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Season 12 of The Masked Singer announced its winner on Wednesday night (Dec. 18), revealing the trio of buffaloes was R&B luminaries Boyz II Men. Coming in second place was Mario as The Wasp, who, in recent weeks, didn’t show his hand and played it coy when asked if he was the artist behind the mask. In an exclusive interview with Billboard, Mario speaks about his time on the show and how he enjoyed the role of The Wasp.
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“So many great things came out of that for me,” reveals the “Let Me Love You” singer. “I have a wild imagination, so using my imagination just to imagine how The Wasp would move or even if when I was standing still, creating this character was really fun. I enjoy challenging myself [by] singing different songs like Aretha Franklin. It was a lot of fun.”
Mario divulges his tedious preparation and explains how he sang in the mask to get a feel for the outfit before going out on stage. “You could breathe, but it’s five times harder breathing and delivering. Even if you go back and watch my performances, you can hear the muffles, but that’s what made it real. Once the costume is done, you have to commit to it. So, I was committed.”
December has been an active month for Mario, who released his new album, Glad You Came, on Dec. 13. Executive produced by songwriter extraordinaire James Fauntleroy, Mario etched together his first project in six years and his first with Epic Records, completing his grand return to the R&B circuit.
“I really absorbed how he takes his time to process the music and not rush the storytelling,” Mario says of Fauntleroy’s work ethic. “I like to work like that too, where I like to get my melodies down first. I’ll lock in my melodies, have intention behind it, and be free in the thought process behind it.”
With records such as “Space” and “Glad You Came,” Mario aims to show growth and evolution since entering the music industry in 2002. Next year, he’ll accompany Mary J. Blige and Ne-Yo on tour, and hopes to show off his flashy performance prowess after pitstops on Dancing With the Stars in season six and now, The Masked Singer.
“It looks like a lot of rock n’ roll,” says a gushing Mario when speaking about the forthcoming tour. “It looks like sex, love, partying, crying and everything you would want to feel at a show. All of the human emotions are going to be onstage that night. It’s going to be beautiful.”
Watch Mario’s full interview with Billboard News above as he speaks about “Let Move Love You” turning 20, teaming up with Nas on King Disease 3 and replacing Usher for his first-ever hit “Just a Friend.”
Thirty-five years after Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989, a cover of the song from Deadpool & Wolverine rules the TikTok Billboard Top 50 dated Dec. 21.
The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity from Dec. 9 to 15. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
The I’ll Take You There Choir version of “Like a Prayer,” heard in the 2024 Marvel/Disney superhero film originally released in July, lifts 2-1 to rule the chart in its second week.
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The choir-led rendition of the song has earned TikTok prominence thanks most recently to a trend in which creators tell a long text-based story (often one that’s embarrassing for the user), accompanied by a photo of Pepe from The Muppets.
This version of “Like a Prayer” earned 1.5 million official U.S. streams in the week ending Dec. 12, a gain of 37%, according to Luminate. Madonna’s original, meanwhile, has received auxiliary attention of its own: 1.6 million streams, up 12%.
“Like a Prayer” leads a change at the top of the TikTok Billboard Top 50, as M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” and Malcolm Todd’s “Chest Pain (I Love)” follow at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, both songs’ first time in the top five.
“Paper Planes,” a No. 4 hit on the Hot 100 for M.I.A. in 2008, vaults 21-2 in its second week on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 thanks to a dance trend. Its corresponding streaming gains are enough to push the song onto the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart at No. 16 via 3.7 million streams, a gain of 29%.
“Chest Pain (I Love),” meanwhile, continues to rise after the song was released on streaming services on Dec. 4, following weeks of it being teased on TikTok. Todd’s repeated “I love” refrain is highlighted in most of the clips, which often center around creators and the people or things they love. The tune earned 3.1 million streams in its first full week of release and bowed at No. 20 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs.
Two other songs pop into the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10 for the first time, led by Frank Ocean’s “White Ferrari,” which leaps 13-6. “White Ferrari” reaches the top 10 in its ninth week on the tally and marks Ocean’s first song in the region since the ranking began in September 2023. The song rises from the “lamp looks weird” trend, where users question if a moment they think they’re experiencing or want to experience is actually happening or if it’s some sort of simulation or dream.
The other, Jeddy Knox’s “Wander On,” jumps 14-10 in its second week. Released Nov. 21, the country song has been used in a variety of sports-related videos as well as other general viral content.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.
Martin Short is set to host Saturday Night Live this weekend (Dec. 21), and he couldn’t help but throw playful jabs at his friends in a new promo for the upcoming episode. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the hilarious clip shared on Wednesday (Dec. 18), […]
Twenty-five films have been selected for the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 2024 “due to their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage.” They include two that had Billboard 200-topping soundtracks, Beverly Hills Cop and Dirty Dancing; one (Dirty Dancing) that featured an Oscar-winning song, “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life”; and one (The Social Network) that featured an Oscar-winning score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
The selections span 115 years, from a silent film created to entice audiences at the dawn of cinema in 1895, Annabelle Serpentine Dance, to the newest selected film from 2010, The Social Network, a drama about social media.
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Popular Hollywood releases selected this year include the first Star Trek film added to the registry – 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, as well as Eddie Murphy’s first feature film on the registry, Beverly Hills Cop.
Two films selected this year, American Me and Up in Smoke, were produced by Lou Adler, a music industry legend who produced Billboard 200-topping albums by the Mamas and the Papas and Carole King. Adler, 91, was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 and received a trustees award from the Recording Academy in 2019. Adler has several other films on the registry including Monterey Pop, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and 20 Feet From Stardom, in which he made an appearance.
The 2024 selections feature diversity both in the filmmakers and in the stories depicted on screen.
Five films selected this year include prominent Hispanic artists or themes – American Me, Mi Familia, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Spy Kids and Up in Smoke.
Mi Familia and American Me both feature actor Edward James Olmos, who is now featured in eight films on the registry. American Me marks his first appearance as a director on the registry.
With this year’s addition of Mi Familia, director Gregory Nava now has three explorations of the Hispanic experience on the registry. Mi Familia joins previous selections El Norte and Selena.
Two films this year, Up in Smoke and Spy Kids, feature Cheech Marin. These are Marin’s first films on the registry. Up in Smoke is also the first Cheech & Chong film on the registry.
Several films this year were made by Black directors, including Ganja and Hess (1973, Bill Gunn); Uptown Saturday Night (1974, Sidney Poitier), Will (1981, Jessie Maple) and Compensation (1999, Zeinabu irene Davis). Will is considered to be the first independent, feature-length film directed by a Black woman.
Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, an Academy Award-winning documentary selected this year, tells the story of the National AIDS Memorial Quilt, and an important period in LGBTQ history.
Deaf characters and culture are represented in two films this year: The Miracle Worker from 1962 and Compensation from 1999. In The Miracle Worker, director Arthur Penn depicted the Helen Keller story in a direct and unsentimental manner that was unusual for its time.
The selection Powwow Highway from 1989 stands out as one of the first indie films to treat Native Americans as ordinary people, navigating the complexities of everyday life, departing from long-perpetuated stereotypes.
“Films reflect our nation’s history and culture and must be preserved in our national library for generations to come,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement. “We’re honored by the responsibility to add 25 diverse new films to the National Film Registry each year as we work to preserve our cultural heritage.”
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will host a TV special on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. ET to screen a selection of films named to the registry this year. Hayden will join TCM host and film historian Jacqueline Stewart, who is chair of the National Film Preservation Board, to discuss the films.
Under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act, each year the Librarian of Congress names 25 motion pictures to the National Film Registry that are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant. The films must be at least 10 years old. The Librarian makes the annual selections after conferring with the members of the National Film Preservation Board and a cadre of Library specialists.
This year’s selections bring the number of titles in the registry to 900. Also considered were 6,744 titles nominated by the public. Nominations for next year will be accepted through Aug. 15, 2025, at loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/nominate/.
Here’s a complete list of the 25 films that were selected as 2024 additions to the National Film Registry. They are listed in chronological order.
Annabelle Serpentine Dance (1895)KoKo’s Earth Control (1928)Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)The Pride of the Yankees (1942)Invaders from Mars (1953)The Miracle Worker (1962)The Chelsea Girls (1966)Ganja and Hess (1973)The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)Uptown Saturday Night (1974)Zora Lathan Student Films (1975-76)Up in Smoke (1978)Will (1981)Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982)Beverly Hills Cop (1984)Dirty Dancing (1987)Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989)Powwow Highway (1989)My Own Private Idaho (1991)American Me (1992)Mi Familia (1995)Compensation (1999)Spy Kids (2001)No Country for Old Men (2007)The Social Network (2010)
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Christmas and New Year’s aren’t the only reasons to celebrate this season; the NCAA College Football Playoff and NCAA Bowl Games are just around the corner too. And one of the best (and most affordable) ways to watch college football games is with a subscription to Sling TV — especially since YouTube TV just recently announced a price hike for their streaming service.
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The NCAA Bowl Games start on Wednesday, Dec. 18, with the Boca Raton Bowl: James Madison vs. Western Kentucky. The bowl game takes place at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida, with kickoff at 5:30 p.m./2:30 p.m. PT. You can watch the game on ESPN via Sling TV. Check out a complete schedule for all of the bowl games this season here.
How to Watch NCAA College Football Games on Sling TV
A subscription to Sling TV Orange + Blue — which comes with ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT and Fox for the NCAA Bowl Games and the NCAA College Football Playoff — gets you access to live TV and local and cable channels, starting at $30 for the first month of service ($60 per month afterwards). That’s right: You’ll get 50% off your first month of service for all of Sling TV‘s plans, which are considerably less than YouTube TV’s $82.99 per month starting price.
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You can watch local networks such as NBC, while you can also watch many cable networks, including NFL Network, FS1, Lifetime, FX, AMC, A&E, Bravo, BET, Cartoon Network, Fuse, CNN, Food Network and many others. (CBS and The CW aren’t available on Sling TV.)
Please note: If you subscribe after Friday, Dec. 20, the monthly price goes up starting at $45.99 per month for Sling Orange. Prices and channel availability depends on your local TV market. Learn more about Sling subscription prices here.
If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV, then start with Sling TV.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
Finneas is laying it all on the table. The Grammy-winning musician and producer is set to appear in the upcoming Peacock series, Laid, and in a new preview clip shared exclusively with Billboard on Wednesday (Dec. 18), he sits down with the show’s star, Stephanie Hsu, on the duo’s third date. While enjoying dinner, Hsu […]
With audiences off to see the Wizard, and Elphaba and Glinda, radio is capitalizing on the buzz of Wicked by playing two of the franchise’s signature songs.
Wicked, which adapts the stage musical of the same name that premiered in 2003, opened in North American movie theaters Nov. 22 and has since made more than $500 million in ticket sales worldwide.
Meanwhile, the film’s soundtrack has spent its first three weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Soundtracks chart. Billed to Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande (and various artists), it has earned 321,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in that span, according to Luminate. The set, on Universal Studios/Verve/VLG/Republic, also crowned the Top Album Sales and Vinyl Albums charts and logged its first three weeks on the Billboard 200 in the top 10.
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Notably, when Wicked debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, it claimed the highest arrival in the chart’s 68-year history for a stage-to-big-screen musical soundtrack.
As movie and music fans immerse themselves in Wicked, two of its most beloved songs are scaling Billboard radio charts (dated Dec. 21): Grande’s “Popular” ascends 29-27 on Adult Pop Airplay and 34-29 on Pop Airplay, while Erivo and Grande’s “Defying Gravity” debuts on both rankings at No. 39.
Alongside Wicked’s success, radio’s embrace of the tracks – solely written by Stephen Schwartz – marks the platform’s latest foray into songs from stage and/or movie musicals. In 2022, Encanto’s “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” ruled the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks and rose to the top 25 on Adult Contemporary, Adult Pop Airplay and Pop Airplay. (In 2023, the intricate earworm won the Grammy for best song written for visual media.)
Plus, “You Will Be Found” from Dear Evan Hansen, the 2017 Tony Award recipient for best musical, spent more than four months in the Adult Contemporary chart’s top 15 from October 2023 through this March, as recorded by Natalie Grant and Cory Asbury.
Historically, however, such songs have been relatively few and far between on radio, despite their built-in familiarity. For every airplay success story, Rent, 1996’s Tony winner for best musical, for instance, did not spin off a pop/adult radio chart hit in its anthem “Seasons of Love.” Conversely, Madonna leveraged her superstar status into play for her version of Evita’s “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Aided by its club- and radio-ready “Miami Mix,” the song reached the Pop Airplay top 10 in 1997.
(Wicked composer Schwartz is enjoying his latest Billboard chart success in a history that dates back to Godspell and its cast’s 1972 No. 13 Hot 100 hit “Day by Day.”)
In 2024, when radio has numerous sources of research, from traditional callout to social media, certain programmers have pounced on playing “Popular” and “Defying Gravity,” even if the former, especially (and like “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”), is essentially a movie excerpt, with Grande singing in her Wicked character.
“First, it stars one of our core artists, Ariana Grande, who not only sounds great, but gives a phenomenal acting performance,” says Tom Poleman, iHeartMedia chief programming officer. “And, as one of the most anticipated movies of the year, it’s a pop culture moment for our listeners. [Pop] stations, in particular, are about reflecting what our listeners are into, and ‘Popular’ and ‘Defying Gravity’ are two of the biggest songs of the moment.”
iHeartMedia’s Pop Airplay reporter WHTZ (Z100) New York played “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” 20 and 16 times, respectively, Dec. 10-16, according to Mediabase.
“No hesitation,” echoes Alex Tear, SiriusXM and Pandora vice president, music programming, of playing “Popular” and “Defying Gravity.” The former aired 57 times on SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio and 44 times on Hits 1, both of which contribute to the Pop Airplay chart, Dec. 10-16. Plus, Adult Pop Airplay panelist The Pulse gave it 50 plays. “Defying Gravity” drew 39 plays on Hits 1 in the same stretch.
“Our listeners expect Hits 1 to be in, and leading, pop culture moments and movements,” Tear says. “We’ve never been focused on ‘typical.’ We’re focused on our listeners’ passions and keeping pace, in addition to being predictive of their favorites.”
Likewise believing that radio can benefit from, and amplify, the conversation around Wicked, Republic released a 3:33-long edit of “Defying Gravity” two weeks after the original version, running 7:39 and including spoken word sections, arrived on the film’s soundtrack. “Popular” is 4:01 in length, along with a mix trimmed to 2:53, with both edits having been added to the Wicked soundtrack on DSPs.
Through Dec. 12, Grande’s “Popular” has totaled 28.8 million official U.S. streams and 15.2 million in all-format airplay audience. Erivo and Grande’s “Defying Gravity” has tallied 35.5 million streams and 6.8 million in radio reach.
“It’s simple,” Tear muses of Hits 1. “We’re a pop channel that’s front and center with pop culture. Our listeners come to hear the ‘now,’ and nothing could be hotter than Wicked.”
Says Poleman, “It came down to the popularity — no pun intended — of this movie.”
Elton John has teased the possibility of new music, revealing during his Dec. 18 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that his creative drive remains as strong as ever.
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Reflecting on his recent projects and the time he’s taken since retiring from touring, Elton confirmed, “You will be getting some more [music].”
“The juices have never dried up. They never want to dry up because I’m always looking to create things. It’s just having the space now to do it at my own time. Of course there will be new Elton John music,” he added to cheers from the crowd.
Reflecting on his Apple Music show Rocket Hour, John spoke passionately about supporting emerging artists like Chappell Roan. “When I first heard [her], I think I was the first person to play ‘Pink Pony Club.’ I interviewed her, and then we became friends. These young artists have so much energy, they’re so good, and if I can help them in any way get a foot on a ladder, I will.”
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Brandi Carlile, Elton’s collaborator on the theme song for Never Too Late, joined him during the interview. The two shared stories about their friendship and creative process, including how Brandi’s heartfelt letter to Elton sparked their relationship.
Elton described their bond, saying, “I was doing a residency in Vegas at the time, so I asked her to come to Vegas and I played and sang on the record and as soon as I saw her, I became friends with her. It was like I’d known her all my life.”
This revelation follows the release of Never Too Late, the theme song for his Disney+ documentary of the same name.
Elsewhere in the interview, Elton reminisced about the artists who shaped his career. “Ray Charles touched my heart. Little Richard touched my heart. Elvis Presley changed my life with ‘Heartbreak Hotel.’ When I first heard that record, I knew I wanted to do this.”
Watch Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert here.
Numerous music stars are on the best original song shortlist for the 2025 Oscars, including Elton John and Brandi Carlile, Lainey Wilson, Pharrell Williams, Maren Morris, Robbie Williams, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
John and Carlile are shortlisted for co-writing “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late; Wilson for co-writing “Out of Oklahoma” from Twisters; Williams for writing “Piece by Piece” from the Netflix film Piece by Piece; Morris for co-writing Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot; Williams for co-writing “Forbidden Road” from Better Man; and Reznor and Ross for co-writing “Compress/Repress” from Challengers.
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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences released shortlists in 10 categories, including best original song and best original score on Tuesday (Dec. 17).
While music stars were well-represented on the shortlist, several others fell short, including Luke Combs, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran and Megan Thee Stallion, Reneé Rapp and Ryan Tedder.
Two songs from Emilia Pérez appear on the shortlist for best original song. The songs are “El Mal” and “Mi Camino,” both co-written by Clément Ducol and Camille, with the film’s director, Jacques Audiard, co-writing “El Mal.”
Diane Warren is shortlisted for writing “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight. If Warren is nominated, she’ll tie midcentury lyricist Sammy Cahn for the longest streak of consecutive nominations (eight) in the history of the category. (Cahn was a contender every year from 1954 to 1961.) This would be Warren’s 16th overall nod in this category, more than any other woman. Among women, she’s currently tied with the late Marilyn Bergman.
Lin-Manuel Miranda is shortlisted for writing “Tell Me It’s You” from Mufasa: The Lion King. Miranda has been just an Oscar away from an EGOT since 2014, when he won his first Primetime Emmy. He has been Oscar-nominated twice for writing “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana and “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto.
“El Mal” and “Mi Camino” are both nominated for both the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards for best original song. Three other songs that are nominated for both of those awards are on the Oscar shortlist “Beautiful That Way” from The Last Showgirl, “Compress/Repress” from Challengers and “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot.
The sixth nominee for the Golden Globe is “Forbidden Road” from Better Man. The sixth nominee for the Critics Choice Award is “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper. Both are shortlisted here.
Kristen Wiig co-wrote the latter song with Sean Douglas. (The multitalented performer and writer was Oscar-nominated for best original screenplay for the 2011 hit Bridesmaids.) “Harper and Will Go West” has elements of humor, as have such recent nominees as “Husavik,” from the 2020 comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, and “I’m Just Ken,” from last year’s Barbie.
Here’s a complete list of this year’s 15 shortlisted songs for best original song.
Shortlisted Songs
“Beyond” from Moana 2 (Walt Disney Pictures) — Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear
“Compress/Repress” from Challengers (Amazon MGM) — Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino
“El Mal” from Emilia Pérez (Netflix) — Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard
“Forbidden Road” from Better Man (Paramount Pictures) — Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek
“Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (Netflix) — Sean Douglas, Kristen Wiig, Josh Greenbaum
“The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight (Netflix) — Diane Warren
“Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (DreamWorks Animation) — Delacey, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi
“Like a Bird” from Sing Sing (A24) — Abraham Alexander, Brandon Marcel, Adrian Quesada
“Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (Netflix) — Clément Ducol, Camille
“Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late” (Walt Disney Pictures) — Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt, Bernie Taupin
“Out of Oklahoma” from Twisters (Universal Pictures) — Lainey Wilson, Luke Dick, Shane McAnally
“Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (Focus Features) — Pharrell Williams
“Sick in the Head” from Kneecap (Sony Pictures Classics) — Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, DJ Próvaí, Adrian Louis Richard Mcleod, Toddla T
“Tell Me It’s You” from Mufasa: The Lion King (Walt Disney Pictures) – Lin-Manuel Miranda
“Winter Coat” from Blitz (Apple Original Films) — Nicholas Britell, Steve McQueen, Taura Stinson
And here are some highly-touted songs that were passed over for the shortlist.
Not Shortlisted
“Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” from Twisters (Universal) – Jessi Alexander, Luke Combs, Jonathan Singleton
“Beautiful That Way” from The Last Showgirl (Roadside Attractions) — Miley Cyrus, Lykke Li, Andrew Wyatt
“Folie à Deux” from Joker: Folie à Deux (Warner Bros.) — Lady Gaga
“Leash” from Babygirl (A24) — Sky Ferreira, Jorge Elbrecht
“Not My Fault” from Mean Girls (Paramount Pictures) — Alexander 23, Nell Benjamin, Jasper Harris, Megan Thee Stallion, Reneé Rapp, Jeff Richmond, Ryan Tedder, Billy Walsh
“Under the Tree” from That Christmas (Netflix) — Ed Sheeran
“Vaster Than Empires” from Queer (A24) — William Burroughs, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Nominations-round voting runs from Jan. 8 to 12. Nominations will be announced Jan. 17. Final-round voting runs from Feb. 11 to 18. The 97th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide. The show will also stream live on Hulu for the first time.
Bluey is coming to a movie theater near you. Don’t tell your kids just yet — you’ll have to wait a couple years to see it.
A CG-animated feature film based on the hit series is slated for a 2027 release from The Walt Disney Company and BBC Studios, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It’ll stream on Disney+, and it will air on ABC iview and ABC Kids in Australia, after the global theatrical run of the movie.
The feature is set to “continue the adventures of Bluey, a loveable, inexhaustible, blue heeler dog, who lives with her Mum, Dad and her little sister, Bingo,” reads a description from a statement announcing the film.
Vocal talent families already know — including Melanie Zanetti and David McCormack (as Bluey’s mum and dad, Chilli and Bandit Heeler) — are on board for the film, as well as the series’ music composer, Joff Bush.
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BBC Studios will finance and license the Bluey movie for distribution, while Disney will release it in theaters worldwide. Bluey creator Joe Brumm is writing and directing, and Ludo Studio is producing in collaboration with BBC Studios.
Series creator Brumm said, “I really enjoyed the experience of working with a longer format on ‘The Sign’ in Series 3, so going even further with a feature film feels like a natural extension of that. I’ve always thought Bluey deserved a theatrical movie. I want this to be an experiential event for the whole family to enjoy together.”
Last month the Bluey franchise’s latest soundtrack, Bluey: Rug Island, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Kid Albums chart. Available on vinyl (in a sunset orange edition, or as a picture disc), on CD and as a digital download, almost 60% of the Oct. 25 releases’s 3,000 first-week sales came from vinyl purchases.
Bluey: Rug Island is the third soundtrack album from the series, following Bluey: The Album (2021) and Dance Mode! (2023). At press time, Bluey: Rug Island ranks at No. 7 on the Kid Albums chart — the chart is currently led by the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s classic A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack as the holiday nears.