J.K. Rowling bids farewell to Harry Potter at "Cursed Child" gala

LONDON (Reuters) - A new "Harry Potter" play that opened to swooning reviews and delighted gasps from the audience marks the end of the journey for the beloved boy wizard, his creator J.K. Rowling said at the play's premiere in London on Saturday.

Read more

Minnesota judge denies claims of 29 would-be heirs to Prince estate

(Reuters) - A Minnesota judge dismissed claims from 29 would-be heirs to the estate of the late pop star Prince, further solidifying the inheritance claims of the performer's surviving siblings, court records released on Friday showed.

Read more

Star-studded lineup unveiled for 73rd Venice Film Festival

ROME (Reuters) - The Venice Film Festival revealed a star-filled line-up for its 73rd annual edition on Thursday, featuring top Hollywood names and auteur directors in a wide selection of U.S. and international movies.

Read more

Bill Cosby drops remainder of federal suit against accuser

(Reuters) - Comedian Bill Cosby on Thursday dropped the remaining counts of a lawsuit he filed against one of the women accusing him of sexual assault, along with several others, claiming they violated the terms of a confidential settlement in another lawsuit.

Read more

Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell celebrate motherhood at 'Bad Moms' premiere

(Reuters) - Actresses Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn and Kristen Bell were in Los Angeles to premiere "Bad Moms," a film that brings a string of female stars together to take digs at the modern day perils of parenting.

Read more

Pottermania awakens as new play, book, film revive magical world

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - It's been five years since fans of "Harry Potter" tearfully said goodbye to the boy wizard they had grown up with, but a new play, book release and spin-off film are casting his spell all over again.

Read more

Pinewood, home to James Bond, to be sold for $423 million

LONDON (Reuters) - The owner of Britain's Pinewood Studios, home of the world's most famous fictional special agent James Bond, is set to be sold to a real estate fund for 323 million pound ($423 million), it said on Thursday.

Read more

Ice Bucket Challenge credited with ALS breakthrough

(Reuters) - The Ice Bucket Challenge that went viral two years ago, raising hundreds of millions of dollars, has helped identify a new gene behind the neurodegenerative disease ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, researchers say.

Read more

YouTube star PewDiePie's firm rakes in $8 million profit

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - YouTube video star PewDiePie's company made 70 million crowns ($8.1 million) profit in 2015, an annual report filed in Sweden showed, following controversy over payments for video game promotion.

Read more

Verdict over Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' is appealed

(Reuters) - The plaintiff who failed to convince a Los Angeles jury that Led Zeppelin plagiarized the opening guitar passage for its 1971 rock anthem "Stairway to Heaven" plans to appeal the verdict, court papers show.

Read more

Beyonce dominates MTV video nominations, Taylor Swift shut out

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Beyonce's critically-praised visual album "Lemonade" on Tuesday earned the R&B singer a career-best 11 nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards, in a list that included multiple nods for Adele and rapper Kanye West but nothing for Taylor Swift.

Read more

UK producers guilty over Harrison Ford's broken leg on Star Wars set

LONDON (Reuters) - A production company involved in making "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has pleaded guilty in a British court to failing to protect actors and workers after an incident in which Harrison Ford's leg was broken, officials said on Tuesday.

Read more

'Magnificent Seven' remake to be featured at Toronto film fest

TORONTO (Reuters) - Director Antoine Fuqua's remake of the 1960s Western "The Magnificent Seven" is expected to kick off the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 8, which will include movies about whistleblower Edward Snowden and former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson among the usual Oscar hopefuls.

Read more

EU antitrust regulators accept Paramount geoblocking concessions

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators accepted on Tuesday Paramount Pictures' concessions to end anti-competitive movie-licensing deals with British pay-TV group Sky UK, saying the case against five other Hollywood studios will continue.

Read more

Star Wars may propel U.S. toy industry to best year since '99: NPD

(Reuters) - The Force is with the U.S. toy industry this year.

Read more

Harry Potter's 'Cursed Child' story already a U.S. best-seller

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Harry Potter is casting a spell, again, over the publishing industry

Read more

Streaming activity helps keep Drake's 'Views' atop Billboard 200

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Strong streaming activity helped keep Canadian R&B artist Drake at the top of the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart on Monday for an 11th non-consecutive week.

Read more

Pokemon Go gets big Comic-Con stage, creator talks success and future

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Reuters) - The creator of the wildly popular Pokemon Go gaming app received the celebrity treatment on Sunday at the final day of San Diego's annual Comic-Con, as he discussed the viral popularity and future of the game.

Read more

Magic lights up Warner Bros' Comic-Con panel, superheroes reign

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Reuters) - Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne brought the wizarding world of "Harry Potter" to real life briefly on Saturday, as he helped hand out wooden wands to the 6,500-plus audience at a Comic-Con panel and made everyone perform a spell.

Read more

Box Office: 'Star Trek Beyond' racks up solid $59.6 million, 'Lights Out' scores

LOS ANGELES(Variety.com) - "Star Trek Beyond" debuted to a solid $59.6 million this weekend, signaling that after six television series, 13 movies, and 50 years in the pop culture conversation, there's still life left in one of Hollywood's most durable franchises.

Read more

Marvel serves star-studded surprises at Comic-Con for new film slate

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Reuters) - Amid fog and lasers on Saturday, Marvel gave frenzied fans at Comic-Con their first look at a new Black Panther movie cast, the mysterious Doctor Strange, a Spider-Man teen movie and an Oscar-winning actress as the new Captain Marvel.

Read more

Edward Snowden talks film debut and dramatizing his life in 'Snowden'

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Reuters) - When former NSA contractor-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden met with Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone to discuss a movie on his life, he never thought he would be making his own film debut.

Read more

Administrator of Prince's estate dismisses more inheritance claims

(Reuters) - The administrator of Prince's estate has further solidified the inheritance claims of the pop superstar's six surviving siblings by dismissing more than a dozen other claimants, according to court documents released on Friday.

Read more

Dave Franco and Emma Roberts sign autographs as they promote 'Nerve' at Comic Con

(Reuters) - San Diego’s annual Comic-Con pop culture event is host to hundreds of influencer panels, fan activities and cosplay, but there’s no draw quite like celebrities who want to meet their fans.

Read more

Dying on stage: comedian Marx has come closer than most

GREENWICH, England(Reuters) - Like most stand-up comedians, Carey Marx has stories about "dying on stage", but in his case they are almost literally true.

Read more

Director Besson debuts first look at expansive, ambitious 'Valerian'

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Reuters) - French director Luc Besson lifted the lid on his sci-fi space epic "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" at Comic-Con, showing fans the first footage from the ambitious project following two space travelers in the 28th century.

Read more

Prince estate's administrator dismisses claims by three

(Reuters) - The administrator of Prince's estate has dismissed claims from three would-be heirs who asserted that their father was also the true biological dad of the late pop star through an alleged affair with his mother.

Read more

'Snowden' director Stone talks NSA, Pokemon GO at Comic Con

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Reuters) - Pokemon GO may seem a long way from the spy networks of the U.S. National Security Agency, but for Oliver Stone, director of NSA whistleblower movie "Snowden," the gaming app represents "a new level of invasion" of our digital privacy.

Read more

Politics today is like Medieval War of the Roses, says actor Ralph Fiennes

LONDON (Reuters) - British actor Ralph Fiennes has compared the current infighting among British politicians to William Shakespeare's portrayal of England's 15th Century Wars of the Roses in an interview with Reuters.

Read more

Pavarotti's family tells Trump to stop using beloved aria

ROME (Reuters) - Luciano Pavarotti's family says the late opera singer would not have approved of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's use of his recording of Giacomo Puccini's aria "Nessun Dorma", or "None Shall Sleep", in his election campaign.

Read more

Tamil superstar takes over southern India ahead of film release

(Reuters) - Frenzy gripped southern India on Thursday, a day ahead of the release of Tamil cinema superstar Rajinikanth's crime-drama film titled "Kabali."

Read more

Star Trek crew celebrate fandom at Comic Con launch

Under the orange skies at dusk in San Diego on Wednesday, hundreds of fans were treated to a special outdoor screening of "Star Trek Beyond" with a live orchestra and fireworks, as the cast debuted the film at the annual Comic-Con.

Read more

Show us the money: 'Wolf of Wall Street' probe may boost profits

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Leonardo DiCaprio bought the movie rights for what would be "The Wolf of Wall Street" back in 2007. But it wasn't until a little-known Hollywood production company came along six years later that the story of high-rolling fraudsters got off the ground.

Read more

Pakistani singer Khan unites Bollywood and Qawwali in UK shows

(Reuters) - Singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, known for both Bollywood hits and Qawwali, Sufi devotional music that dates back more than 700 years, is taking the two genres to Britain in August for three concerts.

Read more

Director, producer and writer Garry Marshall dead at 81: media

(Reuters) - Director, producer and writer Garry Marshall, who was responsible for creating sitcom hits such as "The Odd Couple" and "Happy Days" and directed hit movies “Pretty Woman” and “The Princess Diaries,” died on Tuesday, Variety reported.

Read more

Studios conjure magic, superheroes in battle for Comic-Con fans

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A slew of superheroes, magic and King Arthur are just some of the bait that movie studios are using to entice fans at this year's San Diego Comic Convention as Warner Bros' DC Comics franchise goes head-to-head with Disney's Marvel universe.

Read more

Exclusive: LVMH considers creative director change at Louis Vuitton - sources

PARIS (Reuters) - LVMH boss Bernard Arnault is considering a change of creative director at Louis Vuitton with the up-and-coming Jonathan Anderson, now at sister brand Loewe, viewed as the best candidate to replace Nicolas Ghesquiere, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter.

Read more

Twitter announces crackdown after online abuse of 'Ghostbusters' actor

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Twitter Inc said Tuesday it had moved to permanently suspend a number of user accounts for abuse and harassment after Ghostbusters actor Leslie Jones on Monday drew renewed attention to the issue and announced she would quit the social media site.

Read more

Actor Tom Sizemore arrested on domestic violence charge: Los Angeles police

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Tom Sizemore, who co-starred in the films "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down" before he was convicted in 2003 of assaulting his ex-girlfriend Heidi Fleiss, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of domestic abuse in Los Angeles, a police spokesman said.

Read more

Fox News, Ailes in negotiations over his exit: source

(Reuters) - Roger Ailes, who built Fox News into a profitable ratings powerhouse, and Twenty-First Century Fox Inc are in negotiations over his departure from the cable news channel following allegations of sexual harassment, a person briefed on the discussions said Tuesday.

Read more

No shaking off Taylor Swift-Kanye West 'Famous' feud

(Editor's note: this story contains language in paragraph three that may offend some readers)

Read more

Pippa Middleton engaged to hedge fund beau: Daily Mail

LONDON (Reuters) - Pippa Middleton, sister of Britain's Duchess of Cambridge and possibly the country's most eligible single woman, is engaged to marry a hedge fund millionaire, the Daily Mail reported on Tuesday.

Read more

Dozens of wrestlers sue WWE over neurological injuries

(Reuters) - World Wrestling Entertainment Inc was sued on Monday by Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and dozens of other retired male and female wrestlers seeking to hold it responsible for neurological injuries they claimed to suffer by participating in its bouts.

Read more

'Episode VIII' to break 'Star Wars' tradition; new Han Solo unveiled

(Reuters) - The anticipated "Star Wars: Episode VIII" will pick up from the cliffhanger in the final scene of "The Force Awakens," fans of the franchise were told at a special event, while a new Han Solo was unveiled for a stand-alone film on the much-loved character.

Read more

Judge throws out parts of Bill Cosby's lawsuit over 2006 settlement

(Reuters) - A federal judge has thrown out parts of a lawsuit filed by disgraced comedian Bill Cosby against one of his accusers, her mother, two lawyers and the publisher of the National Enquirer claiming that they violated a confidential settlement agreement.U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno, ruling on motions by the defendants to dismiss the case, said that Cosby could not sue Andrea Constand, her mother or attorneys for speaking to investigators about her accusations.

Read more

Box Office: 'Ghostbusters' debuts to $46 million, 'Secret Life of Pets' tops charts

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Paul Feig's "Ghostbusters" reboot has triggered intense debate over its decision to refashion the proton pack-wielding paranormal investigators as an all-female team.

Read more

Drake's 'Views' takes tenth week atop Billboard 200 chart

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Canadian R&B singer Drake reclaimed the top spot on the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart on Monday for a 10th week, joining a small group of artists to have achieved the same feat in recent years.

Read more

Pitbull says he is not supporting Trump

Rapper Pitbull had harsh words for Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump on Friday, telling reporters that he is not supporting the candidate and describing his campaign as a "joke."

Read more

'Rogue One' unveils gritty, grounded new 'Star Wars' story

(Reuters) - A "Star Wars" world with a host of new characters and a new feisty female lead was unveiled at a special fan event on Friday, as the cast of the upcoming film "Rogue One" discussed the latest chapter of the much-loved franchise.

Read more

Sumner Redstone's National Amusements opposes Viacom's planned sale of Paramount stake

(Reuters) - Sumner Redstone's privately-held movie theater company said on Friday it opposes the sale of a stake in Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures, saying that any transaction could hurt the chances of a transaction involving all of Viacom.

Read more

Rihanna cancels Nice concert after attack

LONDON (Reuters) - Pop star Rihanna has canceled a concert scheduled for Friday in Nice after a gunman in a truck plowed into crowds marking Bastille Day in the southern coastal French city, killing at least 84 people.

Read more

'People v. O.J. Simpson,' 'Game of Thrones' lead Emmy nominations

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," a TV mini-series exploring racial tensions that strained the criminal justice system 20 years before Black Lives Matter, dominated the Primetime Emmy nominations on Thursday along with HBO's medieval fantasy "Game of Thrones."

Read more

Mick Jagger, 72, to become father for eighth time

LONDON (Reuters) - Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, 72, is to become a father again for the eighth time.

Read more

Woody Allen describes 'Cafe Society' as a novel on film

After opening this year's prestigious Cannes Film Festival, veteran writer and director Woody Allen brought his latest movie "Cafe Society" to New York on Wednesday for a red carpet screening.

Read more

David Bowie's private art collection to go on display and sale

LONDON (Reuters) - David Bowie's private art collection, including works by Henry Moore and Damien Hirst, will go on display to the public for the first time before heading for auction later this year, Sotheby's said on Thursday.

Read more

Director Ross explores family and parenting in 'Captain Fantastic'

July 13 (Reuters) - Writer and director Matt Ross says his award-winning "Captain Fantastic" film about a father and his children draws on some elements of his own childhood as well as his own hopes as a parent.

Read more

Calvin Harris takes to social media to criticize Taylor Swift

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - DJ and producer Calvin Harris criticized his former girlfriend, pop star Taylor Swift, on social media on Wednesday, for making him "look bad" after a celebrity news publication revealed that Swift had written Harris' latest hit song under a pseudonym.

Read more

Hollywood stands behind Jennifer Aniston's take on media sexism

(Reuters) - Hollywood celebrities are lining up behind actress Jennifer Aniston after she penned a blog criticizing the media for the way it scrutinizes female stars.

Read more

Trevor Noah on balancing comedy and current affairs for 'Daily Show'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - It has been 10 months since Trevor Noah took the helm at Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," but the South African comedian said he still agrees when people say he's not ready to host the satirical late night news show.

Read more

Taylor Swift tops Forbes highest paid celebrity list

LONDON (Reuters) - Singer Taylor Swift has topped this year's Forbes list of the world's 100 highest paid celebrities, earning $170 million mainly thanks to her hugely successful "1989" world tour.

Read more

Actor Mark Rylance puts rights of tribal people center-stage in new film

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Oscar-winning British actor Mark Rylance has left behind the splendor of "Wolf Hall" and poetry of Shakespeare to appear in a film appealing for global support for the protection of indigenous communities and their land worldwide.

Read more

VH1 celebrated hip hop's leading ladies

The pioneering ladies of rap music were feted on Monday by music network VH1, as Lil Kim, Queen Latifah, Salt-n-Pepa and Missy Elliot were celebrated for their trendsetting music, style and relevance to the hip-hop culture.

Read more

More space adventures as crew return in 'Star Trek Beyond'

LONDON (Reuters) - The crew of the USS Enterprise are back for more space adventures in "Star Trek Beyond", the latest episode in the film reboot of the popular science fiction series that marks its 50th birthday this year.

Read more

Matt Damon returns as former CIA assassin in latest 'Bourne' film

LONDON (Reuters) - Actor Matt Damon returns as a troubled former CIA assassin in the latest edition of the hit "Bourne" movie series this month, reprising a role he says was physically tough to get ready for over a decade and a half since he first took it on.

Read more

Grammy-winning singer Chaka Khan enters rehab for drug abuse

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Chaka Khan has postponed all performances for this month after checking herself into a drug addiction rehabilitation program, her representatives said in a message posted on her website.

Read more

Actor Miranda bows out of award-winning 'Hamilton'

LONDON (Reuters) - After 11 Tony awards, a Pulitzer prize and plenty of critical acclaim, Lin-Manuel Miranda bowed out of his hit Broadway show "Hamilton", the pop culture phenomenon based on U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton, at the weekend.

Read more

British singer Cliff Richard pursues legal action over raid

LONDON (Reuters) - British singer Cliff Richard is pursuing legal action against the BBC and the police after the broadcaster televised a raid on his house, saying his reputation had been "unnecessarily damaged".

Read more

Madonna visits Malawi hospital her charity is funding

BLANTYRE, Malawi (Reuters) - Pop star Madonna paid a visit to a hospital project funded by her charity in Blantyre, Malawi at the weekend, inspecting progress on the construction of a pediatric surgery and intensive care unit.

Read more

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry stable in hospital after collapsing on stage

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry collapsed on stage while performing in New York on Sunday and was hospitalized, according to reports.

Read more

Box Office: 'Secret Life of Pets' Debuts to Massive $103.2 Million

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "The Secret Life of Pets" dominated the weekend box office, racking up a massive $103.2 million and launching the first new franchise of the summer.

Read more

Actor Takei says making 'Star Trek' character Sulu gay 'unfortunate'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Veteran "Star Trek" actor George Takei may have been the inspiration to make fan favorite character Hikaru Sulu gay in the franchise's new film, but he called the decision "really unfortunate," media outlets reported on Friday.

Read more

On 'Wannabe' 20-year anniversary, Spice Girls trio hint at reunion

LONDON (Reuters) - Three members of the Spice Girls hinted at a reunion as they released a video on Friday marking 20 years since their band's debut single "Wannabe" stormed the charts worldwide.

Read more

New 'Ghostbusters' cast shakes off criticism to revive classic story

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The four lead actresses of the new "Ghostbusters" are out to prove that women can fight supernatural entities just as well as their male predecessors.

Read more

Actor Damon promises plenty of action in 'Jason Bourne' movie

SEOUL - Hollywood star Matt Damon on Friday promised some "great action" in the highly-anticipated upcoming "Jason Bourne" film, citing fight scenes and a huge car chase as he reprises the role of the super spy.

Read more

Major sing-off kicks off at 'ChoirOlympics' in Sochi

SOCHI, Russia - Chorists from various countries are belting out their best tunes at the World Choir Games in the southern Black Sea resort of Sochi, competing in the biennial event dubbed the "Olympics of choral music".

Read more

Stewart, Holt team up for science fiction drama 'Equals'

LOS ANGELES - "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart and "X-Men" actor Nicholas Hoult team up for science-fiction film "Equals", a drama looking to a future where humans are genetically modified so as to not feel emotions and those who begin to do so are persecuted.

Read more

Emma Watson film takes $61 at limited UK cinema open

LONDON (Reuters) - British actress Emma Watson's latest movie, "The Colony," took just $61 in its UK box office opening weekend after showing in only three cinemas while immediately being made available for home streaming.

Read more

Actor says 'Star Trek' fan favorite Sulu is gay in new film

(Reuters) - The actor playing Captain Hikaru Sulu in the upcoming sci-fi film "Star Trek Beyond" has revealed that the fan favorite character is openly gay and married in the new film, an Australian media outlet reported on Thursday.

Read more

Cosby returns to court to seek dismissal of sex assault charges

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (Reuters) - Bill Cosby returned to a Pennsylvania criminal court on Thursday as the comedian's lawyers prepared to mount their latest attempt to have the sexual assault case against him thrown out.

Read more

Stars out for 'The Legend of Tarzan'

After nine months of intense workouts and meal plans to get into the strapping shape of vine-swinging jungle hero Tarzan, Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard found a fitting way to decompress with his famous father, veteran Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard.

Read more

Madonna moved to tears by case of child rape in Kenya

NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Pop star Madonna was reduced to tears during a trip to Kenya as she listened to a man describe how his five-year-old daughter had been recently raped by a neighbor in Nairobi's Kibera slum.

Read more

Actor Jean Reno honored at Karlovy Vary film festival

KARLOVY VARY, Czech Republic (Reuters) - French actor Jean Reno has received the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival President Award at the 51st edition of the event in the Czech Republic.

Read more

Noel Neill, Lois Lane in 'Superman' TV series, dies at 95

Actress Noel Neill, who played Lois Lane, the intrepid reporter on the "Adventures of Superman" television series who never quite figured out her Daily Planet colleague Clark Kent was The Man of Steel, has died at the age of 95, a friend said on Monday.

Read more

Kiarostami, master of post-revolution Iranian cinema, dies at 76

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Abbas Kiarostami, the writer-director who showed that Iranian cinema was one of the most original and emotionally engaging in the world, died in Paris on Monday from complications related to cancer, according to Iranian state media. He was 76.

Read more

Giacometti art trove at center of Franco-Swiss legal tussle

ZURICH (Reuters) - A rich trove of drawings by Alberto Giacometti and photographs of the renowned sculptor and artist has been lying in sealed storage cartons in a Swiss museum for more than two years due to a legal dispute over their rightful ownership.

Read more

Comedienne Rebel Wilson makes London stage debut in 'Guys and Dolls'

LONDON (Reuters) - Having made audiences laugh in movies such as "Bridesmaids" and "Pitch Perfect", Australian comedienne Rebel Wilson now sets her sights on the London stage, making her West End debut in musical "Guys and Dolls".

Read more

Luxury brands show autumn creations at Paris haute couture week

PARIS (Reuters) - Luxury materials, exquisite craftsmanship and sweeping dresses take center stage at the Paris haute couture fashion shows this week, where designer brands show their autumn collections.

Read more

Box Office: 'Finding Dory' Dominates 'Tarzan,' Spielberg's 'The BFG' Bombs

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "Finding Dory" dominated the Independence Day box office, overcoming a trio of new releases to provide the weekend's biggest fireworks.

Read more

It wouldn’t be the 4th of July without Willie Nelson's moveable ‘picnic’

AUSTIN, Texas - It is an on again, occasionally off again American tradition from the 1970s that has filled football stadiums and sun-baked Texas ranches, with one constant - country music legend Willie Nelson celebrating Independence Day with a music-packed picnic.

Read more

'Deer Hunter' director Michael Cimino dies aged 77

London (Reuters) - Michael Cimino, whose roller-coaster career as a Hollywood film director included Oscar-winner "The Deer Hunter" and legendary box office flop "Heaven's Gate," has died, U.S media reported. He was 77.

Read more

Spielberg takes on daunting challenge to bring 'The BFG' to life

(Reuters) - Steven Spielberg has rarely shied away from a challenge, from deadly sharks in "Jaws" to resurrecting dinosaurs in "Jurassic Park," but when it came to creating a giant for "The BFG," his latest film, the veteran director found the prospect "very daunting."

Read more

One Direction, Lionel Richie winners at Silver Clef Awards

LONDON, July 1 (Reuters) - Boy band One Direction, singer Lionel Richie and violinist Andre Rieu were among the winners at the O2 Silver Clef Awards in London on Friday, an annual event raising money for a British musical therapy charity.

Read more

British Summer Time festival launches

The British Summer Time concert series got ready to kick off in London's Hyde Park on Thursday (June 30).

Read more

Tarzan swings again in screen tale of rescue and revenge

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Tarzan may have left the jungle, but the call of the wild proves too irresistible for the vine-swinging hero as he is lured back to the African forests, only to find himself racing to save his kidnapped wife and the Congolese people in a new film.

Read more