Game of Throne Prequel series "House of Dragon" likely to hit the cinema soon

“Game of Thrones” fans might not have too long to wait for the first of many developing prequel series to hit the cable airwaves of HBO. The original series which lasted for many years went of the airwaves last May, with many fans disappointed by how the final season ended.
In a new chat with Variety, HBO programming chief Casey Bloys hinted at a possible 2022 airdate for what will likely be the first spinoff to arrive: “House of the Dragon.” While Bloys was reticent to announce an official date — after all, the series has not yet laid out production dates — he did tell the trade that the team is “in the room breaking story right now. … My guess is we’ll see it on the air in ’22.”

In the waning days of HBO’s fantasy hit, the cable outfit hinted at a number of potential spinoffs, sequels, and prequels that could follow the smash series. At one point, the rumored series numbered four, and then as many as five possible offerings. The first to make it out of the gate: “House of the Dragon,” focused on the early days of House Targaryen.

The new series which Set 300 years before Game of Thrones, will focus on House Targaryen. Although no cast has yet been announced. Of course, one of the most famous Targaryens is the Mother of Dragons herself, Daenerys. However, with the series in the early stages, it's unknown if any Game of Thrones characters will pop up in some capacity.

Per Variety, House of the Dragon is on track for a 2022 release. In the interview Casey Bloys spoke about the series. He explained, “They [the writers] are in the room breaking story right now. My guess is we’ll see it on the air in ’22.” If that release date does come to fruition, it should give fans more than enough time to miss the world of Game of Thrones and be excited to revisit it.

FG orders cinemas to stop showing Banky W’s Movie, Sugar Rush

 FG orders cinemas to stop showing Banky W’s movie

The National Film and Video Censors Board has ordered cinemas nationwide to stop showing a recently released movie, titled, Sugar Rush.

Following the the directive on Monday showed that Nigerian cinemas have removed the film from their movie listings.

Several online reports suggest that the poor portrayal of the EFCC in the comedy might be one of the reasons it was pulled out of cinemas.

However, the NVFCB, Executive Director, Addedayo Thomas has debunked the allegation. In a statement published on its social media handle shows  that the movie was not suspended because of some scenes found to portray the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as an incompetent organisation.

 

The film, which has reportedly grossed about N160m since its release on December 25, 2019, was directed by Kayode Kasum, and largely publicised by singer Bankole Wellington aka Banky W and wife, Adesua.

The movie was, however, removed from cinemas by the NFVCB, the Federal Government agency responsible for classifying movies and giving approval for release.

The film centres on three sisters who accidentally discover $800,000 (N288m) in the house of a corrupt man.

According to some online critics, the comedy drama also shows failed attempts by the EFCC to recover the money, depicting the EFCC operatives as incompetent and clumsy.

Confirming the suspension of the movie, Banky W said he was optimistic that it would return to the theatres.

He wrote on Twitter, “Thank you all so much for the support that our film Sugar Rush has received. Unfortunately, due to issues that are way beyond our control, Sugar Rush has been suspended from playing in cinemas.

“We’re hoping the issues will be resolved quickly, so we can resume screening as soon as possible.”

 

In a subsequent tweet, the musician said the NFVCB was already looking to resolve it.

 The Executive Director of the NFVCB, however, stated  that the movie was not suspended because of pressure from the EFCC.

He added, “The movie was given temporary approval in December. They had told us that they wanted to release it on Christmas Day and they were thus given a temporary approval pending the approval of a permanent one.

 

“The temporary one lapsed before they could complete the process of getting the permanent one.

“The matter has nothing to do with the EFCC as is being reported on social media.”

Thomas said the movie had not just significantly increased box office revenues within a short period, but had improved our cinematic culture which is sine qua non for attracting the investment Nigeria desires.

“I am currently working with the distributor, producer, director and key actors to grant final approval for the resumed exhibition at cinemas,” he said.

Actress/singer Onyeka Onwenu Profile

Onyeka Onwenu is Nigerian singer, songwriter, actress, civil servant, journalist and formerly X factor series judge.

Onyeka Onwenu was born on 17 May 1952. She is from Arondizuogu, a small town in Ideato, North Local Government Area of Imo State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. She is the youngest daughter of the Nigerian educationist and politician D.K. Onwenu. Her father died when she was four years old in an autocrash.

Raised and cratered for by her mother, she studied abroad, bagging a Bachelor's degree in International Relations and Communication at the Wellesley College of Massachusetts, USA, and a master's degree in Media Studies from The New School for Social Research in New York..

Onyeka Onwenu's music career began in 1981 with the release of ‘For the Love of You' and 'Endless Life' which was produced by Sunny Okosun in 1982, 'The Morning Light' in 1984, 'One Love' in 1986 and 'Dancing In The Sun' in 1988. She stands out as the only musician to have crossed Pop with Juju music and Highlife, and still produce ‘eargasmic’ sounds. Her songs like her writing advocate for unity and cultural cohabitation as well as picking on social issues, issues relating to health and women rights as well as the plight of children.

She emerged into the movie scene in 1999 with the movie 'Not Your Wealth' and has since then been debuted in over 100 Nollywood movies including, 'Conspiracy' in 1999, 'Different Worlds' in 2006 and in Chimamanda's Half of a Yellow Sun which featured Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton in 2014.  In 2006 She won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role  In recognition of her contribution to music, movies and arts in Nigeria, she has been celebrated by professionals like Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Laolu Akins, Charles O’Tudor and former PMAN president Tony Okoroji among others.

She was the former chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture and later the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.

What do you love most about her?

Location Pics: can you name the actors and actresses here?

How many actors and actresses can you find in this picture?

English actor, Idris Elba bags Sierra Leone citizenship on his first visit.

The prolific British actor, Idris Elba has been honoured with a Sierra Leone citizenship on first visit to the country.


Elba who was born on 6 September 1972 in London of a Sierra Leonean father and a Ghanaian mother has not visited his native country until on Wednesday when he landed in the capital Freetown for first visit to the country.
Elba told the BBC's Umaru Fofana that citizenship was "the biggest honour I could get from my country".
"I'm no stranger to Africa: I've been in Africa, I've made films in Africa, I've championed Africa,"

he said. "But Sierra Leone, it's a very different feeling because it's my parent's home."
"The welcome has been incredible, and I've plugged straight into that energy that I think Sierra Leone is rising with.
"The son of the soil is coming back to fertilise the soil."
As part of that commitment, the Avengers actor said that he wanted to invest in developing tourism, but also spoke about boosting the entertainment industry.
"America or England cannot house my ambition. Africa can house my ambition, I can create another Disney here [and] I can't do that in America."
Elba said he wanted to help rejuvenate and "rebrand" the country.
He believes that a Sierra Leonen entertainment industry has the potential to tell its own stories to the rest of the world.
"There are a lot of bright kids here who are techno-heads, [they're] really really smart. I feel like I could contribute to building a workforce that supports other nations in film and that's part of my journey."
The passport, Elba told the BBC, would allow him to "come back home as a son of the soil".

The star, who was named People magazine's "sexiest man alive" in 2018, is best known for his work in Marvel films, including the Avengers, as well as for the lead role in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
He also starred in a Netflix movie about child soldiers, Beasts of No Nation, which was filmed in Ghana.

Hollywood director refuses money to replace actor with Down's syndrome

During a new interview, Tyler Nilson, the director of “Peanut Butter Falcon” revealed he was offered more money to replace the movie’s lead actor, Zack Gottsagen, who has Down syndrome, for someone able-bodied with a “more marketable face,” highlighting the discrimination disabled actors face in Hollywood.


Daily Mail reports that the cast, Zack Gottsagen, was asked to be removed because he was said not to have a “marketable face”. In his words:

“We were offered money if we would’ve replaced Zack but that was something for us that was a major no,” Nilson said. “We were told the movie we made with starring somebody with Down syndrome, we were told that this would not be marketable, that people wouldn’t go see it in theaters, that a lot of streaming services wouldn’t pick it up because they said he’s not a marketable face.”

In the film "Peanut Butter Falcon" Gottsagen played the role of a young man who runs away from his nursing home to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional wrestler.

The director said his bosses were not of the conviction that the film would would not be good for business with his face as the lead character, offering to give him a bigger budget if he could switch Gottsagen which Nilson rightly refused. Siting his directing partner, Michael Schwartz and himself

created “Peanut Butter Falcon” with Gottsagen in mind. They saw him perform at an acting camp and were reminded how few acting roles were available for people with disabilities.
Despite the grave concern the movie investors earlier showed, the $6.2 million budget movie brought in huge revenue of $16.8 million and the lead role has been suggested for an Academy Award for the way he acted in the film.
“We hope for a lot but we expect nothing. 'It's really special people are acknowledging Zack's work it is a really special performance,” he said.
Nilson also said that he has received a lot of appreciation for the movie, and heard how people were moved to tears after they saw the movie.
He said before they got down making the movie, the prospect of Gottsagen as an actor was discussed and he performed way above expectation

Kevin Hart Reportedly Suffers Major Injuries After Car Accident

American stand-up comedian and actor, Kevin Darnell Hart has suffered "major back injuries" after a car accident around 1 a.m. this morning (Sunday, September 1) just south of Calabasas, California.

According to TMZ and the local ABC7 news, Kevin Hart was not the one driving the car but he was in his own 1970 Plymouth Barracuda along with two other people when the car veered into a gully about 10 feet off of the road. The car was turning from Cold Canyon Road onto Mulholland around 1 a.m. West Coast time when the driver lost control. The car rolled down an embankment, and California Highway Patrol reported two people were initially trapped in the rollover. The car's roof was completely crushed, as shown in photos from the scene.

A witness told TMZ that Kevin Hart was the first one to get out of the vehicle, and one of his security team members showed up shortly afterward to pick him up. Hart was said to suffer major back injuries and was brought to Northridge Hospital. The driver was also hospitalized. The California Highway Patrol said there was no indication that drugs or alcohol were involved. It's not clear exactly what happened, but the cause of the crash is being investigated.

Kevin Hart bought the vintage car this past summer as a 40th birthday present for himself. It sucks to lose the car, but it sounds like he and his fellow passengers are lucky to be alive.

The actor is currently filming the movie Fatherhood for an April 2020 release. He has the lead role in the film, which is based on the memoir by Matthew Logelin. Kevin Hart replaced Channing Tatum in the role.

Here's hoping Kevin Hart and the driver both have speedy recoveries.