The New Captain America Has an Odd Message for Our Political Moment

The movies have long been fond of reducing the White House to smithereens, but Captain America: Brave New World marks the first time the destruction has been doled out by its most famous occupant. As anyone who’s passed through a theater lobby in the past few months knows, the movie’s climax features Harrison Ford’s president Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross transforming into the Red Hulk in the middle of a Rose Garden press conference and promptly laying waste to his surroundings. Columns crumble, cornices are crushed, and even Old Glory gets turned into an offensive weapon as the world’s angriest POTUS swings an enormous flagpole at a military helicopter. By the time Sam Wilson’s Captain America (Anthony Mackie) has finally subdued his commander in chief, the building is a smoldering ruin, a monument to the destructive power of the former president’s fury. But not to worry, a news report reassures us: Next up is “the restoration of normalcy to the White House.”

That line inevitably lands differently now than it would have even a few weeks ago, let alone if the film had met its original release date in the summer of 2024. The movie is styled as a paranoid thriller along the lines of its 2014 predecessor Captain America: The Winter Soldier, with a plot featuring shadowy mercenaries, a Manchurian Candidate-style brainwashing scheme, and a black-site prison on American soil. The plot even loops in a character from the series’ TV spinoff, Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley, the “forgotten Cap” who was subjected to the same experiments that created Sam Wilson’s superpowered predecessor, Steve Rogers, and then imprisoned for 30 years to hide the evidence of the government’s crimes. In a classic paranoid thriller like They Live or The Parallax View, the hero is a white man who discovers that the world he thought he knew is rotten to the core, controlled by forces whose existence he never expected. But as Isaiah Bradley’s connection to the real-life horror of the Tuskegee Experiment implies, it’s less of an adjustment for characters who have always known that the government lies to find out the precise nature of the conspiracy. The trick is getting others to see it too.

Although he began as a member of the armed forces, Sam is, like the “winter soldiers” who testified about the atrocities committed by the U.S. military in Vietnam, more loyal to the country’s ideals than its leaders, particularly now that his old nemesis, General Thaddeus Ross, is in the Oval Office. Although Ford has replaced the late William Hurt in the role — “I’m still getting used to the new look,” Sam quips, ostensibly in response to his clean-shaven face — Brave New World presumes at least a passing familiarity with his previous appearances, going all the way back to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, a movie that invariably vies for last place in rankings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s nearly three dozen entries. That’s the last time we saw Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns, a scientist whose exposure to gamma radiation has given him the ability to mathematically predict the future, and also left him looking like an enormous pickle. (In the comics, he’s known as the Leader; here, he’s simply bumpy and green.) Like Isaiah Bradley, he’s been stripped of his rights and treated as subhuman for the sin of being useful to people in power. Or really just one person: Thaddeus Ross.

Ross’ ostensible goal is to broker a truce among the world’s great powers so they can share the miracle metal of adamantium, mined from the corpse of a continent-sized Celestial in the Indian Ocean. (Surely you remember that leftover detail from Eternals, another strong contender for the worst Marvel movie of all time.) He’s trying to change, to find a better self and reconcile with his estranged daughter, Betty (Liv Tyler), who has also not been seen since 2008. He’s spent years, with Samuel Sterns as his quasi-clairvoyant adviser, building a path to the White House, hoping to be known as a statesman rather than a warmonger. Heck, he even gave up smoking. Still, the rage that got him his nickname is still just beneath the surface, pushed closer by the pills he pops that control his life-threatening heart condition but, unbeknownst to him, are also slowly bring out his inner Hulk — part of Sterns’ long-term plan to get revenge by showing the world who Thaddeus Ross really is.

President Ross claims to be a uniter, not a divider; the movie’s opening shot is him standing on the stage of a campaign rally in front of a massive screen that reads “Together.” But that’s a little like saying Thanos was an environmentalist. His country is reeling from disruptions even greater and more unbelievable than our own, including a five-year spell during which half its residents simply disappeared. So if it takes a false flag operation or a little extrajudicial detention to get everyone on the same side — Ross’ tactics include keeping Samuel Sterns in an illegal prison for well over a decade to hide the secret behind his ascent to the presidency — so be it. This, of course, is straight out of the authoritarian playbook. But Brave New World doesn’t have the courage to walk that road, so it chalks Ross’ actions up to personal failings rather than the lust for power. No matter how grotesque his misdeeds, he’s framed as a man struggling to be good, a sympathetic monster. Why else cast the lovably irascible Ford in the part, rather than someone whose anger might actually read as a threat?

Back in 2012, The Avengers redefined the original Hulk with a brilliantly simple phrase: “I’m always angry.” Perhaps ironically given his own shaky history of anger management, Joss Whedon realized that having Bruce Banner doing breathing exercises to keep from losing his cool wasn’t a sustainable basis for a 21-century character; you can’t have the Hulk smash up a city and then claim it’s not his fault because he got mad. If anyone in Brave New World has a right to that kind of all-consuming rage, it’s Sam Wilson, who is constantly reminded that while he may have claimed the mantle of Captain America, he will, at least in the public’s eyes, never be Steve Rogers. But Mackie doesn’t get to play that emotion until the movie is almost over, in a hospital-room soliloquy where he finally voices the frustration that even twice as good is not good enough. But it sits side by side with the scene in which Sam visits the now-defeated and imprisoned Thaddeus Ross and thanks him for owning up to his crimes and relinquishing his office. Sure, he brought the world to the brink of war for the sake of his pride and his hold on power, but now that he’s sorry, the country can begin to heal.

Brave New World, whose script has more credited writers than Doctor Octopus has mechanical arms, wants to say something about power, and the moral exemptions that men, particularly white American men, will grant themselves in the name of what they can convince themselves is right. But it’s so studious about not taking sides that it can’t say anything at all, and the fact that it’s plainly been reshot and recut within an inch of its life doesn’t help. The use of Kendrick Lamar’s “i” over the movie’s end credits acts as a callback to 2018’s Black Panther, but it also inadvertently, and unluckily, sets up a comparison with Lamar’s Super Bowl performance, which pointedly situated America’s Blackness at the heart of the red, white, and blue. Brave New World takes center stage, but it never turns on the mic; lips move, but we don’t hear anything at all.

The new Bridget Jones film shows the messy, funny, mistake-filled reality of widowhood | Stacey Heale

I lost my own husband at a young age. It’s rare (and v.g.) to see a heroine trying to live joyfully despite her grief

Bridget Jones is back and once again blazing a new path, this time as a widow. In Mad About the Boy, our eternally chaotic but lovable everywoman is navigating single parenthood, dating apps and grief. But unlike most widows in romcoms, she’s not here to wither away in a beige cardigan, politely mourning until society deems it acceptable for her to love again. Instead, she’s in bed with a 29-year-old park ranger named Roxster, proving that healing doesn’t have to be quiet reflection – it can also look like great sex with a younger man.

This is where Bridget breaks the mould. In most romantic comedies, women’s grief is pitched as a problem to be solved. We must undergo a period of deep self-reflection before we are allowed back into the world of desire. We must heal, learn and then – maybe – we can be kissed under some twinkly lights at the end of the movie. Hilary Swank’s character in P.S. I Love You waits for divine permission from her dead husband’s letters before even thinking about dating again, whereas poor Demi Moore in Ghost is emotionally tied to Patrick Swayze for ever, choosing to simulate foreplay with a memory over intimacy with the living.

But Bridget? She swipes right on Roxster before she’s finished crying. She laughs through awkward sex. She’s messy, unpredictable and refuses to follow the script.

And yet, as I watched, I couldn’t help but think: if this were a film about a male widower, none of this would be worth commenting on, only because the big screen mirrors back to us what we are taught in society. After the death of a spouse, men are seen as eligible, while women are seen as wounded. Men’s grief in romcoms is framed as part of their allure. They are given an air of romance, their pain making them more attractive. Sleepless in Seattle opens with Tom Hanks’s character having barely finished the eulogy before women are throwing themselves at him. In Love Actually, Liam Neeson’s character gets a charmingly tragic backstory before he is seamlessly set up with Claudia Schiffer. And who can forget the reason why The Holiday is a firm Christmas favourite among women: Jude Law as “hot single dad” who speaks about his feelings yet barely about his dead wife. His role was not to fumble through self-reinvention but to serve as the dream man who helps a woman believe in love again.

Watching Bridget refuse to play that game felt oddly personal because I’m a widow, too. My husband Greg died of cancer in 2021 when I was 41, leaving me with two small daughters and a huge void. The scene of Bridget dancing and singing with her children in their house – a regular occurrence in ours – was particularly poignant. For me, it is a true depiction of being the solo parent left behind, trying to provide joy for your children despite being engulfed by grief.

Also like Bridget, I have been bombarded with well-meaning but wildly conflicting advice about how I should be grieving while rebuilding my love life: “You’re still young, stay open to love, but don’t rush into anything”, “Focus on yourself first”, “Don’t you want to find someone new?” Grief doesn’t come with a handbook, yet people seem convinced that if you don’t follow a particular timeline – one that is slow, quiet, and palatable – you’re doing it wrong. The idea that a widow could simply want connection, fun or even just good sex without it being framed as either self-destructive or groundbreaking remains strangely radical.

That’s what makes Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy so refreshing. Yes, she grieves. But she also does what so many of us actually do – she makes mistakes, she follows bad advice, she makes dodgy beauty choices. And crucially, she doesn’t wait to be healed before living her life again. Healing is messy and contradictory; sometimes it means sex with a hot younger man simply because you want to.

Of course, the film isn’t perfect. There’s still an element of the classic “widow’s journey” trope, where grief must ultimately lead to reinvention. By the end of the film, Bridget isn’t just dating again – she has discovered new purpose and self-worth. But for all its predictability, Mad About the Boy still feels like a step forward. It dares to show a widow who isn’t waiting for permission to be happy again. It acknowledges that grief isn’t linear. And most importantly, it lets a woman be messy, funny and desirable after loss – without making it feel like a moral dilemma.

‘Euphoria’ Season 3: Rosalía, Marshawn Lynch, Kadeem Hardison Join Cast As Others Exit Series

The core cast members returning to Euphoria as the series begins production on its much-delayed third season are welcoming some new faces into the fold of the madness. Zendaya will reprise her lead role as Rue alongside Hunter Schafer’s Jules, Jacob Elorid’s Nate, Alexa Demie’s Maddy, Sydney Sweeney’s Cassie, Eric Dane’s Cal, and Maude Apatow’s Lexi. Joined the cast are an eclectic mix: musician Rosalía, professional athlete-turned-actor Marshawn Lynch, and actor Kadeem Hardison, per Deadline.

Scheduled to premiere in 2026, Season Three is expected to implement a time jump to account for the three years that have passed since season two premiered. There’s no way these teenagers are still in high school, an element of the series that was already fairly outlandish from the beginning. But as we catch up with the chaotic cast they properly become adults, we’ll be saying farewell to a number of characters.

Nika King and Storm Reid, who played Rue’s mother and sister, respectively, will not return. Reid revealed in November that she wouldn’t be reprising her role as Gia, but noted that she was grateful to be part of the “cultural phenomenon” that the series has become. Barbie Ferreira, who played Kat, also stepped away from the series over creative differences with director Sam Levinson.

Before officially departing, King sounded off about the delayed return in March 2024 during a standup set. “People are like, ‘We need Season 3,’” she said. “I’m like, ‘Bitch, I need Season 3. I haven’t paid my rent in six months.” She added: “I thought my career was on the rise after Euphoria. I thought I was good. It don’t work that way. I called Taraji [P. Henson] and she was like, ‘Bitch, get used to it.’”

Also departing Euphoria are Algee Smith, whose character Chris McKay hasn’t had a storyline in the show since the second episode of the season season, and Dominic Fike, whose character Elliot at the very least leaves us with that maybe-too-long performance of the acoustic ballad “Elliot’s Song.”

As the latest musician to join Euphoria, Rosalía has already contributed music to the series. In 2021, HBO premiered two special episodes of the series to bridge the gap between season one and season two. One focused on Rue deep in conversation with her sponsor and mentor Ali, played by Colman Domingo, who confirmed plans to return for season three in July 2024. The other focuses on Jules and features an original song from Rosalía and Billie Eilish titled “Lo Vas a Olvidar.”

There haven’t been any special episodes to check in with the characters in between seasons, leaving a million questions unanswered about where season three could possibly go. The end of season two left a few loose ends untied after Ashtray (Javon Walton) dies in a police shootout, after which his brother Fezco (Angus Cloud) is hauled out by officers. In July 2023, while the series was on pause due to the Hollywood strikes, Cloud died at the age of 25 from an accidental overdose.

Accuser Drops Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Diddy, Jay-Z

The anonymous Alabama woman who accused Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her when she was 13 dropped her lawsuit against the hip-hop moguls on Friday. Variety reports that the attorney representing the woman identified as Jane Doe voluntarily dismissed the charges with prejudice, which means the suit can’t be refiled in its current form.

In October, the woman claimed Combs raped her at a private residence during an afterparty following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City. Two months after filing the suit, she added Jay-Z’s name to the complaint. However, Jay-Z’s lawyers said there were “glaring inconsistencies” in the accuser’s story, which drew attention in an NBC report in which the woman said, “I have made some mistakes” in remembering the events of that night. For example, the lawsuit had claimed the accuser’s father drove several hours from upstate New York to pick her up after the alleged encounter, but the father had no recollection of doing so.

Jay-Z released a statement through his entertainment company Roc Nation that called the dropped charges a “victory.” He also said the allegations traumatized wife Beyonce and their kids. “The frivolous, fictitious, and appalling allegations have been dismissed,” he wrote. “The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims. I would not wish this experience on anyone. … This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions.”

Ever Wondered What the ‘Bridget Jones’ Cast Looks Like Now?

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Can you believe it’s been 24 years since the premiere of Bridget Jones’s Diary? What started out at a Helen Fielding novel quickly became one of the most beloved rom-coms and fans are soon to be reunited as the new (and final) installment of the movie franchise is now available to stream on Peacock.

Just in time for the 2025 Valentine’s Day holiday, Renée Zellweger returns to her iconic role in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. But, boy, have things changed since the first time we met the hopeful single living in London. Fast-forward to present day and Bridget is a proud mother, but recently widowed after the unexpected death of her husband.

With new love interests and juggling life as a single mom, Bridget has the help of family, friends, and a former lover to help her navigate her new reality. Thankfully, fans are in for a treat as many of the original movie’s cast is returning for this final chapter in the Bridget Jones saga.

Here’s a look back at the cast of the original film, what they’ve been up to, and where they are now.

Playing the beloved role of Bridget Jones, Zellweger’s performance in the hit 2001 rom-com earned the actress an Oscar nomination for best actress. Determined to improve herself while searching for love, the character of Bridget Jones inspired us all to keep a personal diary.

Since her role in Bridget Jones’s Diary, Zellweger has gone on to star in multiple movies, including Chicago, Cinderella Man, and Cold Mountain (the movie that earned her an Oscar for best supporting actress). She went on a six-year acting hiatus from 2010 to 2016, where she took the time to study international law and travel with her rescue dogs.

Upon returning to the industry, she earned her second Oscar for her portrayal of actor Judy Garland in the biopic Judy and is now back in her legendary role for the fourth Bridget Jones movie, Mad About the Boy.

Almost six years after playing Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice, Colin Firth went on to play Mark Darcy (this man loves a character named Darcy), a childhood acquaintance of Bridget Jones. After reconnecting at a holiday party, their relationship turns into a slow burn of enemies to lovers.

Firth’s character and Bridget Jones eventually have a child together and get married in the third installment of the movie series, Bridget Jones’s Baby. Unfortunately, his character won’t be returning to Mad About the Boy, but he’ll always hold a place in our rom-com-loving hearts.

Speaking of rom-coms, after the first Bridget Jones movie, he went on to claim the role of heartthrob in other hit movies like Love Actually and two Mamma Mia! films. More recently, Firth has went on to star in the Kingsman franchise, The King’s Speech, Empire of Light, and thriller miniseries.

Hugh Grant was already a rom-com mainstay prior to his role as Daniel Cleaver in Bridget Jones. As the editor-in-chief at a publishing company, Grant’s character dates Bridget, but the pair ultimately break up due to Daniel’s infidelity.

Grant’s character, Daniel Cleaver, returns for the final installment of the Bridget Jones movies and sorry, but we still can’t trust him after what he did to Bridget.

As for Hugh Grant, the actor? Well, we adore him. Since the early 2000s, he’s worked on several successful projects, including Love Actually, Paddington 2, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and Heretic for which he earned his seventh Golden Globe nomination. He even played an Oompa Loompa in the 2023 film Wonka. Now that is what we call range, ladies and gentlemen!

Bridget’s mom, Pamela, is played by Gemma Jones, who was already a big name in the industry thanks to her roles in Sense and Sensibility and Jane Eyre. In the first film, her character ends up having an affair with her boss after accepting a new job. In the second Bridget Jones film, the couple reconciles and renews their vows.

Fans may recognize Jones from Harry Potter where she played Madam Poppy Pomfrey. You may also recognize her from the recent Elton John biopic where she portrayed the singer’s grandmother.

You could always count on Colin Jones, played by Jim Broadbent, to be the ultimate father figure for his daughter Bridget. Prior to taking on the rom-com role, Broadbent was already an established actor with two major movies, Iris and Moulin Rouge!, being released the same year as the first Bridget Jones installment.

Like his on screen wife, Broadbent went on to be a part of the Harry Potter film franchise where he played Professor Horace Slughorn. He also played a professor in the 2005 film, The Chronicles of Narnia. Like his other co-star Hugh Grant, Broadbent also participated in the Paddington movies and has since appeared in several episodes of the hit fantasy series, Game of Thrones.

Everyone needs a friend like Shazzer. Portrayed by Sally Phillips, her character was a journalist who definitely had a way with words.

Since playing Shazzer, Phillips has gone on to appear in various shows and movies, including the HBO series Veep and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. When she’s not busy on screen, she is also an executive producer at Captain Dolly, a UK production company that she cofounded in 2020.

As another one of Bridget’s close friends, Jude, played by Shirley Henderson, was also the voice of reason in the friend group. With friends like Bridget and Shazzer, it’s always nice to have a least one friend like her to keep everyone in check.

Like several of her Bridget Jones co-stars, Henderson went on to join the Harry Potter movie franchise as Moaning Myrtle, a spirit that eternally haunts the Hogwarts girls’ bathroom. She also had a small role in the 2006 Sofia Coppola film Marie Antoinette starring Kirsten Dunst. Most recently, she’s returning as Jude for the final Bridget Jones film.

James Callis plays Tom, one of Bridget’s close friends and a retired pop star from the 1980s. While he may have been considered a one-hit-wonder, he’s still recognized in public for his hit song and uses it to his advantage.

Callis’ character, Tom, returns to the Bridget Jones franchise as a life coach, but the actor has since been featured in several television shows, including Battlestar Galactica and Slow Horses.

The Failed Promise of the New Captain America

The first intriguing Marvel sequel in years quickly wastes its potential.

This may sound like a hopelessly naive thought about a superhero movie, but Captain America: Brave New World presented an exciting opportunity. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, now on its 35th entry, has probably been exhausted at this point, yet the latest installment’s advertising was intriguing. It promised a thinky thriller in which the new, Black Captain America butts heads with a growly, militaristic president (played by Harrison Ford). There’s a little juice to that, right?

Well, not if you’re the megaproducer Kevin Feige — who, based on this film, appears most interested in cleaning up the MCU’s weird loose ends from nearly two decades ago. (I certainly did not expect to be challenged on my knowledge of The Incredible Hulk, which came out during George W. Bush’s presidency, and the somewhat memory-holed celestial adventure Eternals.) Despite the potential that its title hints at, Brave New World is unconcerned with plumbing any of its latent politics, let alone exploring any fresh ground. Instead, the movie serves up another sloppily knocked-together bit of pseudo-entertainment. It makes other recent duds, such as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Deadpool & Wolverine, look practically triumphant.

The chief problem, which at least one other Disney franchise is dealing with right now, lies with the story: A lot of what could have unfolded in Brave New World already happened elsewhere. The 2021 Disney+ show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier followed the newly anointed Captain America, Sam Wilson (a.k.a. the Falcon, played by Anthony Mackie), as he struggled to accept the hero’s mantle. That series, while incredibly flawed, at least attempted to upend the iconography of his predecessor: Chris Evans’s picture-perfect, towheaded Cap. It also introduced a fascinating character named Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), an aged super-soldier who nearly became the first Black Captain America. Instead, the government subjected Bradley to its body-chemistry-altering experiments, then jailed him for decades to keep the man quiet — and as punishment for rescuing his fellow imprisoned Black servicemen.

Read: The power of a skeptical Captain America

Bradley returns in Brave New World, where he at least gently offers Wilson some advice: to keep his head on a swivel, as the Stars and Stripes-clad hero starts working for the president. But any subversive edges have been sanded off this script, which is credited to five people. It doesn’t explore the racial underpinnings of Wilson’s budding relationship with the government, despite its mistreatment of the prior Black Captain America, nor does it reckon with the president’s desire to use him as a patriotic prop. Instead, Wilson’s internal dilemma boils down to his feelings of inadequacy about stepping into his mentor’s shoes — which the Disney+ show dealt with — and his anxieties about his superpowers; unlike the Captain Americas before him, he’s just a regular Air Force veteran with a very fancy pair of robot wings.

The movie’s team — including the co-writer and director, Julius Onah — seems to fear that the emotional drama isn’t compelling stuff for a big-budget superhero feature. So in parachutes Harrison Ford, about as big a name imaginable, to serve as a co-lead of sorts. He plays Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a retired general (and former villain) who has recently been elected president. William Hurt, who died in 2022, played him in his previous appearances; Ford is quite the glitzy upgrade, and he’s quite sprightly for the age of 82. Still, it’s a little uncomfortable to watch the old legend creak around, delivering incomprehensible exposition about things like adamantium and gamma radiation.

Ross and Wilson’s relationship doesn’t have much substance to it: They briefly faced off during the last Captain America sequel, 2016’s Civil War, but that was before Ford took over the role. Much of Ross’s arc here entails him nursing regret over his estrangement from Betty (Liv Tyler), his daughter — her first appearance since The Incredible Hulk, 17 years ago. Another minor Hulk character, Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), shows up too, in a major way. I have sometimes admired the skill with which the MCU weaves a multimovie saga over several years while keeping casual audiences on the hook. Relying on a relatively old film and characters is a bridge too far, however; it’s practically a homework assignment for viewers, especially those who might not have even been born when it was released.

Read: Want to see a snake eat its tail?

Meanwhile, the trailers have already given away what should have been its biggest reveal — Ross’s transformation into the Red Hulk. This crimson version of the radioactive monster doesn’t appear until late in Brave New World’s final act, suggesting that its inclusion in the marketing was a bit of a desperate move by Marvel. The studio appeared eager to assure viewers that something wild might happen in this otherwise rote entry. Even the momentous Hulk showdown amounts to a big nothing, however — a major tease that becomes another speed bump on the MCU’s rocky road of late. The trip back to higher quality will likely necessitate a total storytelling reboot for this sprawling, listless cinematic universe. No matter which big name is delivering them, a couple of ruddy Hulk smashes just aren’t enough.

‘Goonies’ Sequel in the Works With Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus Producing

Nearly 40 years after The Goonies, a sequel to the 1985 film is in the works.

Warner Bros. has tapped Potsy Ponciroli to write the forthcoming sequel. Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus will return to produce the film with Kristie Macosko Krieger and Holly Bario for Amblin Entertainment. Lauren Shuler Donner will executive produce. No director has been attached to the new project.

Based on Steven Spielberg’s original story, The Goonies was helmed by Richard Donner with a screenplay by Columbus. The movie follows a group of children who embark on a treasure hunt in hopes of saving their homes from being sold and destroyed by a property development company. The film proved successful at the box office at the time, earning $125 million worldwide, but more notably became a monumental pop culture reference, renowned for its beloved characters and iconic catchphrases, including “Goonies never say die!”

The original film starred a young Josh Brolin, Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Ke Huy Quan and Martha Plimpton, catapulting their careers into the mainstream. While no plot or cast details have been unveiled about the new story, Quan told reporters after he won his 2023 Golden Globe that he “would be open to reliving that character if there is that opportunity” but that it likely wouldn’t happen due to Donner’s July 2021 death.

“Sadly, we lost the captain of our ship, who I love dearly, and I really don’t know if there will be Goonies 2,” he explained at the time. The news of the sequel comes after years of back-and-forth about its development, including Plimpton telling fans the follow-up film was “not real” on Instagram in September 2024.

Jay-Z Celebrates Dismissal of Rape Lawsuit Against Him and Diddy

Jay-Z has broken his silence after the dismissal of a sexual assault lawsuit that alleged he and embattled rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs raped a 13-year-old girl in 2000.

Jay-Z tagged the dismissal as a “victory,” going on to slam the allegations as “fictitious” and “appalling” while maintaining that the trauma his family endured “can never be dismissed.”

Diddy’s lawyers also spoke on the dismissal, saying just like this lawsuit, others brought against the Bad Boy Records founder “will fall apart because there’s no truth to them.”

A sexual assault lawsuit that was filed against Jay-Z and Diddy by a Jane Doe has been withdrawn as contained in a legal filing that was submitted on Friday in New York.

The lawsuit had alleged that both hip-hop stars raped a 13-year-old girl at a VMA Awards afterparty in 2000.

However, the attorney representing the anonymous accuser, Tony Buzbee, filed to withdraw the case, saying that the plaintiff “hereby gives notice that the… action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice.”

As the lawsuit was withdrawn with prejudice, it cannot again be refiled in its current form.

Shortly after the case was dropped, Jay-Z’s entertainment company, Roc Nation, issued a statement signed by the rapper referring to the dismissal as a “victory.”

“Today is a victory,” the statement began. “The frivolous, fictitious, and appalling allegations have been dismissed. This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims.”

He continued, “I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed. This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions.”

JayZ added that “the system has failed,” noting that while the court “must protect victims,” it must also “protect the innocent from being accused without a shred of evidence” with “the same ethical responsibility.”

“May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally,” he concluded.

The “Empire State of Mind” rapper earlier slammed the accusation as a “blackmail” attempt by Buzbee and the alleged victim to force a settlement.

He wrote, “My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee. What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle.”

The rapper added, “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”

He’d earlier filed to have the name of his accuser revealed by the court instead of her pursuing the case anonymously. He explained in his filing that he believes the lawsuit was filed because he refused to give in to the “extortionate” demands of the alleged victim’s lawyer.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement to the BBC, Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, said that the case “never should have been brought.”

“By standing up in the face of heinous and false allegations, Jay has done what few can – he pushed back, he never settled, he never paid 1 red penny, he triumphed and cleared his name,” Spiro said in the statement.

According to the Daily Mail, Jay-Z’s lawyer, Spiro, had earlier filed a 30-page motion where he claimed there are “glaring red flags” in the rapper’s rape accuser’s story as he also demanded that measures be taken against the accuser’s lawyer, Buzbee, for causing “extraordinary harm” to his client.

In his filing, Spiro outlined several perceived inconsistencies, saying it showed that her claims were “demonstrably false.”

The woman in question claimed in her filing that the rape happened at a “large white residence with a gated U-shaped driveway.”

However, Spiro wrote that on the night in question, Diddy was seen at the Lotus nightclub in New York with his then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, and at another Manhattan club, Twirl.

The accuser claimed to have seen musicians Fred Durst and Benji Madden at the afterparty, but they didn’t attend the VMAs that year.

Also, the woman alleged that she watched the event on a jumbotron outside the venue, but Spiro says New York City officials constantly “denied MTV’s permit request.”

Responding to Friday’s dismissal, Diddy’s legal team also issued a statement declaring his innocence.

A statement to The Blast read, “For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by an attorney more focused on media headlines than legal merit. Just like this claim, the others will fall apart because there is no truth to them.”

It added: “This is just the first of many that will not hold up in a court of law.”

Diddy is currently locked up at the notorious metropolitan detention center in New York as he’s charged with sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

Ever since his detention, he had attempted to secure bail on several occasions but was denied and would remain in jail until his trial on May 5.

8 Essential Stress Management Techniques for Calm

Mastering the Art of Stress Management: Essential Techniques for a Calmer Life

In the whirlwind of today’s fast-paced world, stress management is not just a skill—it’s an art form. By crafting a personal strategy with intentional actions, you can transform moments of chaos into opportunities for calm.

Embrace Mindfulness Meditation

Start your journey by diving headfirst into mindfulness meditation. It’s more than just a trend—it’s a powerful practice to anchor your thoughts. Daily mindfulness isn’t about achieving perfection; it’s about presence. Engage deeply, as if each moment were your masterpiece.

Get Moving with Exercise

There’s a direct line between movement and mental clarity. Exercise isn’t solely about building muscles—it’s a dynamic force for stress relief. When you move, you create a symphony of health, where every step, lift, or stretch brings harmony to your mind.

Prioritize Quality Sleep

Sleep isn’t a commodity—it’s a necessity. Gear up for your best days by transforming your nights into restful retreats. Think of sleep as the unsung hero of your health saga, with each night preparing you for the challenges ahead.

Cultivate a Balanced Diet

Your body is akin to a high-performance engine—it requires the right fuel. Nourish it with whole foods that feed not just your body, but your soul. A balanced diet is the cornerstone of stress management, turning chaos into composure.

Harness the Power of Deep Breathing

Amidst the storm of stress, deep breathing is your beacon. Simple yet staggering in effectiveness, it can transform overwhelming moments into ones of manageable calm. Breathe deeply, and breathe often—it’s a haven you can carry anywhere.

Establish Boundaries

In the art of stress mastery, learning to say ‘no’ is crucial. It’s less about building walls and more about opening windows to peace. Establish boundaries that protect your tranquility like a fortress, allowing no intruder to disturb it.

Practice Gratitude

A daily gratitude ritual can alchemize stress into serenity. Each note of appreciation you jot is a stitch in the fabric of tranquility. Let gratitude guide your journey from turbulence to tranquil resolve.

Connect with Nature

Nature is the world’s free therapist. Whether a simple stroll or a challenging hike, the great outdoors has the power to renew your spirit. Let every encounter with nature transform tension into tranquility, leaving you refreshed and rejuvenated.

By integrating these techniques into the rhythm of your life, you can master the art of stress management. Each step forward is a brushstroke in the mural of your well-being—a testament to your resilience and a calmer life.

9 Ways Exercise Builds Mental Fortitude and Resilience

In a world where mental resilience is as coveted as physical prowess, the connection between exercise and mental fortitude cannot be overstated. The journey to strengthening your mind begins with lacing up those sneakers and pushing past the sweat—because every drop is a testament to your resolve.

When you hit the gym or step out on that trail, something magical happens—endorphins flood your system, lifting your spirits and dissolving stress like sugar in water. It’s the body’s natural high, a potent formula for cultivating happiness and banishing the blues. But that’s just the beginning.

Building discipline isn’t just about showing up, it’s about transforming intent into action. Each repetition, each kilometre logged is a brick laid on the path to resilience. This discipline—honed through sweat and effort—seeps into other facets of life, fortifying your resolve in challenges beyond the gym.

And let’s not forget sleep—the unsung hero of mental wellness. Exercise is the gentle prod that aligns your sleep cycles, ensuring the restoration that mind and body crave. With each session, you prime yourself for deeper, more rejuvenating rest, waking up ready to seize the day with clarity and focus.

Exercise is not merely about strength; it’s about clarity—the way your mind sharpens as blood flows faster, feeding your brain with oxygen-rich fuel. You become sharper, more focused, ready to conquer mental tasks with newfound acuity.

Stress? Consider it handled. Through physical exertion, you unleash pent-up tension, channeling stress into motion—a cathartic release that leaves you lighter, more at ease.

The beauty of exercise is not just in solitary sweat; it’s found in community. Whether you’re part of a team or simply sharing smiles with fellow gym-goers, these connections weave a social fabric vital for mental resilience.

Then there are the goals—those shining beacons that guide you through the darkness. The pursuit of fitness milestones teaches vital skills in setting, pursuing, and achieving aspirations, reinforcing your mental toughness with every victory.

Imagine tackling life’s hurdles with boundless energy—that’s the gift of regular exercise. Tapping into reserves you never knew existed, you stride through life with a vigor that turns obstacles into stepping stones.

And as you achieve what once seemed impossible, your self-esteem soars. Each milestone, each personal best becomes a badge of honor, a testament to your strength—both mental and physical.

Yes, fitness is about more than just muscles—it’s about building a fortress of resilience within, defending against the trials of modern life. So, grab those weights, hit that track, and fortify your mind. After all, the strongest muscle isn’t found in the gym—it’s built from within.