Actress Dakota Johnson does not take any responsibility for the massive failure of the 2024 action film “Madame Web,” instead blaming “people who don’t have a creative bone in their body.”
The 35-year-old made the remarks while speaking with the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-06-04/dakota-johnson-celine-song-rom-com-materialists">Los Angeles Times</a> to promote her latest film, “Materialists.” 
“It wasn’t my fault,” Johnson said of the film. “There’s this thing that happens now where a lot of creative decisions are made by committee. Or made by people who don’t have a creative bone in their body. And it’s really hard to make art that way. Or to make something entertaining that way. And I think unfortunately with ‘Madame Web,’ it started out as something and turned into something else. And I was just sort of along for the ride at that point. But that happens. Bigger-budget movies fail all the time.”
The actress went on to claim that she’s unaffected by the poor reception.
“I don’t have a Band-Aid over it. There’s no part of me that’s like, ‘Oh, I’ll never do that again’ to anything. I’ve done even tiny movies that didn’t do well. Who cares?”
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“Madame Web,” a Marvel film released by Sony Pictures about an NYC paramedic who starts exhibiting signs of clairvoyance, was a box office disappointment. It earned just $26.2 million over its six-day opening from Valentine’s Day to Presidents&#8217; Day, making it the lowest opening for any Spider-Man Universe film, including the universally reviled vampire-themed “Morbius” (2022), which made $39 million during its opening.
The movie currently has an 11% critic rating and a 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Films are made by a filmmaker and a team of artists around them,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dakota-johnson-says-shes-not-surprised-that-madame-web-flopped-probably-will-never-do-anything-like-it-again">said</a> in 2024 while discussing the movie’s lackluster performance. 
“You cannot make art based on numbers and algorithms,” she added. “My feeling has been for a long time that audiences are extremely smart, and executives have started to believe that they’re not. Audiences will always be able to sniff out bullsh**. Even if films start to be made with AI, humans aren’t going to f***ing want to see those.”

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Dakota Johnson On ‘Madame Web’ Disaster: ‘Wasn’t My Fault’

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Actress Dakota Johnson does not take any responsibility for the massive failure of the 2024 action film “Madame Web,” instead blaming “people who don’t have a creative bone in their body.”
The 35-year-old made the remarks while speaking with the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-06-04/dakota-johnson-celine-song-rom-com-materialists">Los Angeles Times</a> to promote her latest film, “Materialists.” 
“It wasn’t my fault,” Johnson said of the film. “There’s this thing that happens now where a lot of creative decisions are made by committee. Or made by people who don’t have a creative bone in their body. And it’s really hard to make art that way. Or to make something entertaining that way. And I think unfortunately with ‘Madame Web,’ it started out as something and turned into something else. And I was just sort of along for the ride at that point. But that happens. Bigger-budget movies fail all the time.”
The actress went on to claim that she’s unaffected by the poor reception.
“I don’t have a Band-Aid over it. There’s no part of me that’s like, ‘Oh, I’ll never do that again’ to anything. I’ve done even tiny movies that didn’t do well. Who cares?”
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“Madame Web,” a Marvel film released by Sony Pictures about an NYC paramedic who starts exhibiting signs of clairvoyance, was a box office disappointment. It earned just $26.2 million over its six-day opening from Valentine’s Day to Presidents&#8217; Day, making it the lowest opening for any Spider-Man Universe film, including the universally reviled vampire-themed “Morbius” (2022), which made $39 million during its opening.
The movie currently has an 11% critic rating and a 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Films are made by a filmmaker and a team of artists around them,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dakota-johnson-says-shes-not-surprised-that-madame-web-flopped-probably-will-never-do-anything-like-it-again">said</a> in 2024 while discussing the movie’s lackluster performance. 
“You cannot make art based on numbers and algorithms,” she added. “My feeling has been for a long time that audiences are extremely smart, and executives have started to believe that they’re not. Audiences will always be able to sniff out bullsh**. Even if films start to be made with AI, humans aren’t going to f***ing want to see those.”

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Tom Cruise may be in his 60s, but the action star was still able to set a Guinness World Record while filming a stunt for “Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”
The organization announced this week that Cruise had been awarded the title for &#8220;most burning parachute jumps by an individual,&#8221; citing the 16 times the A-lister &#8220;leapt out of a helicopter&#8230;while strapped to a parachute pre-soaked in fuel and lit ablaze.&#8221;
The flaming parachute could only burn for seconds before Cruise, known for performing his own stunts, had to cut it away and deploy a backup, as <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tom-cruise-guinness-world-record-mission-impossible-flaming-parachute-stunt/#:~:text=Tom%20Cruise%20has%20become%20a,said%20in%20a%20news%20release.">CBS News</a> reported. The actor would also hold a 50-pound camera for some of the jumps.
&#8220;Tom doesn&#8217;t just play action heroes — he is an action hero!&#8221; Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, said of the stunt. &#8220;A large part of his success can be chalked up to his absolute focus on authenticity and pushing the boundaries of what a leading man can do. It&#8217;s an honor to be able to recognize his utter fearlessness with this new Guinness World Records title.&#8221;
Cruise posted a clip of some of the jumps on social media. “If this is twisted while it’s burning, I’m going to be spinning and burning. I have to kick out of the twist and then ignite in 10 seconds,” Cruise can be heard saying before jumping. “We’re going to be real smart. I’m not saying be risky. We don’t take risks, obviously.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Light the fuse. <a href="https://t.co/X1i1w70VOX">pic.twitter.com/X1i1w70VOX</a>
&mdash; Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCruise/status/1930682304894239114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” had a strong Memorial Day Weekend debut and has grossed $390 million at the worldwide box office. This gave the movie business a much-needed boost after a sluggish start to the year.
“This weekend was one for the history books!” Cruise wrote in a note he shared with followers after the debut. “Congratulations and thank you to every filmmaker, every artist, every crew member and every single person who works at the studios.”
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“To every theater and every employee who helps bring these stories to audiences, thank you,” the message continued.  “To everyone that works at Paramount Pictures and Skydance, thank you for your many years of partnership and unwavering support. And most of all, THANK YOU to audiences everywhere for whom we all serve and for whom we all LOVE to entertain. Sincerely, Tom.”
Cruise had previously discussed doing “physically punishing” stunts during filming. One involved him breathing in his own carbon monoxide during an underwater submarine scene.
“You have to overcome all of that while you’re doing it, and be present,” he said during a February interview with Empire, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-cruise-opens-up-about-physically-punishing-stunt-for-upcoming-film">reported</a>.
Cruise also discussed an action sequence on the outside of a biplane, saying he passed out multiple times while filming it.
“When you stick your face out [of an airplane], going over 120 to 130 miles an hour, you’re not getting oxygen,” the Hollywood star said. “So I had to train myself how to breathe. There were times I would pass out physically; I was unable to get back into the cockpit.”

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Tom Cruise Sets Random Guinness World Record With ‘Mission: Impossible’ Stunt

The cause of death for beloved “Cheers” actor George Wendt has been revealed as cardiac arrest, according to a death certificate obtained by <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/06/05/george-wendt-cause-of-death/#continued">TMZ</a>.
The outlet noted that the certificate from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health lists cardiac arrest, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as underlying causes. Other contributing conditions listed include end-stage renal disease or kidney failure, and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol).
Wendt died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 76 on May 20, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beloved-cheers-actor-george-wendt-dies-at-76">reported</a>. 
“Beloved actor and comedian, George Wendt, best known for starring in the NBC hit comedy ‘Cheers,’ has passed away,” a statement from his rep said. 
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“George’s family confirmed the news of his death early Tuesday morning, announcing he died peacefully in his sleep while at home,” it continued. “George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him. He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time.”
The actor hailed from Chicago and got his start with the famed improv comedy troupe Second City, also the launchpad for famous names like Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, John Candy, Steve Carell, Bill Murray, Chris Farley, and a host of others.
Wendt also appeared on “Saturday Night Live,” including his recurring role as Bob Swerski in the “Chicago Superfans” sketches. 
His movie acting credits include “Dreamscape” (1984), “House” (1985), “Fletch” (1985), “Gung Ho” (1986), “Plain Clothes” (1987), “Never Say Die” (1988), “Guilty by Suspicion” (1991), “Forever Young” (1992), and “Spice World” (1997).
Besides “Cheers,” Wendt’s TV appearances include “Seinfeld,” “The Simpsons,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “Hot in Cleveland,” “Portlandia,” and “Fresh Off the Boat.” He had a self-titled show in 1995 that was canceled after one season. 
Wendt received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for six consecutive years for “Cheers,” and though he never won, the role is beloved by fans to this day. 

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Cause Of Death Revealed For ‘Cheers’ Star George Wendt

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus walked back statements he previously made about his department finding “no evidence whatsoever” that actor Jonathan Joss’ death was a hate crime.
Social media and mainstream media lit up following the death of the “King of the Hill” voice actor on Sunday. At first, news reports were saying that the Texas native was shot following a dispute with his neighbor. Soon after, a man claiming to be Joss’ husband said Joss was really the victim of anti-LGBT bigotry.
While San Antonio police originally ruled out a hate crime, now McManus is walking back those statements. “That was way, way, way premature,” he <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SanAntonioPD/videos/1356101808802458/">said</a> during a Thursday press conference. “Shouldn’t have done it. It was way too soon before we had any real information, and I will own that and simply say, again, that we shouldn&#8217;t have done that. It was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued.”
“We understand that many in the LGBTQ+ community are feeling anxious and concerned,” he continued. “A lot of it has to do with that premature statement that we released, and again, I own that, shouldn&#8217;t have done it. The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic and most, most heavily felt by the LGBTQ+ community.”
Just two days earlier on June 3, the SAPD said that they “thoroughly reviewed all available information” and said there was no reason to believe Joss’ death “was related to his sexual orientation.”
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As some people have pointed out, the post from Joss’ alleged husband following the incident is full of extreme, unsubstantiated accusations, including one about angry neighbors burning down their home several months ago. But <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lgbt-activists-have-found-their-next-hate-crime-hoax-and-its-the-most-insane-one-yet">news reports</a> from the time state that Joss admitted to using a propane heater, which may have caused the fire.
According to a report from local station WFAA, Joss also had a long history of getting into altercations with his neighbors and was reported to have been causing a disturbance on the night he was killed.
“Neighbors [said that Joss] was at the site Sunday night checking his mail, which he did regularly, when something went terribly wrong. A video shared by a neighbor who was present shows a man, who they identified as Joss, pacing up and down the street with a pitchfork and screaming,” the outlet reported.
It went on, “The neighbors say it was common behavior over the years for Joss to scream while carrying weapons, and even though they say they didn’t like it, several neighbors said they were surprised when a man who lives just 50 yards away responded to the situation with a gun around 6 p.m. Sunday.”
One person claiming to be a neighbor of Joss posted on Facebook saying the voice actor “started gun fights constantly” and “constantly threatened his surrounding neighbors.”
Footage of Joss behaving aggressively at an event for the &#8220;King of the Hill&#8221; revival two days before his death also started circulating online. The voice actor had to be escorted from the premises by security.
Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, who is described as a former neighbor of Joss, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. His is currently under house arrest on $200,000 bond.

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San Antonio Police Chief Walks Back Statement That Jonathon Joss’ Murder Wasn’t A Hate Crime

A German-language daily newspaper that caught heat for publishing a birthday tribute to Clint Eastwood that included decades-old quotes has issued a statement after it was accused of being fake news. 
The controversy kicked off earlier this week when Eastwood, 95, referred to the article in Kurier as false. The actor released a statement to <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/06/clint-eastwood-assails-austrian-interview-in-austrian-kurier-entirely-phony-1236420771/">Deadline</a> to “set the record straight” and asserted that he “never gave an interview to an Austrian publication called Kurier, or any other writer in recent weeks, and that the interview is entirely phony.”
In the statement, the outlet noted that the writer they contracted for the piece, Elisabeth Sereda, used old quotes from Eastwood that created the perception that she had just interviewed the iconic film legend. In reality, Sereda used a mashup of quotes from Eastwood lifted from different interviews dating back to 1976.  
“There was no immediate reason to doubt that she had interviewed Eastwood,” a translated version of the Kurier statement <a href="https://kurier.at/kultur/medien/clint-eastwood-interview-hollywood-kurier-in-eigener-sache/403047088">said</a>. Outlet reps noted how Sereda had a long history of interviewing celebrities and was a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
The statement went on to note that Sereda had spoken to Eastwood 18 times during roundtable discussions and that none of the quotes were altered. However, the outlet admitted that framing the article as an interview rather than a tribute did mislead audiences. 
“Even though no quote is fabricated, the interviews are documented, and the allegation of falsification can be refuted, we will no longer work with the author in the future because transparency and our strict editorial standards are paramount to us,” the statement concluded.
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The outlet has since removed the interview from its website. 
Sereda defended her actions in a statement to <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/is-clint-eastwood-interview-real-old-quotes-1236417323/">Variety</a>, again claiming it was enough that only real quotes were used.
“Quotes from Mr. Eastwood cited in the story are culled from several of those 14 press conferences I attended and covered,” Sereda told the outlet.
The original birthday tribute, which appeared on Kurier, got the most attention for being critical of remakes and franchises. 
“I long for the good old days when screenwriters wrote movies like ‘Casablanca’ in small bungalows on the studio lot. When everyone had a new idea,” Eastwood is quoted as saying. “We live in an era of remakes and franchises. I’ve shot sequels three times, but I haven’t been interested in that for a long while. My philosophy is: do something new or stay at home.”
Variety noted that this particular quote might have come from the mid-1980s. 
Eastwood is also quoted as saying he didn’t plan on retiring “for a long time,” despite being five years shy of triple digits.
Eastwood has established a reputation in Hollywood as a conservative and supporter of GOP politicians, including presidential candidates Mitt Romney and the late John McCain. In 2012, he made an appearance at the Republican National Convention, where he made headlines for addressing an empty chair that represented then-President Barack Obama.

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Clint Eastwood Calls Out ‘Entirely Phony’ Article About Him; Writer Responds

Journalist Megyn Kelly weighed in on former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announcing that she was leaving the Democratic party and becoming an independent.
“You&#8217;ve got to be kidding me. … What a lie. … She&#8217;s going to tell us what it&#8217;s like to be an independent?” Kelly said on Wednesday’s episode of “The Megyn Kelly Show.” She went on to explain her own history as an independent, describing Jean-Pierre’s abrupt rebranding as having the “stank of desperation,” considering how she worked for the Obama and Biden administrations. 
“She ran for the hills trying to pretend she knows what independence is,” Kelly added.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Karine Jean-Pierre Writes Book Rebranding Herself as &quot;Independent,&quot; w/ Halperin, Spicer, Turrentine" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rCDFQRVStFM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Kelly went on to speak on others who had been in the role and how Jean-Pierre compares.
“You have had press secretaries &#8230; Dana Perino, Kayleigh McEnany, Tony Snow back in the day &#8230; who are smart people. Who are not, really, let&#8217;s face it, utter morons who are just out there as mouthpiece,” Kelly said. 
She added, “Obviously. Karoline Leavitt … very smart person. But Karine Jean Pierre is not on the list. All right? Even Jen Psaki, she&#8217;s not a moron, but Karine Jean Pierre is a total moron. You only need to have watched her for two days to pick that up.” 
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“There is literally nobody in the country who wants to hear her political analysis on anything,” Kelly said. 
The journalist was reacting to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-press-sec-karine-jean-pierre-says-shes-leaving-democrats-selling-inside-look-at-broken-wh">news</a> of Jean-Pierre’s new memoir, “Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines.” 
“In a country obsessed with blind loyalty to a two-party democratic system, Karine Jean-Pierre, former White House press secretary to the Biden-Harris administration, shares why Americans must step beyond party lines to embrace life as Independents (sic),” the book description says. “Jean-Pierre didn’t come to her decision to be an Independent (sic) lightly. She has served two American presidents, Obama and Biden.” 
In the book, Jean-Pierre “urges Americans to think outside of the blue-and-red box as we consider what’s next to save our democracy,” per the description.
&nbsp;

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Megyn Kelly Reacts To Karine Jean-Pierre Abandoning Dems: ‘Ran For The Hills’

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Dakota Johnson On ‘Madame Web’ Disaster: ‘Wasn’t My Fault’

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