Movies

John Boyega isn't part of Disney's rat pack anymore, so he's speaking his mind freely about how he thinks they did him dirty in 'Star Wars' ... and he ain't sugarcoating a thing.

The actor is gracing the October cover of British GQ, and talked to the mag about some lingering gripes over his time playing Finn in the latest 'Star Wars' films. While he says he'll always defend J.J. Abrams -- who directed two of the flicks -- he says the studio itself screwed the pooch and misled both him and the fan base about the Finn character.

John says quite bluntly, "[W]hat I would say to Disney is do not bring out a Black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are, and then have them pushed to the side." He adds "It’s not good. I’ll say it straight up."

We've gotten hints that John wasn't too happy with the way the Mouse House downplayed his character -- as we've seen him squabble with internet trolls about the franchise's direction before -- but now ... we know how he really feels.

He goes on to tell GQ his costars Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver's characters were fully fleshed out, and in the end ... got the biggest storylines (not to mention love interests). John says Daisy and Adam would admit the same, so he's not dropping any bombshell.

The tributes to Chadwick Boseman keep pouring in, and the latest honor for the late "Black Panther" star is all about education.

Walter Mayfield, principal at T. L. Hanna High School in South Carolina where the actor attended, tells TMZ ... they're forming the Chadwick Boseman Memorial Scholarship for a yearly honor to a deserving student.

Mayfield says the goal is to create a sustainable scholarship for years to come, and the school is aiming to raise $100k toward that end. The principal says a bunch of people have already reached out about contributing in Chadwick's honor -- without even publicizing the idea yet -- so they're off to a good start.

We're told the school is trying to work with Boseman's family on the plan -- Mayfield feels it's essential they be involved to help formulate criteria for the award.

Chadwick's former H.S. basketball coach, Wayne Jones, is pushing for the school to retire the number he used to wear -- 32 -- in his memory.

He tells us the cinematic superhero was an all-around solid player on the court who played 4 years on the varsity squad ... and could do a little bit of everything. T. L. Hanna has never retired a number before, but Principal Mayfield says this is the time to consider it.

If the Boseman scholarship gets up and running, it will be the second one in honor of a T. L. Hanna legend ... the first is James "Radio" Kennedy. His scholarship goes to a student pursuing a career in special ed.

As we told you ... Chadwick's South Carolina hometown is also set to honor him soon.

Tyler Perry's got something else to take ownership of ... he's now a billionaire!!!

Tyler's net worth just jumped and made him the newest official member of the 3-comma club, according to a new Forbes report detailing his rise from being "poor as hell" to rich and powerful.

The numbers are in ... here's a breakdown of how Forbes is calculating Tyler's milestone net worth:

-- $320 million for his entire library of movies, TV shows, plays, etc., as he owns 100% of the content he's created

-- $300 million in cash and investments

-- $280 million for Tyler Perry Studios, which sits on 330 acres in Georgia

-- $60 million for his equity stake in BET+, the streaming service that debuted last year.

-- $40 million in homes and toys

Add it all up ... and that's a cool $1 billion. Not bad for a guy who once slept in his car.

Harvey Levin interviewed Tyler back in 2017 for the show, "OBJECTified," and Perry explained how he believed in betting on himself and why he relishes commercial success in addition to artistic success.

Chadwick Boseman fans will be able to see his iconic performance as Jackie Robinson on the big screen one last time ... with "42" getting re-released days after his tragic death.

Boseman's main role as the baseball hero was one of his first major gigs on the silver screen ... leading to projects like "Draft Day," "Get on Up," and the legendary character of T'Challa in "Black Panther" and the 'Avengers' series.

AMC Theaters announced it will show the 2013 film -- which also stars Harrison Ford and Nicole Beharie -- in 300 different locations later this week ... as a tribute to the beloved actor.

Tickets will be made available on Tuesday ... and the showings will begin as early as Thursday.

As we previously reported, Boseman died at age 43 on Friday after a 4-year battle with colon cancer.

The entertainment and sports worlds have been grieving the loss ever since ... including a tribute from LeBron James prior to the Lakers vs. Blazers game on Saturday and a lengthy farewell from co-star Michael B. Jordan.

Chadwick Boseman's still playing the hero, because his life story's inspiring people to take action ... in the ongoing fight against colon cancer.

Several leading organizations focused on beating colorectal cancer -- the third leading form of cancer in both men and women in the U.S. -- tell TMZ ... the "Black Panther" star's shocking death instantly brought about a massive increase in awareness, donations, and love for those dealing with it.

Anjee Davis, President of Fight Colorectal Cancer, tells us along with a huge outpouring of grief for the actor, her org got a major boost in social media engagements and support ... which resulted in raising nearly $10,000.

She says the funds will go toward research to seek better treatment options and a cure for colon cancer, but just as important ... she hopes the heightened awareness pushes people to get early screenings, look into their family history of cancer, and be on alert for signs and symptoms.

Likewise for Michael Sapienza, CEO of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, who says Chadwick's death -- at 43, after a 4-year cancer battle -- has already brought on "the most monumental change" to how people view the disease.

Though the Marvel superhero chose to keep his battle shielded from the public, Sapienza's encouraging the public to be more open to discussing colon cancer to shed the stigma ... especially since it's increasingly affecting younger people like Boseman.

Cindy Borassi, Interim President for the Colon Cancer Foundation, also points out the increasing impact on younger Americans, and adds, to make matters worse ... screenings have gone way down due to the pandemic.

She tells us it sometimes takes a "larger-than-life personality" like Boseman to boost outreach, awareness and support, and while it's tragic ... that's what is happening here.

Borassi says donations to the org have increased at least 300 percent since Friday, and she believes his death will result in huge companies like Disney and Marvel joining forces in the effort to eradicate colon cancer.

Michigan-born actor Christopher Showerman is best known for his role as the vine-swinging king of the jungle, George -- who battles to balance his responsibilities in the wild and his family life with a wife and son -- in Disney's 2003 follow-up film, "George of the Jungle 2."

Chris Showerman stages the screen time with Julie Benz as his city-dweller wife, Ursula and Angus T. Jones (of "Two and a Half Men" fame) as his pint-size son, George Jr.

Fun fact: There's a running gag throughout the movie around the obvious change from Brendan Fraser's iconic character in the first film and Showerman's role in the sequel.

Chadwick Boseman's old stomping grounds won't soon be forgetting their hero, because city officials are ramping up to pay tribute to him ... now and later.

Anderson, South Carolina Mayor Terence Roberts' office tells TMZ ... the city where Chadwick grew up will be honoring him this week in a public get-together, but also down the road as well with what we're told will be a massive enshrinement.

As for this week's plans ... a rep for the Mayor says they're hosting a remembrance Thursday at an outdoor amphitheater, where they'll have 3 guest speakers -- including a pastor, a former high school classmate of Chadwick's and the Mayor himself. After that, we're told they'll be putting on a screening of "Black Panther."

Now, we know what you're thinking ... a public gathering at an amphitheater?? In a pandemic??? Yes, but rest assured ... we're told the city is taking all precautions to do this safely, with social distancing and masks in mind. The venue normally has a max capacity of about 10,000 ... we're told they're cutting it down to half. First come, first serve.

Oh, and the place will be adorned with Chadwick-themed artwork from locals, so that'll be neat to see too. At this time, it's a little unclear if any of his immediate family members will join, but some of his extended fam who are still in the area are said to be potential drop-ins.

As for a more long-term tribute to their homegrown star -- who died Friday of colon cancer -- the Mayor's team tells us they're still not settled on a final plan, but they know it'll be a grand, lasting public display.

The tributes continue pouring in for Chadwick Boseman ... and Marvel Studios let it be known the late actor will be their king forever.

The studio honored T'Challa with a touching, emotional, tribute video in which many refer to Chadwick as flawless and regal. Lupita Nyong'o said Chadwick wore the crown with dignity in "Black Panther." Michael B. Jordan, Angela Bassett, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr. are just some in awe of Chadwick's immense talent.

Chadwick, of course, was also honored Sunday at the MTV VMAs with the virtual show dedicated to him. The main host, Keke Palmer, gave Chadwick a shout-out right out of the gate, saying, "We dedicate tonight’s show to the man whose spirit touched so many. He is a true hero, not just on screen but in everything he did. His impact lives forever."

Chadwick Boseman just received a shout-out at the MTV Video Music Awards -- and the way they did it was by harkening back to a speech he once gave at the ceremony.

Sunday's show -- which was completely virtual this year because of the pandemic -- was a full-on tribute to the late actor ... with the VMAs official Twitter account saying they were putting it on in his honor.

The main host, Keke Palmer, also made sure to shout out Chadwick right from the top of the show, with her saying, "We dedicate tonight’s show to the man whose spirit touched so many. He is a true hero, not just on screen but in everything he did. His impact lives forever."

Not too long into the broadcast, MTV played a full-on tribute to Chadwick ... by replaying his acceptance speech at the 2018 VMAs when he won for Best Hero for his portrayal as the Black Panther. The opening title card to the clip read, "The World Needs More Superheroes" ... and then it launched into Chadwick's remarks.

At the time, he actually took a moment to honor a real-life superhero he wanted to acknowledge ... one James Shaw Jr., who stopped a gunman at a Waffle House in Tennessee. The fact that Chadwick shared the spotlight was incredible and clearly not forgotten by the folks at MTV.

The Chadwick Boseman tributes continue to pour in, but none stand out quite like this one ... which started out upside down.

A Senegalese artist named Bou Bou posted a moving video of himself whipping up a mural of the late Marvel actor, but he did so in his signature style -- starting from a completely inverted point on the canvas -- and not just that ... he did it with just 4 roses and paint.

The video goes through a time lapse of Bou Bou doing his work, and before you know it ... he has a picture-perfect recreation of Chadwick's face and upper body -- only you can't really tell at first ... at least not until he flips it around.

It's quite the reveal ... you gotta see it for yourself. Afterward, Bou Bou does a Wakanda Forever sign across his chest. He captioned his post, "#R.I.P @chadwickboseman ❤️🕊 #ripchadwick."

As we reported ... Chadwick's passed away Friday after a 4-year battle with colon cancer. His death came as a shock to millions of fans, as he kept it his illness private ... and continued to work regularly through what turned out to be grueling and painful treatments.

Sylvester Stallone is re-releasing "Rocky IV" with a fresh set of eyes -- in his own pure vision, no less -- but one thing that won't be in the new version ... Paulie's iconic maid robot.

Sly made the announcement Sunday on Instagram, saying he's gonna be putting a director's cut of the '80s cult classic film ... which sees his character fighting Ivan Drago in Russia to avenge the death of Apollo Creed. Oh, and that's a big spoiler alert too BTW ... sorry!!!

Stallone writes, "For the 35th anniversary Rocky 4 Is getting a new DIRECTORS cut by me. So far it looks great. Soulful.. Thank you MGM For this opportunity to entertain."

Fans flooded his comments to show their excitement, but also their curiosity. Folks wondered whether he'd be adding new scenes, deleting old ones ... and possibly giving more of a backstory to the relationship between Rocky's right-hand man Paulie and his AI love interest in the flick, SICO ... which has been widely panned, but also revered over time.

Well, don't plan on seeing that robot in the Sly's cut ... 'cause the guy says he's scrapping it from the plot completely. In fact, it sounds like he straight up doesn't like SICO at all.

Sly responded to some fans' queries about the bot, and he says, "The robot is going to the junkyard forever. No more robot," while adding to another fan, "I don't like the robot anymore." So, yeah ... it would appear Stallone's getting rid of that subplot, which was campy anyway.

The interesting thing about that robot is that it actually played a role in Sly's real life ... with his own kid, no less. The robot's actual designer, Robert Doornick, said as recently as 2016 Sly caught wind of the robot (before production on "Rocky IV" had started) and hit him and his team up, wondering if it could help with his son Seargeoh, who is autistic.

According to Doornick, they loaned the Stallone family the robot ... and supposedly, it was a huge hit with the kid. So, as a favor to his boy, Sly wrote the robot into the movie for a cameo role. He also cast his other son, Sage, as Rocky's son in the flick.

Chadwick Boseman's impact on the youth cannot be overstated ... some children are remembering their fallen hero ... with action figure memorials.

Mark Ruffalo -- who starred opposite Chadwick in the 'Avengers' movies -- posted a couple of touching photos of two little boys holding their own versions of wakes for Black Panther with their toys, placing the Marvel figurines in a circle around a laid out T'Challa.

He writes, "This is his power and impact on the next generation. #ChadwickForever." Mark's right here -- other kids were doing this as well in other parts of the country, including one boy named Kian ... who created a casket for his Black Panther action figure.

A guy named King Westbrook posted a photo of his son holding his own memorial outside their garage, with Kian throwing up a Wakanda Forever X-sign across his chest.

The proud papa says of his child, "Kian wanted to thank everyone from the bottom of his heart for all the loving and kind words given to him for this post." King goes on to add, "When he found out about Chadwicks passing, he was heart broken. But he knows death is a part for being human, and wanted to cope with losing his hero this way."

Bradley Cooper as Jon Peters has all the makings of an edge-of-your-seat melodrama ... 'cause he's gonna get into some intense face-offs -- with a gas pump and lighter in hand, no less.

We got video of Brad on set from last week here in L.A. while he was shooting a scene for a new movie he's starring in for director Paul Thomas Anderson. BC's portraying Peters, who went from famous hairdresser in the '70s to a major movie mogul producer.

Based on this scene they shot -- of which we posted photos last week -- it would appear Jon's life was pretty eventful, dramatic you might say ... at least in PTA's vision. Check it out ... you see Brad hop out of a truck with a briefcase in hand, and then storm over to someone at a gas pump. He hurls the case at them and then puts the pump in their face.

In this clip, you see a rehearsal take, and then the cameras roll for the real deal. Brad's definitely got the '70s swag strut down ... looks like he's walking straight out of "Saturday Night Fever" or something. In any case, this one's bound to be a classic.

Bella Thorne realizes she screwed over a bunch of ordinary OnlyFans users who now can't make as much money after her no-nudes fake-out ... but she's promising to fix it ASAP.

The one-time Disney star turned Jack-Of-All-Trades entertainer just posted a lengthy apology for the uproar she stirred up in the online sex worker community last week ... when she appeared to have milked OnlyFans for every penny it's worth, thus affecting everyone else.

She writes, "PT1 Remove the stigma behind sex, sex work, and the negativity that surrounds the word SEX itself by bringing a mainstream face to it that’s what I was trying to do, to help bring more faces to the site to create more revenue for content creators on the site."

Bella went on to explain that she has tried a few different times in her career to normalize sex and sex work, but notes that it's often blown up in her face ... like it did this time.

She continues, "...I am a mainstream face and when you have a voice, a platform, you try to use you in helping others and advocate for something bigger than yourself. Again in this process I hurt you and for that I’m truly sorry." There's more -- BT wants a solution.

Bella says she's actually going to be meeting with some OnlyFans honchos soon to get to the bottom of their new changes that drastically limit what people can make, how soon they can get paid ... which immediately came on the heels of Bella's $1 million-plus publicity stunt. OnlyFans says their changes aren't the result of any one person (aka Bella), but most people are calling BS on that, theorizing they're strapped in having to pay her.

Chadwick Boseman was doing more than just putting on a brave face during his 4-year battle with cancer -- the guy was actively visiting and inspiring kids while privately suffering from the same disease.

St. Jude Children's Hospital paid tribute to the fallen star, reminding folks he popped into their facility in 2018 to meet with patients ... bringing gifts and words of inspiration for the kids.

They write, "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our friend Chadwick Boseman. Two years ago, Chadwick visited the St. Jude campus and brought with him not only toys for our patients but also joy, courage and inspiration." The organization sang his praises, adding ... "He was an incredible role model for our patients and children from all around the world. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time."

At the time, St. Jude's posted more photos from the face-to-face ... and it's clear the guy made the rounds and met with a bunch of kids who couldn't have looked more overjoyed to meet a Marvel superhero. The fact he was right in the thick of his own cancer battle just makes this gesture all the more heartbreaking, especially considering he didn't utter a word about his battle.

Chadwick discussed meeting some of these kids and how much of an impact it had on him -- he even broke down during the Sirius XM interview while talking about two terminally ill children who passed before the next Marvel movie could come out. Dude was a true saint.

As we reported ... Chadwick succumbed to his illness and died Friday, shocking the entertainment world -- scratch that, shocking the entire world. He was just 43 years old.

Chadwick Boseman, the iconic "Black Panther" star, has died at age 43 after a 4-year battle with colon cancer.

His family released a statement, saying "It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman. Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV."

They continue that "it was the honor of his career to bring King T'Challa to life in Black Panther."

"He died in his home, with his wife and family by his side"

Chadwick, who most famously brought the first black Marvel superhero to life in "Black Panther" along with a string of 'Avengers' movies was no stranger to giving life to iconic roles. He portrayed Jackie Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall in "Marshall."

Recently, Chadwick had sparked concern amongst his fans, as he appeared very thin in videos on social media. This worry nearly overshadowed the impactful words he wanted to share with the world about Jackie Robinson and the pandemic.

Born in South Carolina, he always had an affinity for theater, and wrote his first play in high school. He attended the famous HBCU, Howard University, and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Fine arts.

He started his career in writing and directing, but clearly, he was meant to be on the other side of the camera. He took the world by storm in 2013 in the role of Jackie Robinson in "42." On playing that role, Chadwick said, "The story is relevant because we still stand on his shoulders. He started something - I would even say maybe he didn't even start it, it started before him. But he carried the torch. And he carried it alone for a period of time before other people could help him." Clearly, he forwarded the narrative of that, as he moved on to play one of the most influential roles of a generation in the portrayal of T'Challa, aka Black Panther.

The impact he had on Hollywood, while too short, was phenomenal. He hosted 'SNL' in a very memorable episode, and was slated to star in 'Black Panther 2' which was meant to be released in 2022

As outstanding of an actor as he was, Chadwick was also an incredibly effective activist and role model ... he had a unique and powerful voice that resonated with kids and adults, showing them anything was possible.

And, there's this. Today is Jackie Robinson Day in Major League Baseball, honoring the first black player in the league. All players wear the number 42.