movies

Whoopi Goldberg Slams Critics Of Elliot Page’s ‘The Odyssey’ Casting

Published

2 hours ago

July 23, 2026

As The Odyssey surpasses $300M after a record opening weekend, conservative critics should be eating their words.

On Tuesday’s episode of The View, panelist Whoopi Goldberg called out social media trolls who have been “losing their minds over the cast” and are “still trashing the movie” amid its box office success, responding to a video of Ben Shapiro complaining that it’s “stupid to cast Elliot Page as a dude” in the Christopher Nolan adaptation.

“Listen, a lot of conservatives who see this are going to feel the same way. That’s okay,” she prefaced. “But I don’t understand. Why go see the movie? If you don’t want to see it, then don’t go see it. Why do you care who’s cast in it?”

Goldberg continued, “I don’t understand this idea that if we hate it, everybody must hate it because we hate it for this reason. You don’t like Elliot Page? Don’t go see the damn movie. Don’t do it. We will be okay if you don’t go see it.”

Fellow panelist Alyssa Farrah Griffin called the movie “a masterpiece,” arguing that despite the “woke” criticisms, the film has “a real conservative message.”

“It’s about devotion to family, it’s about faith, it’s about upholding institutions. It’s about how war is dangerous and has repercussions for all of us,” she explained. “And the fact that conservatives can’t take the win and just be like, ‘oh no, this is a really excellent film with a good message for families,’ I’ll never understand.”

Joy Behar quipped, “but they’re stuck on ‘woke,’” to which Griffin noted, “But there’s nothing woke in this film.”

Sarah Haines also chimed in on the discourse around trans actor Page playing Greek soldier Sinon, following online outrage over speculation that he would star as Achilles.

“There’s a unique ignorance to someone who comments on something they’ve never seen,” said Haines. “You’re taught from a young age, do your research, learn, and then you can join the conversation. But it’s like not voting and then complaining about what you get. You cannot not see the film and complain about how awful it is, when you haven’t seen the film. Because this film—and I echo Alyssa—is a masterpiece.”

Christopher Nolan attends ‘The Odyssey’ premiere on July 11, 2026 in Mumbai, India.

Aalok Soni/Getty Images for Universal Pictures

Tuesday’s segment comes after criticism from the likes of Elon Musk and Matt Walsh over Oscar-winning Black actress Lupita Nyong’o’s dual casting as Helen of Troy, “the face that launched a thousand ships,” and her sister Clytemnestra. Others have also criticized Nolan for casting Black musician Travis Scott.

Meanwhile, Nolan has dismissed the backlash as “irrelevant” since the movie had not yet been released, noting that it “comes with the territory” of adapting a major piece of IP.

An adaptation of one of the first stories in human history, The Odyssey follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) through the incredible trials and mythical encounters he faces on his decade-long journey home to wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland) after the Trojan War.

The film also stars Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia, Will Yun Lee, Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez, Mia Goth and more.

movies

Reid Scott Leaving ‘Law & Order’, James Badge Dale Replaces Him

Published

2 hours ago

July 23, 2026

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EXCLUSIVE: The police force on Law & Order is undergoing some major staff turnover. Reid Scott, who has played Senior Detective Vincent Riley for the past three seasons, is leaving the venerable NBC crime drama. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Veep alum will be succeeded by another high-profile name, James Badge Dale (13 Hours, 1923). He is set to play a new Senior Detective who will replace Riley.

For Scott, who is believed to have one more year on his contract, the departure is said to be his decision, related to the strain caused by the cross-country commute and being away from his family for nine months of the year while filming Law & Order in New York. His exit was amicable.

Det. Riley will get a proper ending as Scott is back on the set, filming a few episodes to wrap the character’s arc before Dale is introduced. The exact time of the transition is unclear.

Law & Order is known for its revolving cast, with changes between seasons happening annually. Scott’s Det. Riley was most recently partnered with Junior Detective Theo Walker (David Ajala). His previous partner, Junior Detective Jalen Shaw, was played by Mehcad Brooks who left last summer. Scott, in turn, replaced Jeffrey Donovan.

In addition to Ajala, Dale is joining returning Law & Order cast members Tony Goldwyn, Hugh Dancy, Maura Tierney and Odelya Halevi. Season 26 premieres Oct. 8 at 10 PM, behind the season opener of Law & Order: SVU.

In TV, Dale has had major roles on Fox’s 24, HBO’s The Pacific, Starz’s Hightown, Peacock’s Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy and Paramount+s 1923. He is also in the Jessica Chastain thriller series The Savant whose release has been put on hold by Apple TV.

Dale’s film credits include The Departed, The Grey, Iron Man 3, 13 Hours and World War Z. He recently signed on for crime thriller Interference and psychological thriller The Guide. Dale is repped by CAA, MJ Management and Michael Auerbach.

movies

Kevin Feige On Adding Miles Morales To MCU After ‘Spider-Verse’ Ends

Published

3 hours ago

July 23, 2026

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After the MCU expanded on Peter Parker’s Spider-Verse, Kevin Feige hopes to have fan-favorite Miles Morales swing by the franchise.

The Marvel Studios boss recently teased plans for Spider-Man’s Black alter ego make a live-action appearance in a future movie, once he’s done saving the world in Sony Pictures’ animated Spider-Verse franchise, which concludes on June 18, 2027 with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

“The good news is, Sony has the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse series, which are very popular and excellent, and Beyond the Spider-Verse is coming out next year,” Feige told China’s Watching Hollywood. “But yes, we definitely have plans [for a live-action Miles], and I think a live-action Spider-Man movie has this destiny: to add Miles sometime after the Spider-Verse series ends.”

Following Miles Morales’ big screen debut in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), Shameik Moore reprises his voice role as the Marvel web-slinger in next year’s Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, which sees Miles trapped in an alternate universe and on the run while trying to save his family.

In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is introduced to predecessors Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire’s versions of the character when they chase down some of their own villains across the multiverse. “Somewhere there’s bound to be a Black Spider-Man,” says Electro (Jamie Foxx) in one scene.

“Audiences around the world were thrilled because they knew it might be a hint at Spider-Man Miles,” said Feige.

Feige added, “We’ve been thinking and discussing more Spider-Man adventures, regardless of agreements or contracts. My production partner, Amy Pascal, is already working on it, and we’ve had in-depth discussions about what the next two, three, four, and five Spider-Man movies might be about.”

In 2023, Pascal confirmed that a live-action Miles Morales movie was in the works. “You’ll see all of it. It’s all happening,” she told Variety.

Meanwhile, Holland’s Peter Parker returns for a fourth solo outing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, premiering July 30 in theaters.

movies

‘Stuart Fails to Save Universe’ Creator On “Worst Choice” To Lead Spin-Off

Published

4 hours ago

July 23, 2026

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With the Big Bang Theory spin-off machine operating in full force after nearly 20 years, series co-creator Chuck Lorre explained the choice behind the franchise’s latest lead.

While discussing Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, premiering Thursday at 9pm ET on HBO Max, Lorre explained that the titular comic book store owner was “the absolute worst choice” for the offshoot as he was a minor character that nobody would expect to step up and save the world.

“He was the absolute worst choice to be the hero of this story, which made him the perfect choice,” Lorre told People. “And Kevin Sussman, as I’m sure you know, is just a brilliant comic actor, someone you can root for despite his inadequacies. You can look for him.”

Lorre noted that “it was always Kevin” he had in mind for the series, adding, “And right from the very beginning it was Kevin, and the comic book story was.”

Sussman previously admitted to Deadline that leading his own spin-off “was not on my bingo card” as a working actor. “I was not expecting this,” he said.

Kevin Sussman and Chuck Lorre attend the premiere of ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ on July 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Presley Ann/Getty Images for HBO)

In Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Stuart Bloom (Sussman) must stop a “multiverse armageddon” after accidentally damaging a device created by Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter. The adventure leads Stuart and his friends to encounter alternate versions of themselves across other universes.

The spin-off, from co-creators Lorre, Zak Penn and Bill Prady, sees Stuart reunite with his pals Bert (Brian Posehn), Denise (Lauren Lapkus) and Kripke (John Ross Bowie).