The Major League Baseball playoffs are here, which means the Boys of Summer are ready to battle for the ultimate prize – those oversized, coveted World Series rings.
What better time to look back at some of the very best baseball movies ever made? Some moved us or made us laugh. Others provided powerful lessons on the sport’s cultural impact.
All are worth a rewatch this time of year — in between playoff games, of course.
<h2>&#8220;The Natural&#8221;</h2>
<div id="attachment_978629" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978629" class="wp-image-978629 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-407x576.jpg" alt="Robert Redford. &quot;The Natural.&quot; copyright 1984 TriStar Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Copyright 1984 TriStar Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB.</div>
This 1984 keeper casts Robert Redford as an aging ballplayer attempting an unlikely comeback. Those &#8220;natural&#8221; talents helped him get this far, but his complicated past suggests that even God-given skills may not be enough. The all-star cast includes Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, and Richard Farnsworth under the direction of Barry Levinson (&#8220;Diner&#8221;) in his cinematic prime. &#8220;The Natural&#8221; packs plenty of magical realism into the narrative, focused on redemption and our all-American passion for second acts.
<h2>“Bull Durham”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978637" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978637" class="size-large wp-image-978637" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-407x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon. Bull Durham. Copyright 1988 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Copyright 1988 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB.</div>
Kevin Costner at the dawn of his legendary career. Susan Sarandon selling a sultry big-league “whisperer” like no other. A gangly Tim Robbins playing an &#8220;aw-shucks&#8221; pitcher coming into his own. There’s so much to love about this baseball rom-com, from the inspired dialogue to the bittersweet story of a minor league lifer coming oh, so close to The Show only to be upstaged by the new kid. Director Ron Shelton’s affinity for sports movies played out over multiple films (“Blue Chips,” “Tin Cup”), but he got the elixir just right with this 1988 gem.
<h2>“Field of Dreams”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978645" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978645" class="size-large wp-image-978645" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-407x576.jpg" alt="Field of Dreams. 1989. Universal Pictures. Gordon Company. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Field of Dreams. 1989. Universal Pictures. Gordon Company. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
The 1989 sports fantasy has an almost spiritual pull on audiences, particularly sports fans. And understandably so. Once again, Costner is front and center in a story that weaves the national pastime together with fathers and sons, heartland USA, and redemption arcs.
The sublime cast, including Ray Liotta, Burt Lancaster (his final big-screen role), and James Earl Jones — who gives gravitas to the ultimate baseball movie.
“If you build it, they will come.” Try fighting back the goosebumps whenever that line is uttered. If the film isn’t enough, there’s a <a href="https://www.fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com/visit">Field of Dreams movie site attraction</a> in Dyersville, Iowa, for movie lovers.
<h2>“42”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978647" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978647" class="size-large wp-image-978647" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-407x576.jpg" alt="42. Warner Bros. Legendary Entertainment. 2013. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />42. Warner Bros. Legendary Entertainment. 2013. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
This overlooked 2013 film recalls one of the sport’s most impactful players. Sure, Jackie Robinson broke the “color barrier” by becoming baseball’s first black player, but it&#8217;s how he did it, with grace, class, and nonviolence in his heart, that made him an icon.
The late, genuinely great Chadwick Boseman brings Jackie to life, capturing both the player and the man behind the moment. Harrison Ford’s supporting turn as Branch Rickey, the Dodgers’ owner who took the biggest risk of his professional life by inserting Robinson into the lineup, is the film’s most welcome surprise.
Had “42” been made a few years later, it might have been stained by woke sentiments. Instead, it’s a fitting tribute to an American hero.
<h2>“Moneyball”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978651" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978651" class="size-large wp-image-978651" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-407x576.jpg" alt="Moneyball. 2011. Sony Pictures Entertainment. Columbia Pictures. Scott Rudin Productions. Michael De Luca Productions. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Moneyball. 2011. Sony Pictures Entertainment. Columbia Pictures. Scott Rudin Productions. Michael De Luca Productions. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
A movie about baseball statistics? Yawn. Not even close in this case, thanks to the fascinating source material – author Michael Lewis’ tome of the same name.
Brad Pitt stars as GM Billy Beane in the story of the 2002 Oakland A’s, a mid-tier franchise that used a new approach to field a winning team. They couldn’t outspend the Yankees or Dodgers, but by deploying “sabermetrics” they defied the game’s odds.
It’s a fascinating look at modern baseball that&#8217;s given heft by a killer cast, including Jonah Hill, Chris Pratt, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
<h2>“The Bad News Bears”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978673" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978673" class="size-large wp-image-978673" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-407x576.jpg" alt="The Bad News Bears. 1976. Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />The Bad News Bears. 1976. Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
Put this one in the “They couldn’t make THAT” today Hall of Fame. Walter Matthau plays the crusty coach of a ne’er-do-well Little League team that has more fight in it than even he realizes.
What makes it “problematic?” Consider the infamous scene where Matthau’s character passes out on the pitcher’s mound after one too many brews. Or how teammates swap racial slurs as casually as relay throws.
That’s not why these “Bears” are unforgettable. The film teems with fascinating characters, from pitching whiz Amanda (Tatum O’Neal) to bad boy Kelly (Jackie Earle Haley). The championship game is a keeper, brimming with suspense and the cold realities baseball supplies. 
<h2>“Major League”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978685" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978685" class="size-large wp-image-978685" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-407x576.jpg" alt="Major League. Photo by Mirage Enterprises. Paramount Pictures. Morgan Creek Entertainment. Copyright 1989. All rights reserved." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Major League. Photo by Mirage Enterprises. Paramount Pictures. Morgan Creek Entertainment. Copyright 1989. All rights reserved.</div>
This 1989 corker captures the sillier side of baseball. The ensemble cast isn’t as deep as the Yankees’ Murderers’ Row, but everyone owned their parts to perfection. Tom Berenger. Charlie Sheen. Wesley Snipes. Corbin Bernsen. Bob Uecker. They’re all key elements in a seemingly inept Cleveland Indians (triggering!) franchise destined to lose enough games to spark the team’s sale.
Except they keep finding ways to win.
The comedy stays mostly faithful to the sport while doubling down on its colorful characters, crazy storylines, and underdog theatrics. Oh, and it’s relentlessly funny, even if it sparked two inferior sequels. 
<h2>“Eight Men Out”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978691" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978691" class="size-large wp-image-978691" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-407x576.jpg" alt="Eight Men Out. 1989. Orion Pictures. MGM. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Eight Men Out. 1989. Orion Pictures. MGM. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
“Major League” offered a palate cleanser a year after this sobering 1988 drama. Director John Sayles recreates the Black Sox Scandal, recalling how a pennant-winning team threw the World Series to appease the betting crowd. And, of course, earn a little scratch at a time when athletes weren’t as absurdly wealthy as they are today.
The White Sox assembled a &#8220;can’t-miss&#8221; squad of stars, but the persnickety owners refused to reward them for an unforgettable season. Enter some opportunistic gamblers who give key players an offer they should refuse, but don’t.
The strong cast includes D.B. Sweeney, John Cusack, and, yes, Charlie Sheen.
It’s baseball’s darkest hour, a cautionary tale that has kept the sport (mostly) clean ever since. We’ll leave the Barry Bonds debate for another day.
<h3><a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!</a></h3>
<h2>Honorable Mention: “The Naked Gun”</h2>
No, director David Zucker’s spoof classic isn’t a baseball film, per se, though the film’s extended finale does take place during a baseball game. Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) impersonates an umpire to stop an assassination, finding himself calling balls and strikes in the process.
It’s one of the funniest moments of the film, capped by Drebin-the-umpire crying, “strike threeeee!” before the ball ever reaches the catcher’s mitt. It’s a perfectly silly baseball sequence, and one impossible not to include here.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-27-Sep-2025-11-41-AM-2576

The Best Baseball Movies To Watch This Postseason

Baseball

Entertainment

Hollywood

Kevin Costner

Major League Baseball

Movies

President Donald Trump on Monday vowed to impose a 100% tariff on films made outside of the United States.
“Our movie making business has been stolen from the United States of America, by other Countries, just like stealing ‘candy from a baby.’ California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit! Therefore, in order to solve this long time, never ending problem, I will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States,” the president shared in a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115287691323395767">post</a>.
This is not the first time Trump has promised a 100% tariff on films produced outside of the United States. In May, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-movie-industry-is-dying-puts-plan-in-place-to-save-it">said</a> he had authorized administration officials “to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.”
At the time, Trump said Hollywood was dying a “very fast death,” calling incentives from other countries to produce movies outside of the United States “a national security threat.” 
“Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated,” Trump said in May. “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”
Shortly after his initial announcement, the Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, issued an executive order aimed at reducing bureaucratic hurdles and facilitating easier filming in the city.
“We are going to fight now,” Bass said at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/weeks-after-trumps-film-tariff-l-a-mayor-issues-order-to-bring-productions-back-to-hollywood">reported</a>. “While we push for the tax credits to be passed in Sacramento, we need to do what we can today to impact building in Los Angeles.”
“The City is taking bold action to support our legacy industry,” she continued. “Keeping entertainment production in L.A. means keeping good-paying jobs in L.A., and that’s what we are fighting for.”

Donald Trump

Trump Says He’s Imposing 100% Tariff On Movies Made Outside United States

Trump Says He's Imposing 100% Tariff On Movies Made Outside Of The US

California

Economy

Executive

Gavin Newsom

Politics

Tariffs

Actor Rick Moranis retired from Hollywood almost three decades ago after the death of his wife, but now he’s returning to the silver screen alongside his former co-stars in a sequel to the 1987 cult classic, “Spaceballs.”
“Spaceballs 2” is now in production with a target release date in 2027. Moranis will reprise his role as Lord Dark Helmet in the sequel to the original space opera comedy, per a <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/spaceballs-2-cast-rick-moranis-ends-retirement-1236529008/">report</a> from Variety. 
Other well-known stars tied to the project are Bill Pullman playing Lone Starr, Mel Brooks as Yogurt, Daphne Zuniga portraying Princess Vespa, and George Wyner as Colonel Sandurz, the outlet noted. There will also be new additions to the cast, including Josh Gad, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman, and Anthony Carrigan.
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Amazon MGM has not shared many details, but they released a photo of the cast doing a table read and wrote in a press release about the film, “the title is rumored to be the name of the movie, and plot details are being described as information about what happens in the story.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Spaceballs The Table Read <a href="https://t.co/tn0NQaRb5g">pic.twitter.com/tn0NQaRb5g</a>
— Amazon MGM Studios (@AmazonMGMStudio) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmazonMGMStudio/status/1971213129590698341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Moranis is best known for his work in popular films such as “Ghostbusters” (1984), “Little Shop of Horrors” (1986), and the “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” film franchise between 1989 and 1997. The outlet noted that Moranis left Hollywood following the death of his wife from liver cancer. 
He was slated to return in 2020 for a “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” reboot, but production was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The actor was last seen in a film in 1997, though he has done voiceover work in several projects since.
The original “Spaceballs,” directed by Mel Brooks, is mostly a parody of “Star Wars,” but also mocks other popular films, including “Star Trek,” “Alien,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” and “Planet of the Apes.&#8221;

Rick Moranis

Rick Moranis To Reprise Role In ‘Spaceballs 2,’ His First Film In Almost Three Decades

Production Begins On 'Spaceballs 2,' Rick Moranis' First Film In Almost 3 Decades

Celebrities

Mel Brooks

In a strong stand against what many see as a growing wave of ideological censorship, more than 1,200 prominent figures in the entertainment industry have signed an <a href="https://www.creativecommunityforpeace.com/blog/2025/09/24/filmopenletter/">open letter</a> rejecting a boycott of Israeli film and television institutions — a move critics say amounts to nothing more than targeted discrimination against Jews and Israeli artists.
The letter — spearheaded by the nonprofit Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) and The Brigade — was published in response to a pledge from Film Workers for Palestine, in which nearly 4,000 industry professionals, including major award winners, vowed to boycott Israeli productions, festivals, and institutions they accuse of being “complicit in genocide and apartheid.”
The new letter pulls no punches. Its signatories accuse the boycott movement of weaponizing storytelling and using art to advance a dangerous, divisive political agenda. “To censor the very voices trying to find common ground and express their humanity is wrong, ineffective, and a form of collective punishment,” the letter states.
The backlash against the boycott has been gaining steam. Paramount Studios <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/paramount-condemns-israeli-film-boycott-1236516511/">issued a statement</a> blasting the pledge, calling it antithetical to the very mission of storytelling and saying that “silencing individual creative artists based on their nationality does not promote better understanding or advance the cause of peace.”
Haim Saban, Chairman of Saban Entertainment, echoed that sentiment, stating, “Excluding Israeli filmmakers because of their identity betrays [the mission of storytelling] and undermines efforts for peace.”
Actress Debra Messing didn’t mince words: “Boycotts against Jews have long been a tool of authoritarian regimes — by joining this effort, these artists are aligning themselves with a dark legacy of antisemitism.”
Actress Mayim Bialik added that the boycott does “nothing to end the war in Gaza, bring the hostages home, or help curb the alarming rise of antisemitism globally.”
“Film institutions engage with countries all over the world, including those with serious controversies, yet Israel alone is singled out and condemned — for defending itself in a war it didn’t start, for trying to free hostages still being held, and for confronting an enemy still intent on its destruction,” actress Rebecca De Mornay said. “Boycotting Israeli film institutions isn’t a stand for justice, it’s a thinly veiled double-standard for Jews, and a hypocritical, unjust punishment of Israeli artists and films.”
“While the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement presents itself as a social justice movement to those in the West, it is actually a political movement that seeks the defamation, delegitimization, and eventual elimination of the State of Israel,” CCFP Executive Director Ari Ingel stated. “The recent boycott pledge also contains blatant statements of misinformation, such as claiming that ICJ ruled that there was a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, when they did no such thing.”
The letter concludes with a firm moral appeal: “If you want peace, call for the immediate release of the remaining hostages. Support filmmakers who create dialogue across communities. Stand against Hamas.”

MixCollage-25-Sep-2025-11-35-AM-7320

Fighting Back: 1,200+ Entertainment Leaders Reject Boycott Of Israeli Film And Television Industry

boycott

Israel

Mayim Bialik

Rebecca De Mornay

Social Issues

World

“Not good riddance, but riddance.”
That was late-night host <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/jimmy-kimmel-republican-viewers-lose-riddance-monologues-healthcare-gun-control-a8004011.html">Jimmy Kimmel’s reaction</a> way back in 2017 to a question about pushing his right-leaning fans away with his progressive transformation. This transformation only grew more pronounced during Trump 2.0.
It culminated in one of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abc-pulls-jimmy-kimmels-late-night-show-indefinitely-after-charlie-kirk-comments?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=ABC+Pulls+Jimmy+Kimmel%E2%80%99s+Late+Night+Show+%E2%80%98Indefinitely%E2%80%99+After+Charlie+Kirk+Comments">ghastliest comments</a> ever uttered by a late-night host:
<blockquote>We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.</blockquote>
The public knew enough at that point to assume the killer targeted Kirk for his conservative views. More information came out the same day of Kimmel’s comments to seal the sad deal on the matter.
His lie ricocheted around social media and podcasts while legacy media outlets looked the other way. Then, some ABC affiliates balked, sending Kimmel to the bench, perhaps for good.
<div id="attachment_974611" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-974611" class="size-large wp-image-974611" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2235598843-864x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 18: Jimmy Kimmel is seen on September 18, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2235598843-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2235598843-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2235598843-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2235598843.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images</div>
It caps a tumultuous eight years for the ex-“Man Show” host, one whose rude and crude brand gave way to lectures, finger-wagging, and the occasional tear.
We still don’t know all the details behind Kimmel’s benching. Sinclair, the company behind many ABC affiliates, pulled the show and demanded a full-throated apology from the far-Left Kimmel. Nexstar also axed the show, at least for now.
ABC then followed suit.
The decisions came after FCC chair Brendan Carr excoriated Kimmel’s comments on “The Benny Show” and suggested action may be required. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/jimmy-kimmel-charlie-kirk-fcc-carr.html">Carr followed up on those opinions via CNBC.</a>
<blockquote>It was appearing to directly mislead the American public about a significant fact that probably one of the most significant political events we’ve had in a long time, for the most significant political assassination we’ve seen in a long time.</blockquote>
Carr has a legal leg to stand on, given ABC uses the public airwaves, but it still bears a whiff of danger to our collective free speech. The government shouldn’t get involved in speech matters, by and large. And First Amendment purists should watch matters closely, something the ACLU once did before becoming regretfully woke.
What’s obvious is how Kimmel abused his platform over the years, mocked others who got fired for sharing the “wrong” words, and embraced nuclear-grade hypocrisy.
Remember Roseanne Barr? The cranky mind behind the ABC sitcom bearing her name lost her job in 2018 after sending out one racially-charged tweet targeting a member of the Obama administration, Valerie Jarrett. Barr swiftly apologized and said she didn’t know Jarrett was black. ABC, owned by Disney, fired her anyway.
Kimmel’s response?
He joked that the <a href="https://x.com/TimcastNews/status/1968491997246730340">show should go on</a>, but this time focusing on her character’s husband, Dan, played by John Goodman. He couldn’t defend her or suggest ABC shouldn’t fire an employee for one awful post.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Never forget how Jimmy Kimmel misrepresented <a href="https://twitter.com/therealroseanne?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@therealroseanne</a> joke tweet and pushed for the network to take her show away. <a href="https://t.co/zok8WJN5nt">pic.twitter.com/zok8WJN5nt</a>
— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimcastNews/status/1968491997246730340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Credit: @TimcastNews/X.com
Some free speech hero. That would be a pattern.
When multiple social media platforms banned President Trump following the events of Jan. 6, Kimmel <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1968548319757480447">delighted in the news</a>. He used his then-Twitter account to share a cartoon of Trump unsuccessfully trying to access the site, a single tear dropping on his smartphone.
In 2021, Kimmel’s show shed announcer Dicky Barrett because the musician refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine, per ABC’s orders. Did Kimmel fight on his behalf? That remains unknown. He did not, however, fight for him in the public space, that’s for sure.
Kimmel’s COVID-19 commentary could be callous, if not downright cruel. When worries surfaced about having enough hospital beds to treat sick Americans, Kimmel suggested those who didn’t take the vaccine <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/jimmy-kimmel-says-unvaccinated-people-140553383.html">should be shut out</a>.
<blockquote>That choice doesn&#8217;t seem so tough to me … Vaccinated person having a heart attack? Yes, come right on in. We&#8217;ll take care of you. Unvaccinated guy who gobbled horse goo? Rest in peace, wheezy.</blockquote>
He also <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/04/jimmy-kimmel-coronavirus-protesters?srsltid=AfmBOorWrhw2rxRug6RyhOhwbZhnH5gg-uhaeltINk2VUx55WZjwz9Xj">mocked ordinary Americans</a> who protested the extreme lockdowns that threatened to shutter their homegrown businesses for good.
Later, when Fox News showed Tucker Carlson the door in 2024, Kimmel danced on the <a href="https://x.com/mazemoore/status/1968502145788809291">conservative’s professional grave</a>.
<blockquote>Tucker couldn’t be reached for comment. He’s already on a plane to Moscow to meet with his manager.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
2023. Jimmy Kimmel celebrates Tucker Carlson getting fired from Fox. <a href="https://t.co/KkvVRc4At6">pic.twitter.com/KkvVRc4At6</a>
— MAZE (@mazemoore) <a href="https://twitter.com/mazemoore/status/1968502145788809291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Credit: @mazemoore/X.com
Perhaps his most egregious act as a so-called comedian came when he hosted a fundraiser for then-President Joe Biden last year. That move shredded whatever remained of his fair-and-balanced pose, but he made things much worse after the fact.
The fundraiser showed President Biden freezing up during the finale. Former President Barack Obama had to gently guide the addled leader off the stage. The moment was caught on video. We all saw it, and most already knew that Biden’s cognitive state was in question.
What did Kimmel do after the fact? He seemingly lied to his audience, telling them <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/jimmy-kimmel-biden-fundraiser-lie/">they couldn’t trust their eyes.</a>
Kimmel isn’t just a partisan. He’s so hard-Left that he greeted President Trump’s re-election last year with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-kimmel-literally-cries-over-trump-win-suggests-trump-voters-are-stupid">the tears of a former clown</a>.
<blockquote>[The election] was a terrible night for women, for children, for the hundreds of thousands of hard-working immigrants who make this country go, for health care, for our climate, for science, for journalism, for justice, for free speech.</blockquote>
A few months later, he made light of fellow progressives <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/20/media/jimmy-kimmel-gave-marching-orders-to-vandalize-teslas-scott-jennings/">attacking Tesla dealerships</a> over CEO Elon Musk’s political maneuvers.
More recently, he joked that some of his show’s female staffers <a href="https://www.tvinsider.com/1166115/jimmy-kimmel-luigi-mangione-hot-kiiller-monologue-video/">were crushing on Luigi Mangione</a>, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in cold blood.
Ha ha ha.
Even his infamous Kirk comments came before he mocked President Trump for mourning the wrong way over the younger man’s assassination. Just ghoulish.
Not riddance, Jimmy. Good riddance.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

The Walt Disney Company Emmy Awards Party – Arrivals

Jimmy Kimmel: Cancellation And Consequences

Cancel Culture

Charlie Kirk

Jimmy Kimmel

Leftists

Trump Derangement Syndrome

Woke Culture

The Italian journalist under fire online for a controversial #MeToo and Black Lives Matter question at the Venice Film Festival is now defending herself.
Federica Polidoro sat down with “After the Hunt” stars Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri for an interview to promote the project. One moment from the conversation, posted to the ArtsLifeTV YouTube channel, has gone viral, with critics accusing Polidoro of being “racist” for directing one of her questions specifically to Roberts and Garfield, who are white, while being accused of excluding Edebiri, who is black.
“Now that the #MeToo era and the Black Lives Matter are done, what do we have to expect in Hollywood and what we lost, we lost something with the politically correct era?” she asked.
Despite the question not being directed at her, Edebiri jumped in to answer it.
“I know that that’s not for me, and I don’t know if it’s purposeful that it’s not for me, but I just am curious,” the star of “The Bear” said.
She went on, “I don’t think it’s done. I don’t think it’s done at all,” as Roberts chimed in with her agreement.
Edebiri went on: “I think maybe hashtags might not be used as much, but I do think that there’s work being done by activists, by people, every day, that’s beautiful, important work that’s not finished, that’s really, really, really active for a reason, because this world is really charged. And that work isn’t finished at all. Maybe if there’s not, like, mainstream coverage in the way that there might have been, daily headlines in the way that it might have been eight or so years ago, but I don’t think it means that the work is done. That’s what I would say.”
Garfield chimed in, agreeing that the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements “are still absolutely alive, as you say, just maybe not as labeled or covered or magnified as much.”
The exchange triggered widespread backlash online, with many commenters accusing Polidoro of asking an insensitive question while being dismissive of the only black actor participating in the interview.
Following the resulting backlash, Polidoro took to Instagram to defend herself in a lengthy post.
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“I am not aware of any protocol that dictates the order in which questions must be asked in an interview,” the journalist wrote in part. “Censoring or delegitimizing questions considered ‘uncomfortable’ does not fall within the practice of democracy.”
“To those who unjustly accuse me of racism, I would like to clarify that in my work I have interviewed people of every background and ethnicity, and my own family is multi-ethnic, matriarchal, and feminist, with a significant history of immigration,” she continued. 
“I have collaborated for over 20 years with numerous national and international publications of all political orientations, always approaching my work with openness and professional rigor. In my view, the real racists are those who see racism everywhere and seek to muzzle journalism, limiting freedom of analysis, critical thinking and the plurality of perspectives.”
“After the Hunt” is a psychological thriller about a college professor (Roberts) whose student (Edebiri) makes an accusation against one of her colleagues (Garfield). The film’s tagline is, “Not everything is supposed to make you uncomfortable.”

Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri

Reporter Under Fire For Directing BLM Question Only To White Actors Says Backlash Is Censorship

Black Lives Matter

Journalism

Media

MeToo

Racism

The passing of Native American actor Graham Greene reminded us of the Oscar-winning 1990 film “Dances with Wolves.” The film cast Greene as Kicking Bird, and his screen time with director and star Kevin Costner set the table for the drama.
The film remains beloved for its portrait of the American West, many warts and all. It’s also emblematic of Costner’s career, one dedicated to the great outdoors in the grand American tradition.
Few actors have clung to that mythos like Costner, from his directorial breakthrough with “Dances with Wolves” to his most recent venture, the “Horizon” saga. Along the way, Costner has explored the American wilderness on screens large and small, creating a genuine affection for his country in the process.
<div id="attachment_969287" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969287" class="size-large wp-image-969287" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-815x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner in “Dances with Wolves” 1990. Tig Productions. Majestic Films International. Allied Filmmakers. Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images copyright 2012. IMDB." width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Kevin Costner in “Dances with Wolves” 1990. Tig Productions. Majestic Films International. Allied Filmmakers. Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images copyright 2012. IMDB.</div>
He didn’t sugarcoat the land’s flaws then, and he refused to do so in subsequent projects. America’s natural beauty and potential proved his constant companion.
It explains why he endures as more than just a movie star at the age of 70. He’s part of the cultural fabric. And, even when he’s taking political stances that anger a good half of the country, his treasure trove of goodwill barely takes a hit.
Costner famously got left on the editing room floor in 1983’s“The Big Chill,” even though his character’s fate powered the nostalgia-laced drama. Director Lawrence Kasdan made amends to the young actor by casting him in the ensemble western “Silverado.”
<div id="attachment_969291" style="width: 720px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969291" class="size-large wp-image-969291" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-710x576.jpg" alt="CIRCA 1985: Actors Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover on set the movie &quot;Silverado&quot; circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)" width="710" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-710x576.jpg 710w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-300x243.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-768x623.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px" />CIRCA 1985: Actors Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover on set the movie &#8220;Silverado&#8221; circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)</div>
From there, Costner landed “The Untouchables” (1987), “Bull Durham” (1988), and “Field of Dreams” (1989), a run of hits few actors could match, then or now. That gave him the clout to start shaping his career on his terms. And that led to “Dances with Wolves.”
The film may appear “woke” in retrospect, showcasing a guilt-ridden white man coming to terms with his country’s cruelty to Native Americans. Costner grounded the Western epic with respect for all its elements – from historical realities to the harsh truths about frontier life. 
Such messaging is often found in movies with what YouTube film and TV critic, The Critical Drinker, famously calls “The Message.” Costner, however, refused to lecture without context or push an agenda without exploring that time and place from all angles.
“Dances with Wolves” brought the nation’s complicated history to life, not with finger-wagging asides but a three-dimensional portrait that couldn’t be denied.
And, in the process, he forged a connection with American storytelling that became his unofficial identity. Costner has worked constantly since that film’s release, and his career has hit the usual bumps along the way.
He returned to the American West repeatedly over the years, from the unsung 2003 western “Open Range” to 1994’s “Wyatt Earp.” The latter got overshadowed by “Tombstone,” released a year earlier and featuring an iconic turn from Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday.
And, when his career appeared to be on the downside, Costner teamed with rising TV producer Taylor Sheridan to anchor “Yellowstone.” The Paramount series wasn’t set in the 1800s, but its Montana backdrop and timeless themes connected to the stories Costner knows best.
How many modern shows reflect the natural beauty of a state like Montana? For Costner and Sheridan, it just felt like home.
At a time when even “hit” TV shows draw a fraction of the audience of prior smashes, “Yellowstone” drew huge ratings. The show’s 2024 finale drew north of 13 million viewers.
<div id="attachment_969295" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969295" class="size-large wp-image-969295" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-815x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser in &quot;Yellowstone, Watch 'Em Ride Away&quot;Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Network - copyright Paramount Network 2022" width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser in &#8220;Yellowstone: Watch &#8216;Em Ride Away&#8221; Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Network &#8211; copyright Paramount Network 2022</div>
The Sheridan saga featured a sprawling cast, but Costner’s John Dutton anchored the show. Once again, the actor’s instincts and authenticity made the series matter.
Actors can only fake so much. Audiences see the now weathered star as a credible and engaging part of the American landscape. He leaned on that persona for not one but two FOX Nation limited series based on Yellowstone history – “Yellowstone One Fifty” and “Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner.”
Costner’s cinematic passions came to a head last year with a project that may never be completed as he originally envisioned it.
Costner returned to the director’s chair for 2024’s “Horizon: An American Saga.” The old-school western cost him a pretty penny, and then some. The star used his sizable wealth to help fund what he saw as a four-part movie saga.
The first installment drew modest reviews and tepid box office results – just $38 million worldwide. The second chapter, already filmed, currently lacks a release date, although it debuted at the Venice International Film Festival last year.
The actor has been open about struggling to fund parts three and four, and it’s possible the saga will end with the second film.
The irony? Costner began dreaming up the story behind “Horizon” in the late 1980s, just before his directorial breakthrough with “Dances with Wolves.” His quest to turn the American West into a deeply personal film franchise may have been doomed by fiscal realities, but it’s in line with Costner’s creative self.
He loves America, from its natural splendor to its ability to let citizens dream impossible dreams. And nowhere is that more evident than in the great outdoors.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Fanatics Fest NYC 2025

Kevin Costner: The Wild Wild West Movie Star

actors

Montana

Yellowstone

&#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; film director Chris Columbus cast doubt on the possibility of ever having a cast reunion — and suggested that author J.K. Rowling&#8217;s stance on the transgender issue was the primary reason such an event could never happen.
Columbus, who directed the first two films in the franchise and produced the third, said that differences of opinion on certain political issues would prevent the whole group from ever working together again — and clearly hinted that Rowling was the odd one out on that score.
The question came up during a recent interview with The Sunday Times, when Columbus said that he&#8217;d initially hoped to be able to bring the original cast back together for a film adaptation of the stage show &#8220;Harry Porter and the Cursed Child,&#8221; but that he&#8217;d ruled out such a project for &#8220;political&#8221; reasons.
&#8220;It’s never going to happen. It’s gotten so complicated with all the political stuff. Everyone in the cast has their own opinion, which is different from her opinion, which makes it impossible,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;I haven’t spoken to Miss Rowling in a decade or so, so I have no idea what’s going on with her, but I keep very close contact with Daniel Radcliffe and I just spoke to him a few days ago. I still have a great relationship with all the kids in the cast.&#8221;
Shortly after news of the interview and Columbus&#8217; comments began circulating on social media, Rowling posted a vague response via X.
&#8220;As another man who once worked with me declares himself saddened by my beliefs on gender and sex, I thought it might be useful to compile a list for handy reference,&#8221; Rowling began, asking, &#8220;Which of the following do you imagine makes actors and directors who aren’t involved with the HBO reboot of Harry Potter so miserable?&#8221;
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&#8220;Is it my belief that women and girls should have their own public changing rooms and bathrooms? That women should retain female-only rape crisis centres? That men don’t belong in women’s sport?&#8221; she continued. &#8220;That female prisoners shouldn’t be incarcerated with violent men and male sex offenders? That women should remain a protected class in law, because they have sex-specific needs and issues?&#8221;
Rowling&#8217;s list of questions went on at length as she added, &#8220;That language should reflect reality rather than ideological jargon, especially in a medical context? That women shouldn’t be harassed, persecuted or fired for refusing to pretend humans can change sex? That women should not be threatened with violence and rape when they assert their rights? That freedom of speech and belief are essential to a pluralistic democratic society? That troubled minors, especially those who are gay, autistic and trauma-experienced, should be given mental health support instead of irreversible surgeries and drug treatments on non-existent evidence of benefit? That gay people shouldn’t be pressured to include the opposite sex in their dating pools, nor should they be smeared as ‘genital fetishists’ when they don’t? That cross-dressing heterosexual male fetishists aren’t actually oppressed, but having the time of their lives piggybacking off gender identity ideology? That said ideology, and the privileged, blinkered fools pushing it because they suffer zero consequences themselves, have done more damage to the political left’s credibility than Trump and Farage could have achieved in a century? Let me have your thoughts.&#8221;
Rowling has often found herself at odds with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jk-rowling-flags-harmful-message-trans-activists-are-sending-to-women-you-are-a-costume">radical trans activists</a> for her views on keeping private single sex spaces and protecting the sex-based rights of women, and has been labeled a Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) on a number of occasions. Several members of the &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; original cast, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, have spoken out against her views as well.

BRITAIN-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMB

‘Harry Potter’ Director Nixes Cast Reunion Over Rowling’s Trans Stance

Emma Watson

Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling

Transgender

When Warrior Chief Kaʻiana discovers he&#8217;s been manipulated into massacring the peaceful villagers of the island of O’ahu, Apple TV+&#8217;s &#8220;Chief of War&#8221; reveals a disturbing truth about power that transcends any single culture or era. This historical drama, starring Jason Momoa, follows the former Kauaʻi chief who made his home on Maui in self-exile, disgusted by the violent nature of Kauai’s King Kahekili. When Kahekili draws him back under false pretenses — claiming the young king of O&#8217;ahu poses a threat to Maui — Kaʻiana reluctantly participates in what becomes a massacre that turns out to be a peaceful farming community whose king honored the same peaceful ideals Kaʻiana himself embodied.
Set against the backdrop of increasing British arrivals and the looming unification of Hawaiʻi under Kamehameha I, the series examines the collision between noble intentions and brutal realities. Kamehameha&#8217;s unification campaign involved systematic warfare across the island chain, employing both traditional Hawaiian tactics and newly acquired Western firearms — a cruel irony that mirrors the show&#8217;s central themes of violence in pursuit of ostensibly noble goals. This historical trajectory proves grimly prophetic: the unified Kingdom of Hawaiʻi eventually fell to American and European colonization in 1893, became a U.S. territory in 1898, and was subsequently admitted as a U.S. state in 1959 — exactly as the native Hawaiians had feared when they first witnessed increasing numbers of white men discovering their islands.
&#8220;Chief of War&#8221; weaves together several powerful themes: preserving the cultural identity of native Hawaiian people, examining the practical ideals of unification alongside the horrific violence that ensued in this pursuit, and exploring the moral complexities of leadership during times of both internal warfare and external threats from forces seeking to subjugate the kingdom. These themes resonate well with contemporary American political discourse, where we continually hear from the progressive left that America is fundamentally a nation of occupiers and usurpers — a country built on the backs of those it has enslaved and subjugated, requiring comprehensive amends for historical injustices against enslaved blacks, native Americans, and islanders now under its rule. This narrative has shaped everything from reparations debates to land acknowledgments, creating a political narrative that often reduces complex historical realities to simple victim-oppressor dynamics.
<div id="attachment_964015" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-964015" class="size-large wp-image-964015" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225039360-864x576.jpg" alt="KAPOLEI, HAWAII - JULY 18: Jason Momoa attends the world premiere of the Apple TV+ drama series &quot;Chief of War&quot; at Ko Olina Beach Park on July 18, 2025 in Kapolei, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225039360-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225039360-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225039360-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225039360.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />KAPOLEI, HAWAII &#8211; JULY 18: Jason Momoa attends the world premiere of the Apple TV+ drama series &#8220;Chief of War&#8221; at Ko Olina Beach Park on July 18, 2025 in Kapolei, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)</div>
While America should fully acknowledge its horrific past of enslavement, betrayals, and subjection of indigenous peoples, these actions represent examples of the universal human condition rather than uniquely European evil. In &#8220;Chief of War,&#8221; we witness the violent, power-hungry Kahekili betraying his own nephew, manipulating him as an instrument of war against the peaceful people of O&#8217;ahu. This demonstrates that even without the threat of European colonization, the capacity for both evil and good exists within all cultures and peoples. The primary difference lies in scale — violence, war, and betrayal among a small group of islands operates by the same moral principles as similar actions across an entire continent.
This pattern of moral complexity extends particularly to American slavery. Few Americans are aware that without direct African involvement, there would have been no trans-Atlantic slave trade. Professor and historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. notes in a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/opinion/23gates.html">New York Times opinion</a> article that colonial conquests of Africa&#8217;s interior didn&#8217;t occur until the late 1800s. For centuries prior, European explorers remained close to coastal forts, depending entirely on Africans to sell those they had enslaved to European traders who would transport these slaves to the New World — accounting for 90% of the slave trade. Gates poses the salient question we should all consider: why do Americans place blame solely at the feet of Europeans when their success was entirely dependent on the slave-trading kingdoms of western and central Africa?
Similarly, we should also examine the argument that pre-Columbian America was entirely populated by peaceful natives prior to European colonization. Historical evidence reveals this narrative is incomplete. While European arrival undeniably brought devastating new diseases, conflicts over land, and systematic violence as settlers expanded into the continent&#8217;s interior, warfare and conflict among tribes existed long before this period. Archaeological evidence confirms ongoing competition for resources and territorial disputes among various Native American tribes.
This analysis doesn&#8217;t suggest that Europeans were justified in their atrocities against other people groups. America&#8217;s history is written in blood, and there can be no denial of the utter brutality involved in its making. However, judging historical figures by contemporary moral standards is highly problematic. All humans are creatures of their time, and many of us descend from those who formed America, for good or ill. Thus, no one in the present day can reasonably (or should) claim how they would have responded to any given circumstance in the distant past.
We must recognize there is only one race — the human race — and only one condition — the human condition. &#8220;Chief of War&#8221; reminds us that moral complexity, the capacity for both violence and nobility, isn&#8217;t unique to any particular people — it is the universal burden and potential of being human. &#8220;Chief of War&#8221; ultimately challenges viewers to abandon the comfortable simplicity of America’s increasing echo chambers of tribal thought by embracing the difficult work of understanding humanity&#8217;s capacity for both cruelty and compassion across all cultures and eras.
* * *
Walter Myers III is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-22-Aug-2025-09-06-AM-328

‘Chief Of War’ Challenges The Myth Of ‘Peaceful Natives’ Before Colonization

'Chief Of War' Challenges The Myth Of 'Peaceful Natives' Before Colonization

Apple

Hawaii

indigenous

Jason Momoa

Native Americans

“Basic Instinct” writer Joe Eszterhas, 80, recently discussed how he plans to approach a reboot of the 1992 thriller “Basic Instinct.” 
The film writer spoke again about his plans for the project, telling <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/basic-instinct-writer-promises-anti-woke-reboot-sharon-stone-claims-original-film-ruined-her-image">Fox News Digital</a> that being politically correct has “stripped” films of real dialogue. 
&#8220;I think that the language has been, for political reasons, the truth has been gutted in some ways,&#8221; Eszterhas told the outlet in a newly published interview. &#8220;And yes, I hope that this ‘Basic&#8217; renewal will be as successful, language-wise, as the first one was.&#8221;
He mentioned specific lines with vulgarity, including when Stone’s co-star Michael Douglas, who played homicide detective Nick Curran, called her “the f*** of the century.”
Eszterhas said he’s glad there are conversations in the industry about political correctness. “DEI, it may be a noble concept, but it doesn&#8217;t work in drama and in film,&#8221; he added.
During an <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/joe-eszterhas-basic-instinct-reboot-trump-interview/">interview</a> last month with The Wrap, Eszterhas said the film was “anti-woke” before going into detail about how the main character will be “open about her sexuality” in addition to being, “raunchy at times,” “funny,” and “iconoclastic.”
In the first film, the character Catherine Tramell, a wealthy heiress, is played by Sharon Stone.
“In terms of the woke culture, I think that there is a segment of the population that’s had it with woke culture. But then there’s also a huge segment that hasn’t. I don’t believe in woke and I don’t believe in being politically correct because I think it’s not the truth, and I like the truth spoken,” Eszterhas at the time.
He added, “The absurdities come when a woman who is sexual and open about her sexuality, you know, the culture that that I grew up in would describe that woman as a nymphomaniac. If a man did the same thing he would be a stud.”
While Eszterhas said he’d love Stone to reprise her role as Tramell, the 67-year-old actress seems less enthused about the idea.
&#8220;If it goes the way the one I was in went, I would just say, ‘I don’t know why you do it. I mean, go ahead, but good f***ing luck,&#8221; she said during a Today show appearance this week.
Stone starred in “Basic Instinct 2” in 2006, but the film was panned by both audiences and critics. It currently has a 6% critic’s score and 26% audience rating on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/basic_instinct_2">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.

Basic Instinct

‘Basic Instinct’ Writer Discusses ‘Anti-Woke’ Reboot, Says DEI ‘Doesn’t Work’ In Film

 'Basic Instinct' Writer Discusses 'Anti-Woke' Reboot, Says DEI  'Doesn't Work' In Film

Wokeness

Tom Cruise reportedly turned down a chance to be honored by President Donald Trump with an award at the Kennedy Center, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2025/08/13/trump-kennedy-center-honorees/">The Washington Post</a>.
The outlet reported that the “Top Gun: Maverick” star cited “scheduling conflicts” when asked to attend the gala at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C., on December 7.
Cruise, 63, remains silent on political issues, and <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/tom-cruise-sidesteps-trump-tariff-question-mission-impossible-1236392597/">redirected</a> the conversation when a Korean reporter pressed him on the issue of Trump and tariffs at a press junket for “Mission: Impossible 8” earlier this year.
“We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you,” the actor said.
Notably, Cruise has a history of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/news/ni63992399/">skipping</a> awards shows, especially considering how fans believe he’s been snubbed by the Academy on multiple occasions after being nominated for an Oscar three times, but never winning.
President Trump made headlines earlier this week when he announced this year’s Kennedy Center honorees personally during a press conference.
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This year’s celebrity honorees include country singer George Strait, legendary actor Sylvester Stallone, the rock band KISS, “Phantom of the Opera” actor Michael Crawford, and singer Gloria Gaynor, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-announces-kennedy-center-nominees-says-he-rejected-wokesters">reported</a>.
“The 48th Kennedy Center Honorees are outstanding people, incredible, we can’t wait … in a few short months since I became chairman of the board, the Kennedy Center, we’ve completely reversed the decline of this cherished national institution,” Trump said during his speech on Wednesday.
When asked if he participated in the selection process, Trump said he was “about 98% involved” and that “they all came through me.”
The president flat out said he turned down certain suggestions for being too “woke.”
“I turned down plenty, they were too woke. … I had a couple of wokesters. No, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be,” Trump added. He went on to mention other Hollywood awards shows, which seemingly take an opposite approach.
“Look at the Academy Awards — it gets lousy ratings now, it’s all woke. All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don’t watch anymore,” Trump said.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Reportedly Turned Down Trump’s Invite To Kennedy Center Awards

Tom Cruise Reportedly Turned Down Trump's Invite To Kennedy Center Awards

The Kennedy Center

U.S.

Director Ron Howard is reflecting on “Hillbilly Elegy,” the film he made about the early life of Vice President JD Vance, saying he’s surprised by the VP’s “divisive” rhetoric.
The filmmaker spoke with <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/ron-howard-in-conversation.html">Vulture</a> about his current thoughts on the 2020 film starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams as Vance’s Mamaw and mother, respectively. Actor Gabriel Basso played the adult version of the VP.
The movie was based on Vance’s best-selling 2016 memoir by the same name.
“It remains a bit of a surprise to me,” Howard told Vulture of Vance’s trajectory to the White House. “I would not have seen it coming, and I wouldn’t have expected his rhetoric to be as divisive as it sometimes is. By the way, I’m not following him or listening to every word.”
“He was trying to run an investment fund. So the run for Senate and the strategy he’s chosen to follow are not what I would’ve expected,” he added.
“I don’t think about it,” Howard told Vulture of the film’s legacy. “I know it’s a mixed bag and probably quite culturally divided. I also know that reviews were bad and the audience-reaction rating was pretty good.”
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When asked if he’s had any contact with Vance since filming and promoting the movie was done, the Oscar-winning director admitted he texted Vance after he won alongside Trump in 2024.
“I did one text, after the election, which was just sort of ‘Godspeed. Try to serve us well,&#8217;” Howard told the outlet.
Earlier this year, Basso said he doesn’t regret the part and thinks it’s “crazy” he played someone who eventually became vice president.
&#8220;It&#8217;s kind of weird to be included in that timeline,&#8221; the actor <a href="https://ew.com/gabriel-basso-says-it-was-weird-to-play-cool-dude-jd-vance-8778261">said</a> of the part.
&#8220;When he&#8217;s thinking about his life — they made a movie of his book, and my name will always be in the description,&#8221; Basso said. &#8220;We talked a little bit. He&#8217;s a cool dude. We&#8217;re both from the Midwest. We just talked about life — about growing up in the woods.&#8221;
Meanwhile Close insists that Vance is totally different now than he was on set. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know what happened,&#8221; the actress told the audience of “The View” in January. “Power is probably the biggest aphrodisiac for a human being.&#8221;
“Hillbilly Elegy” is about Yale Law student JD Vance (Basso) reflecting on his turbulent upbringing in a working-class Appalachian family and his struggle to break free from cycles of poverty and alcoholism. Told through flashbacks, it follows Vance’s relationship with his strong-willed grandmother (Close) and his troubled mother (Adams). Major themes include redemption, forgiveness, resilience, and strong family ties.

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