AP National Entertainment News

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift doesn’t simply announce albums. She curates events. That’s a trend that certainly did not begin with the announcement of her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl, ” on Tuesday. She’s long embraced new technologies and forward-thinking marketing opportunities that allow her

By MEGAN JANETSKY Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican-American clothing designer Willy Chavarria has apologized for an Adidas sandal he created after being accused by Mexican authorities of “cultural appropriation” for imitating an Indigenous shoe design. The design launched by Adidas, known as the Oaxaca Slip On, is a black sandal with braided leather

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — On paper, the song might be an unusual pairing, or something resembling Mad Libs. Two Atlanta rappers with idiosyncratic styles — Offset’s melodic, aggressive flow and the dexterous lyricist JID — speaking the same language on “Bodies.” Their collaboration, largely recorded in China, arrives atop

LONDON (AP) — Madonna has urged the pope to travel to Gaza and “bring your light to the children before it’s too late.” The superstar posted her appeal to the pontiff on social media Monday, saying her son Rocco’s birthday prompted her to make the post. Rocco turned 25 Monday. Addressing Pope Leo XIV, she

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Look what you made her do — Taylor Swift has announced her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” It will arrive October 3, she revealed Wednesday. Swift, Max Martin and Shellback are the credited producers, which includes a notable absence of her longtime

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer Israel’s targeted killing of an Al Jazeera correspondent in Gaza over the weekend was noteworthy even for a conflict remarkably blood-soaked for journalists, leaving some experts to marvel that any news at all emerges from the territory. An Al Jazeera executive said Monday that it won’t back down from

By ANDREW DeMILLO Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Additional employees at an Arkansas prison have been disciplined for not following procedures after a convicted murderer known as the “Devil in the Ozarks” escaped earlier this summer, a state prison system official told lawmakers Monday. Arkansas Division of Correction Director Dexter Payne said several

By JONATHAN MATTISE Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Daryl Hall and John Oates have resolved their dispute over a Hall & Oates business partnership through arbitration, reaching a private ending after details of their rift went public in court documents filed in a 2023 lawsuit by Hall against Oates, according to a court filing

By ITZEL LUNA Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prince Harry and Meghan have extended their partnership with Netflix and their media company, Archewell Productions, with a multiyear, first-look deal, the couple announced Monday. Archewell began collaborating with the streaming giant in 2020 and have produced a handful of documentary content, including the popular “Harry

By HELI SIVUNEN, TOMMI OJALA and STEFANIE DAZIO Associated Press TAMPERE, Finland (AP) — The Moomins, Finland’s most lovable literary cartoon family, are celebrating their 80th birthday this year. The chubby, white, hippopotamus-like characters have captivated readers worldwide since author and illustrator Tove Jansson published “The Moomins and the Great Flood” in 1945. The children’s

By The Associated Press Vanessa Kirby starring in a gritty film about the aspirations of home ownership, “Night Always Comes,” and Maroon 5 releasing their eighth studio album with songs featuring Lil Wayne and Blackpink’s LISA are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the

NEW YORK (AP) — Paramount will become the new home to Ultimate Fighting Championship events across the U.S. next year, through a seven-year agreement announced with TKO Group on Monday. Under the deal, Paramount will exclusively distribute the UFC’s full lineup of its 13 marquee numbered events and 30 “Fight Nights” on its streaming platform

By ITZEL LUNA Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — It’s August, and horror and humor came to play. In a month that’s long been known to let edgier movies thrive, Zach Cregger’s highly anticipated horror film “Weapons” did not disappoint, topping the box office during its debut weekend with $42.5 million domestically from 3,202 theaters.

By ALICIA RANCILIO Associated Press In Starz’s “Outlander,” Caitriona Balfe’s Claire Fraser is bold and brave. She can also think on her feet in high-pressure moments. Her husband Jamie Fraser, played by Sam Heughan, is protective and empathetic. In a new prequel series out Friday, called “Outlander: Blood of My Blood,” we see how they

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — With deep knowledge of Stephen King’s books and curiosity about their inspirations, writer Sharon Kitchens began a journey around Maine. As she learned about the real-life settings and people behind such fiction as “IT” and “Salem’s Lot,” she arranged them into an online map and

By ITZEL LUNA Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor Gina Carano has settled her federal lawsuit against Lucasfilm and its parent The Walt Disney Co. over her claim that she was fired from “The Mandalorian” in 2021 for expressing right-wing views on social media. The specific terms of the agreement were not made available.

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband and talent manager, has died of cancer, his family said Thursday. He was 48. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years,” a representative for the Blackstock family shared in a statement to The Associated Press. “He passed away

By The Associated Press Dean Cain, the actor best known for portraying Superman on a 1990s television show, wants to join the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. In an interview with Fox News this week, Cain said he’d already spoken to the agency responsible for carrying out President Donald Trump’s mass deportations agenda. Assistant

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets will honor the 60th anniversary of the Fab Four’s performance at Shea Stadium when they host the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 15 for The Beatles Night at Citi Field. The 1965 performance was a milestone because The Beatles became the first rock band to perform a major

By AIJAZ HUSSAIN Associated Press SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Indian authorities have banned 25 books in Kashmir that they say propagate “false narratives” and “secessionism” in the disputed region, where strict controls on the media have escalated in recent years. The ban threatens people with prison time for selling or owning these works by authors

By DAVE COLLINS Associated Press NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Nestled on a narrow, one-way street among Yale University buildings, a pizza joint and an ice cream shop, Toad’s Place looks like a typical haunt for college kids. But inside the modest, two-story building is a veritable museum of paintings and signed photos depicting the

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer ESPN’s much-discussed streaming service finally has its launch date. The network announced Wednesday that its direct-to-consumer service and enhanced app will debut Aug. 21. The announcement coincided with Disney’s quarterly earning report. This week’s expanded deals with the NFL and a new partnership with WWE provides ESPN with more

By SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS Associated Press Eddie Palmieri, the avant-garde musician who was one of the most innovative artists of rumba and Latin jazz, has died. He was 88. Fania Records announced Palmieri’s death Wednesday evening. Palmieri’s daughter Gabriela told The New York Times that her father died earlier that day at his home in New

LONDON (AP) — And now for something completely different: Britain’s Royal Mail has issued stamps celebrating the absurdist comedy of Monty Python. The 10-stamp series announced on Thursday celebrates some of the troupe’s most iconic characters and catchphrases, from “Nudge, nudge” to “The Lumberjack Song.” Six stamps depict scenes from the sketch-comedy TV series “Monty

By ITZEL LUNA Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — If there’s one thing Zach Cregger learned while writing and directing his upcoming horror movie “Weapons,” it’s that the best laughs won’t come from the jokes he writes. The film follows Cregger’s 2022 solo directorial debut “Barbarians,” the widely celebrated genre-bending horror. This time, the young

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer Country superstar Brad Paisley and Americana powerhouse Emmylou Harris will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the organization announced Wednesday. The new class also includes Steve Bogard and Tony Martin in the contemporary songwriter category, Jim Lauderdale in the contemporary songwriter/artist category and Don Cook in

By MIKE SILVERMAN Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Jemez and Sangre de Cristo mountains had vanished into the night sky by the time Ryan Speedo Green sang his first words as Wotan in Wagner’s “Die Walküre.” Still, their invisible presence around the Santa Fe Opera House was a fitting backdrop, since Wagner

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — After teaming up on a bestseller about the murder of four University of Idaho students, James Patterson and Vicky Ward are collaborating on a book about the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the hunt for his alleged killer, Luigi Mangione. Little, Brown

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer ESPN will continue to broadcast the NFL Draft as well as obtaining new digital rights for its upcoming direct-to-consumer service. The two agreements were announced Wednesday morning, two hours before the Walt Disney Company announced its third-quarter earnings. It also came after the NFL and ESPN announced a nonbinding

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer Ever since the NFL announced it was looking to sell NFL Network and other media assets, ESPN had been seen as one of the favorites to make a deal. Nearly five years later, a framework is finally in place. The NFL announced Tuesday night that it has entered into