Drafting the rumble: ‘WWE: Unreal’ reveals the wrestling writers’ room
BY DANA SIMPSON
The question is all too familiar to pro wrestling fans who’ve heard it a thousand times before: “You know it’s scripted, right?” Yes, of course, we know that the choreographed fight opera is not a documentary, and no, that doesn’t make it less real. The existence of the writers’ rooms behind the drama of televised wrestling federations such as World Wrestling Entertainment is news to no one, but viewers are about to get an exclusive peek behind the curtain to see just how the action is crafted.
“WWE: Unreal,” a new five-episode docuseries premiering Tuesday, July 29, on Netflix, delves into the behind-the-scenes machinations of WWE events. Dive into a side of the wrestling world previously kept under wraps as WWE superstars work with writers and other team members to develop their storylines and matches.
WWE churns out so much entertainment — books, podcasts, live broadcasts and streaming events — from their massive organization that just tracking continuity, not to mention generating new and exciting stories, is a significant undertaking. Co-ordinating all of the moving parts is serious business, and
Netflix promises that “the drama is just as intense offstage as it is under the spotlight.”
The official teaser trailer for the upcoming series prominently features current WWE chief content officer and former wrestler Paul Levesque, better known by his ring name Triple H, who has been onscreen talent for the organization for more than 30 years.
“Seven days a week, 365 days a year. This is a calculated, co-ordinated production. It’s time. We’re going to lift the curtain,” Levesque says in voice-over while a montage of candid clips of board meetings, wrestler warm-ups, choreography sessions, early mornings and late nights flash in the teaser. The matches either come together or fall apart during rehearsals over playback screens, test shots catching whatever needs more work as the big story for 2025 is moulded.
“WWE: Unreal” is directed by Chris Weaver (“Peyton’s Places”) with Erik Powers (“Hard Knocks: Training Camp”) serving as the showrunner. Peyton Manning (“Quarterback”), Jamie Horowitz (“Starting 5”), Ross Ketover (“Receiver”), Keith Cossrow (“They Call It Late Night With Jason Kelce”), Ken Rod-
gers (“30 for 30”), Jessica Boddy (“Fire Country”), Lee Fitting (“WWE Raw”), Ben Houser (“Biography: WWE Legends”) and Marc Pomarico (“Andy Kaufman Is Me,” 2025) executive produce the series.
The series is just a part of WWE’s ever-growing partnership with Netflix. In January, the organization’s flagship series, “WWE Raw,” was broadcast live from the streamer for the first time, with Netflix claiming that 2.6 million households tuned in to the inaugural event. A staggering $5 billion, 10-year deal made Netflix the exclusive home for WWE through 2035.
The popularity of pro wrestling is evergreen. Fans come out in droves to major events such as live tapings of “WWE Raw” or “WWE Smackdown” when they stop in town, but most people who tune in to slick TV productions are also likely to be found supporting their local wrestling promotion’s community center-hosted events. Wrestling fans find all angles of the sport interesting, and there is really no better place than Netflix to produce a winning sports docuseries.
Don’t miss the new five-part docuseries “WWE: Unreal” when it premieres Tuesday, July 29, on Netflix.
Horoscopes
TAURUS Your
this
for
as you bring
Your
kenness will garner admiration and you’ll be everyone’s focus. An outstanding achievement will earn you praise and applause.
GEMINI
Family time is precious. You’ll play a key role in resolving disagreements among relatives. You’ll perform a heroic feat to get some one out of a sticky situation, boosting your self-esteem.
CANCER
If you’ve recently relocated, take the time to explore your new surroundings. You’ll make some wonderful discoveries. Expect a busy week driving loved ones around. Be careful, as checking your phone and messages could become a distraction.
LEO
Summer is the perfect time to renegotiate your salary and working conditions. If you start looking elsewhere for a new job, your employer will likely make an irresistible offer to encourage you to stay. If you’re a business owner, expect your customer base to grow.
VIRGO
Prepare for an exciting week filled with surprises! You’ll participate in various thrilling activities. Let yourself be carried away by the fun and embrace these moments with your closest friends.
LIBRA
Be mindful of what you post on social media this week. A disagreement with a friend will reveal their true nature. This will help you strengthen your relationships with those who truly matter. You’ll have fun playing sports with those in your inner circle.
SCORPIO
You’ll organize an event that will bring all your friends together. It will be a great success! Despite some guests arriving late, the atmosphere will remain festive and lively. You’ll meet people from all walks of life.
SAGITTARIUS
Whether alone or with your other half, business associates or family, you’ll lay the groundwork for a major project this week. While on vacation, you could receive an urgent call from your boss. They’ll need your help to resolve the issue.
CAPRICORN
Even while on vacation, your mind is teeming with ideas for your next adventure. You may consider taking a training course to open the door to new perspectives, possibly even a rewarding career change.
AQUARIUS
Don’t be afraid of change, as it can lead to positive outcomes. Plan a romantic getaway or family adventure to finish off your vacation and create lasting memories.
PISCES
This week, you’ll be focused on feeling comfortable in your own skin. Buying new clothes that flatter your frame will be essential for your new professional duties. Your presence and charm will captivate your clients.
New Streaming Movies & Shows
(Available Now)
Starring Jensen Ackles and Eric Dane, this action-packed series follows as LAPD Det.
Mark Meachum (Ackles) is pulled into a secret task force following the murder of an officer with the Department of Homeland Security. Alongside undercover agents from across law enforcement — including Special Agent in Charge Nathan Blythe (Dane) — Meachum begins an investigation that soon turns sinister, jeopardizing the safety of millions.
Word Search
“Dope Girls” - Season 1 (July 29)
Set in London post-World War I, this series follows two women navigating a world eager to return to old norms, despite the freedom and financial independence they gained during the war. Kate Gallaway (Julianne Nicholson), a single mother, opens an illicit nightclub to support her daughter, while Violet Davies (Eliza Scanlen) joins the first wave of female officers in the Metropolitan Police. Also starring Umi Myers, Geraldine James, Anna Crilly, Steven Elder and Sebastian Croft.
Where all the top choices can be found in one place!
“WWE: Unreal” (July 29)
A rare behind-the-scenes glimpse inside the WWE writer’s room, where storylines are built, major decisions unfold in real time, and the chaos behind the curtain rivals the drama in the ring. From “Raw” to “WrestleMania,” this series pulls back the curtain on the creative process, backstage tensions, and pivotal moments that shape WWE’s biggest events.
BY JAY BOBBIN
“Hurricane
In 2005, New Orleans experienced one of the deadliest catastrophies in U.S. history. Offering eyewitness testimony from the citizens, first responders and officials who survived the tragic natural disaster, this docuseries shares unprecedented access to archival footage, an in-depth, minute-by-minute account of the storm itself and an unparalleled examination of the hurricane’s wide-ranging impact, even 20 years after its landfall.
Q: What’s Rebel Wilson doing? Is there going to be another “Pitch Perfect” movie?
A: You might have missed it since it didn’t really move a lot of tickets, but Rebel Wilson’s (“Bridesmaids,” 2011) latest movie was a bit of a “Pitch Perfect” (2012) reunion.
“Bride Hard,” released just a few weeks ago, stars Wilson and her “Perfect” pal Anna Camp. Wilson plays a bridesmaid at the wedding of her childhood best friend (Camp), but she’s also a secret agent who’s forced into action-hero mode when an armed group takes the whole wedding hostage.
While doing press for “Bride Hard,” Wilson was asked about the potential for a fourth “Pitch Perfect” (the previous films were all massive hits, with the third being released in 2017). She said a fourth film will “hopefully” go into production next year, though in the same interview with Variety magazine, she admitted that the potential sequel doesn’t even have a director yet. In a different interview, this time with the U.K.’s Guardian newspaper, she said the studio hasn’t even settled on a script yet.
Katrina: Race Against Time”
Timberlake and Kunis are ‘Friends With Benefits’
BY JAY BOBBIN
Justin Timberlake is known primarily for his music, but he’s also had some good turns as an actor, and “Friends With Benefits” is one of them.
Currently streaming on Hulu, the 2011 comedy was released several months after a similarly themed comedy, “No Strings Attached.” Each film has its points, and in the case of “Friends With Benefits,” a strong one is the sassy camaraderie between Timberlake and Mila Kunis as New York-based business associates who make a pact to share physical intimacy without becoming emotionally involved.
That might sound fine in the planning, but in practice, it doesn’t work so smoothly as savvy art director Dylan (Timberlake) and job recruiter Jamie (Kunis) get to know each other better. Both have had their share of troubled relationships, one of the main reasons they want to keep their personal connection platonic. However, when he brings her along on a trip to see his family in California, that’s the demolition point for their strategy ... with misread intentions and hurt feelings threatening to end the friendship they built.
Directed and co-written by Will Gluck, who would have another successful romcom by pairing Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell in “Anyone but You” (2023), “Friends With Benefits” has the engaging
pair of stars it needs. Timberlake also had made his screen presence known in “The Social Network” (2010), and Kunis plays her part here with the ideal mix of strength and vulnerability that has become her career calling card. (It’s interesting that the aforementioned “No Strings Attached” had her then-husbandto-be, Ashton Kutcher, as its male lead.)
“Friends With Benefits” also does a nice job of fleshing out its main characters’ backgrounds by casting excellent talents as their relatives. Richard Jenkins portrays the dementia-afflicted father of Dylan and sister Annie (Jenna Elfman), while Patricia Clarkson appears as Jamie’s free-spirited, lovably unreliable mother. Another notable co-star is Woody Harrelson, at his Woody-est here as Dylan’s colleague.
In some ways, “Friends With Benefits” is a child of its time, particularly when it comes to its use of flash mobs in a couple of key sequences. (Credit goes to Gluck for doing that in a couple of the Big Apple’s most public locations.) That being said, the teamwork of Timberlake and Kunis is timeless, and it still plays enjoyably 14 years later.
Even when its plot telegraphs where it’s going, “Friends With Benefits” makes for entertaining viewing, standing as a testament to the acting work its main stars have continued to get since.
BY JAY BOBBIN
Best SALLY FIELD MOVIES
“The Way West” (1967): In her first major movie role, Field has presence as a young flirt who’s part of a wagon train headed to Oregon.
“Stay Hungry” (1976): After a number of years dedicated mainly to TV work, Field earned acclaim as the receptionist at a gym that may be getting a new owner.
“Smokey and the Bandit” (1977): Field had one of the biggest hits of her career as a runaway bride picked up by a daredevil driver (Burt Reynolds) who’s on a mission to retrieve and deliver an illegal cargo of beer.
“Norma Rae” (1979): Earning her first Oscar for best actress, Field has the title role of a factory worker enlisted by a union organizer (Ron Leibman) to influence her colleagues, some of whom oppose her.
“Places in the Heart” (1984): Field’s second best actress Oscar — and her legendary “You like me!” speech — came for her portrayal of a Depressionera farm woman facing various challenges. The film is included in Turner Classic Movies’ final night of its “’80s Ladies” salute Tuesday, July 29.
“Murphy’s Romance” (1985): One of Field’s most delightful movies casts her as a divorced mother who strikes up a friendship with the wise pharmacist (a wonderful, Oscarnominated James Garner) in her new town.
“Steel Magnolias” (1989): A dazzling cast that also features Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Julia Roberts, Daryl Hannah and Olympia Dukakis includes Field in the saga of women in a Southern town.
“Not Without My Daughter” (1991): Field is effective in the true story of a woman determined to leave Iran and her abusive husband (Alfred Molina) ... but, indeed, not without her young daughter (Sheila Rosenthal).
“Soapdish” (1991): Field has fun with the part of a daytime-serial star whose fame and stature are sought by a rival (Cathy Moriarty), but a newcomer to the show (Elisabeth Shue) poses a potentially bigger threat.
“Mrs. Doubtfire” (1993): Playing a bit more harshly than usual, Field appears as the wife of an actor (Robin Williams) who wants to divorce him, threatening his connection to his children — and prompting him to disguise himself as a female housekeeper.
“Forrest Gump” (1994): Field reunited with Tom Hanks in this iconic, Oscar-winning comedy-drama, in which she plays the mother of his open-to-anyexperience title character.
“The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012): The beloved Marvel Comics character Aunt May is embodied sympathetically by Field in this iteration of the Spider-Man saga.
Animal Kingdom in Crisis: Galante leads new docuseries ‘Animals on Drugs’
‘Chief’ among men: Momoa, new talent Makua star in historical Polynesian epic
BY DANA SIMPSON
Storytelling is at the root of the human experience. Since we have existed as a species on this planet, human stories have been at the heart of our evolution and survival. Many of these stories serve as reminders of past failures and successes, teaching the newer generations lessons in humanity and raising various diverse issues of cultural prominence along the way.
These such stories have been of particular importance to Indigenous and Polynesian cultures for millennia, but as humankind continues to grow and evolve, so, too, does the narrative method. In the current age, many of us have taken a step back from more intimate forms of oration in favor of sweeping on-screen epics.
In Apple TV+’s newest series, “Chief of War,” premiering Friday, Aug. 1, co-creator Jason Momoa (“See”) stars as Hawai’ian warrior, explorer and chief Ka’iana, a real-life historical figure described in an 1893 edition of Paradise of the Pacific magazine as “a turbulent and ambitious chief” who “joined the side of Kalanikupule,” king of O’ahu, after turning his back on King Kamehameha I in the late 18th century.
While some viewers may already be familiar
with Kamehameha’s story, this nine-episode series dives deep into late 17th- to early 18th-century Hawai’ian history and politics, detailing several of the battles, alliances and devastations that oc curred during the creation of Hawai’i as we know it today.
Despite Momoa taking up the charge as the titular chief, Kamehameha still plays a large part in the new historical action series.
Kaina Makua, a Hawai’ian kalo (or “taro”) farmer and agricultural educator with no earlier acting credits, portrays the iconic figure in “Chief of War.” Although Makua may not yet be known on the wider world stage, his work teaching and promoting traditional Hawai’ian practices is already well known on the island of Kaua’i.
As the founder of Kumano I Ke Ala (KIKA), a “non-profit and social enterprise empowering West Kaua’i through native land rehabilitation, food system revitalization, workforce training and youth development” (per KIKA), Makua has helped keep local Indigenous practices alive while giving back to the land and his community in a superbly meaningful way.
View from the Couch
Makua’s dedication to Hawai’i is not just evident through his hard work off-screen, but he also aims to lift up Indigenous communities by way of “Chief of War,” hoping the story will inform, inspire and pave the way for some much-needed representation in film and television.
“It’s big,” Makua told “Hawaii News Now Sunrise” presenter Billy V in a July 3 interview. “Indigenous people, native people all over the world, we all get mo’olelo [legends], we all get stories. How do we, [sic] aside from just Hawai’ian and our mo’olelo, bring every Indigenous people up? And I believe this is the tip of the spear.”
The series, which is “staged almost entirely in the Hawai’ian language,” features a largely Polynesian ensemble cast that includes Temuera Morrison (“The Book of Boba Fett”), Te Ao o Hinepehinga (“Breakwater”), Luciane Buchanan (“The Night Agent”), Cliff Curtis (“Kaos”), Siua Ikale’o (“They Don’t Cast Shadows,” 2022), Moses Goods (“NCIS: Hawai’i”), Brandon Finn (“Fantasy Island”), James Udom (“Judas and the Black Messiah,” 2021), Mainei Kinimaka (“Ka Po,” 2022) and Te Kohe Tuhaka (“Great White,” 2021).
Don’t miss the wa’a kaulua. “Chief of War” premieres Friday, Aug. 1, on Apple TV+.
BY JAY BOBBIN
“THUNDERBOLTS*”
The asterisk is in the title for a reason, since this entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe gives the title group another identity that we won’t spoil here for anyone who might not know already.
Played by Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko (“Quantum of Solace”) and Hannah JohnKamen, the unlikely heroes must work together to battle a nefarious CIA director (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who wants them to eliminate one another in a bid by her to cover up her traitorous actions. All of the characters have connections to previous Marvel adventures, as do others who appear here, including The Winter Soldier (played by Sebastian Stan). As expected, the film is heavy on special effects and
also features Lewis Pullman (“Top Gun: Maverick”), Chris Bauer, Wendell Pierce and David Harbour. DVD extras: three “making-of” documentaries; audio commentary by director Jake Schreier; deleted scenes; outtakes. *** (PG-13: P, V)
(Also on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Digital) times. An Oscar winner for its cinematography, the drama – based on a Jack Schaefer novel – also features such genre reliables as Jack Palance, Ben Johnson and Edgar Buchanan. **** (Not rated: V) Blu-ray)
“TO CATCH A THIEF”
Well-known for suspenseful tales by the time he made this 1955 classic (now making its 4K Ultra HD), director Alfred Hitchcock also gave considerable attention to romance in a caper casting an ultra-charming Cary Grant as a retired jewel thief deemed by police to be the prime suspect in a number of robberies on the French Riviera. Grace Kelly and Jessie Royce Landis play a vacationing daughter and mother thought to be future targets because of their expensive jewelry, with Kelly’s character becoming involved with Grant’s as he tries to find the real criminal and clear his name. (Landis later played Grant’s mother in Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest.”) John Williams — not the composer of the same name — plays a helpful insurance agent in the picture, which was filmed largely at the Paramount Pictures studios despite its famous setting. **** (Not rated: AS, V) (Also on DVD and Blu-ray)
“BILLY MADISON”
As another of his most popular characters gets a revival with Netflix’s “Happy Gilmore” sequel, Adam Sandler brings this enduring 1995 comedy to Blu-ray. The “Saturday Night Live” alum has the title role as a childlike fellow who stands to inherit his wealthy father’s (Darren McGavin) hotel firm, but only if he successfully goes through elementary and high school again. One teacher (Bridgette Wilson) takes a particular interest in helping him, but the company’s scheming vice president (Bradley Whitford) is determined to foil him. Norm Macdonald and Josh Mostel are also featured in the film, which, along with “Happy Gilmore,” inspired the name of Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison. *** (PG-13: AS, P) (Also on DVD and Blu-ray)
“THE NEWSROOM: THE COMPLETE SERIES”
Creator and executive producer Aaron Sorkin’s (“The West Wing”) 2012-14 HBO drama gets a home-video relaunch, with Jeff Daniels — who earned a Primetime Emmy Award for the show — as a cable-news network’s unpredictable, hugely opinionated main anchor. He isn’t the only one who stirs controversy, though, with a political campaign and a report based on false information among the situations that also put other staff members’ reputations and careers on the line. Emily Mortimer plays the Daniels character’s immediate boss and ex-girlfriend in a first-rate cast
BY KIMBERLY TREMBLAY
Wildlife isn’t just adapting, it’s reacting. “Animals on Drugs” premieres Monday, July 28, with three back-to-back episodes on Discovery Channel.
Part of Discovery Channel’s bold summer lineup, which also features “Naked and Afraid: Apocalypse,” “In the Eye of the Storm,” “Mud Madness” and “Deadliest Catch,” “Animals on Drugs” stands out as a shocking look at how human behavior is leaving an impact on endangered habitats.
Wildlife biologist and adventurer Forrest Galante, known from “Alien Sharks: Death Down Under,” leads viewers into a frightening phenomenon: wild animals are unintentionally consuming human drugs. From meth-laced waterways in Florida to cocaine-fueled hippos in Colombia, “Animals on Drugs” uncovers the bizarre and dangerous ways humans are affecting the animal kingdom.
The series follows Galante as he “dives into the bizarre and shocking world of animals under the influence, combining boots-on-the-ground investigation and cutting-edge science to track these creatures, uncover how they got hooked, what it means for their ecosystems and how we can help them recover before it’s too late,” according to the show’s official logline.
Unpacked over the course of three episodes, Galante’s journey first takes him to Florida, where he investigates alligators exhibiting unusually aggressive and erratic
that also includes John Gallagher Jr., Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski, Olivia Munn, Dev Patel and Sam Waterston. Jane Fonda, Chris Messina, Hope Davis, David Harbour, Terry Crews, Grace Gummer (whose mother is Meryl Streep) and Marcia Gay Harden are among recurring players. **** (Not rated: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray)
“ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE”
Jim Carrey was propelled to stardom by this 1994 comedy, available on 4K Ultra HD for the first time in a Steelbook edition. With a special knack for solving cases involving missing animals, offbeat sleuth Ace is called in to investigate the pre-Super Bowl disappearance of a special dolphin who happens to be the mascot for football’s Miami Dolphins. The death of one of the team’s executives deepens the probe, and he gets help from the Dolphins’ publicist (Courteney Cox, who was about to see her own career shoot skyward with the premiere of television’s “Friends”).
Sean Young, Tone Loc and Dolphins legend Dan Marino (playing himself) also appear in the picture, which Carrey co-wrote; a sequel (1995’s “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls”) and an animated TV series followed. *** (PG-13: AS, P, V) (Also on DVD and Blu-ray)
“DROP ZONE”
Directed by John Badham (“Saturday Night Fever”), one of Wesley Snipes’s best action movies makes its 4K Ultra HD premiere, featuring
behavior after emerging from drug-seeped waterways near methamphetamine hot spots. Next, a late-night encounter with a beer-hunting bear sparks a cross-country investigation as Galante explores a strange and unusual trend sweeping parts of the United States: bears invading homes and campsites to satisfy their cravings for alcohol and marijuana edibles.
The series takes a dramatic turn in Colombia, where aggressive hippos raised by the infamous cocaine drug lord Pablo Escobar have escaped his abandoned compound. Becoming a dangerous and invasive species that is damaging local ecosystems, Galante forms a risky plan to try to stop them.
“The relocation component is something that I’m working on moving into the future, primarily with Vantara in India, which is the world’s largest wildlife rescue and rehab,” Galante said on a podcast episode of Mostly Occasionally with Brandon Wenerd.
Produced by Jesse Colaizzi (“Extinct or Alive: Jaws of Alaska,” 2021) and Christopher Stout (“Mysterious Creatures with Forrest Galante”) for Hot Snakes Media and Phantasticus Pictures, “Animals on Drugs” is a thrilling yet sobering reminder that our actions often extend far beyond our intended targets.
Mark your calendars for Monday, July 28, when “Animals on Drugs” premieres on Discovery Channel.
him as a federal marshal pursuing the villains who took a prisoner (Michael Jeter) from him by hijacking the passenger jet they were all aboard. Having also suffered a personal loss during the abduction, Snipes’s character undertakes parachute training to track the main bad guy (Gary Busey). Yancy Butler plays the main instructor, with Kyle Secor (“Homicide: Life on the Street”), Corin Nemec and Rex Linn (“Happy’s Place”) as fellow skydivers. The plentiful stunt work here is terrific, though most of the actors didn’t do their own stunts because of insurance considerations. *** (R: AS, P, V) (Also on DVD and Blu-ray)
Coming Home Soon
“SUNSET BOULEVARD” (4K ULTRA HD) (AUG. 5)
“CAREGIVING” (AUG. 12)
(AUG. 19)
