Entertainment Tidbits

Federal officials confirmed that a plane owned by NASCAR driver Greg Biffle crashed around 10:20 a.m. on Thursday while landing at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina. Biffle’s friend, fellow driver Garrett Mitchell, said on Facebook that Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on board. “We are devastated,” Mitchell wrote. (Story URL)

Craig Melvin will make his debut as co-host of NBC’s 137th Rose Parade broadcast, joining Al Roker and Hoda Kotb. The live telecast airs January 1 from 8 to 10 a.m. PT in Pasadena, California. The 2026 parade marks Roker’s 27th year and Kotb’s 11th as hosts. It will also be NBC’s 99th year covering the event, which began on radio in 1927 and moved to television in 1954. (Story URL)

Alejandro Iñárritu’s upcoming film Digger, starring Tom Cruise, will open on October 2, 2026. Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment revealed the title, first poster, and teaser, describing it as “a comedy of catastrophic proportions.” Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, “the most powerful man in the world,” who races to prove he can save humanity from a disaster he caused. (Story URL)

Four original cast members from A Different World will reprise their roles in the Netflix sequel. Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Cree Summer, and Darryl M. Bell will appear in the 10-episode series following the youngest daughter of Whitley and Dwayne, as a freshman at Hillman College seeking her own identity. The original series is now streaming on Netflix. (Story URL)

Gen Z audiences are going to the movies more than ever, according to a new Cinema United report. The annual Strength of Theatrical Exhibition update, released December 17, shows a 25 percent rise in cinema visits among Gen Z this year. Forty-one percent of Gen Z viewers saw at least six films, up from 31 percent last year, averaging 6.1 trips compared to 4.9 in 2024. (Story URL)

Julie Chrisley, star of Chrisley Knows Best and a recently pardoned tax evader, plans to launch a new YouTube cooking show next year. She says the show will include dishes she learned to make while in prison. Todd said fans want Julie to share what she cooked during her “summer camp” experience. Julie said the show will feature simple recipes using pantry staples. (Story URL)

Chris Evans will return as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday, confirming his comeback to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The news follows a leaked teaser for the 2026 film, originally meant to premiere with Avatar: Fire and Ash. Evans last appeared in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, where Captain America retired after time-traveling to live with Peggy Carter. (Story URL)