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Culture — Thursday, September 24, 2026

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CultureThe Guardian

U2 announce new album Carnaval de Luz, featuring final recording by Dolly Parton

In a Dublin studio, Bono's voice rises to meet another—one of the last recordings Dolly Parton made before her death in November. The duet sits at the center of U2's new album, Carnaval de Luz, arriving this month as the band marks fifty years together. The project brings together two legacies at a particular moment. U2, formed in 1976, has spent half a century refining their sound across stadiums and studios. Parton, who died at eighty-three, left behind thousands of recordings—but this one, a collaboration with the Irish frontman, stands apart as her final vocal work. What's worth noting: the album itself isn't a retrospective or a farewell statement. It's a forward-looking record, one that happens to carry Parton's voice as its closing benediction. The band's fiftieth anniversary simply coincided with her last session. The album arrives this month.

The Guardian ↗

CultureDeadline

Paramount Merger Delayed As Judge OKs Motion To Block Antitrust Settlement

A federal courthouse in New York. Papers move across a desk. A judge's ruling arrives, and the machinery of a major Hollywood deal slows to a halt. Paramount's planned merger with Warner Bros. has hit a legal obstacle. A federal judge has approved a motion to block the antitrust settlement that would've cleared the way for the combination. The delay means the two studios can't proceed as scheduled. Paramount had already arranged to raise seven and a half billion dollars in additional debt to finance the transaction. What's notable here: the settlement itself was supposed to resolve antitrust concerns by requiring divestitures. Now that settlement's been challenged, and the court's sided with whoever filed the motion. The merger remains in limbo. No new timeline's been set.

Deadline ↗

CultureYahoo

Dolly Parton's sister defends iconic singer's nephew over restraining order: 'We all love Bryan.'

Dolly Parton's estate has obtained a restraining order against her nephew Bryan James Parton following threats, according to court filings. The singer's sister Stella has since defended him publicly, telling media that the family remains intact and that they all love Bryan, despite his recent firing from the Parton organization. Details of the specific threats haven't been disclosed. This follows what appears to be a period of tension within the Parton family business operations. The restraining order remains in effect, and it's unclear whether further legal action is anticipated.

Yahoo ↗

CultureBillboard

‘America’s Got Talent’ Crowns Season 21 Champion

America's Got Talent has run for two decades now, cycling through singers, dancers, magicians, and the occasional novelty act that somehow captures the nation's attention. The show's format remains steady: ten finalists compete for a million-dollar prize and a Vegas residency. That stability is part of its appeal. This week, the Season 21 finale aired. Nene Royal, a teen rocker from Thailand, won the competition. She's the first Thai national to claim the title in the show's history. Royal performed across the season's episodes and earned enough viewer votes to edge out nine other acts vying for the million dollars. The prize money and performance contract represent a significant career launch for a young artist competing on one of television's largest platforms. America's Got Talent returns next year with its twenty-second season.

Billboard ↗

CultureUSA Today

What's really true in 'Brothers'? McConaughey, Harrelson set record straight

Two men sit across from each other in a television studio, relaxed, familiar with the rhythm of promotion. They're talking about a show they've made together — one premised on a question neither can quite answer about themselves. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have been friends for decades. Their new sitcom, Brothers, imagines they might actually be related. The show's premise is deliberately uncertain, built on a what-if rather than a plot. In interviews this week, the two actors have walked back some of the wilder speculation online about what's factual and what's purely fictional invention. They've clarified which details came from their actual lives and which belong entirely to the writers' room. The show itself remains deliberately ambiguous — which, they suggest, is rather the point.

USA Today ↗

CultureTMZ

Dolly Parton Only Wanted Longtime Wig and Makeup Artist at Her Side When She Died - TMZ

Dolly Parton spent her final days with a carefully curated circle. The country music icon, who passed away recently, made clear she wanted her longtime wig and makeup artist present as she neared the end — a choice that speaks to how deeply those daily rituals had woven themselves into her identity over decades. First, Parton restricted access significantly, turning away most visitors despite the pleas of friends and family members who wanted to say goodbye. Then, she made an exception for the one person who'd helped her maintain the image she'd crafted since the 1970s — her trusted stylist, someone who understood the precision required to keep her looking exactly as she wished to be seen. And finally, that decision revealed something particular about Parton's priorities in her final hours: not sentiment alone, but the integrity of the woman she'd spent a lifetime becoming. It's a reminder that some people never stop being themselves, even at the very end.

TMZ ↗

CultureNBC News

Hayden Panettiere died from accidental overdose of drugs, including fentanyl, coroner says

The Shelton County coroner in Tennessee has ruled that actress Hayden Panettiere died from an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and other drugs. She was found unresponsive in a Nashville home in February at age twenty-eight. The coroner's report notes she'd entered a rehabilitation facility just weeks before her death, a detail that underscores a well-documented risk: people who resume drug use after treatment face heightened overdose danger, as their tolerance has dropped. Her death adds to a growing toll from fentanyl contamination in the illicit drug supply. The findings close the official investigation into her death, though they'll likely renew focus on addiction treatment and harm-reduction strategies.

NBC News ↗

CultureThe Guardian

Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 15 years after sexual assault conviction

Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to fifteen years in prison for sexual assault in New York. The disgraced film producer was convicted of assaulting two women, one in 2006 and another in the early 2000s. He's already serving a 123-year sentence in California for separate convictions. The New York case marked one of the first major prosecutions stemming from the #MeToo movement that emerged in 2017. Weinstein will serve the sentences concurrently, meaning his release date remains determined by the longer California term. He continues to deny all allegations.

The Guardian ↗

CultureAP News

'Primetime': Robert Pattinson brings 'To Catch a Predator' to life

Robert Pattinson plays a television host who poses as a child to catch predators online. The film's a satire of "To Catch a Predator," the real show that ran on NBC in the mid-2000s, where journalist Chris Hansen confronted men who'd arranged to meet minors. Pattinson's character becomes obsessed with the spectacle of it all—the ratings, the performance, the moral clarity that comes from being on camera. Hansen, the actual person the role's based on, hasn't seen the film yet. What shifts here is the angle: instead of celebrating the catch, the film examines the person doing the catching, and what it costs him to turn predation into entertainment. The satire works because it doesn't let the audience off easy either.

AP News ↗

CultureAP News

How Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ became the longest-running No. 1 hit of all time

Country music's chart records have been held for decades. Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" spent sixteen weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 — a mark that stood since 1994 and seemed untouchable. That changed this week. Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" has now spent seventeen weeks at the top of the chart, breaking Carey's record and becoming the longest-running number-one hit in US chart history. The song, a collaboration with country artist Riley Green, has dominated the Hot 100 since its release earlier this year. Langley, who's still in her twenties, achieved what few artists manage in a lifetime. The track's staying power reflects both its radio appeal and consistent streaming performance across platforms. The record stands as Langley's breakthrough moment on the industry's most watched chart.

AP News ↗

CultureNPR

New book by Princess Diana's brother prompts war of words with King Charles III - NPR

For decades, the relationship between King Charles and his late sister's family has been marked by distance and occasional tension. Charles Spencer, Diana's brother, has largely kept his distance from the royal fold since her death in 1997. That's shifted this week. Spencer's new memoir contains allegations about Charles's conduct during Diana's lifetime and after. Buckingham Palace responded with an unusually direct statement, calling certain claims false and suggesting Spencer had mischaracterized private conversations. The palace didn't name specific passages, a choice that leaves readers to parse the dispute themselves. Spencer, for his part, has stood by his account. The book's publication marks the first sustained public disagreement between the two men in years, and it's drawn attention to old wounds within the family that many assumed had begun to heal. What happens next likely depends on whether either side chooses to elaborate further.

NPR ↗

Culturetheguardian

Death of 27-year-old Presley Gerber being investigated as suspected overdose

Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, has died. Authorities in Los Angeles are investigating his death as a suspected overdose. First, Gerber was a model who'd worked in the industry since his teens, following his mother's footsteps into a career that came with significant public attention. Then, initial reports suggest drug involvement, though the coroner's office hasn't yet released official findings on cause of death. And finally, questions have emerged about the relationship between overdose and cardiac arrest — whether one triggered the other, or whether both occurred — a distinction that matters for how his death's circumstances are ultimately classified. His family released a statement describing him as a beloved son and brother. The investigation remains ongoing.

theguardian ↗

CultureVariety

5 Things the Fall Festivals Told Us About the 2027 Oscar Race

The fall festival circuit has begun reshaping expectations for the 2027 Oscar race. Films that premiered at Toronto, Venice, and Telluride over the past weeks are now considered serious contenders for Best Picture. "The Odyssey," "Obsession," and "Michael" emerged as particular favorites among industry observers tracking early momentum. The festivals serve as a proving ground where audience response and critical reception can shift a film's awards trajectory months before voting begins. Several of these titles have already secured distribution deals and are positioning for wider release in the coming months. The full shape of the race won't settle until the major studios complete their fall and winter slate releases.

Variety ↗

CultureThe Guardian

‘Looksmaxxing’ influencer Clavicular charged with rape and drug offenses

The "looksmaxxing" movement—a community focused on optimizing physical appearance through fitness, grooming, and cosmetic procedures—has grown substantially online over the past few years, drawing hundreds of thousands of followers to its practitioners and influencers. That's shifted now. Clavicular, a prominent figure in the looksmaxxing space, has been charged with rape and drug offenses in Massachusetts. The charges involve a 17-year-old, and prosecutors allege he administered drugs without consent. The influencer, who built a substantial following by promoting appearance-optimization techniques, now faces serious criminal allegations that extend well beyond the fitness and self-improvement content he'd been known for. Court proceedings are expected to continue in the coming weeks.

The Guardian ↗

CultureDeadline

Box Office Global: 'Resident Evil' $108M WW Franchise, Zach Cregger Record; 'Coyote vs. Acme' Approaches $100M

In a darkened theater, audiences are leaning forward through ninety minutes of gunfire and viral mutation. Resident Evil, Zach Cregger's reboot of the video game franchise, has opened to sixty million dollars domestically and climbed to one hundred eight million worldwide. That's the highest total any Resident Evil film has ever reached. Cregger, known for horror-comedy work, took the property in a direction critics didn't expect. The film's ending particularly divides viewers—deliberately risky, according to its star Austin Abrams, and structured in ways the franchise hasn't attempted before. Meanwhile, the animated feature Coyote vs. Acme is approaching one hundred million of its own, a quiet success for a Warner Bros. release that arrived with modest expectations. The box office, for now, is holding.

Deadline ↗

CultureReuters

Paramount wins Warner Bros takeover after settling states, union lawsuits

Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. has cleared its final legal hurdles after the company settled lawsuits filed by state attorneys general and entertainment unions. The deal, backed by billionaires Larry and David Ellison, faced opposition from California and other states concerned about job losses and market consolidation in the media industry. Under the settlement terms, Paramount committed to maintaining certain employment levels and production commitments, though critics argued the state concessions fell short of protecting workers. The merger still requires standard regulatory approval, but the settlement removes the most significant remaining obstacles. The combined entity is expected to close within the coming months, creating one of the entertainment industry's largest media conglomerates.

Reuters ↗

CultureThe Hollywood Reporter

‘Daredevil: Born Again’ to End With Season 3 (Exclusive)

In a studio in New York, Marvel's creative team has finalized the shape of a story that'll end where they've decided it must. The decision's been made quietly, confirmed across the industry this week. Daredevil: Born Again, Disney Plus's revival of the Netflix series, will conclude after its third season. The show, which brought back Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock and Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, had been positioned as an open-ended return to the character. Three seasons were greenlit, but the endpoint wasn't always certain until now. What's notable: the show's production has faced behind-the-scenes complications that haven't been widely reported. Creative reshuffles and budget pressures shaped how the story will wrap. The first season's expected to arrive next year. For now, the arc is set.

The Hollywood Reporter ↗

CultureVariety

‘Sense and Sensibility’ Review: Georgia Oakley Puts a Moody, Naturalistic Spin on the Jane Austen Classic

Director Georgia Oakley's new film adaptation of Jane Austen's *Sense and Sensibility* strips away the period-drama conventions audiences expect from the source material, presenting instead a moodier, more naturalistic reading of the 1811 novel. Daisy Edgar-Jones leads the cast as Elinor Dashwood, the restrained elder sister navigating love and family obligation in Regency England. First, Oakley's visual approach abandons the polished, costume-drama aesthetic—the film moves with a contemporary sensibility that emphasizes emotional restraint over romantic spectacle. Then, the performances themselves feel grounded and contemporary; Edgar-Jones and her co-stars inhabit their characters as real people caught in genuine conflict rather than as period archetypes. And finally, critics note the adaptation isn't designed for Austen purists—it's a deliberate reimagining for viewers who want the novel's wit and social observation without the familiar trappings of bonnets and ballrooms. The result appears to be a film that respects Austen's intelligence while speaking to modern audiences on their own terms.

Variety ↗

CultureThe Hollywood Reporter

Netflix’s ‘Cliff Booth’ Trailer Has Brad Pitt Taking a Playful Poke at Leonardo DiCaprio

Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio starred together in Quentin Tarantino's 2019 film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," where their on-screen chemistry became central to the story. Now Pitt is returning to that universe in a new project. Netflix has released a trailer for "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth," a limited series in which Pitt reprises his role as the stuntman. In the footage, Pitt takes a lighthearted jab at DiCaprio, his former co-star. The series will stream on Netflix, with a novelization by Tarantino arriving first. Director David Fincher is helming the adaptation. The playful dig suggests the project leans into the irreverent tone that defined the original film, blending Tarantino's sensibility with Fincher's visual approach. The series arrives later this year.

The Hollywood Reporter ↗

CultureTVLine

Lanterns Episode 6 Recap: Guy Gardner Has Entered The Chat

Guy Gardner, the second Green Lantern, made his debut in the sixth episode of HBO's Lanterns series, played by Nathan Fillion. The character arrives as a corporate-sponsored superhero—a deliberate contrast to the idealism of the show's lead Lantern. Fillion's Gardner represents a different breed of hero, one shaped by commercial interests rather than pure heroism. This marks a significant shift in the series' tone, introducing tension between the two Lanterns' philosophies and approaches to wielding their power. The show continues building its version of the DC Universe with this addition, setting up conflict and complexity for episodes ahead.

TVLine ↗

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