Adrien Brody, Mikey Madison, Zoe Saldaña and Kieran Culkin Set as First Presenters for 98th Oscars

Last year's Oscar acting winners — Adrien Brody, Kieran Culkin, Mikey Madison, and Zoe Saldaña — will be back at the 98th Academy Awards to present trophies to this year's winners.

Raj Kapoor, the show's executive producer and showrunner, and Katy Mullan, an executive producer, announced the four as the first official presenters for the upcoming ceremony.

Brody won his second best actor Oscar, after "The Pianist" in 2002, for his role as an architect and Holocaust survivor in "The Brutalist."

 Madison won best actress for playing the main character, a stripper, in the dramedy "Anora." Culkin and Saldaña both won supporting actor and actress awards last year. Culkin won for his role as a snarky cousin on a Jewish heritage tour in "A Real Pain," and Saldaña won for her role as a struggling attorney in the Spanish-language musical "Emilia Pérez."

The Academy has always kept things traditional by bringing back the previous year’s acting winners to present the awards.

 In some years, the show swaps presenters' genders, with the previous male winners presenting the current year’s female awards and vice versa. Other years have used the "fab five" format, where five past winners from a category take the stage to honor the nominees. So far, the Academy and the production team haven't said which categories Brody, Culkin, Madison, and Saldaña will present.

This year's Oscar nominations are led by "Sinners," a bold and bloody vampire saga directed by Ryan Coogler that received a record 16 nominations.

 Paul Thomas Anderson's political action film "One Battle After Another" came in second with 13 nominations. Both films are in the best picture category along with "Bugonia," "F1," "Frankenstein," "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme," "The Secret Agent," "Sentimental Value," and "Train Dreams."

As the awards season approaches its end, the next big hints about what might win will come from the 79th BAFTA Awards this Sunday, followed by the Producers Guild of America Awards on February 28 and the Actor Awards (formerly SAG Awards) on March 1.

Oscar voting is open from February 26 through March 5.

 Conan O'Brien will host the telecast, which will be live on March 15 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony will be broadcast on ABC and streamed live on Hulu. It will air in more than 200 countries around the world.

Eric Dane, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Euphoria’ Star, Dies at 53

Eric Dane, best known for playing Dr. Mark Sloan, also called "McSteamy," on "Grey's Anatomy," and for his complex role as Cal Jacobs on "Euphoria," passed away on February 19. His family shared this news with People Magazine. He was 53 years old.

Eric was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, in 2025.

In a statement, his family said, "With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon after a brave fight with ALS.

 He spent his last days surrounded by close friends, his loving wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world. Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a strong supporter for awareness and research, determined to help others facing the same challenge. He will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered forever. Eric loved his fans and is forever thankful for the love and support he received. The family has asked for privacy as they go through this difficult time."

Eric was born in San Francisco in 1972.

 He grew up in the Bay Area, going to Sequoia High School in Redwood City and San Mateo High School in San Mateo. After graduating from San Mateo High, he moved to Los Angeles to try acting. In the 90s, he had small roles on TV shows like "Saved by the Bell," "The Wonder Years," "Roseanne," and "Married... with Children." He later got a recurring role as Dr. Wyatt Cooper on "Gideon's Crossing" in 2000. That same year, he made his film debut in "The Basket."

He appeared in several movies in the early 2000s, including "Zoe," "Duncan," "Jack & Jane," "Sol Goode," "Feast," "X-Men: The Last Stand," and "Marley & Me."

 He also starred in "Open Water 2" and played Jason Dean for two seasons on "Charmed" on The WB.

In 2005, he made his first guest appearance as Dr. Mark Sloan on a Season 2 episode of "Grey's Anatomy."

 His character was so popular that he became a regular in the next season and stayed until he was written out in Season 8. Even after that, he appeared in two Season 9 episodes and made a comeback in Season 17 with the episode "Breathe."

ABC and 20th Television, the companies behind "Grey's Anatomy," released a statement: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Eric Dane.

 His amazing talent and unforgettable presence on 'Grey's Anatomy' had a lasting effect on fans worldwide. His courage and grace during his battle with ALS inspired many. Our hearts are with his family, friends, colleagues, and the fans whose lives he touched."

Throughout the 2010s, he was in the A&E movie "Wedding Wars" and the romantic comedy "Valentine's Day.

" He was a main cast member on the TNT series "The Last Ship," which ran from 2014 to 2019.

In 2019, he started playing Cal Jacobs, the secretly bisexual father of Nate Jacobs (played by Jacob Elordi), on HBO's "Euphoria."

 He appeared in 12 episodes across the first two seasons and came back for the third season, which will start in April.

His last performances were in the films "Borderline," "Into the Beautiful," and "Family Secrets," and the TV shows "Wireless," "Countdown," and "Kabul."

After making his ALS diagnosis public, Eric became an advocate for others with the disease, working with I Am ALS on laws and fundraising.

In an interview with the Washington Post, he said, "I have always been open about certain parts of my life.

 This is something I felt like I needed to share with people. I don't really care what people think about me when it comes to this. It's more about, 'How can I help? How can I be useful?'"

He added, "Not to be too dramatic, but if I'm going out, I want to go out helping someone.

"

He is survived by his two daughters.

The Dreadful Movie

The Dreadful

2026 | R | 1h 34m

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Directed by Natasha Kermani

Written by Natasha Kermani

Produced by

Sophie Turner

Luke Daniels

Patrick Muldoon

Patrick Hibler

Greg Lauritano

James Herron

Tim Wu

Cast

Sophie Turner

Kit Harington

Marcia Gay Harden

Laurence O'Fuarain

Jonathan Howard

Cinematography Julia Swain

Edited by

Jeff Betancourt

Gabriel de Urioste

Music by Jamal Green

Production

companies

Black Magic

Redwire Pictures/Tunnel

Storyboard Media

Illium Pictures

Distributed by

True Brit Entertainment (United Kingdom)

Lionsgate (United States)

Release date

February 20, 2026

Running time 94 minutes

Countries

United Kingdom

United States

Language English

Psycho Killer Movie

Psycho Killer

2026 | R | 1h 32m

Genre: Crime, Horror, Thriller

Directed by Gavin Polone

Written by Andrew Kevin Walker

Produced by

Roy Lee

Matt Berenson

Andrew Kevin Walker

Arnon Milchan

Starring

Georgina Campbell

James Preston Rogers

Malcolm McDowell

Cinematography Magnus Jønck

Edited by Derek Ambrosi

Music by Sven Faulconer

Production

companies

Regency Enterprises

New Regency

Constantin Film

Vertigo Entertainment

Distributed by

20th Century Studios (United States)

Constantin Film (Germany)

Release date

February 20, 2026

Running time 91 minutes[1]

Countries

United States

Germany

Language English

I Can Only Imagine 2 Movie

I Can Only Imagine 2

2026 | PG | 1h 50m

Genre: Drama

Directed by

Andrew Erwin

Brent McCorkle

Screenplay by Brent McCorkle

Based on The life story of

Bart Millard

Produced by

Cindy Bond

Kevin Downes

Bart Millard

Daryl Lefever

Joshua Walsh

Starring

John Michael Finley

Milo Ventimiglia

Sophie Skelton

Arielle Kebbel

Sammy Dell

Trace Adkins

Dennis Quaid

Cinematography Johnny Derango

Production

companies

Kingdom Story Company

LD Entertainment

Mission Pictures International

Kevin Downes Productions

Distributed by Lionsgate

Release date

February 20, 2026

Running time 110 minutes

Country United States

Language English

How to Make a Killing Movie

How to Make a Killing

2026 | R | 1h 45m

Genre: Drama, Thriller, Comedy

Directed by John Patton Ford

Screenplay by John Patton Ford

Based on Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal

by Roy Horniman

Produced by

Graham Broadbent

Pete Czernin

Cast

Glen Powell

Margaret Qualley

Jessica Henwick

Bill Camp

Zach Woods

Topher Grace

Ed Harris

Narrated by Glen Powell

Cinematography Todd Banhazl

Edited by Harrison Atkins

Music by Emile Mosseri

Production

company

Blueprint Pictures

Distributed by StudioCanal

Release dates

20 February 2026 (United States)

13 March 2026 (United Kingdom)

Running time 105 minutes[1]

Countries

France

United Kingdom

Language English

Man Involved in Shia LaBeouf’s Mardi Gras Arrest Skirmish Alleges Hate Crime

 Shia LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans early on Tuesday, during Mardi Gras celebrations. Now, new attention is focusing on him because someone who says he was involved in the incident claims he was targeted in a confrontation that he calls a possible hate crime.

The fight happened 15 minutes after midnight at a bar called R Bar in the Faubourg Marigny area.

 Video of the event spread online, showing LaBeouf acting aggressively and being held back outside the bar. The incident left two bartenders hurt and LaBeouf charged with two counts of simple assault. He was released on his own recognizance by early afternoon on Tuesday and is set to appear in court on March 19.

Jeffrey, known as "Dammit," is a local figure and has worked at various events in New Orleans.

 He is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild and lives and works in Hollywood most of the time. He told The Hollywood Reporter that he returns to New Orleans several times a year and has worked as a bartender at R Bar in the past.

Jeffrey said he had a run-in with LaBeouf earlier in the day.

 He described the first encounter as rough. LaBeouf hit him, knocked him into some boxes, and then shouted, "Don’t you fucking push me. I’ll kill you." Jeffrey said he didn’t touch LaBeouf and tried to calm the situation down, but LaBeouf escalated it, putting his finger in Jeffrey’s face and calling him a homophobic slur.

Jeffrey said LaBeouf threatened to "kick my ass" and called him a faggot.

 He told LaBeouf he wouldn’t fight back.

LaBeouf was in and out of the bar all evening and seemed very drunk.

 When he came back around midnight, the situation became more intense.

Jeffrey said LaBeouf was yelling at a bartender and had to be taken outside.

 Once outside, LaBeouf started pacing in the street, shouting, "You’re all a bunch of fucking faggots. I'll kick your ass." Jeffrey briefly stopped LaBeouf when he lunged at a staff member.

He said he held LaBeouf for less than a minute to prevent him from hurting the bartender.

 The bartender told him to let go, so he did.

Soon after, LaBeouf allegedly punched a second bartender in the face, breaking his nose.

 Video clips from outside the bar show LaBeouf being held back as he keeps shouting.

Jeffrey said LaBeouf didn’t stop shouting offensive words and trying to fight people.

 That’s why he believes it wasn’t just a bar fight—it was about hate.

The police had to be called to help calm the scene.

 They took statements from Jeffrey and at least one R Bar bartender. LaBeouf was taken from the scene and later released on his own recognizance, according to court records. New videos showed LaBeouf dancing on Bourbon Street after his release, holding his jail release paperwork in his mouth.

Jeffrey was surprised by how fast LaBeouf was released.

"In decades of coming to Mardi Gras, I’ve always understood that if you go to jail during Mardi Gras, you’re not getting out until after Ash Wednesday," he said.

 "The only thing I’m surprised about is that anybody else would have been in jail."

He added that the quick release sends a bad message about accountability during one of the city's busiest times.

Jeffrey said the offensive words and threats are what stuck with him the most.

"Anytime somebody insists on calling me a 'faggot' and threatening to hurt me because of it— that’s not something you ever get used to," he said.

 "I’ve worked in bars for years. I’ve seen fights. But when someone is screaming that word over and over while trying to attack people, that’s different."

He also worried about professional consequences, noting that both he and LaBeouf work in the entertainment industry.

"I would not feel safe running into him on a set," he said.

 "If he could make a call and get out of jail before anybody else, what’s stopping him from making a call about my career?"

LaBeouf recently claimed to be sober and blamed his past abusive behavior, some of which led to a lawsuit over mental and physical abuse from his ex, musician FKA Twigs.

 Before his arrest in New Orleans on Tuesday, he went on an extended bar crawl during Mardi Gras in the Uptown neighborhood, according to employees of various drinking establishments.