Diana Musical and ‘Space Jam’ Snag the Most Razzie Awards

Cast members Lebron James, Don Cheadle, Cedric Joe, Sonequa Martin-Green, Ceyair Wright, Harper Alexander and Director Malcolm D. Lee pose as they attend the premiere for the film Space Jam: A New Legacy in Los Angeles, California, US July 12, 2021. (Reuters)
Cast members Lebron James, Don Cheadle, Cedric Joe, Sonequa Martin-Green, Ceyair Wright, Harper Alexander and Director Malcolm D. Lee pose as they attend the premiere for the film Space Jam: A New Legacy in Los Angeles, California, US July 12, 2021. (Reuters)
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Diana Musical and ‘Space Jam’ Snag the Most Razzie Awards

Cast members Lebron James, Don Cheadle, Cedric Joe, Sonequa Martin-Green, Ceyair Wright, Harper Alexander and Director Malcolm D. Lee pose as they attend the premiere for the film Space Jam: A New Legacy in Los Angeles, California, US July 12, 2021. (Reuters)
Cast members Lebron James, Don Cheadle, Cedric Joe, Sonequa Martin-Green, Ceyair Wright, Harper Alexander and Director Malcolm D. Lee pose as they attend the premiere for the film Space Jam: A New Legacy in Los Angeles, California, US July 12, 2021. (Reuters)

A musical about Diana, the late Princess of Wales, and a remake of the semi-animated "Space Jam" starring LeBron James took home the most Razzies, the awards that skewer the year's lamest films on the eve of the big Oscar ceremony.

The Razzies announced the winners ahead of Sunday's Academy Awards, handing out five prizes to "Diana: The Musical," the film version of a Broadway production that closed in December after just 33 regular performances.

After its ignominious demise on stage, the film version snagged Razzies for worst picture, worst actress for Jeanna deWaal in the title role, worst supporting actress for Judy Kaye, and worst director for Christopher Ashley.

The Diana duo of Joe DiPietro and David Bryan claimed worst screenplay for what the Razzies called "some of the year's most ridiculed dialogue and lyrics, including rhyming 'Camilla' with both 'Manilla' and 'Godzilla,'" the Razzies said in a statement announcing the winners.

"Space Jam: A New Legacy" won three Razzies: worst actor for LeBron James, worst rip-off or sequel, and worst screen couple for James combined with any of the cartoon characters.

The movie put the NBA star, shot in live action, in a cosmic basketball game with Looney Tunes characters, remaking the 1996 original with Michael Jordan.

As usual, the Razzies ridiculed a former Oscar winner, naming Jared Leto worst supporting actor for his over-the-top performance as Paolo in "House of Gucci."

The Razzies gave Bruce Willis his own special category, nominating him eight times for "Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie," in eight forgettable films. The one called "Cosmic Sin" took the prize.

Four-time Razzie winner Will Smith received the only true honor, the redeemer award, for his role in "King Richard," for which Smith is also nominated for a best actor Oscar.

The Razzies, the self-described "ugly cousin to the Oscars," started in 1980 as the Golden Raspberry Awards, created by UCLA film school graduates and film industry veterans John J.B. Wilson and Mo Murphy.

More than 1,100 Razzie members from across the United States and about two dozen other countries vote on the awards, according to the Razzie website.



Slovakia Festival Hosting Kanye West Cancelled after 'Heil Hitler' Furore

Kanye West's song 'Heil Hitler' ends with a speech by the Nazi leader. KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Kanye West's song 'Heil Hitler' ends with a speech by the Nazi leader. KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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Slovakia Festival Hosting Kanye West Cancelled after 'Heil Hitler' Furore

Kanye West's song 'Heil Hitler' ends with a speech by the Nazi leader. KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Kanye West's song 'Heil Hitler' ends with a speech by the Nazi leader. KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

The Slovakia festival due to welcome Kanye West next week has called off the event following the uproar over the US rapper's May release of a song glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Before the July 20 gig was cancelled, Bratislava's Rubicon hip hop festival was set to be West's only confirmed live performance in Europe this year.

Though he has won 24 Grammy Awards over the course of his career, the erratic rapper has become notorious in recent years for his increasingly antisemitic and hate-filled rants.

West, who has legally changed his name to the shorthand "Ye", released the song "Heil Hitler" on May 8, the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

In the wake of the announcement of West's appearance at Rubicon, thousands of people signed a petition against the gig.

The rapper -- a vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump -- is "repeatedly and openly adhering to symbols and ideology connected with the darkest period of modern global history", two groups behind the petition said.

In a statement on Instagram late on Wednesday, the festival's organizers said the decision to cancel the event was "due to media pressure and the withdrawal of several artists and partners".

"This was not an easy decision," the organizers said, without drawing a direct line between the rapper's planned appearance and the cancellations.

Contacted on Thursday by AFP, the Rubicon festival did not offer further explanations.

Styling itself as the central European country's premier hip hop hang-out, the Rubicon festival was set to run from July 18 to 20.

US rappers Offset and Sheck Wes were set to share top billing with West.

Australia cancelled West's visa on July 2 over "Heil Hitler", in which West raps about his custody battle with ex-wife Kim Kardashian before the song ends with an extract of a speech by the Nazi dictator.

West's wife, Bianca Censori, is Australian.