SAMWISE
Good morning Janine. Here is your personal morning briefing · samwise.agency
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
RACE RESULT
Lewis Hamilton Claims Maiden Ferrari Grand Prix Victory at Barcelona
Lewis Hamilton claimed his first Formula 1 victory for Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, ending a 686-day winless streak with his 106th career win. The 41-year-old executed a three-stop strategy that comprehensively outpaced the field, capitalising on a virtual safety car when Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin stopped with a suspected battery issue on lap 40. Hamilton crossed the line almost 20 seconds clear of George Russell, with Lando Norris completing a historic all-British podium in third — the first since 1968. Hamilton also became the seventh oldest grand prix winner in Formula 1 history and the 16th driver to win for three different teams.
Antonelli's Championship Lead Intact Despite Barcelona Retirement as Wolff Warns on Reliability
Kimi Antonelli leads the Drivers' Championship by 41 points over Lewis Hamilton after a power unit failure ended his race in Barcelona, costing him a likely podium finish. Toto Wolff said afterwards that Mercedes “can't compete for a championship” with its current power unit reliability, as Antonelli's shutdown marked the second race-ending mechanical failure for a Mercedes driver in recent rounds — George Russell retired while leading the Canadian Grand Prix in similar fashion. Wolff confirmed the cause of Antonelli's Barcelona failure was not yet known, but noted the symptom of the car simply switching off was consistent with the Montreal incident.
FIA Reviews ADUO Engine Results After Red Bull Challenges Benchmark Finding
The FIA is reviewing its first ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) engine assessment after Red Bull Powertrains challenged findings that rated its new power unit as the 2026 benchmark. The outcome surprised the paddock, where Mercedes had been widely considered the strongest engine supplier this season. Under the ADUO framework, Mercedes — deemed more than two per cent behind Red Bull — will receive one upgrade allocation, while Ferrari, Audi and Honda, each more than four per cent adrift, will earn two apiece. Red Bull, as the benchmark, receives no upgrades. The FIA says it will verify sensor data before confirming final allocations ahead of Austria.
Verstappen Exit Clause Set to Activate at Summer Break as Manager Confirms Details
Max Verstappen's manager Raymond Vermeulen has publicly confirmed for the first time that Verstappen holds an exit clause in his Red Bull contract that can be activated at the summer break if he is outside the top two in the Drivers' Championship. Currently seventh on 55 points — more than 100 behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli — Verstappen appears set to trigger the clause, which would open a three-month window through October for him to decide his future. Speculation about a move to Mercedes has intensified in the paddock. Verstappen's current deal officially runs through 2028, but the clause represents a clear off-ramp.
Colapinto Handed 10-Second Penalty for Yellow Flag Breach at Barcelona
Franco Colapinto was demoted from eighth to 10th in the final Barcelona Grand Prix classification after the FIA applied a 10-second time penalty for failing to slow sufficiently under a local yellow flag. The incident occurred when Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin stopped at Turn 9 on lap 40, before the situation escalated to a virtual safety car. Colapinto was deemed not to have reduced his speed adequately during the yellow period, and was also issued two penalty points on his superlicence — his first in the previous 12 months. The penalty promoted Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad one place each, into eighth and ninth.
Drivers' Championship
1. Kimi Antonelli — 156 pts
2. Lewis Hamilton — 115 pts
3. George Russell — 106 pts
4. Charles Leclerc — 75 pts
5. Lando Norris — 73 pts
6. Oscar Piastri — 68 pts
7. Max Verstappen — 55 pts
8. Pierre Gasly — 41 pts
9. Isack Hadjar — 34 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 28 pts
11. Oliver Bearman — 18 pts
12. Franco Colapinto — 16 pts
13. Arvid Lindblad — 13 pts
14. Carlos Sainz — 6 pts
15. Alexander Albon — 5 pts
16. Esteban Ocon — 3 pts
17. Gabriel Bortoleto — 2 pts
18. Fernando Alonso — 0 pts
19. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
20. Nico Hulkenberg — 0 pts
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 262 pts
2. Ferrari — 190 pts
3. McLaren — 141 pts
4. Red Bull — 89 pts
5. Alpine — 57 pts
6. Racing Bulls — 41 pts
7. Haas — 21 pts
8. Williams — 11 pts
9. Audi — 2 pts
10. Aston Martin — 0 pts
11. Cadillac — 0 pts
PLAYOFFS
Hurricanes to Hold Stanley Cup Victory Parade in Raleigh on June 20
The Carolina Hurricanes will celebrate their 2026 Stanley Cup championship with a victory parade through downtown Raleigh on Saturday, June 20, beginning at 11 a.m. ET, the city announced. Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell declared Saturday to be Carolina Hurricanes Day. The parade begins at the intersection of Hillsborough Street and St. Mary’s Street, proceeds east down Hillsborough Street toward the state Capitol, and concludes at City Plaza, where a rally will be held. Several downtown streets will close between 3:30 and 5:30 a.m. Carolina clinched its second title, and first in 20 years, with a 3-0 Game 6 win at Vegas on June 14.
Maple Leafs Trade Goaltender Joseph Woll to Flyers in Five-Piece Deal
The Toronto Maple Leafs traded goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday for goaltender Samuel Ersson, defenseman Emil Andrae and a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. It was the first major move of new Toronto general manager John Chayka’s tenure. Woll, 27, went 15-16-7 with a 3.34 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage in 39 games last season and carries two years left at a $3.67 million cap hit. Benoit, a 6-foot-4 left-shot defenseman, recorded six points in 73 games. Chayka said the deal creates cap flexibility for Toronto’s offseason plans.
Predators Acquire Forward Ross Colton From Avalanche for Picks, Goalie
The Nashville Predators acquired forward Ross Colton and goaltender Isak Posch from the Colorado Avalanche on Monday in exchange for goaltender Magnus Chrona, Nashville’s third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and Colorado’s third-round pick in 2027. Colton, 29, is a versatile two-way winger who recorded 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in 73 games for Colorado last season. He won the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2021. The move marked the first significant transaction for Nashville since the club hired Chris MacFarland as general manager on June 2. MacFarland previously served as the Avalanche’s general manager for four seasons.
Chayka Says Maple Leafs Are in Final Stages of Head Coach Search
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka said Tuesday the club is in the final stages of its head coaching search and expects to name a hire within the next several days. “I think we are on the final phases at this stage,” Chayka said, adding the process has been thorough and included recent in-person meetings. A short list of candidates advanced to a second round of interviews, including former players Joe Pavelski and Patrick Roy. Toronto is seeking a replacement after parting ways with previous coach Craig Berube. The update came the same day Chayka completed his first trade as general manager, sending goaltender Joseph Woll to Philadelphia.
Scouts Split on McKenna or Stenberg for No. 1 in 2026 NHL Draft
Penn State left wing Gavin McKenna sits atop NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters for the 2026 NHL Draft, while Ivar Stenberg leads the International skaters list, leaving scouts divided on the No. 1 pick. In a poll NHL.com conducted of 10 NHL scouts asked which player they would choose, McKenna earned a 7-3 advantage. The Toronto Maple Leafs hold the first pick after winning the draft lottery. The Upper Deck 2026 NHL Draft will be held June 26-27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, with the first round June 26 and rounds two through seven on June 27.
Devils Gauging Trade Market for Goaltender Jacob Markstrom
The New Jersey Devils are gauging the trade market for goaltender Jacob Markstrom, according to reports surfacing Tuesday. Moving the 36-year-old netminder would clear his $6 million average annual value, signed through 2027-28, and create cap space the Devils could use toward a contract extension for center Nico Hischier. Markstrom’s age, cap hit and uneven season could weigh on his trade value. However, with quality goaltending scarce in this summer’s trade and free-agent markets, some clubs could still pursue him. The chatter arrives as the NHL offseason ramps up ahead of the June 26-27 draft in Buffalo and July 1 free agency.
RECAP
Yankees Pound Out 16 Hits in 12-2 Rout of White Sox
Spencer Jones hit his first home run at Yankee Stadium in the second inning, and Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt each added two-run drives in the fourth as the New York Yankees routed the Chicago White Sox 12-2 on Tuesday night. Cody Bellinger had three hits, including a go-ahead two-run single with the bases loaded in the third. Goldschmidt homered for the second time in three games. Gerrit Cole allowed two runs and three hits in six innings, improving New York to 8-4 since losing Aaron Judge indefinitely to a right rib stress fracture. The Yankees finished with 16 hits and scored double digits for the eighth time.
Ohtani’s 15th Homer Lifts Dodgers Past Rays 1-0
Shohei Ohtani hit his 15th home run of the season and Justin Wrobleski threw six scoreless innings to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night. Ohtani drove a first-pitch solo home run off Drew Rasmussen to center field in the sixth inning to break a scoreless game, providing the only run Wrobleski needed. Wrobleski, who improved to 8-2, allowed just three hits, struck out five and walked none. Tanner Scott earned his ninth save after retiring the side in the ninth. Rays starter Rasmussen worked seven innings, allowing one run on six hits with seven strikeouts.
Springer Hits 300th Career Homer as Blue Jays Down Red Sox 6-1
George Springer added a two-run homer, the 300th of his career, and drove in three runs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 6-1 on Tuesday night at Fenway Park. Springer opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the third and went deep in the ninth. Davis Schneider and Andres Gimenez hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth, the first time Toronto went back-to-back this season, with Schneider’s drive clearing the Green Monster off rookie Payton Tolle. Dylan Cease scattered four hits over five shutout innings, striking out seven. Louis Varland recorded four outs for his 13th save.
Raleigh’s Return Sparks Mariners to 3-1 Win Over Orioles
Cal Raleigh hit a two-run single in his return from the injured list, and Logan Gilbert struck out a season-high 10 over seven innings as the Seattle Mariners beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 on Tuesday night. Raleigh, who had been out since May 14 with an oblique strain, broke a 1-all tie in the seventh with a bases-loaded single off reliever Grant Wolfram. Julio Rodriguez added an RBI single for Seattle, which holds a slim lead in the AL West. Gilbert, who improved to 5-4, combined with two relievers on a three-hitter. Taylor Ward doubled and scored Baltimore’s only run.
Trout Homers, Detmers Shuts Out Diamondbacks in 7-0 Angels Win
Mike Trout hit a two-run home run and an RBI double, and Reid Detmers tossed seven scoreless innings as the Los Angeles Angels blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-0 on Tuesday night. Trout’s 436-foot two-run shot to center came in the fifth and gave the Angels a 5-0 lead, and his sixth-inning double drove in Denzer Guzman. Detmers, who improved to 3-5, allowed three hits and struck out three. Wade Meckler hit an RBI single in the second to open the scoring, followed by a solo home run from Zach Neto in the third. Arizona managed just three hits in the shutout loss.
Reynolds Homers Twice as Pirates Rally Past Athletics 6-5
Bryan Reynolds went deep from both sides of the plate and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied from an early four-run deficit to beat the Athletics 6-5 on Tuesday night in West Sacramento. Reynolds finished with four hits, three RBIs and three runs scored in the ninth multihomer game of his career. He connected on a solo shot to center in the sixth and a two-run drive in the seventh. Brandon Lowe provided the go-ahead home run in the ninth inning to complete the comeback. Zack Gelof homered and drove in two runs for the Athletics, who saw their early lead slip away.
Twins Rout Rangers 12-2 to Clinch Another Series in Texas
Trevor Larnach led off the game with a home run, Kody Clemens added a three-run shot, and the Minnesota Twins routed the Texas Rangers 12-2 on Tuesday night to clinch another series in Texas. Larnach drove the game’s second pitch 425 feet into the right-field seats, and Clemens’ 11th homer made it 5-0 in the third. Josh Bell, who grew up nearby in Irving, had two hits and two RBIs. Zebby Matthews, who improved to 3-4, struck out four without a walk over seven innings. Rangers starter Kumar Rocker was pulled after 3 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs, six earned.
Stewart’s Three-Run Homer Spoils Senga’s Return as Reds Beat Mets 5-3
Sal Stewart hit a three-run homer and Spencer Steer added a solo shot during a four-run first inning as the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 5-3 on Tuesday night. Stewart drove in four runs, adding a run-scoring single in the fifth after Edwin Arroyo doubled, pushing the Cincinnati lead to 5-1. Mets right-hander Kodai Senga, reinstated from the injured list before the game, allowed four earned runs over four innings in his first start since April 26. Mark Vientos hit a two-run homer in the sixth. Tony Santillan recorded the final out for his fourth save.
Mariners Place Arozarena on Injured List With Hamstring Strain
The Seattle Mariners placed outfielder Randy Arozarena on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, the team announced. The move was made retroactive to June 13, and an MRI showed mild inflammation. The Mariners expect a minimal stay, with Arozarena first eligible to return June 23. As a corresponding move, Seattle selected the contract of outfielder Curtis Washington Jr. from High-A Everett. The transaction came on the same day the Mariners activated Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford from the injured list. Separately, Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter is playing through a small rib fracture and remains day to day.
American League
1. New York Yankees — 44–27, –
2. Tampa Bay Rays — 41–29, 2.5
3. Toronto Blue Jays — 35–38, 10
4. Baltimore Orioles — 34–40, 11.5
5. Boston Red Sox — 29–41, 14.5
1. Chicago White Sox — 38–33, –
2. Cleveland Guardians — 39–34, –
3. Minnesota Twins — 35–40, 5
4. Detroit Tigers — 30–43, 9
5. Kansas City Royals — 29–45, 10.5
1. Seattle Mariners — 38–36, –
2. Athletics — 36–37, 1.5
3. Texas Rangers — 35–38, 2.5
4. Houston Astros — 34–41, 4.5
5. Los Angeles Angels — 30–44, 8
National League
1. Atlanta Braves — 46–25, –
2. Philadelphia Phillies — 40–33, 7
3. Washington Nationals — 39–35, 8.5
4. Miami Marlins — 36–38, 11.5
5. New York Mets — 32–41, 15
1. Milwaukee Brewers — 44–26, –
2. St. Louis Cardinals — 40–31, 4.5
3. Chicago Cubs — 38–36, 8
4. Pittsburgh Pirates — 37–37, 9
5. Cincinnati Reds — 35–37, 10
1. Los Angeles Dodgers — 47–27, –
2. San Diego Padres — 37–35, 9
3. Arizona Diamondbacks — 37–36, 9.5
4. San Francisco Giants — 29–43, 17
5. Colorado Rockies — 28–46, 19
3D PRINTING
Bike-Powered Shredder Tackles 3D Printer Plastic Waste
Donald Papp at Hackaday reported on June 16 that Brogan M. Pratt and his students built a bike-powered plastic shredder that converts human pedaling into the force needed to break waste plastic into small bits. The group does a lot of 3D printing and generates significant plastic waste, and shredding is the necessary first step before any reprocessing into new filament or stock. Between the bicycle and the shredder sits a large gear reduction, a fifteen-kilogram flywheel, and a heavy-duty frame to anchor everything against the considerable mass and torque involved. Pratt frames the build as both practical and educational for students.
Researcher Exploits Honda Civic Infotainment Using AOSP Test Keys
Maya Posch at Hackaday detailed on June 16 how researcher Eric McDonald reverse-engineered the Android-based infotainment system in a 2021 Honda Civic. McDonald found that the head unit, running an older Android Open Source Project build, can be updated over USB using standard AOSP test keys that were left present on the file system. Because those publicly known test keys are accepted, anyone with physical access to the in-car USB port can in theory load and run arbitrary code signed with them. McDonald calls the technique the EvilValet attack, since a valet or anyone briefly alone with the vehicle could exploit it.
ADLINK COM-HPC-mPTL Module Packs 180 TOPS Panther Lake Silicon
CNX Software reported on June 16 that ADLINK introduced the COM-HPC-mPTL, a COM-HPC R1.3 Mini computer-on-module built around Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 Panther Lake family, topping out with a 16-core Core Ultra X7 358H rated at up to 180 TOPS. The module supports up to 64GB of LPDDR5x and optional BGA NVMe SSD storage, and carries two 2.5GbE controllers, optional MIPI CSI camera connectors, and a 40-pin debug header. All I/O routes through a 400-pin board-to-board connector, including four display interfaces and up to 16 PCIe Gen4/Gen5 lanes. ADLINK lists support for Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC and Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
AMD Opens Pre-Orders for $4,000 Ryzen AI Halo Developer Platform
CNX Software reported on June 16 that AMD has opened pre-orders for its Ryzen AI Halo Developer Platform, a first-party reference system built on the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor delivering up to 126 TOPS. Priced at $3,999.99 at Micro Center, it ships with 128GB of LPDDR5x memory and a 2TB NVMe SSD, plus 10GbE and Wi-Fi 7 networking, HDMI 2.1, and USB-C DisplayPort output. The Max+ 395 is a chiplet design pairing two eight-core Zen 5 dies with an integrated RDNA 3.5 GPU and XDNA 2 NPU over a 256-bit bus. The system runs Windows 11 or Linux for AI workloads.
OneThingCloud OEC Box Pays Users for Spare Home Bandwidth
CNX Software covered on June 16 the OneThingCloud OneThing Edge Cube (OEC), a small home device built around the Rockchip RK3566 SoC and running Android that turns a user’s spare internet bandwidth into passive income. Buyers install the OEC or OEC-Turbo at home, where it joins a distributed peer-to-peer content delivery network, caching data for other nearby nodes. The hardware has no user-facing functionality beyond participating in the CDN. CNX Software notes the model resembles HoneyGain, a comparable service that operates outside China and requires only an app rather than dedicated hardware. The writeup examines the device’s specifications and the bandwidth-sharing economics behind it.
Maker Builds Animatronic Velociraptor With Moving Eyes and Snapping Jaw
The Adafruit blog highlighted on June 16 an animatronic velociraptor built by maker Magic Marcus, who documented the project in detail on Hackster.io. Rather than a static sculpture, the build began with the goal of an animated dinosaur head featuring moving eyes and a snapping jaw. The head was 3D printed in PET-G filament using FDM technology, then fitted with the mechanisms that drive its motion. Adafruit notes the project drew interest tied to Jurassic Park screenings. The documentation walks through the design choices behind the moving components, making it a reference point for other makers attempting articulated animatronic heads of their own.
Raspberry Pi Begins Beta Testing a Refreshed Desktop With Icon Dock
The Adafruit blog reported on June 16 that the Raspberry Pi team is rolling out a refreshed desktop for beta testing. The Raspberry Pi Desktop began over a decade ago as a customized LXDE environment and has since evolved into a Wayland and labwc-based desktop, with little visually in common with the original LXDE. The look has been refreshed several times with new icons, themes, and backgrounds. Beta testers can install the new desktop components from the beta repository. According to the post, the biggest change in the refreshed desktop is the introduction of an icon dock alongside the existing taskbar.
Hackaday Traces the Long History of Unix Commands on Windows
Al Williams at Hackaday published a piece on June 16 examining how commands like ls, cat, grep, and awk now frequently work in a Windows terminal, something that was not always true. The article traces the history of bringing Unix-style command-line utilities to the Windows platform, returning to the CoreUtils story to chart how these tools became commonplace. It walks through the various efforts over the years that made the familiar Unix toolset available to Windows users, framing the present state where typing a classic Unix command on Windows has a good chance of doing something useful. The piece is part of Hackaday’s ongoing software coverage.
PHILANTHROPY
Council on Foundations Launches ‘Generosity Builds’ Campaign to Counter Scrutiny of the Sector
The Council on Foundations launched a 250th-anniversary storytelling campaign Monday called “Generosity Builds,” urging its roughly 1,000 member nonprofits to emphasize their everyday contributions to American life. CEO Kathleen Enright said the effort aims to close a “perception gap” as foundations face heightened federal and populist scrutiny, citing last year’s tax-bill proposals to levy new taxes on private foundations and the Justice Department’s recent fraud charges against the Southern Poverty Law Center. Enright noted that only about 1 in 20 adults said their family used nonprofit services in the past year, per a 2023 Indiana University report. The campaign will spotlight ordinary donors and community foundations rather than billionaire givers.
Baltimore’s $100 Million Fund for Black-Led Groups Falls Short, Pivots to Local Donors
A fund envisioned to raise $100 million for Baltimore’s Black-led nonprofits has not matched even its original $10 million, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported. The Open Society Institute Baltimore seeded the effort with $6 million for the fund and $4 million for a fellowship program as it closed in 2022. Jamye Wooten, who leads the nonprofit CLLCTIVLY managing the campaign, has shifted toward small donations from city residents, raising more than $1 million annually for three years and establishing a $500,000 low-interest loan fund. After Trump’s executive order declaring race-based grants illegal, the fund was renamed the Kindred Abundance Infrastructure Fund, dropping the word “Black.”
New Polling Shows Bipartisan Support for Nonprofit Voter Engagement Ahead of 2026 Midterms
Independent Sector released polling showing broad, bipartisan public support for nonprofits’ role in voter engagement ahead of the 2026 midterms. In the survey, conducted by Tunnl in April, 80 percent of Americans agreed nonprofits should help people register to vote, with 48 percent strongly agreeing, and 84 percent agreed nonprofits should help people understand their voting rights. Some 81 percent said nonprofits should help people understand sample ballots and voting machines, including majorities of both Democrats and Republicans. The group also found that more than twice as many Americans believe their community would be hurt rather than helped if nonprofits could no longer assist with voter registration.
Duke Energy Foundation Closes America250 Grantmaking With $77,500 to Seven Florida Nonprofits
The Duke Energy Foundation distributed $77,500 in a final round of America250 grants to seven Florida nonprofits expanding civic learning and remembrance, the foundation announced. Projects include a youth civics competition, a reenactment of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the revitalization of a memorial honoring the state’s Medal of Honor recipients. A $15,000 award is helping the Marion County Board of County Commissioners host a gala, parade and fireworks display. The Osceola Chamber Foundation used $8,000 to stage a regional National Civics Bee, and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation received $5,000 for a 5K run in Orlando honoring those lost on Sept. 11, 2001.
Late Lethbridge Couple Leaves $3.2 Million Bequest for Youth Leadership Programs
The Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta announced a gift of almost $3.2 million from the estates of Dr. David and Mrs. Shirley Hughes, a couple who both died in 2024. The endowment will support charitable work focused on developing youth leadership and enriching the lives of young people in southwestern Alberta, including the foundation’s Youth in Action grant program, which the Hugheses helped launch. Executive director Charleen Davidson said the couple wanted their giving known publicly to inspire others. “They believed that helping others was the best source of happiness,” she said during the announcement of the legacy gift.
CAMPAIGN
Verizon Reunites Austin Powers and Betty La Fea Casts for World Cup Push
Verizon is debuting a dual-franchise World Cup marketing push targeting rival carriers’ complicated pricing. An English-language spot reunites Mike Myers, Rob Lowe, Mindy Sterling, and Seth Green as their Austin Powers characters, with Dr. Evil unveiling “Menace Mobile.” A parallel Spanish-language campaign revives the cast of Yo Soy Betty, la Fea — the Guinness World Record holder as television’s most successful telenovela — premiering a new season after 25 years. Both spots launched June 17 across Fox, Telemundo, Disney, Paramount, Netflix, Hulu, and Roku , with out-of-home placements in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. Verizon’s “Simplicity Plan” push targets peak World Cup viewership across English and Spanish-language networks simultaneously.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Trailer 2 Reveals Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk
Sony Pictures unveiled the second trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day , delivering the film’s most anticipated casting reveal: Mark Ruffalo returning as Bruce Banner / Hulk alongside Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. The footage arrived as Holland completed a European press circuit, with a Madrid press appearance on June 15, and the Hulk inclusion converts months of unconfirmed rumor into confirmed casting. Zendaya also appears in the trailer. The reveal deepens Sony and Marvel Studios’ ongoing strategy of tethering the Spider-Man franchise to the broader MCU, positioning Brand New Day as an Avengers-adjacent tentpole event ahead of its theatrical release.
Mike Myers Confirms Austin Powers 4 Is Happening
Mike Myers confirmed that Austin Powers 4 is happening — breaking a 24-year franchise silence at Trevor Noah’s World Cup Watch Party on June 17. When a fan asked whether a fourth installment was in the works, Myers gave a single word: “Yes.” He declined to elaborate further. The confirmation arrives as Myers reprises his role as Dr. Evil for a Verizon World Cup campaign, giving the moment the texture of a coordinated franchise revival rather than an offhand remark. Both the campaign and the sequel confirmation signal that Myers and his studio partners are actively rebuilding the Austin Powers IP — the last installment, Goldmember, was released in 2002.
WIF and ReFrame Release Emmy FYC “Who to Watch” Guide
Women in Film (WIF) and ReFrame have released their annual Emmy FYC guide spotlighting women and gender-diverse creators ahead of Television Academy nominations. The “Who to Watch” guide is designed as a direct tool for Emmy voters navigating the current season’s candidates in underrepresented categories. The release targets the current peak FYC screening window, when Academy members are actively evaluating eligible titles. WIF and ReFrame frame the guide not as an industry-trade announcement but as a practical voter resource aimed at closing longstanding representation gaps in Emmy nominations across categories where women have historically been underrepresented.
Trump DOJ Clears Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Over Staff Objections
Senior Trump DOJ officials cleared the proposed merger between Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery , overruling career department lawyers who formally objected to the approval. Staff attorneys described the clearance as a process that “reeks of corruption,” arguing the deal poses competitive harms that standard antitrust review would reject. Paramount and WBD have maintained the combination is necessary for survival in a streaming-dominated market. The clearance moves the deal past a major hurdle; it still requires FCC review . If completed, the merger would unite the two studios’ combined streaming, film, and broadcast portfolios under a single parent company.
Curated daily by Samwise · samwise.agency