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Source: Eddie Chen / HBO / Euphoria
Euphoria fans, we have some good news for you. HBO is calling the news of the show’s cancellation C A P.
Spotted on Deadline, reports of the Zendaya-led, Sam Levinson-created teen drama meeting an early demise after two seasons are false, according to a statement from a rep for HBO.
Per Deadline:
“Euphoria is going in to production in 2025. Nothing has changed,” a rep for HBO said in a statement to The Guardian.
After Season 2 aired in early 2022, production on the next installment has been delayed by last year’s WGA & SAG-AFTRA strikes, as well as the death of star Angus Cloud in July 2023.
In July, Deadline reported that Euphoria would begin production on Season 3 in January 2025 with the principal cast returning and a time jump planned.
Well, there you have it.
Zendaya touched on the reported time jump speaking with Entertainment Weekly on The Awardist podcast last month, jokingly saying, “It’s important because there’s only so much high school drama you can deal with. ‘And then she cheats on her boyfriend again!’”
She added, “I don’t actually know much about what is happening. I don’t quite know exactly what the season is going to look like, but I do know that the time jump is happening.”
“It will be fascinating to see and understand these characters outside of the context of high school and how all the stuff that we saw when they were kids and they were in high school affects the adulthood they have and who they become in a much bigger world. I’ll be interested to see what happens too,” the Challengers actress said.
The Future of Euphoria Is Still Up In The Clouds
Sam Levinson hasn’t had much success outside of Euphoria. His show The Idol, starring The Weeknd, was not well received and was canceled after one season.
Speaking on season 3 of Euphoria, Levinson described it as “film noir,” which showcases Rue’s “exploration of what it means to be an individual with principles in a corrupt world.”
Fans have been worried about the show following the tragic passing of cast member Angus Cloud.
We shall see how the stories of our favorite dysfunctional teens continue when season 3 eventually arrives.
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Batman enthusiasts can dive into a new HBO series about the caped crusader’s nemesis. The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell, continues the story from Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
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The series, which revolves solely around Oz Cobb (The Penguin), was developed by Lauren LeFranc.
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The cast includes Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Clancy Brown, James Madio, Scott Cohen, Michael Zegen, Carmen Ejogo and Theo Rossi.
Reeves, Dylan Clark, Farrell, LeFranc, Bill Carraro, Daniel Pipski and Craig Zobel are executive producers on the series. LeFranc also serves as showrunner while Zoebel directed the first three episodes. The Penguin is produced by Reeves’ 6th & Idaho Productions and Dylan Clark Productions in association with Warner Bros Television and DC Studios.
See below for ways to watch and stream the show.
Where to Watch The Penguin
The Penguin airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO, but you don’t need a cable subscription to check it out. You can watch HBO and other cable channels with a subscription to DirecTV Stream or Fubo. The series also streams on Max.
DirecTV Stream and Fubo offer free trials when you join and streaming plans under $100 for over 90 channels. HBO and Max are both available with DirecTV Stream.
The Penguin premiered on Sept. 19. Episode two airs this Sunday, Sept. 29.
The season will feature eight episodes, the first of which is currently streaming on-demand via Max.
Not subscribed? You can join Max for $9.99 per month for the ad-supported plan, or $16.99 per month for the ad-free plan. The platform offers streaming bundles with Hulu and Disney+ (starting at $16.99/month) and annual subscriptions. Click here for ways to get a free trial and here to stream Max on Prime Video.
Max is home to movies, sports and must-watch TV series, including HBO and Max exclusives such as House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Hacks, And Just Like That…, The White Lotus, Succession, The Gilded Age and Euphoria.
Watch the trailer for The Penguin below.
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Source: Helen Sloan / Helen Sloan/HBO
It’s no secret that the final season of HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones left much to be desired as it led to it’s hardcore fans campaigning for a redo of the entire six-episode season.
Now years after that lackluster of a final season has aired, the show’s standout star Kit Harington (Jon Snow) addresses the backlash that the show caught from the fans and why his Jon Snow spinoff series never came to fruition. In a recent interview with GQ Hype, Harington explained that he was surprised at the fans reaction to the final episodes saying, “I went in and everyone loved Thrones; I came out and everyone hated it,” Harington says. “I thought, What the fuck is going on?!”
Looking back on how things unfolded during that final season of Game of Thrones, Kit explains how he understands why fans might’ve felt a ways about how the series ended and pointed to fatigue on the part of the cast of the series for why everything seemingly fell apart at the end.
Per GQ Hype:
“I think if there was any fault with the end of Thrones, is that we were all so fucking tired, we couldn’t have gone on longer. And so I understand some people thought it was rushed and I might agree with them. But I’m not sure there was any alternative. I look at pictures of me in that final season and I look exhausted. I look spent. I didn’t have another season in me.” And the backlash to the final episode specifically? “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I think there were mistakes made, story-wise, towards the end maybe. I think there were some interesting choices that didn’t quite work.”
It wasn’t the acting at all, it was the writing. The writers didn’t pen a good enough ending to the saga. Just sayin.’
As for why his Jon Snow spinoff series is dead in the water, that subject is a bit more complicated. Without going into detail about what it would’ve been about and why it didn’t work out, Kit and HBO decided to play it “safe” and not give fans something else to complain about if the series turned out to be yet another struggle affair.
“I don’t really want to say,” says Harington, reticent for the first time in our conversation, “because it starts a whole thing.” Even now, the Thrones fandom can be vociferous. “What I can tell you is it was HBO that came to me and said, ‘Would you consider this?’ My first reaction was no. And then I thought there could be an interesting and important story about the soldier after the war. I felt that there might be something left to say and a story left to tell in a pretty limited way. We spent a couple of years back and forth developing it. And it just didn’t… nothing got us excited enough. In the end, I kind of backed out and said, ‘I think if we push this any further and keep developing it we could end up with something that’s not good. And that’s the last thing we all want.’”
We’re not gonna lie, we still would’ve tuned in regardless. We’re still lowkey holding out hope that HBO and it’s writers get their act together and revisit the world of Game of Thrones post-White Walkers. What other threat is out there? Could Daenerys Targaryen still be alive? So many questions that’ll probably never be answered. SMH.
What do y’all think? Should HBO still roll the dice on a Jon Snow spinoff? Let us know in the comments section below.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Tensions are high in the second season of House of the Dragon as the Greens and the Blacks rally their troops […]
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After taking an inside look at the New York Giants’ off-season, Hard Knocks returns with a new season following the Chicago Bears’ training camp into the pre-season.
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The reality series Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Chicago Bears is available to watch on HBO or stream on-demand on Max.
When Does Hard Knocks Air?
The first episode is streamable now, with new episodes of Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Chicago Bears broadcasting every Tuesday until Sept. 10m with a start time of 9 p.m. ET/PT.
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How to Watch Hard Knocks on Max
Max is the best way to watch Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Chicago Bears online. The streaming service goes for $10.99 per month for the ad-supported plan, $16.99 per month for the ad-free plan and $19.99 per month for the ad-free 4K Ultra HD plan.
The streaming service is the home of hit originals such as Hacks, Station Eleven and Search Party; all things HBO, including Succession, House of the Dragon, Veep and Industry; popular movies, including Dune, Barbie, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Wonka; live sports from the NBA, NHL, NCAA, MLB and other leagues, live news from CNN and much more.
Unfortunately, Max doesn’t offer a free trial, but you can get 12 months of service for 50% off with the service’s student discount, with the ad-supported plan going for $4.99 per month. Learn more about Max’s student discount here.
Where to Watch Hard Knocks for Free
If you’re a cord-cutter, then the best ways to watch Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Chicago Bears for free without cable is with DirecTV Stream, which has a five-day free trial. This is a good way to watch HBO without spending money up front.
Keep reading for more details on how to watch Hard Knocks on HBO with DirecTV Stream.
How to Watch Hard Knocks on DirecTV Stream
A subscription to DirecTV Stream’s Premier plan gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, including HBO to watch Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Chicago Bears when it airs. Plans start at $149.99 per month for the first 24 months of service ($159.99 per month afterwards), while the service offers a five-day free trial to watch for free, if you sign up now.
You can watch local networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS, while you can also watch cable networks, including FX, AMC, A&E, Bravo, E!, Cartoon Network, ESPN, FS1, VH1, Fuse, CNN, Food Network, Lifetime, CNBC, BET, MTV, Paramount Network and many others.
More Ways to Watch
Viewers who want to stream Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Chicago Bears internationally can use ExpressVPN, NordVPN and PureVPN to access several streaming platforms.
Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Chicago Bears broadcasts on HBO and drops on Max every Tuesday until Sept. 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Max and DirecTV Stream are the best ways to watch the reality series.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Over the past few days comic book aficionados were geeked when new set pictures of James Gunn’s upcoming Superman: Legacy film hit the internet and now they have something else to celebrate as DC’s Green Lantern will also be coming in live-action form courtesy of HBO.
According to Variety, HBO has picked up Lanterns on an 8-episode deal and have tapped True Detective: Night Country‘s Chris Mundy to serve as the series show runner and executive producer. Not a bad pick. Also involved in the upcoming series will be seasoned producers Damon Lindelof (Watchmen) and Tom King (Supergirl) who’ll help Mundy produce and co-write the series.
As to who’ll be picked to star as the iconic Hal Jordan in Gunn’s new DCU, that’s anyone’s guess, but it cannot be any worse than Ryan Reynold’s iteration of the character in his 2011 bomb of a movie, Green Lantern.
Per Variety:
The series will follow Hal Jordan and John Stewart, two members of the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic team charged with defending a specific realm of the cosmos from evil through the use of rings that bestow an array of superhuman powers. Per the logline, new recruit Stewart and Lantern legend Jordan are “two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”
Jordan, a test pilot in the comic books, was first portrayed by Ryan Reynolds in the 2011 “Green Lantern” movie; Stewart, a military veteran, is among DC’s first Black superheroes. Nathan Fillion will play a different Green Lantern member, Guy Gardner, in Gunn’s feature “Superman,” which will premiere in July 2025.
“We are elated to be reuniting with both Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof as they partner with Tom for this fresh take on DC’s ‘Green Lantern,’” said Casey Bloys, chairman/CEO of HBO and Max Content. “As part of James and Peter’s vision for the DC Universe, this first new live action series will mark an exciting new era.”
With the way the MCU’s been struggling as of late, James Gunn’s new DC cinematic universe has an opportunity to become the new standard barer of how comic book movies and series are constructed. Will he do it? We won’t know for a while but it does seem promising. Though that’s mostly Marvel’s fault at this point.
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Get ready for the Chromatica Ball! Lady Gaga is bringing her hit tour to HBO for Memorial Day weekend.
Gaga Chromactica Ball, a concert special featuring performances of “Stupid Love,” “Bad Romance,” “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” “Shallow,” “Rain On Me” and other Gaga hits, premieres Saturday (May 25) on HBO. The film will also be available to stream on Max.
Produced, directed and created by Gaga, the special was filmed during the Grammy winner’s 2022 tour stop at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, where she performed in front of a sold-out crowd of 52,000 people.
Gaga Chromactica Ball is executive produced by Bobby Campbell, Arthur Fogel, John Janick and Steve Berman.
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Keep reading for details on how to watch and stream from anywhere.
Where to Watch Gaga Chromatica Ball Online
Gaga Chromactica Ball premieres Saturday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will stream on Max.
If you don’t have cable but want to watch HBO live, you can access HBO and other channels on DirecTV Stream. Plans start at $79.99/month for 90+ cable and local channels including Bravo, E!, HGTV, ESPN, CNN, Lifetime, MTV, Hallmark, FX, AMC, Fuse, Food Network, TNT, TBS, TLC and more.
DirecTV Stream subscribers can add HBO, HBO Family, HBO Comedy and other HBO channels for an additional fee, or subscribe to Max and stream HBO movies, Max originals and lots more.
Want to watch for free? DirecTV’s Premiere Plan ($109.99/month) includes free access to Max, Paramount+ with Showtime and Starz, for the three months. DirecTV Stream also offers a free trial for five days and DVR storage.
How to Watch Gaga Chromactica Ball on Max
Max is available as a stand-alone streamer for $9.99/month to watch with ads and $15.99/month for ad-free streaming. Max is also available on Prime Video, Hulu and Verizon Fios.
The platform combines movies, TV, sports and news into one streaming platform. Max subscribers can stream HBO, Max Originals, ID Network, TLC, CNN, Discovery and more.
Some of the movies, TV shows and exclusive series streaming on Max include House of the Dragon, Hacks, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, The Last of Us, And Just Like That, True Detective: Night Country, Succession, Selena + Restaurant, Dune: Part 2 and Ironclaw.
Gaga’s concert film will be a global streaming event. For fans that want to watch internationally, ExpressVPN and other VPNs provide access various streaming platforms.
Additionally, Gaga Chromactica Ball will stream on Max in Latin America and the Caribbean, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The special will be available on HBO Max in The Netherlands and Poland, on HBO GO in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, on Crave in Canada, on Pass Warner in France, on Stan in Australia, and on ThreeNow and Three in New Zealand. Streaming details for the U.K., Italy, Germany, India and Japan have yet to be announced.
Watch the for Gaga Chromatica Ball below.
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Nearly 50 years after being forced to close its doors in 1975, venerable label Stax Records became a Grammy winner once again in 2024. During the 66th annual Grammy Awards in February, the golden gramophones for best album notes and best historical album were awarded to the seven-disc box set Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos.
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Now in further testament to the gifted artists, songwriters, producers, musicians and engineers behind the label’s treasured catalog — and the team of dedicated and persevering executives helming operations behind the scenes — comes Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. Produced and directed by Jamila Wignot, the HBO Original documentary series premieres tonight (May 20, 9 p.m.-10 p.m. ET/PT) with two back-to-back episodes. The final two episodes will air tomorrow (May 21) in the same time slot. The series is a production of Laylow Pictures and White Horse Pictures in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment and Warner Music Entertainment.
The four-part series tells the story of the family-owned Memphis label, founded by Jim Stewart in 1957 and co-owned by his sister Estelle Axton, whose color-blind approach to music turned a deaf ear to the prevailing segregation of the times. The result? Music that hurdled racial barriers to become mainstream classics by artists such as Otis Redding ([Sittin’ On] the Dock of the Bay”), Isaac Hayes (“Theme from Shaft”), Sam & Dave (“Soul Man”) and Booker T. & the MG’s (“Green Onions”).
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In relaying its story, Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. integrates restored and remastered archival performance footage and interviews with the creatives and executives who helped shape the label’s musical and cultural impact amid its business highs and lows. Stewart and Axton, former Stax president and owner Al Bell, guitarist Steve Cropper, musician/songwriter David Porter, singer-songwriter Carla Thomas and Bar-Kays members James Alexander and Willie Hall are just a few of those recalling their experiences in Soulsville.
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In advance of the documentary’s HBO premiere, director Wignot and former Stax director of publicity Deanie Parker (co-writer of the Grammy-winning notes for Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos) share their reflections about the label’s legacy with Billboard.
Why does Stax still resonate with music fans today?
Parker: Because it’s distinctive. Stax music — a fusion of Negro spirituals and gospel, influenced by white country music and nurtured on the downhome blues of Blacks – was not a sheet music rendition. But rather authentic, heartfelt, cadenced expressions recorded in legendary Studio A. It’s a style of music birthed in our souls and dubbed rhythm and blues (R&B). Stax music is a feeling.
Wignot: Because it’s great art. It gives voice to powerful and universal human themes — love, sorrow, joy, tenacity, freedom. It’s music that’s original. You can feel in it that these were artists who had the determination to make their music their way. They were in search of and achieved honest expressions.
What new revelations does the documentary unveil or is there any mis-information that it corrects?
Wignot: It was my hope that the series would provide a complex and nuanced portrait of the label’s story and of the rich community of artists who comprised that story. I think it will surprise audiences familiar with the likes of Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes and The Staple Singers to know just how tenacious the label had to be to achieve the success it did. And how determined it had to be in the face of the powerful forces — industry bias, racism, corporate greed —that stood in the way of its dream, which was a simple one: to make great music and have it reach audiences hungry for that singular sound. The emphasis we place on Stax’s latter chapter, 1968-1975, will illustrate what a profound effect the label had on the industry and the possibilities it created for Black artists.
Parker: The documentary producers’ interviews with Stax Records employees, in first person, expose the depth of the pain and trauma most of us experienced that resulted from the company’s forced bankruptcy. It also validates the joy and happiness of the authors of the hits produced and respected worldwide. The documentary reveals our pride over the music catalog’s longevity and musical influence that continues today, thanks in part to Concord and our Stax Music Academy.
What do you hope fans will remember the most after viewing the documentary?
Parker: I hope music fans will appreciate the value of teaching and preserving a uniquely soulful style of music produced collectively by talented men and women with diverse backgrounds – Black and white. Stax Records happened because we practiced and perfected creating together harmoniously.
Wignot: Stax is a music story. But it’s also a story about what can happen when you refuse to accept limitations imposed upon you by the world. Its tragic ending is made less so by the music that survives and reminds us every day of possibilities.
STAX: Soulsville U.S.A.
Courtesy of HBO
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Source: Ollie Upton/HBO / House of the Dragon
Another Black star from Max’s Game of Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon, has to waste their time to call out a racist troll.
Spotted on TMZ, Actress Bethany Antonia shared how she handled a racist wasting space in her Instagram DMs, sharing a screenshot of the troll’s message to her in her Instagram Stories while adding a clever joke for good measure.
In the screenshot shared by Antonia, who plays Lady Baela Targaryen in the Game of Thrones spinoff, the troll insults her, even wishing she died on set.
Showing her followers the hate she receives for playing a character that was originally white in the George R.R. Martin books, Antonia cleverly clapped back at the racist hater, adding, “Wait till they find out I’m gay too.”
In another post, Anotonia shared a photo of herself smiling with crystal hair art with the message, “Y’all won’t ruin this first glimmer of dragon joy for us negroes.”
To drown out the racist hate Antonia was receiving, fans have taken to her posts’ comment sections to shower her with support.
Per Blavity:
Fans have rushed to Antonia’s side, running to her comments to share some much deserved love.
“Hi coming on here to counteract the hate you’re getting in your dms!! hope you’re well + you’re the prettiest
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Source: Helen Sloan / Helen Sloan/HBO
The anticipated Game of Thrones spinoff featuring Jon Snow is not going to happen, according to the actor playing the beloved character.
A Game of Thrones spinoff show project featuring Jon Snow is no longer in development by HBO, according to Kit Harrington, who played the role during the show’s entirety. The British actor revealed the news during an interview promoting the crime thriller Blood For Dust, which he has a starring role in.
“I hadn’t really ever spoken about it, because it was in development,” Harrington began. “I didn’t want it leaked out that it was being developed, and I didn’t want the thing to happen where people kind of start theorizing, getting either excited about it or hating the idea of it, when it may never happen. Because in development, you look at every angle, and you see whether it’s worth it.” The show was slated to begin airing in 2028 according to projections.
He continued: “And currently, it’s not. Currently, it’s off the table, because we all couldn’t find the right story to tell that we were all excited about enough. So, we decided to lay down tools with it for the time being. There may be a time in the future where we return to it, but at the moment, no. It’s firmly on the shelf.” The news comes as House of the Dragon returns for its second season and another prequel series, A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms, has reportedly begun casting with an air date in 2025.
The Jon Snow-centered spinoff first got traction in 2022, when a leak compelled series creator and author George R.R. Martin to confirm that HBO had begun work on the show with writers and showrunners on board who were brought in by Harrington. The show, tentatively titled Snow, would begin after the events ending Game of Thrones where Jon Snow killed Daenerys, his lover (and aunt).
“I think if you asked him, he would’ve felt he got off lightly,” Harrington said while at a Game of Thrones convention in December 2022 when asked about the warrior’s fate. “At the end of the show when we find him in that cell, he’s preparing to be beheaded and he wants to be. He’s done. The fact he goes to the Wall is the greatest gift and also the greatest curse.”