Reuters Entertainment News Summary
Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.
AMC to reopen more theaters in the United States
AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc, the world's largest theater chain, said on Monday it plans to open more cinemas in the United States this week, offering some hope to an industry hammered by pandemic restrictions and sending its shares up 24%. The company said it will reopen about a dozen locations in New York state starting Oct. 23, following guidance from Governor Andrew Cuomo over the weekend, and plans to have more than 530 theaters open in the country by the end of the month.
'Rebecca' proves to be the novel that keeps on giving
Daphne du Maurier's beloved novel "Rebecca" has seen multiple screen adaptations but the director of the latest film version believes his may be the closest to the 1938 book. The thriller about a young, naive woman who marries an older aristocrat but finds herself in the shadow of his late wife, Rebecca, was an Oscar best picture winner for director Alfred Hitchcock in 1940, starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. But the ending of the book was changed.
Italian govt enlists top influencers to promote COVID masks
Top Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni and her rapper husband Fedez have urged their fans to wear face masks, heeding a call from Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to raise awareness about battling COVID-19. Ferragni, 33, and Fedez, 31, are especially popular amongst teenagers and interrupted their usual flow of Instagram glamour to stress the importance of masks in curbing infections.
South Korea's pop culture machine boosts Netflix's international growth: source
A zombie drama, a TV series about a supernatural nurse and one about an antisocial children's book author helped turn South Korea into one of Netflix's biggest sources of growth in the international markets, a source familiar with the matter said. Netflix said 46% of its net new global paid customers in the third quarter came from the Asia Pacific region, where revenue rose 66% from last year, primarily Japan and South Korea, the company reported in a letter to investors on Tuesday. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/3jhdq7e)
Former ABC executive to become chairwoman of Warner Bros. TV
Former ABC network executive Channing Dungey will take over as chairwoman of Warner Bros. Television Group, the AT&T Inc unit said on Monday, replacing veteran television executive Peter Roth, who will step down next year. Dungey, who is currently vice president of Original Series at Netflix Inc , has previously worked at Walt Disney Co's ABC network for over 14 years, according to her LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/channingdungey.
Academy-award winner Jeff Bridges diagnosed with lymphoma
Academy-award winner Jeff Bridges, known for his role in the 1998 film "The Big Lebowski", has been diagnosed with lymphoma, the actor announced on Monday evening. Bridges used the signature voice of his character The Dude from the cult-classic film to disclose his condition, tweeting: "As the Dude would say.. New S**T has come to light."
Netflix turns to telecoms tie-ups in challenging African markets
Netflix Inc is showing more African-made content and working with telecoms operators to make it easier for potential subscribers to make payments, a senior executive told Reuters ahead of its third-quarter results on Tuesday. The online content streaming giant, which has 193 million subscribers globally, is keen to expand in Africa and is seeking ways to overcome challenges including slow and expensive internet and the lack of proper payments infrastructure in the 55-nation continent.
Pitt's 'Fight Club' jacket, 'Pretty Woman' boots up for sale in memorabilia auction
Film fans will have the chance to get their hands on the thigh-high patent leather boots worn by Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman" or Tom Cruise's "Top Gun" bomber jacket when nearly 1,000 items of movie memorabilia go on sale in an auction in December. The artefacts in the annual Prop Store Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction have been hunted down by Prop Store boss Stephen Lane through his network of filmmakers, cast and crew members, production companies and collectors.
