Tom Cruise will return as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle and will be joined by Anne Hathaway who is set to play a team owner and engineer in the upcoming follow-up to the groundbreaking 1990 film that revolutionized cinema. Cruise will star and produce alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper. Jonathan Levine is set to direct from a script by Will Staples.

DAYS OF THUNDER WILL BE FILMED FOR IMAX

DAYS OF THUNDER IS ONLY IN THEATRES, INCLUDING 4DX, PREMIUM LARGE FORMATS, AND IMAX ON JUNE 2, 2028!

AND FOLLOW @TOMCRUISE FOR MORE EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!

CRUISE ALSO APPEARED AT THE NASCAR COKE ZERO SUGAR 400 AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY!

IN ATTENDANCE WERE TOM CRUISE (STAR/PRODUCER), JERRY BRUCKHEIMER (PRODUCER), JONATHAN LEVINE (DIRECTOR), TOMMY HARPER (PRODUCER), AND WILL STAPLES (SCREENWRITER).

ABOUT TOM CRUISE

Tom Cruise is a global cultural icon whose films have earned over $13 billion in worldwide box-office. A three-time Oscar nominee and producer of the Best Picture-nominated Top Gun: Maverick, he has for 46 years defined a career of iconic roles, from Risky Business and Jerry Maguire to the Mission: Impossible series. An accomplished aviator, stunt performer, and philanthropist, Cruise continues to push cinematic boundaries and champion the theatrical experience, with Digger from Alejandro G. Iñárritu up next.

ABOUT ANNE HATHAWAY

Anne Hathaway is an Academy Award-winning actor and producer best known for Les Misérables, The Devil Wears Prada, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, and Ocean’s Eight. Most recently, she starred in Mother Mary, reprised her iconic role in The Devil Wears Prada 2, reunited with Christopher Nolan for The Odyssey, and performed in The End of Oak Street opposite Ewan McGregor. Next, she acts in the title role in Verity, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel.

#DAYSOFTHUNDERMOVIE

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY dominates a fifth consecutive week, taking $21 million from 3,678 theatres for Sony Pictures. This takes it to $782 million domestically.

THE ODYSSEY is in second with $14.6 million for Universal Pictures, bringing its seven week run to $564 million for Universal Pictures.

Third is the film that fans saved, COYOTE vs. ACME, opening with with $14 million, from 3,575 theatres for VVS Films/Ketch. It gets a stellar 95% on the Tomatometer. Review here.

INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER gets $9.3 million for Sony Pictures, bringing it to $42.8 million for Sony Pictures.

DOG STARS rounds things out with $8 million, from 3,330 theatres for 20th Century Studios.

Earlier this evening, Principal Dancer Genevieve Penn Nabity threw the first pitch at the Toronto Blue Jays game against the Seattle Mariners, to help kick off the upcoming 75th anniversary season of The National Ballet of Canada!

Marvel has launched the “Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday Official Podcast,” a new video podcast on Disney+, as the film’s December 18, 2026, theatrical release nears. The first episode debuts today.

The podcast is hosted by Iman Vellani, the star of Marvel Studios’ Disney+ series “Ms. Marvel,” and Frank Alvarez, a renowned podcast host from “The Basement Yard.” Together, the pair rewatch and discuss films from Marvel Studios’ The Infinity Saga, working their way to “Avengers: Doomsday.”

The video podcast is available across Disney+, YouTube and audio platforms and covers five films from Marvel Studios’ The Infinity Saga: “The Avengers,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Captain America: Civil War,” “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame.” All five films are available to stream on Disney+ in “Marvel Studios’ The Infinity Saga” Collection, and the fifth episode will coincide with the September 25, 2026, re-release of “Avengers Endgame: Encore” in theatres.

Episode Air Dates:

August 27 – “The Avengers”
September 3 – “Avengers: Age of Ultron”
September 10 – “Captain America: Civil War”
September 17 – “Avengers: Infinity War”
September 24 – “Avengers: Endgame”

In each episode, Vellani and Alvarez revisit one film with a recap and in-depth conversation. The pair talk through specific scenes and give insight into the Avengers’ journey, all while celebrating the MCU’s most iconic moments. Every episode points toward “Avengers: Doomsday,” as the hosts speculate about the themes, characters and stories that might shape the reunion ahead.

The “Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday Official Podcast” is produced in partnership with Omaha Productions. Iman Vellani and Frank Alvarez join as producers.

Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Doomsday” is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo; produced by Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito and Jonathan Schwartz; and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Wyatt Russell, Channing Tatum, Simu Liu, Ian McKellen, Hayley Atwell, Tom Hiddleston, James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, Joseph Quinn, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Letitia Wright, Lewis Pullman, Kelsey Grammer, Kathryn Newton, Danny Ramirez, Winston Duke, Alan Cumming, Hannah John-Kamen, Rebecca Romijn, Mabel Cadena, with Tenoch Huerta Mejia.

In “Avengers: Doomsday,” beloved heroes from three distinct universes will be set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.

“Avengers: Doomsday” releases exclusively in theatres December 18, 2026. Tickets to see the film in theatres are available here or wherever tickets are sold.

TIFF: The Market, happening September 10-16, is thrilled to launch its Innovation
Hub, a powerful, new exhibition operating at the intersection of storytelling, art and technology.
Spanning virtual reality, mixed reality, artificial intelligence and interactive media, the exhibition
demonstrates how today’s leading creators are using new technologies to engage audiences in
ways that go beyond the traditional methods.

Located on Level 200 of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the Hub is part of a broader
focus on innovation across TIFF: The Market, extending from immersive projects in the
International Financing & Project Market (IFPM) to Summit conversations examining the
technologies, creative practices and business models shaping the future of the screen
industries.

Selected by an international advisory committee, the exhibition features three World Premieres,
one North American Premiere and four Canadian Premieres, with creators representing
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greenland, the Netherlands, Taiwan and the
United States. Together, the eight works showcase many of today’s defining ideas, from artificial
intelligence and speculative futures to Indigenous knowledge, identity, historical memory,
climate justice and human resilience.

“We’re excited to provide a platform for the global industry to explore these incredible
projects,” said Charles Tremblay, Head of TIFF: The Market. “Their unique blend of
cinema, contemporary art and emerging technology creates a meaningful connection
between the audience and the compelling characters and stories reflected in each
experience.”

THE EXHIBITION
Designed as a destination exhibition, the Innovation Hub unfolds as a curated journey through
four thematic explorations, revealing how immersive artists around the world are using new

technologies to showcase identity, memory, artificial intelligence, climate justice and humanity’s
future.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & THE FUTURE OF WORK
At the intersection of artificial intelligence, labour and human agency, Body Proxy offers a
provocative vision of a future where humans work for machines.

Making its Canadian Premiere following its debut at SXSW, Body Proxy from acclaimed Los
Angeles studio Tender Claws invites audiences to accept a job unlike any other: becoming the
physical body for artificial intelligence. Presented as a fictional startup onboarding, participants
wear AI-enabled smart glasses before entering a speculative economy where AI agents hire
human workers to complete physical tasks they cannot perform themselves. Every action is
measured, tokenized and traded, turning human labour into a commodity whose value rises and
falls in real time. At once immersive theatre, performance art and speculative design, Body
Proxy offers a sharp satire of algorithmic management, gig work and surveillance capitalism,
asking what happens when people are no longer simply users of AI, but its workforce.

INDIGENOUS FUTURES, IDENTITY & BELONGING
Three projects place culture and lived experience at the centre of technological innovation.
Making its World Premiere, Mekwâc: “Now Is Good” by Quantum Wampum and James
Monkman Studio is an immersive projection experience grounded in a Cree worldview, inviting
audiences into a living, cyclical story that bridges generations, cultures and ways of knowing.
Guided by the Four Directions and the Four Stages of Life- infancy, youth, adulthood and
eldership- participants journey alongside the beings of the Seven Grandfather Teachings:
Beaver (Wisdom), Sabé (Honesty), Buffalo (Respect), Eagle (Love), Wolf (Humility), Bear
(Bravery) and Turtle (Truth). Through powerful imagery, spatial sound and interactive
environments, the installation illuminates the profound relationships that connect people to the
land, water, animals and one another. Rather than using technology as spectacle, Mekwâc
reimagines immersive media as a space for cultural continuity, healing and the sharing of
Indigenous knowledge across generations.

Making its World Premiere, Tartupaluk by acclaimed Greenlandic-Canadian artist, writer and
performer Laakkuluk Williamson invites audiences to become citizens of an imagined Arctic
republic inspired by a tiny real-world island claimed by both Canada and Greenland. Through an
interactive virtual reality journey, visitors tour the fictional Republic of Tartupaluk, earning their
citizenship among a nation of circumpolar lovers as the island’s long history of imperialist
geopolitical claims gives way to a hopeful vision of gathering, connection and belonging.
Blending immersive storytelling, performance and political satire, Tartupaluk transforms a
contested border into a poetic Inuit utopia, reimagining sovereignty through community rather
than division and inviting audiences to consider the cultural relationships that transcend colonial
boundaries.

Making its Canadian Premiere, Lesbian Simulator by Dutch artist Iris van der Meule
transforms virtual reality into a joyful, deeply personal exploration of identity, love and belonging.
Designed as an interactive simulation game, participants build their own lesbian persona before
navigating formative moments including coming out, making friends, dating, celebrating Pride
and confronting discrimination in everyday life. Drawing on the artist’s personal experiences, the
colourful and humorous work balances moments of celebration with honest reflections on
inequality and prejudice, creating an experience that is as entertaining as it is emotionally
resonant. Through immersive participation rather than passive observation, Lesbian Simulator
invites audiences to step into another lived experience, demonstrating how virtual reality can
cultivate empathy, spark dialogue and celebrate the diversity of the queer community.

MEMORY, HISTORY & THE STORIES WE CARRY
From an iconic photograph frozen in time to a city rapidly transforming and a husband’s journey
through grief, three works explore how immersive storytelling can reconstruct, preserve and
inhabit memory.

Making its World Premiere, The Big Picture – “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” by French creator
Chloé Rochereuil reimagines one of the world’s most celebrated photographs as an immersive
journey through history. Beginning with the iconic 1932 image of eleven ironworkers sharing
lunch on a steel beam high above New York City, the experience invites audiences to step
beyond the edges of the photograph and into the world that surrounded it. As visitors explore
the three-dimensional environment, forgotten stories, unseen perspectives and the lives behind
the camera gradually emerge, transforming a single frozen moment into a richly layered
narrative. Through immersive storytelling, The Big Picture reveals how virtual reality can breathe
new life into historical archives, inviting audiences to experience history rather than simply
observe it.

Making its Canadian Premiere following its award-winning presentation at Venice Biennale
Immersive, The Clouds Are Two Thousand Meters Up transforms an acclaimed short story by
Taiwanese author Wu Ming-Yi into a breathtaking free-roaming virtual reality experience.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Singing Chen, the immersive work follows Guan, a lawyer
grieving the sudden loss of his wife, as he journeys into the mountains guided by the unfinished
novel she left behind. Moving through lush forests, Indigenous Rukai creation stories, memory
and myth, audiences experience a world where landscapes become storytellers and every
environment carries emotional meaning. Visually stunning and deeply moving, the installation
dissolves the boundaries between literature, cinema and immersive art, revealing how virtual
reality can create experiences that are at once intimate, poetic and profoundly human.

Following its presentation at Venice Immersive, director Chloé Lee’s Reflections of Little Red
Dot makes its Canadian Premiere at TIFF with an interactive exploration of Singapore’s rapidly
changing urban landscape. Created by Present Futures as a mixed-reality open documentary,
the work brings together personal stories from Singaporeans across generations, tracing the
country’s transformation through the people and communities who have lived it. Using a custom
projector, visitors shape their own journey through neighbourhoods, recollections and histories

altered by decades of extraordinary development. As familiar places disappear or take on new
forms, Reflections of Little Red Dot considers what is lost alongside them, preserving not simply
how a city looked, but how it felt to live there.

STORIES THAT INSPIRE ACTION
Making its North American Premiere, Solwata places audiences on the front lines of the global
climate crisis through an immersive documentary unlike any other. Narrated by Academy
Award-nominated actor and environmental advocate Mark Ruffalo, the mixed-reality experience
follows the island communities of Walande, Ngongosila, and Kwai in the Solomon Islands as
they confront the impossible reality of having to relocate their homes and lives due to rising
seas. Created by Berlin-based NowHere Media in partnership with Human Rights Watch and
Agog: The Immersive Media Institute, the installation blends documentary filmmaking,
360-degree video, spatial audio and tactile interaction with water and cultural objects to create
an experience that is both intimate and profoundly moving. Developed in collaboration with the
communities whose stories it tells, Solwata reveals the human face of climate displacement
while demonstrating the extraordinary power of immersive storytelling to foster empathy, deepen
understanding and inspire action.

The Innovation Hub is presented by the Canada Media Fund. The Hollywood Reporter is the
media partner for The Innovation Hub.

The Innovation Hub will be accessible every day for registered TIFF: The Market delegates and
open to the public for two days only, September 15-16.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Public Access
September 15–16, 2026
Timed entry is available during the following windows:
● 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
● 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
● 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Tickets: https://am.ticketmaster.com/tiff2/InnovationHub

Experience Premiere Approx. Runtime
Body Proxy Canadian Premiere 25 min
Reflections of Little Red Dot Canadian Premiere 40 min
Mekwâc: “Now Is Good” World Premiere 25 min
Tartupaluk World Premiere 31 min
Lesbian Simulator Canadian Premiere 40 min
The Big Picture – Lunch Atop a
Skyscraper

World Premiere 15 min

The Clouds Are Two Thousand Meters Up Canadian Premiere 62 min
Solwata North American Premiere 25 min
View details here.

About TIFF: The Market

TIFF: The Market, funded by the Government of Canada and supported by Major Supporter
Telefilm Canada, will expand TIFF’s scope of offerings and reinforce its role as a global
entertainment industry leader in screen-based storytelling while fostering sustainable growth for
the industry worldwide. Aligned with the Festival, TIFF: The Market will foster the buying and
selling of screen-based projects, intellectual property, plus immersive and innovative content
across all platforms, elevating Canadian and international talent while driving global distribution
and sales.

TIFF is generously supported by Major Sponsors RBC and Visa and Major Supporters
the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.
Online pass registration ends today, August 26th. Standard pass accreditation
rates end August 28th. All passes include access to Market venues and Press &
Market screenings of films in TIFF’s Official Selection (formerly known as Press &
Industry screenings).

All passes include access to Market venues and Press & Market screenings of films in TIFF’s
Official Selection (formerly known as Press & Industry screenings).

For more information, visit tiff.net/themarket/attend

Families can celebrate the funny and heartwarming return of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the rest of the gang at home when Disney and Pixar’s global blockbuster “Toy Story 5” streams exclusively on Disney+ September 23, 2026.

Additionally, an all-new music video for the Piano Version of 14-time GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Taylor Swift’s original song “I Knew It, I Knew You” – featuring footage from “Toy Story 5” – is now available to watch on Disney+, Spotify and Apple Music. The record-breaking number-one hit single is performed by Taylor Swift and written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff.

The smash hit feature has grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide since its June debut in theatres, a success that’s matched by overwhelming audience and critical acclaim. The film is Certified Fresh™ and Verified Hot by Rotten Tomatoes® and earned an A CinemaScore®.

The all-new adventure reunites iconic characters, introduces families to a new generation of toys and brings the next chapter of “Toy Story” to viewers at home. “Toy Story” is the most-watched film franchise on Disney+ with over 2 billion hours streamed globally, and “Toy Story 5” now joins the “Toy Story” Collection, where fans can stream the Academy Award®-winning franchise.

Families can now also pre-order the “Toy Story 5” Original Soundtrack in vinyl and CD formats. The soundtrack features Swift’s hit single “I Knew It, I Knew You,” along with an original score by 7-time GRAMMY Award and 2-time Academy Award®-winning composer Randy Newman, who returns to score his fifth “Toy Story” feature. The vinyl and CD will be available on Friday, September 25, 2026. 

Vinyl Pre-Order Link

CD Pre-Order Link

“Toy Story 5” is directed by Academy Award® winner Andrew Stanton; co-directed by Kenna Harris; produced by Lindsey Collins, p.g.a., and Jessica Choi, p.g.a.; and written by Stanton and Harris from a story by Stanton.

FILM SYNOPSIS

The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the rest of the gang’s jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad, a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same?

More than a decade after Bar Raval opened, longtime partners Grant van Gameren and Hailey Burke are teaming up with chef and partner Zach Smith on Casa Rubia, opening September 24. Unlike Raval’s standing-bar and pintxo format, the new restaurant is full-service, with larger dishes designed for the table.

Earlier in his career, Smith spent four years in Bar Raval’s kitchen before moving to Niagara, where he became chef and co-owner of Michelin-recognized Fat Rabbit and opened Bar Les Incompetents. He returned to Raval earlier this year as executive chef and co-owner. Van Gameren’s restaurants have included The Black Hoof, Bar Isabel, Quetzal, El Rey and Rosetta.

“Spanish food has been a huge part of my career, so Casa Rubia feels like a natural return to it, but with a different perspective,” says Smith. “The opportunity to work with Hailey and Grant, in this room, just felt like the right project at the right time.”
The menu draws from northern Spain but reflects what the team can source and cook here in Toronto.

Opening dishes include langoustine and smoked tuna carpaccio, fideo with cockles and bone marrow with grilled scallops and sea urchin. Larger dishes include whole roasted turbot, wood- fired suckling pig and cuts of Rubia Gallega beef imported directly from Galicia. The wood ovenis used throughout the menu, which will change seasonally.

The name Casa Rubia comes from Rubia Gallega, the cattle breed native to Galicia. Rubia also means “blonde” in Spanish, a second meaning carried through the restaurant’s visual identity with a blonde siren drawn from Galicia’s Atlantic folklore.

Co-owner Hailey Burke’s cocktail program centres on classics including Martinis, Negronis andSidecars, alongside vermouth, aperitivos, eaux-de-vie and traditional digestifs. Wine Director Lexi Wolkowski’s list is built around Spanish and Atlantic wines.
“I want the drinks to feel like they belong at the table,” says Burke. “You can start with a Martini, move into Spanish wine during dinner, have vermouth somewhere in between and finish with a digestif. It should feel easy and generous.”

The Casa Rubia Martini combines Tanqueray No. Ten, Ketel One, Manzanilla sherry and Spanish dry vermouth with atomized peat, tarragon, Atlantic sea salt and sea asparagus. The restaurant occupies the former Martine’s Wine Bar space, with interiors by Future Studios.

It seats approximately 50 guests indoors, with the dining room on a mezzanine above a downstairs bar and a 20-seat patio out front. Salvaged pine, warm plaster, oxblood and cream tones, soft lighting and vintage artwork draw from old European restaurants.

“I have a feeling Rubia is going to be a very special place. “Van Gameren says , “the food feels natural and the presentation unique. I think it’s exactly what Toronto needs right now “

Casa Rubia
Opening: Thursday, September 24, 2026
293 Palmerston Avenue, Toronto, ON M6G 1A5

FAN EXPO Canada’s landmark 30th edition is on track for record-breaking attendance. Due to unprecedented demand, Saturday August 29 show hours have been extended to 8:00 PM. Saturday full day tickets are sold out, but a very limited amount of Saturday after 3:00 PM tickets have just been added.

Taking place across the North and South Buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from today until Sunday, August 30, FAN EXPO Canada special guests include Mark Hamill, John Cena, Mel Gibson, Elijah Wood, Alan Ritchson, Mr T, Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan. Recently announced guests include Ari Millen, William Fichtner, Bruce Dickinson, Brenton Thwaites, May Hong, Catherine Bell and Oded Fehr.

Tickets are still available for Friday, August 28 and Sunday, August 30 and can be purchased from fanexpohq.com/fanexpocanada.

Check out the programming press release for more details on guests and panel events.

Attending the Show from outside of Toronto?
Round-trip GO Fare makes it easy for fans to get to the show in a Flash (get it?). FAN EXPO Canada has partnered with Metrolinx to get fans to and from the event safely. The GO Add-On Ticket includes round-trip GO Transit fare from any GO Station to Union Station and ensures they don’t miss a minute of the action. The GO Add-On Ticket can be added during checkout when buying tickets to FAN EXPO Canada.

*Children 12 and under ride the GO for free.

For more details and to purchase a GO Add-On Ticket, please visit the link.

ABOUT FAN EXPO Canada
FAN EXPO Canada is the largest comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming event in Canada and the third-largest Pop Culture event in North America. The show has grown from a small comic book convention attracting 1,500 fans into a multi-faceted and multiple-day citywide event that attracts 130,000 people from around the world. Every year, FAN EXPO Canada offers exciting family-friendly attractions, events, and world-renowned celebrities! Previous guests include Stan Lee, Patrick Stewart, Buzz Aldrin, William Shatner, Christopher Lloyd, Elijah Wood, Leonard Nimoy, Carrie Fisher, Gillian Anderson, and stars from hit television shows: The Walking Dead, Star Trek, The Vampire Diaries, Arrow, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Teen Wolf, Doctor Who, Gotham, Criminal Minds, Castle, and many, many more. The all-ages pop culture convention expects to host over 135,000 fans in 750,000 sq. ft. of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the four-day event.

ABOUT FAN EXPO HQ
FAN EXPO HQ is the largest comic con producer in the world. Collectively it hosts over one million fans annually at FAN EXPO Philadelphia, FAN EXPO New Orleans, FAN EXPO Portland, FAN EXPO Vancouver, FAN EXPO Cleveland, MEGACON Orlando, Toronto Comicon, CALGARY EXPO, FAN EXPO Denver, FAN EXPO Anaheim: Special Edition, FAN EXPO Boston, FAN EXPO Chicago, FAN EXPO Canada, FAN EXPO Dallas, VIDCON Anaheim, EDMONTON EXPO and Dallas FAN FESTIVAL. The latest schedule of events is available on the website, along with up-to-date ticket information. Discover. Celebrate. Belong.

Long before the record-breaking hits, sold-out arenas, scores of awards, and earth-shattering success, Alex Warren was affectionately known to his late father as “wildchild.” As a child, he did anything to defy gravity. In 2026, he quietly continues to beat the odds, penning life-changing anthems, and finding a place in the hearts of millions worldwide. Today, the multiple award-winning, GRAMMY®-nominated, multi-platinum songwriter and musician shares reflections on his life to-date with his dazzling second full-length offering, WILDCHILD, out now via Atlantic Records [LISTEN]. 

 “Growing up, I was always climbing, doing backflips, and jumping off things, so my dad referred to me as ‘Wildchild’,” Warren shares. “It stuck with me until my mom passed away. When I was writing this body of work, I would often think of my parents. My dad knew he was dying, so he filmed this series of videos where he’s talking to me. On the first album, you were learning about who I was. This album teaches you who my parents were and who I am now.”

Musically, WILDCHILD bursts through the clouds with sky-high pop hooks, widens the aperture with cinematic soundscapes, and recharges spirits with the raw energy of a songwriter with nothing to prove and only truth in his heart. Written in 2025 and 2026, he created WILDCHILD with clear intention. Working with “day one” trusted collaborators Adam Yaron, Cal Shapiro, and Mags Duval in Nashville, TN and Los Angeles, CA. They took their time, allowing the songs to naturally take shape at Alex’s home studio, Gnome Recording Studios, Gold Pacific Studios and Woodshed Recording Studios.

“It’s funny because everyone would always ask me if there was a lot of pressure to make another song like ‘Ordinary’,” he says. “I actually have no pressure anymore. I had this weight lifted off my chest. That song changed my life, and I never had to worry about having another one like it because I’d be virtually impossible, so I have the freedom to experiment and have fun with music.”

Accompanying his album release will be an official music video for focus track “Emerald Eyes” [WATCH HERE]. On the track, twinkling piano dissolves into the rhythm of a steady beat, airtight bassline, head-nodding claps, and freshly funkified riff courtesy of none other than Nile Rodgers. The disco fever barely relents as he holds on tight, “And I can’t stop the feeling, I’m ready to dive right off the deep end in emerald eyes…” “It’s my pump-up song,” he smiles. “It’s a love song, but it makes you want to dance like a song you’d hear at the club in the early two-thousands with a modern twist. There’s an ethereal hippie vibe on the bridge though. Nile elevated it to another level altogether.”

The album closer and namesake “WILDCHILD” unfolds from softly strummed acoustic chords and bold choir harmonies to a scorching and soaring solo from none other than John Mayer—preceded by a voice memo of Alex’s father who asks, “Are you having fun, Alex?”

“‘WILDCHILD’ was difficult for me because my dad and I never had closure,” he sighs. “I was nine-years-old, and I didn’t get to say goodbye. I watched those videos of him for as inspiration. ‘WILDCHILD’ was written from his perspective. It was my way to get closure and hear him say that he’s proud of me. When we were kids, he wanted us to do music. He’d enroll us in talent shows. When he was alive, the music was beautiful. When he died, the music stopped. If there was a goodbye, it would be this. My father was obsessed with John Mayer too, so I thought it would be cool to end on an instrumental with a solo from him. The last thing you hear is John ripping on the guitar.”

“I’m so proud of WILDCHILD,” he leaves off. “Creatively, this is where I wanted to go. If you relate to even one part of it, I’m happy. It touches on so many different elements, but there’s a message. I’m happy with who I am now, and I’m ready to take over what my dad didn’t get to finish as a husband and, someday, a father.”

Now, with his sold-out Finding Family On The Road Tour world arena tour underway with dates currently in Australia, Alex Warren continues to defy expectations and win the hearts of millions. As venues sell-out and grow bigger by the year, and his music continues to garner extensive radio play and streams, his songs of love, grief and connection resonate around the world. WILDCHILD is for anyone who’s ever lost and hurt so deeply, but continues to hold on to hope and heal. What is undeniable is Alex Warren’s place in this world and in the pop landscape, he connects millions of people who find themselves on a similar journey in finding what truly matters in life.

WILDCHILD is out everywhere now.


ABOUT ALEX WARREN
After years of grinding to be heard, GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum Southern California artist Alex Warren launched himself into the stratosphere with “Ordinary.” The 7x-Platinum single made history. Beyond holding #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Global 200 EX US chart for 10 weeks and #1 on the UK Songs Chart for 13 weeks, it concluded the year as “the top-selling song of 2025.” Moreover, it logged a record-breaking 16 weeks at #1 on US Pop Radio, achieving “the longest reign ever on the chart.” Most importantly, it paved the way for his Platinum-certified full-length debut LP, You’ll Be Alright. It bowed in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200 and yielded a procession of Hot 100 hits, including “Eternity,” “Bloodline” [feat. Jelly Roll], “On My Mind” [feat. ROSÉ], and “Burning Down” [with Joe Jonas] driving over 11 billion streams across his catalogue to date. Along the way, he lit up the stages of the American Music Awards, MTV VMA, and GRAMMY® Awards as well as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Beyond unforgettable performances with Ed Sheeran at Coachella and Jelly Roll at Stagecoach, he headlined sold-out arena tours worldwide. Long before the broken records, scores of awards, and earth-shattering success, Alex was affectionately known to his late father as “Wildchild.” He did anything he could to defy gravity. He scaled the tallest trees possible, or he’d vault through the air across the playground. In 2026, there’s still nothing that can keep him on the ground. He’s quietly beaten the odds, penned life-changing songs, and found a place in the hearts of millions worldwide. Now, the GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum artist tells his story on his aptly titled second full-length offering, WILDCHILD [Atlantic Records]. Musically, it bursts through the clouds with sky-high pop hooks, widens the aperture with cinematic soundscapes, and recharges spirits with the raw energy of a songwriter with nothing to prove and only truth in his heart.

Disney+ has announced a global distribution deal with The Pokémon Company International, including a new stop-motion series “Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu” coming to audiences worldwide in 2027. Created by the acclaimed animation studio Aardman, the series will stream on Disney+ in 2027. The agreement also includes the beloved classic animated series “Pokémon the Series: The Beginning,” which is now streaming on Disney+.

In “Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu,” Sirfetch’d and Pichu embark on an epic journey through the Galar Region. Together, they set out on a gallant quest to help and protect Pokémon across the region. Their missions rarely go as planned, but their noble deeds forge their friendship as they step bravely into the unknown where peril, alliances, rivalries, extraordinary Pokémon, and endless laughs await them.

“Pokémon the Series: The Beginning” follows Ash and Pikachu as they embark on adventures throughout the Pokémon world and marks the first title to launch under the new global distribution agreement.

“Pokémon has that rare ability to mean something to longtime fans while continuing to feel completely relevant to young audiences today,” said Ayo Davis, president, Disney Kids & Family. “This new series ‘Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu’ brings Aardman’s signature stop-motion artistry with a bold, playful new perspective to this beloved world, giving audiences a fresh way to experience the characters they know and love. Along with ‘Pokémon the Series: The Beginning,’ these series are powerful additions to Disney+.”

“These stories, full of adventure and heroism, all told from the perspective of Pokémon is made even more exciting through the lens of the incredible filmmakers at Aardman,” said Phil Rynda. “Audiences will be delighted getting to know the Sirfetch’d & Pichu, and wonderful cast of Pokémon, featured in this series. Aardman has brought Galar to life in a way that makes you feel like you can smell the air, touch the tree bark, and want to adventure alongside our series heroes.”

Joining the panel at Pokémon XP today were Pokémon’s director of original animation, Phil Rynda, alongside members of the series’ creative team at Aardman: director Tom Parkinson; Creative Director – IP Development Nat McKay; and Model Making Creative Lead James Young. The panel showcased how the team combined character, comedy, storytelling, and craftsmanship to create the new, hilarious stop-motion adventure, before giving fans a glimpse at the misadventures ahead and debuting the series’ official teaser trailer.

“Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu” was created by The Pokémon Company International and brought to life by a creative team at Aardman animation including director Tom Parkinson; Creative Director – IP Development Nat McKay; and Model Making Creative Lead James Young. The series was acquired by Disney Kids & Family in a global distribution deal and will debut in 2027.

ABOUT DISNEY+

Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and outside the U.S., general entertainment brand Hulu. As the flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ serves as a connection point for audiences around the world with an unmatched collection of award-winning general entertainment and gold-standard family programming. With unprecedented access to Disney’s long history of incredible film and television entertainment, it is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Subscriptions also include access to the Disney+ Perks loyalty program including special discounts, everyday savings, and early access to exclusive experiences that only Disney can offer. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.

ABOUT THE POKÉMON COMPANY INTERNATIONAL

The Pokémon Company International manages the Pokémon property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, please visit www.pokemon.co.uk.

ABOUT AARDMAN

Aardman is an employee-owned company, based in Bristol (UK) and co-founded in 1976 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton. An independent, multi-Academy Award® and BAFTA® winning studio, it produces feature films, series, advertising and interactive entertainment.

Its global productions are renowned for their uniquely entertaining and brilliantly crafted characters. The studio’s work – which includes the creation of much-loved characters Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Morph – is often imitated, and yet the company continues to lead the animation field producing a rare brand of visually stunning, comedic content for cinema, broadcasters, digital platforms and live experiences around the world.

2026 sees Aardman celebrate its 50th anniversary with a roster of events highlighting the craft and legacy of the studio, including the launch of a new movie, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom in the autumn.