Indian actor Bhumi Pednekar has reportedly opted not to return for the second season of Netflix India's drama The Royals, multiple Indian outlets said on May 11, 2026. Reports, citing production sources including Mid-Day, say the creative team plans to shift the show away from the central romance that anchored season one and toward broader royal family dynamics and world-building that resonated with viewers. Producers have been quoted as saying there was no dispute with Pednekar and that story direction — not behind‑the‑scenes conflict — prompted the change. Trade coverage also says Pednekar is lined up for other projects, including a Netflix film opposite Imran Khan and a sequel to the film Daldal, and that online trolling of her performance in season one took a personal toll. Netflix and Pednekar have not issued an official statement confirming the exit. Season one, released in 2025, drew significant online attention despite mixed reviews and will continue to serve as the foundation for the retooled second season.

Disney’s The Mandalorian and Grogu debuted over the U.S. Memorial Day weekend with an estimated $165 million in global ticket sales, Walt Disney said, including about $102 million from the United States and Canada. Studio and industry tallies showed the film earned roughly $82 million from Friday through Sunday from some 4,300 North American screens, with strong walk-up family business lifting the four-day total. The opening ranks as the smallest for any Star Wars title released by Disney but is aided by a significantly lower production budget (around $165 million) than recent franchise tentpoles. Audience response was robust — exit polling and Rotten Tomatoes audience scores ran far higher than critical ratings — boosting hopes for sustained box-office legs and merchandising sales. Other holiday releases included Focus Features’ Obsession at roughly $22–28 million in its second weekend and the Michael Jackson biopic continuing strong. Disney is positioning the film as both a theatrical product and a way to reinvigorate franchise interest for streaming, theme parks and consumer products ahead of next year’s Starfighter release.

HBO’s Euphoria killed off one of its original characters in a shocking penultimate episode that aired May 24, 2026. Nate Jacobs, played by Jacob Elordi, is buried in a coffin as part of a debt-collection plot and fatally bitten by a rattlesnake after a failed rescue led by Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) and Maddy (Alexa Demie). The episode, which sets up the May 31 series finale, also features the violent fallout of the ransom plot — including Alamo’s lethal response to the gangster Naz (Jack Topalian). In post-episode footage and interviews Elordi called Nate’s death “a cool way to go,” described the claustrophobic coffin shoot and confirmed production worked with real snakes on set (a boa with a fake rattle and separate rattlesnake shots), while stunt teams emphasised oxygen and safety protocols. Fan reaction on social media was immediate and mixed, and critics note the removal of the show’s central antagonist dramatically alters the power dynamics heading into the finale.

The BBC has begun airing Dear England, a four-part television adaptation of James Graham’s Olivier-winning stage play chronicling Gareth Southgate’s stewardship of the England men’s football team. Episodes began on May 24, 2026 on BBC One and streaming via iPlayer; subsequent instalments are scheduled across the following week and weekend. Joseph Fiennes reprises the title role from the stage production, joined by Jodie Whittaker as team psychologist Pippa Grange and Jason Watkins as former FA figure Greg Dyke, supported by an ensemble cast portraying high-profile players. The screen transfer retains theatrical devices — including use of archive match footage and stylised stage-derived presentation — and credits directors Rupert Goold and Paul Whittington. Early audience reaction on social media praised Fiennes’s physical likeness to Southgate, while critics offered mixed reviews: some lauded the emotional arc and ensemble performances, others, notably The Guardian, criticised Fiennes’s portrayal as bordering on caricature. The series frames Southgate’s efforts to rebuild team culture after penalty-shootout trauma and explores broader social questions about identity and inclusivity in English football.

Suriya-starrer Karuppu continued a strong theatrical run in its second weekend, pushing its ten-day totals past major milestones. Box-office trackers Sacnilk reported a Day 10 India net of ₹14.45 crore (across 5,091 shows, overall occupancy ~47.7%), taking India net to ₹148.55 crore and India gross to about ₹172.03 crore. Combined with overseas receipts, the film’s worldwide gross stood at an estimated ₹236.78 crore after ten days. Earlier trade estimates from trackers including Jerin Georgekutty had placed nine-day global totals higher (in the ₹242–247 crore range), and predicted theatrical profitability against a reported break-even of ~₹70 crore. The Telugu-dubbed version (Veerabhadrudu) has performed well in the Telugu states, contributing roughly ₹25.47 crore in nine days, with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh both important markets. Released on May 15 by Dream Warrior Pictures and directed by RJ Balaji, the fantasy–courtroom drama features Trisha Krishnan and RJ Balaji alongside Suriya. Industry watchers say weekend momentum and word-of-mouth have driven the second-weekend surge; weekday sustainability will determine whether Karuppu approaches a ₹250 crore global haul.

Chef and television personality Gordon Ramsay told Fox News Digital that the single most important lesson he has taught his six children is good manners, calling them “the most important thing in life, but they cost zero.” The remarks were made during media appearances surrounding FOX’s 2026 upfronts and were reported by People, Fox News and other outlets on May 24–25, 2026. Ramsay, 59, and his wife Tana are parents to Megan (28), twins Jack (26) and Holly (26), Matilda “Tilly” (24), Oscar (7) and Jesse (2). He said manners, respect and avoiding entitlement are non-negotiables at home, and has previously described encouraging his children to carve their own paths — from the military and policing to fashion and culinary school — rather than relying on family wealth. Published coverage also noted Ramsay’s wider media footprint, including multiple renewed TV shows, and past comments that he prefers using wealth to help children with milestones like house deposits rather than leaving direct inheritances.