Rachel Zegler taught them nothing. 
The star of the live-action “Snow White” reboot trashed the source material in comments that quickly went viral in 2023. Zegler followed that up by attacking MAGA nation months before the expensive film hit theaters, wishing Trump voters “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disneys-snow-white-actress-attacks-trump-voters-tells-people-to-leave-x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">never know peace</a>.”
More viral infamy. What happened next? “Snow White” flopped, hard, in its March theatrical debut. 
It was the clearest example of a star sabotaging their own film, a warning for other actors not do the same. They didn’t listen.
Celebrities don’t open up to Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and other Legacy Media outlets because they’re bored. It’s all part of the marketing machine meant to fill movie theater seats.
It’s why stars sing Karaoke in moving cars, gulp down hotter than hot wings and otherwise make themselves available to podcast interviewers weeks before their new film or TV show bows.
It’s Marketing 101. Yet stars use these moments to push their political agendas, lash out at conservatives and cause potential customers to avoid the nearest movie house.
You’d think one of Hollywood’s savviest storytellers might know the drill. Yet writer/director James Gunn ignored ZeglerGate in the days leading up to “Superman’s” release.
Gunn’s Man of Steel reboot is the key to DC Comics relaunching its superhero universe on the big screen. Gunn, who previously delivered three “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, was entrusted by Warner Bros. to revive Superman and kickstart who knows how many new superhero films.
<div id="attachment_946199" style="width: 742px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-946199" class="size-large wp-image-946199" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224028853-732x576.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JULY 07: Peter Safran, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, David Corenswet and James Gunn, Co-Chairman &amp; CEO, DC Studios arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Warner Bros. &quot;Superman&quot; at TCL Chinese Theatre on July 07, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/FilmMagic)" width="732" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224028853-732x576.jpg 732w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224028853-300x236.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224028853-768x605.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224028853.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />Steve Granitz/FilmMagic</div>
The movie’s marketing campaign stayed upbeat and positive for month after month. No one on Team Superman brought up political or culture war issues. It was all about the iconic character – an overgrown Boy Scout who came to Earth to protect it.
And then, mere days before the film’s July 11 debut, <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/james-gunn-interview-superman-film-2025-david-corenswet-dhb3bw3rp">Gunn got political</a> during a Times of London interview. And nasty.
<blockquote>I mean, Superman is the story of America … An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.” I ask if he has considered how differently the film might play in say, blue state New York — aka Metropolis — and Kansas, where Kent grew up? “Yes, it plays differently,” Gunn admits. “But it’s about human kindness and obviously there will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness. But screw them.</blockquote>
The ”Them” in that sentence may have been eager to see Gunn’s take on Superman. Not anymore.
Brother Sean Gunn, who has a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo in the film, <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/james-gunn-superman-immigrant-backlash-response-1236449068/">doubled down</a> on his older brother’s rhetoric on the red carpet.
<blockquote>My reaction to [the backlash] is that it is exactly what the movie is about …  we support our people, you know? We love our immigrants. Yes, Superman is an immigrant, and yes, the people that we support in this country are immigrants and if you don’t like that, you’re not American. People who say no to immigrants are against the American way.</blockquote>
It’s worth noting Gunn’s “Superman” is neither political nor woke. So this was a case of Gunn pushing his personal politics into the public arena, knowing how social and new media outlets would process it.
And, evidently, not caring what impact it might have.
“Superman” may end up being too big to fail. It’s a beloved character who unites generations of movie goers, and the double barrel Gunn comments might not be enough to hurt its box office standing.
Or it could be enough of a wedge to stop the film from making all the money to spark a fresh wave of superhero films.
Why risk it?
It isn’t just Gunn ignoring the lesson Zegler learned the hard way. Omnipresent actor Pedro Pascal stars in the second-biggest film of the summer. He’s Reed Richards in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” the reboot of a reboot of the Marvel Comics super family.
<div id="attachment_946201" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-946201" class="size-large wp-image-946201" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224148805-864x576.jpg" alt="BERLIN, GERMANY - JULY 08: Pedro Pascal attends the &quot;The Fantastic Four: First Steps&quot; blue carpet fan event at Das Center on July 08, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Gerald Matzka/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224148805-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224148805-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224148805-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224148805.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Gerald Matzka/Getty Images</div>
He’s spent the last few weeks attacking J.K. Rowling for defending women from trans female athletes. Bullies, Pascal said, make him sick. And he considers the “Harry Potter” author to be just that.
He also used a red carpet appearance <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2025/07/09/pedro-pascal-uses-fantastic-four-premiere-to-lecture-about-protecting-trans-people-in-a-world-they-never-asked-to-be-brought-into/">to push for trans rights</a>. He has a trans sibling and routinely speaks out on the issue.
<blockquote>It’s important to protect people, especially those simply asking for the right to exist in bodies that belong to them and in the world that they never asked to be brought into … It’s a very, very small, vulnerable, inspiring, courageous and brave community that fills me with a lot of inspiration. Therefore, it’s very important to protect that. They would do that for us.</blockquote>
Oh, and “The Fantastic Four” opens July 25.
This isn’t a new phenomenon. Actor Christian Bale <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O6Kqy3JGnY">called Moses a “terrorist”</a> during the runup to the release of “Exodus: Gods and Kings.” That 2014 film bombed.
The list of stars getting aggressively political while promoting their movies, in general, is too long to include here. It’s standard procedure in Hollywood, but the Zegler fallout suggested stars might understand their corrosive takes will hurt their bottom lines at some point. Plus, the industry is buckling under seismic tech advancements, from A.I. threats to streaming platforms struggling to make ends meet.
They don’t seem to care.
Artists can say whatever they want, whenever they want. That’s the beauty of the First Amendment. They shouldn’t be punished for holding a specific point of view.
That said, an actor’s job is to promote their work to ensure they get even more work down the short road. Insulting potential audience members and stoking Culture War fires for no reason is incredibly short-sighted.
There are countless ways consumers can spend their leisure time today, from video games to doom-scrolling on social media. We need an excuse, preferably a big one, to shlep to a theater and pay the exorbitant fees for tickets and popcorn.
Artists like Gunn, Zegler and Pascal often make it easy for us. Nah … I’ll Netflix and chill instead.
* * *
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.

“Superman” World Tour – Manila

The Rachel Zegler Effect: How Hollywood Continues To Lose Audiences With Just A Few Comments

Hollywood

James Gunn

Leftists

Movies

Superman

Woke Culture

Actor Dean Cain, who played the role of Superman in the 1990s TV series “Lois &amp; Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” is weighing in on how woke the new movie, set to hit theaters on Friday, might be.
“How woke is Hollywood going to make this character? How much is Disney going to change their Snow White? Why are they going to change these characters [to] exist for the times?” the 58-year-old actor wondered while speaking with <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/07/09/superman-dean-cain-immigrant-controversy/">TMZ</a>.
“We know Superman is an immigrant – he’s a freaking alien … The ‘American Way’ is immigrant-friendly, tremendously immigrant-friendly. But there are rules,” Cain continued. 
“You can’t come in saying: ‘I want to get rid of all the rules in America, because I want it to be more like Somalia.’ Well, that doesn’t work, because you had to leave Somalia to come here &#8230; There have to be limits, because we can’t have everybody in the United States. We can’t have everybody, society will fail. So there have to be limits.”
Cain further noted the difference between legal and illegal immigration. “It’s being portrayed as a real negative thing that we want people to follow our immigration laws,” the actor observed. “Which is insane to me … Here’s an agency, ICE … they’re supposed to enforce those laws. Why are they being villainized for enforcing the laws that our lawmakers, our elected representatives created?”
“I think it’s gonna hurt the numbers on the movie,” the former Superman actor added, saying he had been excited to see the film before director James Gunn acknowledged that the film was meant to be “political.”
“I mean, ‘Superman’ is the story of America,” Gunn said in an interview with The Times of London published on Friday. “An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”
“… it’s about human kindness and obviously there will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness. But screw them,” Gunn continued.
“Yes, it’s about politics,” he added. “But on another level it’s about morality. Do you never kill no matter what — which is what Superman believes — or do you have some balance, as Lois [Lane] believes? It’s really about their relationship and the way different opinions on basic moral beliefs can tear two people apart.”
Gunn further responded to the backlash at the movie’s premiere on Monday, issuing a blanket statement on how the film was simply about “kindness.”
“I think this movie’s for everybody. I don’t have anything to say to anybody. Like, I’m not here to judge people,” he said on the red carpet. “I think this is a movie about kindness and I think that’s something everyone can relate to.” 
Gunn’s brother, Sean, who plays billionaire Maxwell Lord in the film, also chimed in. 
“It is exactly what the movie is about. We support our people, you know? We love our immigrants. Yes, Superman is an immigrant, and yes, the people that we support in this country are immigrants and if you don’t like that, you’re not American. People who say no to immigrants are against the American Way.”

Dean Cain

Dean Cain Warns Leftist Themes In New Superman Movie Could Tank Box Office

Entertainment

Immigration

Wokeness

Director James Gunn has confirmed that the new “Superman” movie is intended to be a political film.
“I mean, ‘Superman’ is the story of America,” Gunn <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/james-gunn-interview-superman-film-2025-david-corenswet-dhb3bw3rp">said</a> in an interview with The Times of London published on Friday. “An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”
The DC Studios co-chair acknowledged that both sides of the political spectrum will interpret the themes differently, depending on their individual beliefs.
“Yes, it plays differently, but it’s about human kindness and obviously there will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness. But screw them,” Gunn continued.
“Yes, it’s about politics,” Gunn said. “But on another level it’s about morality. Do you never kill no matter what — which is what Superman believes — or do you have some balance, as Lois [Lane] believes? It’s really about their relationship and the way different opinions on basic moral beliefs can tear two people apart.”
“This Superman does seem to come at a particular time when people are feeling a loss of hope in other people’s goodness,” he went on. “I’m telling a story about a guy who is uniquely good, and that feels needed now because there is a meanness that has emerged due to cultural figures being mean online.”
The entertainment exec added, “And I include myself in this. It is ad infinitum, millions of people having tantrums online. How are we supposed to get anywhere as a culture? We don’t know what’s real, and that is a really difficult place for the human brain to be. If I could press a button to make the internet disappear I’d consider it. And, no, I don’t make films to change the world, but if a few people could be just a bit nicer after, this it would make me happy.”
The DC Studios head has been a critic of President Trump in the past. In 2017, he called Trump “an incompetent President forging a full-blown attack on facts and journalism in the style of Hitler and Putin.”
He also caught heat for making an inappropriate joke about Trump on X, saying an interview for any potential employee would include the questions, “‘Do you know anything about the position?’ and ‘Are you on my d***?’ The person that answers ‘no’ and ‘yes,’ respectively, gets hired.”
Gunn was previously fired from Disney’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise when inappropriate tweets he made about 9/11, rape, and pedophilia surfaced. The director was reinstated a year later after making a public apology and attending multiple meetings regarding the incident.
“My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative,” Gunn said at the time. “I have regretted them for many years since – not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don’t reflect the person I am today or have been for some time.”
The highly anticipated “Superman” movie premieres on July 11, starring David Corenswet in the titular role.

‘Superman’ Director Admits New Film Is Political, Says ‘Screw’ Anyone Who Takes Offense

Superheroes

U.S.

Spielberg. Tarantino. The Coen brothers. Nolan. Cameron. Coppola.
Kosinski?
While Joseph Kosinski may lacks the name recognition, let alone the resume of those cinematic giants, he’s still responsible for two of the most all-American films of the past decade. Three if you count a little-seen gem about our brave firefighters.
One film literally <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/steven-spielberg-tells-tom-cruise-saved-hollywood-top-gun-maverick-1235522763/">saved movies</a>, according to none other than Steven Spielberg.
Kosinski’s “Top Gun: Maverick” did more than extend the popular ‘80s smash. It brought movie goers back to theaters following the pandemic. And you’d be hard pressed to find a more patriotic, “<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/5K6kkL6powWwpoHy6WFiN2">America [bleep} Yeah</a>” movie over the past decade.
He has a feel for old school Hollywood that could save the industry from itself. Here&#8217;s what makes his film so refreshing.
“Top Gun: Maverick” soared higher than even the 1986 original. Tom Cruise returns to play Maverick, the hotshot aviator staring down a different kind of challenge.
Irrelevancy.
<div id="attachment_943031" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943031" class="size-large wp-image-943031" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395808441-864x576.jpg" alt="MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - MAY 06: Tom Cruise and Joe Kosinski attend the Mexico Press Day of &quot;Top Gun: Maverick&quot; at The Ritz Carlton Hotel on May 06, 2022 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395808441-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395808441-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395808441-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395808441.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Hector Vivas/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures</div>
We all know what happened next. Maverick dug back for something extra, defied authority, fell for an old flame and gave young pilots the courage to complete a death-defying mission.
Kosinski didn’t inject woke into a single frame of his film. Nor did he shy away from American excellence, let alone the “need for speed.” His film hearkened back to old-school Hollywood movies with handsome heroes, lovely ladies and a determination that cannot be denied.
Why wouldn’t it earn a whopping $718 million in U.S. theaters alone? It’s the movie audiences were waiting for all along.
And Kosinski just did it again.
“F1” stars Brad Pitt as an aging race car driver hoping for one last shot at glory. He’ll have to make nice with a talented rookie (Damson Idris) and defeat old demons to get back in the winner’s circle.
Sound familiar?
The parallels don’t end there. Both films offer slick, you-are-there visuals, generational tension and a commitment to the American Dream. If you work hard enough, anything is possible.
“F1” raced to $57 million in its opening weekend stateside, the most for any original film this year.
<div id="attachment_943033" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943033" class="size-large wp-image-943033" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1528168594-864x576.jpg" alt="NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JULY 09: Brad Pitt, star of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, and Joseph Kosinski, director of the upcoming Formula One based movie, Apex, talk on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 09, 2023 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1528168594-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1528168594-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1528168594-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1528168594.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Dan Mullan/Getty Images</div>
Both films feature heroes willing to try new things, to push past conventional boundaries to achieve their dreams. That plays into the entrepreneurial pluck in America’s DNA.
It helps that Kosinski snagged two older movie stars who defy Father Time. Each is given a full-bodied romantic story arc at a time when Hollywood often forgets how much audiences crave that part of the hero’s journey.
Scarlett Johansson co-stars with three handsome co-leads in “Jurassic World Rebirth.” There’s not a hint of romance in the film. And that’s more common than ever.
Cruise and Pitt lean into their movie-star looks, as does Kosinski. He made their characters vulnerable but undeniably masculine. That’s refreshing.
The films deliver crowd-pleasing thrills without guilt or compromise. They also scored a 99 and 97% “fresh” rating, respectively, from general audiences at RottenTomatoes.com.
The irony? Kosinski’s previous film, 2017’s “Only the Brave,” also served up heroism from a decidedly heartland perspective. The fact-based story recalls the men of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who risked it all to defeat an ominous Arizona wildfire.
Josh Brolin, Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly starred in a film that got ignored by audiences at the time. Seen today, Kosinski’s knack for slick visuals and on-screen bravery paved the way for “Maverick.”
<div id="attachment_943035" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943035" class="size-large wp-image-943035" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-862568666-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 17: (L-R) James Badge Dale, Josh Brolin, Joseph Kosinski, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Pat McCarty and Taylor Kitsch attend &quot;Only The Brave&quot; New York screening at iPic Theater on October 17, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-862568666-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-862568666-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-862568666-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-862568666.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic</div>
The film’s core themes aren’t an accident. The 51-year-old director told a reporter he has a <a href="https://cultmtl.com/2025/06/winning-at-underdog-stories-joseph-kosinski-and-jerry-bruckheimer-on-f1-the-movie-interview/">weakness for underdog stories</a>, another trait of the American Dream.
“What’s it like to be at the back, trying to score a win, rather than winning all the time? Who wins all the time in life? Very few people.”
The director isn’t shy about his love for the U.S. Military, an affection that bloomed while preparing for “Maverick.” He spent some time with <a href="https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/top-gun-maverick-director-calls-the-movies-production-a-dream-come-true.html">real-life soldiers and came away impressed</a>.
“The fact that [servicemen and women] do that for six months or nine months without seeing their families, I was just really blown away by their sacrifice and what they give up to do that job for us…So, I think all of us on the crew walked away with even more respect for all the men and women out there. And that’s another reason we wanted this film to represent them in the best way possible. Because they worked so hard to help us capture all that.”
<div id="attachment_943051" style="width: 830px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943051" class="size-large wp-image-943051" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395478961-820x576.jpg" alt="SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 04: (L-R) Kristin Kosinski and Joseph Kosinski attend the Global Premiere of &quot;Top Gun: Maverick&quot; on May 04, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)" width="820" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395478961-820x576.jpg 820w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395478961-300x211.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395478961-768x539.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1395478961.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" />SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA &#8211; MAY 04: (L-R) Kristin Kosinski and Joseph Kosinski attend the Global Premiere of &#8220;Top Gun: Maverick&#8221; on May 04, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)</div>
It’s ironic that the first film to mirror the kind of all-American storytelling “Maverick” offered came from that film’s director. Hollywood traditionally loves to clone successful projects. When “The Blair Witch Project” introduced found-footage storytelling to the masses, we soon saw dozens of lesser copycats.
The “John Wick” franchise paved the way for more hitmen movies.
Yet we haven’t seen a film like “Top Gun: Maverick” for the past three years. Until that film’s director got back to work, that is.
Kosinski may never reach the heights of a Spielberg or Tarantino, and his planned “Maverick” sequel has some mighty big shoes to fill. The director’s knack for knowing what audiences crave and his willingness to deliver sans compromise means we’ll be hearing a lot more from him soon.
He may not stay anonymous for long.
* * *
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 European Premiere of F1 ® The Movie

The All-American Director You Don’t Know By Name

Brad Pitt

Tom Cruise

Top Gun

Actor Michael Madsen, best known for appearing in popular Quentin Tarantino films such as “Reservoir Dogs,” “Kill Bill,” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” has died at the age of 67.
His reps made a joint <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/michael-madsen-dead-reservoir-dogs-1236446983/">statement</a> noting that the Hollywood star had been found unresponsive in his Malibu home Thursday morning.
“In the last two years Michael Madsen has been doing some incredible work with independent film including upcoming feature films ‘Resurrection Road’, ‘Concessions’ and ‘Cookbook for Southern Housewives,’ and was really looking forward to this next chapter in his life,” his managers and publicist said in a joint statement, per Variety. 
“Michael was also preparing to release a new book called ‘Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems’ currently being edited,” it went on. “Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many.”
Madsen was born in Chicago in 1957 and got his start in the theater. He appeared in hundreds of projects over the course of his career, including  “Donnie Brasco,” “Thelma &amp; Louise,” “Sin City,” “The Doors,” “Species,” “Mulholland Falls,” and “Once Upon a Time in Mexico.”
Besides acting, Madsen also wrote poetry and had several books published. He was married a total of three times. Madsen was arrested for domestic battery in 2024, the outlet noted, following an altercation with his estranged wife. He has one son who died by suicide and six other children, People <a href="https://people.com/all-about-michael-madsen-family-kids-ex-wives-11766388">reported</a>. 
Madsen’s sister is Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen. She released a <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/virginia-madsen-mourns-michael-madsen-death-1236447027/">statement</a> on the occasion of his death, saying, “My brother Michael has left the stage. He was thunder and velvet. Mischief wrapped in tenderness. A poet disguised as an outlaw. A father, a son, a brother — etched in contradiction, tempered by love that left its mark.”
“We’re not mourning a public figure,” the statement continued. “We’re not mourning a myth — but flesh and blood and ferocious heart. Who stormed through life loud, brilliant, and half on fire. Who leaves us echoes — gruff, brilliant, unrepeatable — half legend, half lullaby.”
“I’ll miss our inside jokes, the sudden laughter, the sound of him,” Virginia’s statement concluded. “I’ll miss the boy he was before the legend; I miss my big brother. Thank you to everyone reaching out with love and memory. In time, we’ll share how we plan to celebrate his life — but for now, we stay close, and let the silence say what words can’t.”

Michael Madsen

‘Reservoir Dogs’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies At 67

'Reservoir Dogs' Actor Michael Madsen Dies At 67

Celebrities

Death

On July 4th, the movie “Sinners” will become the first show to be interpreted into “Black American Sign Language (BASL),” per a <a href="https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/max/sinners-black-american-sign-language-basl-debuts-july-4-us-max">press release</a> from Warner Bros.
The entertainment company described it as “a major step forward in accessibility, representation, and visibility in streaming.”
“BASL is a distinct dialect of American Sign Language (ASL) with its own dynamic history and unique grammar, signing space, rhythm, facial expressions, and cultural nuances,” the release stated. “For the first time, the Black Deaf community will have streaming access to a more immersive experience in their language. Max subscribers, who sign in ASL but are unfamiliar with this dialect, will also be able to follow along with this interpretation.”
The press release noted that the interpretation will be done by Nakia Smith, “an influential voice in the Black Deaf community, who delivers a powerful interpretation with cultural depth and linguistic richness that aligns with the film’s themes and historical timeline.” 
“Accessibility within streaming is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Our goal at Max is to make these great stories accessible to all audiences in a way that is authentic to the content and the communities we serve,” Naomi Waibel, Senior VP of Global Product Management at Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a statement. “Sinners with Black American Sign Language is an example of how culturally nuanced access can enrich the viewing experience for our audiences.”
According to the movie’s summary, “Sinners” is about twin brothers who “return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.” It was released in theaters in April 2025.

Sinners

‘Sinners’ To Debut On Max As First Show With ‘Black American Sign Language’ Translation

'Sinners' To Debut On Max As First Show With 'Black American Sign Language' Translation

Blacks

Disney-Pixar&#8217;s latest box office bomb &#8220;Elio&#8221; was supposed to be even worse, according to a <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/elio-pixar-america-ferrera-director-queer-2-1236301860/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> published Monday by The Hollywood Reporter — but a number of elements were cut after a screening of the film went nowhere with the audience.
The movie&#8217;s titular character was originally written as &#8220;queer-coded&#8221; — a nod to the film&#8217;s original openly-gay director Adrian Molina — with photos in Elio&#8217;s bedroom that suggested he was crushing on a boy, and a scene where he shows off the clothing he created from trash he found on the beach.
Vestiges of the latter scene remained in the finished product, as THR reported: &#8220;Hints at the trash fashion remain in the released film, with the boy wearing a cape decorated with discarded cutlery and soda can tabs, although without any explanation for the unusual attire.&#8221;
Some of the elements were whittled away throughout the production process, as leadership reportedly pressed for Elio to be more masculine.
But still, the writing was on the wall after a screening that took place in Arizona back in 2023. Not one person in the audience, despite several saying they enjoyed the film, said that they would pony up the cash to see it in a theater.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Pixar massively changed ‘ELIO’ after the original cut was test screened &amp; not a single person raised their hand when asked if they’d pay to see the film in a movie theater
Elio was also initially a queer-coded character until leadership told them to make him more masculine… <a href="https://t.co/3VReaNSSQW">pic.twitter.com/3VReaNSSQW</a>
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1939809054638932454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Things did not go better for Molina when a cut of the film was viewed by Pixar boss Pete Docter, and he left the project. New directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi took over, and although a number of those associated with the project said good things about Sharafian and Shi, they complained about the fate of the film.
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&#8220;I was deeply saddened and aggrieved by the changes that were made,” former Pixar assistant editor Sarah Ligatich, a member of the company’s internal LGBTQ group PixPRIDE, said. &#8220;The exodus of talent after that cut was really indicative of how unhappy a lot of people were that they had changed and destroyed this beautiful work.&#8221;
Another Pixar artist who asked to remain anonymous told THR, &#8220;It was pretty clear through the production of the first version of the film that [studio leaders] were constantly sanding down these moments in the film that alluded to Elio’s sexuality of being queer &#8230; Suddenly, you remove this big, key piece, which is all about identity, and &#8216;Elio&#8217; just becomes about totally nothing. The &#8216;Elio&#8217; that is in theaters right now is far worse than Adrian’s best version of the original.&#8221;

Elio

Pixar Bomb ‘Elio’ Was Supposed To Be Super Gay, Only Changed After Dismal Screening

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Disney and Pixar&#8217;s latest offering is lagging well behind box office expectations — and the animation studio isn&#8217;t taking it sitting down.
“Elio” has earned just $35 million worldwide since its June 20 release, a record-low for Pixar. The film — which addresses themes like childhood and social isolation through the story of &#8220;Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination and a huge alien obsession&#8221; — only brought in $21 million in ticket sales during its first three days in theaters.
In response to the disappointing numbers, Pixar shared a snarky post on its official Instagram account.
In the video, a woman addresses the reaction to &#8220;Elio,&#8221; which isn’t a remake or sequel, saying “Stop complaining that Disney doesn’t make original stories if you don’t show up to movie theaters and support them in the first place.”
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“Who… who said that?” a woman in her car says by way of reaction. “Oh my gosh, I thought I was the only one in my car. But anyway, there’s a new original story,” she continued, holding up a photo of the movie poster.
“Look at that, from Disney-Pixar, called Elio,” she <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLaQFO-yad-/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">went on</a>. “You should go ahead and support it, it comes out this Friday so yeah, you should go to the movie theater, thank you.”
Commenters on the Instagram post noted the lack of marketing for the film, which they indicated may have contributed to the lackluster results.
“Maybe actually market the movie then???” one comment read.
“Some marketing would&#8217;ve helped… but yes it deserves way better; it&#8217;s such a good movie!!” another commenter echoed.
“I think what drove people away from this one was reusing that same animation style. So many people are wanting something different and we’ve now gotten it quite a few times with movies and shorts,” another person wrote.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m beyond excited to see this new movie! I think it’s just time to switch up the animation again. Also there was barely any marketing for the movie,” a third said.
“Elio” is the latest in a long line of Disney flops, but there have also been several success stories, including the live action remake of “Lilo &amp; Stitch,” which earned over $945 million worldwide.

Pixar Blames Fans For ‘Elio’ Flopping, Says ‘Stop Complaining’ About Lack Of Original Content

Pixar Blames Fans For 'Elio' Flopping, Says 'Stop Complaining' About Lack Of Original Content

Animation

Hollywood warned us.
If Americans choose Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris it’ll be the end of democracy.
Never mind that Trump previously served as president and the nation didn’t collapse under his “dictatorial” regime. Nor that Harris’s ascension came without a single primary vote.
Now, the stars are cosplaying their worst nightmares since reality refuses to cooperate.
George Clooney joined this ignominious group while promoting “Good Night, and Good Luck,” the Broadway adaptation of his 2005 film. First, he guided Broadway superstar Patti LuPone away from the ledge during <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1624911021494095">their Variety conversation</a>.
<blockquote>George Clooney: &#8220;We&#8217;re going to get through [the Trump era].&#8221; 
Patti LuPone: &#8220;Do you think so?&#8221; 
Clooney: &#8220;I&#8217;m an optimist.&#8221; 
LuPone: &#8220;See, I&#8217;m a glass half empty girl.&#8221;</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_937321" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-937321" class="size-large wp-image-937321" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2208397530-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: George Clooney attends &quot;Good Night, And Good Luck&quot; Broadway Opening Night at Winter Garden Theatre on April 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2208397530-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2208397530-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2208397530-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2208397530.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images</div>
The “ER” alum still fears that <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/george-clooney-claims-its-frightening-time-news-business-because-trump">President Trump might target him</a> for saying such things, but he refuses to stand down.
&#8220;Sure. Everybody worries about it … But, you know, if you spend your life worrying about things, then you won&#8217;t do things. You know, we have, like everybody, a family, and we have a life, and we try to, you know, live and do things as the best example for our kids. And I want to be able to look at my kids in the eye and say where we stood and what we did at certain times in history. And I have no problem with that.&#8221;
Just like Clooney did when he saw a cognitively diminished President Joe Biden last June and waited weeks to share the news (after the leader’s poll numbers drooped).
Film and Broadway star Nathan Lane ginned up controversy for his new Hulu series “Mid-Century Modern” by claiming it could be canceled by the president at a moment’s notice. The sitcom follows three older gay men living their best lives.
<div id="attachment_937323" style="width: 804px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-937323" class="size-large wp-image-937323" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2206933073-794x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 25: (L-R) Nathan Lee Graham, Nathan Lane and Matt Bomer attend the Los Angeles premiere of Hulu's new series &quot;Mid-Century Modern&quot; at DGA Theater Complex on March 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)" width="794" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2206933073-794x576.jpg 794w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2206933073-300x218.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2206933073-768x557.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2206933073.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 794px) 100vw, 794px" />Amy Sussman/Getty Images</div>
The show has garnered modestly positive reviews but little cultural attention. Lane accidentally acknowledged that by suggesting the series <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/nathan-lane-says-trump-would-take-mid-century-modern-offair-1235132646/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwQ0xDSwK6kBFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHqpTbg5C9jhC3XYyoZzwCup6rcsOuRclrkX9hbgqiBn3trrSCVlw5dweIpZ8_aem_Uo-DMaYAu5p9Ai286gjhTA">could end tomorrow</a> if a certain Hitler 2.0 learns about it.
“Is it going to change any minds? I don’t know about that. Trump, if he knew we were on the air, would probably try to shut it down, come after Hulu. But, I think it’s a great thing to have right now, in the midst of books being banned and, ‘Don’t say this and don’t say gay and don’t do that.’ I think it’s a perfect time for a show like this.”
Lane expertly wove Fear Mongering 101 with Fake News in that short paragraph. Impressive. Can someone tell him that Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, is a gay man? So is longtime Trump ally Richard Grenell, now tasked with leading The Kennedy Center.
Rising comic star Nikki Glaser also weighed in with her own version of Orange Man Bad. The stand-up fears that her anti-Trump comments could cost her a return trip to the U.S. She recently performed in Canada and tweaked her apolitical routine to include Trump barbs. That left her shaken, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/24/entertainment/nikki-glaser-worried-that-she-could-not-be-let-back-into-the-country-for-trump-jokes/">she told Time Magazine.</a>
“Oh my God. What if what I said gets recorded and sent out? Maybe I could not be let back into the country.”
As the first comic to ever poke fun at Trump, those fears are very justified.
<div id="attachment_937325" style="width: 854px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-937325" class="size-large wp-image-937325" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2211645119-844x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 23: Nikki Glaser speaks onstage during the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME)" width="844" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2211645119-844x576.jpg 844w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2211645119-300x205.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2211645119-768x524.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2211645119.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 844px) 100vw, 844px" />Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME</div>
Musicians are weighing in with similar fears. Take hypocritical rocker Neil Young. He shared a similar worry about his international touring schedule. The ‘60s legend warned that he might not be allowed back in the U.S. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/apr/02/neil-young-fears-us-ban-donald-trump-criticism">for attacking Trump</a>.
“When I go to play music in Europe, if I talk about Donald J Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminum blanket,” Young wrote. “That is happening all the time now. Countries have new advice for those returning to America.”
The irony of him worried about free speech after trying to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/just-in-spotify-to-pull-neil-young-music-after-ultimatum-letter-demanding-rogan-be-removed">silence Spotify superstar Joe Rogan</a> for his pandemic views remains lost on him.
One singer had a microscopic point about <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/11159066/canadian-musicians-touring-usa-donald-trump/">re-entering the U.S</a>.
Canadian country singer Robert Adam claims to be non-binary and scrapped plans to tour America due to Trump’s passport decree. Transgender people must declare their biological sex in the documents, something Adam refused to do.
Actor Billy Porter played the Hitler Card in a new interview tied to Trump. Porter described his current project, the 2015 play “This Bitter Earth” as both an extension of the classic show “Cabaret” and a response to Nazi Germany.
Sadly, he said we&#8217;re living in <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2025/06/18/the-hunger-games-star-billy-porter-america-is-nazi-germany-right-now-and-the-jews-are-black-people/">America’s version of the Third Reich</a> under Trump.
“[Cabaret] was written as a response to Nazi Germany, and it lived in that space for 60 years as a history piece, looking back on something that we have had moved through … and now we’re doing it and America is Nazi Germany. It’s not going to be Nazi Germany. It’s not becoming Nazi Germany. It’s not in fear of becoming [Nazi Germany]. It is Nazi Germany right now, and the Jews are Black people.”
We know that all of the above is a toxic stew of virtue signaling and fear mongering. President Trump’s critics are legion, especially within the Hollywood ranks. Stephen Colbert alone has spent nearly a decade savaging him in his “Late Show” monologues, much of it with Fake News gags tied to the Russian collusion hoax.
There’s no ICE-style army waiting outside his New York theater waiting to bring him in. The same holds true across the pop culture landscape.
Sure, Trump might send out a scorching Truth Social post mocking Kimmel, Colbert or even “Saturday Night Live.” It’s beneath the dignity of his office, but it always ends there.
Always.
The aforementioned stars didn’t say a peep about the Biden administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zuckerberg-biden-harris-repeatedly-pressured-us-to-censor-free-speech">silencing dissent</a> on pandemic restrictions, the <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/fbi-spent-a-year-preparing-platforms-to-censor-biden-story-withheld-info-on-laptops-authenticity/">Deep State suppressing Hunter Biden laptop saga</a> or other First Amendment concerns. They didn’t decry “sensitivity readers” <a href="https://reason.com/2023/03/27/agatha-christie-woke-books-roald-dahl-ian-fleming/">erasing words</a> from books by Ian Fleming, Agatha Christie or Roald Dahl.
It’s why their fears of Dictator Trump should be treated with the same reverence as a made-for-streaming movie that the platform drops with zero fanfare.
* * *
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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Dictator On Demand: How Hollywood Keeps Streaming The Trump Panic

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Kids who came of age in the early aughts know that ohana means family. And family means nobody is left behind.
Disney’s 2002 animated film “Lilo &amp; Stitch” tells the story of a young Hawaiian girl named Lilo, who lives with her older sister, Nani, after their parents passed away. As Nani struggles to keep Lilo out of the foster system, they adopt what they think is a dog, but it is actually a mischievous, loving alien named Stitch. Together, they defy those trying to tear them apart, proving that &#8220;ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.&#8221;
The movie was a smash, which in Disney terms means it was a prime target for a live-action remake. And unlike Disney’s disastrous attempt to revive “Snow White,” the new “Lilo &amp; Stitch” has been a smash, raking in over $600 million to date.
But that doesn’t mean “Lilo &amp; Stitch” is free from drama. The remake has Nani giving Lilo up to a neighbor so she can chase a college scholarship in San Diego, radically rejecting traditional family values in favor of personal ambition. What was once a story about resilience, dedication, and familial loyalty becomes just another justification for the pursuit of self-fulfillment.
It’s an odd choice, particularly considering that no one seemed to have a problem with the original. And unlike “Snow White,” the “Lilo and Stitch” remake has garnered criticisms from both sides of the aisle: conservatives say the new ending is yet another instance of Disney trampling on family values, while <a href="https://x.com/CocoaFox023/status/1925888279271928310" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leftists say</a> the film is “sanitizing the critique of American colonialism [through] organisations like CPS.”
So, why would Disney rejigger a classic in a way guaranteed to make everyone mad? One former Disney employee told The Daily Wire it likely has to do with a change in how the studio approaches moviemaking.
She said that when she began at the company, “the best business model at these big entertainment companies, especially with the children, teen, and family programming was to value the consumer and the majority of the time that means valuing their children and their families.”
But then, around 2020, she felt an “abrupt shift.”
“It didn&#8217;t really matter what the audience was telling us they wanted to see,” she explained. “It felt like the networks and producers were making agenda-driven decisions.”
The former Disney staffer added that while most of the audience consisted of “flyover state” moviegoers, the decision makers decided that they wanted to “educate” the audience and direct them on “the standard of how to act.”
“So I can see a creative meeting at Disney go something like: ‘How do we update ‘Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8217; to feel like it fits our world today?’ And the general sentiment would be that it&#8217;s not modern for a woman to forgo her dreams and stay home to take care of a loved one. In order to help her family, she needs to help herself.”
A quick glance at social media shows that this was a miscalculation.
“Remember in #LiloandStitch where Nani cared for Lilo very much and used every strength of her being to protect her and did anything keep her happy? Yeah in the live action remake she just leaves for college and the neighbors take Lilo in,” one commenter wrote.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Remember in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LiloandStitch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LiloandStitch</a> where Nani cared for Lilo very much and used every strength of her being to protect her and did anything keep her happy? 
Yeah in the live action remake she just leaves for college and the neighbors take Lilo in <a href="https://t.co/J8ibGbgnLB">pic.twitter.com/J8ibGbgnLB</a>
&mdash; ChelseatheCartoonGal (@CartoonGal1) <a href="https://twitter.com/CartoonGal1/status/1925789653694636316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Another person agreed, <a href="https://x.com/HalfTangible/status/1926091179101127057" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writing</a>, “Read the synopsis of the live action Lilo &amp; Stitch movie and bruh at least on paper it’s like they took the theme of the original and went ‘ok but what if we did the opposite of that.’”
One viral X <a href="https://x.com/fawfulfan/status/1928057098887135314">comment</a> with 13 million views from Matthew Chapman, a reporter for Raw Story, called out Disney for making the change.
(Warning: spoilers ahead.)
Chapman railed about how Disney “mutilated” the original message of the movie in a series of X posts. “If you liked the original, the ending of this movie completely destroys it. I am doing a public service by spoiling it for you,” he wrote.
“So, if you remember, the original movie, without ever talking about this directly, dropped VERY clever, subtle visual hints about just how much of Nani&#8217;s life she had to throw away to take care of her sister after their parents died. All the surfing trophies in her room etc,” his post read.
“Well, the remake is much more explicit and sets up this B-plot about Nani wanting to go to U.C. San Diego and become a marine biologist. And at the end, she just&#8230;gives custody of Lilo to David&#8217;s grandma and goes to college.”
“What the hell was this whole movie about then? What was the point of the sisters desperately trying to get social services to let them stay together?” he rages. “There were retroactively no stakes in this movie. No conflict. Who cares?”
“I&#8217;ve touched on this before, but my LEAST favorite modern Disney trope is when they end the movie by letting a main character just ‘go off and be free,’ and then sweep under the rug how many people and responsibilities they are leaving behind by doing that.”
“The original movie is about a broken family trying to heal, and put their love and support for each other over anything else. Apparently not anymore, now it&#8217;s about Nani just lifting the burden of Lilo off her shoulders and finding a way to put herself first,” Chapman wrote.
It’s not just conservatives questioning the new ending. Even leftist publications like The Daily Beast <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/lilo-stitch-fans-livid-over-live-action-movies-new-ending/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reacted</a> negatively to the change. The writer called the bond between the sisters the “emotional core” of the story and highlighted all the negative reactions to Nani’s abrupt departure.
For many viewers, this rewrite isn’t just disingenuous; it’s culturally corrosive. It’s not a matter of just trading one touching tale for another — it’s a surrendering of virtues such as self‑denial, responsibility, and the importance of family.

Moviegoers attend showings of “Mission: Impossible” and “Lilo & Stitch” this Memorial Day weekend’s biggest films at AMC Century City

Disney Remade ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Without ‘Ohana.’ Here’s Why Everyone’s Mad.

Family Values

Foster Care

Hawaii

Actress Zoe Saldaña claims the golden Oscar statue she won for Best Supporting Actress in the musical drama “Emilia Pérez” is “gender fluid.”
“We have it in my office and my Oscar is gender fluid,” the 46-year-old celeb told <a href="https://people.com/zoe-saldana-emilia-perez-oscar-is-trans-exclusive-11752455">People</a> during a red carpet premiere for her new movie, “Elio.”
Saldaña added that the statue is “trans” and “goes by they/them” pronouns.
“Emilia Pérez” racked up 13 Academy Award nominations this year, but wound up only winning two. The film was a frontrunner early on, but was plagued by controversy, including some controversial tweets that resurfaced from the film&#8217;s Best Actress nominee, Karla Gascon, who is a man who identifies as a woman.
Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Rita Mora Castro, a lawyer who helps a Mexican drug cartel kingpin undergo so-called “gender-affirming” surgery. 
During her BAFTA acceptance speech, Saldaña called the film a “creative challenge of a lifetime” and said it “defies categorization.”
Saldaña is not the first to declare that her Oscar statue has a gender – or lack thereof. 
In 2023, Jamie Lee Curtis announced that she was referring to her Best Supporting Actress Oscars trophy as “they/them” in honor of her 27-year-old child, who identifies as transgender. Curtis won that year for “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”
“I’m in support of my daughter Ruby. I’m having them be a they/them,” Curtis said while getting emotional, per Variety. “I’m going to just call them ‘them.’ They/them, and they are doing great, they’re settling in, and I just, in my life, I never saw it in a million years that I’d have this couple days, and I’m very moved by the whole thing.”
Ruby Guest is one of two children Curtis has with her husband, Christopher Guest.

Zoe Saldana

‘Emilia Perez’ Actress Insists Her Oscar Statue Is Trans, Uses They-Them Pronouns

'Emilia Perez' Actress Insists Her Oscars Statue Is Trans, Uses They-Them Pronouns

Oscars

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

Dakota Johnson

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

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

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