Chris Rock complains that everybody is a “victim” after Will Smith’s apology video; R.I.P. Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura on Star Trek; Disney+ releases the trailer for Rogue One prequel series Andor. All in today’s Movie News Rundown.
But First: Our Tim Molloy says the Fantasia film The Artifice Girl, from Jacksonville, Florida filmmaker Franklin Ritch, “is indie genre filmmaking at its best.”
Chris Rock’s Bone to Pick: The comedian didn’t address Will Smith’s apology video during his set at Atlanta’s Fox Theater this weekend, but Rock did make some vague remarks about the King Richard actor and The Slap. “If everybody claims to be a victim, then nobody will hear the real victims. Even me getting smacked by Suge Smith,” Rock joked, referring to Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight, who is currently serving 28 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter. “I went to work the next day, I got kids.” The comedian later added, “Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” according to People.
RIP Nichelle Nichols: The actress best known for playing Nyota Uhura on Star Trek died at age 89 on Sunday, her son Kyle Johnson said on Nichols’ official Facebook page. “Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration,” he wrote.
Box Office: DC League of Superpets opened to $23 million this weekend, which was just shy of Warner Bros. and DC’s $25 million goal, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, the kids flick — which boasts the voices of Kevin Hart, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kate McKinnon, Keanu Reeves, and John Krasinski — still came out on top with the most successful weekend at the box office, ahead of Jordan Peele’s Nope ($18.6 million) and Thor: Love and Thunder ($13 million).
‘Unlikeable Female Protagonist’: Hulu’s new movie Not Okay is getting some attention on Twitter for a pretend trigger-warning that reads: “Content Warning: This film contains flashing lights, themes of trauma, and an unlikable female protagonist. Viewer discretion advised.” That’s in reference to lead actress Zoey Deutch’s character Danni Sanders, an aspiring social media influencer. Some people are complaining that unlikeable male characters don’t get the same content warnings, while others think Danni is perfectly likeable.
The Director Says: Director Quinn Shepard told IndieWire that at several test screenings of Not Okay, a certain demographic (she wouldn’t say who, but I would wager a guess that it’s older white men) gave feedback along the lines of “Why would someone make a movie with an unlikable woman?” The resulting content warning was meant as a tongue-in-cheek message anticipating that reaction, but some people, especially online, are incapable of recognizing a joke.
I’ll Leave You With This: The trailer for Disney+’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story prequel series Andor. It stars Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgård, and Genevieve O’Reilly. It looks pretty awesome. Watch below:
Main Image: A still from Rogue One prequel series Andor via Disney+
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