Coronavirus

Michaela Coel is rumored to be in the new "Black Panther" sequel -- now being filmed after Chadwick Boseman's death -- and it's got fans wondering ... curtains for Letitia Wright???

Word of the casting just came down Wednesday via Variety, which says the "I May Destroy You" star is definitely in it ... but that her role, for now, is unknown/unnamed and being kept under wraps. The studio itself isn't confirming either ... SOP for stories like this.

The report -- assuming it's true -- might not seem like much on its face ... but there's a lot of background here causing some eyebrows to be raised in suspicion. Fact is, Marvel's been slow to formally announce who the heck is actually going to be in the new movie, like for sure for sure -- which is weird, because the flick is literally filming in Atlanta right now.

The assumption is that a majority of the cast from Pt. 1 will return -- like Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, etc. -- but none of them, including Letitia (who had a major role the first time around) are sure things at this point ... and in light of this news, it's giving folks pause for LW's sake.

Here's the deal ... Letitia is the only member of the OG cast who's been embroiled in controversy lately -- and there's a ton of circumstantial evidence that seems to point to her having bad blood with Marvel and perhaps Disney at large.

Based on tweets she's liked in the recent past -- before scrubbing all her social media entirely not too long ago -- all signs point to her possibly not returning ... and that recasting her might be on the horizon, which is why the Michaela addition is fueling theories.

Pile on the fact she was accused of being an anti-vaxxer just this past December -- this after retweeting what many called conspiracy theory videos questioning the legitimacy of the jab -- it just adds even more reason to believe that Letitia may be done with the franchise.

That's a huge deal, and a potential huge blow (for Letitia) if it turns out Michaela is, in fact, going to play an older version of Shuri (T'Challa's sister in 'BP'). The reason ... Shuri actually becomes the new Black Panther after T'Challa passes on the torch in the comic book series.

While the plot details of the "Black Panther" sequel have yet to surface -- ya gotta imagine they're going to go that route since their lead man isn't around to do it anymore.

Dillon Francis is imploring everyone to follow in his footsteps and get vaccinated. Yes, it can be a matter of life or death, but also ... it can save his and other people's jobs.

We got the famous DJ leaving Erewhon Tuesday in L.A. and wondered if he had any trepidation about the rising COVID-19 cases -- largely due to the Delta variant -- and how it could affect his upcoming tour dates.

For starters ... the "GO OFF (Nuthin' 2 It)" hitmaker tells us most of his scheduled gigs are outdoors. So, all good there. But, that being said, Dillon also didn't waste time urging anyone and everyone to get vaccinated because, as he put it ... "I'm trying to have a job."

He's not just looking out for numero uno, either -- Dillon says vaccination especially helps those in the service industry like servers and bartenders, whose livelihoods almost completely disappeared during pandemic shutdowns.

He tells us he got the shot as soon as he could -- and it's that kinda effort that undoubtedly helped reopen America and allow for packed concerts and restaurants to be a thing again.

The Olympic Village will be a little less crowded during the Tokyo Games -- the USA women's gymnastic team has decided to crash at a nearby hotel instead ... after one of their members tested positive for COVID.

Head coach Cecile Landi says the decision came down after alternate Kara Eaker tested positive for COVID on Sunday ... and he hopes keeping away from the rest of the athletes will prevent any more health issues.

"We know it isn’t ideal for the Olympic experience but nothing is ideal during a pandemic," Landi said via Twitter.

"We feel like we can control the athletes and our safety better in a hotel setting!"

Gymnastics superstars, USA's Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, did make a quick stop by the OV for some photo ops ... snapping shots with the Olympics logo on Monday.

Of course, the Olympic Village is a restricted area with housing and dining for the 11,000 athletes who will be participating in the next two weeks.

Officials are on high alert with the COVID re-emergence after two South African soccer players and a staff member tested positive inside the Village last week.

Team USA has had its fair share of issues as well ... with Bradley Beal, Coco Gauff and Sue Bird all backing out of the Games after testing positive for COVID.

According to CNN's Will Ripley, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto hasn't ruled out canceling the Games ... saying, "We can’t predict what the epidemic will look like in the future. So as for what to do should there be any surge of positive cases, we’ll discuss accordingly."

Michael Irvin says he's straight-up upset the Dallas Cowboys have low COVID vaccine rates ... explaining he believes it's a sign his former team doesn't really care about winning.

The Hall of Famer broke it all down at a recent charity event this month ... ripping the 'Boys for being below the NFL's 85% vaccine threshold.

"If you're not one of them teams [at the threshold]," Irvin said, "are you really thinking about winning a championship?"

As you may know, 85% is the number the league has set in order for teams to be able to ease COVID rules and regulations for the 2021 season ... and the Dallas legend is clearly pissed the Cowboys have yet to make it there.

Irvin went on to say Cowboys players should also be pissed that they're still below the 85% mark ... explaining the team should be doing everything in its power to get others to take the shots.

"Not being one of the [85% threshold teams] says there's other things to a great number of people on this team that are more important than winning championships," Irvin said.

"And that makes me worried."

According to multiple reports, only 13 of the 32 NFL squads have hit the league's required mark.

Of course, it really is a big advantage in the NFL this season to make it to that milestone ... teams who are above the threshold will be able to work out and practice way more freely than teams who are below it.

Irvin clearly understands this ... and is imploring the Cowboys to get above the mark ASAP.

"It should upset them," Irvin said. "Dude, you're not thinking right. You're not thinking right. Whatever you got, I don't give a damn."

The sleeping arrangements for the Olympics have surfaced -- athletes will crash on boxes, limit 1 per customer ... something honchos apparently don't want tested with bedroom shenanigans.

Check out the beds that have been set up all throughout the Olympic village in Tokyo, where world-class athletes will arrive by the end of next week for the start of the games. As you can clearly see, these babies are made out of good old-fashioned cardboard ... seriously.

The beds' frames and modest mattresses are designed by a company called Airweave -- and they've cranked out upwards of 18,000 for the Olympics. Yes, they're somewhat intricate in their structure and configuring ... able to be adjusted to an individual's liking/contortion.

However, a running theory is that the beds are made this way for a reason -- namely, the International Olympic Committee and other organizers supposedly want to discourage sex among athletes ... a pastime at the games that's getting pooh-pooh'd this year due to COVID.

A handful of Olympic athletes -- some who've already touched down in Tokyo, and others who haven't -- are testing positive for the virus ... including U.S. tennis player Coco Gauff.

Still, U.S. track and field star Paul Chelimo got in on the joke, explaining that it was clear to him the Olympic powers that be don't want any banging going on ... because these beds, theoretically, only support the weight of one person. NBD for runners, though!!!

He writes, "I see no problem for distance runners,even 4 of us can do😂." The implication being ... runners are light, so a couple of them probably wouldn't break the bed.

There's also the tradition of handing out condoms, which got a 2021 asterisk. The Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee reportedly told a Japanese outlet the condoms aren't supposed to be used, but brought back to an athlete's home country for safe sex education.

In other words ... keep it in your pants this time around. That, or risk hitting the floor.

VP Kamala Harris just went to the hospital for what the White House calls a standard visit -- but some worry it may be COVID related, based on who she's been around in recent days.

News broke Sunday that the Veep had made what seemed to be an unannounced trip to Walter Reed in D.C. -- something a WH official confirmed, but downplayed as nothing more than a "routine doctor's appointment." Apparently, it had already been scheduled.

Ya might find it odd a check-up would go down on a Sunday ... but for the leaders of our nation, we're guessing they can get appointments whenever they want (or need). Even recent history has shown ... it's not unheard of for a Prez to see a doc on the weekend.

Like we said, the WH says this is unrelated to 'rona, or Harris' meet-up with Texas lawmakers this past week ... a few of whom have tested positive for the virus since then. Still, the timing has raised eyebrows -- but for now, the message is ... it's much ado about nothing.

Of course, it's understandable why folks might connect those dots. Like we said, the Vice President had some facetime Tuesday with upwards of 60 TX Dems who fled their state to avoid having to vote, in vain, on new voting laws that were sure to pass regardless.

Kamala gave them props during the meeting, saying they were doing the right thing ... even though they put their necks on the line. Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed the politicians who abandoned their duty would be arrested and charged as soon as they got back into town.

BTW, here's another reason why Kamala's Walter Reed drop-in is raising suspicion -- her rep said she wouldn't be getting tested despite being in the same room with 3 of the Texans who were positive ... apparently, because they weren't in close proximity to her for the meeting, and because she's fully vaccinated. The rep says due to the sequence of events, it was determined she wasn't at risk of exposure ... so testing/quarantining wasn't needed.

Los Angeles County is now under a new mask mandate (again) -- which went into effect at midnight -- but before the clock struck 12 ... Angelenos got in their last bit of maskless fun -- especially at SoFi Stadium ... with Kaskade behind the wheel.

The venue was jam-packed with people Saturday during the EDM DJ's headlining set -- with Deadmau5 as the surprise opener -- which got underway not long before people would be forced to cover their mouths and noses once more ... due to a new surge in coronavirus cases, of course.

Check out the video ... concert-goers were huddled close together, and there didn't seem to be very many masks (if any) among the crowd. Seems they were milking the opportunity down to the last hour, because as of 12:00 AM PT -- the mandate went into effect.

It's unclear just how many people showed up for Kaskade and co. ... but considering the place has a capacity of 70,000 seated (and even more standing), we'd say it was probably close to that, based on how crowded it looked from a quick glimpse.

If COVID numbers are, in fact, surging again like they say ... then this definitely doesn't seem like the best way to spend one's time right before another masking rule gets ushered in.

The end of the pandemic means no masks and a return to normalcy for some ... but for DeAndre Hopkins -- he tells TMZ Sports it's an opportunity to help thousands in his new hometown.

The NFL superstar couldn't do as much charity work in Arizona after being traded to the Cardinals in 2020 due to the coronavirus ... but he says he's hopeful that'll all change as we enter a post-COVID world.

"My mom and I, we're about to get into the community," Hopkins said out at LAX. "You know, it was COVID, so we really couldn't do much."

It's spectacular news for Arizonians ... 'cause, if you're unfamiliar, Hopkins and his mom, Sabrina Greenlee, have an amazing charity called S.M.O.O.O.T.H.

It was established to help women who have been affected by domestic violence.

Hopkins has been very active when it comes to raising funds for it all ... he even helped create a line of breakfast cereal this year to try to get more cash flow into the company.

Hopkins clearly wants to see it thrive in the desert, telling us, "We're in Houston right now, but trying to touch the Arizona market."

COVID-19 is officially in the house ... or at least the place Olympians will call home when the Olympic Games begin next week.

Organizers say an Olympic Village staffer tested positive Friday for the coronavirus. They added the person is not a resident of Japan, and their job was only described as "games-concerned personnel."

As it is, the International Olympic Committee is under intense pressure. As we reported, Tokyo is under a state of emergency due to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. That news prompted the IOC to make the last minute decision to pull the plug on having spectators at the games.

Still, protesters have been rallying outside the Olympic Village, demanding the games not go on as planned ... and polls show less than half the Japanese population support the games being held at this time.

While the IOC says about 80 percent of Olympic athletes are vaccinated, the concern is less than 30 percent of Japan's population is vaccinated.

The person who tested positive has has been placed on a 14-day quarantine. The games open Friday, July 23 ... and about 11,000 athletes from around the world are expected to live in the Olympic Village during the 2 weeks of competition.

IOC President Thomas Bach oddly insisted earlier this week there was “zero” risk athletes could pass the virus to others in or out of the village. Makes ya wonder if the IOC is oblivious to what the world's been through for the last 18 months.

Deontay Wilder's fiancée, Telli Swift, is calling Tyson Fury's COVID diagnosis straight up BS ... telling TMZ Sports the boxer's tryna buy time -- 'cause he ain't ready to go toe-to-toe with her man, the Bronze Bomber!

The Fury-Wilder trilogy fight was set for July 24 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas -- after Wilder actually went to court to compel Fury to take the 3rd fight.

But, the bout was postponed ... due to Fury recently testing positive for COVID-19.

We spoke with Swift at an event for her non-profit, Boxing WAGS Association, in El Segundo ... and we asked for her and Deontay's take on Fury's illness -- and Telli didn't hold back."

"You've trained so hard, blood, sweat, and tears and then for someone to have COVID and Deontay’s fight with torn biceps, broken fingers, burns on his arms, and he still fought," Swift says.

"So, I just feel like with COVID and you have sixteen days until the fight, he should still be able to fight and make it happen."

In fact, Swift thinks the 32-year-old heavyweight champ is tryna use COVID as a way to dodge Wilder ... saying it's just an excuse to give him some time.

"I don’t think that he’s ready. I think he’s buying time, and I just feel like he feels Deontay is at the best looking-wise."

Of course, Wilder and Fury fought to a draw in 2018 ... and Deontay lost the 2nd fight in 2020 via TKO.

Swift added, "Personally, I don’t believe anything that he says. So, I don’t believe anything that he says, and that’s that."

And, you can forget about Wilder boxing anyone else during the wait, Swift -- who got engaged to Wilder in 2018 -- tells us he's only focused on Fury.

"Deontay’s mind ... he eats, sleeps, lives Tyson Fury. So, he’s ready for Tyson!"

Caitlyn Jenner is between a rock and a hard place, but she's trying to make the most of it -- appearing on Australia's 'Big Brother' while still trying to become Governor of California.

Sources close to Caitlyn tell TMZ ... her trip Down Under to participate in "Big Brother VIP" will in no way stop her current campaign. Critics are ripping her decision to shoot the series, claiming it shows she's not focused.

We're told she made the commitment to do 'BB' before deciding to run for governor ... so she's simply honoring her contract.

Meanwhile, some Aussie's are also not happy with Caitlyn flying to Sydney to take part in the reality show ... while the country's current COVID flight restrictions limit locals from traveling.

Many have expressed their outrage, feeling Caitlyn got special treatment to fly to the country while Aussies desperate to fly to visit loved ones aren't able to do so.

Jenner has reportedly begun her mandatory 14-day quarantine before filming begins for "Big Brother VIP." We've reached out to see how long she anticipates filming, and when she plans to return to the U.S. ... no word back yet.

Boxing fans are going to have to wait 3 more months to see Tyson Fury fight Deontay Wilder again ... the tilt has now officially been moved to October in the wake of a big COVID outbreak in Fury's camp.

The announcement came out Thursday ... with officials saying the fight has now been postponed from July 24 to Oct. 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

"I wanted nothing more than to smash the 'Big Dosser' on July 24, but I guess the beating will have to wait," said Fury, who, along with several members of his team, tested positive for COVID earlier this month.

"Make no mistake, I will be back and better than ever. We will fight Oct. 9, and I will knock him spark out!"

The two boxers fought to a draw in their first matchup in December 2018 ... but Fury handled Wilder soundly in their second matchup in February 2020.

You'll recall, Tyson was set to move on from Wilder and face Anthony Joshua this summer ... but Wilder won a big decision in court to make sure this fight happened before that one.

Wilder's manager, Shelly Finkel, said the Bronze Bomber is fine waiting a few more weeks to get another shot at Tyson ... explaining, "This is what we went to arbitration for."

Tom Cruise made the rounds in London for the city's mega sports weekend, but he was still mindful of COVID-19 protocols ... at least while mingling with fans.

A day after Ethan Hunt dropped in for the Wimbledon women's singles final, he made his way over to Wembley Stadium to watch the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy.

Tom was all smiles as he obliged some fan requests for a quick pic before he headed in to watch the match Sunday evening, but take a look ... he was also very cautious about it.

The "Mission Impossible" star kept his mask on until it was time to say cheese, and even then he mostly kept his distance ... telling folks to keep a flying-V formation.

As you may know ... the Delta variant has been responsible for the most coronavirus infections in England recently, so it seems Cruise is taking that risk seriously.

Then again, once he was inside Wembley Tom ditched the mask and showed off his famous face ... while sitting near other famous faces, like Kate Moss and David Beckham.

Cruise really took advantage of being in England this weekend while shooting "M:I 7" ... as we reported, he and his co-stars also attended a Wimbledon finals match on Saturday.

Garth Brooks is putting the pandemic in his rearview -- and he wants other musicians to follow his lead -- after he packed the stadium home of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Garth played to a sold-out crowd of 68,000 Saturday night at Allegiant Stadium ... making it the first major stadium concert since COVID-19 shutdowns began more than a year ago. If the country superstar had any rust, the audience couldn't tell as they cheered through more than 2 hours worth of live music.

The only person more excited than fans was Garth, who said, "To every musician out there, all I can say is get back in the game because it’s the greatest feeling in the world." It's been more than 500 days since his last live gig, and he told the crowd, "I’ve never been made to feel at home as quickly as you guys have made me feel.”

There was one reminder of the COVID-19 pandemic ... a disclaimer on Garth's website for all ticket-holders that read, “Purchaser assumes Covid risk. All Covid rules apply.”

Las Vegas has been wide open since June 1, so there were no COVID rules to apply for this show. Next up for Garth is another stadium concert, next week in Salt Lake City.

It's interesting ... Vegas had packed houses all weekend -- besides Garth's show, UFC 264 was going on at the T-Mobile arena ... plus Dave Chappelle and Justin Bieber had sold-out shows too.

Rob Schneider seems to be saying the best way to ward off the COVID vaccine is with an old Nancy Reagan campaign on drugs -- and if that doesn't work ... maybe flash some ammo.

The actor -- known for comedic roles in Adam Sandler movies, etc. -- was in no joking mood Saturday upon hearing some news that a third vaccine jab might be around the corner ... as reports surface that the effects from the first 2 are wearing off in a matter of months.

He was responding to a report with the headline, "Is it already time for a 3rd Covid-19 shot?" posted by journo Sharyl Attkisson. Rob retweeted it and wrote, "Just say no... And keep saying no..."

RS added this as well ... "Over Half of the US population is continuing to say no to this unapproved experimental gene therapy! 'My body, my choice!' #2ndAmendmentIsForThis."

Of course, his remarks are getting tons of backlash right now -- as he appears to be suggesting that Americans should take up arms ... against COVID jabs, or the notion of being forced to get them. Some are saying his thinking here is flawed ... and pretty dangerous.

No matter, though -- Rob seems to be digging his heels in on his position ... rehashing what sure sounds like far-right wing talking points, spreading fear and doubt about vaccines.

The fact is ... most of the vaccines in circulation have been deemed safe by the powers that be -- including scientists from all over the world, whether they're in government or not.

A few Twitter users have told Rob to mind his own business -- to which he seems to be receptive. All we know is ... a gun ain't gonna beat coronavirus, plain and simple.

Nick Kyrgios -- one of the biggest stars in men's pro tennis -- is pulling out of the Olympics ... saying the big decision is, in part, due to Japan officials barring spectators from the event.

The 26-year-old Australian made the announcement Thursday evening ... just hours after Olympic officials said no fans would be allowed to watch the Games in-person this summer due to a spike in coronavirus cases in the area.

"It's a decision I didn't make lightly," Kyrgios said. "It's been my dream to represent Australia at the Olympics and I know I may never get that opportunity again."

"But I also know myself," Kyrgios added. "The thought of playing in front of empty stadiums just doesn't sit right with me. It never has."

Kyrgios -- who was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon earlier this month due to an abdominal injury -- also said his health played a role in his decision too.

"I also wouldn't want to take an opportunity away from a healthy Aussie athlete ready to represent the country," Kyrgios said.

"I will also take all the time I need to get my body right. Good luck to all the Aussies competing and I'll see you back on the court real soon."