Author: business

We missed you, “Star Wars.”

Back in the day – when it was mainly a movie franchise – the galaxy far, far away was one of my favorite things. Since its standout early years, and the prequel and sequel trilogies, “Star Wars” has become mainly a TV thing – some of it good, some of it forgettable. The second season of “Andor” is here now, however, to remind us of how vital this space opera still can be. Put that on your to-watch list, for sure, but also consider Ben Affleck’s sequel “The Accountant 2” and some new movies on streaming services. (Hint: Tom Hardy + Netflix = action-flick gold.)

Now on to the good stuff:

See Diego Luna rebel against the Empire in ‘Andor’ (the best ‘Star Wars’ show!)

The “Star Wars” shows have been a mixed bag – as much as I love “The Mandalorian,” other projects like “Skeleton Crew” (aka cosmic “Goonies”) and “Obi-Wan Kenobi” were pretty mid. Thankfully, the best is back: The first three episodes of “Andor” Season 2 are streaming now. The prequel to the “Rogue One” movie (itself a prequel to the original 1977 jam) finds Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) helping the Rebel Alliance come together as the evil Empire increases its fascistic presence across the galaxy. TV critic Kelly Lawler is also a fan, writing in her ★★★★ review that the new season is “a deeply affecting narrative about love, sacrifice and belief.”

I talked with creator Tony Gilroy and Luna about the political and psychological impact of this season – where main character are stressed to the max in an increasingly unstable world – and chatted with Denise Gough and Kyle Soller about the show’s unlikely Imperial romance.

In his new movie “The Shrouds” (in theaters nationwide April 25), the Canadian filmmaker imagines a near future where high-definition cameras are placed in luxury coffins, allowing people to check in on their loved ones via livestream after they die.

It may sound macabre, watching your family and friends as their bodies gradually decay through the years. But if such technology actually existed, Cronenberg would be all in.

“I would have done that, I really would,” he says on a Zoom call. “In Toronto, we have a walk of fame with plaques in the sidewalk. I thought, ‘I would like to be buried under my plaque.’ In fact, it should have Plexiglass so people could look down and see me there disintegrating. I know my fans would love that.”

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Roman died April 23, in Bellingham, Washington, where she had moved last year to be closer to him.

The cause of death was not shared.

Getting her start as a scrappy comedian and Go-Go dancer in the Texas nightclub scene, Roman’s fame grew exponentially when she became a regular on “Hee Haw” − the long-running comedy sketch show that offered country music stars guest spots to perform.

From 1969 well into the 1990s, Roman delighted “Hee Haw” audiences with wry humor and later a knack for gospel vocals. A bout with drug addiction sidelined her from the show briefly in the 1970s, after which she discovered Christianity and went on to record a dozen albums, including duets with Dolly Parton and George Jones.

Roman performed at the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan in 1980 and was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in the late 1990s.

Combs’ attorneys met with Judge Arun Subramanian on April 25 at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan to hash out trial preparations with prosecutors.

The pretrial conference comes as attorneys for Combs dispute key aspects of the legal proceeding with the U.S. government, such as the identities of Combs’ alleged victims on the witness stand and the scope of expert testimony presented to jurors in the case.

Diddy on Trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom with USA TODAY as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces sex crimes and trafficking charges. Subscribe to the newsletter. 

Peppa Pig’s mother first broke the news of her pregnancy in late February, sharing the “joyous baby news” in a podcast interview with Kylie Kelce, host of “Not Gonna Lie,” on Feb. 27. Peppa and her little brother George also made a cameo on Kelce’s show.

“Mummy’s on a call, you two. Sorry, where was I? Oh yes, the announcement,” Mummy Pig said. “Well, I’m thrilled to say I’m pregnant. Baby #3 is due in the summer.”

Mummy Pig’s gender reveal, not discussed on the show, was featured on an episode of “Peppa Pig Tales” released Friday by Walmart.

Peppa and George, who weren’t sure about whether they wanted a little brother or a little sister, found out their sibling’s gender by catching a balloon that held the answer. Audiences will get to see Peppa (and George) step into a bigger role with her new little sibling arriving in Season 11 later this year.

No, Anna Kendrick, the romantic interest of Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) in the 2016 original, does not return. Nor does Christian find success at a speed dating event, seen in the sequel’s trailer, for which the neurodivergent mathematical genius has hacked the company’s algorithm. The new installment is a revelrous, wave-your-cowboy-hat celebration of brotherly love. (And we don’t mean that in the “White Lotus” Season 3 sense.)

The film, which arrives in theaters April 25, reunites Christian with his younger brother, hitman Braxton (Jon Bernthal). At the end of the first movie, the two estranged siblings (who shared very little screentime) made loose plans to see each other the following week. In “The Accountant 2,” we learn once again they’ve been out of touch for years.

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“They really do connect to things we all go through, like the difficulty sometimes with families,” says Affleck, seated next to Bernthal. “These are people that we love most in the world. They’re also the people that can sometimes aggravate us most in the world. So you’ve got that closeness, but sometimes the friction of that. And that can be funny, and that can be maddening.”

Christian and Braxton team up to help Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) solve the mystery of Ray King’s (J.K. Simmons) death, resulting in plenty of deadpan comedy and shoot-‘em-up scenes.

“Violence was always the language which was the easiest way for them to tell each other that they loved each other,” Bernthal, 48, says. “And that’s really what those scenes were.”

Ben Affleck stars in action-packed sequel ‘The Accountant 2’

Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) and Braxton (Jon Bernthal) reunite for “The Accountant 2.”

Amazon MGM Studios

Affleck, 52, and Bernthal require far fewer rounds of ammo to express their affection.

“It sounds cheesy, but I genuinely love him,” Bernthal told USA TODAY on the carpet for the film’s world premiere at South by Southwest on March 8, sporting a black cowboy hat that concealed his buzzed hair for Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.” “I love him as a guy, I love him as an artist, and I’m super-proud to call him a friend. I’d follow him anywhere.”

Considering that Bernthal keeps his daughter’s headband hanging around his rearview mirror and carries a picture of wife Erin Angle to every gig, his gushing over Affleck seems sincere.

With Bernthal by his side, Affleck describes acting together as “the great joy of the movie.”

“You always have the sense that there’s some sort of lightning in a bottle that you could catch, and that’s what it felt like every day,” Affleck says. “It was like, ‘Something special might happen here.’ I felt very in sync with Jon. He’s extremely intelligent. He’s a writer. He’s a filmmaker, really, and he understands all of what needs to happen on multiple levels.”

‘Relationships are complex’: How Ben Affleck relates to Christian in ‘The Accountant 2:

Bernthal is protective of “blow your mind”-type stories Affleck shared with the cast, “unbelievable stories” about Affleck’s experiences in the industry.

“Those stories,” Affleck jokes, “are going to go into the autobiography that I’m going to type out, on a typewriter, and then light on fire.”

One of the tenderest moments between the brothers is a scene Bernthal predicted would find a home on the cutting-room floor. To flirt with a woman at a bar, Christian line dances beside her to “Copperhead Road.”

“It had nothing to do with any doubt for this man, his musical abilities,” Bernthal professes as Affleck pretends to be wounded by his costar’s words. “I just really, really was like, ‘Oh, boy, line dancing.’ But I’m telling you, being there, it was electric. It made complete and utter perfect sense.”

Ben Affleck on ‘The Accountant 2’ at SXSW premiere

Ben Affleck opens up about relationships and authentic connections on the red carpet of “The Accountant 2” premiere at SXSW.

In the scene, Braxton lovingly looks at Christian dancing and proudly proclaims to bar patrons, “That’s my big brother up there!” Later the siblings toss a pair of guys, who were mad that Christian was flirting with one’s girl, out the window.

“The best part of that scene for me is Jon’s reaction where you see how much he roots for and wants his brother to be happy,” Affleck says. “And it’s moments like that where you really see that people love each other. Obviously, I’m not a − despite what you may think − a professional dancer, and I’m not an experienced line dancer.

“But I figured that’s sort of part of the charm, and the character’s going to put himself out there. It’s incumbent on me to do that, and it was a lot of fun.”

Every year, right about this time, toward the end of April, they know it’s coming. It being the onslaught of “It’s Gonna Be May” memes.

“I think every time May comes around, it becomes this meme and it’s been embellished over the years and even kids who might not know about it, they’re saying, ‘It’s Gonna Be May,’” Fatone told the USA Today Network.

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It was 25 years ago when Fatone, Bass and the rest of NSYNC, Chris Kirkpatrick, JC Chavez and Justin Timberlake, released the song “It’s Gonna Be Me.” Timberlake, who sang the title line of the song, pronounced “me” as “may,” and from there, hundreds of memes were born and continue to be rereleased each year at the end of April.

“I cannot believe ‘It’s Gonna Be May’ is still going,” Bass said. “I mean, it’s 25 years old. It’s kept alive by this one day a year, April 30. Thanks to Justin for being able to pronounce me may.”