Entertainment News Roundup: 'Game of Thrones' prequel meets Targaryens at height of power; Britain to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest on Ukraine's behalf and more

Sorvino, also known for portraying police sergeant Phil Cerreta on TV series "Law & Order" in the 1990s, worked in film and television and on stage for more than 50 years. 'Black Panther' cast remember Boseman ahead of 'Wakanda Forever' The cast and director of the upcoming sequel to Marvel Studios blockbuster "Black Panther" paid tribute to their late co-star Chadwick Boseman on Saturday and said they worked through their grief while making the new film.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

'Game of Thrones' prequel meets Targaryens at height of power

The upcoming prequel to HBO's "Game of Thrones" will explore the origins of the Targaryen dynasty starting at the time of the family's greatest power, the cast and creators told fans at the annual Comic-Con pop culture convention on Saturday.

"House of the Dragon," which debuts on Aug. 21, takes place 200 years before the events of "Game of Thrones," a medieval fantasy series that became a global phenomenon during an eight-season run that ended in 2019.

Britain to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest on Ukraine's behalf

Britain will host next year's Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of winners Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict there, the competition's organizers said on Monday. While decades-long tradition dictates that the winner of the contest gets to host it the following year, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had said safety and security reasons meant runners-up Britain was instead invited to host.

Dwayne Johnson's 10-year quest brings 'Black Adam' to Comic-Con

Actor Dwayne Johnson made a dramatic entrance at the annual Comic-Con pop culture convention on Saturday, hovering above a smoke-filled stage in a sleek superhero costume and promising "the DC Universe will never be the same." Johnson previewed his upcoming Warner Bros film "Black Adam," a story inspired by DC Comics about a former slave who is granted god-like powers and awakens 5,000 years later in modern times.

Box Office: Jordan Peele's 'Nope' Opens to No. 1 With $44 Million

Audiences responded with a resounding "yep" to Jordan Peele's science-fiction thriller "Nope," which topped the box office with its $44 million debut. Those ticket sales were slightly behind projections of $50 million and fell in between Peele's first two films, 2017's "Get Out" (which opened to $33 million) and 2019's "Us" (which opened to $71 million). "Nope" may not have cemented a new box office record for Peele, but it marks a strong start for an original, R-rated horror film.

Bob Rafelson, Oscar-nominated director of 'Five Easy Pieces' dies at 89

Bob Rafelson, co-creator of "The Monkees" and director of the film "Five Easy Pieces" died on Saturday at the age of 89, Monkees singer Micky Dolenz said on Twitter. Dolenz, singer, and drummer of the Monkees, who featured in a 1960s TV comedy series about a rock quartet modeled after the Beatles, took to Twitter to express his grief and confirm reports of Rafelson's death.

'Goodfellas' and 'Law & Order' actor Paul Sorvino dies at 83

Paul Sorvino, who played the role of gangster Paulie Cicero in the classic mob movie "Goodfellas," has died at the age of 83, a spokesperson for the actor said on Monday. Sorvino, also known for portraying police sergeant Phil Cerreta on the TV series "Law & Order" in the 1990s, worked in film and television and on stage for more than 50 years.

'Black Panther' cast remember Boseman ahead of 'Wakanda Forever

The cast and director of the upcoming sequel to Marvel Studios blockbuster "Black Panther" paid tribute to their late co-star Chadwick Boseman on Saturday and said they worked through their grief while making the new film. Lupita Nyong'o, Letitia Wright, and other stars appeared at the Comic-Con pop culture convention in San Diego to preview "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," which is slated to hit theaters in November.

(With inputs from agencies.)