Kohl’s Kohl’s has had headline-grabbing shareholder activism that included the abrupt ousting of its C.E.O., Ashley Buchanan, only months into the job. He is leaving as the company reels from accusations of unethical behavior that have jolted the business and prompted larger questions about how accountable leadership is and about corporate oversight. Buchanan, who was hired as its chief executive in January 2025, had been meant to help right the ailing department store chain. Instead, he is departing under a cloud of scandal after an internal investigation found that he broke serious rules of the company during his time in charge.

The company said it had fired Buchanan “for cause,” an unusual and major decision in the corporate realm. An outside investigation determined he had ordered the company to engage in transactions with vendors that presented undisclosed conflicts of interest. In simpler language, he was using his role to help conduct business that could have profited him or close associates, without informing the company. The company said that these actions did not involve Kohl’s financial reporting or other employees, but a decision to fire a chief executive just months into the job is also one with outsize implications.

Previously, Buchanan was the CEO of arts and crafts retail chain Michaels. His appointment had been hailed as a bold move to help turn around Kohl’s, which is struggling amid weakening sales and mounting competition in a challenging retail landscape. Yet his stint in office was also followed by further reversals. According to a review of preliminary financial results from Kohl’s, the company’s sales declined by 4.3 percent during his brief time on the job — far short of the turnaround that shareholders were looking for.

The company’s board of directors has named Michael Bender, the current chairman, interim CEO as they search for a new permanent CEO. But the market actually applauded the departure of Buchanan, it surprisingly rose. Shares in Kohl’s jumped as much as 8 percent after the announcement, indicating that investors may have already lost faith in his leadership or are hopeful that new leadership can turn the company around.

Retail analysts are less sanguine. The firing comes as a distraction for the company at a particularly bad moment, said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail. “While the dismissal may have nothing to do with overall company performance, it does add to the perception outside the company that things are a bit shaky. Saunders said it was a “blow upon a bruise,” meaning the move exacerbates already existing problems instead of addressing them.

Like many traditional department stores, Kohl’s has been under extreme pressure in recent years. Shifting consumer tastes, the rise of online shopping and persistent inflation have made it difficult for brick-and-mortar companies to stay profitable. On top of Western leadership woes, the company also is facing the reality of declining foot traffic and ever-more price-sensitive shoppers.

Earlier this year, Kohl’s also shared plans to shutter 27 locations in the U.S. These closures have brought the company’s total store count to about 1,100, representing a significant reduction in the retailer’s store footprint. The move is part of a broader shift in the industry, in which many legacy retailers are rethinking their physical footprints as they try to adjust to a more digital economy.

The repercussions of Buchanan’s firing could be widespread. For Kohl’s, they raise questions of how closely executives are scrutinized and what kinds of internal controls should exist to keep similar problems from happening in the future. For shareholders, it casts further doubt on the direction of the company and questions about who is leading. For the general business public, the case should stand as a reminder that not even top brass is immune from examination and answerability.

The road that lies ahead for Kohl’s is unclear. With interim leadership now secured and a search for a CEO underway, the company needs to move fast to win back the trust of investors and navigate a new course. The scandal is an unnecessary wrinkle to an already difficult environment and who knows, maybe the company does come out stronger. Or maybe this is just another chapter in its struggles.

Dwayne Johnson is stepping into what may be the most transformative role of his acting career, taking on the part of legendary UFC and MMA fighter Mark Kerr in the upcoming film “The Smashing Machine.” This gritty biographical drama, set to release on October 3 and directed by Benny Safdie, offers a deep dive into the life of Kerr—an athlete whose raw physical power in the ring was matched only by the personal demons he battled outside of it. Known widely for his blockbuster action roles, Johnson’s portrayal here marks a significant and deliberate shift toward more dramatic, character-driven storytelling.

In the newly released trailer, Johnson is almost unrecognizable. Though he hasn’t publicly addressed his physical transformation in great detail, it’s apparent that facial prosthetics and careful styling have helped him bear a striking resemblance to Kerr. The fighter’s story, originally featured in the 2002 HBO documentary also titled “The Smashing Machine,” captured the brutal realities of early MMA competition and revealed Kerr’s struggles with substance abuse and emotional turmoil. Johnson appears to embrace every layer of this complexity, channeling the vulnerability and intensity that defined Kerr’s life both inside and outside the ring.

The trailer provides glimpses of the brutal, adrenaline-charged world of professional fighting—raw and visceral in its execution—but it also reveals a far more intimate narrative. Central to this is Kerr’s relationship with his girlfriend, played by Emily Blunt. Reuniting with Johnson after their time together in Disney’s “Jungle Cruise,” Blunt brings a grounded emotional presence to the film. The tension between their characters, caught between love, ambition, and addiction, adds an essential human depth to the story.

In one poignant moment in the trailer, Johnson’s Kerr reflects on the intoxication of success, saying, “Winning is the best feeling in the world. It’s 40,000 people in there cheering you on. There’s no other high like it in the world.” This line encapsulates the highs and lows Kerr experiences as he navigates fame, pain, and a relentless pursuit of victory. Johnson’s delivery is full of gravitas, suggesting a layered performance that digs much deeper than anything he’s previously taken on.

For Johnson, this role is not just a creative departure but a personal challenge. In an interview with GQ last year, he shared that the opportunity to portray Kerr felt like a chance to break new ground in his career. “It was also an opportunity for me, I realized, to stretch myself in ways that I hadn’t been stretched yet,” he explained. “And also challenge myself in ways that I hadn’t been challenged.” That drive to evolve, both as an actor and a storyteller, is evident in every frame of the trailer.

While Johnson has been busy in other areas—voicing Maui once again in “Moana 2,” returning to the WWE ring, and joining the board of TKO Group Holdings following the WWE-UFC merger—“The Smashing Machine” stands apart as a pivotal moment in his career. It’s not about larger-than-life action heroes or comedic charm. It’s about stepping into someone else’s pain and perseverance, and doing so with authenticity.

Director Benny Safdie, making his solo debut after co-directing acclaimed films like “Uncut Gems” with his brother Josh, brings a raw, almost documentary-style realism to the project. His past work has been praised for its tense, emotionally charged storytelling, and “The Smashing Machine” appears to follow in that tradition. The film is likely to appeal not only to fans of MMA and biopics but also to those interested in the psychological complexities that come with public glory and private battles.

As anticipation builds for the release, “The Smashing Machine” seems poised to redefine what audiences expect from Dwayne Johnson. Known affectionately as “The Rock” by his wrestling fans, Johnson is now forging a new path—one that embraces nuance, hardship, and a kind of storytelling that doesn’t rely on spectacle alone. If the trailer is any indication, his turn as Mark Kerr could be one of the most powerful performances of the year.

With a compelling cast, a gripping true story, and a fearless lead performance, “The Smashing Machine” might not just be a film about fighting—it could be a knockout moment in Johnson’s cinematic journey.

The forthcoming Thunderbolts movie, which has become a particularly exciting topic among Marvel fans, is going to be a very different kind of Marvel Studios movie (especially in terms of action). Director Jake Schreier has been sharing that behind-the-scenes magic in footage reel giving fans insight on how some of the movie’s action was done practically. This down-to-earth approach is a welcome departure from the majority of today’s movies, which audiences more often criticise for their overuse of CGI providing a gritty foot in the gut for the feels of the action scenes. One particular heart-racing stunt that’s been teased features Florence Pugh—who portrays Yelena Belova—jumping off Kuala Lumpur’s Merdeka 118, the world’s second-tallest building, a move that gives the action a thrilling real-world edge.

The insistence on ‘real’ stunts throughout the film goes some way to suggesting that Thunderbolts will be a different beast to other, more CGI-reliant superhero movies. This mix of practical effects and punishing physical stunts lends the thing a specific kind of tone that fans appear to be responding well to. Marvel’s dedication to this being true to life is already being lauded, and this behind the scenes look has us itching to see how all the action will unfold on the big screen.

Alongside a behind-the-scenes video, a Thunderbolts Television spot has been revealed, focusing on the rave reviews from the movie following its early screenings in North America. Attendees at these screenings showered the film with praise, calling it fresh and unlike any other Marvel movie that they’ve seen. The tv spot features these responses as it makes you more excited for the movie as it gets closer to opening.

Lewis Pullman, Bob / The Sentry / The Void in Thunderbolts, spoke to us recently about his character and he couldn’t be more thrilled about what the future of the MCU has in store for him. Pullman will be the first to admit that, when he first signed on, he had steeled himself for the reality that his stint might be a one-off, but now he’s looking forward to what’s next. His enthusiasm certainly indicates that his character has something of a future with the MCU, although he plays things close to the vest in regards to any spoilers — particularly in regard to his participation in Avengers: Doomsday.

Antihero team Thunderbolts 2 assembles a roster of antiheroes like Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster, and John Walker. This mismatched band of characters gets caught up in the dangerous mission concocted by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Cursed and with motives that are not always clear, the team must work together if they are to survive and succeed in their mission. The rest, as they say, is history, but the question is: Will they now eat themselves alive, or are they due for a renaissance and comeback?

The movie works to explore themes of redemption, teamwork, and facing (literally) the darkest parts of your past, which adds dimension to the action and makes it more than just another superhero film. The relationships between the characters, and with the team being so different and sometimes adversarial, should keep shooting off in interesting directions.

The cast for Thunderbolts is an embarrassment of riches, with Florence Pugh reprising her role as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Red Guardian, and Wyatt Russel as U.S. Agent. Among the other known members are Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, and mega-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. That brings in an interesting new character — Bob (Lewis Pullman). The writing room features Eric Pearson, Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo with Jake Schreier directing.

Thunderbolts is scheduled to hit theaters on May 2, 2025, and it has the potential to be majorly pulse-pounding and action-oriented in the MCU. Pooling practical effects, engaging characters, and an innovative spin in this genre will solidify Thunderbolts as one of the year’s powerhouse films.” Fans are excited to see how this ragtag band of antiheroes will fare on their perilous mission, and whether they can step up to the task or crumble under pressure. There’s already a lot of buzz surrounding the movie and it’s evident that it’s going to leave a lasting impression on the MCU.