Kanye West Premieres New Song Featuring Daughter North and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs — Which Kim Kardashian Tried to Stop from Release

The track features Combs — who is credited as Puff Daddy — the disgraced rapper’s 26-year-old son King, North and musician Jasmine Williams, whom West noted is a new Yeezy artist from Chicago.

The song begins with a voice recording, seemingly of Combs, 55, and West speaking over the phone.

“I wanna just thank you so much for just taking care of my kids, man,” the man believed to be Combs can be heard saying in the conversation. “Ain’t nobody reach out to them, ain’t nobody call them.”

“Absolutely, I love you so much man,” West replies. “You raised me. Even when I ain’t know you, know what I’m saying?”

Among other lyrics in the song, North can be heard rapping: “When you see me shining, then you see the light.”

West also shared now-deleted screenshots of a text conversation between himself and North’s mother, Kim Kardashian, who told West that she had trademarked their eldest child’s name in an attempt to stop the song from being released, according to TMZ.

“I’m never speaking with you again,” West told his ex-wife in the text conversation, per the outlet.

“I asked you at the time if I can trademark her name. You said yes. When she’s 18, it goes to her. So stop,” Kardashian, 44, continued. “I sent paperwork over so she wouldn’t be in the Diddy song to protect her. One person has to trademark!”

The outlet reported that Kardashian also claimed that she and West had an agreement to trademark all of their children’s names when they were born “so no one else would [use] them.”

“Amend it or I’m going to war,” West replied. “And neither of us will recover from the public fallout. You’re going to have to kill me.”

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West has previously defended Combs — who is currently in jail awaiting his trial for alleged federal sex crimes — and said that he believes the music producer should be freed from prison.

In a series of posts on Feb. 6, West wrote that “they” were “trying to make an example out of Puff,” amid other anti-Semitic comments in which he praised Adolf Hitler and said in a deleted post that he’s “never apologizing” for his hateful statements.

Combs was indicted in September 2024 on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution, and has since pleaded not guilty to each charge. He has been denied bail, and his trial is scheduled to begin in May.

West has previously faced scrutiny for other hateful social media posts, including one in which he mentioned X owner Elon Musk’s one-armed salute that he gave at Donald Trump’s inauguration (which Musk responded to, saying, “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired”).

Soon after, West was dropped by his agent, and the company Shopify shut down his clothing website after he attempted to sell T-shirts with swastikas on them.

White Lotus star hits out at ‘double standard’ for men during nudity debate

The 61-year-old actor plays Timothy Ratliff, patriarch of a wealthy family and father of Saxon Ratliff (played by Patrick Schwarzenegger). The new season of the dark comedy is set in another luxury hotel – this time in Thailand.

Viewers were left shocked when an episode of the show featured a full-frontal nude scene starring the Harry Potter actor.

“A lot of people are debating it. It’s all over the internet,” Isaacs said on CBS Mornings when asked if he was wearing a prosthetic in the scene.

Explaining why he refused to answer the question, he said: “I’ll tell you why because the best actress this year is Mikey Madison at the Oscars and I don’t see anyone discussing her vulva, which is on television all the time and I’m not talking about Swedish cars.”

He added: “I think it’s interesting that there’s a double standard for men, but when women are naked, Margaret Qualley in The Substance, no one would dream of talking to her about her genitalia or her nipples or any of those things. So, it’s odd that there’s a double standard.”

Although he continued to be pressed by hosts Gayle King and Nate Burleson, he admitted dodging the question as he said: “Because I don’t think that people really want to know how the sausage is made.

“I genuinely think it would be odd when there are characters – and some of the women are naked in here – it’d be odd if you were sitting here. And you would never dream of discussing their genitalia, not for a second.”

As he continued to be asked, Isaacs quipped: “What is your obsession? Mike White is a brilliant writer, it’s the best series on television for a long time. And what is the obsession with penises? It’s an odd thing.”

After the scene aired for the first time, viewers at home couldn’t hide their disbelief at what they had just seen.

“I did NOT have Jason Isaacs full-frontal on my White Lotus S3 bingo card lmaooo,” wrote one person.

Using a Harry Potter reference (Isaacs played Lucius Malfoy in the film franchise), one viewer joked: “Well, I didn’t expect White Lotus to show Lucius Malfoy’s wand tonight, but here we are.”

White Lotus star Jason Isaacs hits out at ‘double standard’ for men during nudity debate

The 61-year-old actor plays Timothy Ratliff, patriarch of a wealthy family and father of Saxon Ratliff (played by Patrick Schwarzenegger). The new season of the dark comedy is set in another luxury hotel – this time in Thailand.

Viewers were left shocked when an episode of the show featured a full-frontal nude scene starring the Harry Potter actor.

“A lot of people are debating it. It’s all over the internet,” Isaacs said on CBS Mornings when asked if he was wearing a prosthetic in the scene.

Explaining why he refused to answer the question, he said: “I’ll tell you why because the best actress this year is Mikey Madison at the Oscars and I don’t see anyone discussing her vulva, which is on television all the time and I’m not talking about Swedish cars.”

He added: “I think it’s interesting that there’s a double standard for men, but when women are naked, Margaret Qualley in The Substance, no one would dream of talking to her about her genitalia or her nipples or any of those things. So, it’s odd that there’s a double standard.”

Although he continued to be pressed by hosts Gayle King and Nate Burleson, he admitted dodging the question as he said: “Because I don’t think that people really want to know how the sausage is made.

“I genuinely think it would be odd when there are characters – and some of the women are naked in here – it’d be odd if you were sitting here. And you would never dream of discussing their genitalia, not for a second.”

As he continued to be asked, Isaacs quipped: “What is your obsession? Mike White is a brilliant writer, it’s the best series on television for a long time. And what is the obsession with penises? It’s an odd thing.”

After the scene aired for the first time, viewers at home couldn’t hide their disbelief at what they had just seen.

“I did NOT have Jason Isaacs full-frontal on my White Lotus S3 bingo card lmaooo,” wrote one person.

Using a Harry Potter reference (Isaacs played Lucius Malfoy in the film franchise), one viewer joked: “Well, I didn’t expect White Lotus to show Lucius Malfoy’s wand tonight, but here we are.”

YouTuber P2istheName, 26, Found Dead in Los Angeles Mailroom: Report

The social media star, whose real name is Philip Enewally, was found dead on Friday, March 14

YouTube star P2istheName has died. He was 26 years old.

According to a report from TMZ, the influencer, whose legal name is Philip Enewally, was found dead on Friday, March 14 in a mailroom in Los Angeles County.

Enewally’s cause of death is not yet known, the outlet reported. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further information.

TMZ also reported that Enewally’s mother confirmed the news, and asked that fans respect his family’s privacy in the wake of his death.

Enewally has been making social media videos for nearly 10 years, and amassed nearly 4 million YouTube subscribers in that time. He was known for his gaming videos, in which he played video games including NBA 2K and Fortnite, as well as vlogs, pranks and more.

He later went on to start a production company, Iced Entertainment, as well as his own clothing line, and opened up about the process of founding a company in several of his videos. He often spoke about his faith and was candid about the difficulties of starting a business.

“I’m trying not to cry right now,” he began one of his final videos, titled “I Made My Own Clothing Brand and It Actually Worked.”

“God is amazing, bro. God is amazing. [If y’all could only see] what it took to get here,” he said, emotionally opening up about his successful fashion brand.

“… I literally was praying in the car for a beautiful drop, thanking God for even giving me the creativity to put this together,” he said elsewhere in the heartfelt vlog.

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Enewally’s final video was uploaded to YouTube about two weeks ago, and he previously shared that he was planning to move from Los Angeles to Atlanta, Ga.

Fellow YouTuber COLETHEMAN spoke out about the content creator’s death, writing in a post on X Saturday that he was at “a loss for words.”

“My good friend @P2istheName has passed away,” the YouTuber wrote. “Wow. I’m honestly at a loss for words. He was always so kind to me and gave me so much content creation advice.”

Puddle of Mudd’s Wes Scantlin ‘arrested for domestic violence’

Puddle of Mudd frontman Wes Scantlin has once again found himself in legal trouble — this time, after being arrested for alleged domestic violence and drug possession in California.

Police responded to a call about a domestic dispute at a Torrance apartment around 3 a.m. Tuesday, per TMZ.

Upon arrival, officers spoke with Scantlin, 53, and his girlfriend, determining that a verbal argument had allegedly escalated into a physical altercation.

Authorities noted visible marks on the woman’s arms, leading to Scantlin’s arrest. During a search, police also reportedly discovered a small amount of a controlled substance in his possession.

Scantlin was booked on felony domestic violence and drug possession charges and remains in L.A. County Jail with bail set at $90,000.

This latest arrest comes just months after his August run-in with law enforcement, when a routine traffic stop in Burbank escalated into a tense standoff with a SWAT team.

Puddle of Mudd frontman Wes Scantlin has once again found himself in legal trouble — this time, after being arrested for alleged domestic violence and drug possession in California; (seen in 2024)

Police responded to a call about a domestic dispute at a Torrance apartment around 3 a.m. Tuesday, per TMZ; (seen in 2016)

The incident started when the musician was pulled over for a traffic stop in Burbank, California.

When he was asked for his ID the situation escalated, pepper spray was used and a crisis negotiator was called, but Wes still refused to get out of his Hummer H2, TMZ reported.

Read More Puddle Of Mudd singer in armed standoff with cops as 30 officers storm his Los Angeles home

When officers ran his ID an active warrant for carrying a weapon in an airport popped up and the troubled rock star was arrested.

Around 4 a.m., the SWAT team was called and he was forcibly removed from his car.

Wes was taken to the hospital to have his eyes flushed from the pepper spray and then booked at the jail for the outstanding warrant and resisting arrest.

He was released and his day in court over the charges is August 20.

Scantlin has had multiple run-ins with the law over the last decade.

He has a history of being a no-show at Puddle of Mudd shows because of being arrested (and sometimes for no reason at all).

Scantlin was booked on felony domestic violence and drug possession charges and remains in L.A. County Jail with bail set at $90,000

During a 2016 show in Doncaster, England, he went off on a rant about a man stealing his house again and his band had finally had enough and walked off stage.

And, during a show in Ohio in January 2016, he went on a tirade.

‘This mother f**ker right here stole my mother f**king house and now he’s standing right f**king in front of me laughing at me. And he f**king figures I’m a f**king joke.

‘This mother f**ker right here. This mother f**ker right here. Get his ass on camera. Right. Get his ass on camera. Get his ass on camera. This is the dog. Right here.

‘This is the mother f**ker right here. This guy stole my f**king house,’ WQLZ reported at the time, per Metal Injection.

The singer pleaded not guilty in February of that same year to a felony vandalism charge filed after being arrested at the Hollywood home he lost in foreclosure.

Authorities said Scantlin caused about $7,000 in damage to the home using a hatchet, damaging the plumbing, audio equipment, a garage door and ripping an alarm system out of the wall.

He was also charged with misdemeanor trespassing at the time. The latest arrest adds to a long arrest history for Scantlin.

In September 2012, he was arrested when his drunken behavior caused a Los Angeles flight to make an emergency landing.

In January 2015, he was collared for trespassing after he rode around a baggage carousel at Denver International Airport.

When officers ran his ID an active warrant for carrying a weapon in an airport popped up and the troubled rock star was arrested

Around 4:00 AM the SWAT team was called and he was forcibly removed from his car

Wes was taken to the hospital to have his eyes flushed from the pepper spray and then booked at the jail for the outstanding warrant and resisting arrest

Then in July 2015, he was charged with a DUI in southern Minnesota.

He also was arrested on domestic abuse charges for allegedly dragging his ex-wife in May 2013, TMZ reported at the time, and pleaded guilty to cocaine possession a year before that.

Scantlin has even received a lifetime ban from Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion.

In 2007 he went for a swim in Graceland’s private pool, without permission.

Legendary 70s rock band forced to cancel concert over electrical fire

The legendary rock band Journey was forced to abruptly cancel their concert at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on Friday following an ‘electrical incident.’

The group – which was first formed in 1973 – currently consists of singer Arnel Pineda, guitarist Neal Schon, drummer Deen Castronovo, keyboardist and guitarist Jonathan Cain, bassist Todd Jensen and Jason Derlatka.

A video uploaded to X captured the moment when power on the stage went out as the band was performing their hit 1981 track Don’t Stop Believin’ – which was just the fifth song on the setlist for the night.

At first, the crowd continued to belt out lyrics to the tune inside NRG Stadium – but crew members soon made their way to the stage with fire extinguishers, per TMZ.

Not long after, a statement was released to fans that the rest of the concert had been cancelled and also uploaded to Rodeo Houston’s main Instagram page.

The message read: ‘Due to an unforeseen electrical incident under the stage area, we regretfully announce the cancellation of tonight’s Journey concert.

The legendary rock band Journey was forced to abruptly cancel their concert at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on Friday following an ‘electrical incident’; current Journey singer Arnel Pineda seen in 2024 in Brazil

The group – which was first formed in 1973 – currently consists of singer Arnel Pineda, guitarist Neal Schon, drummer Deen Castronovo, keyboardist and guitarist Jonathan Cain, bassist Todd Jensen and Jason Derlatka; seen above in 2023 along with Gregg Rolie

‘We sincerely apologize to all fans for this disappointment. Our team is working diligently to assess the situation, and we will provide updates regarding rescheduling options and refunds as soon as possible.’

An exact cause for the electrical fire at the stage is currently not known.

Social media users who were in attendance at the event shared their experience in the comment section of the post.

Read More Country music fans concerned as beloved star abruptly cancels concert

One penned, ‘Right when they were about to sing “it goes on and on and on and ONNN” the power cuts abruptly but the audience was singing so much it sounded like they weren’t playing on purpose.

‘Then after a few verses, we knew something was wrong,’ the fan further recounted.

Another wrote, ‘Was hilarious that it cut right as the chorus began and the audience kept singing like it was part of the show.’

An Instagram user gave a shout out to the swift response to the issue and typed, ‘As disappointing as having to cancel the show, I feel thankful that first responders and stage hands were able to get the fire under control and no one was hurt.

‘An electrical fire could have become extremely dangerous very quickly,’ they continued.

Not long after, a statement was released to fans that the rest of the concert had been cancelled and also uploaded to Rodeo Houston’s main Instagram page

Social media users who were in attendance at the event shared their experience in the comment section of the post; seen in 2023 in Austin

One penned, ‘Right when they were about to sing “it goes on and on and on and ONNN” the power cuts abruptly but the audience was singing so much it sounded like they weren’t playing on purpose’

Another wrote, ‘Was hilarious that it cut right as the chorus began and the audience kept singing like it was part of the show’

An Instagram user gave a shout out to the swift response to the issue and typed, ‘As disappointing as having to cancel the show, I feel thankful that first responders and stage hands were able to get the fire under control and no one was hurt’

However, the latest post on Houston Rodeo’s Instagram shows that the issue may have been solved with the Warren Zeiders concert on Saturday set to continue.

‘The stage will be operating as normal, and we will host all activities in the stadium and on the grounds as originally planned,’ the statement read.

Read More Seventies rock band CANCEL their entire UK 50th anniversary tour last minute

‘For those who attended the Journey concert, we’ll follow up with more information soon…’

After Journey was founded in 1973, the rock band released a number of hits which launched the group to fame – including Don’t Stop Believin’, Any Way You Want It, Wheel In The Sky and Open Arms.

The original members of the group consisted of Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon, George Tickner, Ross Valory and Prairie Prince. Lead vocalist Steve Perry joined Journey in 1977.

The iconic group has since dropped a total of 16 albums – with the last being released in 2022 with the album called Freedom.

Last year in August, Journey cancelled their U.K. and Ireland 50th anniversary tour last minute.

At the time, the band released a statement which read: ‘Due to circumstances beyond the band’s control, Journey’s UK and Ireland tour is unfortunately cancelled. Refunds will be made from your point of purchase.’

After Journey was founded in 1973, the rock band released a number of hits which launched the group to fame – including Don’t Stop Believin’, Any Way You Want It, Wheel In The Sky and Open Arms; seen in 1978 with Aynsley Dunbar, Ross Valory, Steve Perry, Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie

And one month later, current lead singer Arnel Pineda left his fate in the hands of the fans and asked them to vote on whether he should stay in the band or not.

It came not long after his criticized performance at the Rock in Rio festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

He also shared a video to Facebook to show that his earpiece while on stage had a malfunction and explained at the time, ‘No one more than me in this world feels so devastated about this.’

‘It’s really amazing how 1 thousand right things you have done will be forgotten just cause of THIS..and of all the place, its in Rock In Rio… mentally and emotionally, I’ve suffered already, and I’m still suffering ..but I’ll be OK….’

And one month later, current lead singer Arnel Pineda left his fate in the hands of the fans and asked them to vote on whether he should stay in the band or not; seen in 2018 in New Jersey

He also shared a video to Facebook to show that his earpiece while on stage had malfunction and explained at the time, ‘No one more than me in this world feels so devastated about this’

Pineda then expressed, ‘So here’s the deal here now.. i am offering you a chance now ( especially those who’s hated me and never liked me from the very beginning) to simply text GO or STAY right here.

‘And if GO reaches 1million… im stepping out for good.. are you game folks? let’s start…’

In conclusion, Arnel – who has been with the band since 2007 – added, ‘God bless all of you and thank you once again to all of the fans and friends who believed in me.’

The performer soon received a number of supportive messages on social media, with others requesting that he stay with the band.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s dog likely died of dehydration and starvation, report says

An examination of the dog found dead along with actor Gene Hackman and his wife in their Santa Fe home shows dehydration and starvation were likely what led to the animal’s demise.

A report obtained by The Associated Press from the state Department of Agriculture’s veterinary lab details partial mummification and noted that while the severe decomposition could have obscured changes in the organs, there was no evidence of infectious disease, trauma or poisoning that could have resulted in death.

The report noted that the dog’s stomach was mostly empty except for small amounts of hair and bile.

The kelpie mix named Zinna was one of the couple’s three dogs. It was found dead in a crate in a bathroom closet near Betsy Arakawa’s body, while two other dogs survived.

Authorities confirmed last week that Hackman died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s disease about a week after a rare, rodent-borne disease — hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — took the life of his wife. Hackman, in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, apparently was unaware that his wife was dead.

Hackman was found in the home’s entryway, and Arakawa was found in a bathroom. Like the dog, their bodies were decomposing with some mummification, a consequence of body type and climate in Santa Fe’s especially dry air at an elevation of nearly 7,200 feet (2,200 meters).

Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, are pictured at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, on January 19, 2003.

Mark J. Terrill/AP

While both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office is finishing up the investigation by tying up the timeline with any information gleaned from the cellphones collected at the home and last contacts that were made.

“The case is considered active until we have that information to tie up the timeline,” said Denise Womack Avila, a spokesperson for the sheriff.

Zinnia went from being a returned shelter dog to an incredible companion that was always at Arakawa’s side, said Joey Padilla, owner of the Santa Fe Tails pet care facility that was involved in the surviving dogs’ care.

Arakawa, born in Hawaii, studied as a concert pianist, attended the University of Southern California and met Hackman in the mid-1980s while working at a California gym.

Hackman, a Hollywood icon, won two Oscars during a storied career in films including “The French Connection,” “Hoosiers” and “Superman” from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.

The pair led a private life after moving to Santa Fe decades ago. A representative for the couple’s estate has cited that privacy in seeking to block the public release of autopsy and investigative reports related to their deaths, especially photographs and video. It will be up to a state district judge to consider that request.

“Snow White” Actor Reacts to ‘Controversy’ Surrounding the Live-Action Remake, Claims Disney Is ‘Afraid of the Blowback’

Martin Klebba, an actor in Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White, is sharing his thoughts on the controversy surrounding the soon-to-be-released film.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Klebba, 55 — who voices Grumpy, one of the seven dwarfs, and also serves as an advisor for the characters — reacted to the project’s premiere plans that are set to take place in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 15.

“It really isn’t going to be a red carpet,” the actor told the outlet. “It’s going to be at the El Capitan [Theatre], which is cool. But it’s basically going to be a pre-party, watch the movie, and that’s it.”

“There’s not going to be this whole hoopla of, ‘Disney’s first f—— movie they ever made.’ Because of all this controversy, they’re afraid of the blowback from different people in society,” Klebba continued.

The star also claimed that Snow White’s California premiere was changed from original plans because of “the controversy with Rachel,” referring to Rachel Zegler, who portrays the titular Snow White. THR clarified, however, that Klebba “had not been given direct information on why the event was altered.” A source with knowledge of the situation also tells PEOPLE, “Nothing was scaled back. It was always the plan to have an afternoon event for families as Disney has done in the past on other family films.”

Representatives for Klebba, Zegler and Disney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

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Related: Rachel Zegler Responds with a Swift Correction to Commenter Questioning Her Casting as Snow White

Snow White, which also stars Gal Gadot as The Evil Queen, is a live-action retelling of Disney’s first-ever animated feature, 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Ahead of its release, the film — which is directed by Marc Webb, written by Erin Cressida Wilson and features original songs from composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul — has faced backlash for a few different reasons.

Following her casting announcement in 2022, Zegler, 23, dealt with racist backlash over her playing the Disney Princess while being of Latinx background. (The actress is of Colombian and Polish descent.) She then faced controversy on other occasions, including when she revealed that Snow White’s name has a different origin story in the new film and when she described the original movie as “dated” and added that Prince Charming “literally stalks” Snow White.

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There has also been rumors of a rift between Zegler and Gadot, 39. A source recently told PEOPLE the two “have a huge age gap and very different political views.” (The Israeli-born Gadot, who served in the Israel Defense Forces, has advocated for the release of Israeli hostages, while Zegler has voiced support on social media for Palestine amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.)

Elsewhere, Snow White has been called out by Peter Dinklage, who was born with a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia. He accused Disney of “hypocrisy,” citing the fairy tale’s “backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together.” (Disney opted to use CGI to bring the characters to life.)

Related: Inside Snow White’s ‘Iconic’ Costumes, Including the Evil Queen’s ‘Glamour and Sophistication’ (Exclusive)

Speaking about the concerns with using real people to portray the seven dwarfs, Klebba told THR, “I don’t usually get into the political stuff, but I [felt], ‘Dwarfs aren’t going to go away just because you can’t imagine that they’re there.’ We’re still going to be walking around.”

“So I didn’t get the whole stuff about not doing the dwarfs. The story’s been around forever, and it’s a classic,” he continued.

Klebba did explain to the outlet, though, that he understands why CGI was ultimately used to create the characters — which also include Doc, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy and Dopey.

“If you guys go this route, it just makes sense to be able to draw them the way you want,” the actor said. “This way, they’re all the same size. And to find seven little people actors to pull it off, that’s not an easy thing either.”

Is ‘The Electric State’ Based on a Book?

The Russo Brothers’ Netflix sci-fi film is one of the most expensive movies ever made

Three years after their last feature film, “The Gray Man,” premiered on Netflix and one year before they make their return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, directors Anthony and Joe Russo are back. Their latest offering, “The Electric State,” is a sci-fi blockbuster with a hefty price tag. The film, which continues the Russos’ ongoing creative partnership with Netflix, has a reported budget of $320 million — making it one of the most expensive movies ever made.

Only films based on pre-existing pieces of intellectual property typically get that kind of financial support in Hollywood these days. Is “The Electric State” based on a book, though? Here is what you should know about the new, expensive Netflix film’s origins.

Yes! “The Electric State” is not, however, based on a traditional book. It is, instead, loosely based on a 2018 illustrated novel by acclaimed Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag. The novel is comprised of paragraphs of text and accompanying illustrations that together tell a complete, cohesive dystopian sci-fi story.

“The Electric State” is notably not the first piece of Stålenhag’s work that has been adapted by Hollywood. Amazon Prime Video’s 2020 sci-fi series, “Tales From the Loop,” was also inspired by an art book by Stålenhag.

The original “Electric State” novel is set in the late 1990s and follows a teenage girl and her robot as they embark on a journey across America’s West Coast in search of her long-lost brother in an alternate reality where the world was ravaged and transformed into a dystopian wasteland by advanced technology. The new Netflix adaptation maintains its source material’s alternate ’90s setting and it similarly follows a young woman as she sets off with a robot to try to find her brother, whom she previously believed to be dead.

The screenplay for “The Electric State” was penned by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. The two writers are frequent collaborators of the Russo Brothers, having previously penned and worked on the scripts for “The Gray Man,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Captain America: Civil War” and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

Markus and McFeely are no strangers to high-profile adaptations, either. Indeed, their pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe writing credits include 2005’s “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” and its two sequels, 2008’s “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” and 2010’s “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.”

The cast of “The Electric State” includes Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”), Chris Pratt (“Guardians of the Galaxy”), Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”), Stanley Tucci (“Conclave”), Woody Norman (“C’mon, C’mon”), Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad”) and Jason Alexander (“Seinfeld”).

Woody Harrelson (“True Detective”), Anthony Mackie (“Captain America: Brave New World”), Brian Cox (“Succession”), Jenny Slate (“It Ends With Us”), Alan Tudyk (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”), Hank Azaria (“The Birdcage”) and Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”) also provide the voices of certain characters throughout the movie.

Unfortunately, critics are not raving about “The Electric State.” The film has received largely negative reviews in the days leading up to its Netflix premiere. It currently holds a rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes, and in TheWrap’s review of the film, writer Matt Goldberg called it a “bizarre Spielberg riff” that is too “gleefully soulless” to replicate the humanity of its best influences.

‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Nabs (Very) Early Season 3 Renewal at Disney+

The streamer has renewed the series, based on author Rick Riordan’s quintet of novels, for a third season. The pickup comes well ahead of season two for Percy Jackson, which Disney+ says will premiere in December — two years after the debut of its first season.

“From the moment Percy Jackson and the Olympians debuted, it was clear this series had struck a chord with fans of all ages,” Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis said in a statement. “With season two set to premiere this December, we’re thrilled to announce that Percy’s journey will continue with a third season. Huge thanks to our incredible cast and creative team, our partners at 20th Television, and our visionary and talented producers who continue to bring Rick Riordan’s world to life with such depth and imagination.”

The early renewal will allow the show’s writers and crew to begin work on the third installment, which, in turn, could potentially cut down on the time between seasons. That’s something co-showrunner Jonathan E. Steinberg said was on his mind in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“Part of wanting to keep the process going is trying to do whatever we can to be ready for it and to know how to have the conversations and to have a plan,” Steinberg told THR earlier this month. “… We assumed when we left Vancouver [where the series films] that we would be back at some point — soon, hopefully.”

Season three will be based on The Titan’s Curse, the third book in Riordan’s series, and introduce a fan-favorite character in Nico di Angelo, a young demigod who is new to Camp Half-Blood.

“We’re so grateful to be continuing the story of Percy Jackson on Disney+,” Riordan said in a statement. “This third season will be new territory for the screen, bringing fan favorites like the Hunters of Artemis and Nico di Angelo to life for the first time. It’s a huge sign of commitment from Disney, and speaks volumes about the enthusiasm with which the fandom has embraced the TV show. Thank you, demigods worldwide!”

The first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is nominated for 16 Children’s and Family Emmy Awards (which will be handed out Saturday). The series also proved popular for Disney+, recording more viewing time (as measured by Nielsen) than any other show on the streamer outside the Marvel and Star Wars franchises.

Season two will star Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, Aryan Simhadri, Charlie Bushnell, Dior Goodjohn and Daniel Diemer. Other additions to the cast include Tamara Smart, Andra Day, Sandra Bernhard, Kristen Schaal, Margaret Cho, Rosemarie DeWitt and Aleks Paunovic, among others. Courtney B. Vance will play Zeus, taking over the role for the late Lance Reddick.

Riordan and Steinberg created the Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Steinberg and Dan Shotz are the showrunners and executive produce with Rick and Rebecca Riordan, Craig Silverstein, Bert Salke, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Albert Kim, Jason Ensler and Sarah Watson.