Bill Nighy has joined the full-cast Audible adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels as Professor Slughorn. The production added 11 new cast members on Wednesday, completing the lineup for the immersive series. Nighy, who portrayed Rufus Scrimgeour in the film series, joins Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore, Matthew Macfadyen as Lord Voldemort, Riz Ahmed as Professor Snape, and more. (Story URL)
The History Channel is reviving its longest-running franchise with a new three-part series, Modern Marvels: WWII (working title). The show will debut in 2026. It will examine the key machines, weapons, and innovations that defined World War II. Modern Marvels first aired in 1993, running nearly 700 episodes across 21 seasons. It was last revived in 2021 with 29 episodes hosted by Adam Richman. (Story URL)
A new UCLA Center for Scholars & Storytellers report shows Gen Z prefers animation and relatable stories over romance and sex on screen. The survey gathered responses from 1,500 Americans ages 10 to 24. Nearly 49% said they favor animated content, up from 42% last year. About 48% believe there is too much sexual content in movies and TV, while 60.9% want romantic stories focused more on friendship. (Story URL)
Nikki Glaser and Judd Apatow are reuniting for a new romantic comedy. Apatow, known for directing Knocked Up, previously worked with Glaser on the 2015 film Trainwreck. Glaser, an actress and stand-up comedian, is co-writing the script with Sean O’Connor. The film’s title and director have not yet been announced. Glaser will also star in the project, with both she and Apatow serving as producers. (Story URL)
Amazon paid $20 million to gain full control of the James Bond franchise, according to a U.K. filing from EON Productions. The document, filed by producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, confirms that on February 20, 2025, EON sold its interest in the Bond series. Although the sale price was lower than expected, sources said the total value could reach $1 billion when including stock options. (Story URL)
