From HBO's Dragons to Sony's Spider-Man, here are your top entertainment stories.
Next on 'House of the Dragon'
For fans of HBO's Games of Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon, there is good and bad news. First, the bad: the highly anticipated second season of the hit show will only have eight episodes — two fewer than its inaugural season. Apparently the shortened season is essential to the storyline, according to Deadline. The good news is that the show's third season is in the midst of being approved. And it's rumored another major war scene is brewing. Depending on your opinion of when shows should end, fans could love or completely hate the fact that the show is likely to conclude after its fourth season.
In October, George R.R. Martin, the author of the Game of Thrones franchise, told Deadline that four seasons would be the sweet spot to tell a complete story. As far as season two goes, production is underway in the UK, and showrunners expect to deliver to audiences by at least summer 2024.
Bronny James' Lane
Bronny James is living up to the hype following his performance at the 2023 McDonald's All-American Games. Earlier this month, he was officially named a five-star recruit, but after knocking down five clutch three pointers in last night's game, his on-court growth has become even more evident. So far, James is undecided on where he will pursue the next level of his basketball career, whether it will be the college or professional route, but Ohio State University is said to be among the top choices if he does take the collegiate path.
Currently, he sits at number 35 in his draft class, but he is expected to be the highest earners. James is expected to bring in upwards of $7.2 million in NIL (name image likeness) deals, making him not only the top earning high schooler, he would also surpass the highest-earning collegiate athletes. Some of his notable endorsements include Beats by Dre, Nike, and PSD Underwear.
Spider-Man of Many Universes
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is getting closer to its release date, but before that, Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks are treating fans to a mini story set in the world of the highly-anticipated film. The Spider Within is a short-film that will follow Miles Morales as he juggles being a superhero and blending in as a normal teen. Apparently creators wanted to convey to viewers that asking for help when you're overwhelmed by life is ok, according to Variety.
The project is part of a new mentorship program titled LENS — short for Leading Empowering New Storytellers. Employees at Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks launched the group last year with the goal of providing high-potential creators from underrepresented groups with the opportunity to acquire leadership skills. Filmmakers Jarelle Dampier, Khalia Amazan, Joe Darkop, and Clara Chan, who were part of the inaugural launch, said, "Seeing diverse representation in leadership roles really makes a difference because it shows the next generation of filmmakers that the barriers are being broken down," per Variety.
