The Movies Are Doing Fine

We dive into the latest film industry happenings with James Gunn writing and directing the next Superman film, Matt Reeves completing The Batman Part II script for a 2027 release, and major announcements across Marvel and Star Wars franchises.

• Box office rundown reveals how superhero movies like Fantastic Four and Superman perform in today's theater climate
• James Gunn will write and direct the next Superman film while expanding DC Universe with Clayface, Supergirl, and other projects 
• Matt Reeves' Batman sequel begins filming spring 2026 with a policy of completed scripts before production
• Sony developing Spider-Punk animated feature with Daniel Kaluuya returning to voice Hobie Brown
• Mark Ruffalo reportedly in talks to appear as Hulk in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
• Star Wars planning 50th anniversary theatrical re-release for April 2027
• Matt Smith joining Star Wars: Starfighter alongside Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth
• Gina Carano and Lucasfilm reach settlement in discrimination lawsuit
• HBO Max removes several animated series as Warner Bros Discovery shifts focus away from children's content
• Disney announcing full integration of Hulu into Disney+ by 2026
• Remembering Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell who passed at 97
• Tribute to WKRP in Cincinnati star Loni Anderson who died at 79

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Tonight Gunn working on the next super movie, Spirepunk, the movie Star Wars at 50, and remember Jim Lovell and Lonnie Anderson. All that and more on this edition of Multiverse Tonight. Welcome to Multiverse Tonight, your source for geek news. We dissect films, games, comics and much more, bringing you insightful commentary on pop culture. This is Multiverse Tonight. Now here's your host, thomas Townley. Well, hello everyone, and welcome to episode 246 of Multiverse Tonight. I'm, of course, your host, thomas Townley, and I'm feeling a lot better, thank you.

Speaker 1: 0:39

The past couple of weeks has been a little hard on me. That Canadian wildfire smoke that came down really kind of did me a number, gave me a respiratory problem, so I was saying pretty bad the past couple of weeks. My wife even got too, so she's still on her way to recovery. Other than that, things have been going well. I have a problem with my stomach. It produces too much acid, so we found out, and I also have what's it called hyaluronia too, and that's part of the problem as well. So I had to change my diet, which is, you know, it's not good, but it's not bad either. You know, I'm doing a lot better now with my bodily functions and I've also lost a few pounds, I'm down to drinking like two mini cans of Pepsi a day, so you know doing much better.

Speaker 1: 2:03

Anyway, let's quickly cover the box office for this past weekend. At number 10, sketch arrived with $2.5 million, together dropped from $6 to $9 with $2.6 million. F1, the Movie, dropped from $7 to $8 with $2.8 million. Jurassic World Rebirth dropped to number 7 from number 5, making $4.7 million. It has $326.8 million at the box office. Superman dropped down from number four to number six with still $7.8 million. It's made $331 million $243,139. The Naked Gun dropped from three to five with $8.3 million. That's about half of what made the week before. It's got $33 million in the bank. The Bad Guys 2 dropped from 2 to 4 with $10.4 million and that's about half, with its gross total of $43.4 million. The Fantastic Four First Steps dropped from number one to number three with $15.5 million. That's about 60%, but still has $230.4 million. Freakier Friday, the unnecessary sequel to Freaky Friday, debuts at number two with $29 million, and Weapons debuts at number number one with 42.5 million. Now a lot of people are naysaying, oh look fantastic four and first steps drop down.

Speaker 1: 3:31

Oh, superman, drop down well, box office is a lot different than it was a decade ago. Even box office. Nowadays, you know, people go see it once, maybe twice, and then they don't go see it Because going to the movies is expensive. You know it, I know it it's. I mean, it's a $20 trip almost every time. If not, you know $40. If not, you know 40. So you know there's a reason why you're you're not seeing movies. Get to number one and then stay there for weeks and weeks on end. It's because everyone who wanted to see it saw it in week one or week two, maybe even week three, and then it drops off precipitously.

Speaker 2: 4:21

Um, so dolls naysayers out there who are like oh, they did this. Oh, they changed the sex effect of the silver surfer, oh, they made Superman, you know, weaker it's like no, they made it great.

Speaker 1: 4:37

My personal review of Superman it was a great movie, I loved it. I had a great time. It's on IMAX, so it was a great movie to see, really loved it. Same thing with Fantastic Four First Steps. I went and saw that in a 21 plus theater over in Wichita so there was very few people in the theater with me. That's perfectly fine with me, because I wanted to sit somewhere with good reclining seats and I thought it was great. I thought they finally got Johnny Storm correct. He's not just a big flaming a-hole, he actually has personality, he actually cares. So I still recommend going to see it.

Speaker 1: 5:31

But anyway, let's get on with the DC Comics News. And dc comics news begins with warner burr's discovery ceo david zazlav, confirming that james gunn will write and direct the next film in the super family franchise. Previously, gunn had hinted he was working on a new movie featuring David Cornsweth's Superman, but he remained vague about whether it was a standalone sequel. Zaslav's announcement clarified Gunn's dual roles, both writer and director, a position he held for the first Superman. The franchise's upcoming projects include Peacemaker Season 2, followed by the Supergirl movie and the Lanterns television series in 2026. Clayface is also set to begin filming this year. Gunn has emphasized that each entry will have a distinct flavor and tone akin to comic books. You know that Clayface will be a complete horror film, highlighting the studio's desire to avoid a uniform company style and prevent audience boredom. Now James Gunn and Pierce Saffron were appointed in 2022 to revitalize DC Studios, which has historically struggled to compete with Disney's more successful MCU. Now, beyond Superman starring David Cornswet, gunn and Saffron have ambitious plans for a decade of interconnected sequels and spin-offs, including Clayface, supergirl and the new Wonder Woman adaptation. Zaslav has lauded Gunn and Saffron for breathing new life and excitement to one of the most iconic storytelling franchises in the world.

Speaker 1: 7:14

Despite Superman's promising start, dc faces challenges with Supergirl and Clayface, which feature less recognizable protagonists compared to the globally known Superman. Zaslav, however, is remaining optimistic, declaring quote the DC vision is clear. The momentum is real. Quote unquote. Following Superman's theatrical release, good news for fans of Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight. Warner Bros Discovery recently announced that Matt Reeves' highly anticipated the Batman Part II will begin filming in this upcoming spring 2026, with an October 2027 theatrical release. Pattinson, who has been busy this year, followed Christopher Nolan's the Odyssey and then even used Dune Part III, will reprise his role as Batman. Now Warner Bros Discovery's shareholders, in their yearly letter, also celebrated the success of James Gunn's Superman, which launched the DC Universe across film and television. The film has already grossed nearly $555 million worldwide, and the company stated that DC Studios' universe of characters represents not only one of Warner Bros Discovery's most valuable pieces of intellectual property, but one of the most valuable assets in entertainment. Now, in film, james Gunn is currently developing Supergirl, clayface and Wonder Woman. The Batman 2 is also preparing to shoot. The 10-year vision for the DC universe extends to television with projects such as the Penguin, the new season of Peacemaker and the debut of Lanterns. The DC franchise will also be increasingly integrated across these two's efforts, including film, tv, consumer products, games, experiences and social media.

Speaker 1: 8:51

Now fans have eagerly awaited the sequel to the Batman, which was released in March of 2022, and earned $772 million globally. The sequel's development has been lengthy, with Warner Bros delaying its release from October 2, 2026 to October 1, 2027. Warner Bros confirmed to Variety on June 27 that Reeves had finally completed the script. While the Batman sequel will be released more than five years after the original, james Gunn has defended the delay, noting that the long gaps between sequels are common. He cited examples such as Alien and Aliens, which has a seven-year gap, incredibles and Incredibles Part II and Incredibles 2, which had a 14-year gap, and Terminators the first two movies also had a seven-year gap. Now Gunn also explained that Matt Reeves is committed to making the best film he possibly can, and no one can accurately guess exactly how long a script will take to write. He added that once a script is finished, there's around two years for pre-production, shooting and post-production on big films.

Speaker 1: 9:52

James Gunn's policy at the new DC Studios is that no movie will begin pre-production or production until the screenplay is complete, unlike Marvel Studios, where scripts often evolve during production. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, gunn advised fans to be patient regarding sequels, stating, quote people should get off Matt's nuts because it's like let the guy write the screenplay in the amount of time he needs to write it. That's just the way it is. He doesn't owe you something because you like his movie. I mean you like his movie because of Matt, so let Matt do things the way he does. Unquote. Further said, quote I am irritated by people. I mean it's just that thing people don't need to be entitled about. It's going to come out when he feels good about the screenplay, and Matt's not going to give me the screenplay when he feels good about the screenplay, and Matt's not going to give me the screenplay until it feels good about the screenplay Unquote. Now let's go on to the Marvel Comics News.

Speaker 1: 11:15

Sony Pictures Animation is developing an animated feature centered on Spider-Punk, with Daniel Kaluuya will reprise his role as Spider-Punk, a character he voiced in 2023's Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse and is set to voice again in the upcoming Spider-Man Beyond the Spider-Verse. Spider-punk, also known as Hoppy Brown, was created by writer Dan Slott and artist Oliver Coppiel. This version of Spider-Man hailing from Earth-138 embodies a more anarchistic and anti-establishment stance compared to Peter Parker, driven by a strong desire to dismantle corrupt systems. His first appearance was in the Amazing Spider-Man no 10 in 2015, during a Spider-Verse crossover event. This new film builds on the success of Sony Pictures Animation's acclaimed Spider-Man animated trilogy, which explores Spider-Man's adventures across the multiverse. The first installment, spider-man Into the Spider-Verse, was a critical and commercial triumph, earning over $394 million globally and an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Its sequel, across the Spider-Verse, also received an Oscar nomination and surpassed its predecessor at the box office with over $690 million worldwide. The final film in the trilogy Beyond the Spider-Verse is scheduled for release on June 25th 2027.

Speaker 1: 12:30

Mark Ruffalo is reportedly in talks to reprise his role as the Incredible Hulk in the upcoming film Spider-Man Brand New Day. Tom Holland, who is returning as Spider-Man, will be joined by Sadie Sink in a new, undisclosed role and John Barenthal, who will play the Punisher. Marvel and Sony have not commented on the casting news. Spider-man Brand New Day will be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, with Amy Pascal and Marvel president Kevin Feige producing. Chris McKenna and Eric Somers are writing the script. The plot details are currently under wraps, but the film is slated for release on July 31, 2026. Now Ruffalo's previous Marvel appearances include Avengers, age of Ultron, thor, ragnarok, avengers, infinity War, avengers Endgame, she-hulk, attorney at Law and a cameo at the end of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Let's go on to some Star Wars news. Roger roger.

Speaker 1: 13:25

Matt Smith, known for his role in House of the Dragon and Doctor who, is reportedly joining the cast of Lucasfilm's Star Wars Starfighter. Sources indicate that he will star alongside Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth, with Sean Levy directing and Jonathan Troper penning the script. Near Lucasfilm North, smith's representatives have commented on the casting. Production for Star Wars Starfighter is scheduled for this fall, with a release date set for May 28, 2027. While specific character details are under wraps, sources suggest that Smith will portray a significant villain. Casting has begun actively underway for several weeks, with executives ultimately choosing Smith for this pivotal role in the Star Wars universe. The film's details were first revealed in April at the Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo. Starfire takes place five years after Star Wars Episode IX, rise of the Skywalker, which marked the end of the Skywalker saga and is currently the chronologically last film in the Star Wars timeline. Now, smith recently completed the second season of House of the Dragon, with the third season slated for production this next year. His upcoming projects include the Sony and Darren Aronofsky thriller Caught Stealing, where he stars opposite Austin Butler, and the limited series the Death of Bunny Monroe. Disney has dated the 50th anniversary re-release of Star Wars for April 30, 2027. Now no other news was made available as to whether it will reverse engineer George Lucas' 97 edits and additions or keep the 20th anniversary print intact. Recently the British Film Institute screened the original 1977 print, which is noted on site that the pic's color is gloriously unfaded. That print was also one of the precious handful of dye transfer IB Technicolor prints produced uniquely for the first British release. Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope counts a lifetime box office of 461 million domestic, 775.3 million globally, and it's the movie that started it all the multi-billion dollar grossing space opera franchise spanning films, streaming services and merchandise. The 1997 re-release was lucrative, calling on then-DVD audiences to re-watch the classic for the first time in a long time on the big screen. The edition alone grossed $138.2 million domestically and $160 million box office globally. The reissue was also served as a tee-off for episodes 1 through 3, which Lucas was prepping at the time. And uh, I was there, folks, I'm that old. And I was there, folks, I'm that old.

Speaker 1: 16:05

Disney and Lucasfilm have reached a settlement in the lawsuit filed by Gina Carano, who alleged discrimination and wrongful termination after her dismissal from the Mandalorian. In a joint statement, lucasfilm expressed optimism about future collaborations with Ms Carano, saying. With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms Carano in the near future. We have reached an agreement with Gina Carano to resolve the issues in her pending lawsuit against the companies.

Speaker 1: 16:32

Ms Carano was always well-respected by her directors, co-stars and staff, and she worked hard to perfect her craft while treating her colleagues with kindness and respect unquote. Now Carano confirmed the agreement in her own statement, calling it the best outcome for all parties involved and reaffirming her dedication to the arts. The terms of the settlement announced Thursday were not disclosed. Carano's lawsuit, filed last year, claimed she was fired for expressing right-wing political views on social media. She saw a court order to force Lucasfilm to reinstate her. Elon Musk, fulfilling his commandment to financially support users who claim discrimination based on their activity on the platform, provided funding for the lawsuit through X. Carano extended her deepest, most heartfelt gratitude to Elon.

Speaker 2: 17:13

Musk, a man I've never met, who did this good smirking deed for me".

Speaker 1: 17:20

Now the legal action followed Lucasfilm's 2021 announcement that Corona would not return to the popular series. This decision came after a social media post in which she compared the trimming of Jews by Nazis to the hatred for individuals for their political views, saying quote Most people today don't realize that they get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews. The government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews. How is that any different from hating someone for their political views? This post was one of several that drew criticism from social media users due to right-wing stances on various contentious issues. Carano, who was subsequently dropped by UTA and did not comment on the settlement, had previously ridiculed government mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic and spread false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. According to her complaint, disney and Lucasfilm allegedly harassed and defamed Carano, who is paid $25,000 per episode as a guest actor and later receives a $5,000 bonus for refusing to align with her views on topics such as Black Lives Matter, preferred pronouns and disproven claims of election interference. She contended that, while she was fired for cultural and religious beliefs, her male co-stars, such as Pedro Pascal, who made a 2017 post comparing President Trump to Hitler were not disciplined for allegedly making offensive remarks against Republicans. Corona was terminated from the Mandalorian, as well as other Star Wars projects. Corona was terminated from the Mandalorian, as well as other Star Wars projects, including Rangers of the New Republic, shortly after refusing to meet with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and 45 LGBTQ plus employees.

Speaker 1: 18:47

According to the lawsuit, last year, the court rejected Disney's motions to dismiss. Disney had argued that it had the right to disassociate with talent whose views would alienate fans from the Star Wars franchise. Potential witnesses in the case include Pedro Pascal, jon Favreau, bear Grylls, lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Lynn Hale, the architect of the Star Wars publicity campaign. Should I comment here? I think it's better not to, but I think if you associate with people who are trying to bring the downfall of the United States government, yeah, you are a Nazi, gina, sorry. Anyway, let's go on to the geek news. Well, you know, you associate with hate, you get hate. That's just that. Anyway, as Doctor who plots a return with the eponymous Time Lord, seemingly taking on the form of Billy Piper, is reacquainting herself with the secrets of the universe Following the season 15 finale of the reviewed BBC One Disney Plus series, in which Nakudi Gatwa's 15th Doctor, regenerated to the form of Piper's Bruce Tyler.

Speaker 1: 20:17

The actress recently recalled how she came to return to the TARDIS, quote. This is such a minefield. I have to really engage with how I answer this. All I can say is I was approached at the very last minute and I can't talk about in what capacity and I found it very emotional to film and I think it's a really great ending. She told fans at the Florida Supercon, knowing she had to keep the finale twist a secret. She explained, quote I just found it quite moving and it was really fun to film because I had such a sort of cloak and dagger feeling about getting it made. So, yeah, I have to lie a lot about anything to do with Doctor who. It seems unquote.

Speaker 1: 20:55

Since her original run in the first two seasons in 2005 and 2006, piper has reprised the role of Rose on several occasions, most recently the 2013 episode, the Day of the Doctor, as well as the podcast series Doctor who the Tenth Doctor Adventures in 2017. Following Piper's return in the May finale of season 15, gatwa announced his exit from the show, explaining that the role was really a pleasure and an honor, but the departure quote felt like the right timing and the right energy, and it felt quite melancholy and bittersweet. It was always the plan to do this amount of seasons, because it's a role that demands a lot on you physically and emotionally and mentally. The actors playing the doctor are only actors playing the doctor. Unfortunately, we are mere mortals. So time will tell.

Speaker 1: 22:01

Hbo Max recently removed Courage, the Cowardly Dog and what's New? Scooby-doo on July 31st, after their licensing agreements expired and were not renewed Now. This action is part of the Warburst Discovery's ongoing strategy to prioritize adult and family programming, shifting away from children's content on the HBO Max streaming platform. This isn't the first time HBO Max has adjusted its approach to kids' content. In 2022, the platform, with access to Cartoon Network and Warner Bros animation libraries, first signaled a decreased reliance on children's programming by removing a slate of animated series. However, after being rebranded as Max a year later, there's renewed focus on children's content with projects like Pier and the Wolf, gremlin's Secrets of the Mogwai and Tiny Toons University. Late last year, max ended its deal for Sesame Street original episodes and most library content, and now, with HBO restored to the platform's name, the focus is once again moving away from children's fare. Sources indicate that these shows were considered lower priority for license renewal. Sources indicate that these shows were considered lower priority for license renewal. Despite these shifts, new animated series will premiere on Cartoon Network, will continue to be available on HBO Max, including Toad Friends, silly Sundays, all of which are set to be released on the streamer later this month.

Speaker 1: 23:12

Hulu will integrate with Disney Plus in 2026, phasing out the standalone app. Disney has announced that the Hulu app will be phased out in 2026 as the company integrates the streaming service fully into Disney Plus. This move will create a unified Disney Plus and Hulu streaming app, though customers will still have the option to purchase separate subscriptions for each service. Disney CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston stated that this integration is a major step forward in strengthening our streaming offering, and they believe it will also create an impressive package of entertainment combining top brands, general entertainment, family programming, news and live sports in a single application. This unified approach is expected to boost profitability and margins through increased engagement, reduced churn and new advertising revenue opportunities. Alongside operational efficiencies, the integration aims to provide a better user experience by combining both services on one technical platform, which is also expected to result in cost synergies For national audiences.

Speaker 1: 24:14

Hulu's content will replace the star title on Disney+ starting this fall, with a specific date yet to be announced. Additionally, hulu's live TV subscribers will be migrated to Fubo, a Disney-majority-owned service. Work on these changes is already underway, with new features expected to be implemented in Disney+ in the coming months. This integration followed Disney's complete acquisition of Hulu in June. After years of holding a majority stake, disney has already begun incorporating Hulu content into Disney Plus last year to attract more subscribers. The decision to integrate Hulu into Disney Plus is seeing a strategic move to improve Disney Plus' performance, which hasn't matched the success of competitors like Netflix, despite the strength of Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm Originals. In related news, disney will no longer report screaming subscriber numbers for Hulu, disney+ and ESPN+, following Netflix's precedent. The impact on existing bundles, such as the one offering Disney+, hulu and Max, remains to be seen.

Speaker 1: 25:17

And finally, tonight, astronaut Jim Lovell celebrated for his leadership during the near-disastrous 1970 Apollo 13 mission, passed away Thursday in Illinois at the age of 97. His story, a highlight of the US space program, was famously depicted in Ron Howard's film Apollo 13. Lovell's family released a statement through NASA expressing immense pride in his life's work and career, particularly his pioneering role in human spaceflight. They fondly remembered him as dad, granddad and the leader of our family and their hero. They will miss his unshakable optimism, his sense of humor and the way he made each of us feel we could do the impossible and the way he made each of us feel we could do the impossible. Born on March 25, 1928 in Cleveland, lovell joined NASA as an astronaut in 1962. After serving as a naval air test pilot, he was a finalist for the Mercury 7, the first group of US astronauts, and was later selected for the second group. Alongside Neil Armstrong, lovell achieved several distinctions, including being the first person to fly to the moon twice, the first person to venture into space four times and one of the only two dozen individuals to have flown to the moon.

Speaker 1: 26:33

The Apollo 13 mission, love 4 spaceflight, following Gemini 7, gemini 12, and Apollo 8, launched on April 11, 1970, with the goal of a moon landing. However, an oxygen tank explosion two days into the mission crippled critical electrical systems. Commander Level, alongside fellow astronauts Jack Swigert and Fred Hayes, ingeniously used backup systems to execute a dramatic and successful return to Earth by looping around the moon. This incident, known for the often misquoted line Houston we've had a problem, has been portrayed in numerous films, documentaries and TV series. The most famous depiction is Howard's 1995 film where Tom Hanks played Lovell. While the film was praised for its accuracy, it took some creative license with the iconic phrase. Although the film shows Hanks' Lovell speaking the line first, it was actually Kevin Bacon's portrayal of Swigert who initially said okay, houston, we've had a problem here. Lovell then repeated the phrase after Mission Control requested clarification.

Speaker 1: 27:31

Tom Hanks paid tribute to Lovell on Instagram stating, quote there are people who dare, who dream and who lead others to the places we would not go on our own. Jim Lovell on Instagram stating, quote there are people who dare, who dream and who lead others to places we would not go on our own. Jim Lovell, who for a long time had gone further into space and for longer than any other person on our planet, was that kind of guy. Unquote. Now Lovell was portrayed by Tim Daly in the 1998 HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, co-produced by Ron Howard. Brian the Moon, co-produced by Ron Howard, brian Grazer and Hanks with Michael Bostick. Last year, the Netflix documentary Apollo 13 Survival also recounted the tale. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy extended condolences on that level's life, and work inspired millions. Duffy praised Lovell's character and steadfast courage for helping the nation reach the moon and transforming a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount.

Speaker 1: 28:20

Lovell retired from the Navy and the space program in 1973. He was survived by his children, barbara Harrison, james Lovell III, susan Lovell and Jeff Lovell, along with 11 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. His wife of 71 years, marilyn Lovell, portrayed by Kathleen Quinlan in Apollo 13, passed away in 2023. Again, jim Lovell was 97 years old. Lastly, lonnie Anderson, the two-time Emmy-nominated actress celebrated for her role as receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati, passed away on Sunday at the age of 79. Her publicist, cheryl Kagan, announced that Anderson died at noon in Los Angeles due, to quote, an acute prolonged illness.

Speaker 1: 29:03

Born Lonnie K Anderson on August 5, 1945, in St Paul, minnesota, her father, clayton, was an environmental chemist and her mother, maxine, was a model. Naturally dark-haired, anderson initially preferred her brunette look, finding it exotic and mysterious. Naturally dark-haired Anderson initially preferred her brunette look, finding it exotic and mysterious. She graduated from Alexander Ramsey Senior High School in Roseville in 1963 and was a runner-up in the 1964 Miss Minnesota pageant. While studying art at the University of Minnesota In 1964, she eloped with Bruce Hasselberg, with whom she had daughter Deidre. Their marriage, however, was short-lived.

Speaker 1: 29:37

Anderson's acting career took off after she donned a blonde wig to play Billy in a Minneapolis stage production of Born. Yesterday, veteran actor Pat O'Brien encouraged her to go try Hollywood. She moved to Los Angeles in 1975 with her then-husband Ross Bickle, dyed her hair platinum blonde and began securing steady TV roles, including a guest-starring role on the Bob Newhart Show In and began securing steady TV roles, including a guest-starring role on the Bob Newhart Show. In 1978, anderson auditioned for WKRP in Cincinnati. She initially had reservations about the role of Jennifer, viewing her as mere window-dressing. However, careerer Hugh Wilson persuaded her by saying let's make her look like Lana Turner and be the smartest person in the room. Defying the dumb blonde stereotype, jennifer refused to take dictation or make coffee. Anderson starred in all but one of the show's 90 episodes during the four-season run until 1982, earning Emmy nominations in 1980 and 1981. She also auditioned for the role of Chrissy Snow on Three's Company but was deemed quote too beautiful, too savvy by John Ritter to convincingly play a struggling character. Her autobiography my Life in Heels from 1995, revealed an affair with Gary Sandy, who played Andy Travis on WKRP. After she was hired In the summer of 1980, she successfully negotiated a significant raise from WKRP's producers.

Speaker 1: 30:52

Beyond WKRP, anderson portrayed doomed Hollywood sex irons in television films like 1980's the Thank you policewoman, barnaby Jones and Phyllis. In 1984, she starred with Linda Carter in NBC's Partners in Crime and appeared as herself in Steve Martin's the Lonely Guy. She reunited with Hugh Wilson in 1986 on NBC's Easy Street. In 1991, she briefly returned to the new WKRP in Cincinnati for two episodes, joined the final season of NBC's Nurses in 1993, and later roles include Terry Carson on Melrose Place, terry Spelling's mother in so Notorious and work on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, clueless, the Mullets, my Sister is so Gay and the Night at the Roxbury.

Speaker 1: 31:46

Anderson's personal life, particularly her marriage and acrimonious divorce from Burt Reynolds, often made headlines. They met in 1981 on the Merv Griffin Show and began dating a year later. On April 29, 1988, they exchanged vows at Reynolds, florida Ranch. He presented her with a 7-karat canary yellow diamond ring. They appeared together in the 1983 film Stroker.

Speaker 1: 32:06

Ace, voiced characters in All Dogs Go to Heaven and appeared in an episode of his series BL Striker. Their attempt to co-star in Evening Shade was thwarted when NETCORP executives cast Mary Lou Henner instead. Their highly publicized divorce began in June of 1993, with Reynolds publicly accusing her of infidelity and being an unfit mother to their adopted son Quentin. Anderson countered, alleging his infidelity, painkiller addiction and abuse. The divorce was finalized in December of 1994, and their financial ties concluded in September of 2015 when Reynolds wrote her a check for $154,520. Despite the contentious separation, anderson said that they occasionally met with their son and she spoke at Reynolds' funeral in September 2018, keeping his ashes.

Speaker 1: 32:57

Anderson is survived by her daughter Deidre and son Quentin. Her fourth husband, folk singer Bob Flick, whom she married in May of 2008 after first meeting 45 years prior, grandchildren Megan and Mackenzie, stepson Adam and step-grandchildren Felix and Maximilian. A private service will be held for her Contributions and her memory can be made to the National Lung Health Education Program or the American Cancer Society. Again, lonnie Anderson was 79 years old. And that brings us to the end of the show for today.

Speaker 1: 33:32

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