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    Bryan Singer will still direct “Red Sonja” amid accusations

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1157 Views
    This Dec. 2, 2013 file photo shows Bryan Singer at the Los Angeles premiere of "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug." (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File)

    By Jake Coyle, Film Writer

    NEW YORK (AP) --

    Following an expose that claimed Bryan Singer has seduced and molested several underage men, the film production company Millennium Films on Thursday said it is staunchly supporting the director.

    In a statement, Avi Lerner, founder and chief executive of Millennium, said that the company is going forward with a remake of the fantasy adventure "Red Sonja" with Singer attached to direct.

    "The over $800 million 'Bohemian Rhapsody' has grossed, making it the highest grossing drama in film history, is testament to his remarkable vision and acumen," said Lerner. "I know the difference between agenda driven fake news and reality, and I am very comfortable with this decision. In America people are innocent until proven guilty."

    An article published Wednesday in The Atlantic alleged a pattern of predatory behavior by Singer, including sex with a 15-year-old at a Beverly Hills, Calif., mansion in 1997. Three men spoke on the condition of anonymity and a fourth said he was molested by Singer on the set of 1998's "Apt Pupil" when he was in the seventh grade.

    Singer has denied the claims. He called the article a "homophobic smear piece" that was "conveniently timed" to take advantage of the success of "Bohemian Rhapsody."

    "It's sad that The Atlantic would stoop to this low standard of journalistic integrity," said Singer. "Again, I am forced to reiterate that this story rehashes claims from bogus lawsuits filed by a disreputable cast of individuals willing to lie for money or attention."

    The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office earlier investigated claims that male minors were pressured into stripping naked for a shower scene in "Apt Pupil" but declined to press charges. Lawsuits filed by families of the minors involved were settled out of court.

    "Bohemian Rhapsody," the Freddie Mercury biopic, was nominated for five Oscars on Tuesday, including best picture. Singer was fired as the director of the 20th Century Fox film during shooting after several absences from the London production. He remains the sole credited director on the film even though he was replaced by Dexter Fletcher.

    Days after Singer was dismissed from "Bohemian Rhapsody," Cesar Sanchez-Guzman filed a lawsuit in Seattle against Singer alleging the director raped him in 2003 when Sanchez-Guzman was 17. Singer's attorney Andrew Brettler at the time said Singer "categorically denies these allegations and will vehemently defend this lawsuit to the very end." The case is still pending.

    Founded in 1996, Millennium Films has produced a number of star-driven action films including "The Expendables," ''Olympus Has Fallen" and "The Hitman's Bodyguard."

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    Tags:Bryan SingerMillennium FilmsRed Sonjasexual harassment



    EU accuses TikTok of “addictive design” that harms children, seeks changes to protect users

    Friday, February 6, 2026
    The icon for the TikTok video sharing app is seen on a smartphone in Marple Township, Pa., Feb. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

    The European Union on Friday accused TikTok of breaching the bloc's digital rules with "addictive design" features that lead to compulsive use by children, in preliminary charges that strike at the heart of the popular video sharing app's operating model.

    EU regulators said their two-year investigation found that TikTok hasn't done enough to assess how features such as autoplay and infinite scroll could harm the physical and mental health of users, including minors and "vulnerable adults."

    The European Commission said it believes TikTok should change the "basic design" of its service. The commission is the EU's executive arm and enforcer of the 27-nation bloc's Digital Services Act, a sweeping rulebook that requires social media companies to clean up their platforms and protect users, under threat of hefty fines.

    TikTok denied the accusations.

    "The Commission's preliminary findings present a categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of our platform, and we will take whatever steps are necessary to challenge these findings through every means available to us," the company said in a statement.

    TikTok's features including infinite scrolling, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalized recommender systems "lead to the compulsive use of the app, especially for our kids, and this poses major risks to their mental health and wellbeing," Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said at a press briefing in Brussels.

    "The measures that TikTok has in place are simply not enough," he said.

    The company now has a chance to defend itself and reply to the commission's findings. Regnier said "if they don't do this properly," Brussels could issue a so-called non-compliance decision and possible fine worth up to 6% of... Read More

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