Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more!
WIRE Buzz: First look at NBC's Grinch musical; MTV honoring Chadwick Boseman; Freaky watch parties
Break out the Roast Beast! NBC is sleigh-riding into Whoville for a televised musical performance of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The role of the titular holiday grump will be played by Glee's Matthew Morrison, who provided a behind-the-scenes look at the event in a newly-posted video.
"What makes this particular Grinch unique is the fact that it's a musical," says the actor. "It's really a beautiful thing to bring live theater to people's living room and I feel like I bring a lot of my dance background into this role, which I don't think has really been done with the Grinch before ... This is gonna be a great show to bring families together, even if they can't physically be together. I think this story is a beautiful telling of how to find that love."
Watch below:
Morrison (who required 3 1/2 - 4 hours of makeup) is the latest actor to play the character after Boris Karloff, Jim Carrey, and Benedict Cumberbatch.Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical! airs on NBC Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 8:00 p.m. EST.
It was filmed at the Troubadour Theatre in London and co-starsDenis O’Hare (Big Little Lies) as old Max, Booboo Stewart (Descendants 3) as young Max, and newcomer Amelia Minto (The Lost Girls) as Cindy-Lou Who. The book and lyrics were written by book and lyrics by Tim Mason, while the music was handled by Mel Marvin. The performance will also feature classic Grinch songs like “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas” (by Albert Hague & Dr. Seuss).
(NBC and SYFY WIRE are both owned by NBCUniversal)
Chadwick Boseman will be honored with a posthumous MTV Movie & TV award during a 90-minute "Greatest of All Time retrospective special," Deadline confirmed this afternoon.
Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical) is hosting the event, which airs this Sunday (Dec. 6) at 8:00 p.m. The award will be presented by Boseman's fellow MCU stars Robert Downey Jr. ("Tony Stark/Iron Man") and Don Cheadle ("James Rhodes/War Machine"). In addition to recognizing Boseman's impact on Hollywood, the program also promises to "honor the biggest and best moments in film and TV from the 80s until now."
Boseman passed away in August after a four-year battle with colon cancer. He was 43. The actor's 44th birthday passed last weekend. To celebrate the date, Marvel Studios updated the opening title for the version of Black Panther currently streaming on Disney+. He could win a posthumous Oscar for his performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
This weekend, Universal Pictures is hosting three watch parties for Freaky, writer-director Christopher Langdon's latest collaboration with Blumhouse. The film is now available in theaters and on digital platforms.
The first watch party takes place this evening at 9:00 p.m. EST with special guest hosts Bloody-Disgusting (@BDisgusting) and Tiffany Smith (@Tiffany_Smith). The second party takes tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 5) at 9:00 p.m. EST with special guest hosts Frankie Grande (@FrankieJGrande) and Trixie Mattel (@trixiemattel). The third and final chance to check out the movie with fellow horror fans is slated for Sunday, Dec. 6 at 8:00 p.m. EST with special guest host Kevin Smith.
Langdon (known for the two Happy Death Day movies) puts a twist on the body swapping genre with Freaky, in which a young high school student (Kathryn Newton) finds herself in the body of a wanted serial killer (Vince Vaughn). She must figure out a way to switch back before 1) the change becomes permanent and 2) the killer now residing in her body gets her arrested for murder.
Landon (@creetureshow), Newton (@kathrynnewton), Jason Blum (@Jason_Blum), Michael Kennedy (@MichaelKenKen), Misha Osherovich (@mishaosherovich), and Celeste O’Connor (@celeste_oconn) are participating in the first watch party tonight. You can join in on the mayhem with the hashtag #GetFreakyAtHome.
To date, the film has made a little over $12 million at the global box office.
(Universal Pictures and SYFY WIRE are both owned by NBCUniversal)
