Entertainment News Roundup: Joyful 'In the Heights' is love letter to Latinos in U.S.; Warner Bros. plans anime movie in 'Lord of the Rings' series and more

Opening in movie theaters on Thursday and streaming on HBO Max, Hollywood's biggest Latino film in decades tells the stories of the dreams and challenges of the largely immigrant community in Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood. A Minute With The 'Queen Bees' cast on age and role of older women Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn plays a reluctant new arrival at a retirement home in the comedy "Queen Bees", where she comes face to face with a gang of "mean girls".

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Joyful 'In the Heights' is love letter to Latinos in U.S.

It's taken 13 years to make its way from the stage to the big screen, but "In the Heights" is throwing a party and wants everyone to join in. Opening in movie theaters on Thursday and streaming on HBO Max, Hollywood's biggest Latino film in decades tells the stories of the dreams and challenges of the largely immigrant community in Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood.

A Minute With: The 'Queen Bees' cast on age and role of older women

Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn plays a reluctant new arrival at a retirement home in the comedy "Queen Bees", where she comes face to face with a gang of "mean girls". Despite insisting on a temporary stay while her home is renovated, Burstyn's character Helen soon makes friends with the women and finds romance as well.

Warner Bros. plans anime movie in 'Lord of the Rings' series

The Warner Bros. movie studio will produce an anime feature film set in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien's popular "The Lord of the Rings" books, officials announced on Thursday. "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" will tell the story of a legendary battle that shaped Middle-Earth in the years leading up to events in the 2001 film "The Lord of the Rings," a statement from the studio said. The new movie will explore the fortress of Helm's Deep and feature the King of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand.

Kim Kardashian has no regrets as 'Keeping Up' reality series ends

After 14 years of drama, fashion and family, "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," the television series that made Kim Kardashian and her siblings household names, took its final bow on Thursday with hugs, tears, and gratitude. "I have no regrets. This was, like, the best decade and a half of my life," Kim Kardashian says in the finale.

Actor Riz Ahmed leads bid to change way Muslims seen in movies

British actor Riz Ahmed Thursday launched an effort to improve the way Muslims are depicted in movies after a study showed that they are barely seen and shown in a negative light when they do appear. Ahmed, the "Sound of Metal" star and the first Muslim to get a best actor Oscar nomination, said the Blueprint for Muslim Inclusion would include funding and mentoring for Muslim storytellers in the early stages of their careers.

Singer R. Kelly tells judge he fired two defense lawyers as trial looms

R. Kelly told a federal judge on Wednesday that he fired two of his defense lawyers, exposing deep rifts in the singer's legal defense team ahead of his August sex abuse trial in New York. Kelly confirmed to U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly in Brooklyn that he fired Steve Greenberg and Michael Leonard, leaving him with two defense lawyers.

Placido Domingo honoured in Spain after harassment allegations

Spanish opera star Placido Domingo was honoured with an award at Madrid's Teatro Real on Thursday, a day after receiving a standing ovation for his first performance in his home country since a union said he had routinely harassed women. Spain last year cancelled planned performances by Domingo at publicly funded theatres, while the singer pulled out of shows after an investigation by the American Guild of Musical Artists concluded he had behaved inappropriately with female performers.

Hiddleston pleased that Marvel's 'Loki' addresses gender fluidity

"Loki" actor Tom Hiddleston said he welcomed Marvel Studios' decision to address the popular villain's gender fluidity in a new Disney+ streaming series that debuts on Wednesday. At a screening in London on Tuesday, Hiddleston noted that Loki had been portrayed as gender-fluid in Marvel comic books as well as in Norse mythology, where the character originated.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)