The telecast, which has aired on ABC since 1976, has a contract with the Disney owned-company through 2028. Before that, the show alternated between NBC and ABC since it was first televised in 1953.

NBC, which carried the Oscars for most of the 1950s and 1960s, is also a suitor, Bloomberg reported. But two people familiar with the inquiry told the outlet that YouTube is also actively interested.

The most-watched video platform in the world has been open about its interest in streaming high-profile live events, and the Academy Awards would certainly be a crown jewel in its stable, which now includes the NFL Sunday ticket and a small but growing roster of live sports.

Messages sent to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is in the middle of negotiations for the telecast beyond 2028, were not immediately returned Sunday. Inquiries sent to Google and YouTube were also not immediately returned.

YouTube offers a huge audience on streaming, but it lacks the broadcast component of other companies – all of which also have their own streaming platforms. And at least three active bidders own major movie studios that send product to movie theaters – a huge priority for the Oscars and the films they showcase.

The 97th Academy Awards, which aired on March 25, drew an average of 19.6 million viewers across TV and streaming, according to Nielsen, a slight uptick from 2024, and the highest viewership in five years.

The post YouTube Inquires About Becoming Next Home of the Academy Awards | Report appeared first on TheWrap.

The duo kicked things off dressed in full Trump regalia: Pershtin donned a suit and crimson tie, and Malkov wore a version of Melania’s inauguration day outfit. They stood side-by-side with their hands over their hearts as “The Star-Spangled Banner” played before launching into the rest of last week’s routine.

Malkov tore off her double-breasted suit when “YMCA” began to play, and revealed a red, white, and blue bodysuit decorated with fringe.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the performance received many rave reviews from MAGA-friendly voters on X. “Oh my the heads of the Democrat communist party are going to explode over this one. Congratulations Israel.! Job well done,” wrote one person.

Watch the performance in the video above.

The post Israeli ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Contestants Go Viral With Donald and Melania Trump Tribute | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

“That meeting was a disaster. It was an embarrassment for the United States. It was a failure,” Murphy insisted. “Putin got everything he wanted. I mean, first of all, he wanted that photo op, right? He wanted to be absolved of his war crimes in front of the world. He was invited to the United States. War criminals are not normally invited to the United States of America.”

Putin also “didn’t have to give up anything,” Murphy added, including a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine — or even have a conversation about the possibility.

“President Trump said he wanted a ceasefire. It appears the ceasefire wasn’t even seriously discussed. And then, third, there’s no consequences. Trump said, ‘If I don’t get a ceasefire, Putin is going to pay a price,'” Murphy said. “And then he walked out of that meeting saying, ‘I didn’t get a ceasefire. I didn’t get a peace deal, and I’m not even considering sanctions.'”

Rubio offered an opposite take. Putin and Trump “agreed … that the best way to end this conflict is through a full peace deal,” he insisted. “There’s no doubt about that. I mean, who would be against the fact if tomorrow we came to you and said, ‘We have a full peace deal and it’s done,’ I think that’s the best way to end the war.”

He continued, “Now, whether there needs to be a ceasefire on the way there, well, we’ve advocated for that.”

After Welker played a clip of Trump noting, “I want to see a ceasefire rapidly. I don’t know if it’s going to be today. But I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today,” Rubio attempted to reroute the conversation.

“Well, first of all the Russians are already facing very severe consequences. There’s not a single sanction that’s been lifted, not one. I mean, they’re facing all the same sanctions that have been in place today,” he said. “All the American support continues to Ukraine. And ultimately look, if we’re not going to be able to reach an agreement here at any point, then there are going to be consequences, not only the consequences of the war continuing, but the consequences of all those sanctions continuing and potentially new sanctions on top of it as well.”

Watch the interviews with Sen. Murphy and Marco Rubio in the videos above.

The post Marco Rubio, Sen. Chris Murphy Push Polar Opposite Trump-Putin Summit Takes on ‘Meet the Press’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Colbert will “evolve and shine brighter than ever in a new format that he controls completely,” O’Brien insisted. And “technology can do whatever they want” in terms of changing the landscape of television, even “make a television pill.”

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“It can make television shows a high protein, chewable, vanilla-flavored capsule with added fiber. It still won’t matter,” O’Brien continued. “If the stories are good, if the performances are honest and inspired, if the people making it are brave and of good will, then somewhere, two weird siblings huddled in their crowded living room just off Route 9 outside Boston are going to be moved.”

O’Brien began his speech by recalling a childhood spent with his brother Neil, an unabashed fan of TV. And though “streaming changes the pipeline” through which series are delivered into homes and minds, he said, “the connection, the talent, the ideas that come into our homes, I think it’s as potent as ever.”

The late night host pointed to the audience as proof positive, and cited series like “Severance” and “Andor” to support his point. The reality of TV in 2025 is that “it’s all electrifying a new generation of viewers.”

“Yes, late night television as we have known it since around 1950 is doing to disappear,” O’Brien admitted, “but those voices aren’t going anywhere.”

Colbert announced the end of his late show in mid-July. Since then late night ratings have surged, and Colbert has managed to get in a few jokes that surprised even his audience.

The post Conan O’Brien Insists Stephen Colbert Is ‘Too Talented and Too Essential’ to Disappear: ‘Not Going to Happen’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Tillman and the band recreated the actor’s now-iconic “Severance” season two finale dance before shifting to a rendition of “Relax” in honor of Stiller’s 2001 film. The performance deftly stitched together two of Stiller’s most beloved offerings to date.

“Severance” has been a runaway hit for Stiller and Apple TV+ and is the most-nominated Emmy series this year with 27 nods (including Outstanding Drama; Lead Actor for Adam Scott; Lead Actress for Britt Lower; Directing for Ben Stiller and Jessica Lee Gagné; and Writing for Dan Erickson).

Tillman stars as Mr. Milchick, the show’s chief antagonist.

“The Music Dance Experience [in Season 1] was so iconic, and I loved how people embraced that moment,” Tillman told TheWrap in March. “It has become meme-ed over and over and over again, it’s on T-shirts and whatnot. It’s beautiful. But there are some things that you can’t recreate.”

The post ‘Severance’ Star Tramell Tillman Crashes ‘Zoolander’ Screening – With a Marching Band appeared first on TheWrap.

Speaking with “Politics Nation” host Rev. Al Sharpton on Saturday to promote the Denzel Washington film “Highest 2 Lowest,” Lee said the Trump administration’s federal law-enforcement takeover in Washington, D.C., wouldn’t go quite the same if the president tried it in New York City.

“This country right now is … it’s bananas, and this and this guy trying to take over D.C. and just weaponize these things,” Lee said. “And I mean, he’s going to think twice [if he tries] to do that in New York though. The Boogie Down? Harlem?”

Sharpton agreed, saying that it would “be a different kind of reaction.”

Chuckling with glee, Lee responded: “Oh yeah. It’s gonna be very different.”

Sharpton asked Lee what he thought about Trump mobilizing federal agents and National Guard troops “in heavily Black and brown cities with Black mayors,” given how Lee has portrayed authoritarian law enforcement throughout his films.

“They’re weaponizing these other agencies of the United States government,” Lee said more gravely. “And this is — this is a scary time. The last word in ‘School Daze’ … my brother … Lawrence Fishburne saying, ‘Wake up!’ And the first line in ‘Do the Right Thing’ you know — Samuel Jackson saying, ‘Wake up.’ So we need to wake up. We need to wake up. You know, it’s some serious times and we gotta be on point and just be in the moment and see this three-card-monte game — watch the black, watch the black, watch the black! … you can’t win.”

“Highest 2 Lowest” is in theaters now.

Watch the entire exchange in the video above.

The post Spike Lee Says Trump Should ‘Think Twice’ if He Considers a Federal Takeover of New York: ‘The Boogie-Down? Harlem?’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Now streaming on Prime Video, the series thrusts Daniel Dae Kim (who also executive produces) into the world of global espionage. He plays David Jung, “an enigmatic, highly unpredictable” former US intelligence operative living in South Korea.

When a decision from his past comes back to haunt him, “he finds himself pursued by Rebecca (Reina Hardesty), a deadly, sociopathic young agent assigned to kill him, and Caddis, the sinister spy organization she works for.”

Here’s when you can watch the series.

What is the release date?

“Butterfly” hit Prime Video on Wednesday, August 13.

How many episodes are there?

There are six episodes in the first season of “Butterfly.”

When do new episodes come out?

Prime Video followed the binge release model for “Butterfly,” so all episodes are available now.

As of publishing, a second season has not been announced, but we’ll let you know if that changes

Watch the trailer

The post ‘Butterfly’ Release Schedule: Are More Episodes on the Way? appeared first on TheWrap.

“What I hated and didn’t enjoy at all was being on ‘Entourage,’ an American series,” she explained. “Someone there behaved inappropriately, it got to the point where I left the set and stopped working with them.”

She did not elaborate on the experience, or about whom she was talking specifically. Gadot was later asked about her own acting skills, which she described as “OK.” As she put it, “If you cast me, you cast me well. My greatest strength is that I’m not afraid to work and I don’t let things stop me.”

Though her role in the series was short-lived, director Doug Ellin told Entertainment Weekly in 2018 that it was apparent Gadot would have a successful career.

“I remember when Gal came in, it was a small little role but everyone said, ‘This girl is gonna be something big,’ so it is cool to see,” he said.

Elsewhere in the conversation, Gadot admitted navigating the controversies that surrounded the release of “Snow White” this year was challenging. Her costar Rachel Zegler came under fire in 2024 after posting the words “and always remember, free palestine” on X after thanking her fans for their support for the “Snow White” trailer. Gadot served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) from 2004-2009.

Though both Gadot and Zegler put their best foot forward ahead of the film’s release, the movie’s box office performance was impacted.

“You can always explain and try to give people in the world a context about what’s happening [in Israel] and what the reality is here, but in the end people decide for themselves,” Gadot said. “I was disappointed that the movie was greatly affected by that and didn’t do well at the box office.”

The post Gal Gadot Says She Left ‘Entourage’ Set Because Someone Behaved Inappropriately, ‘Hated’ the Experience appeared first on TheWrap.

Zeta-Jones elaborated, “Michael has definitely earned the chance to slow down. But I never say never. He’s his father’s son and loves to work.”

While speaking to attendees at the Karlovy Vary Intentional Film Festival in July, Douglas said, “I have no real intention of going back. I say I’m not retired, because [if] something special came up, I’d go back. But otherwise, I’m quite happy to watch my wife work.”

Zeta-Jones is certainly working. The actress is currently starring in the second season of “Wednesday” alongside Jenna Ortega.

“When we first met I didn’t know who she was. It took me one moment on set to work out who she was going to be. It was very clear that she was a phenomenon,” she said of her young costar. “I mean, forget the show, just her as a young woman, as an actress, the way she is. She has a smart head on her shoulders.”

The opportunity to engage with a story about the Addams family under the wing of Tim Burton was too good to pass up, she added.

“Tim really wanted to incorporate the family into the show,” Zeta-Jones said. “I got to bend into the comedy and the emotion, the vulnerability. Morticia is like all of us. We’re strong, but we’re vulnerable.”

Read the interview with Catherine Zeta-Jones at The Times.

The post Catherine Zeta-Jones Says Husband Michael Douglas’ So-Called Retirement Is ‘Flexible’: ‘Never Say Never’ appeared first on TheWrap.

“The Addams Family” spinoff series blends the classic teen coming-of-age tale with supernatural madness, murder and a bit of oddball humor. That can be a hard combination to duplicate but a pair of shows from horror maestro Mike Flanagan, an adaptation from a comic by Stephen King’s son, and the original teen supernatural coming-of-age series can get the job done.

Below are the shows to check out to pass the time while waiting for “Wednesday” Season 2 Part 2.

The Haunting of Hill House

Mike Flanagan’s first horror series for Netflix also shot him into a new level of recognition. “The Haunting of Hill House” – adapting Shirley Jackson’s novel – tells the bleak story of a family ruined by their short time in a new home they moved into.

The story serves as a puzzle with it taking place across two time periods – in the past when the family moved to the house, and in the present with everyone scattered to the wind and picking up the pieces years after living through what happened – and asked viewers to figure out what was true among a variety of unreliable narrators. “Hill House’s” exploration into grief and how different individuals process their trauma differently hits much harder than it had any right to.

The Midnight Club

Mike Flanagan has become a near-household name in the horror genre and his first foray into teen horror may scratch the “Wednesday” itch if his series “The Haunting of Hill House” is a bit too intense. The series takes place at a mysterious manor that serves as a hospice home for terminally ill kids. The titular club consists of eight kids who meet each night to tell horror stories and grapple with their mortality.

The Umbrella Academy

Few Netflix shows have nailed the misfits banding together to save the world trope better than “The Umbrella Academy.” The series follows a group of has-been heroes that grew up fighting crime with an assortment of powers, only to become estranged until a death in their found family brings them back together. What follows is four seasons of bats–t storytelling that works more often than it doesn’t.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy – the next in a long line of Slayers tasked with protecting humanity from all manner of supernatural entities, be they vampires or others. Juggling that, she also has to deal with high school (and later, adult) woes. The show was ahead of the curve in many of the topics and themes it explored, and it changed how TV stories were told with its masterful blend of episodic and serialized storytelling. With a new revamp around the corner, there is no better time to check out the original.

What We Do In The Shadows

Go all in on outcast and misfit humor with FX’s hit “What We Do In The Shadows.” The show chronicles the misadventures of a handful of vampires just trying to get through their day living in the modern world. The series hails from Taika Waititi so expect his brand of humor when you settle in and enjoy one of the funniest shows to drop in the last decade.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Like “Wednesday,” “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is a dark coming-of- age story that follows Archie Comics character Sabrina the Teenage Witch as she comes to terms with being both part witch and part mortal. The theme of outcasts is strong in “Wednesday” and Sabrina and her friends would likely fit right in at Nevermore Academy.

Locke and Key

Another teen coming-of-age story with a supernatural twist, “Locke and Key” adapts a graphic novel by Joe Hill – the oldest son of Stephen King. After their father dies, a mother and three children move to his family home, which is much more than meets the eye. Magical and reality-bending keys liter the property and start finding their way into each of their hands. What follows is classic good vs. evil as the family fights to keep the keys from forces that would use them for the wrong reasons.

The post 7 Creepy, Kooky Shows Like ‘Wednesday’ to Watch While You Wait for Part 2 appeared first on TheWrap.