In Hollywood, even the deep-sea drama of Aquaman isn’t immune to the tides of controversy, as revealed by the saga surrounding Amber Heard’s role in the film franchise.
The former president of DC Studios, Walter Hamada, recently shed light on why Heard’s presence in the sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, was up for debate—not for the reasons you might think.
Amber Heard reprised her role as Mera, the queen of the sea, alongside Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry in the 2018 blockbuster Aquaman, which garnered mixed reviews but achieved enough success to spawn a sequel.
However, her continued involvement in the franchise became clouded with speculation during her high-profile legal entanglements with ex-husband Johnny Depp.
During a trial, Heard expressed her struggles to maintain her role in the sequel.
“I fought hard to stay in the movie. They didn’t want to include me in the film,” Heard said in court.
She described receiving revised scripts that significantly reduced her action scenes and overall presence, stating: “They basically took a bunch out of my role. They just removed a bunch.”
Addressing these changes, Walter Hamada brought a different perspective to the table, countering claims that these decisions were influenced by her legal issues with Depp.
Instead, Hamada pointed to a lack of chemistry between Heard and Momoa as a pivotal factor, a sentiment echoed by fans and critics alike.
“They didn’t really have a lot of chemistry together,” Hamada explained via People, noting that while movie magic can often bridge such gaps, it sometimes requires considerable effort.
This revelation aligns with social media reactions where some fans noted the palpable tension and lack of chemistry in their on-screen interactions.
Tweets from viewers highlighted how this dynamic didn’t translate well on screen, impacting the audience’s reception of the characters’ relationships.
Despite the challenges, Heard did return for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which premiered in 2023 to a warm reception from audiences, though critics remained less enthused.
The behind-the-scenes drama, as well as the public and critical reaction, underscores the complex interplay of personal dynamics and professional demands in Hollywood’s blockbuster productions.
Featured image credit: Ethan Miller / Getty
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Netflix is releasing explosive new documentary on the unsolved JonBenét Ramsey case this month
By Michelle H
Netflix is set to plunge viewers back into one of America’s most haunting mysteries with the upcoming three-part documentary, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?
The series, launching on November 25, 2024, revisits the chilling unsolved murder of six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey, a beauty pageant star whose life was brutally cut short in her own home on Boxing Day 1996.
The crime, known for its brutality and the mystery that still surrounds it, seized national and global media attention.
On that fateful morning, JonBenét’s parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, discovered a ransom note, but the horror escalated when they found their daughter’s body in their basement later that day.
JonBenét had been sexually assaulted and violently killed, sparking an investigation that has yet to pinpoint the murderer.
Directed by Joe Berlinger, renowned for his deep dives into criminal psyches and systemic failures in law enforcement, like the Conversations with a Killer series and Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street, this documentary aims to shed new light on the case.
Berlinger’s latest work scrutinizes the initial handling of the investigation by the Boulder, Colorado police, criticized for their inexperience with homicide cases, and the media’s role in focusing suspicion on JonBenét’s family, thereby intensifying the spectacle.
Needless to say, anticipation of the Netflix doc has sparked a discussion on X, with one person writing: “This case and Caylee Anthony case still haunts me to this day. So damn sad. I wish those angels got the justice they deserved.”
Another slammed the streamer, writing: “Why is Netflix STILL making documentaries about Jonbenét Ramsey? That poor baby will never get justice at this rate.”
A third penned: “This will be good knowing how Netflix does docs.”
The trailer, released last night, teases an in-depth exploration into the errors and oversight that have left this case cold for nearly three decades.
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey? promises to challenge the public’s understanding of the tragedy and perhaps ignite new discussions on how justice might finally be served for the young girl whose life ended too soon.
Featured image credit: Netflix
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Star of ‘super inappropriate’ children’s movie speaks out after fans call for it to be removed from streaming
By Nasima Khatun
A former child star has responded to claims that one of his old movies is “super inappropriate” amid calls to have the movie removed from streaming platforms.
Actor Brian Bonsall stars in the 1994 comedy Blank Check as the title character Preston Waters, an 11-year-old boy who inherits a blank cheque and uses it to purchase houses under different names.
While the premise of the movie is seemingly harmless, one part of the plot involves the young boy apparently getting into a romantic relationship with a grown woman, who is approximately 20 years his senior.
The character, who was an FBI agent posing as a bank teller and portrayed by Karen Duffy, even gives the pre-teen a kiss on the lips, adding that the pair can go on a “date” in six years… which would still make him just 17 years old.
The kiss scene left many viewers feeling particularly uncomfortable, with some even taking to social media to discuss the topic further.
“The fact that it takes us being older to realize this wasn’t ok – Blank Check is a kids movie… But they kiss 30 something year old women,” wrote one user while another added: “It’s sooo bad, used to be one of my favorite movies when I was a kid.”
A third branded it as “super inappropriate”, adding that this type of thing wouldn’t last in the modern world.
“Never Forget that Disney’s ‘Blank Check’ was 100% inappropriate!…The ’90s was wild y’all,” one final user shared.
I mean, you gotta admit, it’s a little much for a kids movie, right?
Things got so bad that many even petitioned for it to be removed from streaming platforms such as Disney+, though it’s still available to watch.
However, the child star of the show took to Facebook to tell people to chill out.
“I had an absolute blast filming this movie! Everyone was a joy to work with and it’s awesome to see so many people still enjoy it!” he wrote in a previous post, to which many agreed that the movie was made for a whole “different time.”
Do you agree?
As for Bonsall, he’s seemingly given up acting and is pursuing a different type of career in the world of music with his band, The Ataris.
Featured Image Credit: Vinnie Zuffante/Getty
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Viewers stumped by quiz show question that less than 2 in 10 people can solve – and some are convinced the answer is wrong
By Asiya Ali
Viewers have been left baffled by a question that only two in 10 people can answer.
The 1% Club is an Australian quiz show, based on the British program of the same name, that involves contestants putting their logic, reasoning and common sense skills to use.
The show begins with 100 participants competing, with the number slowly decreasing as they try to answer a question that only one percent of the nation got right in hopes of winning up to $129K.
In one episode, only 15 percent of people were able to come up with an answer to a question that confused many people on social media.
In the clip shared online, host Jim Jefferies can be heard asking: “Frodo has forgotten his hotel room number. All he remembers is that it had at least one ‘nine’.
“If the hotel has rooms numbered one to 100, how many might be Frodo’s?” he added.
Watch the video below:
Sounds like a simple question right?
The average person would try to work it by counting all the numbers that have ‘nine’ from 1 to 100.
So this includes 9, 19, 29, 39, 49, 59, 69, 79, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, and 99 – making it 19 possible rooms in total.
However, viewers on TikTok were stumped and refused to accept that ’19’ was the right answer.
One person wrote that they thought it was 18 “because they said at least one nine so I thought 99 can’t be right,” and another agreed, writing: “It should have been 18. Saying at least one is 9, indicates that the room number is double digit.”
A third user thought that “it should be 20,” while a fourth questioned: “Wait? How come 99 was included? The question was phrased, it had at least one 9. I’m so confused right now.”
Meanwhile, others were left shocked by the commentors believing that the answer is anything below “19” and shared their hilarious responses.
“Only 15% get this!? It’s just to count…” someone quipped. “The amount of people in the comments that don’t understand the adverb ‘at least’ is shocking,” a second slammed.
Another person explained: “There are 10 numbers that start with 9, and 10 numbers that end with 9, with only one one of them overlapping, so 19.”
Are you part of the 15% that got the answer correct?
Featured image credit: RyanJLane / Getty
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Fans of Netflix show with 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating left devastated as it’s canceled for a second time
By Nasima Khatun
Another day, another Netflix cancelation – and let’s just say we’re all devastated over this one.
Now, Netflix seems to have a bad habit of canceling some of our favorite shows, and no matter how much of a loyal fanbase the series in question garners, it just seems impossible to keep some series around.
Scavengers Reign, a show about a group of people who were left stranded on a “beautiful but dangerous planet” after their deep space freighter was damaged, has been canceled not once, but twice by two different platforms.
The animated sci-fi originally debuted on Max and despite earning itself a very impressive 100% score on Rotten Tomatos’ Tomatometer, as well as a solid 96% score on the Popcornmeter, it was dropped by the streamer.
Shortly after, it was picked up by Netflix who were considering making a follow-up series to it and unfortunately, it seems as though it’s been axed again.
The announcement was made by the show’s creator, Joe Bennett, who took to Instagram to let fans know.
“As of right now, Scavengers Reign is not being renewed for a second season,” the lengthy post started. “I wanted to let everyone know directly because I really love our fanbase, they’ve been such champions for the show, and I don’t want to leave everyone hanging.”
Bennett continued: “We’ve had to fight tooth and nail every step of the way to get this show made, starting all the way back in 2016 with the Scavengers short film to the release of the first season last year.”
The animator went on to state that it was difficult to even get producers to believe in the original project, noting that they had to persevere through “a million and one hurdles.”
“But, it got made, thanks especially to so many people who supported it along the way, in big and small ways. I want to thank some of those people, starting with my co-creator Charles Huettner, Chris Prynoski and everyone at @titmouseinc, my home base at @greenstreetpictures, the writers, directors, and so many incredible artists who worked tirelessly on the show, and the folks at Max who were incredible partners to work with.”
Regardless of the show’s cancelation, the star revealed that this would not be the end for Scavengers Reign.
“There is more story to be told, we are ready to make another season, and we produced in-house at Green Street a teaser for what was going to come in the second season,” Bennett added before concluding: “Thanks again to everyone who watched and supported the show.”
Naturally, fans were devastated upon hearing the news.
“If this show isn’t renewed, it feels like no animated shows can get renewed,” wrote one user, while another added: “This show is everything to me. If u [sic] guys ever made a kickstarter or anything to try & start up s2 again I’d be there.”
A third also chimed in, writing: “Scavengers Reign was an absolute masterpiece, and a stunning work of art. I have no doubt in my mind another door will open soon. We’re all rooting for you. You’ve got fans for life!”
The first season of Scavengers Reign is still available to watch on Netflix.
Featured Image Credit: Joan Cros/NurPhoto/Getty
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Heartbreaking nanny cam footage reveals wife’s horrific abuse of husband in new Netflix documentary
By Asiya Ali
The streaming giant recently released the heartbreaking film, My Wife My Abuser: Captured on Camera, which first aired on Channel Five earlier this year.
Watch a clip from the documentary below:
The 90-minute documentary detailed the horrific abuse Richard Spencer endured at the hands of his wife, Sheree, for over two decades.
From the outside, the couple seemed to have a picture-perfect family life as Richard was a successful IT designer, while his wife held a high-ranking position at the Ministry of Justice. They resided in a six-bedroom house in Bubwith, England, with their three daughters.
However, behind closed doors, Sheree subjected her husband to the most vile humiliation and terror – both physically and emotionally.
The 47-year-old handed over 43 photos of injuries, 36 videos, and nine mobile recordings to authorities after finding the courage to speak out about the violence he was experiencing.
The documentary showed these harrowing pieces of evidence, as well as shocking never-before-seen nanny cam footage that revealed proof of Sheree’s abusive behavior.
One video caught on the camera, which was installed after the birth of the couple’s third daughter in 2015, caught Sheree threatening Richard with a knife in front of their children, according to Daily Mail.
Another disturbing clip revealed Sheree grabbing her husband’s hair and hitting him while calling him awful words like “fat c***” and a “lazy b******” for not putting a chicken in the oven.
In the documentary, the father-of-three said: “Sheree’s abuse towards me evolved and escalated over time, she used repeated acts of physical assault, threats, verbal abuse, and humiliation to punish and exercise control over me.
“The abuse was hidden from the outside world, including friends and family. Sheree manipulated me into believing that I was a responsible and willing participant in the abuse,” he continued. “She remorselessly proclaimed that I deserved to be punished and that it was a justifiable consequence of me disappointing her in some way.”
Many viewers were left in tears after watching the heartbreaking documentary and took to their social media to share their reactions.
“Genuinely can’t put into words the sheer heartbreak and disgust I feel. That poor man and his kids. I feel physically sick. Domestic abuse is not a gendered crime! Anyone can be victims of it,” one person said.
“#MyWifeMyAbuser is such a hard watch, that man is so brave for speaking out about what he went through,” a second commented.
“I’m just watching my wife, my abuser my heart breaks for this poor guy. I’m glad he found the courage to speak out,” a third added.
Richard revealed that the verbal abuse and the humiliation he suffered affected him the most, explaining: “Things that affected me more than the physical attacks would be the more demoralizing things she would do to me,” he said, per Daily Mail.
“In the kitchen, we would often have a box of 12 or more eggs which she would take over to me and crack over my head or push into my face. She was so angry sometimes that the eggshell would cut into my skin.
“I’d have to go upstairs and shower to get the egg out of my hair and clothes – I would feel hopeless a lot of the time after these things happened,” he added.
Sheree was eventually sentenced to four years in prison last year. The judge, Kate Rayfield, described the case as “the worst incidence of controlling and coercive behavior [she had ever] seen”.
My Wife, My Abuser is available to watch on Netflix now.
