Angelina Jolie portraying opera singer Maria Callas in the movie “Maria” and a Jamie Foxx Netflix comedy special are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Snoop Dogg teams up with Dr. Dre on an album, Elton John looks back at his 50 years in the spotlight in the documentary “Elton John: Never Too Late” and Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie reunite for “Paris & Nicole: The Encore.”
— If you didn’t make it to the theater to see “Joker: Folie à Deux” (and according to the lackluster box office, most didn’t), it’s streaming on MAX on Dec. 13. Todd Phillips’ musical sequel to the Oscar winning “Joker” has Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as the mentally ill Arthur Fleck, imprisoned and awaiting trial for his crimes, and adds Lady Gaga as an obsessive fan and love interest. Jake Coyle in his review called it a theoretically interesting film that’s curiously dull. It cratered with critics and fans, but perhaps more audiences will now take a chance on this very unconventional sequel.
— Elton John looks back at his 50 years in the spotlight in a new documentary, “Elton John: Never Too Late,” streaming on Disney+ Dec. 13. Directed by R.J. Cutler and David Furnish, the film features never before seen footage and new interviews and reflections from John as he prepares for his final North American concert at Dodger Stadium.
— Angelina Jolie portrays opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s “Maria,” streaming on Netflix Dec. 11. The movie plays out during the final week of her life, flashing back over her difficult childhood, her grand career and her tumultuous affairs. As I wrote in my review, “This is a biopic as opera — an emotional journey fitting of the great diva, full of flair, beauty, betrayal, revelations and sorrow.” Jolie even trained to sing for the role and her voice, they’ve said, is woven into the audio. If you liked “Spencer” and “Jackie,” “Maria” is a no-brainer. Jolie may even get another Oscar nomination out of it.
— The Blake Lively-led adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us” arrives on Netflix on Monday. Lively stars as Lily Bloom in the romantic drama, which became a minor sensation at the box office, opposite Justin Baldoni, who also directs, and Brandon Sklenar. In his AP review, Mark Kennedy wrote that it was “uneven” and “tries to balance the realities of domestic violence inside a rom-com and a female-empowerment movie.” Instead, he added, “it veers too close to melodrama.”
— A community grapples with the discovery of unmarked graves on the grounds of a Catholic Church run Indian residential school in Canada in “Sugarcane,” an emotional and revelatory documentary from Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie. The investigation exposes the harrowing abuses inflicted on Indigenous children at these segregated boarding schools. It streams on Hulu and Disney+ on Tuesday.
— What else could Snoop Dogg do for his 20th album but team up for a project produced entirely by Dr. Dre. Out Friday, “Missionary” is described as the sequel to Snoop’s 1993 debut “Doggystyle” — the only other full-length collaboration between the two giants of hip-hop — a NSFW meeting of minds featuring guest verses from Eminem, 50 Cent, Sting, Method Man, Jelly Roll, Tom Petty, BJ the Chicago Kid, Jhené Aiko and more. If the previously released singles, “Outta Da Blue” “Gorgeous” and “Another Part of Me” are evidence of what is to come, the holidays will have arrived early this year.
— DMX, the iconic hip-hop artist behind the songs “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” and “Party Up (Up in Here)” whose distinctively gruff voice and thoughtful messages in his rhymes made him one of rap’s biggest stars, died in 2021. Now, a new posthumous release from the rapper will arrive on Dec. 13 via Def Jam Records: “Let Us Pray: Chapter X.” DMX’s voice is unmistakable, and with contributions from Snoop Dogg, Mary Mary, Killer Mike, MC Lyte, LeCrae, Terrace Martin, Lena Byrd Miles and RoyzNoyz Orchestra, the album makes for some can’t-miss listening.
— How did Elton John become Elton John? What did those early days look like? And how does he reflect on that time, now? A new documentary, “Elton John: Never Too Late,” available to stream on Disney+ starting Dec. 13, attempts to peek behind the curtain and explore exactly that. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
— The 2024 Billboard Music Awards will air live on Paramount+ on Thursday. Little is known about it just yet, but previously announced performers include Coldplay, Jelly Roll, Seventeen, Teddy Swims and Tyla.
— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman
— It’s been 20 years since Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie first showed us what’s hot on “The Simple Life.” The two revive their schtick with “Paris & Nicole: The Encore,” a three-part series where they recreate memorable moments from the past and return to work at a Sonic fast-food location. It debuts Thursday on Peacock.
— Jamie Foxx is ready to address his 2023 undisclosed medical condition and joke about it, too. The Oscar winner has a new comedy special called “ Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was…” debuting Tuesday on Netflix. The streamer is promoting the event as “the story we’ve been waiting for.” In a trailer, the multi-hyphenate performer walks on stage and declares, ’I’m back!” The special was filmed in October.
— A new “Dexter” prequel details just how the serial killer discovered his “dark passenger.” The show stars Patrick Gibson as the young Dexter and Christian Slater as his father Harry, who teaches his son to follow a code of ethics when it comes to murder. “It was simple. Kill the bad buys who escape justice,” we hear Michael C. Hall say in the trailer. Hall, who played Dexter in the original series, returns to narrate the character’s inner voice. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Patrick Dempsey also appear. “Original Sin” is just one example in an expanding “Dexter” universe. “Original Sin” premieres Sunday, Dec. 15 on Showtime and streams on Paramount+ with Showtime.
— “Queer Eye” returns this month with cast changes for its ninth season. Home design expert Jeremiah Brent replaces Bobby Berk to round out the Fab Five. Fans may remember Brent from Bravo’s “The Rachel Zoe Project” or his design shows with husband Nate Berkus. “Queer Eye” drops Wednesday on Netflix.
— Two sitcom favorites, Ray Romano and Lisa Kudrow, team up for a dark comedy in “No Good Deed,” also coming to Netflix. Premiering Thursday, the pair play Paul and Lydia, a married couple at odds over whether to sell their LA home, which has some tragic family history. The listing draws a range of eclectic prospective buyers played by Linda Cardellini, Luke Wilson, O-T Fagbenle, Teyonah Parris and more. Paul and Lydia are quickly in over their head.
— “Raiders of the Lost Ark” has inspired dozens of video games, from Tomb Raider to Uncharted to Spelunky, but it’s been a while since Indiana Jones himself has taken center stage. The hiatus ends with Bethesda Softworks’ Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, in which the intrepid archaeologist once again puts on his fedora and sets off in search of a stolen cat mummy. The quest bounces from the Vatican to the pyramids of Egypt to the temples of Thailand, mixing exploration, puzzle-solving and flashy action set pieces. Developer MachineGames is best known for its Wolfenstein series — experience that will no doubt come in handy when it’s time to punch some Nazis. Crack that whip Monday on Xbox X/S and PC.
— Monument Valley and its sequel were landmarks during the golden age of mobile gaming in the 2010s. Fans have been craving more of their M.C. Escheresque 3-D mazes, and London-based developer Ustwo Games is finally ready to deliver Monument Valley 3. Publisher Netflix says that while you can expect plenty of gravity-defying brainteasers, the series is evolving with a fresh protagonist on a ocean-based world — which means you’ll have to cruise between islands to find the tools to solve all its architectural puzzles. Set sail Tuesday, Dec. 10, on mobile via Netflix.
