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UPI
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
'Thunderbolts' available on digital, Blu-Ray in July
1 of 5 | Florence Pugh attends the premiere of "We Live In Time" in September. She stars in "Thunderbolts." File Photo by Chris Chew/UPI | License Photo June 18 (UPI) -- Thunderbolts arrives for purchase on digital platforms beginning July 1, Marvel Entertainment announced Wednesday. The film stars Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Florence Pugh as Yelena, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, David Harbour as Red Guardian and Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost. Together the group of reluctant superheroes face off against "The Void" (Lewis Pullman). "Everyone here has done bad things. You can't escape the past," Yelena says in the trailer. The film follows them as they step in for the absent Avengers and redeem themselves. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Geraldine Viswanathan and Olga Kurylenko also star. Thunderbolts becomes available for digital purchase July 1 and arrives on Blu-ray July 29. The movie opened in theaters May 2. Marvel stars walk the red carpet Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. (R), and his wife, Susan Downey, attend the premiere of "Avengers: Endgame" in Los Angeles on April 22, 2019. Downey, in 2024, announced that he will be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the villainous Dr. Doom. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
UPI
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: 'Fantastic Four' teaser introduces H.E.R.B.I.E. robot
1 of 5 | Pedro Pascal plays Mr. Fantastic in "The Fantastic Four." File Photo by Rune Hellestad/UPI | License Photo June 16 (UPI) -- Marvel Entertainment is teasing Fantastic Four: First Steps by introducing a new character. H.E.R.B.I.E. is introduced as the robot that lends "a helping hand" to the Fantastic Four. The character is voiced by Matthew Wood. "The state-of-the-art personal assistant that does everything without a single complaint, and when trouble appears, he's a valuable member of the team," a voice says in the clip. H.E.R.B.I.E. is shown protecting a newborn baby, fixing dinner, and assembling a crib. The Fantastic Four stars Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Thing, Joseph Quinn as Human Torch and Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer. The film arrives in theaters July 25. Marvel stars walk the red carpet Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. (R), and his wife, Susan Downey, attend the premiere of "Avengers: Endgame" in Los Angeles on April 22, 2019. Downey, in 2024, announced that he will be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the villainous Dr. Doom. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
See - Sada Elbalad
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Marvel Won't Have to Turn Over Ryan Reynolds' Nicepool Documents to Justin Baldoni
Yara Sameh Nicepool's introduction in Marvel's 2024 blockbuster "Deadpool & Wolverine" may be the most observed four minutes of screen time in recent memory. The introduction of the character Nicepool in Marvel's 2024 hit 'Deadpool & Wolverine' might mark the most scrutinized four minutes of screen time in recent memory. On Monday, Judge Lewis Liman threw out Justin Baldoni's defamation case against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, which means that Marvel won't have to turn over what it calls 'proprietary and highly confidential' documents and communications about the development of Reynolds' Nicepool character. While Judge Liman threw out Baldoni's defamation case, he is allowing the director to file an amended complaint by June 23 regarding interference with contracts, however, the Nicepool subpoena was tied to the defamation claims, which are now dead. 'The motion by Marvel Entertainment, LLC ('Marvel') to quash a subpoena issued to Marvel from the Wayfarer Parties and for a protective order prohibiting the disclosure of Marvel's confidential documents is GRANTED,' Judge Liman wrote. 'The information sought is no longer relevant to a claim or defense in this action. Moreover, assuming the information were relevant, it would not be proportional to the needs of the case and the potential harm to Marvel of disclosing confidential commercial information.' The move comes months of back and forth on the matter between attorneys for Baldoni and the studio, which was trying to quash the director's efforts to obtain the material in his ongoing legal battle with Lively. On January 7, Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman, sent a litigation hold letter to Marvel president Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger, instructing the studio to preserve all relevant documents and data with regard to Baldoni. That letter came one week before the 'It Ends With Us' director filed a civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds for $400 million, claiming that the married power couple sought to 'destroy' him with false harassment claims and an alleged smear campaign. Marvel was subpoenaed on February 14. Baldoni's attorneys have argued that Reynolds was intentionally mocking and bullying Baldoni in a four-minute scene in Marvel's 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' which was released by Disney in July. On screen, Reynolds played 'Nicepool,' a misogynistic alternate version of the titular protagonist Deadpool, and served up such lines as 'Where in God's name is the intimacy coordinator?!' while complimenting Ladypool for 'snapping back' into shape after giving birth. The lines echo elements of Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni and two of his publicists, in which she claims she was the victim of sexual harassment on the set of 'It Ends With Us' and a subsequent smear campaign for speaking up about alleged mistreatment. Lively, who appears in the same scene as Ladypool, accused Baldoni of sexually harassing and fat-shaming her postpartum body on the set of 'It Ends With Us.' When Deadpool points out Nicepool's sexism in the scene, the latter replies, 'It's OK, I identify as a feminist.' During the development, production, and marketing of 'It Ends With Us,' a drama about domestic violence, Baldoni often touted his credentials as a feminist and ally to women. On April 2, the studio's attorney, Adam Levin at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, wrote to Freedman, asking him to withdraw the subpoena because disclosure of the documents 'is likely to substantially harm Marvel' and 'irrelevant to the claims asserted in this case.' Levin added, 'The requested documents are particularly sensitive because they relate to the development of a character in an ongoing movie franchise. Marvel has built the success of the MCU in large part by interconnecting storylines, plots, and characters across its titles, including 'crossover' events and sequels. Whether and how such elements will appear in upcoming, unreleased projects is the subject of much public interest, and this information is closely guarded by Marvel.' The Marvel attorney asked Freedman to agree to defer the return date of the subpoena 'until after the Court decides Reynolds' pending motion to dismiss.' On April 25, Marvel attorney Jacob Albertson wrote to Judge Liman to request that the court quash the Baldoni subpoena. Albertson made similar arguments to those Levin previously made and added that producing any documents and communications concerning Baldoni would prove to be 'unduly burdensome.' He added, 'The Wayfarer Parties certainly have other, less burdensome means through which they can obtain relevant information (if any exists) from the parties in the action, such as a request for admission or a party deposition.' Three days later, Baldoni's lawyers, Mitchell Schuster and Kevin Fritz of Meister Seelig & Fein, shot back with a letter to Judge Liman. 'Marvel does not explain how the Subpoena is unduly burdensome, especially given the Wayfarer Parties' agreement to narrow the scope thereof, and Marvel does not claim it will incur significant expense to locate and produce the documents,' the letter stated. Freedman's initial litigation hold letter was far broader and asked the studio to preserve communications concerning Tim Miller, who directed the first 'Deadpool' movie but did not return for the sequel or 'Deadpool & Wolverine.' Miller and Reynolds are known to have clashed. 'The suggestion by Marvel that the Wayfarer Parties should obtain documents and information concerning 'Nicepool' from the parties hereto including from Ryan Reynolds himself is insincere because Marvel also seeks a protective order 'prohibiting the disclosure of Marvel's confidential documents by any party or other nonparty in this action,'' Schuster and Fritz added. The attorneys argued that the subpoena only seeks documents concerning one character — 'Nicepool' — who appears in one already released movie. They note that Nicepool does not appear in any other entry in Marvel's film franchise and will not appear in any future outings, given that he was killed off in 'Deadpool & Wolverine.' The letter also took issue with Marvel's move to stall pending a determination of Reynolds' motion to dismiss. 'Reynolds himself has neither sought nor obtained a stay of discovery in connection with his dismissal motion,' the letter stated. 'Additionally … there are not substantial grounds for dismissal of the claims against him. And in the unlikely event claims against Reynolds are dismissed with prejudice, the information sought in the Subpoenas remains relevant as to the suit against Lively, as the Wayfarer Parties contend Reynolds was acting as an agent of Lively.' Baldoni's battle with Marvel is merely a subplot in a much larger war between the director and his 'It Ends With Us' star. There are currently multiple lawsuits that involve 'It Ends With Us' parties, the most recent one being filed by Baldoni's Wayfarer Studios against his former publicist, Stephanie Jones, who he alleges 'maliciously' leaked text messages that sparked the entire saga. At the center of the sprawling back-and-forth, Baldoni is suing and being sued by Lively over what happened on the set of and in the run-up to the release of the 2024 domestic violence drama. Lively's lawyers celebrated Judge Liman's decision on Monday. 'As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the court saw right through it,' Lively's lawyers said on June 9 after the dismissal. 'We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni […] and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation.' Baldoni's attorneys vowed to keep fighting, noting 'Ms. Lively and her team's predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling.' Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman, added in a statement: 'While the court dismissed the defamation related claims, the court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations. This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively's own team conveniently describes as 'untraceable' because they cannot prove what never happened.' There has been much discussion about why the development of Nicepool was relevant in a legal drama that stems from a different movie ('It Ends With Us') that was produced and distributed by a different studio (Sony). But Baldoni's lawyers say the breadcrumbs were left in plain sight. In the end credits of 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' the actor who plays Nicepool is listed as 'Gordon Reynolds' and not Ryan Reynolds. Lively subsequently thanked Gordon Reynolds in the end credits of 'It Ends With Us,' drawing a throughline to Nicepool. Lively herself has used similar language that mirrors lines in 'Deadpool & Wolverine.' In a July 22 Instagram post that tagged @deadpoolmovie and @itendswithusmovie, Lively wrote 'about Nice men who use feminism as a tool.' For its part, Marvel previously noted the intense media scrutiny in the case as grounds to quash the subpoena, that interest began long before the parties began suing one another, with seemingly innocuous observations from fans about members of the cast of 'It Ends With Us' unfollowing Baldoni on social media last summer ahead of the film's release. It continues with recent reports that Travis Kelce has unfollowed Reynolds on Instagram, and Kelce's girlfriend, Taylor Swift, appears to be keeping her distance from the drama, even though her name has surfaced repeatedly in coverage of the case given her friendship with Lively during the production of 'It Ends With Us.' read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Inside the MAGA vs. hawk battle to sway Trump on bombing Iran
An influential group of GOP hawks has launched a behind-the-scenes lobbying offensive pressing President Donald Trump to not only back off his administration's quest for a nuclear deal with Iran, but greenlight an attack on Tehran by Israel. The campaign is raising alarms among Trump and his allies, who have launched a counteroffensive to keep the president's diplomacy on track. During a private lunch with the president at the White House last Wednesday, conservative talk show host Mark Levin told Trump that Iran was days away from building a nuclear weapon, an argument Trump's own intelligence team has told the president is not accurate, according to an intelligence official as well as another Trump ally familiar with the matter. Levin urged Trump to allow the Israeli government to strike Iranian nuclear sites, which Trump has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would torpedo the diplomacy. Levin has beenwaging a public war against Trump's longtime friend and special envoy leading talks, Steve Witkoff, who also attended the meeting. They were joined by GOP megadonor Ike Perlmutter, the onetime Marvel Entertainment executive who is friendly with Witkoff. On a separate front, MAGA loyalists have been warily eyeing Rupert Murdoch's papers, particularly the New York Post, as they've savaged Witkoff, suggesting at one point that he's a mouthpiece for Qatar. The allegations have infuriated some in Trump's inner circle, who see them as an effort to undercut the talks. Murdoch has, meanwhile, privately complained to confidants about Witkoff's effort, according to a person familiar with the matter. 'They're trying to push the president to make a decision that's not what he wants,' a senior administration official told POLITICO. This person, like others in this story, was granted anonymity to speak freely. 'There's clearly a lobby for war with Iran vs. those who are more aligned with the president, that know he is the one that has been able to bring them to the negotiating table.' The lobbying has triggered a coordinated effort to defend Trump and Witkoff's diplomatic posture. Hours after Levin's meeting with Trump, Tucker Carlson, who had clearly been alerted to the gathering by someone familiar with what happened, took to X to accuse Levin of trying to bully the U.S. into war. 'There is zero credible intelligence that suggests Iran is anywhere near building a bomb, or has plans to. None,' Carlson tweeted. 'So why is Mark Levin once again hyperventilating about weapons of mass destruction? To distract you from the real goal, which is regime change — young Americans heading back to the Middle East to topple yet another government.' The private lobbying and public sniping highlight a vast breach in the GOP over U.S. foreign policy just months into Trump's first term. While many hawkish members of the old guard have viewed Witkoff's diplomatic effort with skepticism, the more restrained wing of the party has been adamant about defusing tensions with Tehran. In the middle of the tug-of-war is Trump, who ran on a promise of ending what his followers see as endless U.S. foreign adventurism and war. Some Trump allies believe the president will stand his ground — and even predict the pressure tactics are starting to grate on him. 'Levin and Murdoch are all over Trump all the time — I actually think they hurt their case because I know Trump,' said one longtime Trump confidant. 'Once he's kind of made his mind up, you can come at it later from a different angle, but you keep pressing, he digs in.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told POLITICO the president 'has always been willing to listen to a wide range of voices on every issue — but ultimately, he is the final decision maker.' 'With respect to Iran, President Trump has made his own opinion clear: he would like to pursue diplomacy and make a deal, but IF Iran makes a deal impossible, President Trump has other options on the table,' she added. Trump sounded a note of skepticism about a potential deal while speaking to reporters Monday afternoon. While noting that his administration will engage with Iran for their latest talks on Thursday, Trump said the Iranians are 'just asking for things that you cannot do.' 'They do not want to give up what they have to give up — you know what that is: They seek enrichment. We can't have enrichment,' he said. 'We want just the opposite. And so far they are not there. I hate to say that because the alternative is a very, very dire one.' While both camps have a tendency to frame their positions as binary choices — a deal or war, an attack on Iran's program or a guaranteed Iranian nuclear weapon — the reality is less clear. If the nuclear talks fail, that would increase the likelihood that the U.S., Israel or both would feel compelled to act militarily. But the U.S. could also more immediately look to ratchet up economic pressure on Tehran to see if it might eventually return to talks, a strategy some Republicans are already pushing privately. As for those favoring a strike on Iran's facilities, many military and nuclear experts say that U.S.-Israeli action would probably only temporarily set back Iran's program rather than completely destroy it. Other MAGA figures, from Charlie Kirk to activist Jack Posobiec, have used their public profiles to bolster the case for diplomacy. They're encouraging Trump to stick to his negotiations and resist what they fear could be an Israeli-led sleepwalk into war. Vice President JD Vance, perhaps the most powerful leader of the anti-war faction of the party — and who has close ties with many online MAGA influencers — has also weighed in. Just after Levin's meeting with Trump, he came to Witkoff's defense in a podcast with Theo Von. Witkoff recently gave Iran a proposal for a deal that would allow Tehran to enrich uranium at low levels but eventually become part of a regional enrichment consortium. Iran has made clear it will not abandon its domestic enrichment capability, while Trump has set that as a red line. That's left Witkoff to try to bridge the gap with a solution, which Iran has not yet formally responded to. 'It is a very creative proposal that allows both sides to claim a win,' a senior administration official said. Witkoff will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for a sixth round of talks on Friday or Sunday. Advocates for military action or ratcheting up significant pressure on Iran say this is the best opportunity in years to strike Iran after Israeli attacks weakened its regional proxies. Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank and a fierce critic of Iran's government, said the public debate has weakened the perception that the U.S. would be prepared to strike or back Israel if necessary. 'Those who are advocating that there be no credible military threat are making it more likely there'll be a bad deal, and more likely that the Israelis will be forced to strike,' he said. Trump allies and administration officials wary of military action have been seeing stories in some conservative media that they privately discount as plants by hawks and other pro-military, Israel-aligned groups. The officials spent much of last week working to discredit a Fox News storyabout an Austrian intelligence agency report that suggested Iran has grand plans to develop nuclear weapons that will help it assert dominance in the region. The posturing also comes on the heels of the latest assessment by the U.N.'s nuclear energy watchdog, IAEA, which has concluded that Tehran has increased its stockpile of 'near-bomb uranium' over the past three months. That's given Tehran the ability to fuel 'roughly 10 weapons, up from around five or six' when Trump took office, according to the New York Times. U.S. intelligence has pegged Iran's so-called breakout time — the amount of time it needs to produce enough weapons grade material for a nuclear weapon — at one to two weeks, U.S. officials say. But officials also continue to assess that Iran has not made the decision to actively go for a nuclear weapon. If Iran were to pursue the bomb, experts and diplomats disagree how long it would take to weaponize it, ranging from a few months to over a year. There's one big wildcard in all of this: People on both sides of the debate aren't sure what Trump will do. One person noted that the president has been so firm in his beliefs that he fired Michael Waltz as national security adviser in part because he'd been coordinating with the Israelis for an Iran offensive. Still, even among those pressing for diplomacy, there is concern about the president's penchant for changing his mind depending on who he's last spoken to. There's a fear Trump — who has threatened to bomb Iran if they don't come to heel — could act on rhetoric many largely deem negotiating bravado. '[Trump is] very solid in what he wants and letting Witkoff do his thing,' said one person close to the talks. 'But depending on who he hears from, he may move a little bit.' Some of the hawks in and around the lobbying effort, meanwhile, say that Trump has made clear that he is prepared to use military force if necessary. Pursuing diplomacy at any cost, they say, is a misreading of what he wants. 'The good news is Donald Trump is … not an isolationist. He's bombed Yemen, he's taken out [IRGC leader Qasem] Soleimani and [ISIS leader Abu Bakr al] Baghdadi. He's done what he needs to do. But [isolationism] is a force that continues to try pressuring him,' Levin said during a recent episode. In some ways, the push and pull with Israel has been going on for months. Israel has been privately imploring the administration to join them to strike Iran's nuclear facilities. But Trump has headed off that pressure. When Ron Dermer, Israel's strategic affairs minister and a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, came to Washington in early May, Trump asked him to prevent Israel from attacking Iran while Trump was on his Middle East swing, according to one Trump ally and one U.S. official familiar with the conversations. The president stayed another attempt again in late May. Israeli officials have told the Trump administration that they believe they have a limited window to strike. Trump's decision to favor diplomacy over military action — at least for now — also highlights the growing rift between Washington and Israel. Trump's pro-Israel actions from his first term have given him cover from attacks from Netanyahu or others who would suggest he is not pro-Israel enough. Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the U.S. embassy there, recognized Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights, and brokered the Abraham Accords, among other actions. But now the two close allies are at odds over Iran. Even before the dispute over strategy, Israelis have expressed disappointment in the U.S. decision to end its campaign on the Iran-backed Houthis without notifying the Jewish nation, and bypassing a visit to Israel on the president's Middle East swing. 'The president is not going to support war… But I'm telling you, these guys won't take no for an answer,' said a longtime Trump ally. 'This is why there's a breach in the Bibi-President Trump relationship. ... Israel isn't reading the room. The MAGA movement doesn't support military operations.'
Pink Villa
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Marvel Gets Released From Justin Baldoni-Blake Lively Drama Right After 400 Million USD Lawsuit Dismissal, Know-How
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to sexual harassment. Marvel Entertainment has been officially removed from the ongoing legal case between Gossip Girl actress Blake Lively and Jane the Virgin actor-director Justin Baldoni. On June 9, U.S. District Court Judge Lewis J. Liman granted Marvel's request to quash a subpoena and shield its confidential documents from disclosure. According to PEOPLE, the subpoena had been issued by Baldoni's Wayfarer Parties in an attempt to obtain internal Marvel communications related to a character named Nicepool from Deadpool & Wolverine, written by and starring Ryan Reynolds, Lively's husband. Why was Marvel involved in the first place? Baldoni's legal team argued that the Nicepool character was created to harass and ridicule him. In documents sent earlier this year, Baldoni's attorneys claimed the character was part of a broader effort to "mock, harass, ridicule, intimidate or bully" him amid his legal feud with Lively. To support their case, Baldoni's lawyers sent a litigation hold letter on January 7 to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger. They demanded that all documents mentioning Baldoni be preserved. However, Judge Liman wrote that the subpoena is now irrelevant. "The information sought [from Marvel] is no longer relevant to a claim or defense in this action," he stated in the court order. Marvel Entertainment first filed a request on April 25, asking the court to issue a protective order over its confidential files and to void the subpoena. With the dismissal of Baldoni's USD 400 million countersuit earlier that day, the court agreed that there is no longer a legal need to involve Marvel in the case. What's next in the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni case? While the countersuit was dismissed, Judge Liman stated that Baldoni could revise and refile certain claims by June 23 if he chooses to continue. The countersuit, originally seeking USD 400 million, accused Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane, and Vision PR, Inc. of defamation, civil extortion, and more. Baldoni had filed it in response to Lively's lawsuit, which alleges sexual harassment and retaliation. She is seeking triple and punitive damages. A trial for Lively v. Wayfarer Studios et al. is scheduled for March 2026.
