‘The Whoopi Monologues’ is coming to the stage with a stellar, star-studded lineup. Previously announced cast members Kerry Washington and Kara Young will be joined by Kecia Lewis, Dominique Fishback, and Danielle Pinnock in a new reimagining of Whoopi Goldberg’s Drama Desk Award-winning 1984 one-woman Broadway show. The production previews on July 7 ahead of its official opening night on July 13 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.

The reimagining is written by Goldberg, with two-time Tony Award nominee Whitney White directing. The production transforms Goldberg’s original solo performance into a five-woman ensemble with a modern twist. Kai Heath, Denise Manning, and Pavar Snipe will serve as understudies.

The creative team includes Studio Bent’s Adam Rigg and Anton Volovsek (Set Design), Qween Jean (Costume Design), Cha See (Lighting Design), Fan Zhang (Sound Design), Hana S. Kim (Video Design), and Nikiya Mathis (Hair & Wig Design). Casting is by The Telsey Office, with Tiffany N. Robinson serving as Stage Manager. The show is produced in partnership with Whoop Inc. and Simpson Street Productions.

Goldberg’s original production earned her a 1985 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Debut Performance and a 1986 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording, making her the first Black woman to win the category. Now, more than 40 years later, Washington, Young, Lewis, Fishback, and Pinnock are set to bring these iconic monologues back to the spotlight.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

MegaMind Media has announced the STARZ release of They Took My Daughter, a gripping new thriller set to arrive as part of the network’s highly anticipated July 2026 programming lineup. The film stars Vanessa Simmons, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Angelique Valentine, Jordi Vilasuso, Dennis L.A. White and Victoria Gabrielle Platt, and is executive produced by award-winning filmmaker and founder of MegaMInd Media Tressa Azarel Smallwood alongside film financier Donte Lee. They Took My Daughter highlights the return of seeing the sister duo Vanessa and Angela Simmons on screen as they play bestfriends in this feature film debut directed by Tim Cruz.

The announcement continues MegaMind Media’s momentum following its Tubi Original Slate deal announcement in 2025 and two nominations at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards. This news builds on the company’s long-standing relationship with premium content platforms such as AMC Networks and All Black, including an extensive history of delivering original programming to BET+ which that content can now be viewed on Paramount+.

About the Film

LOGLINE: When her daughter vanishes, a single mother risks her life to rescue her from a trafficking network willing to kill to keep its secrets.

A mother’s worst nightmare becomes reality when her daughter disappears after taking a job at an elite private club. Nikole (Angelique Valentine) is drawn in by the money and glamour, but her mother Adrianne (Vanessa Simmons) senses danger and demands she quit. When Nikole returns to leave the job behind, she witnesses a heinous crime and is kidnapped before she can expose what she saw.

Taken to a remote compound controlled by the dangerous Xavier (Jordi Vilasuso), where young women are held captive, Nikole becomes trapped in a hidden world of exploitation. With no help from the authorities and the club protecting its secrets at all costs, Adrianne takes matters into her own hands. Joined by her boyfriend Byron (Darrin Dewitt Henson) and her devoted friend Shellie (Angela Simmons), and fueled by her military training, Adrianne fights to uncover the truth and save her daughter before time runs out.

Why This Film Matters

They Took My Daughter arrives at a critical cultural moment. Human trafficking remains one of the most underreported and misunderstood crises in America, disproportionately impacting Black women and girls. This film serves as both a thrilling, high-stakes drama and an urgent cautionary tale — one that illuminates how trafficking networks operate under the cover of glamour and opportunity, targeting vulnerable young women who are simply seeking a better life. MegaMind Media and Sunshine Films are both committed to telling stories that not only entertain but spark real conversations that protect communities. They Took My Daughter is exactly that kind of story.

Creative Team

They Took My Daughter is directed by Tim Cruz and written by Scotty Mullen and Lynette J. Blackwell. The film is produced by Jacobo Rispa, with executive producers Donte Lee, Luca Rispa, Damián Romay, and Tressa Azarel Smallwood.

Producer Statement

“They Took My Daughter is exactly the kind of story Sunshine Films was built to tell. We have always championed content that centers women — their resilience, their love, and their power. This film doesn’t just entertain; it holds a mirror to a crisis that is happening in our communities right now. I am proud of this cast, this creative team, and this moment.” — Jacobo Rispa” Producer

The green ogres and Donkey are back for another whirlwind adventure in the big city! Check out the first trailer for the fifth installment of the mean, green franchise here.

This chapter marks the return of original stars Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, and Cameron Diaz, who are joined by newcomers Zendaya, Marcello Hernández, and Skyler Gisondo.

The film is directed by Conrad Vernon and Walt Dohrn, with Brad Ableson co-directing. Production is led by Gina Shay and Chris Meledandri.

Get ready for the adventure when ‘Shrek 5’ hits theaters on June 30, 2027.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

Acclaimed filmmaker Sterling Hampton IV brings an inspiring true story of resilience, identity, and perseverance to audiences worldwide with the streaming release of his first feature-length documentary, Twitch: The Story of Daniel Franco, now available on Tubi.

Running 77 minutes, the documentary follows the remarkable journey of professional Latin-American boxer Daniel “Twitch” Franco, whose life changed forever during the most important fight of his career. After suffering a traumatic brain injury in the ring and spending ten days in a coma, Franco faced an uphill battle as he relearned how to talk, eat, walk, and ultimately redefine his purpose in life.

Presented in a non-traditional documentary format, Twitch: The Story of Daniel Franco blends live-action storytelling with human-generated 2D and 3D animation, a dynamic original score, and a distinctive 4:3 aspect ratio to create an intimate and immersive viewing experience. The film’s innovative approach has already garnered significant recognition on the festival circuit, earning Best Feature Documentary honors at both the Sherman Oaks International Film Festival and the Riverside International Film Festival, while also screening at the Southside International Film Festival.

For Hampton, the project represents more than just his feature directorial debut—it is a deeply personal examination of adversity, ambition, and the human spirit.

“This film is a labor of love for a story that is of great importance to the culture of sports and traumatic brain injury occurrences,” said Hampton. “My crew and I wanted to share the reality of Daniel’s journey and how identity and purpose can evolve and change. The film explores what it truly means to pursue the American Dream and the sacrifices athletes often make in pursuit of success, financial security, and opportunity for their families.”

The documentary also highlights the parallel experiences of two Latin-American athletes whose aspirations placed them in physically demanding environments where the pursuit of greatness came with tremendous risk. Through Franco’s story, Hampton examines themes of perseverance, recovery, and self-discovery when life presents its greatest challenges.

Known for incorporating mixed-media storytelling into his work, Hampton utilized a combination of human-generated 2D and 3D animation alongside digital VHS-inspired footage to complement the film’s primary cinematography. The project also marks the feature-film introduction of his production company, Clash of The Artistic Minds, into long-form filmmaking.

“We made this film over the course of several years, and we’re excited for audiences to finally experience it,” Hampton added. “The intention behind all of my films is to highlight unique and interesting groups of people in ways that encourage empathy, reflection, and connection.”

Film Credits

Director: Sterling Hampton IV
Producers: Sterling Hampton IV, Monica Lawless, Sabrina Lassegue
Cinematography: Adam Shattuck, Sterling Hampton IV
Production Coordinator: Evan Hammer
Sound: Kyle Joyce
Original Music: Adrian Gamboa
Composer: Sterling Hampton IV
Editor: Sterling Hampton IV
Colorist: Sterling Hampton IV
3D Animation: Aaron Weissman
2D Animation: Chris Mulligan
Production Companies: Clash of The Artistic Minds, Flexio Pictures

Twitch: The Story of Daniel Franco is now streaming exclusively on Tubi.

Healing and new love are coming to Los Angeles in the upcoming romance drama ‘The Very Thought of You,’ starring Mike Colter and Joanna “JoJo” Levesque in a story where sultry jazz tunes bring two people with traumatic pasts together to heal over a shared love of music.

The film is set in Los Angeles’s Eagle Rock neighborhood and follows “Emmy Davis (Levesque), a former television talent show finalist whose life unraveled at 16 after sexual abuse at the hands of a powerful music producer. Now 30, she lives quietly as a barista, caring for her grandmother and keeping her past hidden—until she meets a jazz pianist and college professor (Colter) struggling to rediscover his rhythm while raising his young daughter as a widowed father. When music brings them together, both are forced to confront the past and decide whether they’re willing to risk everything for a second chance at love.”

John Zaring wrote the script and produces the film under the Zaring/Cioffi Entertainment (ZCE) banner alongside producer Van Scott Folger, with Colter Productions also attached. Colter and Levesque serve as executive producers alongside ZCE partners Bianca Cioffi and Charles Vignola.

Production is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in November 2026.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

Academy Award nominee Wunmi Mosaku and award-winning actor Gbenga Akinnagbe join the star-studded ensemble of Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming docudrama, ‘The Social Reckoning.’ The film is a companion piece to David Fincher’s 2010 drama ‘The Social Network,’ and continues the chronicle of Facebook’s meteoric rise and the intense legal fallout that followed.

Based on The Wall Street Journal’s shocking 2021 “Facebook Files” exposé, the plot centers on a young Facebook engineer, Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), who enlists the help of Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White) to blow the whistle on the most guarded secrets of the tech giant founded by Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong).

While details surrounding their specific roles remain under wraps, Mosaku and Akinnagbe help round out the film’s impressive lineup, appearing alongside Bill Burr, Betty Gilpin, Billy Magnussen, and Anna Lambe.

See them in the trailer here. ‘The Social Reckoning’ opens in theaters October 9.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

In Backrooms, memory becomes a labyrinth of guilt, resentment, and self-deception.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I have spent a lot of time looking in the rearview mirror at the good and the bad of my life. Thankfully, wise people have reminded me that you cannot live your life staring backward. At some point, you have to look forward. That is the real struggle in Backrooms: what happens when the past becomes the place you would rather stay even when it seems like a nightmare?

Movie Verdict: Love it!

SPOILERS REVIEW

While it is most certainly a horror movie, Backrooms is also interested in what and where people hide from themselves rather than what scares them or us, for that matter.

Directed by Kane Parsons, it’s a tense mix of traditional third-person and ‘hidden footage’ style camera work that bounces from ‘real life’ to a memory palace that is a bleak, old, abandoned office space. Confusion is magnified by wandering through one unsettling, endless labyrinth of hallways, rooms, pools, and impossible spaces. It’s a chilling horror movie.

After a quick, first-person, found-footage, terrifying opening scene, Backrooms follows Clark (Ejiofor), a struggling furniture store owner whose life borders on pathetic. We meet Clark as he is shooting a pretty pathetic knockoff commercial for his business. Later in therapy, we learn his life has fallen apart. We learn he drinks too much. He has rage issues. He is an underachiever. An architect by training, he is selling particleboard crap in an enormous, underfilled warehouse. The cherry on the mud-pie of his life, his wife kicked him out.

The scenes between Ejiofor and Reinsve are riveting. Mary (Reinsve) is working with Clark to gain perspective, release his anger and resentment to improve his life. She is not achieving her objective. There is a power scene in which she role-plays as his wife, and it’s quite terrifying. We see what Clark has brewing just under the surface.

When a strange doorway appears in the basement of his furniture showroom, he discovers the backrooms, an endless, disorienting space of rooms, hallways, and passages. At first, the place terrifies him, but the more time he spends there, the more attached he becomes.

Clark eventually tells his therapist, Mary, about what he has found. She is skeptical at first, but she gets pulled into the mystery as the Backrooms reveal themselves to be not only a physical place but a space connected to memory, guilt, resentment, and the parts of our mind.

A lot of people are talking about Backrooms because of the numbers. Made for a reported $10 million, the film crossed $100 million worldwide in its opening weekend and has already earned more than $210 million globally. Those are remarkable numbers, but they didn’t surprise me. My production company, Killer Shot Films, was founded on a simple belief: give audiences a good horror movie and they will show up.

So when I bought my ticket, a week after it opened, I wasn’t interested in the box office story. I wanted to know if the movie itself was any good. Having never watched the original YouTube videos, I went in cold and was surprised to find a much more ambitious film than I expected. Inspired by Kane Parsons’ viral series and written by Roberto Patino, Backrooms becomes a complicated story about memory, guilt, resentment, and the ways we disappear into our own minds to escape reality. It also asks what happens if a therapist follows after them, trying to save them. I think!

I say that because Backrooms can be interpreted a dozen different ways. An alternate dimension. A subconscious landscape. A graveyard for places and people that have been lost to time. Or memory. Our forgotten fantasies. The film never forces a single answer.

What interested me most was that these ‘backrooms’ are built from memory itself.

Throughout the film, there is a recurring discussion about neurological pathways, the mental shortcuts people create to navigate everyday life. Those pathways help us function, but they can also trap us in patterns. We repeat the same stories, the same mistakes, and the same grievances until they become part of our identity.

No character embodies that more than Clark.

Chiwetel Ejiofor gives the film’s strongest performance as a man who has become stuck in his past. I would call him an alcoholic who blames others for the state of his life and remains fixated on a past he cannot change. Clark is angry, resentful, embarrassed by his life, and invested in the idea that everyone else is responsible for where he ended up. What makes Clark fascinating is that he doesn’t simply get lost in the Backrooms. He wants to stay.

I think Clark gets comfortable there because he is already living in the past. And the longer he is there, the more he wanders and uncovers, the more rooms are scattered with distorted remnants of memories and equally twisted and distorted people…including Clark himself.

Clark is not simply sad or lost. He is rageful, both explosive and simmering, and it’s a constant undercurrent. It shows up at work and a few times during therapy. But in the “backroom”, his shadow self manifests as his monster. It’s his lower self. An enormous, monstrous version of him, the movie has turned his inner life into something out of a night terror. It feels like the part of Clark that has been growing in the dark, fed by blame, drinking, denial, and the stories he keeps telling himself.

The rage matters because by the time Clark comes face to face with himself, it’s a creature. A huge puppet, quite scary “cover your eyes” version of Clark. But by the time Mary meets him, Clark has gotten used to being in “the backroom” and believes he is better off there, trying to live with his ‘rage creature.’

Chiwetel Ejiofor’s performance is unsettling and powerful.

I also could not ignore the casting. Clark could have been played by anyone, but he is played by a Black man, and that changes the meaning behind the anger of the character for me. He is angry, volatile, resentful, and eventually frightening to the people around him. Some of that is the point of the story, but it also brushes up against the old “angry Black man” trope in a way I am not sure the film fully examines. Watching Clark spiral, especially in scenes where his rage is directed toward a white woman, made me wonder what the movie understood about that image and what it simply used for tension.

Mary’s journey is different. She is not trying to disappear into memory. She is trying to get free from it. Free from her mother’s mental illness and abuse and her powerlessness over it all. It’s an effective counterpoint.

Where Clark is trapped by resentment, Mary is trapped by guilt. She is a therapist who claims to have answers, but also knows she can help no one.

Both characters are haunted by the past, but in very different ways. One refuses to take responsibility for it. The other struggles to forgive herself for it. Their journeys through the Backrooms become reflections of those opposing emotional states.

I also appreciated the film’s restraint. Parsons leaves significant questions unanswered. The Backrooms remain mysterious. Their rules remain uncertain. The film trusts the audience to sit with ambiguity rather than explaining every detail.

I left Backrooms thinking less about the maze or the monster. I was more self-reflective of my relationship with memories. I understood how they can be comforting. It can be nostalgic. It can even feel safer than the present. But here it’s shown as a place of self-deception where you can get lost with monsters of your own making.

The movie “Backrooms” is frightening for classic reasons: jump scares, found footage, small spaces, running, being chased, what’s around that corner, and who or what’s over there! I’m not going to lie; I covered my eyes more than once. But what is more frightening and equally interesting to me is the idea of being trapped by your desire to stay in the past.

The movie also leaves room for these backrooms to be more than a psychological space.

There are scientists and researchers orbiting the story, people connected to an institute that seems to have stumbled into something they cannot fully understand. I liked that layer because it keeps the film from becoming too neat.

Maybe the Backrooms are memory. Maybe they are the subconscious. Maybe they are an alternate dimension that someone found by accident and then tried to study. The movie is smart enough not to force one answer.

- Victoria Bert \ @victoriabnyc

The King of Pop has made history—again! Lionsgate and Universal’s highly acclaimed biopic ‘Michael,’ directed by Antoine Fuqua, has officially become the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time, amassing an incredible $911.9M worldwide. With this box office success, the film officially surpasses the Freddie Mercury biopic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ which previously held the record at $911M.

With ‘Michael’ officially premiering in Japan this month, the blockbuster is now well-positioned to cross the historic $1 billion mark at the global box office.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

“This isn’t the end of the fight. This is the start of one.” That’s the energy lying at the center of Season 3 of the hit series ‘Lioness,’ set to premiere on August 2. Paramount+ released the first teaser and production photos featuring Zoe Saldaña, Morgan Freeman, Michael Kelly, and Nicole Kidman ahead of its highly anticipated debut.

Season three of ‘Lioness’ raises the stakes on every front. As hidden networks and foreign operatives close in, Joe (Saldaña) finds herself navigating a war that no longer stays at arm’s length—it follows her home. Names disappear, patterns shift, and the line between ally and enemy grows dangerously thin. With Kaitlyn (Kidman) and Westfield (Kelly) guiding her through the shadows, Joe must confront dangerous enemies, forcing her into a war that reaches far beyond the mission and into every corner of her life.

The season also features LaMonica Garrett, Hannah Love Lanier, Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, James Jordan, Genesis Rodriguez, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Thad Luckinbill, and Ian Bohen.

Check out the photos and explosive teaser here. Season 3 of ‘Lioness’ premieres on Paramount+ on Sunday, August 2.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

Floyd Norman, Disney’s first Black animator and storyboard artist, will be honored with an Academy Honorary Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors, recognizing his esteemed 65-year career in animated storytelling.

Norman began his journey with Disney Animation Studios in 1956, breaking barriers as the studio’s first Black animator and helping to bring to life some of the studio’s most classic stories. His credits include his first Disney feature film Sleeping Beauty, alongside his contributions to The Sword in the Stone, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, and Robin Hood. He also worked on short films Donald in Mathmagic Land, Goliath II, and Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, as well as the studio’s franchise credits including The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc.

Apart from Disney, Norman also created animations for Sesame Street, Hey, Hey, Hey, It’s Fat Albert, and the main titles for Soul Train under his production company Vignette Films, Inc.—which centered stories about African American history-makers for U.S. schools.

The Honorary Award recognizes “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences in any discipline, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said of Norman and this year’s honorees Glenn Close, Ridley Scott, Christine Vachon, and Pamela Koffler, “The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to present this year’s Governors Awards to five remarkable individuals whose groundbreaking work has forever shaped the art of filmmaking.”

Norman will be presented with the award at the Academy’s 17th Governors Awards event on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood, in partnership with Rolex.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

Season 2 of ‘Diarra From Detroit’ is set to make its debut this summer on Wednesday, July 29, with a two-episode premiere on Paramount+, followed by weekly drops every Wednesday through September 9. Ahead of its release, Paramount+ dropped first-look photos of the eight-episode season, offering an early glimpse into the hilariously chaotic new chapter.

Ahead of the premiere, loglines reveal that season two wastes no time pulling its heroine back into chaos. When a routine furniture recovery spirals into a triple homicide investigation, Diarra Brickland (Diarra Kilpatrick) finds herself navigating a citywide treasure hunt, a secret society, and Detroit’s criminal underground—all while her romantic life remains unresolved. The season doubles down on the absurdist energy that made the first season a standout, promising an even wilder ride.

Diarra Kilpatrick returns to lead the series for its sophomore run, with series stars DomiNque Perry, Bryan Terrell Clark, and Jon Chaffin. Shannon Wallace, Phylicia Rashad, and Harry Lennix are also set to reprise their roles. The upcoming season also features a stacked lineup of new guest stars, including Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Morris Chestnut, Glynn Turman, Bokeem Woodbine, Amber Riley, Lil Rel Howery, Lovie Simone, Shoniqua Shandai, Nicco Annan, Skilla Baby, Icewear Vezzo, Chris “CP” Powell, and Jude Demorest.

The show is created by Kilpatrick who executive produces alongside Kenya Barris and Miles Orion Feldsott, who also serves as showrunner. The series is produced by BET Studios and Khalabo Ink Society.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

Naomi Ackie is reportedly in final talks to join David Robert Mitchell’s long-awaited sequel ‘They Follow,’ starring opposite Maika Monroe. According to Deadline, Ackie’s role remains unconfirmed as plot details are still under wraps, though the film is set ten years after the events of ‘It Follows.’

Ackie is coming off an Independent Spirit Award win for her role in Eva Victor’s A24 drama ‘Sorry, Baby,’ and is currently starring opposite Keke Palmer, Taylour Paige, and Poppy Liu in Boots Riley’s ‘I Love Boosters.’

The original 2015 psychological horror follows college student Jay Height (Monroe), who becomes the target of a relentless, shapeshifting supernatural force after a sexual encounter with her boyfriend (Jake Weary). As the threat intensifies, she’s forced to reckon with a grim reality: the only way to escape the curse is to pass it on to someone else.

Mitchell returns to write and direct the sequel, with production planned for a summer start. Tom Quinn of Neon is set to co-produce alongside Good Fear Content, with Mitchell, Jake Weiner, Chris Bender, David Kaplan, Erik Rommesmo, Rebecca Green, and Laura Smith all producing. The project has been in development since 2023.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

What you call an icon living? Teyana Taylor. The Golden Globe Award-winning multi-hyphenate is adding yet another prestigious honor to her roster, as she is set to receive the Icon of the Year award at this year’s BET Awards.

The major moment will unfold during culture’s biggest night, with the BET Awards airing live on Sunday, June 28 at 8/7C.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

What was it like to be in the room with the luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance? The late, legendary filmmaker William Greaves offers an intimate look into that artistic magic in his final work, ‘Once Upon A Time In Harlem,’ completed by his family.

Dubbed his most significant project, the documentary—co-directed with his son David Greaves and co-produced by his granddaughter Liani Greaves and Anne de Mare—centers on the historic 1972 gathering he arranged with neighborhood legends at Duke Ellington’s apartment.

Ahead of the film’s release, NEON has debuted the official trailer and poster. Take a look at them here. ‘Once Upon A Time In Harlem’ arrives in select theaters this fall on October 16.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

Sheldon Candis’ new boxing drama ‘They Fight’ made its official world premiere yesterday at the Tribeca Film Festival, coinciding with the release of its first trailer.

The trailer highlights an emotional quest for redemption as André Holland plays Walt Manigan, a reformed ex-convict and skilled boxer fighting to rebuild his family and lead two young athletes (Anthony B. Jenkins and Toussaint Francois Battiste) to the U.S. Junior Olympic Team under Coach Slim’s (Wendell Pierce) mentorship. The impressive ensemble also includes Samira Wiley, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Andre Royo, Mykelti Williamson, Tory J. Malone, Tinashe Kajese-Bolden, and Amanda Warren.

Check out the trailer here. ‘They Fight’ will premiere globally on July 17 on Hulu and Disney+.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

Mountain Park Media, in partnership with the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), will host a special Clips & Conversation event celebrating the upcoming release of the powerful new film Life of Mike on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 5:00 PM at MODEx Studio Atlanta in Buckhead.

Life of Mike is a poignant and emotionally resonant drama that explores the lasting impact of a father’s suicide on his son and the generational consequences of unresolved trauma, grief, and identity. Through an intimate and deeply human story, the film shines a light on the emotional struggles many men face and the importance of confronting pain in order to heal.

Held during National Men’s Health Month, the event will go beyond the screen, creating a meaningful dialogue around men’s mental health, emotional wellness, and the power of vulnerability. Attendees will experience exclusive clips from the film, followed by a thoughtful discussion featuring filmmakers, mental health professionals, and special guests.

The evening will also serve as a celebration of the upcoming launch of the MPM Max streaming platform, which officially debuts on Juneteenth, marking a significant milestone for Mountain Park Media’s continued commitment to elevating diverse stories and voices.

Event highlights include:

• Exclusive preview clips from Life of Mike

• Q&A session with Director Derick Halliman and Lead Actor Miko Defoor

• Special appearance by a celebrity guest actor

• Mental health discussion featuring a licensed therapist

• Moderation by the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA)

• Live-to-tape recording for future content distribution

• Networking opportunities for filmmakers, media professionals, and creatives

“This event is about more than celebrating a film,” said Director Derick Halliman. “It’s about creating space for honest conversations around grief, healing, and mental health—particularly for men who are often taught to suffer in silence.”

Media Contact

Derick Halliman
Mountain Park Media
Email: derick@mountainparkmedia.com

NAACP Image Award-winning comedian, actor, and New York Times bestselling author Kevin Fredericks, better known as KevOnStage, has made history by signing Tubi’s most expansive creator partnership deal to date. The multi-project, multi-year slate significantly expands his creative footprint on the platform while actively amplifying and creating new opportunities for up-and-coming Black creators.

This latest collaboration will span multiple formats and genres, building on the massive success of Fredericks’ 2025 Tubi Original comedy series Safe Space. The show’s eight-episode second season—which follows the wildly underqualified Dr. Fredericks (Fredericks) as he attempts to guide struggling couples back to a place of healing—is set to premiere on June 11, with a third season already scheduled to follow in July 2027.

Beyond Safe Space, Fredericks is cooking up an extensive lineup of fresh content, including a brand-new scripted workplace comedy, his first-ever streaming stand-up special, and a series of original feature films. His upcoming 10-episode comedy series, The Airport, centers on a hilariously dysfunctional airport crew struggling to keep operations running amid constant chaos. The series is set to premiere this November on Tubi.

Following the series launch, Fredericks will debut his highly anticipated stand-up special, Grief Sucks, on February 21, 2027. The special promises to deliver some of his most personal material to date, offering a heartfelt and comedic take on the complexities of grief and family.

Fredericks will round out the historic slate by delivering two feature films for the platform including a holiday-themed comedy debuting in 2027, followed by a horror-comedy releasing in 2028.

Reflecting on the milestone partnership, Fredericks shared: “Safe Space found its audience on Tubi, and I found a home. This slate is what happens when a platform believes in a creator’s full vision and gives them room to grow. Tubi has given me the platform to do it all... while also creating opportunities for up-and-coming creators, especially Black creators whose voices deserve to be amplified.”

Rich Bloom, General Manager of Creator Programs and Executive Vice President of Business Development at Tubi, celebrated the expanded partnership, stating: “Kevin has built a powerful connection with audiences through authentic, laugh-out-loud storytelling. Expanding our partnership with him reflects our commitment to giving creators who bring unique voices and loyal fanbases to the platform the runway to go bigger, whether that means a new series, a stand-up special, or their first films.”

This groundbreaking deal positions KevOnStage as a leading force in Tubi’s original programming lineup, and sets a new benchmark for creator-driven content in the streaming era.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

The official trailer for Between Then & Now, a heartfelt new family drama written by Chante Carmel and directed by Keena Ferguson Frasier has been released. The film brings together a celebrated ensemble cast including Ted Lange, Aloma Wright, Dayna Dooley, Tobias Truvillion, Kairös Frasier, Chante Carmel, and Aranaya Frasier.

Centered on the emotional realities of caregiving, motherhood, aging parents, and personal reinvention, Between Then & Now offers a deeply moving portrait of a woman learning to reclaim herself after years of placing everyone else’s needs ahead of her own.

The project is executive produced by Gwendolyn Osborne and Chante Carmel, with Delece James, Fredericka Meek, and Karla Mosley serving as producers. The film’s creative team also includes Director of Photography Ski-ter Jones and editor Michael Greene.

“Between Then & Now is a story about the women who quietly hold families together while carrying the weight of multiple generations,” said writer and executive producer Chante Carmel. “It’s about resilience, healing, and giving yourself permission to dream again after life has demanded so much from you.”

Director Keena Ferguson Frasier added, “This film explores the invisible emotional labor so many women experience every day. What drew me to the story was its honesty. It’s filled with humor, heartbreak, and hope, and it speaks to the universal desire to be seen beyond our responsibilities.“

Logline

After leaving a narcissistic marriage, a woman caught between caring for a young child and an aging parent confronts burnout and must decide whether she can reclaim a sense of self and long-deferred dreams while holding everyone else together.

About the Film

Between Then & Now follows Chante, a woman rebuilding her life after escaping a narcissistic marriage. As she navigates single motherhood and cares for her young son, DJ, she also helps support her mother through the painful realities of watching her husband experience memory decline.

Caught between the demands of caregiving and the emotional scars of her past, Chante struggles to make room for herself. Her days are consumed by obligations, responsibilities, and the needs of those she loves. Yet through moments of reflection, unexpected humor, and the enduring strength of family, she begins to confront a question she has long avoided: Is survival enough, or is she allowed to want more?

As the possibility of new love quietly emerges, Chante finds herself standing at the intersection of duty and self-discovery. The result is an uplifting and emotionally resonant story about resilience, renewal, and the courage to imagine a future beyond sacrifice.

With its nuanced portrayal of modern caregiving and multigenerational family dynamics, Between Then & Now shines a spotlight on experiences rarely centered on screen while celebrating the strength, vulnerability, and humanity of Black women.

The shop’s closing for good in the fifth and final season of FX’s hit series ‘The Bear,’ which premieres on Hulu later this month. Ahead of the highly anticipated farewell, Hulu has released the official trailer, teasing a deeply sentimental end to the Emmy Award-winning drama.

Season 5 picks up the morning after Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Natalie (Abby Elliott) learn that Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) has walked away from both the restaurant and the culinary industry, leaving the future of the restaurant entirely in their hands.

Check out the final season trailer here. Season 5 of ‘The Bear’ officially premieres on Hulu on June 25.

–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm

Marking Howery's directorial debut, Haunted Heist follows four estranged friends who reunite at a seemingly ordinary house. Unbeknownst to the group, one friend plans to steal a valuable antique. Their heist takes a chilling turn when they discover the house is haunted, forcing them to put aside their differences to survive a night filled with mischievous spirits.

Led by Lil Rel Howery (Get Out) and Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip), the film has added an ensemble cast including Andrew 'King Bach' Bachelor (The Babysitter), Karlous Miller (Wild 'N Out), Brett Gelman (Stranger Things), Ari Dayan (Entitled), Tony Baker (One of Them Days), and newcomer Tara Terry.

'Haunted Heist' hits theaters July 24th.