Latest news with #Watchmen
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
'Con Queen of Hollywood' who posed as film execs to defraud 300 victims out of $1.5m will be extradited to US after losing High Court battle
The 'Con Queen of Hollywood' who allegedly defrauded 300 victims out of $1.5million after allegedly posing as film executives will be extradited to the US. Hargobind Tahilramani, 45, has been accused of being the mastermind behind a scam against actors, screenwriters and photographers, between 2013 and 2020. He would allegedly convince entertainment industry professionals to travel to Indonesia at their own expense for non-existent projects - charging them extortionate expenses that were never repaid. Tahilramani is wanted in the US to face eight charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud and five counts of aggravated identity theft. The 45-year-old faced extradition proceedings in 2022, and in June 2023 Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring approved Tahilramani's extradition, which was later ordered by the Home Secretary. He brought an appeal to the High Court in London in April but the bid was dismissed on Tuesday by judge Mr Justice Sweeting. Lawyers for Tahilramani argued that the chief magistrate had been wrong to allow his extradition, considering his mental health and risk of suicide. They also said the judge was wrong to find that extraditing Tahilramani would be compatible with his human rights given the risk of inhuman and degrading treatment, including sexual assault. Mr Justice Sweeting said in a 28-page ruling: 'The applicant's case is that he would almost certainly face confinement alone in protective custody due to his sexual orientation and effeminate demeanour.' The judge found that any differences in treatment Tahilramani could face in prison would be aimed at preventing inter-prisoner violence, and that the previous judge was right to conclude that it 'would not be oppressive due to his physical or mental condition to extradite him'. Mr Justice Sweeting concluded: 'The differential treatment claimed by the applicant, even if established, would relate to protective measures taken due to vulnerability, and not as a result of a discriminatory intent or practice based on his sexual orientation. 'Such measures... are not inhuman or degrading and serve a legitimate purpose within the US penal system.' One of Tahilramani's victims previously explained how he was 'coerced into performing simulated sex acts' in a fake Skype audition by Tahilramani, who was posing as a female film producer. Actor and writer Eoin O'Brien, 45, said he was left £12,000 out of pocket after he was contacted by someone posing as Hollywood producer Deborah Snyder - who is known for working with her director husband Zack Snyder on films including 300 and Watchmen. Convinced he was in the running for a 'breakthrough role' in a DC Justice League film, Mr O'Brien, who is from Dublin, said he was pressured to 'go all out' in a one-way video audition. 'I was coerced into performing simulated sex acts over Skype by the con queen in the guise of an audition,' he said. 'When I discovered it wasn't who he claimed and also a male I felt violated.' Mr O'Brien flew to Jakarta at his own expense having been promised a £4,000 fee before handing over thousands of dollars for 'shooting permits', which he was assured would be reimbursed. But after four days of being driven to remote locations, Bangkok-based Mr O'Brien realised he had been scammed and fled Indonesia in the middle of the night. He has now written a film, Kiss Of The Con Queen, based on his experience, which was released last year. Directed by Tom Waller, Mr O'Brien stars alongside Sleeping With the Enemy star Patrick Bergin and Ravi Patel as the con queen.
Time Magazine
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Sorry, 'First Steps,' But No Fantastic Four Movie Has Lived Up to 'The Incredibles'
The critical consensus on The Fantastic Four: First Steps is that, finally, they made a good Fantastic Four movie. The previous attempts to bring Marvel's First Family to the big screen—a low-budget unreleased Roger Corman movie, a pair of middling films in the '00s, and Josh Trank's universally panned 2015 movie—were all failures, and while First Steps isn't by any means perfect, it's the closest thing we've gotten to a great Fantastic Four movie. Except, that's not really the case, because there was an incredible Fantastic Four movie just over 20 years ago. It just wasn't technically a Fantastic Four movie. The argument that Pixar's 2004 masterpiece The Incredibles is not-so-secretly a Fantastic Four film is hardly a new one, though it seems especially relevant in the wake of the original foursome making a high-profile, high-stakes, and warmly received (or at least warmly enough) entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The similarities between the Incredibles and the Fantastic Four are obvious; both are families of four people who all have superpowers, including one person with the ability to stretch, another who can turn invisible and make forcefields, and a big strong guy. It's not a one-to-one match; Fantastic Four have the Human Torch while The Incredibles' Dash has superspeed. The relations are different, too, as The Incredibles focuses on two parents and their two kids while the Fantastic Four consist of a husband, his wife, his brother-in-law, and his best friend. Brad Bird, who wrote and directed the Pixar film, didn't set out to explicitly make a movie about the Fantastic Four with the serial numbers filed off, and indeed The Incredibles is much more than just that. The Fantastic Four, one of the most famous superhero teams around, are an obvious influence, and there are shades of the X-Men, James Bond-esque spy antics, and Alan Moore's seminal comic Watchmen. (Bird claims he hadn't read Watchmen prior to penning The Incredibles, making it a coincidence that both plots involve superheroes in hiding after the government outlaws vigilantism.) To call The Incredibles a knock-off of any specific superhero story rather than a broad homage is to do the Oscar-winning movie a disservice, especially considering it came out four years before the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the truly modern era of superhero cinema as it exists today. Still, it's the Fantastic Four who seem like the most natural point of comparison to the Incredibles. The makers of the 2005 Fantastic Four movie certainly thought so; there were reports that they had to reshoot the ending of the live-action movie because they worried the cartoon had already outdone them. First Steps almost seems like it's copying The Incredibles; the movie is set in its own corner of the MCU's multiverse on a retro-futuristic world that very much resembles the stylish mid-century modern vibes of The Incredibles. Composer Michael Giacchino provided the music to both films, and in an interview Giacchino admitted that it was a challenge for him to differentiate the two scores. The Incredibles is the secret benchmark that Fantastic Four films need to try to live up to, and it's an incredibly high one. Certainly in the conversation for the title of "Pixar's best film," The Incredibles is a rollicking superhero adventure that also digs deeply into familial dynamics, touching on fears of infidelity, the way marriages change, and the way kids fight with their parents (and each other). Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) misses the thrill of crime-fighting so he goes behind his wife Elastigirl's back and accepts a moonlighting superhero gig. But when his employer, Syndrome (Jason Lee), reveals himself to be a spurned would-be sidekick who now wants to make it so no one is super (except him, of course), Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) and their kids Violet (Sarah Vowell) and Dash (Spencer Fox) must come to his rescue—and get the whole costumed family doing good together. The Incredibles is a remarkably standalone story. All of its influences are just that, influences, rather than homework. You basically just need to know that superhero fiction exists and have the vaguest awareness of the core tropes to enjoy The Incredibles, and even then you'd probably be fine going in with a blank slate. Compare that to The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is going to great lengths to attempt to be a standalone story. Despite being the 37th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—a franchise that is clearly straining under the weight of its own continuity—First Steps takes place in an alternate reality. There are no shared characters, previous plot developments to be aware of, or even any Easter eggs connecting First Steps to the main MCU, and even though the foursome will eventually join the rest of the Avengers in Doomsday, out next year, the film ends without any multiversal voyages. Instead, we meet Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn) four years after they got their superpowers and watch them save the planet (and Reed and Sue's newborn son) from a powerful planet-eater known as Galactus. It's a grander plot than The Incredibles and it's executed more sloppily, but the focus is clearly intended to be on this family rather than a larger cinematic universe. And yet the looming specter of a continuity and questions about how the Fantastic Four fit into the MCU loom over First Steps. Even more oppressive is the sense that, for as much as First Steps tries in its aesthetic and with its marketing to tell audiences that it's a breezy, new kind of superhero movie, First Steps is sweaty. Fantastic Four needed to be good and do really well at the box office to help the MCU recover after an ongoing fallow period in the wake of Avengers: Endgame. It's a crucial pivot for the biggest franchise in the world, a superhero movie that's all-but explicitly tasked with reversing superhero fatigue. Meanwhile, The Incredibles is a breath of fresh air; a superhero movie made before costumed crime-fighters reached total cinematic and cultural saturation. (It helps that The Incredibles was made by Pixar during the studio's golden era that saw some of its best creative output. Marvel Studios, meanwhile, is tired and on the backfoot.) To mix superhero metaphors, the kryptonite of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is that it's following in another movie's footsteps. First Steps is a fine enough movie that's under a lot of pressure and scrutiny; The Incredibles is an unburdened masterpiece with similar characters, a similar look, some similar themes, and a similar score. Maybe that's OK, though—another similarity they have is that they're both owned by Disney. You'll be able to watch either of them on Disney+ soon enough.
New York Post
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Malcolm-Jamal Warner's ex Regina King breaks her silence on his tragic death
Regina King is mourning a past love. The Oscar winner, 54, shared a tribute to her ex Malcolm-Jamal Warner the day after it was confirmed that the 'Cosby Show' alum accidentally drowned on vacation in Costa Rica. 'Some people leave a lasting imprint, not just for who they were but for the energy they carried,' King wrote on her Instagram Stories Monday alongside a picture of Warner driving a motorcycle. 10 Regina King, Malcolm-Jamal Warner at the afterparty for the 'This Christmas' premiere in 2007. Getty Images 'I'm sending prayers filled with love and understanding to your family and loved ones,' the actress continued. 'Rest easy Malcolm-Jamal Warner.' King shared a second picture of Warner standing up on the motorcycle with his hand in the air. 'Ride in power,' she wrote. 10 Regina King posts a tribute to her ex Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Regina King/Instagram 10 Regina King and Malcolm-Jamal Warner dated for two years. Regina King/Instagram The 'Watchmen' actress dated Warner from 2011 to 2013. They met in the 1980s when Warner was on 'The Cosby Show' and King was starring in a different NBC sitcom, '227.' 'Malcolm and I have a lot in common,' King told Essence in January 2011. 'We've both been child actors and were also blessed to be raised by incredible mothers who instilled good values in us. Things are maturing nicely.' Later that year, Warner told BET: 'We like to protect what we have because it's very special and very precious… But I will say that it's a relationship that makes all the sense in the world.' 10 Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Regina King at the 'This Christmas' premiere afterparty. FilmMagic, Inc After two years of dating, Warner reportedly blindsided Warner by dumping her. At the time, Us Weekly reported that Warner forced King and her son Ian Alexander Jr., who she shared with ex-husband Ian Alexander Sr., to move out of their house. (King's son died by suicide in Jan. 2022 at the age of 26.) In a March 2013 tweet, King denied that there was drama between herself and Warner. 10 Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Regina King, Shanice and Flex Alexander at Niecy Nash and Jay Tucker's one-year wedding anniversary celebration in 2012. FilmMagic 'Hey everybody PLEASE don't believe everything you read. Me & MalcolmJamalWar are good. Life happens. Forward motion. Godspeed,' she said at the time. Two years later, King insinuated that she had a bad breakup with Warner in an interview with Us Weekly. 10 Regina King and Malcom Jamal Warner at a party for 'Chopped' in New York City in 2009. Patrick McMullan via Getty Images 'Someone broke up with me on Valentine's. Yeah. I'm serious,' she claimed. 'Then he actually sent me flowers that said, 'I still love you,' and I threw the flowers in the trash, and he was upset that I threw them in the trash, and I was like, 'F–k you.'' King didn't name the person, but she said that people would 'know' who he is. 10 Regina King at Paris Fashion Week in January 2025. Getty Images Before dating King, Warner was in a relationship with actress Michelle Thomas, who played his girlfriend on 'The Cosby Show.' He was reportedly by Thomas' bedside when she died in 1998 of a desmoplastic tumor at 30. Warner also dated actress Karen Malina White from 2000 to 2007. At the time of his death, Warner was married and had a daughter. He kept his wife and their child out of the spotlight. 10 Malcolm-Jamal Warner in 'The Cosby Show.' Courtesy Everett Collection 'If something happened and we weren't together romantically, she would still be the person that I would want to raise a child with,' Warner said about his wife on a podcast in May. The Emmy nominee was in Costa Rica with his family when he died on Sunday. 10 Malcolm-Jamal Warner attends Variety's TV FYC Fest in 2023. Variety via Getty Images Costa Rican National Police told The Post that Warner was pulled from the water by people in the area and taken to shore, where they desperately attempted to save his life. His body was taken to the morgue at San Joaquin de Flores for an autopsy, with his cause of death listed as asphyxiation by 'submersion,' police shared. 10 Bill Cosby and Malcolm-Jamal Warner in 'The Cosby Show.' ©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection Warner has been remembered by many Hollywood stars including his 'Malcolm & Eddie' co-star Eddie Griffin and his 'Reed Between the Lines' co-star Tracee Ellis Ross. Bill Cosby, who played Warner's dad in the hit sitcom, also reacted to Warner's death by comparing it to the passing of his son Ennis Cosby, who was murdered in 1997.
Daily Mirror
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix fans have days to watch 'best show ever written' before it leaves platform
It has a huge fan following Netflix fans have just days to watch the 'best show ever written' before it leaves the platform. Sci-fi thriller Lost, is considered one of the biggest television series ever made. For some time now, fans have been able to rediscover the title or binge it for the first time thanks to its inclusion in the major streamer's library. However, as long time subscribers will be all too aware of, Netflix's offering is always changing. While this usually means exciting new additions, it also means titles no longer being made available. This is often due to agreements expiring between production companies and studios. In the most recent case, all seasons of Lost are set to be removed from Netflix on August 14. This is the case for every region around the globe with the exception for the US. It is reported that users stateside will be able to stream episodes until 2026. So if fans want to be binge all six seasons of Lost on Netflix, they have a limited time to do it. UK users do have alternative options however, as at the time of writing the show is currently available to watch for free on ITVX. However, of course streaming on the broadcaster's platform means that viewers will be forced to watch alongside advertisement breaks. That's not all though as Lost's run of 121 episodes is also available on Disney+. Users will need a premium subscription for that option though. It could be a viable option for those who want to experience what many consider as one of the best shows ever made. While it is full of mystery, twists and turns, the show's synopsis states it follows "the survivors of a plane crash who find themselves stranded on a mysterious island. They are forced to work together for their survival when they realise that they are not alone on the island." Overall the show boasts an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and Empire magazine listed it as the 13th best show of all time out of 100. It was co-created by Star Wars director J. J. Abrams, filmmaker Damon Lindelof who went on to make The Leftovers and Watchmen plus screenwriter Jeffrey Lieber. Fans are still just as vocal with their praise of the show. One sharing their thoughts online simply posted: "One of the best shows of all time. Very rewatchable" Another added: "One of the most mysterious, magical shows ever presented. nearly every episode came up with new, often mind blowing, twist that left me totally transfixed and begging for more. I hated seeing it end." Someone else commented: "Lost is an absolutely amazing series right from the beginning to end. It is like a perfect blend of of sci-fi and supernatural thriller. There's not even a single episode which is not thrilling or engaging. It was really atmospheric to watch this especially at nights. A true thriller, a real mystery masterpiece." Meanwhile, one person said: "I love it!! I've seen a lot of TV shows but this one is different. I think is one of the best shows ever written."
New York Post
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Malin Akerman on steamy Brittany Snow 'Hunting Wives' scenes: video
Move over, 'Big Little Lies,' there's a new soapy drama about rich housewives, sex, and murder. Malin Akerman stars in the Netflix show 'The Hunting Wives' (now streaming), which is based on the 2021 novel and follows Sophie (Brittany Snow), who moves with her husband (Evan Jonigkeit) from Massachusetts to Texas. While feeling like a fish out of water, she ends up in a complicated relationship with Margo Banks (Akerman), the wife of her husband's boss, Jed (Dermot Mulroney), who is considering running for the Governor of Texas. Margo is the leader of the local clique of socialites and moms. Advertisement 'I love roles like this. Women who are just big and free and wild,' Akerman, 47, exclusively told The Post. 9 Malin Akerman and Dermot Mulroney in 'The Hunting Wives.' Netflix 9 Malin Akerman and Brittany Snow in 'The Hunting Wives.' Netflix Advertisement 9 Malin Akerman in her video interview with the New York Post. Page Six The '27 Dresses' star added, 'This show is saucy and fun, and I love veering away from who I am in real life, which is a people pleaser, and stepping into something that's a bit more queen bee, leader of the pack. It was amazing.' Margo and Jed have an open relationship, allowing Margo to have flings with inappropriately younger guys such as high school aged Brad (George Ferrier) and also women like her friend Callie (Jaime Ray Newman). Plus, she sets her sights on Sophie. As Sophie becomes tied into Margot's group of hard-partying friends – fellow moms and housewives who also like to shoot guns – there's also a dash of murder. Advertisement 9 Jaime Ray Newman, Malin Akerman, Brittany Snow, and Katie Lowes in 'The Hunting Wives.' thehuntingwives/Instagram Regarding the steamy scenes in the show, Akerman said, 'I've done it in the past and I just think that when it moves the plot forward, I'm all for it. I'm not for gratuitous scenes, and I think that this is necessary to Margo's character.' The 'Watchmen' actress noted that the cast had a 'wonderful intimacy coordinator' to collaborate with. 'So before you even get to set, we're rehearsing the scenes. We're talking about what we're comfortable with, what we are not comfortable with so that when we get to set, we're ready to go and we know there are no surprises,' she explained. 'It's very technical. But when it's on your TV screens, hopefully it feels very sexy and exciting.' Advertisement 9 Joyce Glenn, Katie Lowes, Malin Akerman, Brittany Snow, Jamie Ray Newman, and Alexandria DiBerry in 'The Hunting Wives.' For the moments when things heat up between Margo and Sophie, Akerman said the atmosphere behind the scenes was 'playful.' 'Brittany and I get along so well. She's such a lovely human. We would be sitting there kind of giggling like school girls, like, 'Oh my God, this is so crazy. What a job we have!'' 'I'm so glad it was with her, and we felt so comfortable with each other,' the 'Couples Retreat' star added. 'We'd become really good friends – and how lucky that we did end up getting along. Because sometimes you have to do scenes with people you're not as bonded with. So, of course there's some hesitation, but we always felt really well taken care of.' 9 Malin Akerman at An Unforgettable Evening at The Beverly Hilton on April 28, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. WireImage 9 Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman in 'The Hunting Wives.' Netflix She added: 'And it was such a respectful set. We knew what we were doing with this intimacy coordinator who had our backs along with everyone else in the crew.' Akerman explained that Margo and Sophie's relationship is 'complicated.' Advertisement 'They need each other in different ways. And I think that they both have an idea of what they think they want in the beginning, but what it ends up becoming is something very different,' she told The Post. 9 Malin Akerman at the Anine Bing Cocktail Party held at Chateau Marmont in LA on May 13, 2025. WWD via Getty Images 9 Katie Lowes, Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman in 'The Hunting Wives.' Netflix '[Margo likes that Sophie is] smart and she's interesting and very different from the women that she's hanging out with. It's like a shiny toy for her that she wants to play with,' she said. 'She doesn't really know what she's getting herself into, but is always willing to go there and feels confident enough to dive into this relationship. So it starts in one place and then it ends up some place different that any of these women would have guessed.' Advertisement Akerman is also known for her roles in 'Rock of Ages,' 'Watchmen' and 2008's '27 Dresses,' co-starring James Marsden and Katherine Heigl. 'We've had dreams about [a sequel],' she said of the romantic comedy. 'We've all dreamt big, but I still haven't any rumors about that. I would love that. '28 Dresses' would be lovely.'
