Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Depp tells court ex-wife attacked him on night he learned he'd lost $650 million

Movie star Johnny Depp concluded five days of testimony in his libel case against Britain's Sun newspaper on Monday, saying his ex-wife Amber Heard had thrown a "haymaker" punch at him on the night he found out he had lost $650 million. The 57-year-old "Pirates of the Caribbean" star is suing the Sun's publisher, News Group Newspapers, at London's High Court after the tabloid labelled him a "wife beater" in a 2018 article.

Body of missing 'Glee' actress Naya Rivera found in California lake, sheriff says

A body recovered from a lake in California is that of missing "Glee" actress Naya Rivera, officials said on Monday. "We are confident the body we found is that of Naya Rivera," Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub told a news conference on the shore of Lake Piru near Los Angeles.

From chariot racing to opera: Verdi comes to Rome's Circus Maximus

Rome's Circus Maximus, once home to ancient chariot races, is preparing for a new season as an opera house as the coronavirus pandemic has forced organisers to seek huge venues that allow for social distancing. The 2,800-year-old arena, one of the ancient world's biggest public entertainment venues, has needed weeks of preparation but its generous dimensions and natural structure, akin to ancient Greek theatres, makes it an ideal site.

China's Wanda Film warn a loss

China's largest cinema chain operator Wanda Film said on Tuesday it expects to report a net loss of 1.5 to 1.6 billion yuan (214 to 228 million dollars) in the first half of this year, after the coronavirus kept its cinemas shut for almost the entire period. In comparison, the company reported a net profit of 524 million yuan (75 million dollars) in the same period last year.

New animated 'Star Wars' series will debut on Disney+ in 2021

A new animated "Star Wars" series focused on an elite group of clones will debut on Walt Disney Co's Disney+ streaming service in 2021, the company announced on Monday. Called "Star Wars: The Bad Batch," the series will follow the experimental clones in a rapidly changing galaxy following the end of the Clone War, the company said.

Elvis Presley's grandson dies aged 27

A little-known member of one of rock 'n' roll music's royal families, Benjamin Keough, grandson of the late Elvis Presley and only son of the "The King's" daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, has died aged 27, her spokesman said on Sunday. There was no immediate word from authorities on the circumstances or timing of Keough's death. The Los Angeles County coroner's office confirmed only that the death of an individual of his name and age was under investigation.

Actress Kelly Preston dies of breast cancer at 57

American actress Kelly Preston who has appeared in films including "Jerry Maguire" and "Twins", has died aged 57 after battling breast cancer for nearly two years, her husband, John Travolta, announced in an Instagram post late on Sunday. "It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer," the 66-year-old "Grease" actor said in his post.

Six Harvey Weinstein accusers call $18.9 million New York settlement a 'cruel hoax'

Six women who claim they were sexually abused by Harvey Weinstein urged a U.S. judge on Monday to reject an $18.9 million settlement with the disgraced movie producer, the board of his former studio and other accusers. The settlement announced on June 30 would end litigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James and separate class-action litigation, and permit accusers to claim $7,500 to $750,000 each.

Masks, cameras, action! Film production restarts in California

Filming crews are beginning to tentatively return to set in California, after a hiatus forced on the industry by the coronavirus pandemic. State-designated safety protocols - such as wearing masks, taking temperature checks, and crew members staying at least six feet away from each other - are in place.

Fans in India pray for Bollywood's Bachchans to recover from COVID-19

Fans across India prayed on Monday for Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan and others members of his movie star family who have fallen sick with the coronavirus as the one-day rise in infections hit a new record without any sign of a peak. Bachchan, 77, and his son, Abhishek, remained in hospital in Mumbai while daughter-in-law and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and his eight-year-old granddaughter, who also tested positive were at home, quarantined.