The line-up for Avengers: Doomsday is perhaps the most stacked of any movie this decade, with seemingly everyone from the MCU’s past making an appearance. Even Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the franchise, although this time the Academy Award winner won’t be donning his Iron Man costume, instead controversially starring as the villainous Doctor Doom. The cast also includes Vanessa Kirby, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach‘s new Fantastic Four, as well as Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Tom Hiddleston, Florence Pugh, and many more.

Although almost every beloved MCU face will appear, one man currently not confirmed for the future of the franchise is Dave Bautista, known for his role as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy. Bautista has admitted the character is “completely closed” to him, hence his name missing from the Doomsday team sheet. However, he admitted he didn’t rule out an appearance in the blockbuster in some other capacity, saying in an interview, “I do wanna be in that world, I’m a fan of that world, I’m a fan of comic books and the whole universe.”

He continued, “Marvel, DC, I just wanna be in it. I made that known to James, I made that known to the [Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars directors] Russo brothers. Personally, I talked to them, all of them, and told them, ‘Don’t count me out. If there’s a character that I’d be right for and that you want me for, man, I’d be totally open-minded to it.’ It’s just the Drax character ran its course.” If you’re missing your Bautista fix ahead of Doomsday, fear not, as one of his more recent projects is a sleeper streaming hit right now.

Which Bautista Movie Is Currently a Streaming Hit?

The movie in question is the sci-fi action Western, Afterburn, released by Amazon MGM Studios, which made its debut in September 2025. Attempting to capture the same post-apocalyptic chaos of Mad Max, the film failed spectacularly, earning just a few million dollars at the box office against a reported $60 million budget. Thankfully, Bautista made up for the miss just a few months later, taking Prime Video subscribers by surprise with the quietly brilliant crime thriller The Wrecking Crew, also starring Jason Momoa. At the time of writing, Afterburn is one of the ten most-streamed movies on MGM+ in the U.S.

Afterburn is streaming now. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.

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Release Date

September 19, 2025

Director

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J.J. Perry

Writers

Tommy Wirkola, Matt Johnson

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Producers

Neal H. Moritz, Steve Richards, Toby Jaffe

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Steven Spielberg fans are charging back to theaters around the world to see his latest sci-fi blockbuster, Disclosure Day, which features some big stars like Emily Blunt and Colman Domingo. The film opened in theaters last weekend, grossing only $90 million during its first few days at the box office, but it has a long way to go considering it carries a $165 million budget. Spielberg has been on a bit of a hiatus from the sci-fi genre, with his last two feature films — West Side Story and The Fabelmans — going in a much different direction. Spielberg is known as one of the directors that both revolutionized the sci-fi genre and made it relevant, and although he’s now almost 80 years old, it appears he still has a few more films left in him.

Spielberg’s last sci-fi movie before the release of Disclosure Day was Ready Player One, which took itself much less seriously than his new alien invasion thriller. Make no mistake: this isn’t an insult — Ready Player One is, without question, one of the most fun movies Steven Spielberg has ever directed, even if it isn’t without its flaws. Eight years removed from the worldwide premiere of Ready Player One, the film is now streaming on HBO Max in America, and it’s also quietly become one of the top 10 most-watched titles on VOD platforms around the world such as Prime Video and Apple TV. Spielberg recruited Tye Sheridan and Olivia Cooke to star in Ready Player One, along with Ben Mendelsohn and T.J. Miller. Cooke is now best known for her role as Alicent Hightower in the HBO original fantasy series, House of the Dragon.

What Is ‘Ready Player One’ About?

A condensed synopsis for Ready Player One, which also stars Mark Rylance, reads as follows:

“In 2045, the real world is a bleak wasteland, and most of humanity escapes into the OASIS — a vast virtual universe. When its visionary creator dies, he leaves behind a series of hidden challenges, and teenager Wade Watts joins a global race to find the ultimate Easter egg that grants total control of the OASIS.”

One of the aspects of Ready Player One that was criticized the most was the intense amount of pop-culture references. Parts of the film felt like Space Jam 2, where it was more of an advertisement for other Warner Bros. properties than anything else.

Check out Ready Player One on HBO Max and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Disclosure Day, Steven Spielberg’s new sci-fi movie.

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Release Date

March 29, 2018

Runtime

140 minutes

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Writers

Zak Penn, Ernest Cline

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• 
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  Tye Sheridan

  Parzival / Wade

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The person living in the home the late Anne Heche crashed into days before her 2022 death is reportedly denying claims she reached a multi-million dollar settlement with the late actor’s son.

According to court documents obtained by TMZ and outlined in a Friday, June 19, report, Lynne Mishele — who rents the Los Angeles home and was living in the residence on August 5, 2022, when Heche crashed her Mini Cooper into the house, causing a fire — claims she has not reached a “tentative settlement” with Heche’s son and administrator of her estate, Homer Laffoon, for damages and emotional distress.

In November 2025, Us Weekly exclusively reported that Laffoon filed court docs requesting six months to legally wrap everything up regarding his mother’s crash.

“The relatively unusual circumstances of [Heche’s] passing (a vehicle crash into a home) and the resulting potential litigation required [Lafoon] to devote a substantial amount of time to evaluating claims and negotiating a potential settlement to move the administration forward,” Laffoon’s lawyer wrote in the report.

Related: Anne Heche’s Son Reaches Deal With Creditors Demanding $6M Over Crash

Anne Heche’s family negotiated a “tentative agreement” over claims against the late actress’ estate over her fatal car crash, Us Weekly can exclusively report. On Monday, November 3, Heche’s son Homer Laffoon, who is the administrator of her estate, filed court docs asking for six months to wrap up everything. In his report, Laffoon’s lawyer […]

The attorney added that Laffoon “has secured a tentative agreement that will need Court approval, once finalized. [Lafoon] is cautiously optimistic that the creditor claims can all be resolved without litigation.”

In her new filing, Mishele reportedly admits that while an agreement was discussed with Lafoon’s team, she claims she “needs to see a complete accounting of Anne’s estate before agreeing to any deal,” per TMZ.

According to Mishele, she has not received any accounting information from Heche’s estate “even though [Heche] passed away nearly four years ago.”

Laffoon was left in charge of his mother’s estate and finances after she died on August 11, 2022, from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries sustained from the fiery car crash days prior. She was 53. (The actress was kept on life support until August 14, 2022, when she was matched with various organ recipients for organ donation.)

A final autopsy and toxicology report produced by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner revealed that the actress had cocaine but no alcohol in her system at the time of the fatal crash.

In the 2025 filing, Laffoon revealed that his mother’s estate received three claims filed against it over his mother’s crash — two by homeowners and one by the renter. Each claim filed over the incident seeks $2 million in damages and distress. Another creditor claim was filed by Heche’s ex, actor Thomas Jane, who claimed she owed him $157,000 on a 2022 loan.

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Related: Breaking Down Anne Heche’s Assets and Finances After Her Tragic Death

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As Anne Heche’s loved ones continue to grieve the actress’ death, some family members have been put in charge of handling her finances. In November 2022, Heche’s eldest son, Homer Laffoon, was named the general administrator of her estate. As a result, the then 20-year-old — whom Heche shared with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon — was […]

In response, Laffoon claimed he submitted “the appropriate paperwork with SAG-AFTRA to take possession of royalty payments made to [Heche] or her business entities for her prior works in the entertainment industry.”

Heche’s son further claimed that her estate is “insolvent,” made of only modest assets left behind totaling $200,000.

Laffoon and his half-brother, Atlas Tupper, are the only two beneficiaries of the estate. Tupper’s dad, James Tupper, initially opposed Laffoon taking over as administrator of Heche’s estate. Heche’s ex claimed the actress sent him an email that appointed him as administrator. Laffoon objected to the email being enforceable. The judge ended up siding with Laffoon and giving him control of Heche’s estate.

Celebrity hair colorist Jack Martin is mourning the death of his wife of more than three decades.

“Last night, my world changed forever. My beloved wife, Dalia, took her last breath, and with her, a part of my heart left this world as well,” Martin wrote via Facebook on Thursday, June 18, announcing Dalia’s death. “How do I put into words what you meant to me? How do I summarize a love that took a lifetime to build? You were not just my wife. You were my safe place, my peace, my comfort, my closest friend, and the greatest love I have ever known.”

Martin was married to Dalia for more than 30 years.

“For more than three decades, you walked beside me through every joy, every struggle, every success and every disappointment,” the hairstylist recalled on Thursday. “When life was kind, you celebrated with me. When life was cruel, you carried me. You stood beside me when others disappeared. You believed in me when I doubted myself. You gave me strength when I felt weak and hope when I felt lost.”

Martin continued, “You were the person I wanted to tell everything to. The first face I looked for when something wonderful happened. The arms I wanted around me when life became unbearable. Home was never a place to me. Home was you. You gave me a kind of love that many people spend their entire lives searching for and never find. A love that was patient, loyal, forgiving, and unconditional. You loved me at my best and at my worst. You saw every flaw I had and chose me every single day anyway.”

Dalia died after battling with an undisclosed form of cancer.

“When you became sick, I prayed endlessly for a miracle. Not because I was afraid to be alone, but because I could not imagine a world without your laughter, your voice, your smile, your touch, and the beautiful presence that filled every corner of my life,” Martin wrote of Dalia’s diagnosis. “Watching cancer take pieces of you was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. Yet even in your suffering, your courage amazed me. Even when your body became weak, your spirit remained beautiful.”

According to Martin, his wife was the source of his “strength” throughout her cancer battle.

“I keep thinking about all the little things that made up our life together. The conversations no one else heard, the meals we shared, the quiet moments [and] the routines that seemed ordinary at the time but now feel priceless,” Martin added. “I would give anything to have one more morning with you, one more conversation, one more laugh, one more chance to hold your hand and tell you how deeply I love you.”

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Related: Jill Martin Gets Candid About Battling Cancer and Divorce in Same Year 

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(Phot by Getty) Jill Martin has shared insight into what it was like battling cancer and dealing with a divorce in the same year. The Today contributor said she was “operating with generosity and kindness and trying my best” as she grappled with two major and difficult challenges within a short period of time, speaking […]

He continued, “You were not simply part of my life, you were my life. You gave meaning to my days, purpose to my work, and warmth to my soul. Every achievement I celebrated felt sweeter because you were beside me. Every hardship felt lighter because we carried it together.”

Martin further stressed that his love for Dalia “did not end” with her death on Wednesday, June 17.

“Death may have taken your hand from mine, but it can never take your place in my heart,” he stated. “It can never erase the life we built, the memories we created, or the love that bound our souls together for so many years. Thank you for every sacrifice you made for me. … You were the greatest blessing God ever gave me. And if there is mercy in this universe, then this goodbye is not forever.”

Katy Perry seemingly had a little fun with her love life while performing at Spain’s O Son do Camino music festival. During a performance of her hit song “Never Really Over,” the singer used a giant prop cellphone as part of the show’s visuals, with several familiar names appearing as incoming callers.

Fan-captured footage showed Perry declining calls from “OB,” widely believed to be ex-fiancé Orlando Bloom, as well as “JM” and “Diplo,” references many fans interpreted as John Mayer and Diplo, two of her former romances.

As the calls flashed across the screen, Perry repeatedly sent them to voicemail while singing lyrics from the breakup anthem. The playful moment quickly caught fans’ attention online, especially given the singer’s recent split from Bloom.

Justin Trudeau Gets A Very Different Response

While Perry appeared eager to reject calls from several former flames, one caller received a much warmer welcome.

The final incoming call displayed the initials “JPJT,” an apparent reference to former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has been romantically linked to the singer in recent months. Unlike the previous callers, Perry repeatedly tapped the accept button as the crowd cheered.

The cheeky on-stage moment comes just days after Perry and Trudeau were photographed enjoying a cozy picnic date in Santa Barbara, where the pair were seen kissing and embracing. Their romance reportedly began earlier this year following Perry’s highly publicized breakup from Bloom.

Perry Says Love Has ‘Transformed’ Her

The concert stunt also comes on the heels of Perry’s recent comments about finding happiness again following her split from Orlando Bloom.

Speaking on the “Unfamous” podcast, the pop star admitted that a new relationship has brought significant changes to her life. “I have love in my life now. That’s transformed me,” Perry said. “You think when The Beatles say, ‘All you need is love,’ it’s a cliché? Clichés are clichés for a reason.”

The singer went on to compare the feeling to becoming a parent, explaining that some experiences are impossible to fully understand until they happen.

Katy Perry Reflects On Painful Split From Orlando Bloom

Although Perry appears to have moved forward, she acknowledged that ending her relationship with Bloom was far from easy. “I don’t typically feel like a victim. You can hear it in my songs [that] I don’t resonate with that, but last year was pretty tough,” she said.

Rather than dwelling on the heartbreak, Perry said she chose to confront the difficult emotions head-on. “It would have been easy for me to fall into that weird victim triangle. So, instead of falling into ‘woe is me,’ I was just like, ‘Let’s just feel this f pain, let’s feel this anger and let’s move on. Let’s learn from it also. Let’s get some feedback from it.’”

The singer also revealed that the experience helped her reevaluate personal boundaries and self-respect. “You know what it is? It’s really boundaries [of] boundaries within yourself, and then when to boil it even further down, it’s just self-respect. It’s just love for yourself,” Perry explained.

Perry And Bloom Share A Daughter

Perry and Bloom first sparked romance rumors in 2016 before briefly separating in 2017. The couple reunited the following year and became engaged on Valentine’s Day in 2019. In August 2020, they welcomed their daughter, Daisy Dove, together. Since then, she has brought her daughter with her on tour, something she called an incredible experience.

“It’s always incredible when I get to bring my daughter to work,” she said. “I think when mothers can be their most supported, authentic selves, that is always a good template for children to model. And I’m just glad to model a strong, steady, intelligent, funny, weird woman for my beautiful daughter.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Perry explained that much of her personal growth has been driven by her desire to set a positive example for her daughter. Reflecting on parenthood, the singer said she believes children often learn most from watching how their parents navigate life.

“I think, as mothers and fathers, we’re just modeling something for our children, and all we can hope for is that they will grow up into better versions of ourselves, and themselves,” Perry shared.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 1 second ago

To some people, The Big Bang Theory was a great show for nerds, but others recognize it as a show that was about nerds, and often, turned their fandom and passion for nerd culture into a punchline. That’s significantly different from what comic artist and author Evan Dorkin did with Eltingville or The Eltingville Club,  which appeared sporadically in different comic collections. Instead of laughing at nerds, it was steeped in nerd culture with jokes for nerds. In 2002, an animated pilot of the first story, “Bring Me The Head Of Boba Fett” aired on Cartoon Network and it sadly, wasn’t picked up for a series, yet we had over a decade of The Big Bang Theory.

Welcome To Eltingville Never Made It Past The Pilot

I remember where I was when I first saw Welcome to Eltingville. It was four years later, in 2006, as Cartoon Network had taken to running the pilot during Adult Swim. My roommates and I were playing the Warlord CCG when the fantasy cartoon on the television started sounding a lot like our Dungeons and Dragon sessions. We stopped, and were enthralled as the opening scene shifted from a fantasy cartoon to an actual basement, with nerds arguing over the semantics of Dungeons and Dragons. If that hasn’t happened to you at least once, you haven’t done table-top roleplaying. 

From there, the episode shifted to a straight adaptation of “Bring Me the Head of Boba Fett,” complete with the sight gag of the only comic store in town being in the worst part of town, because that’s how it was in the 90s. Bill and Josh, two members of the club, notice an unopened Kenner Star Wars Boba Fett figure and immediately, they both want it. The solution? A trivia contest about the nerdiest, most esoteric facets of fandom. Somehow, Evan Dorkin managed to perfectly capture the toxic side of fandom, including gatekeeping, way back in 1995. It’s become worse since then, but there’s something fascinating to those inside the nerd bubble at seeing it play out.

A Series Ahead Of Its Time

Welcome to Eltingville was ahead of its time. In 2002, getting this lost in the weeds of nerd fandom was unheard of outside of fanzine’s and early webcomics. As Dorkin explained years later: “We still hear from folks asking why the pilot never became a series. We don’t know what to tell them, exactly. We never got an official explanation from the network as to why Eltingville didn’t make the grade. We all just knew it wasn’t happening and moved on, and that was the end of the Eltingville Club on television.”

Keep in mind that five years later, Warner Bros. had their most successful sitcom in history with The Big Bang Theory, and yet, no answers as to why the animated Welcome to Eltingville remains a fascinating piece of lost media. Were it to be released today, Welcome to Eltingville would be an immediate hit. Nerd culture has permeated the rest of the culture, especially with the rise of Marvel, so who wouldn’t like a series laughing about it from the inside? 

The complete Elginville comics can be found in Evan Dorkin’s new collection, Nerd Inferno: The Essential Evan Dorkin, which includes Milk & Cheese, and Dork. 

Kat Von D is pushing back after the son of a former landlord publicly accused her of causing a devastating fire that destroyed a historic Hollywood Hills mansion more than a decade ago. Teva Barnea, whose family owned the famed “Hollywood Castle,” recently took to TikTok with a series of allegations aimed at the celebrity tattoo artist, claiming her lifestyle and actions led to the blaze that consumed the property in 2010. The accusations have reignited a years-old dispute over what caused the fire and who was ultimately responsible.

In a TikTok video, Barnea claimed Kat Von D frequently filled the home with candles while renting the property. “I saw the way that she lived, and it was bizarre,” Barnea said. “There were candles everywhere. Candles of all sizes, big, small, wide, every single corner, every mantle, down the steps, along the walls, really everywhere.”

“Shocker, the house burned,” he added. The fire destroyed much of the sprawling Hollywood Hills mansion, killed Von D’s pet cat Valentine, and reportedly wiped out many of her personal belongings.

Longstanding Dispute Over What Caused The Blaze

According to Barnea, insurance investigations conducted after the fire concluded that unattended candles were responsible for igniting the blaze. Von D, however, has long disputed that version of events.

The former “LA Ink” star has consistently maintained that faulty wiring caused the fire and has pointed out that she was not home when it broke out. The dispute eventually resulted in legal action between the parties, with both sides arguing over the source of the devastating fire.

Teva Barnea Claims Fire Contributed To His Mother’s Death

Beyond blaming Von D for the destruction of the property, Barnea also alleged the aftermath of the fire took a significant toll on his late mother, Debra Dresbach.

According to Barnea, the years of litigation, restoration work, and stress surrounding the incident contributed to her declining health before she died from cancer in January 2025 at age 70. He claimed “the stress of the fires and the restoration process and the lawsuit” caused her cancer to return.

Barnea also accused Von D of sending his mother “spiteful, hateful emails” and described the reality television star as “a liar, a narcissist, truly a mean person.”

Following the viral TikTok videos, Von D released a statement of her own on social media, denying Barnea’s accusations. “This week, I’ve been accused of burning down a house and contributing to the death of a woman with cancer,” she said. “Teva is accusing me of burning down his mother’s house because I was lighting candles, which is not true. I wasn’t even in the home when the fire happened. I was on a book tour.”

Barnea Says Documents Support His Claims

After Von D publicly denied responsibility, Barnea posted a second TikTok video in which he claimed to possess official records related to the fire investigation. Holding up what he described as original fire documents, Barnea pointed to one specific conclusion. “No ignition sources other than candles were identified within the fire’s area of origin,” he said.

Neither Barnea’s claims nor the documents he referenced have been independently verified by The Blast.

Despite the devastating fire, the Hollywood Castle has since been restored. Barnea now reportedly lives in the property after inheriting it following his mother’s death.

Teva Barnea Explains Why He’s Speaking Out Now

As the controversy continues to gain attention online, Barnea says the reason he chose to share his family’s story now is that his mother is no longer here to tell it herself. In a new statement to PEOPLE, he explained that he remained quiet for years out of respect for his late mother, Debra Dresbach, who spent years fighting legal battles connected to the fire.

“Well, it wasn’t my story to tell so long as my mom was here, it was hers. And she fought so hard for years, to be my mom while facing the threat of losing everything she worked for. All because the person who negligently left candles burning didn’t want to admit it,” he claims.

Barnea went on to allege that Von D never accepted responsibility for the damage caused by the fire. “If she had it her way, she’d have taken everything from us, and left us with nothing. Not even an ounce of compensation. And certainly not an apology.”

Despite the renewed attention surrounding the years-old dispute, Barnea insisted his decision to speak publicly is about sharing what he believes happened rather than seeking further validation. “I’m telling the story because I believe some stories deserve to be told,” he said. “No need to justify that.”

Tay Keith’s sudden passing left fans, collaborators, and music artists in shock. Following reports of his death, tributes flooded social media, with artists like Sexyy Red, Moneybagg Yo, Gunna, BlocBoy JB, and more reacting to the loss. But in the middle of the emotional messages, reports started circulating that the Memphis producer had an unresolved financial dispute with Sexyy Red prior to his passing.

RELATED: Prayers Up! Memphis Producer Tay Keith Has Reportedly Passed Away At Age 29

Details On Tay Keith’s Reported Lawsuit Against Sexyy Red’s Label

According to TMZ, Tay Keith never fully resolved a legal dispute that he had with Sexyy Red’s Rebel label before his sudden passing. He filed the case over royalties he claimed the label owed him, even though both sides were reportedly working toward a resolution. Court documents obtained by TMZ show Tay filed the lawsuit against Red’s label in March, claiming he produced 13 songs for her in 2024, including her hit ‘Pound Town.’ Tay said the songs brought in millions from sales and streaming, but he never received payment for his work. In the suit, Tay also claimed the label refused to give him an accounting of the revenue from the records, blocking him from collecting his share of his royalties. Additionally, he reportedly asked the court to force the label to turn over financial records, confirm what they owed him, and award damages.

A rep for Tay Keith spoke exclusively with TMZ and clarified that his lawsuit was directed specifically at Red’s label and not at her personally. The rep also shared that they remained friends before his passing and that Tay looked at Red like a sister.

“The dispute is between the parties’ respective labels, and naming Sexyy Red in the lawsuit was a legal formality. Any allegations are directed at the label, not Red personally. Both labels have been cooperating, and the matter is close to being resolved. Tay and Red remained friends and he considered her a sister. They were in the studio together as recently as last week working on new music. We appreciate Red’s sentiments and condolences during this difficult time,” Tay Keith’s rep said in a reported statement.

Sexyy Red’s Label Releases Statement Regarding Dispute With Tay Keith

Following reports of Tay’s lawsuit against Sexyy Red’s Rebel label, attorney Dameka Davis released a statement on behalf of the label, saying that Red was heartbroken over Tay’s passing.

“Sexyy Red is overwhelmed with grief at the devastating loss of her dear friend and artistic collaborator, Tay Keith. Tay was a brilliant artist, and through his close musical partnership with Sexyy, he became a genuine friend to everyone at Rebel. We send our sincerest condolences to Tay Keith’s family and loved ones,” Davis shared in her statement.

Davis also shared that the label was working closely with Tay’s team to finalize a royalty agreement and fully compensate to properly compensate him for his contributions. Furthermore, she noted that they were actually in the final stages of a resolution prior to his death.

“Royalty negotiations are handled by labels — not artists — and I’ve worked closely with the legal counsel and team for Tay Keith to finalize the royalty agreement to fully compensate him for his valuable contributions as a musical collaborator with Sexyy. In fact, we were in the final stages of getting Tay Keith fully compensated before his shocking passing this week. We are expediting the finalization of this work with Tay Keith’s attorney so that full payment can be made to his estate as soon as possible,” Davis added.

Red Honors Tay Keith In Heartfelt Tribute

Despite news of Tay’s financial dispute with her label, she still hopped on Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute along with a collection of photos of them together. She called him her brother and said they made the best duo. “BLOOD IN BLOOD OUT WE BROTHERS BUT NOT RELATED 🩸💔 I LOVE YOU BRUDDAAA @taykeith STILL DA BEST DUO US 5LIFE 🙏🏾🙏🏾”

As The Shade Room previously reported, Tay Keith passed away on Thursday, June 18. The Metro Nashville Police Department found him in his apartment after responding to a welfare check. At this time, officials have not confirmed his cause of death.

RELATED: Gone Too Soon! Sexyy Red, Moneybagg Yo, BlocBoy JB & More Mourn The Loss Of Tay Keith In Emotional Tributes (PHOTOS) 

Taylor Swift and her former best friend, Blake Lively, have seemingly settled their misunderstanding, clearing the way for the actress to attend the singer’s wedding to Travis Kelce.

The pop star was left disappointed after being dragged into the actress’s court battle with Justin Baldoni, especially as their private conversation was brought up in court.

Meanwhile, amid speculation about their wedding venue, Travis Kelce had a boys’ night out earlier this week in L.A., as Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island home receives guests.

The cold situation between Swift and Lively may officially be over, following an alleged strained relationship between them. Both stars have been best friends for well over a decade, and are often seen together in coordinated outfits, having their girls’ time out.

However, things seemingly went downhill in 2024 after the “Gossip Girl” actress filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against her former co-star Justin Baldoni. It just so happened that Swift was dragged into the case and was on the brink of being made to testify in court, which she didn’t like.

Reports earlier emerged suggesting the Grammy-winning singer had cut off Lively from her life and was bent on keeping her distance from her. Sources also shared that the actress wasn’t going to be present at Swift’s wedding to fiancé Travis Kelce because she wasn’t invited.

However, insiders now claim that things may end up differently, and fans shouldn’t be surprised if Lively makes an appearance, as the former besties seem to have squashed their beef.

“Taylor was not happy about being dragged into the lawsuit but was more receptive to speaking to Blake as the suit came to a close,” an insider told the Daily Mail. “Blake was ready to resume their friendship because it really was what caused its demise.”

Both Stars Are Slowly Rebuilding Trust

For months, reports were rife that Lively was so sure she’d get the invite and didn’t even bother herself about the perceived snub at the time.

However, sources told the Daily Mail that they both made efforts on their individual parts to revive their once-solid friendship, including speaking on the phone.

“Everyone around Taylor is aware that Blake could attend. She may not, but that won’t be because she isn’t welcome,” the source told the news outlet.

Another insider added, “Blake is on the cusp of getting a second chance, and they have had some loose conversations to test the waters to get the trust back. Blake is slowly getting back into the fold now that Taylor is having a change of heart.”

Blake Lively Reportedly Sees Attending The Wedding As ‘Important’ For Her Image

A third source revealed to the Daily Mail that Lively does not “want to be seen as not going to the wedding” because “her image is very important to her.”

The “A Simple Favor” actress is reportedly so fired up for the nuptials that she has already picked out a dress for it.

This comes amid reports that Lively has been on an image rehabilitation tour after the end of her legal drama with Baldoni.

She even made it a point of attending the Met Gala in a stunning outfit right after news of her settlement with the director made headlines.

Shortly after, Lively was spotted at various fashion events, which was a major turn from the past year, during which she took a step back from the public eye due to the sexual harassment case.

Blake Lively And Taylor Swift’s Text Was Unsealed In Court

Lively and Swift’s falling out came on the back of disturbing revelations from their private conversations that were revealed in court documents despite Swift’s team claiming she wasn’t involved.

The conversation initially showed how the rigors of Lively’s legal battle with Baldoni were taking a toll on their friendship, with Lively writing to check in on the “Bad Blood” singer.

“I felt like a bad friend lately because I was such a sad sack who only talked about my own sh-t for months,” Lively wrote. “You were generous to not only be the key person there for me during all of it, but also to let me off the hook for being so in it. But I still have a feeling something may not be right.”

Swift wrote back, telling her, “No, you’re not wrong, but it’s also not a big deal.”

“I think I’m just exhausted in every avenue of my life and in recent months had been feeling a little bit of a shift in the way you talk to me,” she continued. “Yes, there has been a lot of the Justin stuff, but I’ve been through things like this before and know how all-consuming it is. It’s more like …, and I feel really bad saying anything about this because your texts have been so nice in their intent, but your last few … it’s felt like I was reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees.”

“You said the word ‘we’ like 18 times. And it feels awful to be in any way critical of any way you process what you’ve been going through, but I just kinda miss my funny, dark, normal-speaking friend who talks to me as herself,” she added.

Lively apologized, and things seemed normal. Then, in another text, Swift sent a message where she called Baldoni a “b-tch” before sending her a congratulatory note because his agency parted ways with him.

Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce’s Upcoming Wedding Continues To Fuel Speculations

Meanwhile, details of the upcoming nuptials remain scanty as Swift and Kelce have remained tight-lipped over details of the event. Even guests have not spoken about it due to the alleged ironclad NDAs they were made to sign before getting invited to the wedding.

However, reports suggest the wedding will take place at Madison Square Garden on July 3, with sources telling Page Six that it will be on the production level of her “Eras World Tour.” Los Angeles-based celebrity wedding planner Mark Seed is understood to be at the helm of planning affairs  and has been working on it “for months.”

“He can build something spectacular out of nothing,” a source told the news outlet.

Meanwhile, Kelce enjoyed a potential bachelor’s celebration with friends at Bird Streets Club, a members-only restaurant and social club in L.A., on Wednesday night.

His brother Jason, as well as his former Kansas City Chiefs teammate Ross Travis, were seen making their way to the venue after getting out of their SUVs. Comedian Druski also made the celebration, which lasted several hours into the early hours of the morning.