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Indo-Asian News Service or IANS is a private Indian news agency. The IANS was founded by Indian American publisher Gopal Raju as the India Abroad News Service. It was later renamed the Indo-Asian News Service. The IANS has its main offices located in Noida.

Articles Written By IANS News

Ryan Reynolds to star in time-travel adventure
2237 days ago
Hollywood

Ryan Reynolds to star in time-travel adventure

Los Angeles, April 25 (IANS) "Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds reunites with director Shawn Levy for a time-travel adventure movie.## Reynolds has come on board to star in and produce the untitled time-travel movie at Skydance, with Shawn Levy tapped in to direct the feature, reports hollywoodreporter.com.## Reynolds and Levy worked together on the video game adventure movie "Free Guy", which will be released late this year.## Reynolds will produce the project along with Skydance's David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger. George Dewey is also backing it through Reynolds' Maximum Effort banner.## In the film, the star will be seen as a man who must travel back in time to get help from his 13-year-old self. Together, they encounter their late father, who is now the same age as Reynolds.## The project is being written by Jonathan Tropper, who wrote Levy's ensemble dramedy "This Is Where I Leave You". It is being reconfigured from a previous version of a project once titled "Our Name Is Adam".## On the work front, Reynolds recently set up video game adaptation "Dragon's Lair" at Netflix and has several movies in the pipeline, including "The Croods 2" and "The Hitman's Bodyguard 2". Levy is prepping for the upcoming release of the fourth season of "Stranger Things".## The duo is in post-production on "Free Guy" as well. The movie was due to open on July 4 but will now be released on December 11.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Covid-19 effect: 'Spider-Man' sequels delayed
2237 days ago
Hollywood

Covid-19 effect: 'Spider-Man' sequels delayed

Los Angeles, April 25 (IANS) Marvel Cinematic Universes third "Spider-Man" film and the sequel to the hit "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" have been pushed, amid the shuffle in release dates owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.## Hollywood studios have been revamping release schedules due to the ongoing crisis. Now, Sony Pictures has pushed back its two untitled "Spider-Man" sequels for several months, reports variety.com.## The studio announced that Marvel-Sony's "Spider-Man Far From Home" sequel has moved from July 16, 2021, to November 5, 2021. Sony Pictures Animation's "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" sequel has been delayed by six months from April 8, 2022, to October 7, 2022.## Tom Holland's "Spider-Man: Far From Home" was one of the most successful films of 2019, grossing $1.13 billion at the worldwide box office. The rescheduled film is the third installment in the franchise, which launched in 2017 with "Spider-Man: Homecoming".## "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse", which grossed $375 million worldwide, won last year's Academy Award for Best Animated Movie.## Holland's video-game adaptation "Uncharted" has moved forward from October 8, 2021, to July 16, 2021, a slot which was previously occupied by his "Spider-Man Far From Home" sequel.## The studio has also updated "The Nightingale", starring Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning, from its Christmas Day release. Based on Kristin Hannah's 2015 bestseller "The Nightingale" tells the story of two sisters coming of age in France on the eve of World War II, and their struggle to survive the Nazi occupation of France. The film has not been shot yet.## The studio has also moved back the Kevin Hart drama "Fatherhood" six months from October 23, 2020, to April 2, 2021. Paul Weitz is directing "Fatherhood" from a screenplay he wrote alongside Dana Stevens. It is based upon the memoir of "Two Kisses For Maddy: A Memoir Of Loss And Love" by Matthew Logelin.## Sony also pushed back its action-comedy "Man From Toronto" nearly a year to September 17, 2021, from November 20, 2020. The studio moved "Hotel Transylvania 4" forward by four months from December 22, 2021, to August 6, 2021.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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COVID-19 effect: 'Doctor Strange' sequel pushed back
2237 days ago
Hollywood

COVID-19 effect: 'Doctor Strange' sequel pushed back

Los Angeles, April 25 (IANS) The wait to watch Benedict Cumberbatch wield magic on the big screen in the title role of "Doctor Strange" just got longer. The film has been pushed back amid the ongoing worldwide COVID-19 crisis.## Disney has moved "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" to March 25, 2022. The studio had recently moved it to November 5, 2021, but decided to shift the dates again to the following March, reports variety.com.## In "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness", Cumberbatch is set to return as the Sorcerer Supreme after his 2016 debut, and subsequent appearances in "Thor: Ragnarok", "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame". He will be joined by Benedict Wong and Chiwetel Ejiofor, who are expected to reprise their roles as fellow sorcerer Wong and Strange's compatriot-turned-nemesis Karl Mordo. Elizabeth Olsen has come on board to reprise her role as Scarlet Witch, aka Wanda Maximoff.## Rachel McAdams will not reprise her role as Strange's colleague Christine Palmer.## Additionally, Disney moved "Thor: Love And Thunder" up a week, from February 18, 2022, to February 11, 2022. It removed two films, an untitled live-action movie set for March 25, 2022, and an untitled 20th Century Fox film slated for April 8, 2022, from its schedule. It replaced the latter with a Disney live-action film, and also listed an event movie for July 9, 2021.## Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Disney has revamped its release schedule. Among its major delays are: "Mulan", which was supposed to debut on March 27 and is now scheduled for July 24; "Black Widow" has been moved from May 1 to November 6, taking a spot vacated by "The Eternals", which is now set for February 12, 2021; and "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings", which moved from February 12, 2021, to May 7, 2021.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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COVID-19 pandemic delays 'Mission: Impossible' sequels
2237 days ago
Hollywood

COVID-19 pandemic delays 'Mission: Impossible' sequels

Los Angeles, April 25 (IANS) "Mission: Impossible 7" and "Mission: Impossible 8", the next two much-awaited chapters in Tom Cruises action spy adventure franchise, have been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.## The seventh part, which was originally slated to release on July 23, 2021, will now open four months later on November 19, 2021. The eighth installment was set for August 5, 2022, and will instead release on November 4, 2022, reports variety.com.## The shoot of "Mission: Impossible 7" was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cruise was about to start filming in Venice, Italy when Paramount studio decided to halt the shoot in late February.## Christopher McQuarrie is directing the next two "Mission: Impossible" follow-ups, having previously helmed 2015's "Rogue Nation" and 2018's "Fallout". Cruise's most recent outing as Ethan Hunt, in "Mission: Impossible – Fallout", was also the most commercially successful.## Paramount also announced new release dates for several movies, including Chris Pratt's post-apocalyptic thriller "The Tomorrow World" (July 23, 2021) and animated adventure "Paw Patrol" (August 20, 2021).## As part of the scheduling changes, "Dungeons And Dragons" has been pushed back from November 19, 2021, to May 27, 2022. Paramount also removed its horror film "Spell", which was slated to release on August 28, 2020, from the release calendar.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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COVID-19 lockdown: Chris Hemsworth tags homeschooling as absolute challenge
2237 days ago
Hollywood

COVID-19 lockdown: Chris Hemsworth tags homeschooling as absolute challenge

Los Angeles, April 24 (IANS) Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth, whose OTT film "Extraction" released on Friday, finds homeschooling his children more "challenging" than he expected.## Hemsworth opened up on life amid lockdown with his wife Elsa Pataky, and his three kids -- daughter India, seven, and twin sons -- Sasha and Tristan, six. The actor said he is struggling to get the children to concentrate on their studies at home, reports aceshowbiz.com.## "Homeschooling them is an absolute challenge. It's three hours of negotiation and maybe 20 minutes of actual work. (My children) just crave interaction with other kids so much, obviously, and that's a challenge," said the actor, who is quarantining with family at home in Australia.## "We're just enjoying being together. We've been dragged all over the world for so many different reasons over the last few years," he added.## During the lockdown, Hemsworth, who is known for playing Thor in Marvel's Cinematic world, is offering guided meditation to help children with stress and anxiety in association with his fitness and wellness app, which he recently made free for a limited period amid the public health crisis.## Stay tuned...

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Beyonce donates $6 million for COVID-19 relief
2238 days ago
Hollywood

Beyonce donates $6 million for COVID-19 relief

Los Angeles, April 24 (IANS) Pop star Beyonce Knowles has pledged $6 million to fund mental health support during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.## Beyonce's BeyGOOD has partnered with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's #startsmall to provide $6 million to fund the mental health and personal wellness services, reports variety.com.## The 38-year-old singer shared an update on her website.## "Beyonce's BeyGOOD recognizes the immense mental and personal health burdens being placed on essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic," read the organization's official statement, adding: "In our major cities, African-Americans comprise a disproportionate number of workers in these indispensable occupations, and they will need mental health support and personal wellness care, including testing and medical services, food supplies and food deliveries, both during and after the crisis."## The mental health initiative includes a key national partnership with UCLA. BeyGOOD has also partnered with the National Alliance in Mental Illness, which provides local support in Houston, New York, New Orleans, and Detroit. BeyGOOD is also supporting the United Memorial Center, Bread of Life, Matthew 25 and other organizations to help provide basic necessities, including food, water, cleaning supplies, medicines, and face masks.## Earlier this month, Beyonce highlighted the deadly impact of the coronavirus pandemic on African American communities during her stint inA "One World: Together at Home" virtual concert, saying the virus is killing black people at an alarmingly high rate in the US.## The 38-year-old singer highlighted the plight of the African-American community, saying: "Black Americans belong to these parts of the workforce that don't have the luxury of working from home. And African-American communities at large have been severely affected. Those with pre-existing conditions are at higher risk."## "This virus is killing black people at an alarmingly high rate in America," added the Grammy Award-winning artist.## Stay tuned...

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Chris Hemsworth opens up on 'Thor: Love And Thunder'
2238 days ago
Hollywood

Chris Hemsworth opens up on 'Thor: Love And Thunder'

Los Angeles, April 23 (IANS) Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth says "Thor: Love and Thunder" is "going to be pretty insane".## In an interview to Philadelphia Inquirer, the 36-year-old actor opened up about the upcoming instalment of "Thor" franchise, dailymail.co.uk.## "It's one of the best scripts I've read in years. It's Taika at his most extreme, and at his best. If the version I read is the one we get running with, it's going to be pretty insane," he said.## The movie, the fourth in the action franchise, reunites Hemsworth with Tessa Thompson and Natalie Portman. Actor Christian Bale will be joining the star-cast for this part.## Taika Waititi took the "Thor" franchise to new comedic heights as he introduced hard drinking Valkyrie (Thompson) and exiled Avenger Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in "Thor: Ragnorak". The much anticipated "Love and Thunder" will catch up with Thor and Valkyrie after the events of "Avengers: Endgame".## Hemsworth also shared that he has had a rare chance for introspection amid the shutdown caused by the COVID-19 crisis.## "Not to diminish by any means the challenges that are occurring, the absolute uncertainty, the anxiety that is happening in the world, but me personally, and to that question, it's (created) a forced sort of meditation and forced sort of stillness that I haven't been able to dive into like I've wanted to for many years," he said.## The actor, who is father to India, and twins Tristan and Sasha, said that he was enjoying the extended time with his family.## He said: "For 10 years I've been part of the machine, and I've been thankful for it, and done so many wonderful things and traveled so much, but what it meant was, I was away from my family. A lot. I've wanted to just stop being controlled by a schedule."## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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From Joker to Voldemort, learn why people like fictional villains
2239 days ago
Hollywood

From Joker to Voldemort, learn why people like fictional villains

New York, April 23 (IANS) What makes evil characters like the Joker or Lord Voldemort more interesting and likable? Researchers have found that people may find fictional villains surprisingly likable when they share similarities with the viewer or reader.## The study, published in the journal Psychological Science, indicated one reason for this shift is that fiction acts as a cognitive safety net, allowing us to identify with villainous characters without tainting our self-image.## "Our research suggests that stories and fictional worlds can offer a 'safe haven' for comparison to our darker selves. When people feel safe, they are more interested in comparisons to negative characters that are similar to themselves in other respects," said study lead author Rebecca Krause from Northwestern University in the US.## "For example, people who see themselves as tricky and chaotic may feel especially drawn to the character of The Joker in the Batman movies, while a person who shares Lord Voldemort's intellect and ambition may feel more drawn to that character in the Harry Potter series," Krause added.## To test this idea, the researchers analyzed data from the website CharacTour, an online, character-focused entertainment platform that had approximately 232,500 registered users at the time of analysis.## One of the site's features allows users to take a personality quiz and see their similarity to different characters who had been coded as either villainous or not.## Villains included characters such as Maleficent, The Joker, and Darth Vader. Nonvillains included Sherlock Holmes, Joey Tribbiani, and Yoda.## The anonymous data from these quizzes allowed the researchers to test whether people were attracted to or repulsed by similar villains, using nonvillains as a baseline.## Not surprisingly, people were drawn to nonvillains as their similarity increased. However, the results further suggested that users were most drawn to villains who share similarities with them.## The researchers believe that similarities to story villains do not threaten the self in the way real-life villains would. "Given the common finding that people are uncomfortable with and tend to avoid people who are similar to them and bad in some way, the fact that people actually prefer similar villains over dissimilar villains was surprising to us," said study co-author Derek Rucker.## The current data do not identify which behaviors or characteristics the participants found attractive.## Further research is needed to explore the psychological pull of villains and whether people are drawn toward similar villains in fiction because people look for chances to explore their own personal dark side.## "Perhaps fiction provides a way to engage with the dark aspects of your personality without making you question whether you are a good person in general," concluded Krause.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Female-centric 'Star Wars' series in the works
2239 days ago
Hollywood

Female-centric 'Star Wars' series in the works

Los Angeles, April 23 (IANS) A female-focused live-action "Star Wars" series is in the works, with noted screenwriter-filmmaker Leslye Headland on board to create a new world in a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.## Headland, best known for creating the 2012 rom-com "Bachelorette" and co-creating the 2019 web series "Russian Doll", will reportedly write and act as showrunner on the new "Star Wars" spin-off that is being readied for the streaming platform Disney+, according to variety.com.## Details about cast and plot are under wraps, though sources said that the female-centric series will take place in a different part of the "Star Wars" timeline than other projects.## The report comes after news about the development of the third season of "The Mandalorian", much before the debut of the second season. The pre-production has already begun on a third installment of the wildly popular Disney+ series.## Sources close to the production have confirmed that creator Jon Favreau has been "writing season three for a while". The art department, led by Lucasfilm vice president and executive creative director Doug Chiang, has been creating concepts for the third party for the "past few weeks".## Last December, Favreau confirmed the renewal of the show through a Twitter post. "Season 2 of #TheMandalorian coming Fall 2020," he wrote.## "The Mandalorian" stars Pedro Pascal as the titular bounty hunter, Gina Carano as Cara Dune, and Carl Weathers as the shifty Greef Carga. However, Baby Yoda has got all the attention until now. The season 2 will release on Disney+ streaming service in October.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Sebastian Stan on his journey ahead in the Marvel universe
2239 days ago
Hollywood

Sebastian Stan on his journey ahead in the Marvel universe

Los Angeles, April 23 (IANS) Actor Sebastian Stan isn't clear about his future as Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).## "You know, I know nothing about that. I'm just a man. We got to figure out a couple of other missions first before we even get there," variety.com quoted Stan as saying when asked about his involvement in future "Avengers" movies.## For now, Stan teams up with Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson / Falcon in MCU, in the upcoming "Falcon And Winter Soldier" series, and says they just got to "figure out some adventures" on which they can work together. The shoot of the series is currently stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.## "I've got to deal with this other person. It's been nice to have a break from him, Anthony Mackie. It's nice to have a little quiet in this quarantine without him. But we got to figure out some adventures together first before we get there," he added.## Stan's career took off after he played Steve Rogers' best friend Barnes in "Captain America". There has been no looking back since then.## The actor says starring in "The Avengers" franchise changed your career and life.## "It was 10 years ago, in 2010, when I came in. Looking back, I feel like I had half the amount of experience and knowledge that I do now. In a way, I felt like I grew up with the franchise as a person myself and I feel like that character grew up with me as well. But I don't think any of these movies that you referenced would have been possible without it. I wouldn't be here without it," he said.## Talking about "Avengers: Endgame" becoming the most successful movie of all time, he said: "That's just wild. You don't even think about that."## "It's crazy to think it's bigger than ‘Titanic'. I went to see ‘Titanic' way too many times in the theater. It's exciting because 10 years' worth of filmmaking went into making (‘Avengers: Endgame'). The fact that people went out to see it and support it so much only shows how much they love the characters, how much they've invested in the past 10 years. And they feel like in a way they grew up with the movie," he added.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Covid-19 effect: Wait for 'Venom' sequel gets longer
2240 days ago
Hollywood

Covid-19 effect: Wait for 'Venom' sequel gets longer

Los Angeles, April 22 (IANS) Tom Hardys much-anticipated "Venom" sequel has been delayed by eight months amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.## The second installment in the action-fantasy series, directed by Andy Serkis, was slated to release on October 2, 2020.## The sequel, officially titled "Venom: Let There Be Carnage", will instead launch eight months later on June 25, 2021, reports variety.com.## In 2018, "Venom" introduced Hardy as Eddie Brock and Venom. It follows the popular Marvel anti-hero as he transforms from a go-getter journalist to the powerful alien symbiote. The film put the conflict of good versus bad in the center stage.## Serkis is directing Sony's follow-up to "Venom", which sees Hardy again assume the alien symbiote. The first film became a surprise box office hit, earning $855 million globally. Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Reid Scott and Naomie Harris will also appear in the sequel.## By postponing "Venom" until next year, Sony has reshuffled nearly every movie scheduled to release in 2020. The studio already pushed back many of its major films, including "Morbius" (from July 31, 2020, to March 19, 2021), "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" (from July 10, 2020, to March 5, 2021) and Tom Holland's "Uncharted" (from March 5, 2021, to Oct. 8, 2021).## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Here's your chance to meet the 'Friends' cast
2240 days ago
Hollywood

Here's your chance to meet the 'Friends' cast

Los Angeles, April 22 (IANS) The cast of the iconic sitcom "Friends" launched a contest for fans to attend their reunion special, through which they will raise funds to help people dealing with food scarcity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.## They have joined the "All In Challenge". Stars Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry announced the contest on their social mia platforms.## The stars are offering six tickets to the taping of their forthcoming HBO Max reunion special as well as a cup of coffee at "Central Perk" as part of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, reports hollywoodreporter.com.## "Hey, it's us…your FRIENDS. And We Are All In! Some of you may have heard about a reunion special that we are doing for HBO Max? Well… We want YOU and five of YOUR Friends to join the 6 of us on Stage 24," the stars posted on their respective social accounts.## "Be our personal guests in the audience for the taping where you'll get to see us all together again for the first time in ages, as we reminisce about the show and celebrate all of the fun we had. PLUS, sip a cup of coffee with us in Central Perk, and get the Friends VIP experience on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour," read the post further.## The reunion tickets and studio tour auction are part of the "All In Challenge", which is uniting celebrities, athletes and sports leagues to raise funds.## In addition to the cast of "Friends", others participating in the challenge include Madonna, Russell Wilson and Ciara, Justin Bieber, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ryan Reynolds. The funds raised from the various auctions will go to several organizations working towards relief work.## The "Friends" reunion was among the productions that were forced to suspend work amid the near shut down due to the virus crisis. The special, featuring all six "Friends" stars, was scheduled to be recorded in March. A new date for the special has not yet been announced as it remains unclear when it will be safe for the productions to resume.## Stay tuned...

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