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To prepare for the stunts in The Running Man, Glen Powell sought advice from one of the best to ever do it, Tom Cruise. What advice did Tom Cruise give Glen Powell? In The Running Man, Powell plays Ben Richards, a game show contestant who must stay alive for 30 days to win a lucrative grand prize. In this game, Ben is a runner, a player who must avoid death at the hands of the murderous Hunters. The Running Man is billed as an action thriller that involves several intense set pieces and sequences. While speaking with EW, Powell admitted that The Running Man was his most physical project to date. How did Powell plan to survive a long, grueling shoot? Luckily, Powell knows Cruise, who is arguably the best actor to speak with when it comes to performing your own stunts. “What is your advice on not only how to make these things look authentic for an audience, but how to survive a movie?” Powell asked Cruise. The Mission: Impossible star then spent “two and a half hours” speaking to Powell about stunt work. “It was made very clear after talking to him that there was a real sense of discipline around these things and to treat these stunts with reverence, because you can get extremely hurt, and he knows it better than anyone,” Powell explained. “He’s broken every bone in his body. He’s like, ‘This is not messing around.'” Cruise emphasized that performing stunts is a “privilege” that strengthens an actor’s relationship to the audience. “To do all those things is really, really crucial to sell what you need to sell in a movie, and to justify people’s ticket prices,” Powell added. “If they’re following you, they want to know that that’s the commitment — if I want you to show up for me, I’ve got to show up for you.” Powell will attempt to follow in Cruise’s footsteps and become an action hero as the star of The Running Man, Edgar Wright’s feature film adaptation of the Stephen King novel. The Running Man opens in theaters on November 14, 2025. Originally reported by Dan Girolamo for SuperHeroHype. The post Tom Cruise Gave Glen Powell Key Advice While Filming The Running Man appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

(Photo Credit: Fox) Gordon Ramsay’s long-running reality competition show MasterChef has officially been renewed for two more seasons at Fox. This renewal comes after over fifteen years since the hit cooking show made its debut. Season 15 recently concluded its 18-episode run, where long-time couple Jessica Bosworth and Jesse Rosenwald became the show’s first duo winners. The latest installment also featured a new judge in the form of celebrity chef Tiffany Derry, who is expected to return for the next two seasons, along with Ramsay and restaurateur Joe Bastianich. What did Fox say about the MasterChef renewal? “MasterChef remains a standout series for Fox, drawing its dedicated fanbase back season after season to witness amateur cooks transform into culinary masters,” Fox Entertainment executive Yasmin Rawji said in a statement. “Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Tiffany Derry provide culinary expertise, mentorship and heart, and we can’t wait to see what they, as well as our partners at Endemol Shine North America, have in store for Seasons 16 and 17 of MasterChef.” Endemol Shine North America’s Michael Heyerman added, “Securing a two-season pickup for Seasons 16 and 17 is huge news and a testament to the unstoppable momentum of MasterChef. A massive thank you to Fox for always opening doors and inspiring new creative ideas to keep the series fun and fresh. We have cooked up two absolutely great themes for the new season that fans are going to love. We’re thrilled to be back in the kitchen with Gordon, Joe, and Tiffany, building on the incredible chemistry and high standards they set last season.” MasterChef is executive-produced by Ramsay through his One Potato Two Potato production banner. It was based on the original British show created by Franc Roddam during the early 1990s. Due to the competition series’ success, it has been adapted in multiple countries. Throughout the years, it has also spawned different spin-offs such as Junior MasterChef and Celebrity MasterChef. (Source: Deadline) The post Hit Fox TV Show Renewed for 2 More Seasons appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Photo Credit: HBO Max After the shocking Peacemaker Season 2 finale, James Gunn has shared some the challenges he faced constructing the DC Universe. What did James Gunn say about using Peacemaker Season 2 to set up the DCU? In the final moments of the Peacemaker Season 2 finale, Chris is kidnapped by Rick Flag Sr. and banished to Salvation, a planet that serves as a prison for metahumans. According to a press conference (via Variety), Gunn said Salvation will be further explored in Man of Tomorrow, the sequel to Superman. “I’m not expecting people to go into Man of Tomorrow and know what Salvation is,” Gunn said. “You’ll find out anything you need to know about metahumans disappearing through that movie.” Gunn understands how tricky it can be to tell an original story while connecting it to a cinematic universe. Guardians of the Galaxy felt like a separate section of Marvel. However, Guardians still had to follow the interconnected story in the MCU. Gunn faces those same storytelling challenges in the DCU, except this time, he’s the architect of the cinematic universe. “It’s a very, very, very delicate balance when writing these things,” Gunn said about creating the DCU. “You’ve got to be able to tell the story in a way where people that already know the information are not going to be bored, and where people who don’t know the information will get the information in an easy and simple way, but also not to be burdened down by too much shit. There needs to be an elegance to the storytelling. Too many mumbo jumbo things, to me, is always a thing that I [avoid]. ‘Oh, this magic stone does this, and it’s that.’ There’s no emotional aspect to that. A prison in another dimension is easy for me to understand and say in one sentence.” With Peacemaker Season 2 complete, Gunn’s next project as a writer and director will be Man of Tomorrow, which flies into theaters on July 9, 2027. Originally reported by Dan Girolamo for SuperHeroHype. The post Man of Tomorrow: James Gunn Talks Balance of Peacemaker Season 2 Setting up DCU appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield recently responded to rumors connecting him to the role of Remus Lupin in the upcoming Harry Potter TV show. In a recent video, Garfield addressed the speculations linking him to yet another fan-favorite franchise, giving a cryptic reply, something the actor has become known for after his responses to questions about his involvement in Spider-Man: No Way Home before the film’s release. Andrew Garfield responds to Remus Lupin question for Harry Potter reboot While answering social media queries in a GQ video, the 42-year-old actor came across a comment that questioned his involvement in the much-awaited Harry Potter reboot. The comment simply read “REMUS LUPIN???” which led Andrew Garfield to reveal that he had only recently started familiarizing himself with the Harry Potter franchise. “You know what, I’ve just started watching the Harry Potter films for the first time,” he said before adding, “I’m very late to the game. I’ve just started the third film. I’m really enjoying them. They’re really, really good films, really great stories.” Notably, the Social Network star cleverly avoided answering the question about him playing Lupin directly. Garfield famously threw off questions about his involvement in Spider-Man: No Way Home, up until the film’s premiere in theaters, after which it was revealed that he was a major part of the film’s third act. Notably, the third entry in the Harry Potter series, which Garfield mentioned he was up to, also marks the first appearance of Remus in the franchise. Therefore, it is possible that Garfield has dropped a hint regarding his involvement in the rebooted series. Nevertheless, with the Harry Potter TV show adapting one book per season, it would likely be a long time before fans get to see Andrew Garfield in the series, even if he does take on the role. Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on ComingSoon. The post Harry Potter TV Show: Andrew Garfield on if He’d Be Remus Lupin appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Texas businessman Tom Dundon, who is leading a group that wants to purchase the Portland Trail Blazers, on Tuesday said in a court filing that he expects to be able to purchase the NBA franchise without receiving financial backing from the founders of Panda Express. Tom Dundon, Investment Group Purchased Blazers For $4.25 Billion In […] The post Tom Dundon Says His Group Can Buy Blazers Without Panda Express Founders’ Backing appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article

(Photo Credit: Shout! Studios) ComingSoon is excited to host a Deathstalker giveaway for the fantasy movie remake. One lucky winner will get a poster of the film signed by star Daniel Bernhardt and director Steven Kostanski, along with the Deathstalker Volume 1 comic book. Executive produced by Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, the film is out in theaters exclusively starting today. “In Deathstalker, the Kingdom of Abraxeon is under siege by the Dreadites, heralds of the long-dead sorcerer Nekromemnon. When Deathstalker recovers a cursed amulet from a corpse-strewn battlefield, he’s marked by dark magick and hunted by monstrous assassins. To survive, he must break the curse and face the rising evil. Death is just the beginning… of great adventure!” says the official synopsis. Check out the Deathstalker trailer below: The remake is written and directed by Steven Kostanski (The Void, PG: Psycho Goreman). The cast is led by John Wick and Nobody 2 star Daniel Bernhardt as the titular character and the titular Deathstalker, and Patton Oswalt (The Sandman, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) as the voice of the benevolent wizard Doodad. Joining them are Christina Orjalo, Paul Lazenby, Nina Bergman, Jon Ambrose, Matthew Ninaber, Conor Sweeney, and more. How to enter our Deathstalker giveaway: To enter our Deathstalker giveaway, you can either retweet the giveaway’s Twitter post or comment on our corresponding Facebook post. One winner will receive a signed poster along with the Deathstalker Volume 1 comic book. The giveaway lasts until October 17. Good luck to all who enter! The post Deathstalker Giveaway: Signed Movie Poster & Vol. 1 Comic Book appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Image credit: ABC While a massive shakeup in Grey’s Anatomy has seen the departure of a major character, it has also resulted in the addition of new players to the Season 22 cast. Trevor Jackson, who made his debut in the fan-favorite medical drama as Dr. Wes Bryant last season, will now serve as a series regular. Moreover, the latest season of Grey’s Anatomy will also see the introduction of two new doctors, who are joining the show in recurring roles. Grey’s Anatomy promotes Trevor Jackson to series regular for Season 22 According to a recent report published by Deadline, Grown-ish alum Trevor Jackson is officially joining the Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 cast as a series regular, after playing a guest role in Season 21. Jackson will return to the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital as Wes Bryant, a new medical intern who has recently relocated to Seattle. Bryant comes in as an attractive young doctor who possesses above-average intelligence, as well as a huge chip on his shoulder that is sure to give rise to several clashes in the coming episodes. Bryant’s first appearance in Grey’s Anatomy, before actor Trevor Jackson was added to the cast as a series regular, occurred in Season 21, with the character serving as a love interest for Alexis Floyd’s character, Simone. Having spent the night with him after a wild night at a bar, Simone had no intentions of seeing him again. That is, until she encountered him at Grey Sloan in the season finale after he joined the hospital as an intern. Other additions to the Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 cast include Jade Pettyjohn and Anita Kalathara. Pettyjohn will play Dani, a new medical intern who is eager to make her mark at Grey Sloan. Kalathara joins the cast as Kavita, a remarkable plastic surgeon who believes in keeping things simple as well as professional. While Pettyjohn has already made her Grey’s Anatomy debut in the Season 22 premiere, Kalathara will join the season in Episode 3. This modification to Grey’s Anatomy’s cast comes after the death of Dr. Monica Beltran in Season 22 Episode 1 resulted in the permanent departure of Natalie Morales from the series. The post Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 Adds 2 Doctors & Bumps Another to Series Regular appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

During the 2025 playoffs, Boston’s Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles tear. The 27-year-old is one of the hardest-working players in the NBA. Tatum refuses to miss an entire season due to injury. He is determined to play during the 2025-26 season. On Thursday, October 9, Jayson Tatum posted a video of himself dunking while at […] The post Five months after surgery on his Achilles, Celtics’ Jayson Tatum was seen duking appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article

Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the longtime chaplain of the Loyola-Chicago men’s basketball team who became a fan favorite during its Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2018, died Thursday at age 106, the school said. “Loyola University Chicago is greatly saddened to confirm the death of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM,” Loyola Chicago wrote […] The post Sister Jean, Beloved Loyola-Chicago Chaplain, Dies At 106 appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article

Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images With the release of Tron: Ares, many are wondering how the movie connects to Tron: Legacy —or whether it does at all. Now that the film has finally hit theaters, fans get their answers. SPOILERS for Tron: Ares. How is Tron: Ares connected to old Tron movies? Tron: Ares connects to the previous Tron films primarily through the Dillinger family legacy and their conflict with the Flynns. While the first two movies were told with Flynns as the main characters, Tron: Ares takes a different approach. With the introduction of Ed Dillinger’s grandson, Julian Dillinger, played by Evan Peters, the movie centers around his power struggle with Eve Kim, the new ENCOM boss. Meanwhile, Kevin Flynn continues to provide guidance from within the Grid. As a result of this new perspective, the third movie moves away from Tron: Legacy’s ending, where Sam Flynn returns to the real world with Quorra, Kevin’s apprentice. While fans may have been waiting to see their story continued, they may need to wait longer than expected. How does Tron: Ares set up Tron 4? In the mid-credits scene, Jullian escapes to the Grid to prevent this arrest. Inside, he finds an Identity Disc, similar to his grandfather’s. When he comes in contact with the disc, it transforms and forms an armor around him. In another scene, Ares, a computer program like Quorra, has escaped to the real world. He sends a postcard to Eve Kim, expressing interest in Sam Flynn and Quorra. Both of these hint at a possible Tron 4 movie that could bring old characters together for an epic showdown. Directed by Joachim Rønning, the movie stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Gillian Anderson, and Jeff Bridges. This time around, the soundtrack is composed by Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who released the movie album under their band’s moniker. The post How Tron: Ares Is Connected to Legacy & How It Sets up Tron 4 appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Knicks and Bucks had trade discussions this offseason. Those talks were centered around two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. New York had interest in acquiring the 30-year-old PF. However, there was one exception in trade talks. Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that the Knicks deemed all-star PG Jalen Brunson […] The post Knicks’ Jalen Brunson was made ‘untouchable’ in any deal involving Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article

MY BIRTHDAY ! (AND FULLY HEALTHY) 🔴View the full article

(Photo Credit: Saban Films) ComingSoon is excited to exclusively debut first-look photos from Syphon, the upcoming action thriller from filmmaker Tom Botchii. This first look comes after Saban Films officially acquired the North American distribution rights to the movie, while WTFilms has picked up its international rights. The movie will have its world premiere at the upcoming 2025 Grimmfest. “Syphon is packed with brutal fights spanning across back alleys, luxurious homes, and even car washes,” WTFilms’ Gregory Chambet said in a statement. “The visceral chase between the two lead characters adds some real gravitas to this nail-biter. We’re very excited to bring it to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market!” Check out the exclusive first-look Syphon photos below: (Photo Credit: Saban Films)(Photo Credit: Saban Films)(Photo Credit: Saban Films) Who is in the Syphon photos? The photos offer the audience a first look at its main characters, portrayed by Jeffery Decker (Parasites, Anonymous Killers) and Shuhei Kinoshita (Crazy Rich Asians, Rainbow Six: Siege). Both characters can be seen with blood all over their faces, teasing the movie’s intense, action-packed sequences. It follows “homeless, revenge-obsessed Teddy Brimsval (Decker), and an elite cyber security analyst, Jun Kushida (Kinoshita). Once they cross paths, their lives tailspin into a wild ride of blood-splattered chaos,” reads the synopsis. The movie is written and directed by Botchii. Joining Decker and Kinoshita are Jennifer Cozza James, Jackie Kelly, Matt Stuertz, Jerry L. Buxbaum, Daniel Schriefer, Kathleen Swanson, Ashley Tetzlaff, Paul Calhoon, Eric Swanson, and more. It is produced by Decker, Botchii, and David Christopher Pitt, with the latter also serving as its cinematographer and co-editor. It is a production by Ave One Entertainment. “Syphon is an action film that’s really about misguided anger and screaming into the void. But with a lot of fistfights and barbed wire thrown in for good measure.” Botchii said. The post Bloody Action Movie Syphon Gets First Look as Saban Films & WTFilms Nab Rights | Exclusive appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures A sequel to The Curse of La Llorona, titled The Revenge of La Llorona, is officially in production. The film will serve as a direct sequel to the original 2019 horror film. However, the project will reportedly bring in a fresh creative team and cast, with the announcement sparking excitement among horror fans. The Revenge of La Llorona finds director and new cast members The Revenge of La Llorona, the sequel to 2019’s The Curse of La Llorona, moves into production with a fresh creative team and new faces joining the cast. The sequel brings together Jay Hernandez and Monica Raymund, alongside returning star Raymond Cruz. Cruz reprises his role as the curandero Rafael Olvera from the original 2019 film, The Curse of La Llorona. The cast also features Edy Ganem, Martín Fajardo, and siblings Acston Luca Porto and Avie Porto. (via The Hollywood Reporter) Behind the camera, The Revenge of La Llorona welcomes a new creative team. Santiago Menghini takes over directing duties, while Sean Tretta has written the screenplay. Producers James Wan, Gary Dauberman, and Emile Gladstone have returned to oversee the project. Meanwhile, Mia Maniscalco, Jamie Buckner, Michael Clear, and Judson Scott serve as executive producers. After several failed attempts and production delays, The Revenge of La Llorona is now officially in production in Buffalo, New York, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The new installment follows a broken family forced to confront their painful past and team up with their estranged curandero grandfather to battle the vengeful spirit before she takes their children forever. Following its premiere, The Curse of La Llorona went on to become a box-office success despite lackluster reviews from critics, receiving a 26 percent Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. It grossed more than $123 million worldwide against a production budget of $9 million. The Revenge of La Llorona does not yet have an official release date. The post The Curse of La Llorona Sequel in Works, Movie Director & Cast Announced appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Photo Credit: HBO HBO has released a trailer for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and fans are wondering about the timeline of the new Game of Thrones spin-off. Considering the dense lore of the franchise, it could be quite confusing where the story stands in the series. Furthermore, fans are also wondering about the release date. So, here are all the details that the viewers need to know about the upcoming HBO series. When is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms set in Game of Thrones timeline? A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes place in 209 AC, roughly 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones (which begin in 298 AC). Its timeline places it in the center of the former series and after the events of House of the Dragon (which ends in 129 AC). The show depicts a Westeros where dragons have disappeared, but the Targaryens still rule the Seven Kingdoms. When is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ release date A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is scheduled to premiere on January 18, 2026, on HBO Max. The series will consist of six episodes, with expectations of more seasons to come. What plot will A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follow? The show adapts “Tales of Dunk and Egg” novellas by George R. R. Martin. It centers around the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and his young squire Egg (Aegon V Targaryen, Daenerys Targaryen’s grandfather). The novellas consist of three books, and season 1 will closely adapt the first book, “The Hedge Knight.” Contrary to the larger-than-life dragon fights and supernatural beings, the story focuses more on a grittier and grounded tone of the medieval era. The show’s cast includes Peter Claffey, Dexter Sol Ansell, Sam Spruell, Daniel Ings, and Finn Bennett, among many others. George R. R. Martin returns to the franchise as the show’s co-producer and co-creator, along with Ira Parker. The first three episodes are reported to be directed by Owen Harris, known for series like Black Mirror. The post A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Game of Thrones Timeline, Release Date & More appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

A fan who spent hundreds of dollars for tickets to what he thought would be one of LeBron James’ final NBA games is looking to recoup the money in small claims court after it turned out “The Second Decision” teased by the Los Angeles Lakers superstar had nothing to do with his retirement. Andrew Garcia […] The post LeBron James Sued Over ‘The Second Decision’ Announcement appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article

To begin the 2025-26 season, the Lakers will be without one of their top players. LeBron James is currently dealing with sciatica in his right ankle. On Thursday, NBA insiders announced that James is set to miss three to four weeks for Los Angeles. That means that James will be unavailable for their first game […] The post For the first time in his professional career, LeBron James will miss a season opener appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ewlogofi.png Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the rampant overuse of the phrase “must-win game,” denying late timeouts, the Blue Jays’ victory over the Yankees, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a Yankees postmortem, Aaron Judge’s partial postseason redemption, the athletic (and managerial) highlights and lowlights of the other ALDS and the two NLDSes, the swan song of October Clayton Kershaw, postseason sacrifice bunting, Bryce Harper’s thoughts on childbirth, and more. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Passan’s Phillies tweet Link to Posnanski on comebacks from 0-2 Link to Vlad’s Yankees grudge Link to Vlad and Papi Link to Papi on Schlittler Link to Rosenthal on Judge Link to Sheehan on Judge Link to Rosenthal on the Yankees Link to The Ringer on Fox’s MLB panel Link to “clean your clock” etymology Link to Stott bunt explanation Link to Harper quote Link to Raleigh shirt story Link to infield-fly call Link to Stark fun fact Link to The West Wing scene Sponsor Us on Patreon Give a Gift Subscription Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Effectively Wild Subreddit Effectively Wild Wiki Apple Podcasts Feed Spotify Feed YouTube Playlist Facebook Group Bluesky Account Twitter Account Get Our Merch! Source View the full article

Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Jalen Williams isn’t shooting jumpers with his right hand yet as he recovers from summer wrist surgery, but he’s reportedly made steady progress, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “He’s progressing on a normal timeline,” said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, who expressed optimism after Williams underwent surgery to repair a torn […] The post Thunder’s Jalen Williams ‘Progressing’ Months After Wrist Surgery appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article

As we round out Banned Books Week, here’s your reminder that a week of “celebrating” banned books isn’t enough. Now take that passion for intellectual freedom, the rights of readers, the rights of authors, and the need to protect institutions of democracy further by taking direct action. Libraries are on the ballot in the next set of elections that will occur throughout the October and November. Libraries have always been on the ballot, of course, but with the continued rise of book censorship and attacks on these institutions, it is more crucial than ever to show up at the polls–and it’s also vital to tell everyone else who has an election to do the same. Because it is not a major election year and because it’s not even a midterm year, it is easy to overlook and forget about local elections going on this season. This is your reminder to start your research. Two main ballot matters relate to public libraries and schools this fall. First, there will be elections in several states and municipalities for school and library board members. Who sits on these boards matters tremendously. Folks who care about public libraries and school will seek to improve these institutions and ensure that they represent the whole of a community. Folks who have an agenda seek these roles as an opportunity to push partisan agenda, including book bans, wholesale bans on topics available in the library, budget cuts, and more. Second, there will be elections related to library funding–as we move through an era where library budgets are being pilfered for police (see Great Falls, Montana or Menominee Falls, Wisconsin or East Baton Rouge, Louisiana); where states are cutting property taxes thereby defunding public libraries (see Wyoming, Missouri, and Indiana); and where partisan politicians are changing how states fund their libraries (see Ohio), voting to sustain or increase library budgets is crucial to their survival. Greene County Public Library (OH), for example, is putting a levy measure on the ballot because the change in how their library will be funded by the state would mean disaster if they do not seek funds locally. Here’s your reminder to get to know what is on your local ballot, how to determine the best candidate for office, and then what to do after you don your “I voted” sticker. The suggestions here will take some time, so carve out an hour or so before you go to vote. You can do these things all at once or break them up into chunks. Find Out What’s On Your Ballot Not every state is currently voting in elections for school boards or library boards. In some cases, this is because those are appointed rather than elected positions. The first thing to do is figure out how the process works in your community. Navigate to your local school board’s website and your local library’s website and find the page about their board. Information about the process should be readily available there, but if it is not, you may need to locate that information on your city or county’s web page. Regardless of whether these positions are up for vote this year, knowing how the process works in your community is important. View a sample ballot for your community. You can find these in many places, including your county clerk’s office website where they host information about elections. For the Greene County, Ohio, election noted above, sample ballots for the November 4, 2025 election are on the county board of elections website and broken down by precinct. You may also be able to find information at VOTE411 or Ballotpedia. Go individual by individual on those sample ballots and look up the candidates. Some may have no web presence at all, which might be a red flag, but most will have at bare minimum a Facebook page. Your local newspaper, if you have one, may have interviews with each of the candidates (and if you’re paywalled from this, after you cuss a bit, see if you can access the unpaywalled version via your library). Red flags in candidates for school or library board will include language like “parental rights” or “school choice.” Red flags will be clear, too, if you are voting in nonpartisan board elections and you see clear partisanship in the candidate’s affiliations or endorsements. If you do not have board elections this year or your boards are appointed, find out who oversees those boards or departments. This could be the mayor in your community or any number of other elected city/county commissioners. Find out what their stance is on the democratic institutions of public libraries and schools. Vote accordingly. You want the person in charge of overseeing the people making library and school decisions to be someone who is a proponent of both. (This applies if your ballot includes all of these offices, too!) Research any library or school-related initiatives. You want to fund these institutions if those questions arise. Likewise, any initiatives that may expand the size of school or library boards are a good one. You want a wider variety of opinions in these spaces, not fewer. This is precisely how some boards have been overtaken—they’ve shrunk from 9 or 11 members to 5 or 7 and created voting blocks. You can take your notes on how you plan to vote with you to the polls. I’ve both written notes out on paper to bring and have just jotted down my plans in my phone’s Notes App. Do not, however, take a photo of your ballot itself while there. This is illegal in many areas of the country. Identifying Strong Candidates Look at the language used in campaigns, posts, and events used by candidates. Red flags include any array of buzz words that have proliferated over the last four years, including diversity equity and inclusion (“DEI”), critical race theory, comprehensive sexuality [sic] education, gender ideology, social-emotional learning, decreasing test scores in reading, grooming or indoctrination, liberty, book curation, vouchers, parental input/rights, and anything you may have once stumbled upon here. If you’re not quite finding anything with that language, you could always look up where these candidates stood on things like virtual school options for COVID (if they advocated “reopen the schools,” that’s a red flag, as the schools were never closed) or anti-masking/anti-vaccination debates between 2020-2022. This was particularly helpful in researching my own school board candidates, as one did not have a website or much information available at all, but I found a photo of her in the local newspaper with a giant “unmask the kids!” sign. Dig around to see where candidates may have received money. In states like Texas, Political Action Committees (PACs) from both within and beyond the state have been flooding local elections for schools with money. Candidates who take that money have an obligation and commitment to a cause that has nothing to do with serving their community and the students within it. They’re there for the group funding them. Here’s a list of currently registered PACs within Texas; if you see a candidate has an affiliation, see what that PAC does. As with so many other things on this list, you may need to look at any number of places to find the campaign finance information. Begin at the county clerk’s website for the election, then look to the state-level elections website. You could also try a basic Google search of the “candidate name” + “finance report” or something similar. See where candidates have spent their own money. The Federal Elections Committee requires that any candidate running for federal office submit information about where they’ve received contributions. You can look up any individual you’d like in this database and see if they’ve contributed to the campaigns of a particular party, candidate, or Political Action Committee (aka, the PACs). In the image below, you’ll see a pink arrow pointing to where you can look up the contributors. That’s where you’d put in the name of the candidate running for your local office. You can limit that search by city, or if you scroll down, you can limit by state (which might give you better information, as a candidate’s contributions may have happened when they lived in a different city). Then scroll down on the left panel to change the date range within which you search, or it defaults to very recent data. Be patient with this search tool, as it’s a massive database. It sometimes takes a minute to pull up information, if there’s any available. You can also look up where candidates have spent money at the state level. Find your state’s board of elections website and see if they have a campaign contribution database you can search. Here’s what Illinois’s looks like. Locate nonpartisan voting guides. There are many out there, and your community may have local-specific guides. Whether or not you do, the nonpartisan League of Women Voters offers guides in each state, even down to the county, where elections are taking place. Here’s an example of the library board race in Pontiac, Michigan, on the ballot for November. Two additional places to turn for information on candidates include partisan voter guides–even for nonpartisan races–and your state’s teachers union. Most of those unions publish a voting guide for pro-education candidates. You can look up your state and education association to find yours (i.e., Nebraska + “Education Association”) You’ve Made Your Mind Up and/or You’ve Voted. Now What? This spring, two helpful posts on building voter guides ran here at Literary Activism. Frank Strong shared how he builds school board voter guides in Texas (and as of this week, just released his guide to the Texas school board elections this November), while I talked about where and how I put together a voter guide for Illinois public libraries this spring. Utilize the ideas here to build voter guides in your community as they relate to libraries and public schools. You don’t need to go by them step by step. Rather, be inspired by where and how you can spend a few hours learning about local candidates, their stances on literature and public institutions, and sharing your findings with other people in your community. Share your work. Your neighbors and your friends trust you, and if you speak up about who you voted for—and yes, it can be as simple as “here’s who I voted for” without a why to it—you’re going to help other people make those decisions, too. Of course, if you want to share why, you do even more good. If you’re nervous or don’t believe it is important to share your decisions, I cannot recommend listening to Eitan Hersh on Jon Favreau’s Offline podcast anymore. The episode “Are You Treating Politics Like a Hobby?” is worth listening to all the way through, but if you want the meat and potatoes only, go to Minute 27-37, which focuses on local efforts to make change, and Minute 46-51, which focuses on building relationships. You’ll hear why one of the most effective means of getting people to vote and to understand the importance of that act is by talking about how and why you do it. Keep going. Whatever the outcome, the work is not done. Even if every pro-library and pro-school candidate wins, these institutions are still going to be under fire. The work has no end point—it’s a life long project. Take time to rest and hydrate so you can amplify the energy going into the next year . . . and realistically, the next several years. The damage being done to public institutions like schools and libraries is deep and repairing it will be a generation of work. Book Censorship News, October 10, 2025 Do you work at a library where Banned Books Week events/programs/displays were banned or curtailed? Tell me about it in this anonymous survey. The Hawaii state library has banned the use of language like “banned” and “censored” in relation to Banned Books Week. The week-long event is being rebranded as “Freedom to Read week,” so all displays and imagery related to “banned” has been banned. On one hand, it’s much much better branding (though I still think it should be First Amendment week, as we’re so sorely lacking in civics knowledge and this is prime opportunity to dig into that). On the other hand, you’re not doing yourself favors by banning words or displays at the individual library level. ““The library is a neutral place and that we’re not taking sides in a culture war or political situation,” said Tom Taylor, with the Andover Public Library [KS].” This is not what a library is, and by pretending libraries are neutral, you’re derelict in your duty to be politically-for all things libraries. This attitude is why libraries are under attack and why they’ll continue to disappear. Representative Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) are calling for an end to the banning of books across US public schools and libraries, as well as books being banned in Department of Defense Education Activity schools. Ashley Hope Perez talks about having her book Out of Darkness banned in Leander Independent School District (TX) early on in this era of book banning. Here, she reflects on how the district is now banning books like To Kill a Mockingbird. While we’re in Leander, all but four of the 40 books pulled are back on shelves from the preemptive administrative “pause,” due to Texas’s new SB 12 bill (see here). St. Albert Public School Trustees (Alberta, Canada) are floating anti-trans and pro-book banning bills. This school is literally taking a page out of the US. One of the big factors leading to this rise in book bans is that we’ve lost robust (if boring!) coverage of school and library board meetings in local news. Fortunately for us, there is coverage of the latest La Grange Independent School District (TX) meeting. One of the public speakers, no joke, is making the claim Charlie Kirk was killed because the shooter had access to books in the library. Weston Brown talks with People Magazine about his story–he is the child of a proud Texas book banner. Remember this court case ruling last week that curtailed First Amendment rights to books in public school libraries? It’s already been appealed. A judge has decided it’s okay that parents harass a school librarian over books available in their collection. Not great news out of New Jersey. “New North Carolina law requires teachers to list all classroom books online, prompting some to reduce classroom libraries and limit student reading options.” That’s one way to promote reading and literacy in an era where reading and literacy are on the decline. To be clear, that’s the state’s decision, not the decision of the educators. Prepare to potentially see book bans coming out of Sheridan County School District #2 (WY) before too long. The community is being invited to share their opinions on a new book ban library collection policy this week. The Hill talks about how while we may see numbers of book bans drop, that doesn’t account for rampant quiet/soft/silent censorship (and this story fails to really talk about what PEN’s new report actually counts as a ban, which is reported or recorded instances–something increasingly difficult to do in an era of continued ignorance by reporters and the death of local news). At Otsego Public Schools (MI), the short story “Ponies,” by Kij Johnson was pulled from its curriculum. It’d been used for years but now because the story is about authoritarianism, it’s apparently no longer okay to use. No, the administration provided no reason as to why it was pulled. Patricia McCormick is asking the book banning Alabama Public Library Service to restore funding to Fairhope Public Library in the state. In Danvers, Massachusetts, some parents are mad that their students are reading All American Boys in eighth grade. Why? Police brutality and profanity they’re “uncomfortable” with. The district isn’t pulling the use of the book but is letting parents opt their students out. Remember Mahmoud v. Taylor that allows Montgomery County School parents to pull their students from lessons related to positive portrayals of LGBTQ+ people? Guess how many parents have opted their students out? 43 families or .003% of the district. What a wonderful waste of time and energy. (We’ve seen this with Florida school library opt-outs, too, wherein minuscule portions of families restrict access to the library for their students. Also of note: one of the plaintiffs in Mahmoud v. Taylor is the chair of the local Moms for Liberty chapter.). New York’s largest ICE facility is banning book deliveries. Prisons are the biggest institution of censorship. “A former Wyoming library director [Terri Lesley] who was fired amid an uproar over books with sexual content and LGBTQ+ themes on youth shelves has reached a $700,000 settlement with her former employer.” This is the second such settlement this year in the US, wherein a director said they wouldn’t be banning books per board directives and they were subsequently fired. The first was Suzette Baker in Llano, Texas. As part of its Defending the Right to Read series, PEN America, Every Library, and the American Booksellers Association talked about crafting good, solid testimony against book banning bills. This story is paywalled but enough is before the cut to understand how bad it is. A lawsuit filed by the NAACP about the banning of Stamped: Race, Antiracism, and You from Pickens County (SC) school English classes was met with a loss. The book will remain off shelves in the district. View the full article

Last year, I listed a whole bunch of Christmas episodes from various superhero cartoons. This year, I won’t be quite that ambitious, but I would like to share a few Halloween episodes that you might want to check out while they’re still in season. Or, hey, watch them any time. I’m not the holiday police. You do you! First up, a personal favorite: Batman: The Brave and the Bold gave us “Trials of the Demon!” Only the teaser actually takes place on Halloween–yes, the Scarecrow is involved–but the rest of the episode keeps with the general mood, having the Caped Crusader follow the demon Etrigan into the Victorian era, fight Gentleman Ghost, and hang around with Sherlock Holmes in misty old London. Everyone’s favorite wall-crawler has a very eventful Halloween in the Spectacular Spider-Man episode “The Uncertainty Principle,” when he discovers that the Green Goblin is none other than a good friend of his. (Well, maybe…) For good measure, this episode also features the Venom Symbiote’s arrival on Earth. So, true to form, poor Peter ended up with more tricks than treats. Sort of like the superhero equivalent of a bag full of rocks. All Access members, your exclusive content continues below. This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read.View the full article

October is an exciting month for so many reasons. For horror fans, it’s a great time to really into our biggest obsessions, which is all things scary. But for all book fans, October is the perfect time to really focus on hitting our reading goals. We are, after all, nearing the end of the year, and it’s time to get serious about making sure we’re making time to read. Especially now that the weather is colder, is there anything better than staying in with an atmospheric new horror novel? That’s where these spooky read-a-thons come in. Here are a few upcoming Halloween-themed read-a-thons to kick off your spooky season. Gothtober Read-A-Thon Gothtober 2025 is underway! This annual read-a-thon is back to celebrate creepy horror books and dark, Gothic stories. This year, the theme is Gothic architecture and buildings–all about a spooky setting. This read-a-thon is hosted by Olivia’s Catastrophe, LadetteM‬, and withluvtish‬. All of the hosts will be sharing lots of reading sprints, games, arts & crafts events, and much more on both YouTube and Instagram. Here’s a Google Drive with lots of extra info, including a calendar of events. Looking for some recommendations? Olivia’s got you covered. Here’s the official Gothtober Instagram so you can follow along here as well. The Halloweekend Read-A-Thon If you really want to home in on the weekends when you’re planning your reading sprints, go for this Halloweekend Read-A-Thon. Every weekend in October features new prompts to get you reading spooky books. What’s more, this game board style read-a-thon will have you navigating each weekend of prompts by exploring a haunted house. You can participate every Thursday night through Sunday night from October 2 to November 2. Ready to go? Here’s the Google Drive folder with all of the things you need! Halloween-A-Thon 2025 This spooky a-thon is a horror read-a-thon, movie watch-a-thon, and spooky season activity-a-thon. If you need all the Halloween things this season, this will keep you busy. This one started on September 22 and runs through Halloween. If you’re just finding out about the events now, you can fully start whenever you want. It’s casual. It’s for everyone, and you can do as much or as little of it as you want. Participating in even one activity makes you an official “Pumpkinhead.” Lots of Book Tubers are participating, so there are lots of videos and Instagram posts and Discord channels you can follow. If you’re looking for more ideas for what to do for the Halloween-A-Thon, check out these Halloween-A-Thon book recommendations. But of course, why should scary book read-a-thons be relegated to spooky season? If you’re looking for a horror read-a-thon that goes on all year round, check out Horror Bingo 2025-2026. Because every month should feel like October! View the full article

Minami Katsu holed a long putt on the 18th to finish with a course record 11-under 61 on Friday and take a two-shot lead at the halfway point of the LPGA's Shanghai tournament.View the full article

I don’t know about you, but my TBR is getting out of hand. In fact, I have an entire TBR wall of double-stacked bookshelves bursting with books that I would like to read . . . someday. I think it’s about time that I sort out my TBR and face the reality that I may never actually get to some of these books. I’ve been scrolling through reviews, articles, and BookTube videos trying to figure which ones I want to keep and which books to pass along. But really, where do I even start? If you’re in the same boat, I’m here for you. Here are a handful of backlist books well worth the hype or that remain must-read hidden gems. Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby Hands down, Hannah Gadsby’s Ten Steps to Nanette is one of my favorite memoirs of all time, and it’s woefully underhyped. Gadsby shares what it was like to grow up as a queer, autistic kid in Tasmania, Australia. Gadsby is well-known for their comedy special Nanette, which you can still watch on Netflix. Their memoir expands on the ideas in Nanette and gives us a closer look into how Gadsby’s life led to them creating this incredible one-person show. The audiobook is out of this world as Gadsby performed with perfect comedic timing and understated style of humor. All Access members, read on for your exclusive content. This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read.View the full article

Max Greyserman missed winning by one shot a year ago in Japan. This time he'll try again to break through for his first PGA Tour victory.View the full article