Entertainment News Roundup: Oscar-winning actor William Hurt dead at age 71-Deadline; Former Disney chief Bob Iger enters metaverse through investment in Genies and more

The new "Homes for Ukraine" scheme will allow members of the public, charities, businesses and community groups to offer accommodation to refugees to come to Britain even if they do not have family ties. Box Office: 'The Batman' Stays Strong With $66 Million in Second Weekend Robert Pattinson's moody superhero adventure "The Batman" prevailed at the box office again.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Oscar-winning actor William Hurt dead at age 71-Deadline

William Hurt, an Oscar-winning actor known for his roles in movies such as "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Broadcast News," died on Sunday at the age of 71, according to Deadline. "It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar-winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday," the actor's son, Will, said in a statement obtained by Deadline.

Former Disney chief Bob Iger enters metaverse through investment in Genies

Former Disney chairman Bob Iger is investing and joining the board of metaverse startup Genies, the company said on Monday, in the executive's first such move since leaving the entertainment giant at the end of 2021. Genies, popular among celebrities such as Rihanna, Lil Nas X, and Jennifer Lopez, said it owns 99% of the celebrity avatar market share and includes Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group as clients, for whom it also makes NFTs or non-fungible tokens.

Discovery to combine its Discovery+ with WarnerMedia's HBO Max

Discovery Inc Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels on Monday provided the most concrete details to date about the media company's plans to combine its Discovery+ streaming service with HBO Max once the acquisition of WarnerMedia closes.

Wiedenfels said the services would unite to create a more broadly appealing consumer product, with HBO Max's more "male skewing" scripted series complementing Discovery's reality shows, with their heavily female viewership.

Benedict Cumberbatch says he hopes to house Ukrainian refugees

British actor Benedict Cumberbatch said on Sunday he hoped to take part in a government scheme to offer Ukrainian refugees somewhere to live. The new "Homes for Ukraine" scheme will allow members of the public, charities, businesses, and community groups to offer accommodation to refugees to come to Britain even if they do not have family ties.

Box Office: 'The Batman' Stays Strong With $66 Million in Second Weekend

Robert Pattinson's moody superhero adventure "The Batman" prevailed at the box office again. The film earned $66 million in its second weekend of release, propelling its domestic tally to a robust $238.5 million. After only 10 days on the big screen, "The Batman" ranks as the highest-grossing movie of 2022, as well as the second-highest-grossing movie since the onset of COVID-19. Only "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which has generated a stellar $792 million in North America, has earned more money at the domestic box office in the past two years.

Factbox-Key winners at the 2022 British Academy Film Awards

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) held its annual film awards on Sunday, in a glitzy ceremony at London's Royal Albert Hall. Below are the key winners of Britain's top film honors.

Eurovision favourites, Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra join war effort

Topping the Eurovision leaderboard is a dream for many international music acts but for Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, the glitz of the song contest seems a long way off. Operating out of western Ukraine, lead singer Oleh Psiuk has traded the stage to run a 20-strong volunteer group, supplying medicines and helping people flee the war. One of his band members is serving in the territorial defense unit.

Blue Origin to fly 'SNL' star Pete Davidson to space next week

"Saturday Night Live" comic Pete Davidson has been confirmed as the next celebrity in line for a ride to the edge of space courtesy of Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Astro-tourism company, with his suborbital flight set for next week. The 28-year-old comedian and boyfriend of socialite and reality TV star Kim Kardashian was announced by Blue Origin on Monday as an "honorary guest" joining five paying customers for the company's fourth commercial flight since last summer.

Marking 60 years, Rolling Stones to go back on the road across Europe

The Rolling Stones will embark on a European tour this summer, playing stadiums and arenas, to mark their 60th anniversary as a band, the British rockers said on Monday. Called "SIXTY", the 14-show tour will kick off in Madrid on June 1 and travel to 10 countries in total, including Britain.

'The Power of the Dog', 'Dune' triumph at BAFTA Awards

Dark Western "The Power of the Dog" scooped the top two honors at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday, winning best film and director for Jane Campion, while sci-fi epic "Dune" picked up the most prizes. New Zealand filmmaker Campion wrapped up a successful weekend for her comeback feature film, after winning the top honors at the Directors Guild of America Awards in Beverly Hills the day before.