DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The world’s second Sphere is planned to be built in the capital of the United Arab Emirates after the opening of the first giant dome entertainment complex in Las Vegas.

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism and Sphere Entertainment Co. announced the plan late Tuesday to bring a Sphere to the Middle East.

Under the deal, Abu Dhabi will pay a franchise fee to Sphere Entertainment to build the second location using its designs. Abu Dhabi’s government will pay to build the structure, as well as annual fees to Sphere Entertainment “for creative and artistic content.”

The announcement offered no financing information, nor did it say where the Sphere would be built in the Emirati capital. Abu Dhabi’s government did not immediately respond to questions about the project Wednesday. Sphere declined to comment beyond the initial announcement.

The massive $2.3 billion Las Vegas Sphere opened in 2023 as the gambling capital’s most expensive entertainment venue. A high-resolution LED screen wraps halfway around the 17,500-seat audience. It has hosted concerts and sporting events inside the world’s largest spherical structure standing at 366 feet (111 meters) tall and 516 feet (157 meters) wide.

However, efforts to build a second Sphere abroad have been choppy. London Mayor Sadiq Khan rejected a plan to build one in the city’s east over multiple concerns last year, including light pollution.

Abu Dhabi has been trying to differentiate itself as a travel destination from neighboring Dubai in the UAE, an energy-rich federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula.

The UAE is also preparing to open the first casino in the country. While the only one currently under construction is in the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, other sheikhdoms in the country are believed to be actively considering having their own.

Sphere is the brainchild of James Dolan, the executive chair of Madison Square Garden and the owner of the New York Knicks and Rangers.

Stock in Sphere closed more than 6% higher Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange to $48.91 a share. That’s a major boost after Benchmark last month downgraded Sphere Entertainment to “sell” over “concerns over the Sphere’s “scalability, high production costs and a potentially underwhelming profitability outlook.”

Meanwhile, some projects in the UAE have failed to be built or been delayed for years after being announced in economic downturns.

Trademark filings show Sphere Entertainment Co. trademark filings made as well in Japan, Oman and Qatar, though there’s no announced plans for similar venues. Companies often protectively trademark their names in other markets without necessarily having business there.

Sony announced in January that it planned to create a movie adaptation of its 2015 PlayStation game Until Dawn and the project is moving quickly through production. Earlier this month, director David F. Sandberg posted on Instagram that the film had wrapped shooting, and today Sony production house Screen Gems announced that the movie’s release date will be April 25, 2025.

Until Dawn became a cult favorite among the horror game fans, with a branching narrative that offers dozens of different endings based on a player’s choices. If you haven’t had a chance to experience the original Supermassive Games title yet, the game recently received a timely spooky season from Ballistic Moon. One of the big questions around creating a film from the game source is which of the many possible outcomes will the team choose for the plot? And the other big question is whether Until Dawn will follow in the footsteps of successful game adaptations like or be an absolute trainwreck like ?

So far, the signs seem promising. Director Sandberg has a solid track record in horror with Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation. The final script was written by Gary Dauberman, who worked with Sandberg on Annabelle: Creation as well as penning words for other Annabelle movies, It (2017), It Chapter Two and The Nun.

The game had some notable actors involved, including Hayden Panetierre and Rami Malek. For the movie, Screen Gems tapped a cast including Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Odessa A’zion and Maia Mitchell. Peter Stormare will also reprise his role of Dr. Hill in the film version.

NOTE: The following article contains disturbing content. Please read at your own discretion.

Sean “Diddy” Combs has again been hit with a slew of new lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault, including one claim alleging the hip-hop mogul molested a 16-year-old boy.

Combs, who has already been named in more than a dozen sexual assault lawsuits, was sued by six more people in Manhattan on Monday. The new filings claim Combs was abusive to the victims, who have not been named publicly, at various parties and industry events from 1995 to 2021.

Two of the six lawsuits centre around various “white parties” thrown by Combs, where guests dressed in all white clothing to celebrate the Fourth of July or Labour Day weekend at his home in the Hamptons.

One accuser said he was 16 at the time of a 1998 party, where Combs allegedly asked him to remove his pants and proceeded to touch the victim sexually, the Washington Post reported.

Combs told the teenager such conduct was a rite of passage for anyone attempting to break into the music industry, the filing states. The man, identified only as John Doe, said he complied out of fear and a hope Combs would help him secure a successful future.

The second White Party allegation comes from a man who said he was hired as security for the event in 2006. The anonymous accuser alleged he was served a drink laced with narcotics. While he was “extremely ill,” the man said Combs raped him in an open van.

In a statement, Combs’ lawyers denied any wrongdoing and said all of the lawsuits are “clear attempts to garner publicity.”

“In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone—adult or minor, man or woman,” his lawyers wrote.

The I’ll Be Missing You rapper is expected to be named in more than 100 additional lawsuits, according to lawyers who said their clients’ allegations range from sexual assault and rape to sex trafficking and violent behaviour. The latest lawsuits come from this same pool of filings, led by Texas-based lawyer Tony Buzbee.

Combs, his various business enterprises, the department store Macy’s and the hotel chain Marriott were named as co-defendants in the six new lawsuits.

One accuser said she was raped by Combs in 2004 after while filming the reality TV show Making the Band. She said Combs invited her and a friend to an “exclusive” after-party at a Marriott hotel. Upon their arrival, the lawsuit claims one of Combs’ staffers told the two women, “You know what you are here for.”

The unnamed woman said she was 19 when Combs “fondled, molested and ultimately raped” her in the hotel room.

Another accuser said Combs sexually assaulted him at Manhattan’s Macy’s flagship store in 2008. According to the lawsuit, Combs was there to promote his clothing line, Sean John, when he cornered the John Doe in the stockroom with three of his bodyguards in tow. The man, who worked for a rival fashion brand, said Combs forced him to perform oral sex as his staffers watched.

Combs allegedly threatened the man’s life if he were to tell anyone about the assault, the filing states. Other accusers said the same, claiming Combs threatened them.

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The fifth lawsuit sees a woman accuse Combs of becoming physically violent and raping her at a party celebrating the release of Notorious B.I.G.’s One More Chance music video at Elks Plaza in New York City in 1995.

Most recently, one accuser said he believed he was served a laced drink at a party thrown by Combs in 2021. The man, who said he is a consultant working in the music industry, alleged Combs brought him to a backroom and raped him while he was impaired.

Combs has also denied the racketeering, sex trafficking and prostitution charges against him in an ongoing federal investigation.

Last week, the rapper and his lawyers accused federal authorities of leaking the video of Combs’ physical assault against his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, among other information, to the press in an alleged attempt to deprive Combs of a fair jury trial.

Combs is still in custody and has repeatedly been denied bail. He was arrested last month.

Two judges have concluded that Combs would be a danger to the community if he is released. On Friday, an appeals court judge denied Combs’ immediate release from jail while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs his bail request. One judge deemed Combs a “serious flight risk.”

He is scheduled to stand trial on the federal charges on May 5.

— With files from The Associated Press

—

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.

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Zoe Saldaña, known for her roles in “Avatar” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” stars in and executive produces season two of “Special Ops: Lioness” on Paramount+. 

The series follows undercover CIA operatives working to assassinate terrorists. Saldaña returns as Joe, a tough CIA operative. She said there was more fighting a lot more physical scenes in season two. 

Saldaña credits the show’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, with knowing her background as a dancer and stunt performer.

“I like surprising myself. I like taking myself to these extremes to see if I can pull them off,” she said.

One of the key moments in the new season involves her character, asking a potential recruit, “Do you love your country?” The weight of that question, Saldaña explained, goes beyond just words. 

“I think it’s understanding the sacrifices that you have to make when you give your oath to a nation,” she said. “Knowing that at any moment, you’re going to be expected to do everything in your capabilities to keep the nation safe. By saying the nation, you’re talking about people.”

For Saldaña, this season brings an added complexity to Joe’s character, as she struggles to balance her duty with being a mother.

“Now that she’s older, it’s entertaining a level of fear that she never had. You know, when you’re young, you’re absolutely fearless,” Saldaña said. “The moment you get older, and like, you have children, you begin to accept your own mortality, you feel your mortality. And I think that’s where Joe is.”

Saldaña also said she connects with Joe’s journey on a personal level, especially when it comes to being underestimated. 

“I’m here today because of that. I rise, and I feel that it is innate in me to give 120%—not for others. You have to live for yourself first, and then, in turn, you’re living for others,” she said.

Season 2 of Special Ops: Lioness premieres on Oct. 27 on Paramount+.

NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was hit Monday with a new wave of lawsuits accusing him of raping women, sexually assaulting men and molesting a 16-year-old boy. It is the first time he’s been sued by a person alleging they were abused as a minor.

At least six lawsuits were filed against Combs in federal court in Manhattan, adding to a growing list of legal claims against the indicted hip-hop mogul, all of which he has denied. The lawsuits were filed anonymously to protect the identities of the accusers, two by women identified as Jane Does and four by men identified as John Does.

Some of the Does, echoing others who’ve accused Combs in recent months, allege that he used his fame and the promise of potential stardom to entice victims to lavish parties or drug-fueled hangouts where he then assaulted them. Some allege that he beat or drugged them. Others say he threatened to kill them if they didn’t do as he pleased or if they spoke out against him.

The lawsuits describe alleged assaults dating to the mid-1990s, including at Combs’ celebrity-studded white parties in Long Island’s Hamptons, at a party in Brooklyn celebrating Combs’ then-collaborator Biggie Smalls, and even in the storeroom at Macy’s flagship department store in midtown Manhattan.

The plaintiffs in Monday’s lawsuits are part of what their lawyers say is a group of more than 100 accusers who are in the process of taking legal action against Combs following his Sept. 16 federal sex trafficking arrest. Plaintiffs’ lawyer Tony Buzbee announced the planned litigation at an Oct. 1 news conference and posted a 1-800 number for accusers to call.

In a statement, Combs’ lawyers slammed those tactics as “clear attempts to garner publicity,” and said the rapper and his legal team “have full confidence in the facts, their legal defenses, and the integrity of the judicial process. In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone—adult or minor, man or woman.”

Combs, 54, has pleaded not guilty in his criminal case, which involves allegations he coerced and abused women for years with help from a network of associates and employees while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.

Twice denied bail, the Bad Boy Records founder remains locked up at a Brooklyn federal jail while awaiting trial in May. Two judges have concluded that Combs would be a danger to the community if he is released. On Friday, an appeals court judge denied Combs’ immediate release from jail while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs his bail request.

Before Monday’s raft of lawsuits, all of the accusers suing Combs had been adults at the time of their alleged abuse, although a Chicago record producer claimed in a February suit that he had “irrefutable evidence” of Combs sexually abusing minors.

In a lawsuit Monday, a John Doe alleged that Combs fondled his genitals when he was 16 at one of Combs’ white parties in 1998. The man, who now lives in North Carolina, alleges that Combs told him he had “the look” of a star and then abruptly ordered the then-teen to drop his pants.

According to the man’s lawsuit, Combs explained to him that it was a rite of passage to becoming a music star, at one point asking him: “Don’t you want to break into the business?” The man said he complied out of fear, anxiety and a power imbalance he felt with Combs, only realizing later that what he says happened was sexual assault.

Other lawsuits filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan include allegations of rape, forced oral sex and drugging to incapacitate victims.

One of the Jane Does alleges Combs raped her in a locked hotel room in 2004 after he invited her and a friend there for a party, gave them drinks and told them to snort cocaine. The woman, then a college freshman, alleges Combs also forced her friend to perform oral sex on him and threatened their lives if they didn’t comply.

Another Jane Doe alleged Combs violently attacked and raped her in a bathroom in 1995 at a party in Brooklyn for Smalls’ music video, “One More Chance.” Smalls, also known as the Notorious B.I.G., was killed two years later in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.

According to the woman, Combs brought her into the bathroom to talk privately and started kissing her unexpectedly. When she tried pulling away, she alleges, he slammed her head against the wall, causing her to fall to the floor. She said she tried to escape, but Combs hit her again and raped her.

Afterward, according to the woman, Combs nonchalantly adjusted his clothing and told her: “You better not tell anyone about this, or you will disappear.”

The other John Doe lawsuits allege: Combs sexually assaulted a security guard at a 2006 white party after giving him a drugged beverage; forced a man working for a rival fashion brand to perform oral sex on him in the Macy’s stockroom in 2008; and sexually assaulted a man at a party in October 2021.

The latter man, who suspects a drugged beverage left him unable to fight back, recalls multiple men assaulting him and distinctly recalls seeing Combs above him, naked, at one point during the assault, his lawsuit said.

___

Associated Press journalists Andrew Dalton and Jonathan Landrum Jr. in Los Angeles contributed to this report. ___

This story has been corrected to show that the party celebrating Biggie Smalls was in 1995, not 2005, according to a lawsuit filed Monday.

Sean “Diddy” Combs faces 6 new sexual assault lawsuits

NEW YORK – Sean “Diddy” Combs is accused of raping women, sexually assaulting men and molesting a 16-year-old boy in a new wave of lawsuits filed in New York. 

At least six lawsuits were filed against the hip-hop mogul in federal court in Manhattan on Monday. They were filed anonymously, two by women identified as Jane Does and four by men identified as John Does.

The accusers are part of what their lawyers say is a group of more than 100 alleged victims who are in the process of taking legal action against Combs in the wake of his sex trafficking arrest last month.

Man claims Diddy molested him when he was 16

One of the John Does, a man living in North Carolina, alleges that Combs fondled his genitals when he was 16 at one of the rapper’s famous white parties in Long Island’s Hamptons in 1998.

The man alleges that during a conversation about possibly breaking into the music industry, Combs abruptly ordered the then-teen to drop his pants.

According to the man’s lawsuit, Combs explained to him that it was a rite of passage to becoming a music star, at one point asking the then-teen: “Don’t you want to break into the business?”

The man said he complied out of fear, anxiety and power imbalance he felt with Combs, only realizing later that what had happened was sexual assault.

Until Monday’s lawsuit, Combs had only been accused in civil cases and his criminal indictment of sexual activity with adults.

Combs’ lawyers released a statement Monday evening calling the recent filings “clear attempts to garner publicity.”

“Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defenses, and the integrity of the judicial process.  In court, the truth will prevail:  that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone—adult or minor, man or woman,” the statement said.

Combs has pleaded not guilty

Combs, 54, has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges alleging he coerced and abused women for years with help from a network of associates and employees while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.

Combs’ lawyers have been trying unsuccessfully to get the Bad Boy Records founder freed on bail. He has been held at a federal jail in Brooklyn since his Sept. 16 arrest.

Two judges have concluded that Combs would be a danger to the community if he is released from the Metropolitan Detention Center, a facility that has been plagued by violence and dysfunction for years. At a bail hearing three weeks ago, a judge rejected a $50 million bail package, including home detention and electronic monitoring, after concluding that Combs was a threat to tamper with witnesses and obstruct a continuing investigation.

On Friday, an appeals court judge denied Combs’ immediate release from jail while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs his bail request.

“You better not tell anyone about this”

The other lawsuits filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan include allegations of rape, forced oral sex and drugging to incapacitate victims.

One of the Jane Does suing Combs alleges he raped her in a locked hotel room in 2004 after he invited her and a friend there for a party, gave them drinks and told them to snort cocaine.

The woman, a college freshman at the time, alleges Combs also forced her friend to perform oral sex on him and said he would have them both killed if they didn’t comply with his demands.

The other Jane Doe alleges Combs violently attacked and raped her in a bathroom in 2005 at a party for the late rapper Biggie Smalls’ music video, “One More Chance.”

According to the woman, Combs brought her into the bathroom to talk privately and then started kissing her unexpectedly. When she tried to pull away, she alleges, he slammed her head against the wall, causing her to fall to the floor. The woman said she tried to escape, but Combs hit her again and raped her.

Afterward, according to the woman, Combs nonchalantly adjusted his clothing and told her: “You better not tell anyone about this, or you will disappear.”

In another John Doe lawsuit, a man working as a security guard at Combs’ Hamptons white party in 2006 alleges the star gave him an alcoholic beverage that he came to believe was laced with a drug that made him feel extremely ill. The man alleges that Combs then pushed him into a van, held him down and sexually assaulted him.

In the other lawsuits filed Monday, Combs is accused of forcing a man to perform oral sex on him in the stockroom of Macy’s flagship store in Manhattan’s Herald Square in 2008 and sexually assaulting a man at a party in October 2021. The latter man, who suspects a drugged beverage left him unable to fight back, recalls multiple men assaulting him and distinctly recalls seeing Combs above him, naked, at one point during the assault, his lawsuit said.

“The press conference and 1-800 number that preceded today’s barrage of filings were clear attempts to garner publicity. Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defenses, and the integrity of the judicial process.  In court, the truth will prevail:  that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone—adult or minor, man or woman,” Combs’ attorneys said in a statement. 

Travis Kelce adds game show host to his growing resume with “Are You Smarter than a Celebrity?” and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Warriors,” a musical concept album inspired by the 1979 cult classic film, 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: Anna Kendrick stars in a movie about the time a serial killer made his way onto the television show “The Dating Game,” Nintendo fans get Super Mario Party Jamboree and “NCIS” looks back at character Leroy Jethro Gibbs in “NCIS: Origins,” a series set 25 years before the original.

— In 1978, a serial killer made his way onto the television show “The Dating Game.” Rodney Alcala was already a murderer by the time he appeared on the show as one of three bachelors seeking a date with a woman named Cheryl Bradshaw. He even won. Had they done a background check, they might have discovered that he’d been on the FBI’s 10 most wanted fugitives list and already been imprisoned for violent crimes against an 8-year-old. In the new Netflix film “Woman of the Hour,” streaming on Friday, Oct. 18, Anna Kendrick (also making her directorial debut) stars as the woman on the show (spelled Sheryl here) and puts the attention back on the victims. “Woman of the Hour” received good reviews out of the Toronto Film Festival last year.

— If fake serial killers are more your style, “MaXXXine” starts streaming on MAX on Friday, Oct. 18. The third film in Ti West and Mia Goth’s unlikely trilogy (following “X” and “Pearl”) takes the audience to the sleazy underground of 1980s Hollywood. Goth’s Maxine Minx is an adult film star hoping for a big break in mainstream movies. She gets a shot from Elizabeth Debicki’s refined director. But she’s also running from her past and a killer terrorizing the town. It’s very stylized and a little silly and underdeveloped but it’s a fun watch with a fun, extended Lily Collins cameo.

— And for those looking for a comedy, Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage play brothers, and former partners in crime in a starry new movie coming to Prime Video on Thursday. Brolin is the one trying for a more normal life when Dinklage convinces him to embark on a road trip to a promised big score. “Brothers,” directed by Max Barbakow (who made the delightful time loop romantic comedy “Palm Springs”) also features Marisa Tomei, Glenn Close, Brendan Fraser and Taylour Paige in its big ensemble.

— AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr

— On Friday, Oct. 18, Lin-Manuel Miranda — in his first full post-“Hamilton” musical — and the award-winning actor and playwright Eisa Davis will release “Warriors,” a musical concept album inspired by the 1979 cult classic film that follows a street gang as they make their way from the Bronx to their home turf of Coney Island amid an all-out blitz. There are some notable departures here, including some gender-flipping and inventive genre-melding, no doubt an extension of its all-star cast, which features everyone from Ms. Lauryn Hill and Marc Anthony to Colman Domingo, Busta Rhymes and more. Last month, the duo told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview that their version of “Warriors” is about unity and peace. But it sounds full of action.

— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman

— Austin Stowell plays a younger version of Mark Harmon’s “NCIS” character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs in “NCIS: Origins,” a series set 25 years before the original. We meet this Gibbs as he’s beginning his career as a naval investigator. “NCIS: Origins” debuts Monday on CBS and streams on Paramount+.

— A new Peacock docuseries digs into the wild but true story of Elizabeth Finch, a former writer on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” Finch wrote storylines she claimed were inspired by her own life and medical history, including a battle with bone cancer. She later admitted to lying. The three-part docuseries also tells the story of Finch’s ex-wife, who was the one to expose her deceit in the first place. “Anatomy of Lies” streams Tuesday on Peacock.

— Travis Kelce adds game show host to his growing resume. The Kansas City Chiefs tight-end hosts “Are You Smarter than a Celebrity?” beginning Wednesday on Prime Video. On the show, adult contestants answer elementary grade questions with a pool of celebrities on standby ready to help.

— In the Apple TV+’s dramedy “Shrinking,” Jason Segel plays Jimmy, a therapist grieving the death of his wife and trying to navigate being a single parent to a teen daughter. In season one, he begins to give his patients unorthodox advice, like inviting one (Luke Tennie) to move into his home. We also saw a new kind of family blossom between Jimmy, his colleagues (Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams), and neighbor (Christa Miller). Season two of the heartwarming comedy premieres Wednesday on the streamer.

— In season three of Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer,” Mickey Haller is rocked by the murder of his former client Gloria Days (Fiona Rene), but he also agrees to defend the man accused of killing her. The story is based on No. 5 of Michael Connelly’s The Lincoln Lawyer book series called “The Gods of Guilt.” It premieres Thursday on Netflix.

— The “Sheldon-verse” continues with “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” debuting Thursday on CBS. The series stars Montana Jordan as Sheldon’s older brother George “Georgie” Cooper and his new bride Mandy, played by Emily Osment. It’s a sequel to “Young Sheldon” which wrapped last May after seven seasons. Episodes also stream on Paramount+.

— “Hysteria!”, coming to Peacock on Friday, Oct. 18, follows members of a high school band who pretend to be in a Satanic cult for attention. Their plan falls apart when town members target the teens in a witch hunt. The series stars Julie Bowen of “Modern Family” and “Evil Dead” star Bruce Campbell.

— Alicia Rancilio

— Holiday season is almost here, and for Nintendo fans, there’s no party like a Mario Party. Super Mario Party Jamboree follows the classic formula: It’s a virtual board game in which most of the spaces lead to a multiplayer contest. Up to four people can play in-person or online, though one online mode lets up to 20 compete in a hectic “Koopathlon.” There are 22 characters, seven different boards and more than 110 minigames covering the gamut of Mario Party silliness, from races to brawls to minigolf. And there are few cooperative challenges, like a cooking game where four chefs try to slice and dice in rhythm. The festivities start Thursday on Switch.

— Barcelona-based Nomada Studio gained plenty of fans and a handful of awards with 2018’s stylish Gris, a haunting tale in which a young girl worked through grief by solving puzzles and collecting stars. The indie developer’s Neva starts in a similarly gloomy place: A warrior named Alba sets out with a white wolf, Neva, to explore a dying world. Nomada calls it “a love song dedicated to our children, our parents and our planet,” and the arresting, painterly landscapes will look familiar to fans of Gris. The journey begins Tuesday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch and PC.

— Lou Kesten

The Terrifier franchise, with its distinctively horrifying antagonist Art the Clown, is having a bit of a moment right now. Coinciding with Terrifier 3’s wildly successful opening weekend — the indie horror movie reportedly pulled in — game publisher has announced that a Terrifier video game is in the works and will be released next year. Terrifier: The ARTcade Game is being developed by indie studio and styled after a classic beat ‘em up. The teaser shows it to be a fitting combination of gory and goofy, with colorful pixel art and tons of over-the-top blood spatter.

According to the listing, you’ll get to play as Art the Clown and “unleash chaos” on several movie sets where films about him are being produced. There will also be local multiplayer modes. Terrifier: The ARTcade Game will be available for PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch and Xbox when it’s released in 2025.

Canadian comedian and former talk show host Mike Bullard has died at age 67. His family confirmed to Global News that Bullard was found dead of a suspected heart attack.

Bullard got his start in comedy doing live standup at comedy clubs across Ontario, before moving to television on the back of his success with standup.

He shot to prominence in 1997 as the host of the late night talk show ‘Open Mike With Mike Bullard’ on CTV, which he hosted until 2003 when he was hired away by Global Television to host ‘The Mike Bullard Show.’ That program lasted 13 weeks.

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After his television show was cancelled, Bullard turned to radio. After a few cancelled shows and a brief return to TV, he found success as the host of ‘Beyond The Mic with Mike Bullard’ on Newstalk 1010 in Toronto, where he stayed from 2010 to 2016.

He departed Newstalk 1010 after he was charged with criminal harassment of a former romantic partner. In 2018, Bullard pleaded guilty to one count of harassing communication.

During his career Bullard won two Gemini awards for his show ‘Open Mike With Mike Bullard.’ In 2013, he received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for his volunteer work. In 2022, Bullard travelled to Ukraine to volunteer with humanitarian organizations in the country following Russia’s invasion.

&copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Another week, another series of sexual assault-related bombshells from the world of music. First, Diddy.

The firehose of stories about Sean (Diddy) Combs and his “freak off parties” involve everything from alleged sexual assault and sex trafficking to kidnapping, weapons charges, drug use and arson. The memes involving the more than 1,000 bottles of lube and baby oil (allegedly laced with the party drug GHB) are everywhere, as are those featuring Los Angeles police standing next to a seized barrel filled with 750 dildos.

Every day brings more reporting on the A-listers some speculate may have been involved, what some have alleged to have done, the payoffs and cover-ups, the conspiracy theories, and the allegations brought forth by more than 100 complainants.

Diddy’s alleged behaviours are said to be decades old. He sits in a Brooklyn detention centre awaiting trial (probably in April or May), isolated from other inmates for his own safety. Meanwhile, there’s Jeffrey Epstein-level worry about who and what Diddy knows.

Then there’s the case of Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley who, in his new memoir, Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell, alleges that the band’s former manager and producer, Greig Nori, pressured him into non-consensual sexual acts starting when Whibley was just 16. (Nori says these stories are false and has reportedly retained a defamation lawyer.) It’ll be interesting to see how that all plays out.

On Thursday, investigators looking into Marilyn Manson announced that they’re reviewing a ton of new evidence involving sex abuse, rape and torture. This is in addition to all the other allegations that have been thrown his way over the last several years. The new claims come just as Manson is trying to restart his once-cancelled music career.

Meanwhile, there’s the ongoing saga of Jacob Hoggard, the one-time lead singer of Hedley. While he was acquitted of one sexual assault charge earlier this month, there are others. Thursday saw him give up on getting the Supreme Court of Canada to overturn a conviction for assaulting a woman in a Toronto hotel room in 2016. He’s currently serving a five-year sentence for that attack.

The list of “problematic artists” who’ve been accused of abuse and assault goes on: Michael Jackson, R Kelly, Jian Ghomeshi, Win Butler of Arcade Fire, producer Dr. Luke, Diplo, Gary Glitter, the horrific pedophiliac crimes of Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins, Chris Brown, Kodak Black, Sean Kingston and British rapper Slowthai.

It’s a lot to take in and each week brings more stories. The truth is, though, that these kinds of things have been happening since the dawn of rock ‘n’ roll. Chuck Berry went to jail for statutory rape. Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman with their child brides. David Bowie slept with some of the “Baby Groupies” of L.A. Jimmy Page took a 14-year-old on tour with him.

Back then — a less enlightened time, for sure — people looked the other way. Such behaviours were seen as part of the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, the very thing that attracted millions to the world of music. And before social media, such crimes and indiscretions were easy (well, easier) to cover up.

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So why the flood of stories now? A couple of reasons.

The MeToo movement began in 2006 when Tarana Burke, a survivor of sexual assault, began using the phrase on MySpace as a way to encourage victims to speak up. The hashtag #MeToo first appeared on social media in 2017, drawing more attention to the problem. The result has been a groundswell of empathy, empowerment and solidarity by and for sexual assault victims. Knowing that there’s this kind of belief and support out there makes it more likely for victims to come forward. And they have, some publicly, some anonymously.

Another reason for people choosing to come forward now has to do with organizations such as RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) stepping up to help with education, support and a friendly ear. If you’re believed and supported, you’re more willing to confide in someone.

Then there are several laws that have come into effect over the last couple of years. In New York state, there’s the Adult Survivor Act, which opened a one-time window for older sexual assault victims. It was under this law that E. Jean Carroll was able to successfully sue Donald Trump for sexual assault. That one law opened the doors for at least 2,500 people to seek justice, including cases that were opened against Diddy and Russell Brand. California has something similar, but it limits the window to file a charge to three years and only applies to alleged crimes that happened after Jan. 1, 2009.

There’s the ubiquity of smartphones. Privacy and secrecy can disappear in an instant. Distribution of incriminating evidence can be done in seconds. Some people were late to that realization and are now being exposed by video, photos and audio that they didn’t know existed.

To be sure, the music industry is long overdue for a thorough #MeToo reckoning. Society’s tolerance for bad and illegal behaviour has changed drastically. The more stories that are exposed, the more people will come forward.

We’re in for some interesting times.

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If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.

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