Idris Elba to lead Things Fall Apart / Yellowstone return to air on CBS and Paramount+ on same night / Mike Tyson-Jake Paul gets docuseries

PLUS: Monsters star Cooper Koch says he hugged the Menendez brothers in prison, says they deserve a retrial.

Idris Elba to lead Things Fall Apart based on Chinua Achebe’s classic Nigerian novel
Elba is attached to star in the A24 TV series adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the first part in the late Nigerian poet and novelist's African trilogy. No network, streamer or writer is yet attached. According to the official description, Things Fall Apart is “story of Okonkwo (Elba), one of literature’s most iconic characters—a fearless African warrior and leader who is resolute about preserving his people and culture. As British colonizers disrupt his world, Okonkwo’s struggle to maintain power and tradition spirals into a heart-wrenching confrontation. His fierce resolve, a fatal flaw in the face of unstoppable change, makes him an unforgettable character, embodying the tension between strength, vulnerability and adaptability.” As Variety notes, Things Fall Apart is "widely regarded as one of the greatest novels ever written. t has been translated into over 60 languages and won awards like the Nigerian National Merit Award and the Man Booker International Prize. It is the first book of Achebe’s African Trilogy, followed by No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God. It has previously been adapted as both a film and miniseries, with Pete Edochie starring as Okonkwo in the miniseries."

Yellowstone’s Season 5 Part 2 premiere will air on CBS the same night of its Paramount Network debut
The premiere will first air on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount Network, followed by an airing on CBS at 10 p.m. ET later that night. "That reps a quick secondary broadcast window for the episode, which premieres on the Paramount Network earlier that evening at 8 p.m. ET," says Variety's Michael Schneider. "The CBS airing will preempt that night’s originally scheduled episode of “The Equalizer,” and will air following an episode of CBS’ hit Tracker."

Netflix's Mike Tyson-Jake Paul boxing match will be accompanied by a docuseries
The three-part docuseries Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson will go behind the scenes of the Nov. 15 fight, with the two first two episodes dropping on Nov. 7 and the third on Nov. 12.

Newsmax and voting machine company Smartmatic settle defamation lawsuit over the 2020 presidential election
The settlement comes days ahead of the trial over allegations the pro-Trump Newsmax aired false claims about Smartmatic. “Newsmax is pleased to announce it has resolved the litigation brought by Smartmatic through a confidential settlement,” a Newsmax spokesperson said. The settlement comes amid as jury selection was underway.

Mike Faist and Hoon Lee join East of Eden as Netflix greenlights the limited series from Zoe Kazan and Florence Pugh
Pugh and Christopher Abbott also star in the limited series based on John Steinbeck's novel of the same name, which was first adapted for the screen by Kazan's grandfather Elia Kazan in 1955. Faist will play the role of Charles, the same role James Dean played in the 1955 film. The limited series adaptation, which Kazan is co-writing with Jeb Stuart and which Pugh is executive producing, "will explore the novel’s themes of trauma and repair; love and betrayal; duty and free will," per Deadline. "The series will sketch an intimate portrait of the Trask family against the backdrop of huge historical forces — or, as Steinbeck put it, 'the story of my country and the story of me.'"

Monsters star Cooper Koch says he hugged the Menendez brothers in prison, says they deserve a retrial
Koch, who plays Erik Menendez in Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, recently visited the Menendez brothers in prison with Kim Kardashian. But that wasn't the first time Koch spoke with Erik. The actor tells Variety they spoke the night before Monsters premiered last week. “I got to have a really good conversation with him and tell him that I believe him and I did everything I could as an actor to advocate for him and portray him as authentically as possible, and that I think the show does a really good job of representing him,” says Koch. “We had a really nice conversation. We talked about other things like I went to Calabasas High School, which is where he went when he first moved to California. My father graduated Beverly Hills High School the year before Erik got there. We have all of these weird parallels.” ALSO: Erik Menendez’s wife Tammi posts a scathing takedown of Monsters on behalf of the extended Menendez family.

The Golden Bachelorette fans are upset over Gil Ramirez’s continued screen time after restraining order revelation
Last night's episode featured "quite a bit of Ramirez — including a lighthearted look at his talent show performance and extended one-on-one time between him and Vassos," according to Decider's Nicole Gallucci. "In addition to brief reaction shots and cuts to Ramirez throughout the episode, The Golden Bachelorette showed Ramirez juggling during the talent show group date and tearfully opening up to Joan about his family and late wife in an emotional heart-to-heart." Fans expressed frustration that Ramirez was getting so much screen time. Last week, People reported on Ramirez's restraining order, which his ex took out against him after he passed the show's background check. People also reported that The Golden Bachelorette producers, based on sources, have "further edited his already limited screen time and minimized him in promotional assets moving forward."

Jeremy Allen White spotted kissing The Bear co-star Molly Gordon
The Bear co-stars were spotted locking lips in Los Angeles on Wednesday, according to photos obtained by People, which adds: "The two seemed to be taking their on-screen romance into real life, with their arms wrapped around each other as they embraced and shared a kiss."

Amazon's Scarpetta adds Sosie Bacon, Amanda Righetti and Janet Montgomery
Stephanie Faracy and Mike Vogel are also joining the Amazon Prime Video series based on Patricia Cornwell’s best-selling book series. They join Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker, Rosy McEwen, Jake Cannavale and Ariana DeBose.

Mary J. Blige sets Family Affair Lifetime movie, inspired by her 2001 song of the same name
Mary J. Blige’s Family Affair will star Ajiona Alexus and Da’Vinchi, who reprise their roles from previous Mary J. Blige-produced Lifetime movies Real Love and Strength of a Woman.

Million Dollar Listing New York's Fredrik Eklund is developing a new real estate reality show with Vanderpump Rules producer
The potential series will follow Eklund's business real estate business in Miami.

CNN will begin experimenting with a web site paywall in October
According to THe New York Times, CNN, the most-visited news website in the U.S., "is planning a so-called metered model, which will require the site’s habitual users to pay after reading a certain number of articles."

Family Matters' Reginald VelJohnson denies attending a Sean "Diddy" Combs "freak off" sex party
VelJohnson, who is currently competing on Dancing with the Stars, told TMZ that the online rumors are "all bullsh*t," adding: "I don’t know that man. I never met him before."

1960s Batman series star Burt Ward attends Batman's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony
Batman today became the first superhero to receive a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. And the 79-year-old Robin actor was part of the ceremony.

Andy Samberg may have broken the late-night record for d*ck jokes
Appearing as an Olympic pole vaulter with a "giant dong" on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Samberg told 15 d*ck jokes four minutes.

The Last of Us' Season 2 teaser features narration by Catherine O’Hara
O’Hara's role is being kept under wraps, but she appears to be playing Joel's therapist. “You can’t heal something unless you’re brave enough to say it out loud,” she says. “Say the thing that you’re afraid to say. Say it out loud, no matter what it is. No matter how bad. What did you do?” The Last of Us returns in early 2025. ALSO: Check out the Season 2 posters.

Amazon teases new game shows hosted by Travis Kelce, Colin Jost, Nick Cannon and JB Smoove
Check out the first look at Kelce's Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?, Jost's Pop Culture Jeopardy!, Cannon's Wish List Games and Smoove's Buy It Now.

Shrinking's Season 2 trailer contains a surprising Harrison Ford line reading
"It doesn’t really matter if Shrinking‘s second season is good or bad, if the plots resolve, if the patients get help, or Jimmy (Jason Segel) has a breakthrough," says Mary Kate Carr. "The new trailer for the Apple TV+ series, which returns on October 16, contains a Harrison Ford line reading so unexpected it deserves to be enshrined in meme format or on his Emmys reel. Never in a million years would we have expected to hear Ford say—well, we won’t spoil it, you can see in the trailer." ALSO: Brett Goldstein and Damon Wayans Jr. make their Shrinking debut in the Season 2 trailer.

Peacock summons Satan to the suburbs in Hysteria! trailer
Bruce Campbell, Julie Bowen and Anna Camp star in the 1980s satanic panic series premiering Oct. 18.

Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking reality competition gets a premiere date and trailer
The Max and Food Network reality show will debut on Food Network on Nov. 14 and be available to stream on Max the same day. Food Network calls Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking a “ground-breaking series” that “blends legendary storytelling and fantastical edible creations in a never-before-seen competition that will have audiences at the edge of their seats.”