Entertainment News Roundup: Here they go again - ABBA reunite for first new album in 40 years; Kristen Stewart's turn as Princess Diana wows Venice and more

A towering man with a brooding presence and a shock of wavy hair, Theodorakis's work evoked a progressive, democratic vision of the world, though his political struggles reflected a darker side of Greece rarely seen by visitors. Director Villeneuve says science fiction epic 'Dune' more relevant today Tackling politics, religion, the fight for precious resources and the environment, Frank Herbert's 1965 epic science fiction novel "Dune" is more relevant to today's audiences, director Denis Villeneuve said on Friday as he brought his ambitious adaptation to the Venice Film Festival.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Here they go again - ABBA reunite for first new album in 40 years

Swedish supergroup ABBA announced their first new album in four decades on Thursday and said they would stage a series of virtual concerts using digital avatars of themselves in London next year. Fans piled online to celebrate the long-awaited reunion of one of the world's most successful bands. "2021 has been saved by new ABBA music," @elliemiles23 said in one widely shared Twitter post.

Critics say 'Dune' movie will thrill ardent fans, may mystify others

The much-anticipated movie remake of the science-fiction epic "Dune" won praise from critics on Friday for its stunning visual spectacle, though some of the initial reviews said that only the most hard-core fans would enjoy the storytelling. "Dune" debuted at the Venice Film Festival on Friday and will hit theaters and the HBO Max streaming service on Oct. 22. The movie is adapted from Frank Herbert's 1965 novel about an intergalactic battle to control a precious resource.

Kristen Stewart's turn as Princess Diana wows Venice

U.S. actress Kristen Stewart's interpretation of Princess Diana in "Spencer" got a warm reception at the Venice Film Festival, where it premiered on Friday, with some critics already tipping her as an Oscar favourite. Chilean director Pablo Larrain follows a transformative Stewart as the troubled princess reluctantly joining the royals for a three-day Christmas gathering at Sandringham House as her marriage to Prince Charles breaks down.

Returning to film, Jane Campion says #MeToo was 'like the end of apartheid'

Acclaimed New Zealand director Jane Campion, back on the big screen after a 12-year hiatus, praised fellow female film-makers for a string of top awards over the past year, saying the #MeToo movement was like "the end of apartheid" for women. Campion, presenting her new film "The Power of The Dog" at the Venice festival on Thursday, pointed to colleagues Chloe Zhao - whose "Nomadland" won the top prize in Venice last year and went on to fetch three Oscars - and this year's Cannes winner Julia Ducournau.

R. Kelly accuser says she reached $200,000 settlement after herpes diagnosis

A woman testified at R. Kelly's sex abuse trial on Friday that she reached a $200,000 settlement with the R&B singer after she contracted herpes. Prosecutors have been trying to show jurors in Brooklyn federal court that Kelly was careless toward alleged victims of his sexual practices, including multiple victims who claim he kept silent about transmitting disease through intercourse.

'Our Mikis has gone': 'Zorba the Greek' composer Theodorakis dies at 96

Composer Mikis Theodorakis, whose music crossed international boundaries in his captivating score for the film "“Zorba the Greek", died on Thursday, plunging Greece into three days of mourning. A towering man with a brooding presence and a shock of wavy hair, Theodorakis's work evoked a progressive, democratic vision of the world, though his political struggles reflected a darker side of Greece rarely seen by visitors.

Director Villeneuve says science fiction epic 'Dune' more relevant today

Tackling politics, religion, the fight for precious resources and the environment, Frank Herbert's 1965 epic science fiction novel "Dune" is more relevant to today's audiences, director Denis Villeneuve said on Friday as he brought his ambitious adaptation to the Venice Film Festival. An ensemble cast led by Timothee Chalamet stars in the mammoth project, set in the future where noble families rule planetary fiefs.

'Hadestown' marks return of Broadway musicals after 18-month shutdown

Broadway's long-awaited reopening kicked off on Thursday with the return of Tony-winning show "Hadestown" - the first musical to come back after an unprecedented 18-month shutdown. "Hadestown," which won eight Tonys in 2019 for its modern rock twist on the ancient Greek tale of lovers Orpheus and Eurydice, was the biggest show so far to take to the stage again ahead of the return of more than a dozen productions later in September.

As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 rolls around, filmmakers take different approaches

A slew of new films and TV series are being released around the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, attacks, taking different approaches as the United States looks back on that day that changed everything. One of the more high-profile projects being released is "Worth." A Netflix film, "Worth" tells the story of mediator Kenneth Feinberg, played by Michael Keaton, who was tasked with developing and administering the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund.

Maggie Gyllenhaal picks Ferrante novel for her directing debut

Maggie Gyllenhaal picked an unconventional novel about motherhood for her debut as a director in "The Lost Daughter", which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Friday. In the film, Olivia Colman plays Leda, a middle-aged British literature professor vacationing on her own in Greece who becomes transfixed with a young mother (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter on the same beach.

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