Get ready to scream—with laughter. Comedy icons Anna Faris and Regina Hall are officially returning to the big screen for the highly anticipated reboot of the Scary Movie franchise. Slated to hit theaters on June 12, 2026, Scary Movie 6 marks the first time in nearly two decades that the original dream team—including the Wayans brothers—will reunite for a fresh round of horror parody madness.
Faris and Hall will reprise their beloved roles as Cindy Campbell and Brenda Meeks, the hilariously unlucky best friends who somehow survive every supernatural disaster thrown their way. In a joint statement, the actresses said: “We can’t wait to bring Brenda and Cindy back to life and be reunited with our great friends Keenen, Shawn, and Marlon—three men we’d literally die for (in Brenda’s case, again).”
The film will be written by Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Keenen Ivory Wayans, marking their first collaborative script for the franchise since Scary Movie 2 in 2001. Michael Tiddes, known for A Haunted House and Sextuplets, will direct.
The reboot promises to skewer the latest wave of horror hits, including:
With horror franchises booming and parody ripe for revival, Scary Movie 6 arrives at the perfect moment to throw a pie in the face of the genre’s most self-serious tropes.
This installment will be a reboot, not directly tied to the timeline of the previous films, allowing for fresh takes and new characters while honoring the legacy of the originals.
The Scary Movie franchise has grossed nearly $900 million worldwide, with Faris and Hall’s chemistry at the heart of its success. Their return, alongside the original creative team, signals a return to form—and fans couldn’t be more ready.
‘Tis the season for some family drama. 3 Diamonds Films is set to release Unexpected Christmas, in theaters nationwide on November 7. The comedy/dramedy film stars actor, comedian, writer, and producer, Lil Rel Howery and Emmy-winning actress, author, entrepreneur, and social media personality Tabitha Brown. Howery and Brown both serve as executive producers.
Rounding out the stellar ensemble cast for this touching new holiday film are actors Anna Maria Horsford, Reagan Gomez-Preston, DomiNque Perry, Terrence Terrell, Trell Woodberry, Ricco Ross, Koryn Hawthorne, Cece Friday, and Howie Bell.
“This movie and this cast is so special and will be the holiday movie everyone will be talking about,” said Lil Rel Howery.
When the Scott family gathers for Christmas, the dream reunion Momma Scott (Anna Maria Horsford) planned quickly turns upside down. Her daughter Marissa (DomiNque Perry) returns home fresh off a breakup with her boyfriend Richard (Lil Rel Howery) and is then shocked when Richard arrives arm in arm with her estranged stepsister Kerry (Reagan Gomez-Preston). Marissa tries to play it cool and invites a surprise guest of her own who has everyone talking, all while Kerry is cooking up a scheme that could ruin the whole celebration. Add in a few romantic mix-ups, old rivalries, and plenty of family secrets, and everyone is in for an unforgettable holiday. With love, laughter, and a little bit of chaos around every corner, this Christmas might just bring the Scotts closer together—or blow the roof off the house!
“Christmas movies are literally the gift that keeps on giving,” said Tabitha Brown. “Unexpected Christmas is relatable, and hilarious, but will truly be a gift for all families this holiday season!”
“We’re proud to bring Unexpected Christmas to audiences this November—a true labor of love from our amazing cast and crew,” said Phil Thornton and Trell Woodberry, Co-Founders, 3 Diamonds Films. “As a Black-owned company, we’re honored to share a story that celebrates our voices, artistry, and impact on the global stage.”
Written by Cassandra Mann and directed by Michael Vaughn Hernandez, Unexpected Christmas was produced by Trell Woodberry, Phil Thornton, and Perrí Camper. Executive producers are Milton “Lil Rel” Howery, Tabitha Brown, and Norman Gyamfi. 3 Diamonds Films and Eammon Films are the distributors.
Eddie Murphy has thrilled fans by announcing that Donkey, the beloved character from the “Shrek” series, will headline a spinoff movie.
As Epic Stream reports, the talkative donkey, a staple since the franchise’s debut in 2001, follows in the footsteps of Puss in Boots, who received a standalone movie.
In a Screen Rant interview, Murphy shared that the Donkey spinoff will start production this fall, with a release expected in about three years. “We’re still in the booth, and literally, we’re still doing Shrek [5]. We start in September on Donkey — we’re doing a Donkey one, and that’ll [be released] three years from now,” he said. The actor is currently recording for “Shrek 5” while gearing up for the spinoff.
The Donkey film will explore a comedic storyline featuring his dragon wife and their hybrid donkey-dragon kids. “Donkey’s going to have his own movie — [his] own little story with his dragon wife and his kids that are half-dragon and half-donkeys. They’ve written this funny story,” Murphy teased. Production is slated to begin in September.
Meanwhile, “Shrek 5” is on track for a December 2026 release, with Murphy, Mike Myers, and Cameron Diaz returning, with Zendaya joining the cast Felicia.
The Donkey spinoff promises to deliver the humor and heart that have made Donkey a fan favorite for over two decades.
The 2001 animated feature “Shrek” is the first in the Shrek series, is based on William Steig’s 1990 book and follows Shrek (Mike Myers), an ogre who, with the talkative Donkey (Murphy), rescues Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) to reclaim his swamp from the scheming Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the film, initially developed by Steven Spielberg and later by DreamWorks under Jeffrey Katzenberg, shifted from traditional animation to computer animation by Pacific Data Images after Chris Farley’s death led to Myers taking the role.
Premiering at Cannes in 2001, it grossed over $492 million worldwide, becoming the fourth highest-grossing film of that year. Lauded for its humor, animation, and voice performances, “Shrek” won the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and a BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay, earning a spot among the American Film Institute’s top 10 films of 2001.
Source: EURweb/Ny MaGee
Kevin Hart is teaming with Netflix for a new competition series to crown the next big name in stand-up.
Guided by Hart and a crew of comedy titans, to be announced at a later date, the currently untitled eight-episode series is billed as an unfiltered, uncensored, and unapologetic competition that will pull back the curtain on the gritty, hilarious, and often unpredictable path of a stand-up career.
Contestants from all across the nation will face rigorous tests that mirror the real-life journey of a comedian — from brutal open mics to bombed sets, rewrites, and the pressure of big-stage performances. The competition will give viewers an unvarnished look behind the curtain of comedy’s darkest corners and brightest spotlights with the challenges inspired by comics’ actual career trajectories.
Hartbeat and Alfred Street Industries will produce the show, which is set to debut in 2026. Hart will exec produce alongside Jane Lipsitz, Dan Cutforth, Nan Strait, and Dan Volpe for Alfred Street Industries, as well as Luke Kelly-Clyne and Meghan Hoffman for Hartbeat. Applications are open now.
A decade out from the end of Last Comic Standing‘s nine-season run on NBC, it certainly seems like we’re overdue for a new series elevating the next generation of comics — as well as one that will pull back the curtain on stand-up in a way that hasn’t been done.
For Hartbeat, the comedy competition series marks the continuation of a mission to champion the next generation of comedic voices. The company’s stand-up work includes the global comedy showcase Comedy in Color (featuring over 300 comedians from more than 30 countries); Hulu’s LOL Live, featuring both established and emerging talent; the recent revival of Comic View on BET; and producing stand-up series for comics including London Hughes, Affion Crockett and the late David A. Arnold. Hart’s company also launched the career incubator program Women Write Now, designed to champion the next generation of Black women in comedy, both in front of and behind the camera.
Formed in 2019 by Emmy winners Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, who serve as co-CEOs, Alfred Street Industries is known for work on competition series like Top Chef (Bravo), Nailed It! (Netflix) and VH1’s Bands on the Run. Other notable projects include Next Gen Chef (Netflix), Project Runway (Hulu/Freeform), Homicide: New York and Homicide: Los Angeles (Netflix), Is It Cake? (Netflix), and Project Greenlight (Max), to name just a few.
Hart is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment, and Schreck Rose Dapello.
Source: Deadline
Before Byron Allen became a media mogul, he was one of those comedians whose life was changed by Johnny Carson.
Growing up, Allen would accompany his mother to the NBC lot in Burbank, where she worked as a publicist, and was provided with a show business education. An aspiring comic who played comedy clubs as a teenager, he regularly waited in the parking lot for the late-night host to exchange a few words before tapings of “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”
When Allen was 18 years old, he became the youngest comic to appear on Carson’s “Tonight” stage. It led to a regular role on the NBC prime-time series “Real People” and a successful stand-up career that had him touring for two decades.
Now Allen, 64, is poised to reenter the late-night TV arena — and just when the genre is at a crossroads. CBS’ decision to end “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” next May raises questions about the future of the nocturnal kingdom Carson once ruled.
Allen will become a part of the CBS late-night lineup starting Sept. 22, when his series “Comics Unleashed” takes over the 12:30 a.m. time slot and will follow Colbert during his final season.
Allen’s series hasn’t produced a new episode since 2016, but the 233 that were made during its original run have remained in syndication and aired as a stopgap for CBS in 2023 after the network canceled the money-losing “Late Late Show With James Corden.” The network is picking up “Comics Unleashed” for the 2025-26 season as the successor to Corden replacement “After Midnight With Taylor Tomlinson,” which concluded its second and final season in June.
Allen has no illusions about why CBS has turned to “Comics Unleashed” again.
“It’s not cheaper,” Allen said. “It’s zero.”
Allen Media Group buys the airtime on CBS for “Comics Unleashed” and keeps most of the advertising time on the program to sell.
It’s the same formula Allen used for “Entertainers With Byron Allen,” the program that launched his company in the 1990s. Allen would score interviews with major stars at press junkets and cut them into a weekly program.
He would go to the National Assn. of Television Program Executives conference, an annual TV marketplace for syndicated programming, and tell station owners that when the high-priced new shows they were buying failed, they should come to him and get “Entertainers” for free. The stations received half the commercial time while Allen sold the rest to national advertisers from his kitchen table.
“I’m addicted to selling,” Allen said.
CBS said Colbert’s show is being canceled for financial reasons, with insiders saying it was accruing losses of $40 million a year.
“The Late Show” may have the most viewers in late night, but Colbert has the biggest piece of a shrinking pie. Nielsen data show the number of homes using television between 11:35 p.m. and 1:35 a.m. has declined around 13% in the first six months of 2025 compared with the same period last year. Ad revenues for all of the shows have declined dramatically as well over the last few years.
Late-night shows are expensive to produce, with high-priced hosts, large writing staffs and the costs of servicing live audiences. While they generate revenue from clips on social media, they don’t do well on streaming. The topical nature of the shows diminishes their value as library product, which helps keep subscribers hooked on streaming platforms.
What makes “Comics Unleashed” different than traditional late-night franchises is that it’s designed to have a longer shelf life.
In the recent reruns that have aired on CBS and in syndication, viewers heard an occasional joke about the Bush administration or a plug for a comic’s MySpace address. But for the most part, the shows contain few references that date them.
“I tell the comedians we’re shooting ‘I Love Lucy,’” Allen said. “Something that’s evergreen. So I don’t want to hear any political humor. Just be funny, family-friendly and advertiser-friendly.”
In addition to veteran comics Allen has known for years, the series booked many stand-up stars before they became household names, including Kevin Hart, Whitney Cummings, Sebastian Maniscalco, Nate Bargatze, and Chelsea Handler.
Stand-ups who toil on the comedy club circuit are thankful for the exposure the show provided.
“To me, Byron is the patron saint of comedians,” said Greg Romero Wilson, who wrote for the program and appeared as a panelist. “He’s given so many opportunities to comics of every level. From up-and-comers to names you’ve known your whole life, Byron makes room for everyone.”
Stand-up comic Shang Forbes said he hears from audience members at clubs who recall bits from episodes of the series he taped years ago.
“It was a very good experience,” Forbes said. “I was surprised how many people saw it.”
Allen wanted “Comics Unleashed” to re-create the camaraderie he experienced during his own stand-up career, which started when Jimmie “J.J.” Walker hired him as a 14-year-old joke writer alongside David Letterman and Jay Leno. (“Let me ask my mom,” Allen said when he got the offer.)
“What I remember most is that comedians were at their funniest afterwards when we went to Canter’s Deli,” Allen said.
Since buying the Weather Channel for $300 million in 2018, Allen has made a habit of throwing his hat in the ring whenever a legacy media company is said to be up for sale. But he recently reached a deal to sell 10 of Allen Media Groups’s 28 TV stations to Atlanta-based Gray Media as part of an effort to reduce the privately held company’s debt and invest in streaming.
As the owner of network affiliate stations, he is well aware of the economic challenges facing traditional TV as viewers migrate to streaming, driving down ratings and ad revenue.
“All of it is under pressure,” he said. “The networks are spending more on sports and less on nonsports content.”
Allen spends a lot of time talking to bankers and lawyers — over the last decade, he’s filed lawsuits against Comcast, McDonald’s, and Nielsen, all of which were settled — but despite running a business, he will host new episodes of “Comics Unleashed” himself. He plans to produce 132 half-hours, which will run back-to-back with repeat episodes. He will also be writing some jokes.
“You never stop being a comedian,” he said. “It’s a muscle that never goes away.”
Danielle Spencer, who played the precocious youngster Dee Thomas on the 1970s ABC sitcom What’s Happening!!, has died. She was 60.
Spencer died Monday in a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, her What’s Happening!! co-star Haywood Nelson told The Hollywood Reporter.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy in 2014 and in 2018 underwent emergency surgery to relieve bleeding on her brain. A GoFundMe page was set up to help her pay for her medical expenses.
“She suffered for a very long time but did it with a great deal of courage,” Nelson said.
Co-produced by All in the Family‘s Bud Yorkin, What’s Happening!! was loosely based on the 1975 film Cooley High (Eric Monte wrote the movie screenplay and created the Watts-based sitcom). After a successful four-week run that started in August 1976, the comedy returned in November of that year and then for another two seasons.
Spencer played Dee, the smart-aleck younger sister of Roger “Raj” Thomas (Ernest Thomas) and daughter of Mabel (Mabel King), and she became known for her catch phrase, “Ooooh, I’m gonna tell Mama!” Nelson portrayed the down-to-earth Dwayne on the show.
She reprised the role for the sequel What’s Happening Now!, which aired for another three seasons starting in 1985.
Spencer went on to became a veterinarian in 1993, and James L. Brooks hired her to play one in his 1997 film, As Good as It Gets. “She had a great love of animals, she was like Betty White in that way,” Nelson said.
Born on June 24, 1965, and raised in New York City by her mother, Cheryl, a French teacher, and stepfather, actor Tim Pelt, Danielle Luise Spencer started acting at age 7 in a repertory company co-founded by Pelt.
She had uncredited bit parts in such films as Serpico (1973) and Harry and Tonto (1974) before landing the role in What’s Happening!! when she was 11, bringing her and her family to California.
“I had never seen any young black girl in that type of spotlight, so I didn’t have a reference point in the media as to how to deal with this opportunity,” she told Jet magazine in 2014. “I was from the Bronx. What I did was use my own family as the reference on how to portray my character.”
In September 1977, Spencer was involved in a five-car accident on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu that killed her stepfather, who was driving, and left her in intensive care for several weeks. He had taken her to see Star Wars at the drive-in the previous evening.
“I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to my stepfather, Daddy Tim, whom I loved and who taught me show business as a young child in New York,” Spencer wrote in her 2010 memoir, Through the Fire … Journal of a Child Star.
After What’s Happening!! was canceled, Spencer and her family moved to the Ivory Coast. She then attended UC Davis, UCLA and then veterinary school at Tuskegee University, earning a doctorate in veterinary medicine in 1993.
A decade later, Spencer developed a spinal condition — perhaps caused by her auto accident — that left her paralyzed from the waist down for months.
Spencer worked as a veterinarian for two decades in the Los Angeles area before relocating in 2014 to Richmond, where she did a regular morning segment about pet care for CBS affiliate WTVR-TV.
In 2014, she was inducted into the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
In addition to her mother, survivors include her brother, Jeremy, a jazz musician.
In a 2016 interview with Hers magazine, Spencer said it was important to do “what it is that you think is going to make you happy.”
“You really have to live life for you at that minute,” she said. “And just try to have fun. Be lighthearted and be happy while you’re here, because you never know when that time is going to end.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
*Tiffany Haddish turned a Friday afternoon in Altadena into an outpouring of generosity, covering grocery bills for hundreds of people at Super King Market.
According to KTLA, the “Girl’s Trip” actress and comedian organized the giveaway on Aug. 8 for victims of the Eaton Fire as well as anyone else in need, running the event from noon to 4 p.m.
“I called every rich friend to help me,” Haddish told KTLA 5’s Samantha Cortese. Among those answering her call was businessman Stephen Cloobeck, founder and former CEO of Diamond Resorts, who is currently running for California governor.
“It’s an affordability crisis, and we’ve got to let everyone know it’s real. It’s real. California is not affordable, livable, or workable, and we’re showing everyone this is real,” Cloobeck said. “And we got to do it together. We’ve got to fix what’s broken here.”
Haddish, reflecting on her past struggles, said she understands the challenges families face. “I know how hard it is to feed a family, the stress of it, and the cost for food today is ridiculous. It makes me so mad,” she said, adding, “I’m a human being, and I need to eat too, and I like to buy my own food, and I’ll pay for everybody in line behind me.”
Other notable contributors included Leonardo DiCaprio, Nia Long, and D.L. Hughley. Haddish joked that “Kevin Hart said he gonna send some money, but he ain’t saying nothing yet.”
Word spread quickly after Haddish shared the announcement with her more than seven million Instagram followers. By 11 a.m., a security guard estimated that about 500 people were already in line. Each shopper received a yellow ticket redeemable for $150 in groceries. Guidelines limited purchases to five meat items and prohibited alcohol, beer, tobacco, and bulk buys for resale.
“This is filling my heart up so much. Happy tears, happy tears, gratitude,” Haddish said. “Tears like I’m just so thankful to God to be able to put me in a position to work my butt off and to be able to share and then make good friends like Steven.”
Check out the clip above to see the Hollywood star express her excitement about the giveaway.
Source: EURWeb/Ny MaGee
In this new episode of Box Seats, we discuss week one of the NFL Preseason and all of the surprise developments that we witnessed!
Plus, we talk about the possible disappointments from some of the teams that have high expectations, too!
This episode features comedians Damien “D” Jones and Maurice Smith!
All of that plus the hottest topics in sports! #NBAPlayoffs #NFL #NBA #NBATrades #comedy #comedygrind #NFLTrades #NFLRumors #NFLFreeagency #NewYorkGiants #NewYorkJets #TheClevelandBrowns #TheSteelers #TheRams #Eagles #TheChiefs
VH1 is excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the hit improv comedy series “Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out”, continuing its 21st season with twenty brand-new episodes premiering September 1 at 9 PM ET/PT. Taped in front of a live audience in Atlanta, this upcoming slate reignites the high-energy, old-school vs. new-school competition, blending comedic legends and rising stars in a celebration of wild, unfiltered fun.
Back at the helm is the show’s creator and star Nick Cannon, who will be joined by fan-favorite veterans, including:
The vets will be joined by a crew of fresh comedic talent and social media sensations bringing new flavor and energy to the Wildstyle arena, including:
This new batch of episodes will also welcome a dynamic roster of celebrity guests, including Jim Jones, Dru Hill, Fabolous, Lecrae, Carla Hall, NEXT, Da’Vinchi, Apryl Jones, Bobby Shmurda, Scar Lip, Sukihana, Lil Tjay, Big Boss Vette, Kaliii, Lola Brooke, BigXthaPlug, 702, Laila Pruitt, KennyHoopla, OG Parker, Tonio Skits, Klondike Blonde, JD McCrary, Icewear Vezzo, Genesis Davila and Geena Fontanella.
Known for its signature comedic format, rap battles, and unforgettable celebrity cameos, Wild ‘N Out remains one of cable’s most engaging comedy shows. With a social media footprint of over 40 million fans and more than 13 million TikTok followers, the series ranks as the #1 cable show TikTok account for total fans.
“Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out” is executive produced by Nick Cannon and Michael Goldman for Ncredible Entertainment, with Nile Evans and Annie Gillies serving as showrunners and executive producers. Candida Boyette-Clemons serves as executive producer for MTV Entertainment Studios.
Join the conversation using #WildNOut and follow the official series accounts across Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Catch up on past seasons on Paramount+, Pluto TV, the VH1 app, and the official Wild ‘N Out series page.
At the MVAAFF screening of Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life, the genius comedian’s film about the comedic and musical concerts he put on during the COVID-19 pandemic, a fellow David dropped words of advice for aspiring comedians seeking their spotlight. Special audience guest David Letterman advised, “If you’re not going to be as good as David Chappelle, save the plane fare.”
It’s not a deterrent, but a testament to the genius of Chapelle, who was live and in person to host a screening of his documentary at the 2025 Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. The afternoon event benefited his high school alma mater, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
Comedians need an audience like the rest of us need air. So, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and George Floyd’s brutal murder was streamed for all to see, Chappelle had to find an outlet to express his rage and disbelief. The longtime Ohio resident petitioned his state’s governor to host a socially distanced, one-night show with himself and a few fellow comedians, including Michelle Wolf and now Chappelle’s Yellow Stone neighbor Donnell Rawlings. That one night turned into 50-plus evening performances featuring a roster of comedians who came to perform and unexpected guests who took to the stage.
In true Chappelle fashion, no phones were allowed at the screening. Chappelle hit the stage to reflect on his covid concert series and how he wasn’t afraid of its cost. “What do I have money for,” he shared about wanting to do the experience. “If I have to, I’ll pay for it.”
The documentary chronicled how Chappelle flew in performers on private jets and housed and fed a growing staff for the concerts. It revealed how the community flourished during the existence of these shows, increasing foot traffic to local restaurants and shops that were suffering due to social distancing and employing roadies who needed the tour work. It detailed the strict COVID protocols that were put in place during by Chappelle’s team, run by nurses who revolutionized testing procedures. It also showed irate neighbors and one dogged zone inspector who fought for the concerts to end.
What was most intriguing, however, was Chappelle himself. Opening his art and his wallet to build this experience, he gave people a little bit of hope and a whole lot of humor during a scary time. He nourished and mentored his fellow comedians and guests, including Chris Rock, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Common and Erykah Badu, becoming a champion of connection in a scary time. His experiment brought $9 million in revenue to Yellow Springs in 2020.
Chappelle has returned to the Wirrig Pavilion in that cornfield for his Summer Camp series, with several shows starting again on August 10. Through an electrifying blend of comedy and music, he’ll do what he did five years ago: bring together community and communion through a lens of comedy and art.
By Delaina Dixon/Ebony