The daily gossip: Vin Diesel asks The Rock to make a Fast return, Wicked fans don't want James Corden to be cast, and more

1. Vin Diesel asks The Rock to make a 'Fast & Furious' return: 'Fulfill your destiny'

Has the time come for a family reunion? In a hilariously dramatic Instagram post on Sunday, Vin Diesel asked "my little brother" Dwayne Johnson to return to the Fast & Furious series for the upcoming 10th film, declaring, "You must show up." Diesel and The Rock, of course, have been in a feud for years that got so bad they couldn't even film scenes together, and in July, Johnson said he had no plans to return for Fast 10 or Fast 11. But Diesel appealed to Johnson by writing, "Hobbs can't be played by no other. I hope that you rise to the occasion and fulfill your destiny." Can he convince The Rock to finally come back?

The Hollywood Reporter

2. 'Wicked' fans demand James Corden be barred from the movie

More than 40,000 people have signed a Change.org petition with an urgent plea for Universal Pictures: "Keep James Corden out of Wicked the movie." Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recently joined the film adaptation of the Broadway show in the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, and now that casting is underway, the petition brutally proclaims Corden "in no way shape or form should be in or near the production." The Late Late Show host has appeared in a number of musicals including the infamous Cats film, though to be clear, there's been no indication he's actually being considered for Wicked. But thousands of people want to ensure it stays that way, with one signee declaring, "We've suffered enough."

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The Hollywood Reporter People

3. Travis Scott faces lawsuits after Astroworld tragedy

Travis Scott is facing numerous lawsuits after eight people were killed and dozens injured in a crowd surge at his Astroworld music festival Friday. One of the lawsuits accused the defendants, including Scott and the entertainment company Live Nation, of having "failed to properly plan and conduct the concert in a safe manner" and ignoring "the extreme risks of harm to concertgoers." According to TMZ, an injury attorney in Houston filed seven lawsuits in one hour alone. A criminal investigation into the deadly crowd surge is ongoing, and The New York Times reported Houston's police chief personally raised concerns to Scott about the crowd before the show. The rapper says he's "absolutely devastated" and that police have his "total support."

TMZ CNN

4. Star Wars' return to movie theaters hits a snag

There has been a disturbance in the Force. The next Star Wars film has hit a bit of a snag, as The Hollywood Reporter revealed Monday that Rogue Squadron has been "taken off the production schedule." The movie is set to be directed by Wonder Woman filmmaker Patty Jenkins, and the plan has been for it to debut in late 2023, serving as Star Wars' return to the big screen after a four-year hiatus. The movie was to begin production in 2022, but the crew has reportedly realized this won't be possible given Jenkins' schedule. Rogue Squadron hasn't been officially pulled from its December 2023 release date, but we have a bad feeling it won't stay there.

The Hollywood Reporter Variety

5. Alec Baldwin calls for hiring police officers to monitor weapon safety on set

In the wake of the fatal shooting on the set of his movie Rust, Alec Baldwin argued Monday "every film/TV set that uses guns, fake or otherwise, should have a police officer on set, hired by the production, to specifically monitor weapons safety." The suggestion came after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed, and director Joel Souza was injured, in an accidental shooting on Rust. An investigation into the tragedy remains ongoing, but Hutchins' death sparked calls to ban real guns from film and TV sets, and Dwayne Johnson has pledged to only use rubber guns on his projects going forward. Baldwin previously said a push to "limit the use of firearms on film sets is something I'm extremely interested in."

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