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Hail to the King: NBC pays tribute to Elvis Presley with a star-studded special

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Author: 
Andrew Warren / TV Media
Post Malone as seen in "Elvis All-Star Tribute"

Post Malone as seen in "Elvis All-Star Tribute"

Hail to the King: Elvis Presley may have died in 1977, but his legacy is one that can't be denied. His music, his films and his raw sex appeal still shape the modern landscape, and NBC pays tribute to one of the star's most legendary events on Sunday, Feb. 17.

"Elvis All-Star Tribute" honors the legend with a look back at the King's iconic 1968 televised comeback special. Set on a stage that's been painstakingly built to pay homage to the original, "All-Star Tribute" features performances by some of today's hottest artists as well as interviews with people who were integral to the production of the original special, and it showcases rare footage featuring important people from Presley's life.

"The Voice" coach Blake Shelton hosts the two-hour program, and the country music star is also lined up to perform a number of Elvis's biggest hits, including "Suspicious Minds" and "Guitar Man." 

The King's music transcended genres, combining all sorts of influences into the new sound of rock 'n' roll, and the artists performing in the tribute come from all corners of the world of modern music. Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez are all ready to pay tribute, along with Josh Groban, Carrie Underwood, Yolanda Adams, Adam Lambert and more.

The 1968 special was Presley's return to live performances after spending seven years focusing on his acting career, and its success (it was television's most-watched show of the season) launched his musical career into a successful new phase. A piece of its magic returns in "Elvis All-Star Tribute," airing Sunday, Feb. 17, on NBC.

 

Watch this: HBO is giving an acclaimed comic book series its second live-action adaptation. "Watchmen," which was originally published by DC Comics in the 1980s, was made into a major Hollywood film in 2009; the adaptation divided both audiences and critics, and now HBO is giving the material a second chance at success on screen.

Scheduled to premiere later this year -- no precise date has been announced -- the television adaptation of "Watchmen" will be a contemporary and original take on the story about modern-day vigilante superheroes living in a society that views them as outlaws. Jeremy Irons ("The Borgias") headlines the cast as Ozymandias, the so-called "smartest man in the world," alongside a diverse array of actors, most of them in unannounced roles. 

Oscar nominee Regina King ("If Beale Street Could Talk," 2018), Golden Globe winner Don Johnson ("Miami Vice"), Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr. ("An Officer and a Gentleman," 1982), Tim Blake Nelson ("The Ballad of Buster Scruggs," 2018), Adelaide Clemens ("Rectify") and Tom Mison ("Sleepy Hollow") are just a few members of the ensemble cast.

With "Game of Thrones" coming to an end, and its prequel series still off in the distance, "Watchmen" may be just the thing to keep fans sated. Details about the TV adaptation have been kept pretty tightly under wraps, but it promises to have the same blend of action, plotting and violence that's kept the comics in the zeitgeist for decades.

The "Watchmen" film wasn't quite the success that many hoped it would be, but HBO is banking on fans giving the material another chance with its own take on the source material. Watch for the first season of the series to premiere later this year.

 

Can't resist this: The resistance lives on! Disney Channel's "Star Wars Resistance" premiered last October to critical acclaim, and Disney recently ordered a second season of the animated series.

Set in a galaxy far, far away, "Resistance" follows the interstellar adventures of starship pilot Kazuda Xiono (Christopher Sean, "Days of Our Lives"). The show begins just a few months before the events of 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," and features frequent cameos by several characters and their respective actors from the main film franchise, including Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac, "Ex Machina," 2014) and Capt. Phasma (Gwendoline Christie, "Game of Thrones").

Other stars lending their voice talents include Scott Lawrence ("JAG"), Josh Brener ("Silicon Valley"), Bobby Moynihan ("Saturday Night Live"), Suzie McGrath ("EastEnders"), Jim Rash ("Community") and Donald Faison ("Scrubs").

Just like the title implies, "Star Wars Resistance" follows the adventures of a group of resistance fighters opposed to the rise of the villainous First Order in the galaxy. It's a backdrop that any Star Wars fan knows well, but the events surrounding the First Order's rise and the growth of the Resistance are never really explored in the films, so this animated series has a lot of space to explore as it fills in this important part of the Star Wars galaxy's history. With a second season already ordered before the first one has even finished, it looks like the future of the galaxy is in safe hands on Disney.