The daily gossip: Kristen Bell announces Frozen 3 with 'zero authority,' Mario producer isn't 'worrying about offending Italians' with Chris Pratt casting, and more

1. Kristen Bell announces 'Frozen 3' with 'zero authority'

Kristen Bell has taken it upon herself to officially unthaw the Frozen franchise — with or without Disney. The Princess Anna voice actress appeared Monday on The Tonight Show, and Jimmy Fallon asked if fans can expect a Frozen 3 on the horizon. But rather than giving a typical stock non-answer, Bell decided to go a bit rogue. "I would like to officially announce, with zero authority, Frozen 3!" she said. Fallon's audience burst into applause before Bell tried to put a damper on their excitement by stressing, "Please bear in mind, I did say zero authority because I can't do that. ... I'm not in charge." But Bell is legitimately down for a sequel, as is her co-star Idina Menzel, so she seemed confused about the hold-up. What do you say, Disney — do you want to build a trilogy?

The Tonight Show

2. 'Mario' producer isn't 'worrying about offending Italians' with Chris Pratt casting

Chris Pratt's casting as Mario made the internet collectively cry out "mamma mia," but one of the producers says ... let's-a-give him a chance! Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri, who's producing the upcoming Super Mario Bros. movie, spoke at an event Monday about the controversial decision to cast Pratt in the lead role, claiming that once everyone hears his performance, "the criticism will evaporate." Meledandri also addressed the fact that the role went to a non-Italian actor, assuring everyone it's cool. "I'm not sure this is the smartest defense, but as a person who has Italian-American heritage, I feel I can make that decision without worrying about offending Italians or Italian-Americans," he told Deadline. "I think we're going to be just fine." And hey, if the studio has a change of heart, we hear Jared Leto's still going around using that House of Gucci accent to this day.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Variety Deadline

3. 'Thor' star Christian Bale had no idea what the MCU is

Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani has been openly professing her obsession with all things Marvel, but it's safe to say Christian Bale is bringing some different energy to the franchise. Bale plays the villain Gorr in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, and when he was cast, much was made of the fact that a former Batman star was joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But Bale told Total Film this idea "didn't even enter into my head at all" — probably because he had no clue what the MCU even is. "I'd read that, and people would go, 'Oh, look at this! He's entered the MCU!'" Bale said. "And I'd go, 'I've done what? I haven't entered s--t, thank you very much.' I'm like, 'The MCU?' I had to ask what that was." Presumably, no one explained to him what Thor: The Dark World is or he might never have said yes.

Total Film

4. Bradley Cooper recalls 'a--hole' director questioning his Oscar nominations

Celebrities' capacity to be jerks can be limitless, as Bradley Cooper has learned firsthand. Appearing on the SmartLess podcast, the Hangover star revealed a famous director once openly suggested to his face that he doesn't deserve his Oscar nominations. The incident happened at a party four years ago, according to Cooper, who had seven Academy Award nominations at the time — and an unnamed director allegedly told him, "What world are we living in where you have seven nominations?" The actor remembers thinking, "bro, why are you such an a--hole," and he cited it as a reminder of why he hates the business. Cooper received another reminder years earlier when an unnamed "hero female actress" allegedly implied at a party she thought he didn't deserve to win an Oscar after he was nominated for the first time. He recalled, "[I was] like, 'what the f--k is this town?'"

Entertainment Weekly

5. Lea Seydoux joins the cast of 'Dune: Part Two'

Ready for Dune: Part Doux? Lea Seydoux has joined the cast of Denis Villeneuve's upcoming Dune sequel, according to Deadline and Variety. She's set to play Lady Margot, a "servant of the Sisterhood" and ally of Timothée Chalamet's character, Paul Atreides. This makes her the latest star headed to Arrakis for Dune: Part Two, which includes returning actors like Chalamet, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, and Rebecca Ferguson, as well as new additions like Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Christopher Walken — the latter of whom is playing the emperor of the universe. Seydoux is coming off a role in David Cronenberg's Crimes of the Future, and she was also "Bond girl" Madeleine Swann in Spectre and No Time to Die. There will, however, be plenty of time for spice.

Deadline Variety