SUPERMAN summer continues; FANTASTIC FOUR does not score as high as expected

Deadline among those reporting .. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is coming in lighter at $118M after a -42% slide on Saturday against Friday/previews for what was $33.2M. 

The film had hopes for a $130 mil opening.. it came in less than expected, and global estimates were also a bit inflated..

The movie is scoring $218 mil–$2 mil shy of Superman’s release..

According to box office experts, entire families went to see SUPERMAN .. that did not occur for FANTASTIC FOUR..

Developing..

Lydia Hannibal White-Spunner dead



The Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania Theater Ensemble has shared a heartfelt message on their Facebook page, mourning the loss of Lydia Hannibal White-Spunner, a beloved performer and creative force.

Born on November 20, 1954, in New Haven, Connecticut, Lydia’s career spanned stage and screen. She was known for her roles in Ted (2012), the cult classic Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978), and the acclaimed TV series Picket Fences (1992).

Beyond her acting talent, Lydia’s contributions to the arts community—and to those who knew her personally—were deeply cherished. She had been married to Jonathan White-Spunner since 1991 and was a proud mother of two. She was previously married to actor Isiah Whitlock Jr.

Her legacy lives on through the performances she brought to life and the countless lives she touched on and off the stage.


The Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble is deeply saddened by the loss of Lydia Hannibal White-Spunner, beloved wife of our Managing Director, Jon White-Spunner.

Lydia was a kind, thoughtful, and gracious presence in our community. Her quiet strength and unwavering support have touched many over the years, and her warmth and generosity will be long remembered by those who had the honor of knowing her.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Jon, their daughters Hannah and Oonagh, and all who are feeling the weight of this loss. Lydia’s spirit will remain a part of the Ensemble through the lives and work of those she supported and inspired.

photo: Lydia in Remembered  a Co production with Bloomsburg University Players

May she rest in peace.

The President posts a rare Vance

President Trump is no stranger to posting wild content on social media.. but his latest post from Saturday has people scratching their heads .. see

Trump shared a satirical throwback to the infamous O.J. Simpson slow-speed chase. Only this time, instead of O.J. in the white Bronco, it’s President Obama being pursued… by Trump himself. And in the adjacent police car? None other than Vice President JD Vance.

Well—sort of.

See, it wasn’t actually the JD Vance. It was one of those bizarre “Rare Vance” images that have been floating around the internet ever since Trump met with Zelensky. You know the ones: AI-looking, almost-human, definitely unsettling.

So now the big question: Did Trump know he was posting a Rare Vance? Was he in on the joke, trolling the internet with meme magic? Or did he just think, “Hey, that’s a pretty good pic of JD!”

Either way, we’re left wondering if the President just inadvertently mocked his own VP, or if he’s three layers deep into some kind of 5D meme chess.

As always, inquiring minds want to know. And Rare Vance? He’s just along for the ride.

We are not saying 3I/ATLAS is an alien. But it seems like everyone else is

3I/ATLAS is reportedly barreling toward the Sun at around 130,000 miles per hour..

Now, picture this: what if it weren’t just a big ol’ space rock, but instead a vessel carrying alien life bent on planetary invasion?

By now, you’ve probably heard there’s an interstellar interloper cruising through the solar system. It has been officially named 3I/ATLAS..

This space traveler is reportedly barreling toward the Sun at around 130,000 miles per hour (yeah, that’s fast), and it’s estimated to be about 15 miles wide, making it bigger than Manhattan. So yes, this thing is big.

Now, picture this: what if it weren’t just a big ol’ space rock with a name like a forgotten computer password, but instead a vessel carrying alien life bent on planetary invasion? (Cue dramatic music.)

Enter Avi Loeb, the Harvard astrophysicist who made waves a few years ago when he suggested that the oddly shaped object Oumuamua (remember that 2017 cosmic mystery speeding through our galaxy?) might be alien tech.

Well, Avi’s back. He’s written a post on Medium speculating that 3I/ATLAS might be a technological “spyware ship” in disguise. You know, just casually floating near the Sun like it’s trying not to be seen. According to Loeb, the object is currently on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth, which he suggests could be a deliberate maneuver to avoid detection by our telescopes.

Oh, and even if we wanted to investigate it? Our best chemical rockets wouldn’t come close. This thing is moving too fast for us to chase it down like we’re in some cosmic game of tag.

Mark your calendars: in November or December 2025, 3I/ATLAS is expected to pass by Jupiter, Mars, and Venus, and if Loeb’s theory has any merit, Earth might want to get its planetary defense team ready. He says responding to a potential threat of this scale would require defensive measures.

No pressure.

But here’s the less dramatic reality: all current evidence points to this being just a comet—ejected from some other star system like many before it.

Even Loeb admits the most likely explanation is that it’s natural. What he’s doing is classic Avi Loeb: thinking outside the box, stirring up discussion, and maybe (just maybe) getting a little media attention in the process. People who have followed him or listened to him know exactly what he is doing. As even he said in his Medium post:  The hypothesis is an interesting exercise in its own right, and is fun to explore, irrespective of its likely validity.

And of course, that media attention often turns into clickbait headlines like: “Harvard Professor Says Alien Ship May Be Lurking Behind the Sun!” You’ve probably seen those floating around by now.

So, let’s calm down. Chances are, by January 2026, this comet will have zipped past us, we’ll all still be here, and the only war happening will be in the comment sections of Facebook posts.

Unless of course… it is an alien ship.

In which case… good luck to us all and may God have mercy on our souls.

The Tea has been spilled

If you have been posting anonymously, on the Tea app, your anonymity is gone. oh, and your selfies are out there. Oh, and your Driver’s license location has been mapped out…..

It appears people are spilling the tea — or at least someone else has done it for them.

There’s a very popular app that you might not have even heard of, called The Tea App, ..it was marketed as a space for women to anonymously post so-called “red flags” about men in their neighborhood or city. These posts could include anything from bad dates to serious accusations — and others could comment, rate, or agree with the information to help women “stay safe.” Sounds like a digital whisper network. But here’s the twist: the entire thing just got hacked.

And not a small leak either — the whole thing has been exposed.

We’re talking photo IDs, driver’s licenses, selfies, private chats, post images, and account data, all now dumped across the internet. The hack was so complete that even the folks over at 4chan reportedly mapped out the locations of many of the women who posted. According to ongoing threads and commentary, it also turns out that some of the women may have lied about the men they posted about. And now, those lies are out there too — along with the real stories, mixed into the same wreckage.

Just think about what that means. This was supposed to be a private, anonymous space for women to share warning signs and protect others. The app even blocked the men being posted about from seeing what was said — they didn’t even know they were being talked about. But that same app, which asked users to submit deeply personal information to “verify” their identity — including selfies and government IDs — has now had all of that information thrown online for everyone to see.

The Tea App promised anonymity. What it delivered was a digital time bomb.

Tea released a statement saying they detected “unauthorized access” to their systems and admitted that about 72,000 images had been exposed — including 13,000 photo IDs and verification selfies. They also confirmed that 59,000 user-shared images from posts, DMs, and comments were accessed. But I’m sorry — if you’ve been watching what’s happening on Reddit and 4chan, you already know this hack appears far more extensive and far more dangerous than what the company is admitting. This might go down as one of the most disturbing breaches we’ve seen in a long time.

Think about the worst-case scenarios for a second. What if a woman used the app to call out a man who really was dangerous — a rapist, a stalker, a predator? Now she’s been exposed, and her location is mapped. But on the flip side, what if someone just wanted to get back at an ex or start a rumor? That’s out there too — and the man they accused may never have even known until now. No one wins in this mess.

And here’s the bigger question: is an app like this even legal? Sure, free speech exists — but what about defamation of character? What about due process? What about lies? The Tea App was built on anonymity, but that same anonymity became a weapon. And now the weapon’s been turned inside out, aimed at both the people who posted and the people who were posted about.

But the sickest, most twisted part of all of this is that people trusted this app. They trusted that what they were saying .. and who they were ..  would stay private. It shot to the top of the Apple download charts in 2023, gained traction fast, and then snap … hacked. Just like that. Another reminder that true privacy doesn’t exist online. We’re still living under the illusion that we can post in secret, that our DMs are private, that an app won’t sell us out or leave the door unlocked.

But we need to wake up. Because the internet has never been private. And now the tea is out, burning everyone it touches.

Christmas in July: Trailer Friday

Two trailer for two anticipated upcoming movies

Two new trailers are out this week–one for a sequel and the other revealed at Comic Con in San Diego for a Stephen King short..

First the King..

Written by  are Strange Darling‘s JT Mollner, The Long Walk stars Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza), Charlie Plummer (Spontaneous), Judy Greer (Jurassic World), Mark Hamill (Star Wars, The Fall of the House of Usher)
The Long Walk is one of numerous novels King published under the pseudonym, Richard Bachman — a list that also includes The Running Man, which has its own adaptation coming later this year from Edgar Wright. Originally published in 1979, King cites it as the first novel he ever wrote sometime in the late 1960s, years before Carrie ever hit shelves, and was initially collected in 1985’s The Bachman Books.

 


Next we roll on to FNAF..

Based on Scott Cawthon’s blockbuster horror game series, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is again directed by acclaimed returning filmmaker Emma Tammi (The Wind, Blood Moon). The first film followed Mike, a troubled young man who reluctantly takes a job as a night security guard at an abandoned theme restaurant, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, hoping it will help him retain custody of his young sister. That fateful decision instead drags him into the black heart of a supernatural nightmare. Mike’s story continues in the upcoming sequel. One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza…

And this one what Blumhouse is basing some major hopes on..

The box office this weekend will see Supermen dethroned by a set of fantastic four

Clark Kent, move out the way move out the way! It’s p Christmas in July for comic book fans.

Fantastic Four, premiering today with amazingly high scores on Rotten Tomatoes, is finally here — and it’s been a long time coming. Marvel fans have been eagerly anticipating this film for years.

Speaking of that Rotten Tomatoes score, critics are giving it an 89% rating, while fans are even more enthusiastic, pushing it up to 92%. These numbers are already running higher than those for the new Superman movie.

According to reports from Deadline, Fantastic Four is off to a blazing start, with early projections suggesting a $56 million Friday night opening. That sets the stage for a potential $125 million weekend, with some conservative estimates placing the domestic total just shy of $130 million over three days.

Interestingly, Deadline also reports that Superman drew 31% parents and only 9% kids under 12. In contrast, Fantastic Four is pulling in 7% kids under 12 and a whopping 93% general audience — with a particularly strong showing from the under-35 crowd. That younger audience turnout could be significant.

Marvel, for all its past dominance, has been teetering on the edge of audience fatigue. There’s been talk that people are feeling “comic-booked out” when it comes to theaters. But Fantastic Four might just be the spark the Marvel brand needs to reignite excitement during this comic book–spectacular summer of 2025.

About that South Park Donald Trump… thing…

It goes without saying that South Park has long been one of the most objectively offensive shows on television. And it just one-upped itself.

It goes without saying that South Park has long been one of the most objectively offensive shows on television.

For decades, it’s aired consistently and unapologetically, skewering everyone and everything with equal opportunity contempt. We still sing that Kyle’s mom is a big fat b*tch. People from both political aisles have called for its cancellation at one time or another, often depending on whether their side is the target of the week. In short, we’ve learned to pick and choose our outrage in America—and South Park thrives on that very hypocrisy.

But now, Donald Trump has picked his own moment of outrage, aimed squarely at the newest South Park special streaming on Paramount+.

The episode arrives at a curious time as it seems some corporate entities are silencing some critics of the President TV..

Among many satirical visuals, the show features a scene where an artificial intelligence version of the President stumbles shirtless through a desert. Eventually, we’re treated (or subjected) to a full view of the AI President’s bare bum. As if that weren’t enough, a tiny, animated version of male genitalia—yes, complete with eyes and a voice—emerges and begins talking to him.

With 3.1 mil views strong, here is the graphic and stomach churning video that started it all..

Was it grotesque? Sure was… Was it satire? Also yes. It’s not on network TV, so we’re not dealing with FCC regulations. But it raises fascinating questions about the limits of satire in the streaming age, and what happens when traditional censorship is bypassed in favor of animated appendage monologues.

According to some behind-the-scenes chatter, Paramount originally intended to blur the genitalia. South Park, never ones to take creative limitations quietly, instead made the genitalia a speaking character. . . problem solved. Or problem multiplied, depending on your perspective.

AS a matter of fact.. Speaking at Comic-Con on Thursday, Trey Parker and Matt Stone revealed they spent days negotiating with producers to show the US president’s genitals.. “We’re terribly sorry,” Parker said, followed by a long, deadpan-comic stare…

The White House responded, calling the episode desperate and accusing the show’s creators of grasping at straws. But let’s be honest—we all know this is a sore subject for the President. The episode isn’t likely to go away quietly. If anything, it will spark more awkward and uncomfortable conversations that most people would rather avoid entirely. “This show hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in the statement. “President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country’s history – and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump’s hot streak.”

So now you know: the artificially generated talking presidential genitalia has made its South Park debut. And once you’ve seen it—you can’t unsee it.

The immortal Hulk Hogan dead

A major figure in pop culture gone

Some devastating news out of the wrestling and pop culture world: Hulk Hogan – the Immortal One – has passed away.

For weeks, there had been swirling rumors about his health—many of which were denied, insisting that he was not in dire condition. Sadly, today’s tragic events confirm that there was much more going on behind the scenes than fans were led to believe.

According to early reports:

  • Medics responded to a cardiac arrest call at Hogan’s residence at dawn.
  • Multiple police units and EMTs were seen outside the home.
  • Hogan was transported by stretcher into an ambulance.
  • His wife, Sky, recently dismissed claims he was in a coma, saying his heart was “strong.”
  • Hogan had been recovering from neck surgery performed in May.
  • Despite persistent “deathbed” rumors, the truth has now emerged.

Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan was not just a wrestler—he was a pop culture icon. He was the 1980s. He was the red and yellow. He was the roar of the crowd, the leg drop heard around the world, the “Whatcha gonna do?” that shaped a generation.

Today, the very mortal Hulk Hogan leaves this Earth…
…but he is now immortal among the stars.

Rest in peace, Hulkster. Thanks for the memories, the moments, and the magic.