<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer</a>

Marvel Studios unveiled the first trailer for “&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1551015080967356416">Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</a>&nbsp;” — set to “No Woman No Cry” — to fans at Comic-Con on Saturday in San Diego.

It was just one part of the massive Hall H presentation, which also included first-looks at “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and new information about Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which will conclude with two Avengers movies in 2025: “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.”

“&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/RlOB3UALvrQ">Black Panther: Wakanda Foreve</a>&nbsp;r” director Ryan Coogler was on site in San Diego to preview the highly anticipated film, which is due to arrive in theaters on Nov. 11 and serve as the conclusion to Phase 4. Coogler paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who died in August 2020.

“The impact that he made on this industry will be felt forever,” Coogler said.

After the massive success of “Black Panther” in 2018, plans for a sequel were quickly set into motion. But those were altered after Boseman’s unexpected death from colon cancer. The studio said it would not recast Boseman’s role of T’Challa. but very little has come out about the film in the years since. Production wrapped in March after several delays, one of which was due to an injury sustained by Letitia Wright, who plays T’Challa’s brainy sister Shuri. Also returning are Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett, but not Daniel Kaluuya, whose “Nope” schedule conflicted.

Phase 5, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said, will kick off in February with “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and conclude with “Thunderbolts” in July 2024. The new “Blade,” starring Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, also got a release date of Nov. 3, 2023, and “Captain America and the New World Order,” featuring Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, will hit theaters on May 3, 2024.

The “Guardians of the Galaxy” will also come to an end in the midst of Phase 5 in May. Director James Gunn showed up in San Diego to confirm that “Vol. 3” would be the last for the space rogues. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillian and Dave Bautista are all returning for the film. New cast members include Will Poulter, as Guardians adversary Adam Warlock, and Maria Bakalova.

Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors and director Peyton Reed made the trip to San Diego to show some footage from “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.”

Phase 6 will launch with a new “Fantastic Four” movie on Nov. 8, 2024, and finish with “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” set for May 2, 2025, followed by “Avengers: Secret Wars,” on Nov. 7, 2025.

Marvel also showed trailers for Disney+ series such as “Secret Invasion,” with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, due in the spring, and the half-hour comedy “&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/u7JsKhI2An0">She-Hulk: Attorney at Law</a>,” starring Tatiana Maslany, debuting in August. The second season of “Loki” is also expected next summer.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/San%20Diego%20Convention%20Center">Comic-Con</a>&nbsp;runs through Sunday.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer</a>Marvel Studios unveiled the first trailer for “&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1551015080967356416">Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</a>&nbsp;” — set to “No Woman No Cry” — to fans at Comic-Con on Saturday in San Diego.It was just one part of the massive Hall H presentation, which also included first-looks at “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and new information about Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which will conclude with two Avengers movies in 2025: “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.”“&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/RlOB3UALvrQ">Black Panther: Wakanda Foreve</a>&nbsp;r” director Ryan Coogler was on site in San Diego to preview the highly anticipated film, which is due to arrive in theaters on Nov. 11 and serve as the conclusion to Phase 4. Coogler paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who died in August 2020.“The impact that he made on this industry will be felt forever,” Coogler said.After the massive success of “Black Panther” in 2018, plans for a sequel were quickly set into motion. But those were altered after Boseman’s unexpected death from colon cancer. The studio said it would not recast Boseman’s role of T’Challa. but very little has come out about the film in the years since. Production wrapped in March after several delays, one of which was due to an injury sustained by Letitia Wright, who plays T’Challa’s brainy sister Shuri. Also returning are Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett, but not Daniel Kaluuya, whose “Nope” schedule conflicted.Phase 5, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said, will kick off in February with “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and conclude with “Thunderbolts” in July 2024. The new “Blade,” starring Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, also got a release date of Nov. 3, 2023, and “Captain America and the New World Order,” featuring Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, will hit theaters on May 3, 2024.The “Guardians of the Galaxy” will also come to an end in the midst of Phase 5 in May. Director James Gunn showed up in San Diego to confirm that “Vol. 3” would be the last for the space rogues. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillian and Dave Bautista are all returning for the film. New cast members include Will Poulter, as Guardians adversary Adam Warlock, and Maria Bakalova.Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors and director Peyton Reed made the trip to San Diego to show some footage from “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.”Phase 6 will launch with a new “Fantastic Four” movie on Nov. 8, 2024, and finish with “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” set for May 2, 2025, followed by “Avengers: Secret Wars,” on Nov. 7, 2025.Marvel also showed trailers for Disney+ series such as “Secret Invasion,” with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, due in the spring, and the half-hour comedy “&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/u7JsKhI2An0">She-Hulk: Attorney at Law</a>,” starring Tatiana Maslany, debuting in August. The second season of “Loki” is also expected next summer.<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/San%20Diego%20Convention%20Center">Comic-Con</a>&nbsp;runs through Sunday.

Marvel teases new Avengers movies, ‘Black Panther' sequel

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer</a>

Dwayne Johnson went a few steps beyond merely teasing his long-awaited “Black Adam” movie at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday.

Ever the showman, Johnson brought a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvCFc5JtkkA">new traile</a>&nbsp;r for the DC Comics superhero film and some flashy technology, lighting up the biggest room at the annual fan convention all while in costume. But he had another big reveal too: Johnson told the 6,000-some people in the audience that they could see “Black Adam” in IMAX for free with the help of the ticketing service Fandango.

The character Black Adam has the powers of the ancient gods and has been entombed for some 5,000 years before being released into the modern world. In the trailer he says his powers are “a curse, not a gift.”

Set for an Oct. 21 theatrical release, “Black Adam” reunites Johnson with his “Jungle Cruise” director Jaume Collet-Serra. It also stars Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, all of whom joined Johnson and Collet-Serra for the panel.

“Black Adam” was just one part of Warner Bros. return to Comic-Con, where audiences also got a glimpse at a new trailer for “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi88i4CpHe4">Shazam! Fury of the Gods</a>.” Stars Zachary Levi and Lucy Liu were on hand to promote the sequel, which is due to arrive in theaters on Dec. 21 and continues the story of a teenager-turned-superhero who is feeling a bit like a fraud. The film sees the return of Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody and adds Helen Mirren and Rachel Zegler of “West Side Story” to the mix.

The studio stuck to its 2022 superhero releases, forgoing sneak peeks at films due next year. One of those is “The Flash,” whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-arrests-hawaii-lady-gaga-3e43fbf6c26ba90cf7c05eaf80b471c6">star Ezra Miller was arrested in Hawaii twice this year</a>&nbsp;— in a disorderly conduct case and on suspicion of assault.

Miller plays Barry Allen in the Andy Muschietti-directed film, which has wrapped production and is supposed to open in June 2023. They have been credited as the first out LGBT person to play a lead role in a major superhero film.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer</a>Dwayne Johnson went a few steps beyond merely teasing his long-awaited “Black Adam” movie at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday.Ever the showman, Johnson brought a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvCFc5JtkkA">new traile</a>&nbsp;r for the DC Comics superhero film and some flashy technology, lighting up the biggest room at the annual fan convention all while in costume. But he had another big reveal too: Johnson told the 6,000-some people in the audience that they could see “Black Adam” in IMAX for free with the help of the ticketing service Fandango.The character Black Adam has the powers of the ancient gods and has been entombed for some 5,000 years before being released into the modern world. In the trailer he says his powers are “a curse, not a gift.”Set for an Oct. 21 theatrical release, “Black Adam” reunites Johnson with his “Jungle Cruise” director Jaume Collet-Serra. It also stars Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, all of whom joined Johnson and Collet-Serra for the panel.“Black Adam” was just one part of Warner Bros. return to Comic-Con, where audiences also got a glimpse at a new trailer for “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi88i4CpHe4">Shazam! Fury of the Gods</a>.” Stars Zachary Levi and Lucy Liu were on hand to promote the sequel, which is due to arrive in theaters on Dec. 21 and continues the story of a teenager-turned-superhero who is feeling a bit like a fraud. The film sees the return of Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody and adds Helen Mirren and Rachel Zegler of “West Side Story” to the mix.The studio stuck to its 2022 superhero releases, forgoing sneak peeks at films due next year. One of those is “The Flash,” whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-arrests-hawaii-lady-gaga-3e43fbf6c26ba90cf7c05eaf80b471c6">star Ezra Miller was arrested in Hawaii twice this year</a>&nbsp;— in a disorderly conduct case and on suspicion of assault.Miller plays Barry Allen in the Andy Muschietti-directed film, which has wrapped production and is supposed to open in June 2023. They have been credited as the first out LGBT person to play a lead role in a major superhero film.

Warner Bros. brings ‘Black Adam,’ ‘Shazam! 2’ to Comic-Con

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20BAUDER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — An estimated 17.7 million viewers watched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-panel-hearing-3e3dc618ed8cee37147cf6a792c0c0fa">Thursday night's hearing</a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege">House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol.

The Nielsen Company said that is second to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-impeachments-government-and-politics-ca37532811b317cf67ec076c5f80f9e6">the 20 million</a>&nbsp;who saw the first committee hearing on June 9, the only other one of the eight sessions held in prime time.

Ten networks aired this past week's hearing live, down from the 11 that showed the June 9 session. The conservative network Newsmax dropped out this time.

The six daytime hearings average 11.2 million viewers, with a peak audience of 13.2 million on June 28, when ex-White House aide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-cassidy-hutchinson-205e494cea6fc8c91b548d83ebd82593">Cassidy Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;testified about former President Donald Trump's behavior.

An estimated 13.6 million of Thursday's viewers, or 77 percent, were age 55 and older, Nielsen said. Only 705,000 viewers were 18 to 34.

MSNBC said the 4.7 million people who watched its coverage represented the network's biggest prime-time audience since the night of the event that the committee is investigating.

Public hearings are expected to resume in September.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20BAUDER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer</a>NEW YORK (AP) — An estimated 17.7 million viewers watched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-panel-hearing-3e3dc618ed8cee37147cf6a792c0c0fa">Thursday night's hearing</a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege">House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol.The Nielsen Company said that is second to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-impeachments-government-and-politics-ca37532811b317cf67ec076c5f80f9e6">the 20 million</a>&nbsp;who saw the first committee hearing on June 9, the only other one of the eight sessions held in prime time.Ten networks aired this past week's hearing live, down from the 11 that showed the June 9 session. The conservative network Newsmax dropped out this time.The six daytime hearings average 11.2 million viewers, with a peak audience of 13.2 million on June 28, when ex-White House aide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-cassidy-hutchinson-205e494cea6fc8c91b548d83ebd82593">Cassidy Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;testified about former President Donald Trump's behavior.An estimated 13.6 million of Thursday's viewers, or 77 percent, were age 55 and older, Nielsen said. Only 705,000 viewers were 18 to 34.MSNBC said the 4.7 million people who watched its coverage represented the network's biggest prime-time audience since the night of the event that the committee is investigating.Public hearings are expected to resume in September.

Nielsen says 17.7 million watched Thursday's Jan. 6 hearing

By HILLEL ITALIE Associated Press

NEW
 YORK — Decades after the release of Michael Mann’s “Heat,” the 
classic crime thriller has endured in the minds of fans, critics, peers 
and the director himself.

“There's
 always the sense of being shortchanged,” Mann said during a Zoom 
interview from his apartment in Modena, Italy, where he is currently 
working on “Ferrari," starring Adam Driver as the race car driver-auto 
magnate. “I love doing the research and building these characters out 
very, very completely, and rooting the actor into a whole life. ... The 
movie is a splinter, it's just a very narrow slice of a complete life."

Mann
 has finally rounded out the story from his 1995 movie. He has brought 
back the lethal, calculating criminal Neil McCauley, played by Robert De
 Niro; the swaggering detective Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino; and 
such supporting characters as Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer), Michael 
Cheritto (Tom Sizemore) and Nate (Jon Voight).

He does hope to 
make another “Heat” movie, but he has chosen to introduce his new 
narrative through words only, the novel “Heat 2."

Written with the
 award-winning crime novelist Meg Gardiner and scheduled to come out 
Aug. 9, the 480-page “Heat 2” is a sequel and prequel, looking back to 
the late 1980s and ahead to the 21st century, expanding the world of 
McCauley and Hanna and Shiherlis among others, adding new characters and
 moving the action everywhere from Los Angeles to Paraguay and Asia.

Mann
 had never attempted a novel before and finally tried in part for a 
similar reason he takes on a given film: To see if he can. In some ways,
 he approached the book as if planning a movie production. He began with
 a basic story — he likes to know in advance how the plot turns out — 
and built the narrative outward, over time and space. For his novel, he 
speaks of creating “momentum that is almost cinematic,” a symphony 
driving to a closing clash.

“Heat 2” permitted him to explore and 
digress in ways he wouldn't attempt on screen. He makes a point of 
knowing everyone's inner and outer lives. McCauley, for instance, he 
sees as a longtime outsider, institutionalized in his early teens. He 
sees him as “very intelligent,” with a “really strong ego and very 
little self esteem.” An ideal criminal.

“He goes to violence, immediately, zero to 60,” Mann explains.

“Heat,”
 among the most celebrated movies never to receive an Oscar nomination, 
has a base of obsessive admirers. After a special screening in June at 
the Tribeca Film Festival, audience members shouted lines from the movie
 during a panel discussion with Pacino and De Niro. Mann say fans often 
come up to him and quote from the famous coffee shop conversation 
between McCauley and Hanna, the first time Pacino and De Niro had ever 
shared screen time (They had previously appeared in separate time 
periods in “The Godfather, Part II”).

“Heat 2” is a departure for 
Mann, and from novels in recent years by other filmmakers, among them 
Werner Herzog, Brian De Palma and David Cronenberg. While Herzog’s “The 
Twilight World” and De Palma’s “Are Snakes Necessary?” are original 
stories, Mann is doing a kind of reversal, taking characters created for
 the screen and adapting them to the page. Instead of finding it a 
distraction to think of Pacino when he’s describing Hanna, he welcomes 
the merger of actor and character.

“They're fused. It's a fusion. 
They're one and the same,” he says. “Vincent Hanna is Al Pacino and Al 
Pacino is Vincent Hanna. Neil McCauley in 1988 is Bobby (De Niro) seven 
years younger. ... Since I made the movie and sought Al Pacino and De 
Niro and Val Kilmer, you bet that's who these people are.”

Gardiner
 joined Mann at the suggestion of their mutual literary agent, Shane 
Salerno. Known for her Evan Delaney novels, she is a “Heat” fan and a 
partisan for Mann’s film in the many discussions she has had with fellow
 writers over whether “Goodfellas,” “The Godfather” or “Heat” is their 
favorite crime movie. For “Heat 2,” she helped Mann with the book’s 
structure and otherwise proved a sounding board and close collaborator, 
the two eventually writing alternating chapters. Their time together — 
she lives in Austin, Texas, he is based in Los Angeles — in some ways 
mirrored the belated face-off between Pacino and De Niro, who despite 
being co-stars only meet midway in the 170 minute picture.

“We 
began working together in the depths of Covid,” she says. “We didn't get
 a chance to meet for a year. It was all long phone calls, and long 
emails back and forth.”

Mann, 79, has been working in film and 
television since the 1970s, whether writing episodes for “Starsky and 
Hutch,” serving as executive producer of the show “Miami Vice” or 
directing “The Insider," “Manhunter” and “Public Enemies.” He is a 
Chicago native who says his take on the world — “a certain kind of 
cynical worldview, I guess” — was shaped by his experiences as the son 
of grocers in the inner city. Citing “The French Connection” and its 
director, William Friedkin, as favorites, he jokes that filmmakers like 
himself and Friedkin who grew up in Chicago itself end up making crime 
stories, while those from the suburbs (such as the late John Hughes) 
prefer comedies.

“Heat 2” is the first of three planned novels 
(one of which may be related to “Heat”), and an ambitious literary 
beginning for a man who had never attempted a work of fiction before. He
 majored in English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with 
thoughts of becoming a teacher, but decided that would be “really 
immensely boring.” Asked to cite literary influences, he mentions John 
le Carre, but otherwise says he doesn't read crime fiction. Instead, he 
looks to “primary sources,” the various killers, crooks, law enforcers 
and government agents he has met and befriended and whose stories he 
adapted for “Heat,” “Thief” and other films.

Critics and fellow 
directors have praised him for his complex narratives and gifts for 
pacing and atmosphere: Christopher Nolan has cited “Heat” as inspiration
 for his acclaimed Batman movie “The Dark Knight.” But some of Mann's 
favorite feedback has come from those “primary sources.” He smiles when 
asked what some of the real-life models for his characters have said 
upon seeing his films.

“I’ve been offered alternative careers,” he says.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658516463937.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By HILLEL ITALIE Associated PressNEW
 YORK — Decades after the release of Michael Mann’s “Heat,” the 
classic crime thriller has endured in the minds of fans, critics, peers 
and the director himself.He had so much left to say.“There's
 always the sense of being shortchanged,” Mann said during a Zoom 
interview from his apartment in Modena, Italy, where he is currently 
working on “Ferrari," starring Adam Driver as the race car driver-auto 
magnate. “I love doing the research and building these characters out 
very, very completely, and rooting the actor into a whole life. ... The 
movie is a splinter, it's just a very narrow slice of a complete life."Mann
 has finally rounded out the story from his 1995 movie. He has brought 
back the lethal, calculating criminal Neil McCauley, played by Robert De
 Niro; the swaggering detective Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino; and 
such supporting characters as Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer), Michael 
Cheritto (Tom Sizemore) and Nate (Jon Voight).He does hope to 
make another “Heat” movie, but he has chosen to introduce his new 
narrative through words only, the novel “Heat 2."Written with the
 award-winning crime novelist Meg Gardiner and scheduled to come out 
Aug. 9, the 480-page “Heat 2” is a sequel and prequel, looking back to 
the late 1980s and ahead to the 21st century, expanding the world of 
McCauley and Hanna and Shiherlis among others, adding new characters and
 moving the action everywhere from Los Angeles to Paraguay and Asia.Mann
 had never attempted a novel before and finally tried in part for a 
similar reason he takes on a given film: To see if he can. In some ways,
 he approached the book as if planning a movie production. He began with
 a basic story — he likes to know in advance how the plot turns out — 
and built the narrative outward, over time and space. For his novel, he 
speaks of creating “momentum that is almost cinematic,” a symphony 
driving to a closing clash.“Heat 2” permitted him to explore and 
digress in ways he wouldn't attempt on screen. He makes a point of 
knowing everyone's inner and outer lives. McCauley, for instance, he 
sees as a longtime outsider, institutionalized in his early teens. He 
sees him as “very intelligent,” with a “really strong ego and very 
little self esteem.” An ideal criminal.“He goes to violence, immediately, zero to 60,” Mann explains.“Heat,”
 among the most celebrated movies never to receive an Oscar nomination, 
has a base of obsessive admirers. After a special screening in June at 
the Tribeca Film Festival, audience members shouted lines from the movie
 during a panel discussion with Pacino and De Niro. Mann say fans often 
come up to him and quote from the famous coffee shop conversation 
between McCauley and Hanna, the first time Pacino and De Niro had ever 
shared screen time (They had previously appeared in separate time 
periods in “The Godfather, Part II”).“Heat 2” is a departure for 
Mann, and from novels in recent years by other filmmakers, among them 
Werner Herzog, Brian De Palma and David Cronenberg. While Herzog’s “The 
Twilight World” and De Palma’s “Are Snakes Necessary?” are original 
stories, Mann is doing a kind of reversal, taking characters created for
 the screen and adapting them to the page. Instead of finding it a 
distraction to think of Pacino when he’s describing Hanna, he welcomes 
the merger of actor and character.“They're fused. It's a fusion. 
They're one and the same,” he says. “Vincent Hanna is Al Pacino and Al 
Pacino is Vincent Hanna. Neil McCauley in 1988 is Bobby (De Niro) seven 
years younger. ... Since I made the movie and sought Al Pacino and De 
Niro and Val Kilmer, you bet that's who these people are.”Gardiner
 joined Mann at the suggestion of their mutual literary agent, Shane 
Salerno. Known for her Evan Delaney novels, she is a “Heat” fan and a 
partisan for Mann’s film in the many discussions she has had with fellow
 writers over whether “Goodfellas,” “The Godfather” or “Heat” is their 
favorite crime movie. For “Heat 2,” she helped Mann with the book’s 
structure and otherwise proved a sounding board and close collaborator, 
the two eventually writing alternating chapters. Their time together — 
she lives in Austin, Texas, he is based in Los Angeles — in some ways 
mirrored the belated face-off between Pacino and De Niro, who despite 
being co-stars only meet midway in the 170 minute picture.“We 
began working together in the depths of Covid,” she says. “We didn't get
 a chance to meet for a year. It was all long phone calls, and long 
emails back and forth.”Mann, 79, has been working in film and 
television since the 1970s, whether writing episodes for “Starsky and 
Hutch,” serving as executive producer of the show “Miami Vice” or 
directing “The Insider," “Manhunter” and “Public Enemies.” He is a 
Chicago native who says his take on the world — “a certain kind of 
cynical worldview, I guess” — was shaped by his experiences as the son 
of grocers in the inner city. Citing “The French Connection” and its 
director, William Friedkin, as favorites, he jokes that filmmakers like 
himself and Friedkin who grew up in Chicago itself end up making crime 
stories, while those from the suburbs (such as the late John Hughes) 
prefer comedies.“Heat 2” is the first of three planned novels 
(one of which may be related to “Heat”), and an ambitious literary 
beginning for a man who had never attempted a work of fiction before. He
 majored in English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with 
thoughts of becoming a teacher, but decided that would be “really 
immensely boring.” Asked to cite literary influences, he mentions John 
le Carre, but otherwise says he doesn't read crime fiction. Instead, he 
looks to “primary sources,” the various killers, crooks, law enforcers 
and government agents he has met and befriended and whose stories he 
adapted for “Heat,” “Thief” and other films.Critics and fellow 
directors have praised him for his complex narratives and gifts for 
pacing and atmosphere: Christopher Nolan has cited “Heat” as inspiration
 for his acclaimed Batman movie “The Dark Knight.” But some of Mann's 
favorite feedback has come from those “primary sources.” He smiles when 
asked what some of the real-life models for his characters have said 
upon seeing his films.“I’ve been offered alternative careers,” he says.

'Heat'-ing up: Michael Mann writes sequel-prequel 'Heat 2'

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Pete Seeger, the banjo-playing folk singer whose music was indelibly intertwined with his social activism, was honored Thursday as the latest American musician to appear on a U.S. postage stamp.

The forever stamp, which features a color-tinted, black-and-white photograph taken in the early 1960s showing Seeger in profile singing and playing his five-string banjo, went on sale at post offices nationwide, according to a U.S. Postal Service spokesperson.

A special ceremony was planned for the evening in Newport, Rhode Island, the site of the Newport Folk Festival, where Seeger was a performer and for a time a member of the board. This year's three-day festival starts Friday.

“It is an honor to see a photo of my father I’d taken some 60 years ago become this wonderful forever stamp,” his son, Dan Seeger, said in a statement. “My dad did most of his correspondence by hand — written letters — and I can imagine him smiling and of course appreciating this great honor because he relied on the U.S. Mail with its simplicity and honesty, knowing that thoughts and ideas can go from the sender over a tremendous expanse to a single receiver and get delivered.”

Seeger, a Harvard dropout&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f807e8eeb524413aa8c3146a5b79e684">who died in 2014 at age 94</a>, wrote or co-wrote “If I Had a Hammer,” “Turn, Turn, Turn,” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” He is also credited with popularizing “We Shall Overcome,” an anthem of the civil rights movement.

“He was not only a champion of traditional American music, he was also celebrated as a unifying power by promoting a variety of causes, such as civil rights, workers’ rights, social justice, the peace movement and protecting the environment,” said Tom Foti, the postal service’s product solutions vice president.

While Seeger, a lifelong activist, was exiled from commercial air play in the 1950s and 1960s after an appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee for his Communist affiliations, his career never slowed and he continued to record and tour.

He won multiple Grammy Awards, was inducted into both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll halls of fame, and earned the National Medal of the Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors.

He remained an activist late into his life — walking through the streets of Manhattan leading an Occupy Movement protest in 2011.

Seeger joins a long list of musical performers to appear on a U.S. postage stamp, including Elvis Presley, Thelonious Monk, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra.

The Seeger stamps are sold in panes of 16 resembling a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve, according to the postal service. The stamp and pane were designed by Antonio Alcalá and the photograph was color-tinted by Kristen Monthei.

Associated PressNEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Pete Seeger, the banjo-playing folk singer whose music was indelibly intertwined with his social activism, was honored Thursday as the latest American musician to appear on a U.S. postage stamp.The forever stamp, which features a color-tinted, black-and-white photograph taken in the early 1960s showing Seeger in profile singing and playing his five-string banjo, went on sale at post offices nationwide, according to a U.S. Postal Service spokesperson.A special ceremony was planned for the evening in Newport, Rhode Island, the site of the Newport Folk Festival, where Seeger was a performer and for a time a member of the board. This year's three-day festival starts Friday.“It is an honor to see a photo of my father I’d taken some 60 years ago become this wonderful forever stamp,” his son, Dan Seeger, said in a statement. “My dad did most of his correspondence by hand — written letters — and I can imagine him smiling and of course appreciating this great honor because he relied on the U.S. Mail with its simplicity and honesty, knowing that thoughts and ideas can go from the sender over a tremendous expanse to a single receiver and get delivered.”Seeger, a Harvard dropout&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f807e8eeb524413aa8c3146a5b79e684">who died in 2014 at age 94</a>, wrote or co-wrote “If I Had a Hammer,” “Turn, Turn, Turn,” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” He is also credited with popularizing “We Shall Overcome,” an anthem of the civil rights movement.“He was not only a champion of traditional American music, he was also celebrated as a unifying power by promoting a variety of causes, such as civil rights, workers’ rights, social justice, the peace movement and protecting the environment,” said Tom Foti, the postal service’s product solutions vice president.While Seeger, a lifelong activist, was exiled from commercial air play in the 1950s and 1960s after an appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee for his Communist affiliations, his career never slowed and he continued to record and tour.He won multiple Grammy Awards, was inducted into both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll halls of fame, and earned the National Medal of the Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors.He remained an activist late into his life — walking through the streets of Manhattan leading an Occupy Movement protest in 2011.Seeger joins a long list of musical performers to appear on a U.S. postage stamp, including Elvis Presley, Thelonious Monk, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra.The Seeger stamps are sold in panes of 16 resembling a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve, according to the postal service. The stamp and pane were designed by Antonio Alcalá and the photograph was color-tinted by Kristen Monthei.

Pete Seeger gets own stamp; ceremony planned at Newport Folk

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LOLITA%20C.%20BALDOR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-tom-cruise-jerry-bruckheimer-california-74bbbb5552c75cb268ae8298e4fe1379">“Top Gun: Maverick”</a>&nbsp;roared into theaters in late May, the Air Force was ready.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-north-america-steven-spielberg-bb005f1efd6a5de2ef40acd4c588214e">smash hit movie</a>&nbsp;may feature Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-gun-maverick-film-review-dfe987ecf3250c3f0103da09b3dc76dc">a hotshot Navy aviator</a>, but to much of the movie-going public, the distinction between Air Force and Navy fighter jets is lost. So Air Force recruiters struggling to meet their enlistment goals took boxes of free mugs and lanyards, and fanned out to movie theaters for the premiere, determined to capitalize on the jet-fueled excitement surrounding the film.

These are tough times for military recruiters. With COVID-19 complicating their work and low unemployment reducing the number of potential recruits, all services are having problems finding young people who want to join and can meet the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goarmy.com/how-to-join/requirements.html#:~:text=Enlisted%20Soldiers,-Enlisted%20Soldiers%20are&amp;text=Age%3A%20Between%2017%2D35%20years,high%20school%20graduate%20or%20equivalent">physical, mental and moral requirements.</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-politics-health-army-dc5db721e3270e0e92a0210daa890860">The Army especially is struggling</a>. On Tuesday, it said it will cut the total number of soldiers it expects to have in the force over the next two years. If those trends continue, that could present challenges as it tries to meet future national security and warfighting missions.

The situation is somewhat less dire for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Leaders of those branches say they hope to meet or just slightly miss their recruiting goals for this year. But they say they will have to dip into their pool of delayed entry applicants, which will put them behind as they begin the next recruiting year.

So recruiters are offering bigger bonuses and other incentives to those who sign up. And they are seizing on the boost that Hollywood may offer – such as the buzz over the sequel to the 1986 hit “Top Gun.”

“When the original ‘Top Gun’ was released, the Navy and Air Force received a pretty good recruiting bump,” said Maj. Gen. Edward Thomas, head of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.recruiting.af.mil/">Air Force Recruiting Service.</a>&nbsp;"Frankly, we hope people get excited all over again about what we do. Whether they want to aim high or fly Navy, we just want them to come join us. We want them to be excited about military service.”

The Air Force said it usually goes into each year with about 25% of its recruiting goal already locked in, but this year will have about half of that. The Navy and Marine Corps often have as much as 50% of their goals at the start of the year, but also will see their percentage slashed.

Gen. Eric Smith, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps., said the Marines are focusing more on retention than recruiting. He said the Marine Corps “will make or come very close to making” its recruiting goals this year, but at the expense of the 2023 pool. And when recruits have less time to prepare before reporting to boot camp, more fail to complete their training, he said.

The situation is more dire for the Army, which a top general says faces “unprecedented challenges” in recruitments.

Gen. Joseph Martin, vice chief of staff for the Army, said the service will have a total force of 466,400 this year, down from the expected 476,000. It could end 2023 with between 445,000 and 452,000 soldiers, depending on how well recruiting and retention go.

With just 2 1/2 months to go in the budget year ending Sept. 30, the Army has met just 50% of its recruiting goal of 60,000 soldiers, and based on those trends will likely miss that goal by nearly 25% as of Oct. 1.

An array of factors has made recruiting more difficult across the services.

Two years of the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools and other large public events that the military relies on to meet young people face to face.

The low unemployment rate means fewer people are looking for jobs. Private companies often pay more and are more nimble in responding to a tight labor market by raising salaries. Military salaries vary widely and are determined by Congress.

Across the country, fewer people are familiar with the military. Many do not know anyone who served and do not have bases in their regions. As political and cultural divisions over race, abortion, vaccines and other issues tear through the nation,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-technology-health-government-and-politics-new-york-cfb56a95aec23dddbabcf3ebbe839f05">trust in the government</a>&nbsp;— including the military — has declined.

At the same time, only about 23% of young adults are physically, mentally and morally qualified to serve without receiving some type of waiver. Moral behavior issues include drug use, gang ties or a criminal record.

“We look at it as the toughest recruiting environment that we’ve had in decades,” said Rear Adm. Lex Walker, who heads Navy Recruiting Command. “Companies are also offering great pay, they’re offering sign-on bonuses, help with college. They’re offering many of the same benefits the Navy has historically used to recruit."

One short-term solution is money. The Air Force and Navy commanders both said they had to request more money for bonuses this year as they began to see the recruiting struggle worsen.

For the first time in a decade, the Air Force approved two rounds of additional bonuses this budget year. Last October the service budgeted $17.5 million for enlistment bonuses, but in April service leaders added another $14 million, and in July they put in $7 million more.

The Navy, said Walker, has also increased bonuses by about $100 million. It also has also relaxed some restrictions to make it possible to enlist some who may not have qualified before. He said the Navy expanded its waiver policy for some prior marijuana use and for tattoos — allowing recruits to have visible ones in more places, such as the neck. A new pilot program allows single parents with up to two children over a year old to seek a waiver to enlist as long as the recruits have someone who can care for the children in case of a deployment.

The recruiting officials also said it's crucial to increase the public's awareness of the military and the benefits available for serving. They said recruiters and all members of the military need to get out into their communities, connect with people and tell their stories.

Air Force Sgt. Eric Way did just that at the Regal Cinema in Waterford, Connecticut, during the premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick." Standing in the lobby, surrounded by Air Force swag and banners, he captured the attention of a 22-year-old from Old Lyme, who later told him the movie convinced him that he should enlist.

Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Gervacio Maldonado, who helped organize the New England recruiting campaign centered on the movie’s premiere, said recruiters spoke to the young man before the film and gave him social media information to contact them later.

It worked. The man has already done his first interview.

Maldonado said the man later told a recruiter that he had been debating the enlistment idea for some time and said that "after watching the movie, that was my tipping point and I want to start the process.”

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LOLITA%20C.%20BALDOR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-tom-cruise-jerry-bruckheimer-california-74bbbb5552c75cb268ae8298e4fe1379">“Top Gun: Maverick”</a>&nbsp;roared into theaters in late May, the Air Force was ready.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-north-america-steven-spielberg-bb005f1efd6a5de2ef40acd4c588214e">smash hit movie</a>&nbsp;may feature Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-gun-maverick-film-review-dfe987ecf3250c3f0103da09b3dc76dc">a hotshot Navy aviator</a>, but to much of the movie-going public, the distinction between Air Force and Navy fighter jets is lost. So Air Force recruiters struggling to meet their enlistment goals took boxes of free mugs and lanyards, and fanned out to movie theaters for the premiere, determined to capitalize on the jet-fueled excitement surrounding the film.These are tough times for military recruiters. With COVID-19 complicating their work and low unemployment reducing the number of potential recruits, all services are having problems finding young people who want to join and can meet the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goarmy.com/how-to-join/requirements.html#:~:text=Enlisted%20Soldiers,-Enlisted%20Soldiers%20are&amp;text=Age%3A%20Between%2017%2D35%20years,high%20school%20graduate%20or%20equivalent">physical, mental and moral requirements.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-politics-health-army-dc5db721e3270e0e92a0210daa890860">The Army especially is struggling</a>. On Tuesday, it said it will cut the total number of soldiers it expects to have in the force over the next two years. If those trends continue, that could present challenges as it tries to meet future national security and warfighting missions.The situation is somewhat less dire for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Leaders of those branches say they hope to meet or just slightly miss their recruiting goals for this year. But they say they will have to dip into their pool of delayed entry applicants, which will put them behind as they begin the next recruiting year.So recruiters are offering bigger bonuses and other incentives to those who sign up. And they are seizing on the boost that Hollywood may offer – such as the buzz over the sequel to the 1986 hit “Top Gun.”“When the original ‘Top Gun’ was released, the Navy and Air Force received a pretty good recruiting bump,” said Maj. Gen. Edward Thomas, head of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.recruiting.af.mil/">Air Force Recruiting Service.</a>&nbsp;"Frankly, we hope people get excited all over again about what we do. Whether they want to aim high or fly Navy, we just want them to come join us. We want them to be excited about military service.”The Air Force said it usually goes into each year with about 25% of its recruiting goal already locked in, but this year will have about half of that. The Navy and Marine Corps often have as much as 50% of their goals at the start of the year, but also will see their percentage slashed.Gen. Eric Smith, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps., said the Marines are focusing more on retention than recruiting. He said the Marine Corps “will make or come very close to making” its recruiting goals this year, but at the expense of the 2023 pool. And when recruits have less time to prepare before reporting to boot camp, more fail to complete their training, he said.The situation is more dire for the Army, which a top general says faces “unprecedented challenges” in recruitments.Gen. Joseph Martin, vice chief of staff for the Army, said the service will have a total force of 466,400 this year, down from the expected 476,000. It could end 2023 with between 445,000 and 452,000 soldiers, depending on how well recruiting and retention go.With just 2 1/2 months to go in the budget year ending Sept. 30, the Army has met just 50% of its recruiting goal of 60,000 soldiers, and based on those trends will likely miss that goal by nearly 25% as of Oct. 1.An array of factors has made recruiting more difficult across the services.Two years of the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools and other large public events that the military relies on to meet young people face to face.The low unemployment rate means fewer people are looking for jobs. Private companies often pay more and are more nimble in responding to a tight labor market by raising salaries. Military salaries vary widely and are determined by Congress.Across the country, fewer people are familiar with the military. Many do not know anyone who served and do not have bases in their regions. As political and cultural divisions over race, abortion, vaccines and other issues tear through the nation,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-technology-health-government-and-politics-new-york-cfb56a95aec23dddbabcf3ebbe839f05">trust in the government</a>&nbsp;— including the military — has declined.At the same time, only about 23% of young adults are physically, mentally and morally qualified to serve without receiving some type of waiver. Moral behavior issues include drug use, gang ties or a criminal record.“We look at it as the toughest recruiting environment that we’ve had in decades,” said Rear Adm. Lex Walker, who heads Navy Recruiting Command. “Companies are also offering great pay, they’re offering sign-on bonuses, help with college. They’re offering many of the same benefits the Navy has historically used to recruit."One short-term solution is money. The Air Force and Navy commanders both said they had to request more money for bonuses this year as they began to see the recruiting struggle worsen.For the first time in a decade, the Air Force approved two rounds of additional bonuses this budget year. Last October the service budgeted $17.5 million for enlistment bonuses, but in April service leaders added another $14 million, and in July they put in $7 million more.The Navy, said Walker, has also increased bonuses by about $100 million. It also has also relaxed some restrictions to make it possible to enlist some who may not have qualified before. He said the Navy expanded its waiver policy for some prior marijuana use and for tattoos — allowing recruits to have visible ones in more places, such as the neck. A new pilot program allows single parents with up to two children over a year old to seek a waiver to enlist as long as the recruits have someone who can care for the children in case of a deployment.The recruiting officials also said it's crucial to increase the public's awareness of the military and the benefits available for serving. They said recruiters and all members of the military need to get out into their communities, connect with people and tell their stories.Air Force Sgt. Eric Way did just that at the Regal Cinema in Waterford, Connecticut, during the premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick." Standing in the lobby, surrounded by Air Force swag and banners, he captured the attention of a 22-year-old from Old Lyme, who later told him the movie convinced him that he should enlist.Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Gervacio Maldonado, who helped organize the New England recruiting campaign centered on the movie’s premiere, said recruiters spoke to the young man before the film and gave him social media information to contact them later.It worked. The man has already done his first interview.Maldonado said the man later told a recruiter that he had been debating the enlistment idea for some time and said that "after watching the movie, that was my tipping point and I want to start the process.”

As recruiters struggle, Air Force seeks lift from 'Top Gun'

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HILLEL%20ITALIE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer</a>

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michelle-obama">Michelle Obama</a>&nbsp;will have a book out this fall, “The Light We Carry,” in which she reflects upon her experiences and shares insights on navigating an increasingly stressful world.

It's the former first lady's first entirely new work since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-north-america-ap-top-news-ny-state-wire-barack-obama-75d29ff82e364c19a71e0f3261503889">the 2018 release</a>&nbsp;of her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-north-america-united-states-il-state-wire-michelle-obama-0246b1e534004eea812729f3bf875308">acclaimed blockbuster “Becoming,”</a>&nbsp;which has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide, surpassing the sales of any memoir by a previous first lady or modern president, including her husband, former President Barack Obama.

“I’ve learned it’s okay to recognize that self-worth comes wrapped in vulnerability, and that what we share as humans on this earth is the impulse to strive for better, always and no matter what,” Michelle Obama writes in the book's introduction, included in Thursday's announcement by the Random House Publishing Group and its imprint Crown.

“We become bolder in brightness. If you know your light, you know yourself. You know your own story in an honest way. In my experience, this type of self-knowledge builds confidence, which in turn breeds calmness and an ability to maintain perspective, which leads, finally, to being able to connect meaningfully with others — and this to me is the bedrock of all things."

The new book is not part of the reported eight-figure deal the Obamas reached in 2017, shortly after he left office, with parent company Penguin Random House for their respective memoirs. A spokesperson declined to discuss financial terms for “The Light We Carry.”

Crown will publish the 336-page book Nov. 15, almost exactly four years after the release of “Becoming," and has announced a first printing of 2.75 million copies for the U.S. and Canada. “The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times” will come out simultaneously in 14 languages and 27 countries, with additional rights deals expected.

“In ‘The Light We Carry,’ Mrs. Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress,” the publisher's announcement reads in part.

“Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles — the earned wisdom that helps her continue to ‘become.’”

On Thursday, Penguin Random House announced it was renaming an annual writing prize in her honor, the $10,000 Michelle Obama Award for Memoir, part of an awards program for public high school students the company launched in 1993.

Since completing “Becoming," Michelle Obama has written an edition for younger readers and launched a podcast. With Barack Obama and their production company Higher Ground she has worked on such projects as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-us-news-barack-obama-michelle-obama-movies-d1d14a8a48054af7ae1498ef32b213de">the Oscar-winning documentary “American Factory”</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ny-state-wire-dc-wire-il-state-wire-entertainment-michelle-obama-d3aa0b80bb7e0efa21b6215a68645811">a documentary about her tour for “Becoming,”</a>&nbsp;when she appeared at arenas nationwide with such guest interviewers as Oprah Winfrey and Sarah Jessica Parker. Promotional plans for “The Light We Carry” will be announced later.

Crown is also the longtime publisher of Barack Obama, himself a million-selling author.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barack-obama-memoir-record-setting-sales-fbc4385579c9b6cbe6d04acb7a5f734f">“A Promised Land,”</a>&nbsp;the first of two planned memoirs about his presidency, came out in 2020. A spokesperson declined to comment on when the next book will be released.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HILLEL%20ITALIE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer</a>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michelle-obama">Michelle Obama</a>&nbsp;will have a book out this fall, “The Light We Carry,” in which she reflects upon her experiences and shares insights on navigating an increasingly stressful world.It's the former first lady's first entirely new work since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-north-america-ap-top-news-ny-state-wire-barack-obama-75d29ff82e364c19a71e0f3261503889">the 2018 release</a>&nbsp;of her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-north-america-united-states-il-state-wire-michelle-obama-0246b1e534004eea812729f3bf875308">acclaimed blockbuster “Becoming,”</a>&nbsp;which has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide, surpassing the sales of any memoir by a previous first lady or modern president, including her husband, former President Barack Obama.“I’ve learned it’s okay to recognize that self-worth comes wrapped in vulnerability, and that what we share as humans on this earth is the impulse to strive for better, always and no matter what,” Michelle Obama writes in the book's introduction, included in Thursday's announcement by the Random House Publishing Group and its imprint Crown.“We become bolder in brightness. If you know your light, you know yourself. You know your own story in an honest way. In my experience, this type of self-knowledge builds confidence, which in turn breeds calmness and an ability to maintain perspective, which leads, finally, to being able to connect meaningfully with others — and this to me is the bedrock of all things."The new book is not part of the reported eight-figure deal the Obamas reached in 2017, shortly after he left office, with parent company Penguin Random House for their respective memoirs. A spokesperson declined to discuss financial terms for “The Light We Carry.”Crown will publish the 336-page book Nov. 15, almost exactly four years after the release of “Becoming," and has announced a first printing of 2.75 million copies for the U.S. and Canada. “The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times” will come out simultaneously in 14 languages and 27 countries, with additional rights deals expected.“In ‘The Light We Carry,’ Mrs. Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress,” the publisher's announcement reads in part.“Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles — the earned wisdom that helps her continue to ‘become.’”On Thursday, Penguin Random House announced it was renaming an annual writing prize in her honor, the $10,000 Michelle Obama Award for Memoir, part of an awards program for public high school students the company launched in 1993.Since completing “Becoming," Michelle Obama has written an edition for younger readers and launched a podcast. With Barack Obama and their production company Higher Ground she has worked on such projects as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-us-news-barack-obama-michelle-obama-movies-d1d14a8a48054af7ae1498ef32b213de">the Oscar-winning documentary “American Factory”</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ny-state-wire-dc-wire-il-state-wire-entertainment-michelle-obama-d3aa0b80bb7e0efa21b6215a68645811">a documentary about her tour for “Becoming,”</a>&nbsp;when she appeared at arenas nationwide with such guest interviewers as Oprah Winfrey and Sarah Jessica Parker. Promotional plans for “The Light We Carry” will be announced later.Crown is also the longtime publisher of Barack Obama, himself a million-selling author.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barack-obama-memoir-record-setting-sales-fbc4385579c9b6cbe6d04acb7a5f734f">“A Promised Land,”</a>&nbsp;the first of two planned memoirs about his presidency, came out in 2020. A spokesperson declined to comment on when the next book will be released.

Michelle Obama's book 'The Light We Carry' coming this fall

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MICHAEL%20BALSAMO%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MICHAEL BALSAMO Associated Press</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors said Monday they have declined to bring charges against nine people associated with CBS’ “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” who were arrested in a building in the U.S. Capitol complex last month.

The decision, made by the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, comes after prosecutors determined they “cannot move forward” with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-robert-smigel-stephen-colbert-arrests-14dc9ee6278519742285b90895f80883">misdemeanor charges against the nine people arrested June 16</a>&nbsp;in the Longworth House Office Building. The incident followed the third public hearing by the House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office said it was not probable a conviction could be obtained and sustained given that the nine arrested had been invited and that their escorts had never asked them to leave the building.

Though Capitol Police have refused to provide the names of those who were arrested, a person familiar with the matter provided The Associated Press with a list of nine people who had been stopped by Capitol Police. They included several producers, along with comedian and writer Robert Smigel, the voice behind Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.

Capitol Police officials said Monday they respect the decision made by the U.S. attorney’s office.

Police said the group was arrested on unlawful entry charges “because members of the group had been told several times before they entered the Congressional buildings that they had to remain with a staff escort inside the buildings and they failed to do so.”

Prosecutors said the group had been invited by congressional staffers and had never been asked to leave by the staff members who had invited them. The U.S. attorney’s office said some people in the group of nine had been told by police that they were supposed to have an escort.

“The Office would be required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that these invited guests were guilty of the crime of unlawful entry because their escort chose to leave them unattended,” said Bill Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office. “We do not believe it is probable that the Office would be able to obtain and sustain convictions on these charges.”

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MICHAEL%20BALSAMO%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MICHAEL BALSAMO Associated Press</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors said Monday they have declined to bring charges against nine people associated with CBS’ “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” who were arrested in a building in the U.S. Capitol complex last month.The decision, made by the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, comes after prosecutors determined they “cannot move forward” with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-robert-smigel-stephen-colbert-arrests-14dc9ee6278519742285b90895f80883">misdemeanor charges against the nine people arrested June 16</a>&nbsp;in the Longworth House Office Building. The incident followed the third public hearing by the House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office said it was not probable a conviction could be obtained and sustained given that the nine arrested had been invited and that their escorts had never asked them to leave the building.Though Capitol Police have refused to provide the names of those who were arrested, a person familiar with the matter provided The Associated Press with a list of nine people who had been stopped by Capitol Police. They included several producers, along with comedian and writer Robert Smigel, the voice behind Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.Capitol Police officials said Monday they respect the decision made by the U.S. attorney’s office.Police said the group was arrested on unlawful entry charges “because members of the group had been told several times before they entered the Congressional buildings that they had to remain with a staff escort inside the buildings and they failed to do so.”Prosecutors said the group had been invited by congressional staffers and had never been asked to leave by the staff members who had invited them. The U.S. attorney’s office said some people in the group of nine had been told by police that they were supposed to have an escort.“The Office would be required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that these invited guests were guilty of the crime of unlawful entry because their escort chose to leave them unattended,” said Bill Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office. “We do not believe it is probable that the Office would be able to obtain and sustain convictions on these charges.”

No charges for 'Late Show' crew arrested on Capitol Hill

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22The%20Associated%20Press%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By The Associated Press</a>

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.

— Netflix places one of its biggest bets yet on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmllggGO4pM">“The Gray Man,”</a>&nbsp;a globe-trotting action thriller starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas. One of the streamer's most expensive films, “The Gray Man" is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the brothers who presided over one of the biggest box-office smashes ever ("Avengers: Endgame") before they started churning out blockbusters for Netflix. Their “Extraction,” with Chris Hemsworth, ranks as one of the service's most-watched films, and “The Gray Man” — a spy vs. spy adventure with some comic flare and major franchise ambitions — is likely to follow suit. It debuts Friday.

— Before Billy Porter was a Broadway star and red-carpet doyen, he was a kid in Pittsburgh. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20WlagB4vFU">“Anything's Possible,</a>&nbsp;” Porter returns to his hometown to make his directorial debut, a trans coming-of-age comedy. The film, which debuts Friday on Amazon Prime Video, stars Eva Reign as a Black transgender girl in a relationship with a boy (Abubakr Ali) that causes a high school-wide stir. Porter fashioned his film, written by Ximena García Lecuona, as a teen rom-com for Gen Z and a love letter to Pittsburgh.

— Few details about Beyoncé‘s new album “Renaissance” out Friday are available but the lead single is performing well. Her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjki-9Pthh0">“Break My Soul”</a>&nbsp;became the first song to debut in the top 10 in 26 years on Billboard’s R&amp;B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. Of the 16-track album itself Beyoncé calls it “a beautiful journey of exploration.” Creating it “allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” the superstar wrote on Instagram, next to an image of her on a see-through horse. Back in June, she teased on her social media accounts that “Renaissance” would be “act i,” but it’s unclear how many acts will follow or when they will be released.

— It’s July so that means a promised second 2022 album from the mad professor of rock, Jack White. He follows up the April release of “Fear of the Dawn” with the 11-track “Entering Heaven Alive.” The two albums share the same song — Taking Me Back” — but arranged differently, one heavy, one jazzy. Another song on the new set is titled “Queen of the Bees” and has the silly lyric “I want to hold you like a sloth hugs a tree.”&nbsp;<a href="https://ew.com/music/jack-white-fear-of-the-dawn-entering-heaven-alive-interview/">He told EW: ”I was challenging myself to sort of see what I could get away with!”</a>

— ZZ Top — now without Dusty Hill — have a new, 11-track live album, called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg9cNGHl-bg&amp;t=3s">“Raw,”</a>&nbsp;with several of the band’s hits like “Gimmie All Your Lovin″” and “La Grange.” Recorded at Gruene Hall — “the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas” — in 2019, “Raw” features the band’s original lineup of electric guitar player Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and the late Hill on bass. Made in connection with the 2019 ZZ Top Netflix documentary, “That Little Ol’ Band From Texas,” the 11-track album was produced by Gibbons, and is dedicated “in righteous memory of Dusty Hill.”

— Ben Harper has never really minced words and that’s clearly the case on his new album, the 11-track “Bloodline Maintenance. “Slavery/We need to talk about it/Black Lives Matter/’Cause history says we don’t,” he sings over a funky guitar on the lead single,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAMcjFGVddc">“We Need To Talk About It.”</a>&nbsp;The new record sees Harper reflecting on the loss of his father and the personal nature of the subject matter led Ben to perform most of the album himself — playing guitar, bass, drums and percussion, including a plastic toy snare. ”I knew the sounds I was hearing in my head were so unorthodox that I had to do most of it myself,” he says.

— Stephen Curry is the host of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/espys/">ESPYS</a>&nbsp;sports awards, and more. The NBA championship finals MVP is up for three honors including best male athlete at the ceremony airing Wednesday on ABC. Curry’s rivals for the top award include Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, with Olympic champs Sunisa Lee and Katie Ledecky among those competing for best female athlete. ESPN previously said the ceremony will honor Vitali Klitschko, former heavyweight boxing champion and mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine, with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Gretchen Evans will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service.

— Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were acclaimed actors and a long-married couple. They were also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lJpu8l5BTc">“The Last Movie Stars,”</a>&nbsp;according to the six-part documentary of that title out on Thursday on HBO Max. The docuseries, directed by actor Ethan Hawke, promises a definitive account of their “dedication to their art, philanthropy and each other.” Transcriptions of interviews with Newman and intimates — conducted for his autobiography that went uncompleted — are voiced by actors including George Clooney and Laura Linney. Also heard from are several of their children and Martin Scorsese, an executive producer for the film. Woodward, who is 92, was married to Newman from 1958 until his death in 2008 at age 83.

— The summer thrill ride known as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.discovery.com/shark-week">Shark Week</a>&nbsp;is back on Discovery Channel for its 34th year, with stars including tiger sharks with a taste for pork and “monster” hammerheads. The Bahamas’ Exuma Islands and Papua New Guinea are among the new spots visited during the extravaganza airing from Sunday, July 24, to Saturday, July 30, with Dwayne Johnson as its first emcee. Marine biologists and institutions contribute insights about shark mating and migration, with findings about a new and undescribed species promised. Among the highlights: “Island of Walking Sharks,” on Wednesday, with a scientist’s investigation of shark evolution.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22The%20Associated%20Press%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By The Associated Press</a>Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.MOVIES— Netflix places one of its biggest bets yet on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmllggGO4pM">“The Gray Man,”</a>&nbsp;a globe-trotting action thriller starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas. One of the streamer's most expensive films, “The Gray Man" is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the brothers who presided over one of the biggest box-office smashes ever ("Avengers: Endgame") before they started churning out blockbusters for Netflix. Their “Extraction,” with Chris Hemsworth, ranks as one of the service's most-watched films, and “The Gray Man” — a spy vs. spy adventure with some comic flare and major franchise ambitions — is likely to follow suit. It debuts Friday.— Before Billy Porter was a Broadway star and red-carpet doyen, he was a kid in Pittsburgh. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20WlagB4vFU">“Anything's Possible,</a>&nbsp;” Porter returns to his hometown to make his directorial debut, a trans coming-of-age comedy. The film, which debuts Friday on Amazon Prime Video, stars Eva Reign as a Black transgender girl in a relationship with a boy (Abubakr Ali) that causes a high school-wide stir. Porter fashioned his film, written by Ximena García Lecuona, as a teen rom-com for Gen Z and a love letter to Pittsburgh.— AP Film Writer Jake CoyleMUSIC— Few details about Beyoncé‘s new album “Renaissance” out Friday are available but the lead single is performing well. Her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjki-9Pthh0">“Break My Soul”</a>&nbsp;became the first song to debut in the top 10 in 26 years on Billboard’s R&amp;B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. Of the 16-track album itself Beyoncé calls it “a beautiful journey of exploration.” Creating it “allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” the superstar wrote on Instagram, next to an image of her on a see-through horse. Back in June, she teased on her social media accounts that “Renaissance” would be “act i,” but it’s unclear how many acts will follow or when they will be released.— It’s July so that means a promised second 2022 album from the mad professor of rock, Jack White. He follows up the April release of “Fear of the Dawn” with the 11-track “Entering Heaven Alive.” The two albums share the same song — Taking Me Back” — but arranged differently, one heavy, one jazzy. Another song on the new set is titled “Queen of the Bees” and has the silly lyric “I want to hold you like a sloth hugs a tree.”&nbsp;<a href="https://ew.com/music/jack-white-fear-of-the-dawn-entering-heaven-alive-interview/">He told EW: ”I was challenging myself to sort of see what I could get away with!”</a>— ZZ Top — now without Dusty Hill — have a new, 11-track live album, called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg9cNGHl-bg&amp;t=3s">“Raw,”</a>&nbsp;with several of the band’s hits like “Gimmie All Your Lovin″” and “La Grange.” Recorded at Gruene Hall — “the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas” — in 2019, “Raw” features the band’s original lineup of electric guitar player Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and the late Hill on bass. Made in connection with the 2019 ZZ Top Netflix documentary, “That Little Ol’ Band From Texas,” the 11-track album was produced by Gibbons, and is dedicated “in righteous memory of Dusty Hill.”— Ben Harper has never really minced words and that’s clearly the case on his new album, the 11-track “Bloodline Maintenance. “Slavery/We need to talk about it/Black Lives Matter/’Cause history says we don’t,” he sings over a funky guitar on the lead single,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAMcjFGVddc">“We Need To Talk About It.”</a>&nbsp;The new record sees Harper reflecting on the loss of his father and the personal nature of the subject matter led Ben to perform most of the album himself — playing guitar, bass, drums and percussion, including a plastic toy snare. ”I knew the sounds I was hearing in my head were so unorthodox that I had to do most of it myself,” he says.— AP Entertainment Writer Mark KennedyTELEVISION— Stephen Curry is the host of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/espys/">ESPYS</a>&nbsp;sports awards, and more. The NBA championship finals MVP is up for three honors including best male athlete at the ceremony airing Wednesday on ABC. Curry’s rivals for the top award include Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, with Olympic champs Sunisa Lee and Katie Ledecky among those competing for best female athlete. ESPN previously said the ceremony will honor Vitali Klitschko, former heavyweight boxing champion and mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine, with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Gretchen Evans will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service.— Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were acclaimed actors and a long-married couple. They were also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lJpu8l5BTc">“The Last Movie Stars,”</a>&nbsp;according to the six-part documentary of that title out on Thursday on HBO Max. The docuseries, directed by actor Ethan Hawke, promises a definitive account of their “dedication to their art, philanthropy and each other.” Transcriptions of interviews with Newman and intimates — conducted for his autobiography that went uncompleted — are voiced by actors including George Clooney and Laura Linney. Also heard from are several of their children and Martin Scorsese, an executive producer for the film. Woodward, who is 92, was married to Newman from 1958 until his death in 2008 at age 83.— The summer thrill ride known as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.discovery.com/shark-week">Shark Week</a>&nbsp;is back on Discovery Channel for its 34th year, with stars including tiger sharks with a taste for pork and “monster” hammerheads. The Bahamas’ Exuma Islands and Papua New Guinea are among the new spots visited during the extravaganza airing from Sunday, July 24, to Saturday, July 30, with Dwayne Johnson as its first emcee. Marine biologists and institutions contribute insights about shark mating and migration, with findings about a new and undescribed species promised. Among the highlights: “Island of Walking Sharks,” on Wednesday, with a scientist’s investigation of shark evolution.— AP Television Writer Lynn Elber

New this week: Beyoncé, Shark Week, ESPYS and 'The Gray Man'

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MARK%20KENNEDY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MARK KENNEDY &nbsp;AP Entertainment Writer</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — Don McLean has listened for decades as people belted out his classic song “American Pie” at last call or at karaoke — and applauds you for the effort.

“I’ve heard whole bars burst into this song when I’ve been across the room,” McLean tells The Associated Press from a tour bus heading to Des Moines, Iowa. “And they’re so happy singing it that I realized, ‘You don’t really have to worry about how well you sing this song anymore. Even sung badly, people are really happy with it.’”

Happy might be a bit of an understatement. “American Pie” is considered a masterpiece, voted among the top five Songs of the Century compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.

McLean — and his singular tune about “the day the music died” — are now the subject of a full-length feature documentary,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5TvCEgTOJA">“The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean’s ‘American Pie,’”</a>&nbsp;airing Tuesday on Paramount+.

It’s mandatory viewing for McLean fans or anyone who has marveled at his sonic treasure. It also represents an elegant film blueprint for future deep dives into a song and its wider cultural relevance.

For those fans who have wondered about the lyrics they are singing loudly in bars and cars, McLean shares the secrets. “That was the fun of writing the song,” he tells the AP. “I was up at night, smiling and thinking about what I’m going to do with this.”

The documentary starts when a single-engine plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Jiles P. Richardson, the “Big Bopper,” plunged into a cornfield north of Clear Lake, Iowa, on Feb. 3, 1959, killing the three stars and their pilot.

McLean was 13, living in a suburban, middle class home in New Rochelle, New York, when the crash occurred. He had bronchial asthma, prompting the description of him in “American Pie” as “a lonely teenage broncin' buck.” The “sacred store” he sings about was the House of Music on Main Street, where he bought records and his first guitar.

Young McLean was a paperboy — “every paper I'd deliver” — and adored Elvis, Gene Vincent, Bo Diddley but especially Holly, whose death deeply affected him. “I was in absolute shock. I may have actually cried,” he says in the film. “You can’t intellectualize it. It hurt me.”

Years later, McLean would plumb that pain in “American Pie,” baking in his own grief at his father's passing and writing an eulogy for the American dream. He was creating his second album in 1971 while the nation was racked by assassinations, anti-war protests and civil right marches. He thought he “needed a big song about America.” The first verse and melody seemed to just tumble out. “A long, long, time ago...”

It climaxed in the huge sing-along-chorus: “We were singin’, ‘Bye-bye, Miss American pie’/Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry/Them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey ‘n rye/And singin’, “This’ll be the day that I die.”

“I said, 'Wow, that is something. I don’t know what it is, but it’s exactly what I’ve been wanting to try to get ahold of — that feeling about Buddy Holly — for all these years and that plane crash," McLean tells the AP. "I always feel a tug inside me whenever I think about Buddy.”

<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/vrmcb4z5mbx3CwjVzC4L5x_76JIz1t8h/">The 90-minute documentary</a>&nbsp;incorporates news footage of the ’70s and uses actors in recreations. Cameras capture McLean visiting the hallowed Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, the last place Holly and his fellow musicians played before their fatal flight in 1959.

There are interviews with musicians — Garth Brooks, “Weird Al” Yankovich and Brian Wilson, among them — as well as Valens' sister, Connie, and actor Peter Gallagher, whose character's death on “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” promoted an onscreen performance of “American Pie.” The British singer Jade Bird, Cuban-born producer Rudy Perez and Spanish-language singer Jencarlos Canela speak to how the song has resonated far past America.

The documentary reveals that recording the album was not exactly a smooth process. Producer Ed Freeman was unimpressed with McLean's clutch of songs and didn’t think McLean was up to playing rhythm guitar on “American Pie.” He eventually relented.

McLean — along with a few session musicians — rehearsed for two weeks without nailing the song, getting increasingly frustrated. The addition of pianist Paul Griffin at the last minute was a “Hail Mary” stroke of genius that made the whole tune click.

But recording the song was just the beginning of trouble ahead. At over 8 minutes, radio stations balked at playing it, and McLean's record label, Media Arts, went bust just as it was to release the album “American Pie.”

After seeing the documentary, McLean was struck by a common strand in his career: “What I noticed was that I had to fight so many battles to get this thing done, to get everything. I’ve been fighting everybody my whole life,” he says. “I’m not difficult. I just want things the way I want them.”

“American Pie” is packed with cultural references, from Chevrolet to nursey rhymes, while namechecking The Byrds, John Lennon, Charles Manson and James Dean. The lyrics — dreamlike and impressionistic — have been pored over for decades, dissected for meaning.

The documentary answers some questions, but not all. McLean reveals that his oblique references to a king and a jester have nothing to do with Elvis or Bob Dylan, but he's open to other interpretations. He explains that the “marching band” means the military-industrial complex and “sweet perfume” is tear gas.

The line in the chorus “This’ll be the day that I die” comes from the John Wayne film “The Searchers” and the farewell is a riff off “Bye Bye, My Roseanna,” a song his friend Pete Seeger sang. McLean was going to use “Miss American apple pie” but dropped the fruit.

The end of the song asks for “happy news” — an echo of the first verse — but there is none. The three men McLean admires most — the Father, Son and Holy Ghost — “caught the last train for the coast,” meaning Los Angeles. “Even god has been corrupted,” McLean says in the film.

“He was glad to open up because he and his manager thought it was the time to do it and this was the platform to do it in,” says music producer and songwriter Spencer Proffer, CEO of media production company Meteor 17, which helped make the film. “My hat’s off to Don for writing something this magnificent. My job was to bring it to life.”

For McLean, the song is a blueprint of his mind at the time and a homage to his musical influences, but also a roadmap for future students of history:

“If it starts young people thinking about Buddy Holly, about rock ‘n’ roll and that music, and then it teaches them maybe about what else happened in the country, maybe look at a little history, maybe ask why John Kennedy was shot and who did it, maybe ask why all our leaders were shot in the 1960s and who did it, maybe start to look at war and the stupidity of it — if that can happen, then the song really is serving a wonderful purpose and a positive purpose.”

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MARK%20KENNEDY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MARK KENNEDY &nbsp;AP Entertainment Writer</a>NEW YORK (AP) — Don McLean has listened for decades as people belted out his classic song “American Pie” at last call or at karaoke — and applauds you for the effort.“I’ve heard whole bars burst into this song when I’ve been across the room,” McLean tells The Associated Press from a tour bus heading to Des Moines, Iowa. “And they’re so happy singing it that I realized, ‘You don’t really have to worry about how well you sing this song anymore. Even sung badly, people are really happy with it.’”Happy might be a bit of an understatement. “American Pie” is considered a masterpiece, voted among the top five Songs of the Century compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.McLean — and his singular tune about “the day the music died” — are now the subject of a full-length feature documentary,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5TvCEgTOJA">“The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean’s ‘American Pie,’”</a>&nbsp;airing Tuesday on Paramount+.It’s mandatory viewing for McLean fans or anyone who has marveled at his sonic treasure. It also represents an elegant film blueprint for future deep dives into a song and its wider cultural relevance.For those fans who have wondered about the lyrics they are singing loudly in bars and cars, McLean shares the secrets. “That was the fun of writing the song,” he tells the AP. “I was up at night, smiling and thinking about what I’m going to do with this.”The documentary starts when a single-engine plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Jiles P. Richardson, the “Big Bopper,” plunged into a cornfield north of Clear Lake, Iowa, on Feb. 3, 1959, killing the three stars and their pilot.McLean was 13, living in a suburban, middle class home in New Rochelle, New York, when the crash occurred. He had bronchial asthma, prompting the description of him in “American Pie” as “a lonely teenage broncin' buck.” The “sacred store” he sings about was the House of Music on Main Street, where he bought records and his first guitar.Young McLean was a paperboy — “every paper I'd deliver” — and adored Elvis, Gene Vincent, Bo Diddley but especially Holly, whose death deeply affected him. “I was in absolute shock. I may have actually cried,” he says in the film. “You can’t intellectualize it. It hurt me.”Years later, McLean would plumb that pain in “American Pie,” baking in his own grief at his father's passing and writing an eulogy for the American dream. He was creating his second album in 1971 while the nation was racked by assassinations, anti-war protests and civil right marches. He thought he “needed a big song about America.” The first verse and melody seemed to just tumble out. “A long, long, time ago...”It climaxed in the huge sing-along-chorus: “We were singin’, ‘Bye-bye, Miss American pie’/Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry/Them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey ‘n rye/And singin’, “This’ll be the day that I die.”“I said, 'Wow, that is something. I don’t know what it is, but it’s exactly what I’ve been wanting to try to get ahold of — that feeling about Buddy Holly — for all these years and that plane crash," McLean tells the AP. "I always feel a tug inside me whenever I think about Buddy.”<a href="https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/vrmcb4z5mbx3CwjVzC4L5x_76JIz1t8h/">The 90-minute documentary</a>&nbsp;incorporates news footage of the ’70s and uses actors in recreations. Cameras capture McLean visiting the hallowed Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, the last place Holly and his fellow musicians played before their fatal flight in 1959.There are interviews with musicians — Garth Brooks, “Weird Al” Yankovich and Brian Wilson, among them — as well as Valens' sister, Connie, and actor Peter Gallagher, whose character's death on “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” promoted an onscreen performance of “American Pie.” The British singer Jade Bird, Cuban-born producer Rudy Perez and Spanish-language singer Jencarlos Canela speak to how the song has resonated far past America.The documentary reveals that recording the album was not exactly a smooth process. Producer Ed Freeman was unimpressed with McLean's clutch of songs and didn’t think McLean was up to playing rhythm guitar on “American Pie.” He eventually relented.McLean — along with a few session musicians — rehearsed for two weeks without nailing the song, getting increasingly frustrated. The addition of pianist Paul Griffin at the last minute was a “Hail Mary” stroke of genius that made the whole tune click.But recording the song was just the beginning of trouble ahead. At over 8 minutes, radio stations balked at playing it, and McLean's record label, Media Arts, went bust just as it was to release the album “American Pie.”After seeing the documentary, McLean was struck by a common strand in his career: “What I noticed was that I had to fight so many battles to get this thing done, to get everything. I’ve been fighting everybody my whole life,” he says. “I’m not difficult. I just want things the way I want them.”“American Pie” is packed with cultural references, from Chevrolet to nursey rhymes, while namechecking The Byrds, John Lennon, Charles Manson and James Dean. The lyrics — dreamlike and impressionistic — have been pored over for decades, dissected for meaning.The documentary answers some questions, but not all. McLean reveals that his oblique references to a king and a jester have nothing to do with Elvis or Bob Dylan, but he's open to other interpretations. He explains that the “marching band” means the military-industrial complex and “sweet perfume” is tear gas.The line in the chorus “This’ll be the day that I die” comes from the John Wayne film “The Searchers” and the farewell is a riff off “Bye Bye, My Roseanna,” a song his friend Pete Seeger sang. McLean was going to use “Miss American apple pie” but dropped the fruit.The end of the song asks for “happy news” — an echo of the first verse — but there is none. The three men McLean admires most — the Father, Son and Holy Ghost — “caught the last train for the coast,” meaning Los Angeles. “Even god has been corrupted,” McLean says in the film.“He was glad to open up because he and his manager thought it was the time to do it and this was the platform to do it in,” says music producer and songwriter Spencer Proffer, CEO of media production company Meteor 17, which helped make the film. “My hat’s off to Don for writing something this magnificent. My job was to bring it to life.”For McLean, the song is a blueprint of his mind at the time and a homage to his musical influences, but also a roadmap for future students of history:“If it starts young people thinking about Buddy Holly, about rock ‘n’ roll and that music, and then it teaches them maybe about what else happened in the country, maybe look at a little history, maybe ask why John Kennedy was shot and who did it, maybe ask why all our leaders were shot in the 1960s and who did it, maybe start to look at war and the stupidity of it — if that can happen, then the song really is serving a wonderful purpose and a positive purpose.”

Don McLean looks back at his masterpiece, 'American Pie'

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MARK%20PRATT%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MARK PRATT Associated Press</a>

The company that makes some of the world's most iconic board games including Scrabble, Monopoly, and Clue is developing a new one based on Wordle, the obsessively popular digital word-guessing game.

Hasbro Inc. and The New York Times —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-times-buys-wordle-c1e77bd65f21464f98f8cf4246457d6b">which purchased Wordle earlier this year</a>&nbsp;— announced Thursday that Wordle: The Party Game will be available for purchase in North America in October, with preorders already being accepted.

“Since Wordle burst onto the scene, it’s undoubtedly been a staple in social and pop culture vocabulary,” Adam Biehl, Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based Hasbro's general manager of gaming said in a statement. “We’re beyond thrilled to work with New York Times Games to bring our gaming worlds together and extend Wordle in new ways.”

In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html">free online version</a>, players get six tries to guess a five-letter word with only the previous guess providing clues.

The appeal is its ease of play. Start by typing in a five-letter word. If a square turns green, it's the right letter in the right place. If it turns yellow, the letter is in the word but in the incorrect spot. Gray squares mean the letters are not in that day's word.

The drawback is that it can only be played once per day.

The board game will give players the opportunity to play against others, and play as much as they want.

One player picks a random five-letter word, and the others try to guess it.

There will also be multiple play options, including classic, fast, timed, or teams, Hasbro and New York Times Games said.

Wordle was created by Josh Wardle, a Brooklyn software engineer. He originally made it for his partner, but released it to the public in October. On Nov. 1, only 90 people had played it. Within two months, that number had grown to 300,000 as the addictive phenomenon spread rapidly on social media.

New York Times Games announced in January that it had purchased the game for an undisclosed price it described as the “low-seven figures,” and it now has millions of players per day.

“Wordle truly brought us all together and that’s what makes it so special," said Jonathan Knight, head of Games for The New York Times.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MARK%20PRATT%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MARK PRATT Associated Press</a>The company that makes some of the world's most iconic board games including Scrabble, Monopoly, and Clue is developing a new one based on Wordle, the obsessively popular digital word-guessing game.Hasbro Inc. and The New York Times —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-times-buys-wordle-c1e77bd65f21464f98f8cf4246457d6b">which purchased Wordle earlier this year</a>&nbsp;— announced Thursday that Wordle: The Party Game will be available for purchase in North America in October, with preorders already being accepted.“Since Wordle burst onto the scene, it’s undoubtedly been a staple in social and pop culture vocabulary,” Adam Biehl, Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based Hasbro's general manager of gaming said in a statement. “We’re beyond thrilled to work with New York Times Games to bring our gaming worlds together and extend Wordle in new ways.”In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html">free online version</a>, players get six tries to guess a five-letter word with only the previous guess providing clues.The appeal is its ease of play. Start by typing in a five-letter word. If a square turns green, it's the right letter in the right place. If it turns yellow, the letter is in the word but in the incorrect spot. Gray squares mean the letters are not in that day's word.The drawback is that it can only be played once per day.The board game will give players the opportunity to play against others, and play as much as they want.One player picks a random five-letter word, and the others try to guess it.There will also be multiple play options, including classic, fast, timed, or teams, Hasbro and New York Times Games said.Wordle was created by Josh Wardle, a Brooklyn software engineer. He originally made it for his partner, but released it to the public in October. On Nov. 1, only 90 people had played it. Within two months, that number had grown to 300,000 as the addictive phenomenon spread rapidly on social media.New York Times Games announced in January that it had purchased the game for an undisclosed price it described as the “low-seven figures,” and it now has millions of players per day.“Wordle truly brought us all together and that’s what makes it so special," said Jonathan Knight, head of Games for The New York Times.

5-letter word for fun? Hasbro, NYT create Wordle board game

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22WAYNE%20PARRY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By WAYNE PARRY Associated Press</a>

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — I think it's gonna be a long, long time until we see another songwriter and performer like Elton John.

Wrapping up a 50-plus year career with a farewell tour, the British pianist and vocalist has created some of the most memorable and enduring music in the history of pop-rock, songs burned into the collective DNA of humanity.

They may be quite simple, like the basic four-chord glory of “Crocodile Rock,” or dazzlingly complex like the 11-minute magnum opus “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.”

But now that it's almost done, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words how wonderful it has been to have Elton John on our radios and in our ears since the late 1960s.

The artist born 75 years ago as Reginald Kenneth Dwight kicked off the final leg of his North American farewell tour Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, home of baseball's Philadelphia Phillies. And yes, he felt the love that night.

“America made me famous and I can't thank this country enough,” he told the audience. “Thank you for the loyalty, the love, the kindness you showed me.”

He has sold over 300 million records worldwide, has played over 4,000 shows in 80 countries, and recorded one of the best-selling singles of all-time, his 1997 reworking of “Candle In The Wind” to eulogize Princess Diana, which sold 33 million copies.

Sir Elton (he was knighted in 1998) has scored over 70 top 40 hits, including nine No. 1s, and released seven No. 1 albums in the 3 1/2-year period from 1972 to 1975, a pace second only to that of the Beatles.

He has five Grammy awards, as well as a Tony award for “Aida.” His crooning of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” in “The Lion King” motion picture has serenaded millions of children, and will entertain future generations of little ones.

The outrageous costumes and oversized glasses he was known for in his early ‘70s heyday are gone now (he dressed as Donald Duck, Pac-Man, the Statue of Liberty, Minnie Mouse, and a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball player, among others). And while the man has not met a sequin or a feather he doesn’t adore, his wardrobe is (by Elton standards) somewhat tamer these days.

He took the stage in a white tuxedo with black lapels, and purple sparkly glasses, walking somewhat tentatively to his shiny black piano to pound out the instantly recognizable opening chord to “Bennie And The Jets.”

Next up was “Philadelphia Freedom,” which he dedicated to the hometown crowd as “one of the greatest cities I've ever played in.” It was his 52nd concert in the City of Brotherly Love.

Throughout the night, John rolled out a dazzling array of smash hits spanning musical styles and genres. The gospel phrasings and cadences that so influenced his early work were evident on “Border Song” and “Take Me To The Pilot,” and even the straightforward radio staple “Levon” got a come-to-meeting revved-up ending.

He showed off the prototypical power ballad, “Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” with its close cousin “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.”

And when longtime guitar sidekick Davey Johnstone donned an inverted Flying-V guitar, it was time for the power chord arena rockers, including Elton's hardest-rocking song ever, “Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting,” and the brash, boastful and Elton-to-the-bone anthem “The Bitch Is Back.”

Elton largely eschewed his famous falsetto; he still has 100 shows to go on the worldwide farewell tour that runs through next year, and he's learned over the years how to conserve his voice without sacrificing his style and authenticity.

No matter: the crowd happily supplied the falsetto parts for him, including a mass sing-along of the “la-la-la” chorus on “Crocodile Rock.”

He reached back for only one deep track, “Have Mercy On The Criminal,” featuring Johnstone's bluesy guitar licks, tucking it amid the dozens of smash hits.

And he avoided tear-jerkers like “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” and the gut-wrenching “The Last Song” about a farewell between a father and his son who's dying of AIDS, in favor of an upbeat, celebratory mood.

“All The Girls Love Alice,” one of the earliest mainstream rock songs to focus on lesbian relationships in the early '70s, is an enduring concert staple, as is the straight-from-the-heart “Your Song.”

Before the closing number, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” Elton peered toward the finish line of his final tour.

“I'm really looking forward to spending the rest of my life with my children and my husband,” he said. “Be kind to yourself. Love each other.”

The consummate showman to the very end, Elton finished the song, and was elevated into the sky on a hydraulic lift as a hole opened in a brick wall atop the stage, engulfed him, and closed again.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22WAYNE%20PARRY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By WAYNE PARRY Associated Press</a>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — I think it's gonna be a long, long time until we see another songwriter and performer like Elton John.Wrapping up a 50-plus year career with a farewell tour, the British pianist and vocalist has created some of the most memorable and enduring music in the history of pop-rock, songs burned into the collective DNA of humanity.They may be quite simple, like the basic four-chord glory of “Crocodile Rock,” or dazzlingly complex like the 11-minute magnum opus “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.”But now that it's almost done, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words how wonderful it has been to have Elton John on our radios and in our ears since the late 1960s.The artist born 75 years ago as Reginald Kenneth Dwight kicked off the final leg of his North American farewell tour Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, home of baseball's Philadelphia Phillies. And yes, he felt the love that night.“America made me famous and I can't thank this country enough,” he told the audience. “Thank you for the loyalty, the love, the kindness you showed me.”He has sold over 300 million records worldwide, has played over 4,000 shows in 80 countries, and recorded one of the best-selling singles of all-time, his 1997 reworking of “Candle In The Wind” to eulogize Princess Diana, which sold 33 million copies.Sir Elton (he was knighted in 1998) has scored over 70 top 40 hits, including nine No. 1s, and released seven No. 1 albums in the 3 1/2-year period from 1972 to 1975, a pace second only to that of the Beatles.He has five Grammy awards, as well as a Tony award for “Aida.” His crooning of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” in “The Lion King” motion picture has serenaded millions of children, and will entertain future generations of little ones.The outrageous costumes and oversized glasses he was known for in his early ‘70s heyday are gone now (he dressed as Donald Duck, Pac-Man, the Statue of Liberty, Minnie Mouse, and a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball player, among others). And while the man has not met a sequin or a feather he doesn’t adore, his wardrobe is (by Elton standards) somewhat tamer these days.He took the stage in a white tuxedo with black lapels, and purple sparkly glasses, walking somewhat tentatively to his shiny black piano to pound out the instantly recognizable opening chord to “Bennie And The Jets.”Next up was “Philadelphia Freedom,” which he dedicated to the hometown crowd as “one of the greatest cities I've ever played in.” It was his 52nd concert in the City of Brotherly Love.Throughout the night, John rolled out a dazzling array of smash hits spanning musical styles and genres. The gospel phrasings and cadences that so influenced his early work were evident on “Border Song” and “Take Me To The Pilot,” and even the straightforward radio staple “Levon” got a come-to-meeting revved-up ending.He showed off the prototypical power ballad, “Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” with its close cousin “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.”And when longtime guitar sidekick Davey Johnstone donned an inverted Flying-V guitar, it was time for the power chord arena rockers, including Elton's hardest-rocking song ever, “Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting,” and the brash, boastful and Elton-to-the-bone anthem “The Bitch Is Back.”Elton largely eschewed his famous falsetto; he still has 100 shows to go on the worldwide farewell tour that runs through next year, and he's learned over the years how to conserve his voice without sacrificing his style and authenticity.No matter: the crowd happily supplied the falsetto parts for him, including a mass sing-along of the “la-la-la” chorus on “Crocodile Rock.”He reached back for only one deep track, “Have Mercy On The Criminal,” featuring Johnstone's bluesy guitar licks, tucking it amid the dozens of smash hits.And he avoided tear-jerkers like “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” and the gut-wrenching “The Last Song” about a farewell between a father and his son who's dying of AIDS, in favor of an upbeat, celebratory mood.“All The Girls Love Alice,” one of the earliest mainstream rock songs to focus on lesbian relationships in the early '70s, is an enduring concert staple, as is the straight-from-the-heart “Your Song.”Before the closing number, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” Elton peered toward the finish line of his final tour.“I'm really looking forward to spending the rest of my life with my children and my husband,” he said. “Be kind to yourself. Love each other.”The consummate showman to the very end, Elton finished the song, and was elevated into the sky on a hydraulic lift as a hole opened in a brick wall atop the stage, engulfed him, and closed again.So while Elton John will soon be gone from the stage, thank God his music's still alive.