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.”

Dakota Johnson

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

Dakota Johnson On 'Madame Web' Disaster: 'Wasn't My Fault'

Hollywood

Movies

U.S.

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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“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.”

Tom Cruise

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

Tom Cruise Earns Guinness World Record While Filming 'Mission: Impossible 8' 

Entertainment

Mission Impossible

Anyone who relished 1978’s “Superman: The Movie” winced over the saga’s fourth installment, 1987’s “The Quest for Peace.”
That didn’t erase the mark Christopher Reeve left on the Man of Steel and pop culture writ large. Iconic. Then and now.
<div id="attachment_930427" style="width: 471px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930427" class="size-large wp-image-930427" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-166979319-461x576.jpg" alt="Superman, played by American actor Christopher Reeve (1952 - 2004), holds a green crystal at the Fortress of Solitude, in a promotional still from 'Superman', directed by Richard Donner, 1978. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)" width="461" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-166979319-461x576.jpg 461w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-166979319-240x300.jpg 240w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-166979319-768x960.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-166979319.jpg 819w" sizes="(max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px" />Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images</div>
So, after Marvel’s “Iron Man” blew the doors off the box office in 2008 and ignited Hollywood’s new superhero craze, it made sense to bring the DC Comics hero back to theaters.
He’s arguably the most recognizable hero in the men in tights genre, dating back to the late 1930s. So why can’t the industry get Superman right?
Here’s hoping director James Gunn does just that with the latest “Superman.” The summer’s most anticipated release casts relative newcomer David Corenswet (“Twisters”) as the Krypton native. Early <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhUht6vAsMY">trailers</a> suggest a lighter tone and emphasis on humor as much as rock ‘em, sock ‘em action.
<div id="attachment_930429" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930429" class="size-large wp-image-930429" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-1024x576.jpg" alt="David Corenswet. &quot;Superman&quot; 2025. Photo by Courtesy of Warner Bros. Copyright: Warner Bros." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Courtesy of Warner Bros. Copyright: Warner Bros.</div>
Why is it so hard to make the Man of Steel as popular as the Hulk or Thor on movie screens? 
We’ve had endless small-screen Supermen, from George Reeves’ ‘50s era here to Dean Cain in the rom-com-ish ‘90s series “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.”
The first major attempt at Superman came two years before Robert Downey, Jr. kick-started the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 2006 film “Superman Returns” deployed a Reeve doppelganger (Brandon Routh) but underwhelmed at the box office.
Something was missing, and not just the “American Way.” The film ditched the hero’s signature phrase, “Truth, Justice and the American Way” to placate foreign audiences or the industry’s Left-leaning sensibilities.
By the time Warner Bros. hired Henry Cavill to play Clark Kent the superhero craze was in full swing, but this wasn’t your father’s Superman. Cavill’s “Man of Steel” (2013) was conflicted, a far cry from Reeve’s Boy Scout persona. Even the legendary suit’s colors were muted, a darker shade to reflect his inner turmoil.
<div id="attachment_930431" style="width: 812px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930431" class="size-large wp-image-930431" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-171517650-802x576.jpg" alt="SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 25: (EUROPE AND AUSTRALASIA OUT) British actor Henry Cavill poses during a photo shoot on June 25, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. Cavill is in Australia to promote his new superman film 'Man of Steel'. (Photo by Chris Pavlich/Newspix/Getty Images)" width="802" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-171517650-802x576.jpg 802w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-171517650-300x215.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-171517650-768x551.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-171517650.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 802px) 100vw, 802px" />Chris Pavlich/Newspix/Getty Images</div>
The film made millions, but it didn’t rock the culture like Reeve did in the late 1970s nor did it generate a direct sequel. Cavill starred in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016) and “Justice League” (2017).
Cavill made a Superman cameo in the 2022 disappointment “Black Adam” before learning he was out of the DCEU (DC Extended Universe).
It’s not surprising that Hollywood has struggled to make Superman “Superman.” Antiheroes are all the rage in Tinsel Town, from Tony Soprano to the misfit warriors of “Thunderbolts*” and two “Suicide Squad” films.
It’s hard to make a Boy Scout-like hero pop off the screen in our cynical age. The writing must be rich and detailed, showcasing layers that make the “aw, shucks” heroism matter. Antiheroes offer far more shades of gray and opportunities to grab our attention. That’s what Walter White did for five mesmerizing seasons of “Breaking Bad.”
“Say my name!”
Goody two-shoes characters aren’t hip in the eyes of many screenwriters. White hat heroes need not apply. How many recent films have glorified hit men, paid assassins who serve as judge, jury and executioner? The “John Wick” saga is the tip of that morally dubious iceberg.
So where does that leave this summer’s Superman reboot?
It’s Gunn’s baby, through and through. The veteran writer/director is in charge of the DCEU’s reboot, and this is his coming-out party after working with the MCU on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy.
<div id="attachment_930433" style="width: 879px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930433" class="size-large wp-image-930433" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2179646001-869x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: James Gunn speaks at the DC Studios Creature Commandos panel during New York Comic Con 2024 at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on October 19, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for ReedPop)" width="869" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2179646001-869x576.jpg 869w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2179646001-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2179646001-768x509.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2179646001.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 869px) 100vw, 869px" />Craig Barritt/Getty Images for ReedPop</div>
Gunn brings a quirky sense of humor to his work, but he’s hardly a traditionalist. He also has a dark side. He previously got canceled in 2018 for resurfaced <a href="https://deadline.com/2018/07/james-gunn-fired-guardians-of-the-galaxy-disney-offensive-tweets-1202430392/">pedophilia and rape jokes</a> on Twitter. Disney later had a change of heart and hired him to helm the third film in the “Guardians” saga.
<a href="https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/james-gunn-donald-trump-dick-joke-twitter-james-mangold-1201908489/">Gunn also blasted then-President Trump</a>, a common pose in his field.
The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro, no fan of Gunn’s work, has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbefouUAF2w">low expectations</a> for the new reboot after reviewing the trailer. “Two thumbs down.”
A recent revelation suggests Hollywood didn’t learn from its past mistakes. Official “Superman” movie merchandise drops the “American Way” phrase once more in favor of “<a href="https://cosmicbook.news/james-gunn-superman-ditches-the-american-way">the human way.”</a>
Yet the director <a href="https://thescreenbrief.com/james-gunn-interview-superman-teaser-press-launch/">spoke to the character’s innate goodness</a> in a late 2024 interview that suggests a Reeve-like take on the material. 
“We can expect a Superman who is about the compassion of the human spirit, a Superman who is about kindness, love and compassion, while also being a very strong character. He is the best of humanity, even though he is an alien from outer space.”
Maybe Gunn will rise to the cultural occasion. We could use a unifying hero like Superman at this point in American culture. We’re at each other’s throats over political differences, egged on by social media platforms that feast on conflict.
<div id="attachment_930443" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930443" class="size-large wp-image-930443" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2172998627-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 18: (L-R) Peter Safran, Co-Chairman &amp; CEO, DC Studios, David Corenswet and James Gunn, Co-Chairman &amp; CEO, DC Studios attend &quot;Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story&quot; New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on September 18, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2172998627-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2172998627-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2172998627-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2172998627.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images</div>
Superman isn’t Right or Left, although his Midwest upbringing suggests he’d call the former camp home. Still, Reeve’s Superman never became a culture war talking point. His chaste pursuit of Margot Kidder’s Lois Land was PG-rated perfection. He’s true to his word and lives to save cats stuck in trees.
That’s all for the good.
Gunn teased Superman’s core strength as a character in the aforementioned interview, another tease that he might be channeling the Reeve model.
“[He’s ]this symbol of really old-fashioned values and hope, and it’s an idea that’s been a bit battered over the years.”
Gunn is no conservative, but he may realize “Superman” needs heartland values to connect with the character’s past … and the franchise’s future. That’s assuming he still has one.
* * *
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.
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Auction Of Superman Suit In Melbourne – Preview

Why Can’t Hollywood Get Superman Right?

Comics

DC Studios

Marvel

Superman

Warner Bros

“Chuck” star Zachary Levi said he’s spoken to people in Hollywood who thanked him for supporting Trump, saying they were also fans, but too “afraid” to make it known publicly.
The 44-year-old celeb talked about going against the mainstream opinions of the entertainment industry during a newly published interview with <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/zachary-levi-trump-support-austin-studio-1236405791/">Variety</a>. “I know it to be true because I’ve gotten messages from lots of people who I won’t name but who were very grateful to me for taking the stand that I took,” Levi told the outlet.
“And also they would tell me, ‘I want to do that, but I’m so afraid.’ And I would tell them, ‘Listen, you’re on your journey. I’m on my journey. You’ve got to keep trusting God. And if you feel compelled to step out in that way, then do it boldly and know that you’re going to be OK. And if you don’t feel that conviction yet, then don’t. It’s all good.’”
The &#8220;Shazam&#8221; actor also said how voicing his political stance has affected his career.
“I know that there are people that would prefer not to work with me now because of my opinions. My team has let me know,” Levi told the outlet.
“They haven’t given me any specific names, but there are people who prefer not to work with me at this time. And it’s unfortunate. I knew that was probably going to happen. I didn’t make this decision blindly or casually.” 
Levi made major waves last October after posting an Instagram Live video targeting “closeted conservatives and closeted Trump voters” and asking that they come forward and identify themselves.
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He made a formal <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/actor-zachary-levi-explains-why-hes-supporting-trump-and-his-avengers">endorsement</a> of Trump, saying, “For four years, the world didn’t blow up. He didn’t turn into the Nazi, fascist that everybody [said] he was going to be the first time around. We entered no more wars. Our economy was better. Our border was better.”
Levi said at the time that even if he didn&#8217;t &#8220;like all of his Trumpiness,&#8221; it didn’t change the fact that Kamala Harris was “not qualified in any way, shape, or form to be the commander in chief, the leader of the free world. Absolutely not.”

Zachary Levi

Zachary Levi Says Others In Hollywood Secretly Voted Trump, Were ‘So Grateful’ He Took A Stand

Zachary Levi Says Others In Hollywood Secretly Voted Trump, Were 'So Grateful' He Took A Stand

Celebrities

Donald Trump

Politics

“Gladiator II” actor Paul Mescal said Hollywood is changing its approach to leading males. 
The 29-year-old Irish star made the remarks while promoting his new gay romantic drama, “History of Sound,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. 
“It’s ever shifting,” he said during a press conference for the film, per <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/festivals/paul-mescal-masculinity-brokeback-mountain-cannes-1236406568/">Variety</a>. “I think maybe in cinema we’re moving away from the traditional, alpha, leading male characters. I don’t think the film is defining or attempting to redefine masculinity, I think it is being very subjective to the relationship between [the movie’s characters] Lionel and David.”
This was similar to comments he made last year about the state of masculinity in modern society.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a sort of crisis in masculinity I think at the moment and what it means to be a man,” Mescal <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/andrew-scott-and-paul-mescal-on-toxic-masculinity-the-most-macho-man-will-be-the-first-to-break-13054759">told</a> Sky News at the time. “We have all these things within us, there&#8217;s no one way of being, there just isn&#8217;t, and sometimes the people who are the most outwardly macho in some ways, are the people who aren&#8217;t going to be there for you emotionally.”
Mescal also bristled at the comparisons being made between “History of Sound” and the popular gay romance “Brokeback Mountain” (2005), which starred Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. 
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“I personally don’t see the parallels at all with ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ other than we spent a little time in a tent,” he said. “[‘Brokeback’] is a beautiful film but it is dealing with the idea of repression … I find those comparisons relatively lazy and frustrating, but for the most part I think the relationship I have to the film is born out of the fact that it’s a celebration between these men’s love and not the repression of their sexuality.”
Per the movie’s description, “History of Sound” is about “two young men &#8212; Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O&#8217;Connor) &#8212; in the shadows of WWI who are determined to record the lives, voices and music of their American countrymen. As they begin to log the events, the two fall in love.”
Previously, Mescal defended himself against being cast as a gay man in films despite being heterosexual in real life. 
“It depends [on] who’s in charge of telling the story,” the actor <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/paul-mescal-im-not-just-the-token-irish-hunk-jrhcs688f?region=global">told</a> The Sunday Times while discussing another project, “All of Us Strangers.”
“The issue is that there have been so many queer performances in cinema that have been offensive, but that’s because the filmmakers and the actors have been careless,” he added.

Paul Mescal

‘Gladiator II’ Actor Says Hollywood Is ‘Moving Away’ From ‘Alpha’ Male Roles

'Gladiator II' Actor Claims Hollywood Is 'Moving Away' From 'Alpha' Male Roles

Masculinity

World

Action star Tom Cruise summed up his thoughts on retiring from acting with four definitive words, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I will never stop.”
The 62-year-old actor is currently promoting “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” which premiered last week at Cannes ahead of its Memorial Day weekend theatrical release. When an interviewer asked Cruise about the franchise ending with the eighth installment, he replied, “It’s the final! It’s not called ‘final’ for nothing.”
Next, the three-time Golden Globe Award winner was asked about a statement he made two years ago about his admiration for Harrison Ford, who was 80 years old when he starred in &#8220;Indian Jones and the Dial of Destiny.&#8221; When <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tom-cruise-making-movies-into-100s-mission-impossible-1236220928/">asked by THR</a> if he still felt that way, Cruise replied, “I actually said I’m going to make movies into my 80s; actually, I’m going to make them into my 100s.”
“I will never stop. I will never stop doing action, I will never stop doing drama, comedy, films — I’m excited,” he continued.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
At the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissionImpossible?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissionImpossible</a>—The Final Reckoning premiere, Tom Cruise reveals he will keep making movies into his 100s <a href="https://t.co/dZdzfEKnAf">pic.twitter.com/dZdzfEKnAf</a>
&mdash; The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1924241894973772068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“There’s been so many levels of reward with the filmmakers that I’ve collaborated with, the crews, the people, the cultures that we’ve worked in. Everything that I’ve learned and continue to learn about storytelling, about life, about leadership, about character and every aspect of filmmaking. It’s been exceptional, it really is exceptional,” Cruise said during the red carpet interview.
“I feel very fortunate to be able to make the films that I make and I love it. I love just making movies,” he concluded.
“The Final Reckoning” is getting good buzz from critics who have viewed it ahead of its nationwide release. One reviewer called it “whip-smart and razor-sharp,” while another said it’s “an exhilarating adrenaline rush for the head &amp; heart &amp; immersive, awe-inducing stuntacular of the highest order.”
The “Mission: Impossible” franchise, which began in 1996 and is based on the 1960s television series, has evolved into a high-energy action filmography featuring Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts and intricate espionage plots. The films have grossed more than $4 billion worldwide, with the most successful being “Fallout” (2018).

Tom Cruise Has 4 Word Response To Reporter On Retirement Plans

Even liberally applied &#8220;Hollywood Magic&#8221; was not enough to save a floundering former President Joe Biden — &#8220;magic&#8221; that included help with lighting and sound from mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg and direction from Oscar-winner Stephen Spielberg, says the new book &#8220;Original Sin&#8221; from CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson.
In an <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-political-scene/how-joe-biden-handed-the-presidency-to-donald-trump?mbid=social_twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_social-type=owned&amp;utm_brand=tny" target="_blank" rel="noopener">excerpt from the book</a> published on Tuesday by The New Yorker, Tapper and Thompson revealed just how much pre-production went into getting Biden camera ready as the 2024 presidential campaign heated up — and the moment when everyone involved realized that it just wasn&#8217;t working.
Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, who had been friends with Biden for decades, spearheaded high-dollar fundraisers — including a Radio City event that raked in $26 million — but he took on a different role as the 2024 presidential election loomed ever closer.
&#8220;As 2024 approached, he saw Biden’s communication struggles and thought he could help fix them. He worked on providing better lighting for Biden and trying to find a microphone that would amplify Biden when he would break into a whisper for emphasis,&#8221; Tapper and Thompson wrote — but Katzenberg didn&#8217;t stop there.
&#8220;Katzenberg also recruited his friend Steven Spielberg, who helped coach Biden for the State of the Union and his debates, even assisting with routine campaign videos. There was, however, only so much that Hollywood magic could do,&#8221; they continued.
The moment that shocked everyone, according to Tapper and Thompson, was Biden&#8217;s appearance at the Hollywood fundraiser hosted by actor George Clooney — and his apparent failure to immediately recognize his longtime friend and supporter.
<blockquote>“You know George,” the assisting aide told the President, gently reminding him who was in front of him. “Yeah, yeah,” the President said to one of the most recognizable men in the world, the host of this lucrative fund-raiser. “Thank you for being here.”
“Hi, Mr. President,” Clooney said.
“How are ya?” the President replied.
“How was your trip?” Clooney asked.
“It was fine,” the President said.
It seemed clear that the President had not recognized Clooney.
“It was not O.K.,” recalled the Hollywood V.I.P. who had witnessed this moment. “That thing, the moment where you recognize someone you know—especially a famous person who’s doing a f***ing fund-raiser for you—it was delayed. It was uncomfortable.”
</blockquote>
Biden had to be reminded that the man standing in front of him was George Clooney, according to witnesses.
&#8220;Clooney was shaken to his core. The President hadn’t recognized him, a man he had known for years. Clooney had expressed concern about Biden’s health before—a White House aide had told him a few months before that they were working on getting the President to take longer steps when he walked—but obviously the problem went far beyond his gait. This was much graver,&#8221; Tapper and Thompson wrote.
It was only a short time later that Clooney penned the open letter calling on Biden to exit the race.

George Clooney

Behind The Scenes: Book Reveals The Extensive ‘Hollywood Magic’ That Couldn’t Save Biden

Behind The Scenes: Book Reveals The Extensive 'Hollywood Magic' That Couldn't Save Biden

2024 Election

Joe Biden

Kamala Harris

Media

Some film critics were able to check out Tom Cruise’s new film, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” ahead of its Memorial Day weekend release date of May 23, and so far, the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.
“[‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’] rips! Loved it. An exhilarating adrenaline rush for the head &amp; heart &amp; immersive, awe-inducing stuntacular of the highest order. McQ, [Tom Cruise] &amp; CO have crafted the gold standard – a brilliant, bold actioner for the ages. See it BIG &amp; LOUD,” one film critic <a href="https://x.com/Lulamaybelle/status/1922155008658723170">shared</a> on X. 
Another reviewer shared similar sentiments, <a href="https://x.com/ShowbizSimon/status/1922155294500556946">writing</a>, “[‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’] is whip-smart and razor-sharp, this tense eighth entry in one of the most exhilarating franchises of all time is another winner. With sphincter-tightening set pieces, blockbusters do not get much better than this. Cruise &amp; McQuarrie nail it!”
“[&#8216;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8217;] is the ACTION MOVIE OF THE SUMMER! [Tom Cruise] DEFIES ALL ODDS with JAW-DROPPING action built only for @IMAX. Every stunt, every set piece, every second is designed to blow your mind, A PULSE-POUNDING THRILL RIDE, and Cruise remains the king of spectacle,” a third reviewer <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mission-impossible-final-reckoning-first-reactions-1236214813/">echoed</a>.
Another said this film, “ties up loose ends of the franchise while also coming full circle on storylines I never imagined would be revisited. The wonderfully insane stunts are to be expected, but the film really hinges on the tension throughout. It’s a great time!”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning | Official Trailer (2025 Movie) - Tom Cruise" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fsQgc9pCyDU?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>
“MI8” will debut at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14 ahead of its theatrical release. 
This latest effort is a follow-up to “Dead Reckoning Part One,” which was considered a box office disappointment despite making $566 million globally due to the high costs of production and marketing. Per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mission-impossible-final-reckoning-first-reactions-1236214813/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>, “MI8” cost more than $400 million to make and was plagued by production delays, meaning it has even more ground to make up.
The &#8220;Mission: Impossible&#8221; franchise, which began in 1996 and is based on the 1960s television series, has evolved into a high-energy action filmography featuring Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts and intricate espionage plots. The films have <a href="https://www.therichest.com/mission-impossible-movies/">grossed</a> more than $4 billion worldwide, with the most successful being “Fallout” (2018).
While &#8220;Mission: Impossible &#8211; The Final Reckoning&#8221; is titled in a way that suggests it might be the end of the franchise, the film&#8217;s director, Christopher McQuarrie, has not confirmed or denied the suggestion. Tom Cruise did confirm that

The Reviews Are In For Tom Cruise And ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’

Critics Say 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' Is An 'Exhilarating Adrenaline Rush'

Cannes

One of President Donald Trump’s better qualities flies far under the radar. He doesn’t hold a grudge. That’s especially true when there’s a greater good in play.
Then-candidate Trump sparred aggressively with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly during the 2016 campaign. Late last year, Kelly endorsed Trump, speaking at a MAGA rally days before the Nov. 5 election.
The president once dubbed a presidential rival “Little” Marco Rubio. That politician is currently Trump’s trusted Secretary of State.
Now, Trump wants to make amends with Hollywood, an industry that loathes him with the heat of a thousand suns. This act of forgiveness dwarfs them all, but Trump sees movies as a vital part of the nation’s soft power as well as a critical industry.
<div id="attachment_877383" style="width: 873px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-877383" class="size-large wp-image-877383" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-863x576.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 06: Donald Trump star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California on Dec. 6, 2016." width="863" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-863x576.jpg 863w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-2048x1368.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 863px) 100vw, 863px" />shalunts. Getty Images.</div>
It’s why Hollywood should swallow hard and play nice with President Trump. Or, at the very least, lend him its collective ear.
Trump’s shocking outreach began with, what else, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-movie-industry-is-dying-puts-plan-in-place-to-save-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a social media post</a>. He promised 100% tariffs on movies made outside of the U.S.
<blockquote>I am authorizing the Department of Commerce, and the United States Trade Representative, 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,” he added. “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!&#8221;</blockquote>
All heck broke loose in La La Land, with entertainment news outlets spinning furiously against the vague proposal.
Call it Trump’s opening volley, part of the president’s knack for starting with big claims and negotiating from there. It’s similar to Trump’s earlier announcement that movie superstars Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight would form a group of “Ambassadors” to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-appoints-a-list-stars-as-ambassadors-to-hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revive the flailing film industry.</a>
<blockquote>It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!</blockquote>
Except the news seemed to have caught the trio by surprise and, only recently, did one of the actors, Voight, step forward with <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/jon-voight-trump-hollywood-tariff-1236390109/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concrete plans</a> on making Hollywood great again.
<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/05/07/nx-s1-5389865/trump-movie-tariffs-jon-voight-tax-incentives-hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NPR described Voight’s vision</a> as “federal tax incentives, co-production treaties with other countries and subsidies for theater owners and film and TV production companies.”
<div id="attachment_861225" style="width: 987px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-861225" class="size-large wp-image-861225" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/Jon-Voight-977x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 19: Actor Jon Voight speaks at Donald Trump's victory rally on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will be sworn in on January 20. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)" width="977" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/Jon-Voight-977x576.jpg 977w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/Jon-Voight-300x177.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/Jon-Voight-768x453.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/Jon-Voight.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 977px) 100vw, 977px" />Scott Olson/Getty Images</div>
The “Midnight Cowboy” star acknowledged the rift between Trump and Hollywood, adding that it shouldn&#8217;t distract from the big picture.
“I think he’s been treated unfairly. I think I have too. But what’s the difference? Who cares?” Voight asks. “I mean, there’s been a battle, but now it’s time to put that aside. And I must say, in all of the interactions we’ve had [on addressing runaway production], politics has never come up. Never.”
Hollywood, Inc. would be foolish not to listen.
Yes, the box office came roaring back in recent weeks, courtesy of hits like “Sinners” and “A Minecraft Movie.” That doesn’t camouflage the sizable issues confronting movie studios, from the death of the modern movie star to escalating film budgets.
Case in point? The upcoming “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” has a <a href="https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/3/25/mission-impossible-8-has-a-400m-budget" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$400 million budget</a>, meaning it will have to dramatically out-perform the best films in the series to make a profit.
Hollywood’s problems would make a depressing feature.
Film and TV productions have been fleeing Los Angeles for some time. Streaming platforms have proven to be far less profitable than hoped, with Netflix emerging as the strongest money maker for now.
The DVD/Blu-ray gravy train slowed some time ago, removing a safety net for films that didn’t catch fire at theaters.
Dueling 2023 strikes hurt the industry more than anticipated, and the threat of A.I. to the creative community looms in the not-so-distant future. Social media, YouTube and other distractions now dominate the culture, making young consumers <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/deloitte-gen-z-creator-content-streaming-price-1236171227/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less invested in Hollywood product</a>.
Meanwhile, California Democrats are <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-05-06/newsom-called-for-a-federal-tax-incentive-to-save-hollywood-but-will-that-actually-happen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scrambling to prevent productions</a> from leaving the City of Angels for more receptive states and countries. That’s left countless Calif.-based crew members desperate for work. <a href="https://variety.com/2025/biz/news/new-york-film-subsidy-jersey-1236392167/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York just followed suit</a>.
Hollywood players hate Trump so much some wish they could erase his presence from pop culture of yore. “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/home-alone-2-director-trump-cameo-removed-1236369779/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">director said just that about Trump’s seconds-long cameo</a> in his 1992 film.
<div id="attachment_908099" style="width: 832px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-908099" class="size-large wp-image-908099" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Donald-Trump-Macauley-Culkin-822x576.jpg" alt="Macaulay Culkin" width="822" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Donald-Trump-Macauley-Culkin-822x576.jpg 822w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Donald-Trump-Macauley-Culkin-300x210.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Donald-Trump-Macauley-Culkin-768x538.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Donald-Trump-Macauley-Culkin.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px" />Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images</div>
Others have alternately <a href="https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/louis-c-k-donald-trump-insane-bigot-dangerous-1201723679/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dubbed him Hitler</a> or <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/celebrities-wished-trump-dead/">wished him dead</a>. That sentiment may be hard to overcome.
The perfect storm of problems facing Hollywood may be too much for any presidential plan to solve. Gen Z’s drift away from movie watching can’t be assuaged by new policies. Stars still insist on <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/fantastic-four-rachel-zegler-problem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insulting potential customers</a>, from “Snow White’s” Rachel Zegler to the cast of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”
The two sides need to put aside their differences for the greater good. A healthy film market impacts more than just studio executives, theater owners and various crew members.
Hollywood movies send a message to the world. Films like “The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006) showcase the power of the American capitalist system. Others promote values like individual liberty (2012’s “Still Mine”) and triumphs over adversity (2016’s “Hidden Figures”).
It’s why China invests so heavily in its movie industry. The Communist nation wants to put the nation’s best foot forward on the big screen, removing sequences from foreign films that cast the country in a negative light.
President Trump may not make Hollywood great again. He could help the industry thrive against all odds.
* * *
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.

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump Wants To Make Hollywood Great Again — Will The Industry Listen?

California

Film

Jon Voight

Los Angeles

Mel Gibson

Netflix

New York City

President Trump

Sylvester Stallone

“Ray Donovan” star Liev Schreiber said it’s not that big of a deal that his son identifies as a woman, then proceeds to say it’s “important” to talk about it.
“Kai was always who Kai is,” the actor told <a href="https://variety.com/2025/scene/columns/liev-schreiber-trans-daughter-kai-1236390985/">Variety</a> of his 16-year-old son. “But I suppose the most profound moment was her asking us to change her pronouns. To be honest with you, it didn’t feel like that big of a deal to me only because Kai had been so feminine for so long.”
“Kai is such a fighter,” he added later. “It’s important that she goes, ‘Hey, I am trans,’ and, ‘Look at me.’”
The outlet noted that Kai, along with Schreiber and his wife, Taylor, will attend an upcoming charity gala to raise money for homeless LGBT youth.
“This isn’t just about representing the trans community,” Schreiber said. “This is actually a community of people who don’t have great resources, who don’t have access to help, who aren’t being protected and looked after by their families. These are people who are being rejected. These are people who are experiencing the harshest version of humanity that we can offer, and some of them are not surviving it.”
When the Variety interviewer asked if the nine-time Emmy Award nominee had any advice for parents of “trans kids,” Schrieber replied, “I don’t know the answer for your kid. I don’t know what it’s like for you to be a trans dad. I don’t know how you were brought up. I don’t know what religion you encountered or what your spirituality is. And for me to tell you what I think about my kid feels like an overstep.”
He added, “I guess if I would say anything to someone who’s having trouble with their trans teen or their adolescent trans kid, it’s ‘Teenagers are a headache. They’re hard.’ It doesn’t matter whether they’re trans or not because you’ll come out of this. But a trans teen is going to be a teen. They’re such a pain so much of the time, and Kai is as feisty and outspoken as they come.”
When asked how he feels about President Donald Trump rolling back left-wing gender policies via executive orders, the actor said he doesn’t “dwell on it too much.”
Many reactions on social media focused on how many trans-identifying children happen to have famous parents.
&#8220;Another Hollywood actor with a trans kid. What are the odds?&#8221; one sarcastic reaction on X <a href="https://x.com/AdamInHTownTX/status/1920598198223077841">said</a>. 
&#8220;Wouldn’t it be more newsworthy when a Hollywood kid isn’t trans?&#8221; another <a href="https://x.com/DirectorBowen/status/1920654107531980868">joked</a>.
Just <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/robert-de-niros-son-comes-out-as-transgender-woman?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Robert+De+Niro%E2%80%99s+Son+Comes+Out+As+Transgender+Woman">last week</a>, Robert De Niro&#8217;s son announced that he identifies as a transgender woman.

Liev Schreiber Kai Schreiber

Liev Schreiber On His Trans-Identifying Son: ‘It’s Important That She Goes, I Am Trans, Look at Me’

Liev Schreiber On Trans-Identifying Son: 'It’s Important That She Goes, I Am Trans, Look at Me'

actor

Parenting

Transgender

Whoopi Goldberg launched into a tirade against President Donald Trump on Tuesday, complaining that his recently-announced tariff on films made outside the United States amounted to an attempt to control the kind of movies that could be made.
Goldberg and her cohosts mocked Trump&#8217;s latest tariff announcement — a 100% tariff on movies made outside the United States — and kicked off the conversation by saying that Trump should deal with the egg prices (which have come down considerably since they peaked in March) before he worries about Hollywood.
&#8220;Okay, look,&#8221; Goldberg began. &#8220;You can&#8217;t do that because what that equates to is you&#8217;re going to tell me how to write the story I want to write if it happens in Europe, you&#8217;re telling me that if my book comes out and I want to write it, you&#8217;re telling me how to write it. You&#8217;re telling me you&#8217;re going to charge me for that.&#8221;
&#8220;What – you know, I — could you, look, ughhhhhh. Could you please lower the price of eggs before you start this?!&#8221; she continued.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Faux conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin mocks the idea of making some movie in America &#8220;Will it be Emily in Paris, Texas?&#8221; 
Sara Haines notes that Trump&#8217;s tariff threat has already caused California to want to increase incentives to film there. 
Whoopi continued to rage: &#8220;[I]f you… <a href="https://t.co/UGP6c2jMUE">pic.twitter.com/UGP6c2jMUE</a>
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1919777666154045620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin noted that some states were already competing to bring in filmmakers, noting that Georgia had effectively become &#8220;the Hollywood of the southeast because they make it cheaper to make movies there.&#8221; She then pivoted to mock the idea anyway, asking whether &#8220;Emily in Paris&#8221; would be remade as &#8220;Emily in Paris, Texas&#8221; — &#8220;or like &#8216;White Lotus: Mar-a-Lago Edition.&#8217; Movies will be very limited if you can only shoot here.&#8221;
Sara Haines noted that Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) had already moved to increase incentives for filmmakers to practice their craft in California, arguing that Trump&#8217;s plan could potentially bring about a positive outcome.
Goldberg pushed back, arguing that it would ultimately hurt movies if the tariff remained in place. &#8220;You can&#8217;t shoot &#8216;Gladiator&#8217; without going to Rome!&#8221;

WHOOPI GOLDBERG

‘You Can’t Do That!’: Whoopi Trashes Trump Over Hollywood Tariff, Claims He’s Controlling Movie Plots

'You Can't Do That!' Whoopi Trashes Trump Over Hollywood Tariff, Claims He's Controlling Movie Plots

Tariffs

The View

Whoopi Goldberg

Mexico rejects President Donald Trump’s offer to fight drug cartels with the U.S. military, Trump wants to bring movie production back to Hollywood, and Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin signs a law limiting social media use for children.
It’s Tuesday, May 6, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here: 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Cartels are &quot;Destroying Our Country&quot; PLUS Saving Hollywood from the Libs" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VDNviNvOMG8?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>
If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fighting-mexicos-cartels-hollywood-dreaming-5-6-25/id1576594336?i=1000706494904" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>Mexico Rejects Offer For U.S. Troops To Fight Cartels</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-916267" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/1-2.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/1-2.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/1-2-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: Mexico refuses President Trump’s offer to “send in the troops” to battle drug cartels.
Trump confirmed to journalists this week that he asked Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, if the United States military could be sent across the southern border to fight the cartels during a phone call with her on April 16th. Trump added that the cartels “are horrible people who’ve been killing people left and right” and addressed their role in both the fentanyl crisis and illegal immigration into the United States.
Sheinbaum rejected that offer, stating that the two countries can collaborate, but “with you in your territory and us in ours.”
This all comes as Mexico has struggled with ongoing turf wars between the cartels. One <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mexico-shootout-gunmen-killed-guanajuato-state-cartels/">gunfight</a> between cartel members earlier this year resulted in three police officers being injured and the death of ten cartel gunmen.
There have been reports that the administration was considering military action for months now. In the first few weeks of his presidency, Trump’s State Department designated eight different cartels and gangs, including the Sinaloa and New Generation cartels, as foreign terror organizations. NBC <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-administration-weighs-drone-strikes-mexican-cartels-rcna198930">reported</a> last month that administration officials were exploring the possibility of using drone strikes against the cartels to take out their leadership or knock out their logistics sites. That report said the administration had not ruled out taking unilateral action against the cartels without the support of the Mexican government.
The Trump administration has already begun flying <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-us-trump-drones-cia-13af9277fbbbf6ff4dfd470efc9cb647">surveillance drones</a> over Mexico, at the request of Sheinbaum. The New York Times reported that the CIA was conducting the surveillance flights with the intention of locating fentanyl labs.
<h2>Trump Floats Tariffs To Protect Tinsel Town</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-916269" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/2-2.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/2-2.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/2-2-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: Can Trump &#8216;Make Hollywood Work Again?&#8217; Or will his plan to “revive” the film industry end up on the cutting room floor?
President Trump made waves in Hollywood on Monday after announcing plans to impose a 100% tariff on all foreign-made films. The president says this move will revive a “dying” American movie industry.
Trump argued that countries like Australia, the U.K., and Canada are luring American productions away with generous tax incentives. He also said that these foreign films often contain propaganda, which he described as a “national security threat.”
Essentially, Trump said that foreign interests have destroyed Hollywood, and imposing tariffs would encourage domestic production. However, the details of how this would be implemented are murky at this point.
Context: 40% fewer films and TV shows are now shot in the U.S. compared to before the actors’ and writers’ strikes of 2023. Last year, Los Angeles saw its worst on-location filming rate in history, with the exception of 2020, when productions were shut down because of the COVID pandemic. Of all the TV shows and feature films that Americans watch, only 20% are now made in California.
The Motion Picture Association, which represents major studios, has declined to comment. But industry scuttlebutt is that studios don’t like the proposed tariff because it would make filming more expensive, while workers in crew positions and technical roles generally back the idea. There’s also concern about retaliation—China has already reduced U.S. film quotas in its market, and Europe, where U.S. films dominate, could impose tit-for-tat tariffs, crippling Hollywood’s $15.3 billion trade surplus.
<h2>Virginia Restricts Social Media Access For Kids</h2>
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Topline: Virginia severely cuts social media use for kids, restricting children to one hour of social media per day.
Virginia passed a first-of-its-kind bill to limit social media time for minors. Under the “Consumer Data Protection Act,” Virginia residents under the age of 16 will have a one-hour default time limit on their social media scrolling. However, if a parent wants to override that default setting, they’ll be able to do so.
Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin signed the bill into law on Friday. The bill garnered broad support from Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the state. Youngkin wanted the bill to go further: he pushed for it to extend to residents under 18 years old, and also wanted the legislation to limit addictive features like autoplay on videos and infinite scrolling.
“Our children are losing the chance to cultivate essential social skills,” Youngkin <a href="https://x.com/TeamYoungkin/status/1735411843789910372">said</a>. “They are encountering cyberbullying and they’re isolated. There’s substantial distractions in schools, escalating depression, and sleep disorders. Tech companies promised to give people the power to build communities and bring the world closer together, but children are more lonely than ever.”
Other states have enacted similar legislation:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">In California, Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill in 2024 that prohibits platforms from providing &#8220;addictive” social media feeds to minors without parental consent. It also restricts companies from sending notifications to minors during certain hours, like late-night hours on a school night.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill requiring social media companies to verify the age of users, and terminate accounts of kids under the age of 14. Fourteen and 15-year-olds can have accounts on social media if they have parental consent. If a company is found violating that law, it could face fines of up to $50,000 per violation.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Utah enforces a &#8220;social media curfew.” Minors there can’t access social media between 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., unless a parent overrides that default setting.</li>
</ul>

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