Rest in Peace Jerry Lewis: Legendary Comedian Dies at 91
Legendary comedian and actor Jerry Lewis died yesterday at the age of 91. According to his publicist, he died in his home in Las Vegas. Lewis, the son of two touring performers, got his start at a young age, making his way on the vaudeville circuit where he eventually teamed up with a then rising new star, Dean Martin. The Martin and Lewis comedy team lasted for years, eventually jumping from stage to screen and catapulting Lewis to the heights of comedic greatness. The two shared the cinematic spotlight in films such as At War with the Army, The Stooge, and Scared Stiff. Lewis then struck out on his own, creating memorable characters in comedy classics like The Nutty Professor and The Disorderly Orderly. Lewis’s manic persona set a new standard in slapstick performances, and cemented his legacy as a performer. While largely retired in recent years, Lewis still made the occasional guest appearance on TV shows and in movies, including a role as Nicolas Cage’s father in last year’s The Trust, and in 2012 directed a musical stage production of The Nutty Professor. Over the years, the performer made a name for himself as a philanthropist by spearheading the annual Muscular Dystrophy telethon, which raised billions of dollars over the decades. Lewis will be remembered for all his works, on stage and off, and has created a remarkable legacy that will live on throughout the years.
Obi-wan Kenobi Movie Confirmed by Disney/LucasFilm
Disney has finally confirmed the next of its Star Wars anthology series, putting an end to several years of rumor and speculation. As expected, the third anthology film is to center around Obi-wan Kenobi, a character first portrayed by Alec Guinness in the original trilogy and later played by Ewan McGregor in the prequels. Director Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, The Hours) is in early talks to helm the project and, should the deal be finalized, will oversee the development of the story and script with LucasFilm. As of yet, McGregor hasn’t been confirmed to return to the role, though he has previously expressed a willingness to return to a galaxy far, far away. The film is still several years away, and would follow the conclusion of the trilogy began by The Force Awakens and this year’s The Last Jedi.
Netflix Unveils ‘The Punisher’
Marvel and Netflix have released the first teaser for the next chapter of their ongoing Defenders saga, The Punisher. First introduced in Daredevil season two, John Bernthal returns to the role of Frank Castle, an army vet pushed to vengeance following the brutal murder of his family. The teaser gives us little to go on in terms of plot or development of the upcoming series, but is full of atmosphere and promises a continuation of the dark tone previously established for the character. The Punisher is expected to hit the streaming service on November 14.
(Netflix)
‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ Tops the Box Office
The Hitman’s Bodyguard led the box office in what has been the slowest summer weekend at theaters in the last two years. The Ryan Reynolds/Samuel L. Jackson action/comedy walked away with $21.6 million, eclipsing the competition. Annabelle: Creation took the second spot in its second week with $15.5 million, while newcomer Logan Lucky debuted with $8 million. Rounding out the top five were Dunkirk, with $6.7 million, and the family comedy The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature with $5.1 million.
