Movie News: Idris Elba Confirmed For Live-Action “He-Man”; Samuel L. Jackson & J.J. Abrams Working On Secret Project

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Secrets never cease to keep us on our toes, especially when it comes to movies that are in development. From “hidden” cast members to explosive reveals, not knowing in favour of the big reveal is oftentimes always better. But secrets sometimes leak out – here are two that we’re just dying to spill.Idris Elba As Duncan, The Mat-at-Arms For “Masters of the Universe” MovieSource: Free Malaysia Today (Left); en.namu.wiki (Right)Before He-Man became the most powerful man in the universe, he was an ordinary prince that needed help from a trustworthy mentor. Enter Duncan or the Man-at-Arms, the fabulously-whiskered blacksmith retainer to Prince Adam. For those who watched the show as a kid or are at least familiar with his character, you’d know that he is a force to be reckoned with, which is why he needs to be properly represented in the upcoming live-action “Masters of the Universe.”Travis Knight, known for his masterful work in “Kubo and the Two Strings” and “Bumblebee,” who will be directing the movie, has chosen veteran actor Idris Elba to star alongside Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man, Camila Mendes as Teela, and Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn. However, as to how big of a role he will play in the film is yet to be seen, as there has been little to no news on the film’s script.Source: LooperFor over 15 years, Elba has been dipping his toes in almost all major franchises. From the MCU to the DCEU, “Fast and the Furious” and “Alien,” as well as “Sonic the Hedgehog” – he’s been having a field day. To say that he has been under our noses this whole while will be an understatement, and he looks to add “He-man” under his belt as well. The “Masters of the Universe” movie is currently slated for theatres on 5th June 2026.Samuel L. Jackson To Join A Secret Project With J.J. AbramsSource: IMDb (Left), Flickr (Right)Following the cinematic flop that is “Star Wars: Episode XI – The Rise of Skywalker,” J.J. Abrams is looking to re-enter the world of moviemaking with an original idea. It is also shaping up to be a massive movie, and it has been confirmed that Glen Powell, Jenna Ortega, and Emma Mackey have been confirmed to be part of the project, with the latest cast member announced being Samuel L. Jackson.According to Deadline, Jackson is in talks with Abrams on what his role will be in the upcoming project. However, the film has been so closely kept under wraps that we do not know more than just a few select details — it doesn’t even have a name yet. Aside from the aforementioned casting, we also know that Warner Bros. and Bad Robot Productions will be working together to bring this film to life.J.J. Abrams on the set of “Super 8”. Source: IMDbWith regards to the script, interestingly enough, Abrams will be writing it all alone, making this his fully self-written and directed creation since “Super 8” back in 2011. We do not know if the crew has started filming, but we do know that this upcoming film will be a welcome change of pace for the director and his actors, who have all at some point in recent years found themselves stuck in franchise fare, reboots, and sequels of some kind.How long Abrams will keep the details hidden is anyone’s guess; he was the man behind “Lost” after all. But we have to know at some point, and we’ll be right here when it happens.Source: Deadline, The WrapFollow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. 

Downtown Greensburg stores to offer incentives to shoppers on Small Business Saturday

Business News

Elsie Lampl wants to see crowded sidewalks in downtown Greensburg on Saturday, filled with residents ready to support small businesses.

Created 15 years ago by American Express, Small Business Saturday is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving to generate support for locally owned stores. Downtown Greensburg shoppers will receive parking discounts and a chance to win gift cards for supporting local businesses on Small Business Saturday.

“I just like to see people walking around,” said Lampl, president of the Greensburg Community Development Corp. “Anytime we have an event downtown, the best thing is to see people walking around downtown, making an event out of it.”

More than 20 businesses will give out envelopes to shoppers Saturday, each containing two quarters to be used toward parking in the city.

The initiative is meant to incentivize residents to shop local and combat the stigma of parking in downtown Greensburg, said Amy Beeghly — president of the Greensburg Business and Professional Association.

“If you ask people, the perceived biggest issue facing people shopping downtown is parking,” she said.

The city has 950 parking spaces available to the public, including street parking, parking garages and slots in 15 city parking lots, Beeghly said.

“It’s just a mindset of the people that they’re not going to find a parking spot, or they may not find a parking spot directly in front of the business they want to go to,” she said. “But you have to consider, when you go to the mall or to Walmart, you have to walk a little.”

Nearly 25 businesses also will participate in a bingo event on Small Business Saturday, Lampl said.

Shoppers can pick up a bingo card from any of the participating stores. Each box on the card has the name of a Greensburg business on it. To check off each box, shoppers have to find an Elf on the Shelf hidden somewhere in the store.

Those who earn a bingo will be entered into a raffle to win gift cards worth at least $10 from each of the participating businesses.

“It’s pretty well-received,” Lampl said of Small Business Saturday in Greensburg. “We get a lot of people, as long as the weather’s good, who walk around downtown. … It’s just a good way to get people to walk into businesses other than the ones they normally would.”

Owner of Petagogy pet store on East Pittsburgh Street, Lampl said her business sees a spike in customers on Small Business Saturday. She estimated downtown Greensburg sees three times the typical traffic than on a normal Saturday.

Small Business Saturday exposes people to new businesses and encourages customers to keep their money in their own community, Beeghly said.

“These small businesses give back to the community,” she said. “Of course they employ people, which contributes to building the economy, but they give back in many ways through donating.”

Mike Flanagan is working on a Clayface movie for DC

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

The future of the DC cinematic universe is likely bring us a movie starring Batman villain Clayface, with a script by Mike Flanagan.
A movie based around Clayface is in the works according to movie industry leaker Daniel Richtman, as reported by CBM.
Flanagan pitched the idea of the movie to DC, as reported by Deadline last year, the concept being a full Clayface film, not just a Batman flick where he is the villain.
This may not be quite the outcome Mike Flanagan dreamed of, though, as he will not direct the movie. He’s not been snubbed, but next year he’ll be busy directing his The Exorcist project. We’re praying for him on that one — the hit rate for Exorcist sequels is currently zero.
Flanagan has had a great run over the last few years, though, with a whole slew of great horror TV series including Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher and — heading back a little further — 2018’s The Haunting of Hill House
He’s a horror icon, but has no superhero credits to his name. However, this is one DC villain with a definite horror bent.
Moulding the Clayface storyWhile there are a handful of Clayface characters throughout Batman lore, the original is Basil Karlo, a horror film actor who uses his DNA-spliced super powers to take revenge on Hollywood for remaking one of his movies.
You don’t have to be too much of a movie buff to guess the inspiration for the name: Boris Karloff, who played Frankenstein’s monster in multiple movies of the 1930s, among many other classic horror roles.
Clayface can alter his body shape and mimic other people’s voices, a gloopy monster who can become as small or big as he likes. The first appearance of Clayface was in issue 40 of Detective Comics, from 1940.
He’s featured in a bunch of animated series, including Batman: The Animated Series from the 1990s. But his live action representations are scant. Most notably, he was represented in season 2 of Gotham from 2016.

Honoring Paula Gallant: New Book Advocates for Change and Raises Awareness on Violence Against Women

Arts & Culture, Books

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Nov. 25, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Lynn Gallant Blackburn’s powerful new book, “For the Love of My Sister” (ISBN: 978-1779620699; Nov. 25, 2024), is now available through Tellwell Publishing. Author Lynn Gallant Blackburn seeks to honor the memory of her sister Paula Gallant, who was tragically murdered through domestic violence in 2005.Through her writing, Lynn channels a message of hope and perseverance while advocating for legislative changes to support victims of intimate partner violence.This deeply personal work serves as a tribute to Paula’s life, and with support from Connect Women’s Centres of Nova Scotia, aims to raise awareness about the systemic issues surrounding gender-based violence and the need for meaningful reforms. The book, a raw and heartfelt account, draws from Lynn’s experience navigating through profound grief, and transforming it, into a call to action.
The narrative celebrates Paula’s legacy of love, resilience, and appreciation for life, while also addressing the ongoing impact of her tragic loss. It offers comfort and insight to other victims and families facing similar circumstances, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggles.The author is committed to using Paula’s legacy as a platform to drive education and policy changes that will help make communities safer. Gender based Violence is everyone’s issue. The lessons Lynn has learned through her journey drove much needed change, but even after twenty years, there is more work to do at all levels of government and non-government organizations.  We need better and faster change to support victims and survivors,  their families, front line workers and organizations that work to end the endemic levels of gender-based violence in society.“This book isn’t just about sharing Paula’s story; it’s about challenging the system status quo and preventing other families from experiencing the same devastating loss,” said Lynn Gallant Blackburn.A percentage of the proceeds from the book will go to charities that support women who have experienced violence.About Connect Women’s Centres of Nova Scotia:Connect Women’s Centres of Nova Scotia support initiatives aimed at preventing violence and promoting safety for women and children across the province. Their mission aligns with Paula Gallant’s legacy by providing support, resources and advocacy to empower women and  communities to take action against gender-based violence.For more information about the book and its mission, please visit: https://womenconnect.ca/.SUMMARY:  Author: Lynn Gallant BlackburnEmail: [email protected]: https://womenconnect.ca/

Cost of Welsh tourist tax revealed as proposal sets out 2027 introduction

Travel

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreA bill has been proposed by Welsh lawmakers to introduce a “small” visitor levy that could see visitors to the country paying up to £1.25 per night by 2027.Finance secretary Mark Drakeford introduced the bill on Monday, 25 November for consideration by the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, who will scrutinise and vote on the legislation. A final decision may not be made until 2025.The Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc (Wales) Bill proposes that people staying overnight in Wales will pay a small charge, with the money raised being reinvested in local tourism activity and infrastructure.The legislation will give local communities the power to decide on whether they want to introduce a levy into an area, giving them an opportunity to generate additional revenues.This will include funding towards cleaning beaches, maintaining parks, footpaths and toilets, raising revenue for public services and investing in sustainable tourism.The government estimates that if all Welsh local authorities choose to introduce a visitor levy, it could generate up to £33m a year.The bill currently proposes that the levy would be set up at 75p per person, per night for those staying in hostels and on campsites.A £1.25 tax would be charged per person, per night to people staying in all other accommodation types.The levies are to be introduced based on what each authority thinks is best for their community, and the earliest that the taxes may be introduced could be 2027 after consultation processes with local residents have been completed.Along with the new tourism tax, the legislation would also require the creation of a list of all visitor accommodations in Wales, which will be introduced by 2026 to support the collection and administration of the levy.Visitor levies have been introduced in other areas of the country, such as Manchester’s City Visitor Charge of £1 per room, per night that was introduced in April 2023.A tourism tax has also been introduced in popular tourist destinations across the world that have been impacted by large amounts of overtourism that are affecting natural landscapes and the lives of locals.In April this year, Venice became the first city in the world to charge admission for daytrippers. The €5 (£4.26) charge to enter the historic centre of Venice started a 29-day trial to control visitor numbers on busy days until mid-July.In September, the Highland Council in Scotland also started a consultation process on introducing a tourist tax for overnight visitors to re-invest in infrastructure.In Wales’ case, economy secretary Rebecca Evans that the proposal is all “about preparing for the future”.“Our intention is to bring about a sense of shared responsibility between residents and visitors, to protect, and invest in, our local areas.”Drakeford said: “This Bill is rooted in the principle of fairness. We know tourism makes an important contribution to the Welsh economy and to Welsh life. We want to ensure its long-term sustainability.“That’s why we believe it is fair visitors contribute towards local facilities, helping to fund infrastructure and services integral to their experience. Visitor levies are common around the world, benefiting local communities, tourists and businesses – and we want the same for Wales.“Money raised through a levy would be retained by local authorities and re-invested back into their local areas to support local, sustainable tourism. It’s a small contribution that could make a big difference.”Not all Welsh lawmakers are happy with the bill, however, as they have voiced concern over whether it could discourage the amount of visitors the country receives.Andrew RT Davies MS, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “We’ve been absolutely clear from the start that this policy is the wrong one for Wales.“A tourism tax will risk jobs at a time when businesses are being clobbered by Labour, it will impose red tape, and it will work against its own aims by encouraging visitors to use more council-maintained attractions and services.“Our tourism industry should be nurtured by the Welsh Government, not hamstrung by new taxes.”For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast

Nebraska’s tourism industry continues to see strong growth

Travel

Nebraska’s tourism has soared since 2019 with strategies boosting visitor spending and tax revenue by about 30%, and overnight stays nearly doubling.

LINCOLN, NEB. – Since 2019 when new marketing and brand strategies were introduced, Nebraska’s tourism industry has experienced exceptional growth. Visitor spending, business earnings and state and local tax revenue have all increased approximately 30% over the period. Visitor spending grew from $3.5 billion in 2019 to a record $4.6 billion in 2023. This 29.4% increase dwarfs the national growth rate of 7%.
“Tourism in Nebraska has experienced remarkable growth,” said John Ricks, executive director of Visit Nebraska. “More and more people are becoming aware of the state every year and more and more people are visiting and experiencing our state’s natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, small towns and vibrant urban centers.”
Visit Nebraska’s mission is to increase out-of-state visitation, injecting new dollars into the economy. Since 2019, the number of overnight guests has nearly doubled, topping off at 12.6 million in 2023, up 311,000 year-over-year, with 76% of visits from out-of-state guests.
“The key here is the importance of getting people to stay overnight in paid accommodations,” Ricks continued. “The overnight stay is the driver of visitor spending and it’s crystal clear that were accomplishing that.”

According to Dean Runyan Associates, the firm that has been reporting Nebraska impacts for nearly two decades, lodging revenue in the state grew 26.4% from 2019-2022, compared to only 2.5% nationally. Final national numbers for 2023 are still in process, and the firm cites that Nebraska’s strong growth in lodging is notable.
Success at the state level also reaches counties throughout the state. Counties can assess up to a 4% lodging tax locally. From 2019 to 2023, these revenues increased 33.6% to just shy of $30 million.
Overall results for 2023 alone have just been released and highlights include:

Visitor expenditures of $4.6 billion, up 6% over 2022
Business earnings totaling $997 million, up 12.3%
State and local tax revenue rose 9.3% to $322 million
Overnight guests up 311,000, totaling 12.6 million

Visit Nebraska is funded by a 1% lodging tax which has grown 42% from calendar 2019-2023 to $8 million.
“What’s extremely important moving forward and will help us continue this tremendous momentum is to invest each and every lodging tax dollar collected back into our marketing efforts where each dollar invested creates $20.28 in visitor spending,” Ricks added.

In addition to these impressive figures, the popular Nebraska Passport Program successfully celebrated its 15th Anniversary with a stellar year. The program continues to be a shining example of statewide collaboration and community involvement. In 2024, the program saw:

1,078 Passport Champions – enthusiasts who visited all 70 stops across the State of Nebraska
146,000 Passport stamps were collected
A total of 50,000 booklets were printed and distributed to travelers across the country

Throughout the summer, stops on the Nebraska Passport route saw an average of 3,100 additional visitors per destination, with 10% of stops reporting the program as a positive experience. The program also drew travelers from across the U.S., with participants from 43 different states and 436 Nebraska communities.

First ever ‘MP HERoes’ Award for Northamptonshire business owner is presented at Westminster to Jessica Pilkington

Business News

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565Visit Shots! nowThe founder and director of Northamptonshire-based PR and marketing company has been awarded a prestigious ‘MP HERoes Award’ in recognition for her achievements in business and her commitment to the county’s charity and non-profit sector.Jessica Pilkington, owner of Pilkington Communications, was nominated for the award by Mike Reader, MP for Northampton South and collected her award from Westminster Palace this month.In her new role as an MP HERo, Jessica now attend year-round activities at Parliament and be called upon to champion female entrepreneurship in the UK.She said: “This is a huge honour. I am particularly proud as this is the first year a Northamptonshire person has been selected for this award.MP HERo Jessica Pilkington of Pilkington Communications in Westminster Hall”This is all about building a talent pool of local role models, successful business owners with ambition to grow, who lead the way for other women. I am passionate about this and proud to be in such incredible company.”The MP HERoes programme, now in its third year, champions successful women business-owners all across the country. It is a Savvitas programme, run in partnership with NatWest, which links each MP with a successful woman business owner in their constituency to encourage, celebrate and support female entrepreneurship across all sectors and industries.Mike Reader MP said: “Jessica and her team demonstrate how local businesses can make a real difference in our community. Their work making high-quality marketing services accessible to charities and social enterprises helps amplify the impact of vital organisations across Northampton. As the first person to have ever been nominated for this award from Northampton South, I’m honoured to be supporting her.”Pilkington Communications, a PR and marketing agency founded in 2013, with offices in Delapré Abbey, Northampton, has a specific focus on working with charities, social enterprises and not for profits.Jessica Pilkington of Pilkington CommunicationsClients include Groundwork Northamptonshire, Deafconnect, Community Law Service, Brackmills Business Improvement District, Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust, 60 Miles, Made With Many and Commsave Credit Union.The company is also a supporter of Northamptonshire Community Foundation, donating monthly to the charity’s Corporate Giving Network – which provides essential funding for local groups in need.Read MoreNew bursary scheme set up in memory of former Kettering school pupilJessica added: “Our team are driven by the belief that everyone deserves access to great marketing and communications support. In the charity and wider not for profit sector, budgets might be restricted, but ambitions rarely are. I passionately believe that brilliant, clever and creative comms should be available to all. Making a difference to these organisations is incredibly rewarding.Jessica Pilkington with her award“A huge thank you to MP Mike Reader for nominating me for this career highlight. I am incredibly proud and committed to championing female founders and entrepreneurship.”Outside working hours, Jessica is a trustee of Northampton Community Spaces. She is also a founding member of a charitable fund which provides bursaries for secondary schools with neurodiverse challenges. Harry’s Fund was launched earlier this year by Jessica and her husband and Pilkington Communications co-director David Chadwick – in memory of their son Harry who died six years ago at the age of 19.Meet all of this year’s MP HERoes here.Continue Reading

Wicked director defends film’s colour grading after ‘washed out’ appearance divides fans

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreJon M Chu, the director of Wicked, has hit out at criticism about the film’s colour grading after audiences attacked it for looking “washed out”. The musical follows Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, two friends whose relationship reaches a crossroads as they are treated differently by the people around them. The actors have drawn some scrutiny over their teary interviews during promotion for the film. Wicked, based on the Broadway stage adaptation, is also an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,which is meant to be a prequel to L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 1939 film adaptation.While the story itself has been praised, and the film’s debut broke box office-records, critics have hit out at the movie’s appearance. The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey described it as “aggressively backlit, so that the audience can feel what it’s like to watch events unfold while also staring directly into the sun”. Loughrey described its cinematic efforts as “shot and lit like we’re being sold an Airbnb in Mykonos”. However, Chu has defended the movie as he said that its colouring is intentional. “I mean, there’s color all over it,” he toldThe Globe and Mail. “I think what we wanted to do was immerse people into Oz, to make it a real place. Because if it was a fake place, if it was a dream in someone’s mind, then the real relationships and the stakes that these two girls are going through wouldn’t feel real.”As well as maintaining the dreamlike quality of the atmosphere, Chu said that he wanted the film to also feel more real, and less like a virtual reality. Film has drawn criticism for looking ‘washed out’

The Hot Drink Your Gut Absolutely Loves, According To Science

Science and Health

If you’re a coffee drinker – and 63 per cent of Britons are – chances are you’ll have pondered on occasion whether you should reduce your daily caffeine intake. But if new research, published in Nature Microbiology by Zoe, is anything to go by, you may not need to worry about doing so.After analysing the gut microbiome data of 22,000 people, Zoe researchers found that those who regularly and consistently drank coffee could be identified by the presence of a specific microbe. Named lawsonibacter, the study found it was eight times more prevalent in those who drank coffee than in participants who didn’t.“The lawsonibacter microbe hangs around in suspended animation, just waiting for a cup of coffee in order to flourish,” explains Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of Zoe, who describes this specific microbe as a “very fussy eater”. “This gives us novel insight into how we need great plant diversity in our diets to properly feed all our gut microbes and reap the health benefits.” It is the strongest link between an individual food or drink and a specific bacteria ever identified – and you don’t have to drink caffeinated coffee in order to reap the benefits, decaf works too.Coffee is made from fermented coffee beans, which are full of healthy chemical compounds and phytochemicals – including polyphenols – that can improve our health. You also ingest around 1.5g of fibre with each cup of coffee you drink. Fibre helps to fuel our gut microbes, which then produce short-chain fatty acids that help to improve not only our overall microbial health, but additionally support all facets of our health – including that of our metabolic, digestive and immune systems.So if you’re currently sipping on your morning coffee, know that it’s doing more for your body than merely giving you a little energy boost. Win-win!