Ariana's West End departure, Samara as Emma Frost, Mahershala Ali's thoughts on ‘Blade’ cancellation

Ariana Grande exits ‘Sunday in the Park with George’

Ariana Grande will no longer star in the upcoming West End revival of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park With George, stepping away from the highly anticipated production before rehearsals begin.

The Grammy-winning singer and Wicked star had been set to appear opposite Jonathan Bailey in the Marianne Elliott-directed revival at London's Barbican Centre in summer 2027. Producers confirmed that the production will move forward as planned and that a replacement for Grande will be announced at a later date.

In a statement shared through her representative, Grande's team said the decision was made as she prioritizes completing her Eternal Sunshine Tour before taking "a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances."

According to the statement, Grande's departure also comes after years of "endless, ongoing public scrutiny," particularly surrounding commentary about her appearance during the Wicked press cycle and her current tour. The singer has previously urged the public to stop speculating about people's bodies, saying in a 2023 message that people "should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people's bodies."

The revival marks a reunion between director Marianne Elliott and Jonathan Bailey, who won an Olivier Award for his performance in Elliott's acclaimed production of Company. Despite Grande's exit, the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical remains on track to open in London next summer, with additional casting expected to be announced in the coming months.

Samara Weaving cast as Emma Frost in ‘X-MEN’

Marvel Studios has reportedly found its Emma Frost, with Samara Weaving emerging as the top choice to portray the fan-favorite mutant in the upcoming X-Men reboot.

Although Marvel made no X-Men announcements during its Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con, a new report indicates the studio has quietly moved forward with casting. Director Jake Schreier and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige are said to have selected Weaving after screen-testing several actresses for the coveted role earlier this month.

According to the report, Weaving ultimately stood out during auditions, convincing the creative team that she was the right fit to bring the powerful telepath to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Emma Frost debuted in X-Men comics in the 1980s, initially appearing as an antagonist before evolving into one of the franchise's most complex and influential heroes. The character was previously portrayed by January Jones in 2011's X-Men: First Class.

The reported casting marks another step toward Marvel's long-awaited introduction of the X-Men following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. The reboot is being directed by Jake Schreier, with Beef creator Lee Sung Jin and The Bear co-creator Joanna Calo attached as writers.

Weaving has enjoyed a standout year, headlining Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, which became both a streaming hit and a critical success in 2026.

Mahershala Ali breaks silence on ‘Blade’ cancellation

Mahershala Ali is making peace with leaving Marvel’s long-delayed Blade behind, saying his focus has shifted to new opportunities after the vampire reboot was ultimately scrapped.

Speaking to GQ, the two-time Oscar winner reflected on how the collapse of Blade unexpectedly paved the way for his upcoming Amazon MGM action film, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. Ali reunited with former Blade director Bassam Tariq on the project, explaining that the film only came together because both were suddenly free to pursue something new.

“When I look at this and Blade, I couldn’t have done both,” Ali said, adding that the martial arts and combat training he completed while preparing for Marvel’s film still proved valuable on his latest role. “In that way, I feel creatively redeemed.”

Ali also acknowledged that he has fully accepted Marvel’s decision to shelve the project.

“What is for you is for you and what is not is not,” he said. “If they wanted to do it, we would’ve done it. So I have to move on, and I have moved on.”

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige recently admitted he was disappointed the film never materialized, saying the studio refused to proceed until it had a version that was “insanely great.”

‘The Sopranos’ star Vincent Pastore dies at 80

Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for playing Salvatore Bonpensiero on The Sopranos, has died at the age of 80.

According to CBS News, Pastore was found at his home in the Bronx, New York, with no indication of foul play. His manager, Robert Attermann, paid tribute to the late actor, remembering him as “an unforgettable” performer whose kindness matched his talent.

“To the world, he will always be remembered as the unforgettable ‘Big Pussy,’ but to those of us who knew him, he was so much more,” Attermann said, praising Pastore’s generosity toward aspiring actors and recalling his “friendship, loyalty, humor, and heart.”

Pastore rose to fame as Tony Soprano’s longtime friend-turned-FBI informant in HBO’s The Sopranos. Although his character was killed off in the second season in one of the series’ most iconic storylines, he remained credited throughout the show’s six-season run.

Before landing his breakout role, Pastore appeared in films including Goodfellas and Carlito’s Way, and later made guest appearances in Law & Order, General Hospital, and Hawaii Five-0. In 2000, he and his The Sopranos castmates won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

ICYMI:

• A sequel to Barbie is reportedly moving forward, with Greta Gerwig in negotiations to write the screenplay and Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in talks to reprise their roles. However, reports claim that David Zaslav is refusing to meet the salary demands currently being negotiated for the stars’ return, potentially complicating discussions as development on the highly anticipated sequel continues.

— Bea Bertuldo

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