Month: March 2026

Wicked co-stars Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey are reuniting to star in a West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s musical ‘Sunday in the Park with George.’  Performances are set for summer 2027 at London’s Barbican Centre, directed by Marianne Elliott.

The actors teased the news with a joint Instagram post featuring themselves in front of French pointillist Georges Seurat’s famous painting at a museum, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” which inspired the show. Bailey captioned the post, “All it has to be is good.”

The duo later reposted a poster from the musical’s new official Instagram page, which reads: “@jbayleaf & @arianagrande will star in a new stage production of Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical, Sunday In The Park With George.Directed by Marianne Elliott with design by @tomscuttdesign. @barbicancentre Summer 2027. Sign up now. Link in bio.The show features a book by James Lapine and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.”

The musical “blends past and present while exploring the challenges in understanding life and art. It follows a fictionalized version of Sirat, who immerses himself in painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” while also struggling to maintain his relationship with his lover, Dot. It also follows George’s great-grandson (also named George and an artist), who is in search of which artistic path to follow.”

The main characters in the musical, George and Dot, were originally played by Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters in the 1984 Broadway production of the show.  Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford headlined the 2017 Broadway revival of the musical.

Tickets go on sale in May 2026 and will only be sold via the official Barbican website and box office.

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NBCUniversal is shutting down production of its first-run syndicated programming, a move that will end several long-running daytime and entertainment shows, including Access Hollywood, Access Live, Karamo and The Steve Wilkos Show. The decision marks a major shift for the company as it adapts to changing viewing habits and the evolving needs of local TV stations.

Karamo and The Steve Wilkos Show have already wrapped production, though previously recorded episodes will continue airing through the summer. Access Hollywood and its companion program Access Live will remain in production a bit longer, with new episodes expected to run through late summer or early fall before the programs officially conclude.

Frances Berwick, chairman of Bravo and head of Peacock unscripted for NBCUniversal, said in a statement: “NBCUniversal is making changes to our first-run syndication division to better align with the programming preferences of local stations. The company will remain active in the distribution of our existing program library and other off-network titles, while winding down production of our first-run shows. These shows have provided audiences with great talk and entertainment content for many years and we’re very proud of the teams behind them.”

Access Hollywood has been on the air for nearly three decades, debuting in September 1996 as a competitor to CBS’ Entertainment Tonight. The show is currently hosted by Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Scott Evans and Zuri Hall.

Karamo, led by ‘Queer Eye’ personality Karamo Brown, launched in 2022 and ran for four seasons. The Steve Wilkos Show, hosted by former Jerry Springer security guard Steve Wilkos, debuted in 2007 and became a long-running fixture of daytime TV. Both talk shows are filmed at NBCUniversal’s Stamford Studios in Stamford, Connecticut, a facility the company is expected to vacate later this year.

NBCUniversal had already signaled the changing landscape earlier this year by announcing that The Kelly Clarkson Show would end after seven seasons. Other daytime programs have also faced uncertainty, though some continue to move forward — including The Drew Barrymore Show, which has been renewed for additional seasons.

The cancellation of these programs reflects broader shifts within the television industry. Local stations are increasingly prioritizing news programming, community-focused content and a handful of national franchises instead of syndicated talk shows. At the same time, rising production costs and declining daytime viewership have made the traditional syndication model more difficult to sustain. Competition from digital platforms has also played a role. Video podcasts and online content now offer celebrity interviews, true-crime coverage and discussion-based programming similar to daytime TV, often produced at a fraction of the cost.

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A planned return to the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will not be happening after all. Sarah Michelle Gellar confirmed that the revival project, titled Buffy: New Sunnydale, is no longer moving forward at Hulu.

The actress shared the update with fans in a video posted on Instagram on March 14, explaining that the streaming service ultimately decided not to continue developing the series. “I am really sad to have to share this, but I wanted you all to hear it from me,” Gellar said. “Unfortunately, Hulu has decided not to move forward with Buffy: New Sunnydale.”

Development of the show began after Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao pitched a concept that convinced Gellar to revisit the character years after initially resisting revival ideas. Zhao was set to direct the pilot and serve as an executive producer, while writers Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman joined the creative team.

The sequel series had been designed to expand the franchise by introducing a new generation of vampire hunters. Gellar was expected to reprise her role as Buffy Summers, but in a mentoring capacity, guiding a younger slayer played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong.

Reflecting on the experience, Gellar credited Zhao for reigniting her connection to the iconic heroine: “I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots,” she said. “Thanks to Chloé, I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means not only to me, but to all of you. And this doesn’t change any of that.”

The original Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired for seven seasons between 1997-2003, first on the WB Television Network and later on UPN, and inspired the spinoff series Angel.  Gellar ended her message with a nod to one of Buffy Summers’ most famous lines, assuring fans, “I promise, if the apocalypse actually comes, you can still beep me.”

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The 98th Academy Awards delivered a night of major victories and notable milestones, taking place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre. Hosted by Conan O’Brien and broadcast live on ABC and Hulu, the ceremony celebrated a wide mix of blockbuster hits and artistic achievements.

The biggest winner of the night was One Battle After Another, which captured Best Picture and six total awards. Director Paul Thomas Anderson earned both Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, while the film also picked up Oscars for Film Editing and the Academy’s first-ever award recognizing casting. Cast member Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor—his third Oscar—but was not present to accept the honor.

The other standout of the night was Sinners, with star Michael B. Jordan winning Best Actor for his performance, and director Ryan Coogler received Best Original Screenplay. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history as the first woman—and the first woman of color—to win Best Cinematography for her work on the film, which also took home the award for Best Score.

In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley secured Best Actress for her role in Hamnet, completing a sweep of major awards throughout the season. Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Weapons.

Animation also had a strong moment with KPop Demon Hunters winning Best Animated Feature. Its breakout anthem, “Golden,” claimed Best Original Song—marking the first time a K-pop track has won the category. The film also energized the ceremony with a lively performance of the song.

Elsewhere, Frankenstein dominated the craft categories, earning Oscars for Costume Design, Hair and Makeup, and Production Design. Sentimental Value was named Best International Feature, while Mr. Nobody Against Putin won Best Documentary.

One of the ceremony’s rarest outcomes also occurred: for only the seventh time in Oscar history, a category ended in a tie, with The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva sharing the award for Best Live-Action Short.

For the complete list of 2026 Oscar winners, head HERE.

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Apple TV+ has unveiled the full trailer for Imperfect Women, an eight-part psychological drama led by Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara.

Adapted from the novel by Araminta Hall, the series was developed for television by Annie Weisman, who also serves as showrunner and executive producer. The story centers on three college friends whose decades-long bond fractures after the sudden and suspicious death of Nancy, played by Mara. As Mary (Moss) and Eleanor (Washington) grapple with the loss, they begin digging for answers—only to uncover unsettling truths about their shared past.

In the trailer, Nancy reflects on the fragility of their friendship, saying, “Part of me thinks we will get through anything right,” before adding, “Then the louder part of me is like, might as well burn it to the ground.” The preview closes with a pointed accusation delivered as Mary and Eleanor sit shaken in an interrogation room: “What the three of you had, I don’t even know what to call it, but it wasn’t friendship.”

The ensemble cast alsoincludes Joel Kinnaman, Corey Stoll, Leslie Odom Jr., Sheryl Lee Ralph, Keith Carradine, Ana Ortiz, Wilson Bethel and Sherri Saum, among others.

The first two episodes of Imperfect Women premiere March 18, with new installments arriving weekly through late April. See the trailer: HERE.

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