Wahlberg's Whirlwind Week: Wahlburgers Woes, Viral Videos, and Play Dirty Debut

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Mark Wahlberg is once again dominating both headlines and social media in recent days, though not all the news is celebratory. The most significant development centers on his family’s Wahlburgers restaurant chain, which just shut down more than two-thirds of its U.S. locations, including all within Hy-Vee grocery stores; that’s 79 closures, leaving only 34 restaurants open nationwide. The chain will now focus more on stand-alone eateries after the dissolved partnership with Hy-Vee, a move driven by what CEO Randy Sharpe described as disappointing performance from in-grocery locations. Entrepreneur and Food Republic highlighted that while Wahlburgers scaled rapidly thanks to the Hy-Vee expansion, overextension ultimately hurt the brand’s footprint. Still, the company does plan a rebound, with up to 15 new restaurants expected to open this year. According to Parade, Wahlburgers continues operations in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia—and Wahlberg is also busy with other ventures including Ohio car dealerships, the Municipal apparel line, and a Las Vegas restaurant and tequila brand Flecha Azul.

Not one to shy away from the spotlight, Mark’s personal Instagram activity also trended this week. Netflix Junkie and countless fans took note when he posted a provocative gym video, preaching his signature “Get up early, baby” routine while showing off his physique. Instagram exploded with fan reactions, as did fitness blogs and media outlets, proving that even in his 50s, Wahlberg’s disciplined workouts and thirst traps keep both admirers and headlines coming.

On the entertainment front, Wahlberg appeared on The View to promote his upcoming film Play Dirty, but the segment went viral for an entirely different reason. After an unexpectedly confrontational exchange with Joy Behar touching on his career and personal history, Wahlberg stunned the studio by storming off live. Social media erupted within hours and his evening statement—about the line between tough questions and humiliation—sparked fresh debate over the boundaries of daytime TV journalism and celebrity interviews, as documented by ABC and major entertainment blogs.

Speaking about Play Dirty, Wahlberg told Collider the movie is a cross between The Italian Job and Heat, highlighting "the action, high stakes, and great Shane Black dialogue" that made the project particularly special to him. As IMDb and ScreenRant point out, Wahlberg isn’t slowing down: upcoming projects also include The Union, Flight Risk, The Six Billion Dollar Man, another comedy with Paul Walter Hauser, and a sequel to Uncharted.

Of course, his sports allegiances made news as well, with Raiders Newswire reporting that Mark joked about ditching his beloved New England Patriots in favor of the Las Vegas Raiders because of Tom Brady’s new ownership role—though he admitted it was more about proximity and friendship than any true change of heart.

All in all, it’s been a week of highs and lows for Wahlberg—major business pivots, viral fitness content, headline-making TV drama, and a film slate that ensures he’ll stay at center stage for the foreseeable future. No unconfirmed romance rumors or scandal this week, just a blizzard of bona fide Wahlberg—and for both fans and critics, he remains impossible to ignore.

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