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CBS Sports Says “No Timetable” For Tony Romo’s Potential Return After Drunk Driving Arrest

Published

31 minutes ago

August 11, 2026

CBS Sports CEO David Berson said there is “no timetable” for a decision on Tony Romo, the network’s No. 1 analyst who was sidelined by a drunk driving arrest last month.

Addressing reporters Tuesday at the annual CBS NFL season preview event in New York, Berson said situation is “a personal matter, and a legal one for Tony. So I can’t speak to that aspect of things.” From the network point of view, he added, “I can say that it’s an evolving situation, and therefore we’re still investigating. There is no timetable or final decision at this time.”

Romo was arrested last month on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated [OWI] after he was pulled over on the interstate highway in his home state of Wisconsin. CBS promptly suspended him “until further notice,” issuing a terse statement. They then followed up by announcing that JJ Watt, who had been the No. 2 analyst on the CBS roster, would start the season in Romo’s slot at the start of the season in early September.

Berson also waved off numerous questions about the other hot topic on the media’s mind, the pending $110 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. It was taken off the table before Berson’s general remarks at the start of the event, and he also declined to address it at later roundtables among smaller groups of reporters.

A court date has been set for September 21, eight days after the season’s first CBS game telecast, with the outcome of that legal proceeding likely to have a bearing on the outlook for Romo. A major consideration for CBS and parent company Paramount is Romo’s 10-year, $180 million contract, which raised the bar for all on-air sports talent when it was signed in 2020. The company may have an out via a morals clause in the agreement, multiple reports have said in the weeks since the arrest.

Another data point is Romo’s performance, or at least the perception of it, which has declined in the opinion of some critics. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback burst on the scene in his first season on the air, earning the corny but apt nickname “Romo-stradomus” with his novel on-air predictions of what would happen next on the field. As a buttoned-up network with a 67-year relationship with the NFL, CBS is also likely to want to avoid the flurry of headlines and memes that would be generated by Romo’s return to the CBS booth.

“We have to consider the impact on our image and our brand,” Berson said. “That’s very important to us. Whether the games, marketing, PR, social, the focus should be, and needs to be, on our presentation and this great product, and not on any other factors.”

Berson the timing of the incident is playing a role in management’s handling of Romo’s absence. “Since it continues to evolve and we’re on the eve of the season, I felt it’s very important that our team, the many, many hundreds of people who work on the NFL and CBS, have certainty and direction so we can definitely plan and focus on the production and marketing as we kick off the season,” he said.

“Fortunately, we have a very deep bench, and I’m really proud of the way everyone’s stepping up and responding,” he said. Watt, play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson are “already knee-deep in planning, and I have every confidence they’ll be great. Beyond that, there’s not much more I can say on this topic. You know, I hope you can appreciate and respect that.”

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Jean Smart & Hannah Einbinder To Play ‘Hacks’ Characters; No Spinoffs

Published

38 minutes ago

August 11, 2026

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A few lucky Hacks fans will have one last chance to see Jean Smart as Deborah Vance, Hannah Einbinder as Ava, along with other memorable characters from the acclaimed HBO Max comedy, when they take the stage for Deborah Vance & Friends & Enemies Live!, an FYC event, Friday night.

The sold-out production set inside the world of HBO Hacks, which is designed to support the show’s record 24 Emmy nominations, may be the last extension in the Hacks universe.

Chatter about potential spinoffs got loud around the launch of the comedy’s fifth and final season, with a Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) and Kayla (Megan Stalter) offshoot getting a lot of buzz. Talk has now subsided, with HBO Max said to be opting to keep the show’s legacy focused on the award-winning mothership series and end the characters’ stories with its finale.

Hacks creators Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky are moving on too, shifting their attention to new projects.

Coinciding with the beginning of Emmy Phase 2 voting, Deborah Vance & Friends & Enemies Live! will be held at The Fonda Theatre in L.A. with additional cast set to make surprise appearances alongside Smart and Einbinder. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.and the live show will run for about an hour and a-half starting at 7:30 p.m. Drinks and soft pretzels, pizza, and popcorn will be served for fans beforehand.

Hacks recently landed 24 Emmy nominations for its final season, the most ever for a comedy series in a single year. That eclipses the previous record of 23 set by FX’s The Bear in 2024 and matched by Apple TV’s The Studio in 2025.

The comedy starring Smart has been consistent throughout its run, landing 15 Emmy nominations for Season 1, 17 for Season 2, 16 in Season 3 and 14 for Season 4. Hacks blew past that in Season 5, almost doubling its 2025 tally this year, including fifth consecutive ones for Outstanding Comedy Series and Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Smart).

Denise Petski contributed to this report.

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Marvel’s ‘X-Men’ Movie News & Updates: Everything We Know So Far

Published

51 minutes ago

August 11, 2026

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Since Disney’s acquisition of 20^th Century Fox in 2019, the clamor for a new X-Men movie has been loud, and Marvel inches closer every day to delivery on their latest installment in a growing universe.

With several actors and actresses reprising their X-Men roles in Avengers: Doomsday out in December, ties to their characters in the new upcoming installment have yet to be revealed following the next major Marvel movie, which will introduce Robert Down Jr.’s Victor von Doom, a powerful villain from the comics.

For everything we know about the upcoming X-Men entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, read on.

When will Marvel’s new X-Men movie come out?

A release date has not yet been set for the film because it hasn’t even entered production yet.

Who will be in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men movie?

Deadline broke the news that Samara Weaving has been cast as Emma Frost at the end of July. Technically, Sadie Sink was the first actress cast for the film, though we didn’t officially find out that she will be portraying Jean Grey until Spider-Man: Brand New Day came out.

Next in the lineup was Kit Connor, who is the top pick to portray Cyclops — originated by Tye Sheridan in the 2010s X-Men films and later portrayed by James Marsden, who will reprise the role and don the visor in Avengers: Doomsday.

Still more roles expected to be cast are those of Professor X and Magneto. Sir Patrick Stewart will play the professor, whose full name is Charles Xavier, in Avengers: Doomsday while Ian McKellen will play Magneto.

Adam Driver has not yet been ruled out as a potential casting, though it has become tradition for him to pass on roles offered by Kevin Feige via Zoom. It is also unclear whether a new Wolverine will be cast for the film.

Who else is behind Marvel’s upcoming X-Men movie?

Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier will direct the film. Deadline for reported that Schreier was in early talks to helm the X-Men installment in May 2025 right after Thunderbolts* came out in theaters.

Schreier then revealed that Beef creator Lee Sung Jin and The Bear showrunner Joanna Calo are writing the script for the Marvel movie. Schreier also directed episodes of Beef.

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Disney Names New Consumer Products Marketing Chief As Division Moves Under Studios

Published

1 hour ago

August 11, 2026

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Disney has tapped 20-year company veteran Joss Hastings as Senior Vice President, Marketing, Disney Consumer Products reporting jointly to the media giant’s Chief Marketing Officer Asad Ayaz and Disney Consumer Products President Lisa Baldzicki. The appointment follows the recent announcement that Consumer Products will shift from Disney Experiences into Disney Entertainment – Studios.

Hastings, who has worked across consumer products, digital, music, parks and gaming, will lead marketing for the DCP business globally across teams to grow the business, strengthen Disney brands and connect with consumers, working closely with TWDC franchise, studio and business partners.

The longtime Mouse executive was previously VP, Marketing Strategy, and is replacing SVP of global marketing for Disney Consumer Products, Ron Faris, but with a new remit given the shift.

Recently she led Disney’s global Formula 1 partnership and delivered activations that expanded Mickey & Friends’ reach and relevance (including an event at the Las Vegas Grand Prix); a sold-out Gentle Monster collaboration at the Shanghai Grand Prix; and the expansion of the partnership into F1 Academy to capitalize on the growing momentum behind women’s sports.

She spearheaded a collaboration with Vogue where designers from around the world reinterpreted Mickey Mouse through the lens of their favorite era in support of the brand’s 100th anniversary celebration. She’s worked with major brands from LEGO to Lululemon to Gucci and developed award-wining campaigns including Dream Big, Princess, and Force Friday.

“Joss is one of those rare marketers who knows how to turn a big creative idea into something that connects with consumers, shows up in culture and drives the business. She knows Disney, our brands and our fans incredibly well, and has an outstanding track record of bringing teams and partners together on work that breaks through,” Ayaz said. “As Consumer Products enters this next chapter, I can’t think of a better leader to take its marketing forward.”