The first episode will be repeated on the same day at 10pm on HBO.

Starring Danny McBride, Golden Globe winner John Goodman, Edi Patterson and Adam Devine, “The Righteous Gemstones” tells the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed and charitable work.

Well into the second generation of the grand televangelist tradition, the renowned Gemstone family is living proof that worship pays dividends in all sizes, including their megachurch. McBride plays Jesse Gemstone, the eldest of three grown Gemstone offspring, who looks to lead in his father’s footsteps, but finds his past sins jeopardising the family ministry.

Playing Jesse’s siblings are Devine as pseudo-hipster Kelvin, the youngest of the trio and a thorn in Jesse’s side, and Patterson as Judy, who is secretly living with her fiancé and dreams of escaping the Gemstone compound.

Goodman is Eli, the family’s patriarch, who finds himself at a crisis point as he mourns the loss of his wife, Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles), and questions the Gemstones’ mission.

The series was created by McBride, who is also executive producer and director, alongside Jody Hill and David Gordon Green.

“The Righteous Gemstones” marks the third HBO series for the Rough House Pictures team of McBride, Hill and Green, following “Eastbound & Down” and “Vice Principals.” McBride wrote and directed the pilot, with Green and Hill splitting directing duties on the other eight episodes.

Now recovering in Hong Kong’s Adventist Hospital after a successful second operation on Sunday (July 21), his manager told Sin Chew Daily that the actor is more concerned about the assailant’s state of mind.

Yam, 64, hopes that help can be extended to the man who surprised him on stage at a promotional event in Zhongshan in Guangdong province.

Yam received minor injuries to his abdomen and hand after he was slashed by the man who used a knife.

Doctors first treated him in China before Yam was transferred to Adventist to make it easier for his family to take care of him.

Sin Chew Daily quoted the actor’s manager as saying that “we do not want to take action. We just want to understand what happened. What made the man snap?”

Speculation has it that the man – who has been detained by the police – is mentally unstable and had planned the attack for some time.

The incident also sparked the Chinese media to call for more support for those with mental health woes, noting that their families can do only so much.

An editorial in Guangming Daily urged society not to shun or discriminate against those afflicted with mental disorders,

Meanwhile, Yam has thanked his fans for their concern via Weibo with his post accompanied by a photograph of a teddy bear – likely to be from his 14-year-old daughter Ella – and flowers.

He is now in a normal ward, with his manager expecting Yam to be discharged in two or three days’ time.

Chinese Canadian actor Simu Liu, best known from the sitcom Kim’s Convenience, will play the title role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

The cast includes Crazy Rich Asians star Nora Lum, better known by her stage name Awkwafina, and award-winning Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai.

Hawaii-born director Destin Daniel Cretton, who emerged with the 2013 indie favorite Short Term 12, will direct the film, which is scheduled to hit North American theaters on Feb 12, 2021.

Shang-Chi, a character who first appeared in a 1973 Marvel comic book, has a Chinese father and a mother who is a US citizen, according to Hollywood Reporter magazine.

According to Marvel’s official site, Shang-Chi was raised by a renowned criminal mastermind as his heir and an assassin, but he discovered his father’s evils and turned against him, becoming a martial arts master who fights for justice.

Last week, US entertainment industry magazine Variety reporter Justin Kroll tweeted that Marvel was testing actors of Chinese ancestry in their 20s for Shang-Chi, with the news going viral on Chinese websites.

Chinese netizens named their top picks for Chinese actors to play Shang-Chi, but few mentioned Liu.

Marvel’s casting announcement set the web abuzz.

On the Twitter-like Sina Weibo, #TonyLeungChiu-waistarringnewMarvelfilm quickly accumulated 410 million views and spawned nearly 64,000 posts.

Leung plays The Mandarin, a supervillain and Iron Man’s archenemy. It will be the second time The Mandarin has featured in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film－English actor Ben Kingsley played the villain in Iron Man 3.

News about the film also sparked controversy on Chinese social websites. Some said the role, created in a 1964 Marvel comic book, is “insulting to Chinese”.

Some of Leung’s fans complain that their idol－a Hong Kong cinema giant－will play a supporting character in a film starring a less well known Chinese Canadian actor.

“Liu is not popular in China. Many fans had never even heard his name before Marvel announced the cast,” said Marvel superhero fan Wu Zhaojie.

Jiang Yong, an entertainment industry analyst, said China has a huge Marvel superhero film fan base. Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” was the highest-grossing foreign film in China.

“Leung is one of a few Chinese stars who is recognized by Western audiences. The Marvel superhero films are shot for the global market, so the casting is seemingly a decision to also attract viewers in the rest of the world,” Jiang said.

Film critic Raymond Zhou said one of the main reasons Marvel’s first Chinese superhero film will be shot is because of Crazy Rich Asians, one of the most commercially successful Asian-themed Hollywood films in recent years.

As for the choice of Shang-Chi, a little-known character even to Marvel fans, Zhou said Marvel had made similar decisions on films about lesser known characters that paid off at the box office, such as the Guardians of the Galaxy films.

But with the impending release of “Ip Man 4” in the lucrative box-office franchise, action hero Yen, 55, can look back on even arguably overtaking Chan in a career that has also taken him to Hollywood.

Li is largely absent from show business now.Ip Man 4 will be Yen’s last outing as the gongfu hero, after three previous ones that started in 2008.The franchise tracks the life of the man who trained Bruce Lee.

Yen wants to free up time to stretch himself further on screen, with a stint as Mulan’s mentor in the upcoming Disney live-action reboot adding another feather to his cap.

“Never give up,” he recently posted about not opting for the tried and tested.

Indeed, in an interview with Taiwan GQ, he revealed that he never threw in the towel even if he had only HK$100 (Bt400) when he was trying to break into the Hong Kong film industry.

To save money, he ate the food served to the cast and crew during production shoots.

Then, there was the competition from Li and Chan for public notice.Yen slowly built up a name for his martial arts prowess in movies like “Kill Zone” – “SPL” (2005) and “Flash Point” (2007), but it is the Ip Man franchise which has truly turbo-boosted his career.

“Now I just look back at my past with a smile,” Yen said, preferring to focus on the future instead.

Will he venture back to kung fu movies?

“I don’t really have as much motivation to conquer anything more. But when it comes to contemporary fight scenes, I feel like there’s a lot of knowledge about using martial arts and cinematic techniques in harmony that I still have left to show,” he said in another interview.

Fans need not fear that Hollywood will claim him entirely.

“I’ve always been a Hong Kong filmmaker; I’ve never left. Hong Kong is my home; my children live there. Now that I have a little bit of influence and pull, I’d like to use that to make more films in Hong Kong.”

Fans will hope that he can be persuaded to do another Ip Man movie or spin-off, with financial backers perhaps baiting him by giving him the directing reins too.

And so it came as a major surprise when she was named National Artist 2019 and says she is overwhelmed that people still recognise her.

“Thanks to everyone for your love and for remembering me, a totally blind actress. I wasn’t sure if I would be considered because I haven’t performed for a long time and I didn’t know the rules for qualification. I still don’t know how can contribute since I am blind,” says the 77-year-old actress, whose eyes were badly affected by the overly strong lighting on the sets.

Born Eak Chaowarat, Petchara and actor/singer Charin Nantanakorn started dating during her years as a superstar but were forced to keep their relationship a secret as her fan club didn’t approve. Charin had no such problems and his fan club recently posted a party to congratulate Petchara on her National Artist award at Nathong restaurant. The couple’s old friends and colleagues including actors Sombat Methanee and Busara Narumit, singer national artist Suthep Wongkamhaeng and songwriter national artist Charlie Intravijit all turned out for the event.

Charin surprised his beloved wife by singing the immortal song “Yard Petch” (“Drops of Diamonds”), a number long associated with the singer and one which he has been singing since falling in love with her. The couple also opened up about their life together.

“We live the same way as we have always lived. I don’t know if there is any secret behind it. It’s just the way it’s always been,” Petchara said.

Charin agreed. “For us, every day is like the beginning of our love. We don’t like for flaws in each other. And if she doesn’t like a certain behaviour, I simply avoid doing it,” says the 87-year old singer.

“I might not be able to see him but I can picture him in my mind. He’s the same guy I met on that first day,” adds the actress.

“The most memorable moment for me is when she hugged me and rested her face on my chest, saying ‘dear…I can’t see you anymore. I will never ever see things again’. That was so hard for both of us,” says Charin of the day his wife realized she would never see again. She replied ‘Don’t say it like that, dear. Just don’t’.”

The couple in fact had time to prepare for that day but it still came too soon. “I knew I needed to look out for her, especially as the house we were in at the time had a swimming pool. She can’t swim and I was terrified she would fall in. The longer we live together, the more understand each other. We are still very much in love,” he says.

Petchara has the last word. “Thanks to all those who welcome me everywhere I go, at every concert my husband performs. I remember all the hugs, all the caring enquiries about my life,” says the veteran actress who used the occasion of the party to donate Bt90,100 raised by Charin’s fan club to the foundation for the school for the blind at Lop Buri.

Charin will be performing at the “Charin In Concert No 18, The Land of Love” on August 3-4 at 2pm at Thailand Cultural Centre and Petchara, who selected many of the songs, will be there too.

Tickets costing from Bt500 to Bt3,000 are now on sale at ThaiTicketmajor.com. Part of the proceeds after expenses will go to the Culture Ministry’s Fund for the Promotion of Culture.

The screenings are being organized by Mono Films, which bought the film distribution rights from Tai Entertainment. “Nang Nak” premiered on July 30, 1999 and was an overwhelming success, becoming the first Thai movie to earn Bt150 million in the box office.

It was the second film by Nonzee Nimibutr, whose directorial debut “2499 Anthaphan Khrong Muang” (“Dang Bireley’s and the Young Gangsters”) in 1997 opened a new chapter in Thai film history, with Nonzee bringing his experience in TV commercials to introduce innovative production design and storytelling. “Dang Bireley’s” was also a success and the first Thai film to earn Bt75 million.

For “Nang Nak”, Nonzee dusted off the popular ghost story “Mae Nak Phra Khanong” and presented it as a modern production. Unlike previous films on the subject, Nonzee’s “Nang Nak” attempted to re-interpret the story while maintaining historical correctness in costumes, hairstyles and lifestyles. One of the most stunning horror scenes is when the ghost of Nak haunts the monks in a monastery sermon hall.

Starring Intira Charoenpura as Nang Nak and Winai Kraibutr as Mak, the film is written by Wisit Sasanatieng who also wrote “Dang Bireley’s” before making his directorial debut with “Fah Talai Jone” (“Tears of the Black Tiger”), which became the first Thai film selected for Un Certain Regard at the Cannes International Film Festival.

“I was stunned when it reached Bt150 million in the box office. I certainly didn’t expect the film to draw such a huge Thai audience. And I’m thrilled that the movie into which we put so much work is coming back to the screen again. I’ve always believed the movie raised the standard of Thai movies and I am confident that young generation directors will repeat that success again and again,” he says.

With art direction by Ek Iamchuen and music by Chatchai Pongpraphapan, “Nang Nak” went on to win seven Subhanahongsa awards – the Thai Oscars –namely best picture, best director, cinematographer, music score, art direction, costume and make-up.

Actor Winai is now suffering from a rare autoimmune disease affecting the skin and mucous membranes and proceeds from the sneak preview being organised by Mono Films, Paragon Cineplex and SF World Cinema on July 24 will go to supporting him.

Back with the UN and the UN Foundation after 2016’s successful #AngryBirdsHappyPlanet partnership, the birds are joined this time around by their longtime enemies (turned “frenemies”) the pigs and are looking to spread awareness about individual actions we can all take to combat climate change.

As part of the campaign, a public service announcement recently launched starring the Angry Birds, the green piggies and the English-speaking voice cast behind the film “The Angry Birds Movie 2”. Together, they are encouraging citizens to discover and track simple everyday actions that can make a difference by using the UN’s innovative new online climate action tool, the ActNow Bot.

“Climate change is already impacting our world today regardless of where we live,” said Maher Nasser, Director, Outreach Division, UN Department of Global Communications.

“It is through climate action – built on cooperation and collaboration within and across communities – that we can confront the climate crisis. We see many people around the world sounding the alarm and demanding action by world leaders.

We are grateful to the Angry Birds for adding their voice again to the call for each of us to lead by example and demonstrate that every action counts.”

Harnessing advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), the ActNow Bot is a fully interactive chat bot located on the UN’s website (un.org/ActNow) that connects with users and suggests everyday actions that can be taken to preserve the environment.

Every action completed is counted to encourage others to join the campaign as well as to send a message to leaders in government and business that citizens want climate action and are willing to take it. The collective actions will be presented during the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Summit in New York in September.

The Angry Birds and pigs themselves will be on hand for the first-ever takeover of the ActNow Bot website from July 23 to 30, encouraging users with individualized suggestions – like travelling more sustainably, saving energy or eating less meat – in a campaign to highlight the impact that collective action can have at this critical moment in our planet’s history.

“We are really proud that the United Nations and the Angry Birds continue to work on climate issues together through the #AngryBirdsHappyPlanet campaign,” said “The Angry Birds Movie 2” producer John Cohen. “Even our beloved birds and pigs are putting their differences aside and coming together for this great cause. We all need to come together to help create a more sustainable world and I’m so happy that the Angry

Birds will have a chance to help spread this universal message.”

“The Angry Birds Movie 2” comes to Thailand on December 5.

Themed “Streaming the Future”, this year’s event is designed to reflect the spirit of Asia’s dynamic content industry and the steps it is taking into the future, with prominent speakers shedding light on opportunities and strategies.

China and India are the economic powerhouses of Asia and play a major role in shaping the region’s entertainment content market. At the forefront of the content industry in these countries are iQIYI and Reliance Entertainment.

Founded in 2010 by Gong Yu, the NASDAQ-listed iQIYI has grown to become China’s largest video and entertainment platform both in terms of user base and viewing time.

In 2017, Gong announced his aspiration for iQIYI to become “a technology-based entertainment giant that brings fun and joy to people and their families”. Today, the company is an entertainment empire with a wide spectrum of products and services. Late last month, the company announced its plans to push harder into overseas markets such as North America and Japan after hitting a milestone of 100 million paying subscribers.

Over in India, Reliance Entertainment has been making waves, with Group chief executive Shibasish Sarkar, at its helm. A media and entertainment industry veteran, Sakar’s experience spans gaming, films, television, animation, digital content and new media platforms. His work at Reliance has seen him establishing and scaling business operations, driving sustainable growth by forming key alliances, managing stakeholders, talent partners and cross-functional teams. Prior to his role at Reliance, he worked with Viacom18 and Disney-UTV.

Yeow Hui Leng, Group project director of ATF said: “We are excited to feature such influential keynote speakers to give us a glimpse into the future of the industry as ATF marks its 20th edition this year. The purpose of the Forum is to serve as a venue to acquire knowledge, network, buy, sell, finance, distribute and co-produce across all platforms. It is the premier stage in Asia to engage with the entertainment industry’s top players from around the world. It’s where the best minds meet and the future of Asia’s content is shaped.”

ATF also offers the opportunity to discover vital trends, crucial statistics and significant foresight in TV’s digital, kids and formats arenas. Its business match-making opportunities open doors to some of the best new offerings in the region.

With more than 5,600 international buyers and sellers from more than 55 countries, ATF presents valuable business prospects for top-of-the-line benefits. Singapore bundles ATF together with other entertainment events during the same period, with the Singapore International Film Festival taking place from November 27 to December 1.

After the ATF on December 3, the City State hosts ScreenSingapore from December 4 to 6, Southeast Asia’s definitive marketplace for filmmakers, producers, distributors, financiers and film buyers to explore co-production opportunities, seek financing, make deals and learn about the changing film landscape.

Following on from its success in 2018, ScreenSingapore will once again host the Southeast Asian Film Financing (SAFF) Project Market, in partnership with the Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAAVA) and Ties That Bind: Asia/Europe Producers Workshop (TTB) to connect promising filmmakers and producers from Southeast Asia and Europe with international co-producing partners, festival programmers, distributors, commissioners, and financiers.

For more information, visit www.screensingapore.com.sg.

The animated classic can arguably be said to have influenced superhero films too, with many seeing traces of it in the 2018 film “Black Panther,” though Disney has never said so.

This summer the beloved story has found its way onto the big screen in the form of a live-action remake directed by Jonathan Favreau, the man behind the critically acclaimed “The Jungle Book.” After “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin,” it is the latest of the Disney classics to get a live-action makeover — well, almost.

Though most reviews refer to the 2019 version of “The Lion King” as a live-action film, Disney calls it an “all-new medium” film — one that deploys not just live-action techniques but virtual reality, CGI and photo-real digital imagery as well.

Much like “The Jungle Book,” the production process did not involve any animals standing in front of cameras in a studio, although the film feels nearly as live and realistic as any National Geographic program.

The production team’s two-week visit to Africa allowed it to capture photo and video of animals and locations that served as inspiration for most scenes in the film. Producers also installed cameras and microphones in zoos and examined the footage and audio recordings.

As a result, every hair, whisker and muscle of a lion comes through in the final product. Even the footsteps of the creatures sound like the real thing.

The storyline, of course, sticks to the original work. Pride Land is ruled by King Mufasa, a benevolent king who respects the harmony between herbivores and carnivores. Simba, a son of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi, is the heir to the throne.

Simba’s uncle Scar, who could not become king because of his brother Mufasa, is hungry for the throne. He tricks young Simba and puts Mufasa in danger, plotting to kill his own brother.

After Mufasa’s death, Simba runs away from home and meets the lovely duo Pumbaa and Timon. Backed by Nala and the duo, Simba heads back home to Pride Land, ready to fight his uncle and reclaim his seat on the throne.

Not much is new for the storyline. The slow buildup in the beginning may bore the audience. And the ending is nothing innovative — it only shows how the strong rule the weak.

But the production team did not really have many choices. It is “The Lion King” after all.

Like many other animated films from Disney, “The Lion King” comes with a legendary soundtrack. The film opens with the iconic “Circle of Life” song. “Hakuna Matata” lightens up the whole play, which had been perhaps a bit too dark and serious for a Disney film.

Beyonce proves why she had to be Nala — despite the fact that she sounds a bit too mature for the part — through the original song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and newly created song “Sprits.”

As for the characters, Simba and Nala actually fail to be irresistibly charming. Simba’s arrogance turns into guilt and then vengeance, which are not the most attractive emotions. Nala is all about responsibility and justice, which seem to be a bit flat.

It is Pumbaa and Timon who are just darlings, even when they are on the verge of being served as dinner for hyenas. While Simba’s fight for the throne reminds us of “Hamlet,” they are the duo that reminds us that this is a sweet old Disney movie.

Despite of the state-of-art technology, ironically, some reviews suggest “The Lion King” might be falling into the “uncanny valley,” referring to how we feel uncomfortable toward things that appear nearly, but not quite, human. They say the hyperrealism does not allow the audience to be fully immersed in the emotion.

It does sometimes seem like animals in a documentary film are speaking, yes. But awed by the realness that the production team has brought to the film, the thought does not really pop into one’s mind until the film is nearly over.

The 2019 remake can be summed up as state-of-the-art technology enhanced by beautiful melodies, highlighted by people’s nostalgia for Disney animations.

“The Lion King” hits local theaters Wednesday.

“‘Euphori’a creator Sam Levinson has built an incredible world with an extraordinary cast led by the supremely talented Zendaya. We are so grateful that he chose HBO as the home for this groundbreaking series,” said Francesca Orsi, executive vice president, HBO Programming. “We look forward to following these complex characters as their journeys continue through the challenging world they inhabit.”

“Euphoria” follows a group of high school students as they navigate a minefield of drugs, sex, identity, trauma, social media, love and friendship and is currently showing in Thailand at the same time as in the US every Monday at 9am.

The series follows 17-year-old Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a drug addict fresh from rehab, who’s struggling to make sense of her future. Her life changes dramatically when she meets Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer), a girl who recently moved to town following her parents’ divorce and who, like Rue, is searching for where she belongs.