'Masters of the Universe' Surprises

Key Points:

• Travis Knight’s Masters of the Universe adaptation has received glowing early reviews, praised for being fun and better than its trailers, with Jared Leto’s Skeletor performance notably well-received despite initial skepticism.
• Low-budget horror film Obsession, directed by Curry Barker and starring Inde Navarrette, has become a surprise box office hit, grossing $27 million on a $750,000 budget and earning a 95% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
• Jordan Firstman’s directorial debut Club Kid premiered at Cannes, sold for $17 million to A24 after a competitive bidding war, and marks a comeback for Firstman following a difficult period in his career.
• The Boys final season set new Prime Video ratings records despite mixed online reactions, delivering a strong conclusion and setting up a spin-off series, Vought Rising, for next year.
• ABC renewed all its scripted series for the upcoming season, including Tim Allen’s long-running sitcom Shifting Gears, marking a rare full renewal in the network’s history.
• Several touring artists are facing “Blue Dot Fever,” with many unsold seats and canceled shows amid high ticket prices, though Live Nation denies a widespread problem and blames scalpers; some critics suggest artists lower prices to combat the issue.
• L.A. mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt faces challenges after receiving praise from Donald Trump, which may alienate voters in a predominantly non-Republican city and overshadow his campaign messaging.