Entertainment – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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The Verge’s entertainment section collects the latest news from the worlds of pop culture, music, movies, television, and video games. Whether you want to know what to watch on Netflix or how to make the most of your streaming service budget, the entertainment section acts a reliable source. There’s simply too much to read, watch, hear, and play. Let us be your tour guide.

In a big year for horror, Widow’s Bay still stands apart

The Apple TV series just wrapped up its hilariously dark first season.

Andrew Webster
In a big year for horror, Widow’s Bay still stands apart

The Apple TV series just wrapped up its hilariously dark first season.

Andrew Webster

Latest In Entertainment

Terrence O'Brien
Terrence O'Brien
Akai quadruples the processing power of its cheapest full-featured MPC.

The $799 MPC One G2 has an 8-core processor with 4GB RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. That means you can run 32 plugin instances and 16 audio tracks simultaneously, up from eight of each in the previous model, and polyphony is now 256 notes, up from 64.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Spotify is launching its concert ticket presale program for superfans of certain artists.

The first artist partner for Spotify Reserved is Role Model, who is also announcing a tour today. More tours that are part of the program will be announced this week.

A screenshot of Spotify Reserved’s digital concert ticket reservation.
Image: Spotify
This Ghost in the Shell keyboard feels like it came from anime

8

Verge Score

Iqunix’s special edition EV63 is decked out in ’90s anime charm.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Step into the Criterion Closet.

Developers Oliver and Patrick Evans have made a digitized 3D version of the famous movie closet that lets you explore 1,247 films distributed by The Criterion Collection. So now you can peruse the shelves and pull out titles to learn more about them, just like your favorite celebrities (kinda).

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Sean Hollister
Sean Hollister
Valve’s big SteamOS 3.8 update is now available for everyone.

Three months after Valve’s doozy of an update arrived in preview — the first with support for the Steam Machine and a whole lot more — it’s getting a full stable release. Here’s the changelog. But when will the Steam Machine arrive? Valve’s had quite a few shipments now...

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s new trailer has the Hulk, and “a powerful villain no one can even see.”

With tickets going on sale today ahead of Spider-Man’s premiere on July 31st, Sony Pictures released a new nearly three-minute trailer to follow the March teaser that quickly racked up a billion views.

This new one still features a world that’s forgotten Peter Parker, and also highlights the movie’s villain, an invisible entity that seemingly takes over even Bruce Banner / Hulk.

Kallie Plagge
Kallie Plagge
Pokémon Champions works great on mobile.

The battle simulator is now available on Android and iOS — and it runs a lot better than it did when it was first released on the Switch in April. The mobile release comes alongside a new regulation that’s added more pokémon, including both Mega Raichu forms and the Hoenn starters, plus items like the long-awaited Life Orb.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Mia Sato
Mia Sato
Can you dupe an UGG boot?

A major case surrounding lookalike products (“dupes”) came to a close this week, in which Deckers, the maker of UGG boots, sued direct-to-consumer brand Quince, alleging it had knocked off its shearling ankle boot. A jury found that Quince’s version was indeed substantially similar to the design patent for the UGG boots — but also that the patent itself was invalid in the first place.

As I wrote last year, brands are increasingly using design patents to go after dupes. The Deckers decision stress-tests that tactic.

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
The EU decides against requiring developers to keep dead games alive.

In response to the Stop Destroying Videogames initiative, the European Commission said it can’t propose legislation to keep games playable after they’re removed from sale due to intellectual property rights. Instead, the Commission will work to develop new industry standards for video game shutdowns.

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
The next movie “enhanced” for James Dolan’s Sphere will be The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

After The Wizard of Oz at Sphere topped $400 million in ticket sales over the last year, Sphere Studios says it “will use its advanced technologies” to present The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Sphere.

There are no details on how much that process will resemble the Google AI-powered approach to Oz, which Indiewire’s David Ehrlich called “…less a celebration of the original than an Emerald City-sized version of Cecilia Giménez’s Jesus fresco.”

An aerial picture of The Sphere in Las Vegas showing on the outside of the building a pair of lips and the words “The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Sphere coming 2027”
Image: Sphere Entertainment
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
EA is launching a platform for in-game ads.

With EA Advertising, companies can place ads across stadium signage, scoreboards, sponsored replays, and other in-game content in “a way designed to enhance, not disrupt, the player experience,” according to an announcement. EA has already partnered with brands like Visa, Lowe’s, Red Bull, and Xfinity to embed ads in its games.

Brands can place their logo on uniforms inside FC 26, for example.
Brands can place their logo on uniforms inside FC 26, for example.
Image: EA
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Roblox’s new types of accounts with increased restrictions for kids are rolling out globally.

Roblox announced Kids Accounts (for ages 5-8) and Select Accounts (for ages 9-15) in April, and it has been testing them in select countries. Kids Accounts will have chat turned off by default, though parents can turn it on.

Dominic Preston
Dominic Preston
Fox execs will do anything but go to therapy.

Like buying Roku, for example.

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The masculine urge to fold companies into progressively dumber conglomerates

Get the day’s best comment and more in my free newsletter, The Verge Daily.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
MSI’s new Claw gaming handheld starts at $1,699.

That’s according to Best Buy’s listing for the MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus — and it’s “early bird” pricing, MSI’s Anne Lee tells The Verge. After retailers run out of their first batches of units, MSI expects them to sell the handheld for $1,799, like MSI’s US store already is.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

A screenshot from Best Buy’s store listing for the MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus.
Image: Best Buy
Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
Musician Oliver Tree has died at 32 in a helicopter collision.

While on his “The World’s First World Tour” with plans to play on all seven continents, the vocalist, producer, filmmaker, and professional scooter rider was one of six people killed after two helicopters collided over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. O Globo reports that after the crash on Sunday, one of the helicopters fell into an electric car dealership’s parking lot, sparking a fire that burned dozens of cars.

Photos by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Fox is buying RokuFox is buying Roku
Dominic Preston
Thomas Ricker
Thomas Ricker
Mark Zuckerberg and David Ellison in front row of Trump’s gladiatorial spectacle.

On Sunday, the rich and powerful gathered to watch men choke each other out on the White House lawn. Welcome to peak idiocracy.

X-Men ’97 has what Masters of the Universe is missing

The two projects highlight how it takes more than nostalgia to reinvigorate a franchise.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Terrence O'Brien
Terrence O'Brien
Gore Verbinski says we need an AI “rating system” for movies.

The director of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die says he’s not totally against AI and wouldn’t fault a young indie filmmaker for turning to it if they couldn’t otherwise afford to create a key portion of a film. But he is concerned about its impact. According to Variety, saying:

You almost need a rating system. If you use AI to write a script, you get an F. What people are most afraid of is that there is no transparency. People are afraid of what is real and what isn’t.”

Never Post’s Mike Rugnetta on the creative process and the value of reliable power

The podcast host, YouTuber, musician, and audio engineer has a lot on his plate.

Terrence O'Brien
Terrence O'Brien
Terrence O'Brien
Gene Shalit, the pun-loving film critic dies at 100.

Shalit was a staple of Today for 40 years, from 1970 until his retirement in 2010. In addition to his iconic and pun-laden reviews, Shalit was also a regular guest on Late Night with David Letterman and What’s My Line?

The future of Hollywood isn’t feeding prompts into vanilla gen AI models 

AI wasn’t just slop at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.

Charles Pulliam-Moore
Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
Spotify’s first editor videos for New Music Friday are here.

Spotify’s bringing its editor commentary from The Drop Weekly to its New Music Friday playlist, so you can hear from the playlist’s curators about why they picked some of their weekly new release highlights. This week they’re spotlighting Olivia Rodrigo, Ayra Starr, ANOTR, Adéla, and Emei.

Screenshots of Spotify editor clips in its New Music Friday playlist
Image: Spotify
Andrew Webster
Andrew Webster
A pint-sized MMO.

Developer Gareth Williams is about to launch a massively multiplayer RPG on just about the tiniest device imaginable. PointlessQuest hits the Playdate starting on June 13th — you can download it now to get a jump on things — and promises most typical MMO features, but on a much smaller scale.

The Nintendo DS is still the best gaming handheld for travel

With solid hardware and a huge library of games, it’s the perfect device to slip in your carry-on.

Andrew Webster
Thomas Ricker
Thomas Ricker
Spotify’s disco era is over.

After updating, the much-maligned sparkle icon — meant to celebrate 20 years of Spotify — will revert back to its former flat self.

Andrew Webster
Andrew Webster
”Season 2 is about how everything is great on the island and there’s nothing to worry about.”

That’s Katie Dippold, creator and showrunner of the horror / comedy hybrid Widow’s Bay, which Apple just confirmed has been renewed. The news comes just ahead of the season 1 finale, which streams on June 17th.

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Plex is getting more social.

After launching the abilty to create and share lists of movies and TV shows, Plex is now rolling out a “discussions” feature that will allow you to chat about content in its app. Other social features, like emoji reactions, are set to arrive throughout the year.

Image: Plex
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Get ready for AI generated shorts from Lionsgate.

Lionsgate’s partnershuip with Runway seemed to have hit a major snag last fall when the companies couldn’t get their AI model to generate footage suitable to be turned into a full-on movie. And now, they’re reportedly putting more energy into producing “short episodic series using existing Lionsgate IP.”