Netflix to end DVD rental service that 'paved way' for streaming after 25 years

Addie Morfoot Contributor Drafthouse Films has acquired global distribution rights to Alex Winter’s documentary “The YouTube Effect.”The film, which made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2022, explores the ascension and potential fall of YouTube, the world’s most popular video-sharing website. In the docu, YouTubers, reporters, and experts weigh in on the platform, its algorithms as well as privacy and ethical issues the site presents.“The YouTube Effect” will open exclusively with Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas on July 7 before expanding to theaters nationwide on July 14. Several films directed by Winter, who starred alongside Keanu Reeves in the original “Bill and Ted” movie and its sequels, have played at Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas in recent years, including “Zappa,” “Panama Papers” and “Deep Web.”

Whoopi cushion. Whoopi Goldberg is done speaking about her fart incident on “The View,” claiming “there was never an issue” on Wednesday morning’s episode.“Before we get started, I want to put something to bed with the two of you [Sunny Hostin and Andy Cohen],” she said.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent It’s 7:30 a.m. on a sunny May morning in Rome on a side street outside the studios of Italian state broadcaster Rai. A live audience standing behind metal fencing is watching a lithe group of nuns, one with a mustache, who slowly creep out from a row of white closet doors.  They start dancing, hugging and pirouetting to a ballad belted out by a young Tuscan pop singer. Then the dancers, dressed in Catholic sisters garb, begin playing basketball. Welcome to “Viva Rai 2!,” Italy’s answer to America’s morning shows. It’s a local ratings phenomenon conceived and conducted by volcanic Sicilian megastar Rosario Fiorello, who is breathing new life into Italian television at a time when doomsayers are sounding the death knell of public TV around the world.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director With over $678 million at the worldwide box office and six Academy Award wins, including best picture, “Forrest Gump” remains one of Tom Hanks’ biggest sensations, even if reception toward the film has turned more divisive in recent years. During a recent New Yorker Live event to promote his new book, “The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece,” Hanks admitted he doubted if anyone would care about the 1994 historical fiction epic. “Forrest Gump” director Robert Zemeckis even warned Hanks the film would be “a minefield.” “I say, ‘Hey Bob, I’ve got a question for you. Is anybody going to care about this movie?’” Hanks said. “This guy sitting on a thing in these goofy shoes and this cuckoo suit with a suitcase full of ‘Curious George’ books and stuff like that… are we doing anything here that is going to make any sense to anybody? And Bob said, ‘It’s a minefield, Tom. It’s a minefield. We may be sowing the seeds of our own destruction. Any footstep we take can be a Bouncing Betty that’ll blow our nuts right off.’”

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor ABC News is betting on a new duo to keep shining daylight at “GMA3.” Eva Pilgrim and DeMarco Morgan will officially take over as co-anchors of the program, a news-and-lifestyle hour in the early afternoon that is seen as an extension of the Disney network’s flagship “Good Morning America.” They will join Dr. Jen Ashton. Meanwhile, Gio Benitez has been assigned to the team at the weekend version of “GMA.” Staffers at ABC News were informed of the decision Thursday morning by Kim Godwin, president of the division. “I know these programs – and our viewers at home – will be well-served by all of their collective talents,” said Godwin in a memo.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Ulrich Thomsen (“”Festen,” “Banshee”), Rasmus Hammerich (“On My Mind”), Ida Marie Nielsen (“Vikings”) and Diêm Camille (“Washington Black”) are set to headline “Ripple,” a graduation film by promising new director Joey Moe and producer Jasmin Jiramani. Jiramani recently delivered the Star Wars fan film “Shrouded Destiny: A Star Wars Long Tale” starring Lars Mikkelsen, who has also been in the Disney+ Star Wars series “Ahsoka.”  Moe and Jiramani, who are both students of the prestigious Danish film school Super8, said “Ripple” explores why people spend so much time obsessing over macabre true crime tales.

The name of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s baby has been revealed.

The next generation of "Wheel of Fortune" kids momentarily took over for the beloved game show Wednesday night. On the "Wheel of Fortune" social media page, Pat Sajak’s daughter Maggie interviewed Vanna White’s son Nikko in a segment titled, "The Spin with Maggie Sajak." The two reminisced on old memories of growing up together while being in the spotlight as the "Wheel of Fortune" hosts’ children. "We have known each other my whole life," Maggie began.  "It’s been a long time," Nikko responded.  Maggie reflected on funny moments the two had together, as she admitted her mother "dug" a memorable video of Nikko.

Miranda Lambert could continue her record-breaking hot streak at the American Country Music Awards. With 37 wins, the 39-year-old country music star is the most decorated artist in ACM history.

The 2023 NFL season schedule is set to be released tonight at 8pm ET.

Eva Pilgrim and DeMarco Morgan will be the new co-anchors of GMA3: What You Need to Know, which has been without permanent hosts since the exit of Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes.

EXCLUSIVE: Wilmer Valderrama’s production company WV Entertainment has signed an exclusive first-look deal with Telemundo’s TPlus brand.

have apparently obtained a copy of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's baby son's birth certificate and can now reveal the name of the couple's firstborn. Drumroll please… is named RZA Athelston Mayers. His first name is in honor of RZA of The Wu-Tang Clan (we presume), while his middle name, Athelston, is for his father, whose real name is . This content can also be viewed on the site it from.After welcoming little RZA in May of 2022, Rihanna and Rocky had so far kept their baby's name a secret.

Season 2 of Apple TV+’s Foundation will debut globally on July 14 with one episode, followed by new episodes weekly, every Friday.

The BBC has unveiled an action plan to help “reduce the number of women in severe financial hardship who are prosecuted for licence fee evasion.”

The Prime Minister “ought to” give up their involvement with the hiring of the BBC Chairman in the future following the Richard Sharp scandal, according to former Director General Tony Hall.

EXCLUSIVE: HBO Documentary Films has pre-bought North American streaming and TV rights to Musk, Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary about lightning rod entrepreneur and businessman Elon Musk.

Belgian directors Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch’s Italian-language drama The Eight Mountains and veteran Marco Bellocchio’s Exterior Night topped the 68th edition of Italy’s David di Donatello Awards on Wednesday evening.

The 2007/08 writers strike is widely credited with helping to ramp up the presence of unscripted television on broadcast and cable.

Carole Horst For 50 years, it’s been a safe place for storytellers – musicians, animators, directors, writers, artists of all kinds – to learn, grow and thrive. As CalArts celebrates its golden anniversary, it also faces the future head-on.  Broad trustee emeritus Tim Disney, whose great-grandfather, Walt Disney, laid the foundation for what is now a world-class arts school, says that CalArts was founded with very large-scale, utopian ideas by Walt Disney. “Disneyland and CalArts were very grand things,” Disney says, adding that Walt died before the school opened and that his grandfather, Roy Disney, “had the very hard job” seeing the plans through. “His commitment was a very beautiful thing.” 

Wonka, resulting in stomach cramps.The actor is set to portray a young Willy Wonka in the upcoming musical, which will be released later this year (December 15). The long-awaited film is the third film adaptation to be made of Roald Dahl’s popular children’s book Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.Speaking at CinemaCon in Las Vegas this week (via Variety), Chalamet revealed that he swam in real melted chocolate while filming.But despite his chocolate and sweetie-induced stomach cramps, the actor called the role “a dream come true”.He described past interpretations of Willy Wonka as “cynical”, before adding that “this is a Willy that’s full of joy and hope and desire to become the greatest chocolatier.”The character was first portrayed by Gene Wilder in the 1971 adaptation, and then again by Johnny Depp in 2005’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, directed by Tim Burton.Elsewhere at CinemaCon, a first-look trailer for Wonka revealed that Hugh Grant will play one of the Oompa-Loompas serving the chocolatier.In the extended footage, which was shown to exhibitors at the event, the fictional sweet treat developer comes across the Oompa-Loompa (Grant), who is trapped in a glass jar, and later hires him to work in his factory.The footage also paid homage to Singin’ In the Rain – showing Chalamet singing, dancing and spinning around a light pole while searching for magical recipes.