David M. Jones, Visual Effects Supervisor on ‘Star Wars,’ Dies at 74

John Mulaney and Andy Samberg stepped in for Jimmy Kimmel Wednesday night amid his ongoing COVID-19 battle. The comedians — both of whom were set to be guests on Wednesday's show — guest hosted  in light of Kimmel's absence.In their opening monologue, the pair, dressed head-to-toe in J merch, poked fun at Kimmel's double diagnosis.«I guess we should explain why we're hosting tonight,» Mulaney began.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent“The Pink Cloud,” a flagship feature from Brazil’s new generation of female filmmakers, has closed three more major territories for Paris-based MPM Premium, sealing France (Universciné), Japan (Senlis) and Germany (Lighthouse). With MPM Premium currently in discussions for the U.K., Australia and Latin America, the sales company is edging ever closer to selling out on all major territories around the world.Territories already secured include Brazil (O2), North America (Blue Fox), Taiwan (Digi Sky Entertainment), China (Beijing Hugoeast), Korea (K Entertainment) and Russia (World Vision).Senlis will stage a theatrical release in 2023 for “The Pink Cloud.” It has been dubbed and will be released in Germany and Austria on July 22. France’s Universciné (France) has launched the film as a premium VoD Release, with a specific promotion for what Universciné calls its “exclusive” titles.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefTV series adaptations of “Fearless” and “Cold War,” two of the highest-profile Hong Kong action movies of the 21st century, are now in development.The shift into TV represents a major expansion and diversification for Edko Films, the studio headed by legendary producer-financier-executive Bill Kong (“Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon,” “Monster Hunt,” “Mulan”).The original 2006 “Fearless” was an iconic portrait of martial arts ace Huo Yianjia that was directed by Ronny Tong and starred Jet Li. It received studio-level distribution in many territories through Buena Vista, UIP and Sony Pictures Releasing.“Cold War” is a 2012 crime action film involving a mole inside the Hong Kong police.

Christopher Vourlias Ukrainian director Olha Zhurba and producer Darya Bassel are teaming up on a documentary about Ukraine’s refugee crisis after their last collaboration, “Outside,” premiered at Copenhagen’s CPH:DOX festival this year.The project, with a working title “Displaced,” is being produced by Bassel’s Kyiv-based Moon Man production outfit in co-production with Germany’s Koberstein Film and Denmark’s Final Cut for Real.Zhurba began filming not long after the Russian invasion on Feb. 24, capturing footage of the thousands of Kyiv residents who had flocked to the capital’s railway station for safety.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentAlex de la Iglesia’s latest production, feature “Four’s a Crowd,” is being brought onto the Cannes Film Market by Filmax, which has acquired international sales rights.Described by Filmax as a “wild romantic comedy,” “Four’s a Crowd” turns on Julian, a 50-year-old divorced man who starts to use an app to share his car with strangers and most especially Lorena, a young woman with whom Julian would like to share much more.He’s about to open up to Lorena when he’s lumbered unexpectedly with a fourth passenger, possibly the most annoying person on the planet, who sparks a radical change in the course of events.“Four’s a Crowd” is “a very personal reflection on human joy and misery, where nothing is as it seems,” Filmax said in a statement. Written with De La Iglesia’s career-long co-scribe Jorge Guerricaechevarría, “Four’s a Crowd” is produced by Pokeepsie Films, Alex De la Iglesia’s own label, and Spanish production powerhouse Telecinco Cinema (“Pan’s Labyrinth,” “The Impossible”), It will be released at the end of 2022.

K.J. Yossman Barry Pepper (“Saving Private Ryan,” “Maze Runner”) is set to star in horror film “Scurry” from “Occupation Rainfall” director Luke Sparke.Film Mode Entertainment is launching world sales at Cannes.“Scurry” sees two injured strangers — a family man and a criminal — trapped underground while the city above is attacked by a monstrous threat.

Weather forecasters have revealed the exact moment that bizarre 'blood rain' will wash over the UK.A sweeping storm in the Sahara Desert could result in some surprising red rain making landfall across the country as sand is blown thousands of miles to the north.The unusual weather phenomenon occurs when dust is combined with water droplets as they form in the atmosphere, meteorologists say.Richard Miles of the Met Office said this would most likely fall in the early hours of this morning (May 19).The forecaster said: “There are some dust concentrations in the atmosphere above the UK at present which might well be washed out in the rain tonight, but it’s likely to be relatively small amounts on the whole.“There’s a warning out for thunderstorms for the south-eastern third of England tonight and a squally cold front will bring wind and sometimes heavy rain to Northern Ireland and north west Scotland this evening (May 18).“Away from these features it will be mostly fine and dry today (May 18) and tomorrow (May 19), temperatures up to 23-24C in London and the South East, high teens or low 20s elsewhere.”Heavy rain will continue to fall on Thursday in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, while showers will also hit areas in Wales and central and southwest England.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.It comes after a night of chaotic thunderstorms in the south of England saw flights diverted from London Gatwick, with the airport's website showing that a British Airways and Vueling flight from Arrecife, Lanzarote, Spain had to change course.An easyJet flight from Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, scheduled to arrive just after midnight was also

Maisie Williams and Sydney Chandler stole the show as they arrived to the Vanity Fair and FX premiere of Pistol.The actresses both rocked long black dresses with distinctive cutouts as they graced the red carpet.Their new miniseries Pistol, a drama about the UK punk band Sex Pistols, is set to premiere on Hulu on May 31. Maisie will portray Pamela Rooke, aka 'Jordan' and SydneyChrissie Hynde.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorAidan Gillen, who played Littlefinger in “Game of Thrones,” and Sandrine Bonnaire, a best actress winner at Venice for “La cérémonie,” have joined Gabriel Byrne in Samuel Beckett biopic “Dance First,” directed by Oscar-winner James Marsh.Film Constellation has closed pre-sales on the film in Australia/New Zealand (Icon), Italy (Bim Distribuzione), Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Nos Audiovisuais), Greece (Filmtrade), Hungary (Vertigo Media), former Yugoslavia (Discovery) and Taiwan (Cai Chang). Pay TV outlet Sky developed the film as a Sky Original in the U.K.Marsh, best-known for “The Theory of Everything,” for which Eddie Redmayne won an Oscar, and Oscar-winner “Man on Wire,” will start shooting the film on May 30 in Budapest.

Manori Ravindran International EditorCannes is going Meta.The social giant formerly known as Facebook is taking the Croisette by storm and rolling out the red carpet for creators at the festival. Meta has unveiled its first creator villa, which will be powered by Instagram and host up to 300 content creators over two days at the iconic Palais Bulles.According to a blog post authored by Louise Holmes, director of creator partnerships for EMEA, the villa will offer “unique access to experiences and innovations.”Meta’s presence in Cannes follows similar events at U.S.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefIndonesian firm MSV Studio is well underway on production of “Ajisaka: The King and the Flower of Life,” the first of three hugely ambitious animated films it will work on this year.MSV Studio is the animation division of MSK Pictures, which itself is part of the larger, Indonesia-based Amikom Group. Since 2015, Amikom says it has invested $20 million into the research and development of computer animation technology.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said 'I do' at St George's Chapel in Windsor in front of high-profile royals and celebrities.RELATED: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's sweet wedding detail you might have missedAround 11.5 million reportedly tuned in to watch the royal wedding from afar, but have you ever wondered what it was really like to attend their big day? As well as the royal's relatives such as the Queen and Prince Charles, the likes of Victoria Beckham and Serena Williams witnessed the special occasion.WATCH: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding singer opens up about working on the royal weddingOn their anniversary, which falls on 19 May, we take a look at what the stars have said about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's nuptials. Victoria and David Beckham were among those to get a golden ticket to this legendary royal occasion, and when speaking to the Evening Standard, Posh Spice gushed about the special day.She said: "It was such a beautiful, incredible wedding.

Naga Munchetty, 47, replied to a tweet her BBC co-star had posted only minutes earlier.

Arsenal man cost Rangers the Europa League.It was the Welshman's saved penalty that sent Eintracht Frankfurt on their way to victory in a tense shootout where the German side did not miss a single kick. Rangers had taken them all the way in the final at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium on Wednesday night.And on another day, it would have been the thousands of Glaswegians that had travelled to Seville this week that would be celebrating in the streets.

If Erik ten Hag gets his way, he could be followed to Manchester United by one of the stars who helped bring him success at Ajax.

Tristan Thompson didn't appreciate one basketball fan's comments about Khloe Kardashian. On the latest episode of , Khloe asked her on-and-off beau about the circulating rumors that he got a fan ejected from a November 2021 NBA game, when his then-team, the Sacramento Kings, were in Memphis taking on the Grizzlies.According to Tristan the fan in question told him, «She talks to different basketball players, you’re just the next one.»In turn, Tristan recalled telling the fan, «Listen here, man.

After working together on “Attack of The Clones” and “Revenge of The Sith” and a 17-year gap since they last worked together, Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen are poised to finally reunite in the latest live-action “Star Wars” series, “Obi-Wan Kenobi” on Disney+. The new six-episode long limited series see Christensen returning to the Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader role as his “Inquisitor” Jedi hunters from “Star Wars: Rebels” attempt to hunt and kill the remaining Jedi that have survived Order 66.

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, there had been a rumor that “Star Wars” wasn’t done with Darth Maul. OK, not that long ago, but earlier this year The Hollywood Reporter reported a story that said an earlier version of the new “Star Wars” show “Obi-Wan Kenobi” included Darth Maul, the Sith Lord turned criminal syndicate leader.

“Star Wars” fans are excited to see Ewan McGregor reprise the role of everyone’s favorite Jedi master in the upcoming “Obi-Wan Kenobi” limited series helmed by director Deborah Chow. While the show also includes the return of McGregor’s prequels co-star Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, fans have long assumed that Liam Neeson would return as Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan’s own master that was struck down by Darth Maul in “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.” Sure, Qui-Gon Jinn is dead, but that’s what Force Ghost appearances are for.

told Entertainment Weekly.After playing the role of Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader in the prequel trilogy, Christensen will once again don the mask of the villainous Darth Vader for Disney’s new “Kenobi” series that is set to stream in May of this year.“And I also got into the animated shows, ‘The Clone Wars’ and ‘Rebels.'”Hayden Christensen’s casting in the series was announced in December of 2020 during Disney’s investor day. The series is likely to pit Christensen against Ewan McGregor, 51, who plays Vader’s former master and the titular character, Obi-wan Kenobi. “They did a lot with these characters in those shows.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.The actor played the Jedi protagonist in the first instalment of the prequel trilogy, alongside Ewan McGregor as his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi.Speaking to ComicBook.com, Neeson was asked about the possibility of returning to the franchise – in light of McGregor’s return in Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.“I think so, yeah… if it was a film,” Neeson said. “I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to TV, I must admit, I just like the big screen, you know?”He added: “I can’t believe it’s 24 years since we made The Phantom Menace, I just cannot believe where the time has gone.