former department stores. These venues will feature food, shops, and immersive experiences based off of Netflix series and films. Some ideas that have been tossed around are a Bridgerton ballroom, Squid Game challenges, and Stranger things activities.
You can read more here – there’s tons of info and tons of things to consider before these facilities can open.
There were also a lot of film developments this week.
Emily Henry, a New York Times best selling author, revealed this week that her latest novel Funny Story is in development to be made into a film. Henry has written 5 phenomenal romance novels, all of which are being made into either films or series. Check out this article for more info on Funny Story.
Emily is one of my favorite authors – if you’re looking for a fun, summer read, I’d recommend Funny Story and People We Meet on Vacation. Her novel Happy Place is my favorite of all of her novels, but it’s a little bit more serious than her other novels. If you read it, be prepared for some tears. It’s a wonderful romance, but it really tugs at your heartstrings (in a great way).
The trailer for the upcoming Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh film We Live in Time was released this week. Check it out below!
We’re also getting closer to the release of the Gladiator sequel starring Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal. Check out this article for more info – there’s so much!
In terms of tv, Nicole Kidman is set to star in the Netflix adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s novel The Perfect Couple. The story follows Amelia Sacks and what happens in the lead up to her marriage into one of the wealthiest families in Nantucket. When someone turns up dead just before the wedding, everyone becomes a subject.
Check out the trailer below, it looks great – and I promise I’m not just saying that because there’s a Frankie Valli song featured in the promo!
A few weeks ago, we talked about Pat Sajak’s departure from Wheel of Fortune, but it turns out, he’s not done quite yet! He’s going to be the host of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune for at least one more season. Ryan Seacrest is still set to take over Sajak’s hosting duties on the regular series.
Lastly, for music and podcasts, TikTok sensation Anna Sitar announced this week that she’s going to be launching a podcast. You can read more about it here. Anna has such a fun and empathetic personality, her podcast should be fantastic!
Joe Jonas is set to be releasing new music one week from today! He’s dropping a single on July 19th and also has an album in the works which he’s described as the most personal music he’s made. Check out the full article here.
And finally, Phil Collins announced that his fifth studio album Both Sides is getting a 30th Anniversary Box Set which will be released on September 20th. You can preorder it here!