As the summer tour season approaches, fans are gearing up to see shows all over the world. There’s something special about outdoor summer concerts, when fans can let loose and vibe with the crowd and the band. However, not every tour goes off without a hitch and there have been several tours that forever have a black eye.

In the summer of 1992, there were a plethora of great bands on tour. U2, Def Leppard, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, The Black Crowes, Skid Row, the late Ozzy Osbourne and more brought music to the masses. It was also the year of the first Lollapalooza tour, which featured Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Ice Cube, Pearl Jam, and Jesus and Mary Chain. But, the biggest tour of the summer of 92 was a co-headlining outing featuring the most popular hard rock and heavy metal bands at the time. The tour started off well, but hit a few snags along the way before it deteriorated into a disaster.

Metallica was on top of the world and on their way to becoming the biggest metal band on the planet with the success of The Black Album, which features the huge hits “Enter Sandman,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “The Unforgiven,” and “Wherever I May Roam.” The group was in the midst of a three-year outing that took them around the world promoting their most-popular album. At the same time, Guns n’ Roses were on tour promoting their two albums, Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, which spawned hits like “You Could Be Mine,” “Civil War,” “Don’t Cry,” and “November Rain.” The two groups decided to go out on a co-headlining stadium tour with Faith No More opening each night

The 26-date tour kicked off in RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. on July 17, 1992, without a hitch, but things soon began to unravel. There was a tension building between the two acts. Metallica were regimented, playing tight and punctual sets, while GNR were unpredictable and were notorious for late starts. In fact, on their fall tour of 1991, the tickets for Guns N’ Roses concerts stated the band would take the stage “around 9 PM.” In December 1991 at a show in Philadelphia, Guns N’ Roses didn’t take the stage until after midnight, playing until past two in the morning, drawing some ire from an exhausted audience.

The Tour was Plagued with Issues

Image via Wall Street Journal

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Outside GNR’s infamous punctuality troubles, there were a myriad of issues on the tour. In Detroit, GNR frontman Axl Rose vomited onstage as the band ended “You Could Be Mine.” He left the stage for a few minutes and returned to apologize, and the band launched into the song and played it again. During GNR’s set at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Axl Rose was hit in the crotch by a lighter thrown by an audience member. He quickly stormed off-stage, leaving bassist Duff McKagen to sing the rest of their cover of Bob Dylan‘s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” The band left the stage after the song and was supposed to return for an encore. Duff walked out and addressed the audience saying Axl would not be returning, and the show was over.

Axl Rose had been suffering vocal issues on the outing, most likely brought on from the non-stop performances combined with chain-smoking and a lot of drinking. It all came to a head in a perfect storm in Montreal on August 8, 1992. During Metallica’s set, they were playing the intro to “Fade to Black” when James Hetfield accidentally stood on top of a pyrotechnic that was discharged. It sent flames up his body, resulting in second and third-degree burns to his arm, hand, face and back. The band immediately stopped playing and Hetfield was rushed to the hospital. Drummer Lars Ulrich addressed the crowd, explaining James had been injured and was en route to the hospital, and that the band would return to make it up to the fans.

The Riot in Montreal Caused over 400-Thousand Dollars of Damage

A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica

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Fans waited over two hours after Metallica’s shortened set for Guns N’ Roses to take the stage. The band had only played a few songs when Axl Rose complained about monitor issues and sound problems. He added that his throat was hurting and left the stage, ending the show. The fans, who were already disappointed by Metallica’s short set, combined with a long wait and then GNR’s lackadaisical and truncated show, hit a breaking point.

Fans erupted into violence inside the only indoor stadium of the tour, storming the stage and merchandise stands. Outside the stadium, people overturned police cars, smashed windows, looted, lit bonfires and fought with police. There were multiple injuries and arrests and the chaos caused more than 400-thousand dollars of damage to the city.

In the aftermath of the riot, the two groups were forced to postpone six shows and cancel one in Vancouver. The tour picked back up over two weeks later in Phoenix. Metallica’s guitar tech, John Marshall, joined the band on rhythm guitar since frontman James Hetfield couldn’t play due to his injuries. Thankfully, his voice was fine, and he fronted the band without his guitar for the remainder of the outing.

Who’s Your Perfect Classic Rock Band?

The tension between the two bands was at an all-time high. Metallica felt like GNR could’ve saved the day in Montreal after Hetfield’s accident, and they were bothered by Axl Rose’s nonchalant behavior about the riot while he complained about his voice problems backstage smoking cigarette after cigarette while Montreal was on fire.

Faith No More was Kicked off the Tour by GNR After an Incident

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The final incident to take place on the ill-fated tour was during a September show where frontman Mike Patton of Faith No More, took a bottle of urine a fan threw on stage, opened it and poured it all over himself and Axl Rose’s vocal monitor. The band was immediately fired from the tour and replaced with Body Count and Motorhead.

The Guns N’ Roses and Metallica double bill limped to the finish line on October 6, 1992, in Seattle. It was the last big co-headlining rock show of that magnitude for many years as grunge and alternative rock became dominant. Guns N’ Roses kept touring but kept having issues and eventually parted ways, while Metallica just got bigger and bigger, dominating the metal scene for years. Metallica did the right thing and returned to play two shows at the Montreal Forum in February 1993, offering half-priced tickets for fans, while GNR were banned for life from playing Olympic Stadium. A microcosm of the biggest and most disastrous summer tour of 1992.

Roommates, imagine clocking into work one day only to find out your coworker didn’t just quit—they allegedly quit for reality TV. That’s the conversation swirling around Pennsylvania right now, where Sean Reifel’s name has now found its way from police reports to the season 8 ‘Love Island USA’ villa.

RELATED: Hit Or Miss?! Social Media Has A Lot To Say About The ‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 Cast Reveal (PHOTOS)

Police Officer Trades Badge For Love Island Villa

Sean Reifel, a Pennsylvania native and former member of the Bethlehem Police Department, has been announced as part of the upcoming season 8 cast of Peacock’s hit dating series ‘Love Island USA.’ Fans were introduced to him on the show’s trailer as “not a model, not an actor, I’m a police officer, actually.” But officials later confirmed that Reifel is no longer with the department, having reportedly resigned before his reality TV debut. His departure has now reportedly left the department short-staffed and searching for a replacement.

Mayor Says Sean’s Reality TV Exit Leaves City Frustrated

According to WAFB, Easton Mayor J. William Reynolds says Reifel’s exit has created frustration within the city, especially after the time and taxpayer money invested in training him. The mayor expressed disappointment over the resignation, noting that the department now faces yet another vacancy that may not be filled until next year. “Our police department spent a lot of time training and we paid thousands of taxpayer dollars to send him to the police academy,” Reynolds said. “I never thought I’d see the day in America where reality show participation wins out over being a police officer.” For context, Reifel took the oath and joined the force in August 2025. However, less than a year later, he walked away from policing to pursue a spot in the ‘Love Island’ villa.

Sean’s Mom Pops Into TSR’s Comments To Defend Him

Things took an even more personal turn when Reifel’s mom, @beth.bow819, reportedly caught wind of the online chatter and jumped into the comments herself to share her own thoughts. She didn’t hold back about the discourse around her son’s decision.

“This is Sean’s mom and the statements made by these officials are disappointing and they missed a huge opportunity to make a positive impact. They did not spend taxpayer dollars to send him to a full academy. He came with four years of experience from Northern California where he was a sheriff deputy. Contra Costa County Sheriff Dept paid for him to attend a full academy. Yes they spent some but they are making statements that do not tell the whole story. Also I think it’s interesting that they say he resigned because he was told to put in for leave before going to on the show. And then after arriving in Fiji his leave was denied.  I think when the mayor or anyone is speaking on something especially something about another person it is important to share all the facts. I stand with my son. I support him fully and I do proud of him. ❤️”

One Instagram user @brookedabrand said, “This was great promotion for him we now want him to win even more !“

This Instagram user @chuckstarfilms joked, “He submitted to but they ain’t pick him 😂😂😂”

And, Instagram user @jeriah888 added, “Money sir… who turning down that opportunity 😅 y’all gone match the pay or sum? If not hush 😂”

Then Instagram user @itsjasleeee wrote, “Calls him out for what ? Being a grown man and making his own decisions? lol“

Meanwhile, Instagram user @kashmillz claimed, “Yall shoulda let boy use his PTO then .. Now LOOK he gone for good 😭😭😭😭”

While Instagram user @ra.millian commented, “Well sir, you fasure just made him more POPULAR! He’ll be set for a while 💰 now!“

RELATED: Congrats! ‘Love Island USA’ Star Jalen Brown Marries Influencer Joiya Lanae (VIDEOS)

Streamer YourRage believes he may have found Jay Cinco‘s long-lost brother. Now, social media users are comparing the influencer to Sincere Rhea, a new islander on Season 8 of ‘Love Island USA.’ While some fans are convinced the two could be related, others say the comparison is a reach.

Related: Daddy Duties! Jay Cinco Has Fans In Their Feelings After Opening Up About First-Time Fatherhood In TikTok Post (WATCH)

Jay Cinco Reacts After Fans Spot A Familiar Face On ‘Love Island USA’

On Wednesday, June 3, popular streamer YourRage reposted a photo of ‘Love Island USA’ newcomer Sincere Rhea and tagged Jay Cinco, suggesting the two looked alike.

However, YourRage wasn’t the only person who thought so. As comparisons continued to circulate online, Jay Cinco eventually reposted it to his Instagram Story and responded to the chatter. On his Instagram Story, he joked, “Man watch out 😂😂😂” before adding, “Why everybody keep tagging me in dis shi 😂.”

See below:

Social Media Reacts

The Shade Room Teens shared Jay Cinco’s response alongside a side-by-side photo of him and Sincere Rhea. Many users jumped into the comments agreeing that they could see the resemblance, while others argued that the two look nothing alike.

Instagram user @secretlifeof_tiara wrote, “Is that his brother !?!?

Another Instagram user @blognae.__ wrote, “Sincere looks way better than Cinco”

While Instagram user @sharksleigher wrote, “well he is on there getting ready to shark so lmao”

Instagram user @bighomieduwop wrote, “So that’s not Princeton from Mindless Behavior?”

Another Instagram user @_hendrix1 wrote, “Cut it out that’s Walmart Julian Newman 😂”

While Instagram user @emmi_scott00 wrote, “Thought that was Austin McBroom for a second”

Instagram user @teri.michelle_ wrote, “they don’t look nothing alike.”

Another Instagram user @badinfluence_3 wrote, “Definitely not. cinco got him beat to the max 😭😭😭”

Season 8 Of ‘Love Island USA’ is Already Making Headlines

‘Love Island USA’ is just getting started, with the first episode of Season 8 premiering on Tuesday, June 2. While viewers are still getting to know this year’s islanders, the cast has already generated plenty of conversation both inside and outside the villa.

Most recently, Sean Reifel’s mother spoke out after the mayor of her son’s Pennsylvania hometown criticized the former police officer for leaving his law enforcement career to appear on the reality dating series. In her statement, she claimed officials “missed a huge opportunity to make a positive impact” and said the mayor did not “tell the whole story” when it came to Sean’s background, training, and leave request before joining the show.

Meanwhile, Vasana Montgomery broke her silence after being removed from the show, apologizing for using a racial slur in resurfaced videos that circulated online after the Season 8 cast reveal.

With new episodes still ahead, it appears Season 8 is already giving viewers plenty to talk about.

Related: Hit Or Miss?! Social Media Has A Lot To Say About The ‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 Cast Reveal (PHOTOS)

Jason Sudeikis is getting raw and honest about the emotional realities of managing his romantic landscape in the years following his high-profile separation from his former partner, Olivia Wilde.

The accomplished television star admitted that stepping back into the social scene has presented unique challenges as he balances his personal needs with his professional and domestic responsibilities. 

Despite the shifting realities of his solitary lifestyle, the actor remains deeply committed to keeping his personal priorities firmly aligned around his immediate household.

The 50-year-old “Ted Lasso” star opened up about the distinct highs and lows of his personal life during an appearance on the most recent episode of the “Friends Keep Secrets” podcast, hosted by Benny Blanco, Lil Dicky, and Kristin Batalucco. 

During the conversation, Sudeikis was asked if he would ever want to expand his family and have more children in the future. The actor answered honestly, stating that he would definitely be open to the idea if he happened to fall in love again.

Notably, he currently shares two children, 12-year-old son Otis Alexander and 9-year-old daughter Daisy Josephine, with his former fiancée Wilde.

The famous Hollywood couple officially ended their relationship back in 2020 after a lengthy seven-year engagement. When directly asked by Lil Dicky if he was currently a single man, the comedian confirmed his solitary status while explaining that navigating the dating landscape as an older parent feels completely overwhelming.

“I’m not at a point in my life, where, you know, where it feels good or fulfilling to date numerous people all at once,” he said. “Yeah, that feels daunting and overwhelming, especially with being a parent,” he added,

The actor maintained that he prefers being in meaningful connections rather than dating numerous people at the same time, emphasizing that his young children will always occupy the absolute top spot in his life. 

The Former Hollywood Couple Settled Their Lengthy Financial Custody Battle

Putting his children at the absolute top of his priority sheet follows a highly publicized, eighteen-month legal dispute over their ongoing care and upbringing.

In 2023, the comedian and his former partner finally resolved their intense custody battle by reaching a comprehensive agreement regarding their minors. 

According to The Blast, the “We’re the Millers” actor was ordered to pay the actress a monthly child support sum of $27,500, which specifically allocates $10,300 for their son and $17,200 for their daughter.

The former couple ultimately agreed to share joint custody of their minors on a rotating, week-on, week-off basis. Additionally, the court instructed the actor to cover 25 percent of the mother’s childcare expenses due to his significantly superior financial standing. 

A Look At The Former Couple’s History 

Before establishing these specific financial and custody parameters in court, the former couple navigated a highly publicized relationship.

The Hollywood stars first crossed paths in May 2011 during a “Saturday Night Live” finale afterparty. The actress found the comedian incredibly charming and was especially impressed by his dancing skills on the floor. 

Although he obtained her contact information, he intentionally waited a full month before finally sending her a text message, per People Magazine.

They first exchanged texts in 2011, later going on their first date and eventually sharing a kiss that same year. They welcomed their son in 2014 and a second child in 2016. However, by 2020, reports came that they had ended their engagement. 

Olivia Wilde Came Under The Spotlight Following Harry Styles’ High-Profile Engagement 

Following the high profile breakup, Wilde found herself back in the media spotlight as major news spread that her famous ex-boyfriend, Harry Styles, is reportedly engaged to Zoë Kravitz after dating for eight months. 

The sudden engagement speculation naturally brought public attention right back to the filmmaker, whose highly publicized, nearly two-year relationship with the One Direction alumnus previously dominated global entertainment headlines.

According to The Blast, an insider revealed that while the actress appeared completely composed during the professional event, the timing of the announcement has naturally stirred up old memories. 

The source clarified that the original separation from the singer was an incredibly painful experience for the star, but noted that she has successfully dated other people and moved forward with her life since their split.

Jason Sudeikis Also Came Under The Spotlight Amid Behind-The-Scenes Production Friction

Just as his former partner handles the public weight of a past relationship, Sudeikis also faced media scrutiny of his own regarding his professional conduct. 

The sudden wave of criticism emerged after his co-star, Hannah Waddingham, publicly admitted that she shares an ongoing love-hate relationship with the lead actor due to his constant script changes, per The Blast.

The actress revealed that the creator routinely rewrites scenes at the very last minute before filming. While she framed the workspace dynamic lightly, multiple industry insiders claim her workplace frustrations are shared by many others on production. 

Horror is taking over the world right now, and for good reason. Both Backrooms and Obsession are currently proving that the YouTube invasion of Hollywood is here to stay, making Kane Parsons and Curry Barker bona fide stars from their respective beginnings as internet content creators. Nia DaCosta‘s zombie sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is also worth noting, as is Sam Raimi‘s long-awaited return to horror with Send Help, and Radio Silence’s Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. That doesn’t even account for the remaining anticipated flicks of the year, such as Evil Dead Burn, Resident Evil, and Clayface.

Of course, this recent boom has followed a long winning streak, and one that reached a boiling point last year with Oscar-winning super-hits like Sinners and Weapons. There was once a time when these cultural touchstones of horror would be swiftly parodied in one of the Scary Movie films: the long-running horror parody franchise that hasn’t been seen since 2013’s fifth chapter. Now, 13 years later, the Wayans Brothers have used movie magic to bring the franchise back to life with a new sequel/reboot/requel. Does it live up to the original movies? While that depends on your overall feelings about the Scary Movie movies, the answer in any case is yes, indeed.

What Is ‘Scary Movie’ About?

Being a loose reboot of the franchise after its decade-long hiatus, Scary Movie (the sixth) goes back to basics to focus on skewering the Scream franchise, more specifically, the 2022 legacy sequel. While Brenda (Regina Hall) and Shorty (Marlon Wayans) are living their hectic fourth-wall-breaking lives, Cindy (Anna Faris) has become an aloof recluse, à la Jamie Lee Curtis‘ Laurie Strode in the recent Halloween revival, doomsday-prepping for the day Ghostface returns. Eventually, that day does indeed come, and the laughably incompetent serial killer has his sights set on Cindy’s children.

Amid the mayhem are mountains of references to other horror movies that aren’t directly related to the Scream universe, and a large handful of recent ones. Some examples of other horror movies who get some playful jabs in the raucous stoner comedy are Sinners, Longlegs, The Substance, Get Out, and more, and director Michael Tiddes does a more than decent job of emulating the directorial styles and visual identities of those very films. The Substance parody in particular is bound to get a lot of laughs, especially for those familiar with the Wayans family’s filmography.

The first half of Scary Movie 2026 spends more time than usual setting up each and every character of would-be comedic victims, particularly the younger generation, who require more of an introduction than their legacy peers. It follows the plot structure of Scream 2022 almost to a tee, and it does get to the point where it sometimes feels less like parody and more like ripping off. Still, in the most ironic comparison to the franchise it’s mostly making fun of, Scary Movie‘s characters somehow miraculously feel more well-developed than any of the new characters introduced in Scream 7.

The second half of the film essentially reverts to the franchise’s familiar territory of loosely connected sketches making fun of modern horror classics. For better or worse, this is what turned the Scary Movie franchise into the success that it is, but some sketches are better than others, like the aforementioned The Substance segment and the absolutely bonkers Get Out parody. Others feel a lot more out of place and go out on a whimper, like the pointless and easy-to-predict nod to Longlegs. Overall, while there is a clear effort to bring these parodies to life, Scary Movie ironically feels a bit too reliant on nostalgia to make them trulymemorable.

‘Scary Movie’s Cast Is Its Biggest Secret Weapon

Whether you’ll find Scary Movie‘s barrage of references and nods tolerable will depend on how you feel about the previous five movies, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the dedication from its dynamite cast. Anna Faris and Regina Hall, especially, have always been the franchise’s secret weapons, and that’s the case once again here. The two stalwarts have the funniest jokes in the entire movie. Marlon and Shawn Wayans also have a few solid scenes, even if their jokes are more repetitive with the former’s punchline always being “I’m high” and the latter’s being “I’m gay.”

Perhaps the biggest surprise of Scary Movie, though, is Olivia Rose Keegan, who is downright hysterical and feels like she’s on her way to becoming a big star. Playing Cindy’s eldest daughter, Rose Keegan does a pitch perfect impression of Faris from start-to-finish and feels perfectly cast in the role. Much like Faris and Hall, she helps carry the film with her performance.

‘Scary Movie’ Wants To Be Shocking, and Yet Still Plays Things Very Safe

From the get-go, Scary Movie made headlines when its creators said the franchise would not go “woke,” a term that has become just as exhausting as the right-wing internet trolls who have co-opted it to attack anyone who isn’t a straight white male online. Scary Movie essentially takes the South Park approach of making fun of everyone from all walks of life in and outside of the horror industry. None of it is overly offensive or entirely tame either, but it all still feels just very familiar and by the book — at least in terms of what we’ve seen in the franchise already.

The Naked Gun, another Paramount property, did a remarkable job of elevating that franchise’s brand of humor to do genuinely new and exciting concepts, feeling like a great return to form for the bygone era of slapstick comedies that are few and far between these days. Scary Movie had the potential to do the same, but instead of feeling like a fresh take on a classic concept, it feels like a slightly re-colored bag of old tricks. Ultimately, whether or not you will enjoy the new Scary Movie will depend on whether or not you liked the previous five. If you did, this one will feel like a silly reunion with an old friend. If you didn’t, this one will not change your mind about the saga’s over-the-top antics and gross-out shock humor.

Scary Movie premieres in theaters on Friday, June 5.

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Release Date

June 5, 2026

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Runtime

95 Minutes

Director

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Michael Tiddes

Writers

Craig Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Rick Alvarez, Shawn Wayans

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Producers

Craig Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Rick Alvarez, Shawn Wayans

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Cast

• 

  Marlon Wayans

  Shorty Meeks

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• 

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Pros & Cons

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• Anna Faris and Regina Hall shine.
• Olivia Rose Keegan is a fantastic new face in the comedy world.
• The ‘Get Out’ and ‘The Substance’ parodies are great…

• …but the others are largely forgettable.
• Marlon and Shawn Wayans’ characters get real repetitive real fast.
• The “anti-woke” humor feels surprisingly tame and overly familiar.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Dorit Kemsley claims just one of her costars has congratulated her on her new memoir, Unburdened.

Dorit, 49, was a guest on the Wednesday, June 3, episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen and was quizzed about the reception to her new book, which she documented writing on the recently aired RHOBH season 15.

“Which of the other women have congratulated you on the book?” host Andy Cohen asked her, noting that her memoir was published the day before.

Dorit responded, “So funny, because that’s a question I’ve been asked repeatedly.”

She then said, “Just Boz,” referring to Bozoma Saint John, adding once again, “So funny.”

Incidentally, Dorit also said that Boz, also 49, is the Housewife she’s been most in touch with since the RHOBH season 15 reunion in mid-March.

The latest season documented Dorit’s continued fractured relationship with Kyle Richards and also saw her fall out with Erika Jayne.

Erika, 54, called out Dorit at a cast dinner during an overseas trip to Italy over her lateness, telling her, “I don’t owe you anything other than the truth, which is we don’t like it. I’ll say it because these motherf***ers won’t. We don’t like it. How about that?”

Related: ‘RHOBH‘ Stars Erika, Kyle and Dorit‘s Season 15 Feud Explained

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills delivered jaw-dropping drama on season 15 as tensions boiled over during the group’s Italy dinner when Erika Jayne confronted Dorit Kemsley about her chronic lateness — and the fallout left both Erika and Kyle Richards in tears. That might be where the women’s ongoing feud came to a head, […]

The argument turned more heated, resulting in Dorit walking away from the dinner table.

“I hate this. I hate feeling this way,” Erika said in a confessional. “I don’t give out my heart or my friendship easily. I care for her, but I don’t know where Dorit and my friendship stand. I’ve never really felt this angry or this hurt by her before.”

Upon returning to Beverly Hills, Erika skipped Dorit’s book cover reveal party.

Kyle, 57, confirmed on WWHL in December 2025 that neither she nor Erika was on speaking terms with Dorit following the cast trip.

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“I didn’t think we were supposed to say, but it pretty much came out at BravoCon that Erika and I are not speaking with Dorit and vice versa, because we had a very big blowout on our cast trip,” Kyle said. “She’s not open-minded to listening to you, and when she has something in her head, that’s it. It’s really frustrating to try to have a conversation with her. Unfortunately, we tried to fix things, and it was like two steps forward, three steps back.”

In an interview with Us Weekly in December, Kyle said Dorit was “not open-minded” when it came to listening to her side of their dispute. “When she has something in her head, that’s it,” she claimed. “It’s really frustrating to try to have a conversation with her.”

Unburdened by Dorit Kemsley is out now.

Alan Ritchson is celebrating a major career milestone after Netflix moved forward with plans to expand the world of “War Machine.”

The actor, who leads the sci-fi action film, shared an emotional message with fans after news broke that a sequel is officially in development. 

The announcement comes as the movie continues to rack up massive viewership numbers, cementing itself as one of the streaming giant’s biggest hits and setting the stage for an even larger franchise.

Shortly after confirmation that a second “War Machine” film is on the way, Alan Ritchson took to social media to thank everyone who helped turn the project into a global success.

“What a monumental day. So many of you are a part of the War Machine world now. It’s incredible to build it with you in mind,” the actor wrote on Instagram.

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Ritchson also used the moment to recognize the people who backed the project from the beginning. He credited director Patrick Hughes for creating the vision, Lionsgate for believing in it, and Netflix for helping bring it to audiences around the world.

“A world that started with a dream @patrick_hughes_ had and fought for. A dream @lionsgate believed in and @netflix built a house and home for,” he added.

The actor admitted he remains grateful for the opportunity, noting that many people took a chance on him throughout the process.

Ritchson Says The ‘War Machine’ Journey Is Far From Over

As fans celebrated the sequel news, Ritchson reflected on what the role has meant to him personally.

“All of them took a huge gamble on me and I’m just so grateful,” he continued, adding, “I feel lucky I get to suffer as 81 for you. Bringing hard hitting roles like this to life gives me so much direction, I’m grateful to play a small part in it. Shout out to the gritty as hell cast and crew.”

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Ritchson ended his message with a promise that the franchise’s future is only beginning, telling fans they are “just getting started” as plans for the expanding universe continue.

The message arrived after “War Machine” achieved a remarkable milestone for Netflix. Since its release three months ago, the action-packed film has amassed 139 million views, pushing it into the platform’s top 10 most-watched movies of all time.

Alan Ritchson Gets More Good News As Director Teases Future Plans

Ritchson was not the only person excited by the sequel announcement. Director Patrick Hughes recently revealed that work was already underway on the next chapter.

Speaking with The Wrap, Hughes said the team was  already focused on moving forward as quickly as possible.

“Keep the good times rolling. I’m pinching myself every day. If you’d gone back to me and told me that when I was at film school, I’d be sitting in this opportunity where it’s like this universe you’ve set up and it’s off to the races, and had a mass appeal, and people are begging for a sequel,” Hughes said.

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While he declined to reveal specific plot details, the filmmaker hinted that the sequel has been carefully mapped out.

According to Hughes, the next installment will continue expanding the franchise’s world while avoiding the obvious path fans may expect.

Ritchson Cleared After Shocking Neighborhood Fight Caught On Camera

Besides his career, Alan Ritchson’s name has also frequented the news for other reasons in recent months. In March, the 43-year-old sparked reactions online after he was involved in a physical confrontation with neighbor Ronnie Taylor.

The dispute reportedly began after Taylor confronted the “Reacher” star over the speed and noise of his motorcycle in their neighborhood.

As The Blast reported, Taylor claimed he approached Ritchson on multiple occasions before the situation escalated into a physical confrontation. 

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Video footage showed the actor striking Taylor while his children were nearby, but additional footage later surfaced that appeared to show the neighbor stepping into Ritchson’s path and causing him to crash his motorcycle before shoving him. 

Following an investigation that included witness statements and video evidence, Brentwood police determined that Ritchson acted in self-defense and announced that no criminal charges would be filed. 

Authorities also revealed that the movie star declined to pursue potential charges against Taylor, and the District Attorney’s Office agreed to close the case.

Alan Ritchson’s Neighbor Speaks Out After Receiving Alleged Death Threats

Days after the altercation, Ronnie Taylor claimed the public reaction had been overwhelming. According to The Blast, he alleged that he received more than 100 threatening messages after footage of the incident spread online. 

Taylor also claimed that some callers used blocked numbers and made disturbing remarks, including one person who allegedly said they wanted to see him “breathe out of a tube.” 

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He also revealed another caller threatened to put him in a wheelchair. The messages were equally alarming, Taylor explained, with one text reading, “Die, die, die.”

Despite the threats, Taylor said he did not file a police report. He claimed an officer informally advised him to contact authorities if he felt genuinely concerned, but at the time he believed many of the messages came from online trolls reacting to the viral controversy.