This week in pop culture: new music and the buzziest trailer drops
In the headlines
Wondering what went down in the pop culture world while you were away? No worries, we have you covered as always with the biggest, breaking news coming straight from Hollywood. Get caught up on the latest music releases from Selena Gomez and Chappell Roan, trailer drops, plus how netizens are reacting to Meghan Markle’s newest Netflix show (spoiler alert: it’s not great).
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco reveal all
Lovebirds Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco dropped their highly-anticipated collaborative album, I Said I Love You First, on 21 March. With Blanco as the producer and Gomez as the songbird, the record contains 14 songs that explore the many sides of the couple’s unfolding love story. The release was preceded by the lead single, ‘Sunset Blvd’ alongside a music video, which details the pair’s romantic first date. Stream the album below!
Jack Harlow and Doja Cat get flirty for Just Us
Selly and Benny are not the only ones getting their flirt on when Jack Harlow and Doja Cat are showing their insane chemistry for the music video of ‘Just Us’ ahead of his forthcoming album set to release this year. Fans were also pleasantly surprised to see a ton of celebrity cameos in the MV, which include Nicholas Braun, Matt Damon, John Mayer, PinkPantheress, Taylor Rooks, and Malcolm Todd getting cosy in an intimate restaurant after hours.
A swoon-worthy love triangle awaits in Materialists
Having to choose between Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal? Now that’s a real dilemma for Dakota Johnson! Written and directed by Celine Song who made her dazzling directorial debut with the critically-acclaimed Past Lives, Song lends her effusive penmanship once again in her next major feature, Materialists. The romantic comedy-drama follows a successful matchmaker whose lucrative business turns complicated ones she’s pulled into a love triangle between a charismatic millionaire and an old flame. Materialists hits theatres on 13 June 2025.
Feel the thrill in heart-racing F1 trailer
From the directors of Top Gun: Maverick and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton comes another high-octane blockbuster. Dubbed “the greatest that never was”, Brad Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, Formula 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. 30 years later, he finds an opportunity to return to the tarmac with a chance to save a Formula 1 team on the verge of collapse alongside hotshot rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) who insists on setting his own pace. F1 is premieres 25 June 2025.
Freakier Friday doubles the body swaps in official trailer
It looks like lightning does strike twice! 22 years after the first movie, Freakier Friday sees Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reprise their roles as mother-daughter duo Tess and Anna Coleman—but this time, with an even wilder body swap debacle on their hands. The sequel will feature a “multigenerational twist” as Anna’s daughter and soon-to-be stepdaughter get caught in a four-way body swap, merging the two families closer than ever before. Freakier Friday premieres in theatres on 8 August 2025.
Playboi Carti makes the biggest album debut in 2025
Five years after his sophomore album, Whole Lotta Red, Playboi Carti returned with long-awaited third studio album which dropped on 14 March. Simple titled Music, the record features 30 songs (yes, 30!) and has already broken Spotify’s record for the most-streamed album in a single day in 2025 so far. In total, the album garnered 139 million streams. Listen to Music below.
Live-action trailer of Lilo & Stitch breaks the internet
In case you missed the news, the beloved 2002 Disney animation of Lilo & Stitch is the latest film to get the live-action treatment and netizens can’t get enough of how the blue alien looks in the real world! Within 24 hours, the trailer garnered 158 million views, making it the second most viewed Disney live-action trailer of all time, behind 2019’s The Lion King teaser trailer. The film premieres in theatres on 23 May 2025.
Chappell Roan suits up for ‘The Giver’
Chappell Roan is undoubtedly one of 2024’s biggest breakout pop stars after going viral overnight with ‘Good Luck, Babe’. Fans have been eager for new music and on 14 March, the midwest princess embraced her roots with ‘The Giver’, an unapologetic and boot-stomping country anthem that exudes dominance and confidence. The elaborate lyric video sees the chameleon-like Roan dressed up as various occupations such as a lawyer, construction worker, handyman, and dentist.
Lady Gaga unleashes Mayhem on the pop world
We can’t believe it either, but Lady Gaga is officially back in her music era with her seventh studio album, Mayhem on 7 March! The LP was preceded by lead singles ‘Disease’ and ‘Abacadabra’. Most recently, Lady Gaga appeared on SNL on 9 March as the host and performed ‘Killah’ and ‘Abacadabra’.
Drawing back to the singer’s campy and audacious roots as Mother Monster seen in iconic past works such as The Fame and Chromatica, Mayhem sees Lady Gaga return to form as she experiments with various genres and styles. The record debuted with 45.3 million streams on its first day on Global Spotify. Stream Mayhem below.
Meghan Markle sparks mixed reactions for With Love, Meghan
Meghan is back with another Netflix show and netizens don’t know how they feel about it. Titled With Love, Meghan, the reality TV series sees Markle invite guests to her home as she shares recipes in the Martha Stewart-esque setup. Friends who have appeared include actress-writer Mindy Kaling, her former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, and celebrity chefs Roy Choi and Alice Waters.
It didn’t take long for several instances in the show to go viral online. From the way she zests her lemons and the awkward “I’m a Sussex” moment with Mindy Kaling to her chicken coop, netizens took to the internet to express their range of sentiments. Check out some of the internet reactions below.
Holy YIKES Look at Mindy Kaling’s face as Meghan Markle is chastising her over referring to her as “Meghan Markle” and not “Meghan Sussex” pic.twitter.com/TWWQsEcd7B
— MeghansMole©️ (@MeghansMole) March 4, 2025
Enjoy With Love, Grey TikTok- Micheal Pavano pic.twitter.com/IOuqVdJdcu
— HarrysGreySuit (@hrrysgreysuit) March 6, 2025
Insane way to zest pic.twitter.com/0VjS9YSU0Q
— cancela lansbury (@gossipbabies) March 5, 2025
One thing I love about #WithLoveMeghan is how she’s a wonderful hostess for the chickens as well, ensuring they have cold water and healthy snacks throughout the day. Chick in or Chicken Spa? #WithLoveMeghanOnNetflix pic.twitter.com/WhNN31V93g
— Inge Kersten (@ingek73) March 7, 2025
The show is very cute. The episode with her and Roy Choi making Korean food is a fave. Congrats Meghan! https://t.co/loCJSW55Am
— Kwoosie Surtz (@CocoaMochaCrml) March 7, 2025
Apart from the netizens, With Love, Meghan is also currently being picked apart by critics, particularly in the United Kingdom, who rated the show a 28 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes. Nevertheless, the reality TV show has been renewed for season 2, which will release sometime this year with another eight episodes.
Ariana Grande teases Eternal Sunshine deluxe edition
Is Eternal Sunshine constantly on repeat for you? Good news because new music is on the way! On 9 March, the Wicked actress celebrated the first anniversary of her album with a mysterious teaser along with a pre-save link to its deluxe edition.
View this post on Instagram
The cryptic clip features familiar objects from the music video for ‘We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)’, such as a teddy bear, burning in a box. The short video is also posted on the ‘Brighter Days’ Instagram account, referring to the fictional clinic seen in the music video that erased Grande’s memories.
The Last of Us drops official trailer for season 2
The anticipation for the critically-acclaimed and award-winning drama series only grows with the release of season two’s official trailer. Taking place five years after the events from the first season, the sequel will follow Joel and Ellie as they settle into a new home in post-apocalyptic United States. As past decisions come back to haunt them and new dangers lurking on the horizon, The Last of Us season 2 will take audiences and fans of the beloved game on an emotional journey.
Season two of The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Rutina Wesley as Maria, along with new cast members Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse and many more. The series premieres on 14 April on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.
The cause behind Gene Hackman and his wife’s tragic deaths
On February 26, authorities were phoned by maintenance workers after the bodies of legendary actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered at their Santa Fe home in separate rooms. One of the couple’s three dogs was also found dead. On March 7, officials released the causes of death for the husband and wife.
According to autopsy results, the Oscar-winning actor was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s and died of heart disease and other factors likely days after his wife died of hantavirus, a rare virus spread by mice. Arakawa is believed to have died around 11 February while Hackman is thought to have succumbed to his illness on 18 February.
Hackman was a two-time Oscar winner, best known for his roles in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The French Connection (1971), and Unforgiven (1993). Over his career, he earned four Golden Globes, two BAFTAs, and an SAG Award. He retired from acting in 2004.
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