In Case You Haven’t Heard: Disney, ‘The Naked Gun,’ Loni Anderson

Cinema classics return to the big screen, Liam Neeson’s “The Naked Gun” delights summer audiences, and great musical acts perform at the Wisconsin State Fair in this edition of “In Case You Haven’t Heard.”

In just a few weeks, “Jaws” will celebrate his 50th anniversary with a return to the big screen for one week. Not to be outdone, “Star Wars” will also commemorate its 50th anniversary. It’s a ways away, but Disney just announced its release is scheduled for April 30, 2027. That’s right — in a couple of years, you can actually watch the original “Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope” on May the 4th! 

“The Naked Gun” cracked up audiences over the weekend. A subplot of the film is the romance that develops between stars Neeson and Pamela Anderson, which bloomed into a relationship beyond the boundaries of the film. Neeson’s wife, Natasha Richardson, died in 2009 after a fall while skiing. The actress seemed to come out of the fall unscathed at first, but later developed a subdural hematoma, passing away at the age of 45.

Not only does Neeson seem to be happy in the relationship, but he also appears to have the approval of his late wife’s family as well. Actress Joely Richardson, Neeson’s former sister-in-law, sent heart emojis after Anderson made a social media post about the movie.

That’s right folks, I break all the big stories.

There’s still lots of time for summer fun in Wisconsin as the state fair is in full swing. There are many good music options, especially if you like a trip down memory lane. Some of the acts include Boyz II Men, Darius Rucker (or Hootie without the Blowfish), Queensryche, Great White and Quiet Riot. That’s a trio that will blow the roof off the joint, even at an outdoor venue. Party safely, folks.

Actress Loni Anderson has passed away. She played secretary Jennifer Marlowe on the show “WKRP in Cincinnati,” which ran from 1978 to 1982. Anderson had built up a decent résumé doing guest starring roles before getting the chance to audition for ‘KRP. At first, Anderson turned down the role, saying she didn’t want to be a stereotypical blonde. The producers asked for suggestions, and ended up taking them!

Anderson suggested that her secretary character is not the one who gets coffee, doesn’t take dictation and is the smartest person in the room, bucking the blonde bombshell trend at the time. Anderson was nominated for an Emmy twice for the role. Yahoo Entertainment says she died after a long illness. Loni Anderson was 79 years old.

“Fantastic Four: The First Steps” was at the top of the box office this past weekend, despite a bigger financial dip at the gate than prognosticators initially expected. The film opened strong with $117 million last weekend but dropped off by 66 percent to pull in only $40 million this past weekend. According to Variety, that is a sign that the film has not connected with audiences beyond superhero fans.

The film is sitting at $198 million domestically – it cost $200 million to make. Coming in second place was “The Bad Guys 2”, which brought in just under $23 million, matching the original films’ take opening weekend in 2022. Audience scores were through the roof, which means the film could have a lengthy theatrical run. Landing in third place, with $17 million at the gate was the highly anticipated “The Naked Gun.” The film pulled in $17 million and another $12 million overseas. Audience scores for the comedy are also strong. “Superman” and “Jurassic World Rebirth” rounded out the top five. 

Editor’s note: For more movie and entertainment talk, join host Pete Schwaba weeknights from 6 to 8 p.m. for “Nite Lite” on the Civic Media radio network.