Entertainment News Roundup: Will Smith apologizes to Chris Rock for slap, academy weighs action; 'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon' to debut in August and more

Smith, in a post on Instagram, said his behavior at the televised ceremony was "unacceptable and inexcusable." Oscars co-hosts Schumer, Sykes call on-stage slap 'sickening' Academy Awards co-hosts Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes said on Wednesday they were sickened by best actor winner Will Smith's slap of presenter Chris Rock at Sunday night's ceremony. During the live Oscars telecast, Smith strode up to the stage after Rock made a joke about the appearance of Smith's wife, then smacked the comedian's face.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

ABBA-backed firm buys rights to Swedish House Mafia songs

Sweden's Pophouse Entertainment, founded by ABBA member Bjorn Ulvaeus, has acquired the back catalogue of electric music pioneers Swedish House Mafia, it said on Tuesday. Pophouse, which is behind events like ABBA's upcoming "Voyage" virtual concerts in London, "Mamma Mia the Party" and the Avicii Experience in Stockholm, said it had acquired Swedish House Mafia's master recordings and publishing catalogues.

'Euphoric' Eddie Redmayne premieres third 'Fantastic Beasts' movie

Eddie Redmayne returns for his third outing as magizoologist Newt Scamander in "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore", a highly-anticipated movie the Oscar winner said he feared would not be released at one point due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the film's premiere in London on Tuesday night, Redmayne posed for photos and signed autographs, delighting fans of the "Harry Potter" spin-off, which is set some 60 years before J.K. Rowling's books but features younger versions of some of the same key characters, like Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon' to debut in August

HBO announced on Wednesday that its hotly anticipated "Game of Thrones" prequel, "House of the Dragon," will debut on Aug. 21. “House of the Dragon” takes place 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” a medieval fantasy series that became a global phenomenon during its eight-season run.

From Joker to Morbius: Jared Leto takes on new comic book role

Having previously played DC Comics' The Joker, Oscar winner Jared Leto takes on Marvel's Morbius in the first big screen adaptation of the vampire-like character. "It was an incredible opportunity," Leto told Reuters in an interview.

Jada Pinkett Smith says it's a 'season for healing' after Oscars incident

Jada Pinkett Smith promoted healing in an Instagram post on Tuesday, her first public comment since her husband slapped comedian Chris Rock at this year's Academy Awards ceremony. Will Smith unexpectedly strode onto the Oscars stage on Sunday and slapped Rock in the face in response to a joke about his wife's bald head. Pinkett Smith, an actor and talk show host, has a medical condition that causes hair loss.

Bruce Willis to retire from acting due to cognitive disease

Bruce Willis, the star of the "Die Hard" franchise and dozens of other action movies, will retire from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a disease that has hampered his "cognitive abilities," his family said on Wednesday. Willis, 67, rose to fame in the 1980s comedy-drama TV series "Moonlighting," and has appeared in about 100 films across his four-decade career, garnering acclaim for his roles in "Pulp Fiction" and "The Sixth Sense," and winning a Golden Globe Award and two Emmys.

'CODA' takes top prize, Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at Oscars

"CODA," a heartwarming movie about a deaf family with a hearing daughter, won a landmark best picture prize at the Oscars on Sunday, in a ceremony overshadowed by best-actor winner Will Smith's slapping of presenter Chris Rock. "CODA" became the first movie from a streaming service, Apple TV+, to win the film industry's biggest prize.

Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello perform at fundraising concert for Ukraine

Chart-toppers Ed Sheeran and Camila Cabello were among music stars who took to the stage on Tuesday night at a televised concert aiming to raise funds for a Ukrainian humanitarian appeal. The line-up for the two-hour "Concert for Ukraine" in Birmingham also featured Ukrainian singer Jamala, who won the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, music veteran Nile Rodgers & Chic as well as groups Snow Patrol and Manic Street Preachers.

Will Smith apologizes to Chris Rock for slap, academy weighs action

Will Smith apologized to Chris Rock on Monday for slapping the comedian at Sunday night's Oscars ceremony, issuing a statement after the film academy said it might take action against Smith for an incident that overshadowed the industry's top awards. Smith, in a post on Instagram, said his behavior at the televised ceremony was "unacceptable and inexcusable."

Oscars co-hosts Schumer, Sykes call on-stage slap 'sickening'

Academy Awards co-hosts Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes said on Wednesday they were sickened by best actor winner Will Smith's slap of presenter Chris Rock at Sunday night's ceremony.

During the live Oscars telecast, Smith strode up to the stage after Rock made a joke about the appearance of Smith's wife, then smacked the comedian's face. The actor then returned to his seat and twice yelled an obscenity at Rock.

(With inputs from agencies.)