The Weeknd Breaks Grammys Boycott With Surprise Performance
The Weeknd bit his tongue when it came to his thoughts on The Idol.
Two years after the HBO series aired, the “Save Your Tears” singer—real name Abel Tesfaye—explained why he opted not to overshare his thoughts amid production.
“Then I become ‘difficult,’” Tesfaye told The Guardian of why he didn’t have much influence over the Sam Levinson series. “The worst thing you can be called in Hollywood is difficult. ‘Difficult’ spreads!”
And since The Idol was Tesfaye’s first big role in Hollywood as an actor and executive producer, he wanted to make sure he didn’t push anyone’s buttons.
“You’ve got to pay your dues,” he explained. “And boy, did I pay my dues.”
Indeed, The Idol, which also starred Lily-Rose Depp, was exposed shortly before its premiere for its poorly handled production, and the series was promptly poorly received by critics. And now that the gig is behind him, Tesfaye admitted to The Guardian that the criticism of the series “makes a lot of sense.”
“It could have been great if it had a beginning, middle and end,” he reflected to the outlet. “It just ended on middle.”
After the experience, though, the “Can’t Feel My Face” singer felt his directorial debut Hurry Up Tomorrow—which hit theaters last month—brought “joy” back into the production experience for him.
“Before we shot the film, I went through whatever healing I had to go through,” he explained. “And then I needed to shed that skin, and I wanted to do it in a way that felt more visual.”
And since Tesfaye plays a version of himself in the new film—which also stars Barry Keoghan and Jenna Ortega—it was healing in more ways than one.
Lionel Hahn/Getty Images
“I feel grateful that I get to film my persona on 35mm, and light it on fire,” he said. “I’m sure every artist would love to do that. Because it gets to a point where you don’t want to be identified for something you started at 19 years old.”
As he put it, “I got to say: cut! And that’s a wrap.”
Tesfaye’s film is just one of the much-anticipated movies that premiered this year. Keep reading for more…
Disney
Lilo & Stitch – May 23, 2025
A live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic about a lonely Hawaiian girl and the mischievous alien who helps to mend her broken family.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Paramount Pictures
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – May 23, 2025
Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt for the eighth (and possibly last?) installment of the explosive action franchise.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Tubi
Worth the Wait – May 23, 2025
This ensemble rom-com follows the lives of multiple Asian-American strangers as they navigate love, loss, and destiny. Starring Lana Condor (To All the Boys) and Ross Butler (Riverdale).
Where to Watch: Streaming on Tubi
Netflix
Fear Street: Prom Queen – May 23, 2025
Based on the novel by R.L. Stine, this next installment in the horror saga throws drop dead gorgeous prom queens into a classic ’80s slasher.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Netflix
Sony Pictures
Karate Kid: Legends – May 30, 2025
When a troubled young kung fu prodigy enters a karate competition, he enlists the help of Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) to merge their two styles inot one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Focus Features
The Phoenician Scheme – May 30, 2025
Director Wes Anderson delivers his 13th feature film, an espionage black comedy with a stacked ensemble cast including Benicio del Toro, Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Byran Cranston, and Scarlett Johansson.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Lionsgate
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina – June 6, 2025
Ana de Armas steps into the criminal underworld of John Wick as a trainee assassin seeking revenge.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Vertical Entertainment
I Don’t Understand You – June 6, 2025
This dark comedy follows Dom (Nick Kroll) and Cole (Andrew Rannells), a couple on the verge of adopting a baby, as they embark on an Italian vacation but soon find themselves lost in a foreign land.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Netflix
Tyler Perry’s Straw – June 6, 2025
Taraji P. Henson stars as a single mother whose world unravels in a single day as she struggles to care for her ill daughter.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Netflix
Neon
The Life of Chuck – June 6, 2025
From Stephen King and Mike Flanagan comes this genre-bending tale celebrating the life of ordinary man Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz (Tom Hiddleston).
Where to Watch: In theaters
Trafalgar Releasing/Sony Music Vision
Something Beautiful – June 12, 2025
Described as a “one-of-a-kind cinematic experience” from pop icon Miley Cyrus, the film accompanies Miley’s ninth studio album of the same name and combines new music with fashion and fantasy.
Where to Watch: In theaters for one-night-only
Universal Pictures
How to Train Your Dragon – June 13, 2025
The beloved animated franchise get the live-action treatment, bringing the epic adventures of Hiccup and Toothless to life with cutting-edge visual effects.
Where to Watch: In theaters
A24
Materialists – June 13, 2025
This love triangle dramedy follows an ambitious New York City matchmaker (Dakota Johnson) who finds herself torn between the perfect match (Pedro Pascal) and her imperfect ex (Chris Evans).
Where to watch: In theaters
Apple TV+
Echo Valley – June 13, 2025
Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney co-star as mother and daughter in this edge-of-your-seat thriller.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Apple TV+
Disney/Pixar
Elio – June 20, 2025
When space fanatic Elio is beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide, and mistakenly identified as Earth’s leader, he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms to prevent a crisis of intergalactic proportions.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Magenta Light Studios
Bride Hard – June 20, 2025
Pitch Perfect stars Rebel Wilson and Anna Camp reunite in this action comedy set against the backdrop of a fairy-tale wedding with some uninvited crashers.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Columbia Pictures
28 Years Later – June 20, 2025
Set in the terrifying world created by 2002’s 28 Days Later, this zombie sequel stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes as a group of survivors who have found a way to exist amidst the infected.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Warner Bros. Pictures
F1 – June 27, 2025
Brad Pitt, Damson Idris and Javier Bardem get behind the wheel in this high-octane action flick about a struggling Formula 1 team.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Geoffrey Short/Universal Pictures
M3GAN 2.0 – June 27, 2025
Everyone’s favorite murderous dancing robot doll returns for more A.I. mayhem.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment
Jurassic World Rebirth – July 2, 2025
Starring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali, this action-packed new chapter of the dino franchise sees an extraction team race to the most dangerous place on Earth, an island research facility for the original Jurassic Park, inhabited by the worst of the worst that were left behind.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Netflix
The Old Guard 2 – July 2, 2025
In this sequel to the 2020 hit, Andy (Charlize Theron) and her team of immortal warriors are back to protect humanity from a new enemy. Also starring Uma Thurman, Henry Golding, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Netflix
Amazon MGM Studios
Heads of State – July 2, 2025
An action-packed comedy starring John Cena as the U.S. President and Idris Elba as the UK Prime Minister; the two world leaders must set aside their rivalry to thwart a global conspiracy and save the world.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Prime Video
Warner Bros. Pictures
Superman – July 11, 2025
Director James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe. Starring David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Sony Pictures Entertainment
I Know What You Did Last Summer – July 18, 2025
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprise their roles from the iconic 1997 teen slasher, as history repeats itself and a new batch of friends are stalked by a killer after a deadly car accident.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Paramount Pictures
Smurfs – July 18, 2025
Rihanna leads an all-star voice cast in this animated musical that sees Smurfette and her pals venture into the real world to save Papa Smurf.
Where to Watch: In theaters
20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios
The Fantastic Four: First Steps – July 25, 2025
Marvel’s First Family is reimagined against a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, starring Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear), Vanessa Kirby (The Crown), Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), and Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things).
Where to Watch: In theaters
Paramount Pictures
The Naked Gun – August 1, 2025
Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson show off their comedic chops in this reboot of the crime spoof franchise.
Where to Watch: In theaters
DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures
The Bad Guys 2 – August 1, 2025
This sequel to the 2022 animated comedy finds the now-reformed Bad Guys hijacked into a high-stakes heist, masterminded by a new team of criminals they never saw coming: The Bad Girls.
Where to Watch: In theaters
Amazon MGM Studios
The Pickup – August 6, 2025
Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson and Keke Palmer star in this action-comedy about a routine cash pickup that takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers are ambushed by ruthless criminals.
Where to Watch: Streaming on Prime Video
Andrew Eccles/Disney
Freakier Friday – August 8, 2025
Linday Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis return for this sequel to the beloved 2003 body-swap comedy.
Where to Watch: In theaters
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