Entertainment
‘Wicked’ will make its streaming debut on New Year’s Eve, with deleted and extended scenes
There’s no place like home… to watch the “Wicked” movie.
Universal Pictures, the studio behind the hit film, announced on Thursday that “Wicked” will be available to buy or rent on December 31 on digital streaming platforms including Prime Video and Apple TV.
The streaming release will also include a plethora of bonus content, including a sing-along version of the film, behind-the-scenes featurettes, commentary from director Jon M. Chu and the film’s stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, plus several deleted and extended scenes, according to a news release.
Among the bonus content is a 40-minute behind-the-scenes featurette that “celebrates the film’s transformative on-screen magic,” and bonus clips that will give viewers a look at the special effects that brought the large-scale sets to life.
“Wicked” stars Erivo, Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Bowen Yang, Peter Dinklage, Marissa Bode, “Bridgerton” star Jonathan Bailey and Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh.
The nearly three-hour-long epic is the first installment of Chu’s two-part cinematic adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical that recounts events in the magical land of Oz that occurred before Dorothy’s arrival. The musical, which opened on Broadway in 2003, was itself adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch.”
The movie premiered in theaters on November 22 and has raked in over $580 million at the global box office to date, also nabbing the third highest-grossing opening weekend of 2024 behind “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Inside Out 2.”
“Wicked” has been nominated for four Golden Globes including best motion picture – musical or comedy, and recognition in lead and supporting acting categories for Erivo and Grande, respectively.
The second installment will be titled “Wicked: For Good,” in a nod to one of the original musical’s popular songs, and will premiere in theaters on November 21, 2025.
Entertainment
Trapped in the dark for 35 hours – Red Sea dive-boat survivors tell of terrifying escapes
“By the end, I was just wondering how I would prefer to die.”
Spending 35 hours trapped in a pitch-black air pocket in the upturned hull of a boat has taken its toll on Lucianna Galetta, her voice cracking as she recounts her ordeal.
A video she managed to film briefly using the light on her phone, now shared with the BBC, shows the space where she thought her life might end – and how surging sea water and floating debris prevented her escape
Entertainment
Buy something or leave, Starbucks says
Starbucks says it is reversing rules for its cafes in North America that allowed people to use their facilities even if they had not bought anything.
The changes, which are set to come into force from 27 January, are a U-turn from a policy introduced six years ago that allowed people to linger in Starbucks outlets and use their toilets without making a purchase.
The move is part of the “back to Starbucks” strategy – a plan announced by the firm’s new boss as he tries to tackle flagging sales.
The world’s biggest coffee chain says its new code of conduct – which also addresses harassment and bans smoking and outside alcohol – aims to make its stores more welcoming.
“Implementing a Coffeehouse Code of Conduct… is a practical step that helps us prioritise our paying customers who want to sit and enjoy our cafes”, a Starbucks spokesperson told BBC News.
“These updates are part of a broader set of changes we are making to enhance the cafe experience as we work to get back to Starbucks.”
The company said the new rules will be displayed at every store and staff will be instructed to ask anyone who violates the code of conduct to leave. That includes allowing employees to call the police when necessary.
In 2018, Starbucks decided to allow free access to its coffee shops and toilets after the controversial arrest of two men at one of its Philadelphia cafes.
Other changes set to be introduced later this month include offering one free refill of hot or iced coffee for customers who buy a drink to consume on the premises.
Starbucks has been trying to boost flagging sales as it grappled with a backlash to price increases and boycotts sparked by the Israel-Gaza war.
Brian Niccol, who previously headed the Mexican food chain Chipotle, was brought into Starbucks last year to help turn the business around.
Mr Niccol has been trying to improve the customer experience at Starbucks’ cafes by revamping its menus and coffee shops.
Starbucks said the policy change only applied to North America and not its UK stores.
However, it has not yet responded to requests for comment on the details of its UK policy.
Entertainment
A Turkish film and TV star’s guide to Antalya, Turkey
Actor Ekin Koç called seaside Antalya home before conquering the world of Turkish film. Here are his picks, from hiking the Lycian Road to catching a concert at the Aspendos Theatre.
Though its name may be less familiar to overseas travellers than Istanbul, the Turkish resort city of Antalya is no stranger to visitors. Founded by the Ancient Greeks as Attalia in the 2nd Century BCE, Antalya has since been occupied by the Romans, the Seljuk Sultanate and the Ottomans; even withstanding a brief Italian occupation after World War One before Turkey claimed independence. Today, Antalya – the crowning jewel of the Turkish Riviera and, along with Istanbul, one of the world’s most visited cities in 2023 – attracts both families and A-list celebrities with its 2,000-year-old Old Town and stunning turquoise waters.
Sometimes, the celebrity strolling Antalya’s spectacular seashore is actually a native. We caught up with Antalya-born film star Ekin Koç (best known to English-speaking audiences as Turkish business advisor Kadir in HBO’s Succession) to get his take on his beautiful hometown, studded by the Taurus mountains and cradled by the Mediterranean sea.
“If you’re from Antalya, you have a special connection with the sea,” says Koç. “The sea is everywhere. We eat from the sea, we swim, we sit next to the sea. I’ve always loved being in connection with the sea.”
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