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Will Smith movie 'Emancipation' abandons Georgia over voting restrictions
Will Smith speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International
Will Smith speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International Credit: Gage Skidmore (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0)

Antoine Fuqua and Will Smith announced they would move production on their runaway slave thriller "Emancipation" out of Georgia in protest over the state's controversial new voting restrictions. This is the first film to pull its production out of the state because of the legislation.

“At this moment in time, the Nation is coming to terms with its history and is attempting to eliminate vestiges of institutional racism to achieve true racial justice,” said Smith and Fuqua in a joint statement Monday.

Arts, Entertainment, Culture • TV & Movies
Lucy Liu joins Helen Mirren in the Shazam sequel
Lucy Liu at Elementary panel at 2012 Comic-Con
Lucy Liu at Elementary panel at 2012 Comic-Con

After Dame Helen Mirren's announcement as Hespera, the divine foe that will face down Billy Batson, the Shazam sequel added Lucy Liu to its cast as Kalypso.

The Shazam! sequel stars Zachary Levi as the adult version of teenager Billy Batson (a reprising Asher Angel), who transforms into a superhero. David F. Sandberg is back as director.

Arts, Entertainment, Culture • TV & Movies
Netflix orders two "Knives Out" sequels for $450m
Netflix orders two "Knives Out" sequels for $450m
Credit: Lionsgate

Netflix has ordered two sequels of the 2019 whodunit mystery film "Knives Out". Rian Johnson will be returning as director and Daniel Craig will reprise his role as private detective Benoit Blanc. The deal cost Netflix $450 million.

Arts, Entertainment, Culture • TV & Movies
Lifetime to produce third Meghan & Harry movie, titled "Escaping the Palace"
Lifetime to produce third Meghan & Harry movie, titled "Escaping the Palace"
Credit: Mark Jones, via Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0)

Lifetime has greenlit a third movie about the relationship of the former Duke and Duchess of Sussex, titled "Harry & Meghan: Escaping the Palace", a sequel to 2018's "Harry & Meghan" and 2019's "Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal".

The film will "reveal what ultimately lead to the couple’s break from the royal family" and production will start in spring.

Arts, Entertainment, Culture • TV & Movies
'Sister Act 3' production confirmed, Whoopi Goldberg to star and produce
'Sister Act 3' production confirmed, Whoopi Goldberg to star and produce
Credit: @Disney via Twitter

Disney has confirmed that production for 'Sister Act 3' has started, with Whoopi Goldberg reprising her role as Deloris Van Cartier and Tyler Perry set to produce the movie alongside Goldberg. The third installment of Sister Act will premiere ion Disney Plus, but no release date is known yet.

Arts, Entertainment, Culture • TV & Movies
Tatiana Maslany casts as title character in Marvel's She-Hulk
Tatiana Maslany casts as title character in Marvel's She-Hulk
Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0)

Tatiana Maslany has been cast as the title character of Marvel's She-Hulk series for Disney+. Maslany, who is known from Orphan Black, will be joined by Jessica Gao (Rick and Morty) as lead writer and Kat Coiro as director.

Arts, Entertainment, Culture • Celebrities & Public Figures
Zorro actor Antonio Banderas tests positive for Covid-19
Screenshot of the public statement
Screenshot of the public statement Credit: Antonio Banderas via Twitter

The actor has posted on his Twitter account that he has been tested positive for Covid-19 on his 60th birthday.

He stated that he is feeling relatively well, suffering from tiredness and that he is positive towards a fast recovery. During his isolation he is planning on reading, writing and making plans to "give meaning" to his past 60 years, stating that he has lots of enthusiasm.

Arts, Entertainment, Culture • TV & Movies
Warner Bros. Plans to Pick Up Production of Matrix 4 in July

Variety reports that Warner Bros. is planning to restart production of Matrix 4 in July after production was forced to shut down in March. The cast has allegedly signed contract extensions, keeping them on hold until July 6. Matrix 4 is set to be released sometime in 2021.