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“I know a lot of fans and critics didn’t like it and my lovely friend Ahmed Best, who played Jar Jar Binks, came in for a lot, a lot of criticism. To the point where it really hurt his career,” Neeson said. “And I have to say when I was making that film, he was probably one of the funniest guys and talented guys I have ever worked with. I remember calling my old ex-agent at ICM and said, ‘I think I just worked with the new Eddie Murphy....

That’s a lot of pressure for showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne. They’re dealing with the high expectations by placing all of their trust in J. R.R. Tolkien, focusing on making the show as true to the books as possible. When a reporter at the Television Critic Association’s press tour on Friday noted that the show was “vaguely connected” to Tolkien’s books, the showrunners pushed back (via The Hollywood Reporter)....

When pressed again by Wallace to condemn white supremacists, Trump responded, “What do you want to call them? Give me a name. Give me a name? Proud Boys, stand back, standby.” The Proud Boys are a mens-only neo-fascist organization with ties to numerous violent acts in Portland. Trump’s comments emboldened members of the white supremacist group, who took to social media in the hours after the debate (via The Wrap) to thank Trump for not condemning them....

The film will be available only to people paying $6.99 a month for Disney’s streaming service, but they’ll also have to pony up an additional $29.99 to actually watch the movie. Unlike the recent PVOD trailblazer Universal, Disney’s model of “premiere access” sees the studio taking in 100 percent of the revenue. Universal splits it 80-20 with iTunes and other rental platforms. Theatrical revenue is split about 50-50. For Universal, those economics were so favorable that in April, following the release of “Trolls World Tour,” the studio revealed it would begin releasing some films direct to PVOD, inflaming AMC Theatres, which banned the studio’s films before a detente that will allow a shortened theatrical window....

With that in mind, it was not necessarily an event full of surprises at the Sunday night ceremony, with Netflix riding high on the horse for the TV winners, buoyed by multiple wins for “The Crown” and “The Queen’s Gambit.” Apple TV+ also had plenty of reasons to celebrate, what with three wins for freshman series “Ted Lasso,” which makes the sports comedy the current frontrunner at the Emmys. The Critics Choice Awards always feel a bit like an awards show on the verge....

While rumors have swirled of a streaming debut, the seamy adult thriller wouldn’t be appropriate for Disney+, even though Disney owns Fox 2000. Disney also owns Hulu, which was thought to be the eventual home for the film. Adapted from author AJ Finn’s 2018 potboiler, it was originally slated for an October 2019 awards season release, then moved to May 15 of this year, before getting yanked from the calendar entirely....

Last Updated February 10: The costume design Oscar nominees — “Cruella” (Disney), “Cyrano” (MGM/UA), “Dune” (Warner Bros.), “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight/Disney), and “West Side Story” (20th Century/Disney) — are all distinguished and eclectic, delving into a range of period styles that inform the characters and their worlds. It’s a race that boasts three Oscar winners — “Cruella’s” Jenny Beaven (“Mad Max: Fury Road,” “A Room With a View”), “Cyrano’s” Jacqueline Durran (“Little Women,” “Anna Karenina”), and “Nightmare Alley’s” Luis Sequeira (“The Shape of Water”) — two previous nominees — “Cyrano’s” co-designer Massimo Cantini Parrini (“Pinocchio”) and “Dune’s” Jacqueline West (“The Revenant,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) — and “West Side Story’s” acclaimed newcomer — Paul Tazewell (the Tony-winning “Hamilton”)....