Sydney Sweeney’s Christy biopic will show the talented actress in a completely new light as she throws punches as boxer Christy Martin. But I’m sure what made the making of this 2025 movie release very special was having the real-life boxer on set. Sweeney gets real on what it was like to work on the upcoming biopic with Martin present and how she’d “try to lose myself completely” while filming.
At this year’s Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF), Sydney Sweeney’s performance in Christy gave her the honor of the festival’s Achievement in Acting award. During a post-screening Q&A (via People), the Euphoria star expressed what it was like for the real-life boxer, Christy Martin, to be there on set while portraying her:
She kind of became my best friend. Having her with us was a really powerful experience. I’ve never had the person who I’m portraying watch me. You’re never really sure what they’re thinking. But as it went on, I just wanted her there the entire time because I was able to study her and listen to her and have her thoughts and opinions there whenever I needed.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. But this biopic experience was a lot different in having the real-life historical figure there for Sweeney to learn from and ask for her input whenever she needed it for the movie. I know I would be the same way, too, to ensure that person’s story is told most accurately.
filming for Christy wrapped up, Sydney Sweeney’s heartfelt message on Instagram credited the International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee for being by her side through it all and “cheering us on.” By having the real person there, Martin’s story could be told authentically and with depth that honors her incredible journey.
Portraying the American boxer who held the WBC female super welterweight title wasn’t without a full transformation on Sweeney’s part. She had to score major gains to play the ‘90s fighter, like 3 ½ months of weight training and kickboxing, as well as putting on at least 35 pounds. However, the Americana actress confidently explained to HIFF that it was all part of the process to fully transform into the real-life role:
I try to lose myself completely for a role, so I try not to carry any of my own stuff into their life. But I honestly learned so much from Christy that I applied to myself.
It appears that Sydney Sweeney’s involvement in Christy is more than just another project to add to her filmography. This was an opportunity to bring an American boxer’s story to life with the privilege of having the film’s actual subject there every step of the way. Not only will Sweeney be playing a remarkable athlete, but she will also connect audiences to Martin’s true struggles and triumphs behind the gloves.
Not every actress is lucky enough to have the true person they’re portraying there with them on set. But Sydney Sweeney having Christy Martin on the set of her biopic helped her lose herself “completely” in the part and come to her whenever she needed. Sure, she may have had ice packs to her face while taking in punches for those fight scenes, but I’m sure the former professional boxer was very proud of Sweeney for the hits she took to tell her story.
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Fans around the country will have the chance to see Christy when it hits theaters (with gloves, of course) on November 7, 2025.
Between the rumor about Kevin Costner leaving Yellowstone coming out and the John Dutton actor confirming his exit, there were a lot of claims going around about why this was happening. Mostly, the reports surrounded the actor and the show’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, not seeing eye to eye, scheduling issues and more. However, now, a new story has emerged about the performer getting into a fight with Wes Bentley on set that apparently drew a “line in the sand.”
At this point, I think we all know that ultimately, John Dutton was killed off in Yellowstone’s Season 5B premiere, and Costner played no part in the show’s final episodes. However, what led to that outcome is still a bit ambiguous. But THR published a story all about Costner’s turbulent last few years, and provided some clarity about the tension on the Western show’s set that seemingly amplified the problems.
Yellowstone cast members was intense, and according to a witness, production briefly shut down after it. They also claimed that Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth Dutton and was in this scene with Bentley and Costner, was in tears over it.
Later in the report, it was claimed that this fight led to a line being drawn in the sand. Another source who was there explained that things weren’t the same after that, because everyone loved Bentley, and Taylor Sheridan was very mad about the situation. To that point, they explained:
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The incident with Wes was the line in the sand. Everything was different after that. Everyone loved Wes and so that really made Taylor upset. Kevin and Taylor butted heads from there on out. It got very awkward.
Before the Horizon star’s exit was confirmed, there had been a lot of allegations about conflicts between him and the Yellowstone creator. At one point, news about a call they allegedly had got out, and it was claimed that during it, Costner had demanded more money, a reduced schedule and script approval. That last one about the scripts was apparently a non-starter.
In the THR report, it was also alleged that the actor took issue with Yellowstone’s spinoff, 1883. And there were many claims about how his Horizon films played into his decision to leave Sheridan’s show.
All around, the drama surrounding Costner and his eventual exit from Yellowstone was, and still is, intense, as this story illustrates. However, now his career is going on without it. Meanwhile, the upcoming Yellowstone shows will move on, presumably, without him as spinoffs starring original cast members Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser are in the works. So, as we learn more about the parties involved in all this, we’ll keep you posted.
The newest installment in the Air Bud franchise is ready to hit the ground running.
Air Bud Returns, which is planning a 2026 theatrical release, will star Aydin Artis (Blue’s Clues & You), Tracy Ifeachor (The Pitt), Edwin Lee Gibson (The Bear), Tyler Labine (New Amsterdam), Erik Gow (Yellowjackets) and Maxim Swinton (Bookie), The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively learned. Production is currently underway on writer-director Robert Vince’s sports film that continues the legacy of 1997’s original Air Bud.
At the center of the franchise is basketball-playing golden retriever Buddy, portrayed in Air Bud Returns by Roscoe, who was cast by Hollywood animal trainer Mark Forbes. As the result of the movie’s recent contest, “The Search for the Next Air Bud,” golden retrievers Charlie and Summer will double as Buddy in key basketball and stunt sequences. The forthcoming project hails from Cineverse and Air Bud Entertainment.
Air Bud Returns focuses on 12-year-old Jacob (Artis), an aspiring basketball player coping with the recent loss of his dad. After he and his mom (Ifeachor) move to his dad’s childhood home in Fernfield, Jacob discovers a VHS tape of his dad playing basketball on the same court as a hoops-shooting golden retriever. Soon, Jacob begins his own adventure with a neglected golden retriever that he names Buddy.
Standing in for the franchise’s original hometown of Fernfield is Fort Langley, British Columbia, where production recently commenced. Vince helms the new feature after creating the Air Bud franchise and producing all 14 titles in the flagship series and subsequent Air Buddies and Santa Paws spinoff series. Producers on Air Bud Returns include Vince and Anna McRoberts.
“We couldn’t be more excited to officially roll cameras on Air Bud Returns with this incredible cast,” says director and ABE founder Vince. “The passion we saw during the nationwide search for the next Buddy was a reminder of how deeply this franchise resonates with families. With such a talented ensemble alongside our canine stars, this film carries forward the heart and magic that made the original so beloved around the world.”
Air Bud Returns serves as a sequel to director Charles Martin Smith’s film Air Bud, which hit theaters in summer of 1997 and centered on the titular golden retriever joining a high school basketball team. It spawned the 1998 theatrical sequel Air Bud: Golden Receiver.
Adds Cineverse chief motion pictures officer Yolanda Macias, “Announcing our cast and the Golden Retrievers bringing Buddy to life, right as production begins, is the ideal way to mark the return of the Air Bud legacy. This franchise has always connected across generations, and we are excited to see Air Bud Returns continue that family tradition.”
Box Office Theory. That would be, by a wide margin, Blumhouse’s biggest opening of the year and the studio’s best debut since “Five Nights at Freddy’s” bowed to $80 million at the box office back in 2023. “Freddy’s” went on to become Blumhouse’s biggest movie ever with $297 million worldwide.
2022’s “The Black Phone,” based on the Joe Hill story of the same name, opened to $23.6 million en route to a substantial over-performance with $161.4 million worldwide, all against a very reasonable $18 million budget. $71.3 million of that money came from overseas. So, the sequel is in good shape, with those early estimates pointing to it becoming a similarly sizable hit. And while its budget has yet to be revealed, Blumhouse has never made a movie above the $30 million range, and it’s unlikely that streak is going to break here.
“Black Phone 2” once again centers on Finn (Mason Thames), now 17, who is struggling with life after being held captive by The Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), meanwhile, begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone. Determined to solve the mystery linking her haunting visions to the real-life Alpine Lake winter camp, she and Finn decide to visit the latter during a bad storm. Unfortunately, it turns out The Grabber is waiting for them there from beyond the grave. Yes, the “Black Phone 2” trailers have made it clear: The Grabber is going full Freddy Krueger this time.
Fair or not, the pressure is on for Black Phone 2
Universal Pictures
It can’t be emphasized enough just how rough things have been for Blumhouse at the box office as of late. Even if we set aside 2024 disappointments such as “Imaginary” and “Afraid,” 2025 has been one disaster after another. It all started with “Wolf Man” ($35 million worldwide/$25 million budget), which fell way short of lofty expectations. It got worse as “The Woman in the Yard” ($23 million worldwide/$12 million budget) and “Drop” ($28 million worldwide/$11 million budget) failed to deliver an original success for the studio.
The worst came when “M3GAN 2.0 absolutely bombed at the box office, taking in just $39 million globally against a $25 million budget. The original was a smash hit with nearly $182 million to its name. Needless to say, fair or not, that has put a lot of pressure on “Black Phone 2” to deliver the goods. Blumhouse can’t afford another major disappointment.
The good news is that director Scott Derrickson has delivered for Blumhouse in the past. “Sinister” made nearly $90 million worldwide on a shoestring $3 million budget. Derrickson reunited with screenwriter and producer C. Robert Cargill for the sequel, crafting an original story that serves as a continuation of Hill’s short that inspired the first film.
In addition, it appears that critics are on the movie’s side thus far. In his review of “Black Phone 2” for /Film, Rafael Motamayor called it a “fantastic sequel” that “explores new avenues and adds to the experience of the first film.” It’s also the de facto big horror movie of choice for the Halloween season, which is going to help the cause. At least for the moment, it looks like this movie has a good shot at ending Blumhouse’s cold streak.
“Black Phone 2” hits theaters on October 17, 2025.
I’ve had a lot of great experiences from the 2025 movie schedule this year, but few have been as raucous, ridiculous, and side-splittingly hilarious as the acclaimed The Naked Gun. An instant classic in terms of great parody movies, the Liam Neeson-led legacy sequel to The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad pays homage to the Leslie Nielsen classic in so many ways. However, one of my favorite jokes feels like director Akiva Schaffer paying homage to the Austin Powers movies.
Sharing jokes in comedies is nothing new, especially when it comes to hilarious gags in spoof movies. In fact, this isn’t the first time these two franchises have borrowed bits from one another. Let’s take a quick look at how these two parodies have honored each other over the years.
(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)
The Bonkers Infrared Sequence Is A More Over-The-Top Version Of A Scene In Austin Powers: The Spy You Shagged Me
The Naked Gun’s trailer over the summer, I couldn’t get over the infrared camera gag where a henchman was spying on Liam Neeson’s Frank Drebin Jr. and Pamela Anderson’s Beth Davenport as they cooked a turkey. I finally watched the movie with my Paramount+ subscription not too long ago, and the extended scene that made innocent tasks like cleaning the oven, basting a turkey, and petting a dog seem overly naughty just kept getting wilder and funnier as it went on.
shadow scene in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, where Mike Myers and Heather Graham’s titular spies tamely get ready for a mission as Dr. Evil’s guards watch and think they’re doing something very, very dirty. Though The Spy Who Shagged Me seemed very risqué at the time, it has nothing on The Naked Gun’s insane recreation, especially with the turkey baster squirting in infrared.
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, where Mike Myers’ spy takes perhaps the longest pee break in cinematic history, feels like an homage to the first Police Squad movie that came out nearly a decade earlier.
Remember in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad when Leslie Nielsen’s Frank Drebin forgot to turn off his microphone before going to the restroom at a press conference about the Queen of England’s upcoming visit? The constant on-and-off nature of Drebin’s stream plays out for more than a minute while city officials and press listen in horror. In 1997, it was the same thing, but with Austin Powers peeing after being thawed out as Basil Exposition looks on in awkward amazement.
Am I mad about The Naked Gun and Austin Powers movies sharing jokes? No, not in the slightest. As someone whose sense of humor never really evolved from that of a teenager, especially with movies like this, I’m down for any and all crude and cleverly shot bits like this. In fact, we need more of it.
