Entertainment News Roundup: Shakira refuses to settle with Spanish prosecutor to end tax fraud case; Netflix orders sequel and spinoff to Ryan Gosling film 'Gray Man' and more

Hadid, 25, told Reuters in an interview from New York that she was intrigued by shared virtual world environments and that she wanted to make "cool versions" of herself after becoming obsessed with video games during the COVID-19 lockdown. Cannibals, comedy and a cinema icon share Venice limelight A Marilyn Monroe drama, a cannibal road movie and a black comedy about family life are among the stories showcased at this year's Venice Film Festival.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Shakira refuses to settle with Spanish prosecutor to end tax fraud case

Latin American superstar Shakira has rejected a settlement offered by the prosecutor in her 14.5 million euro Spanish tax fraud case and is now a step closer to going to trial, her media team said on Wednesday. The Colombian singer - who has sold more than 80 million records worldwide with hits such as "Hips Don't Lie" - has always met all of her tax obligations, a statement said. She considers the case "a total violation of her rights," it said.

Netflix orders sequel and spinoff to Ryan Gosling film 'Gray Man'

Netflix Inc is turning its new spy thriller "The Gray Man" into a franchise, announcing plans on Tuesday for a sequel and spinoff to the action movie starring Ryan Gosling. "The Gray Man," one of Netflix's most expensive movies to date, began streaming on Friday and was the most watched film on the streaming service in 92 countries, the company said.

Top model Bella Hadid joins metaverse with NFT collection

U.S. supermodel Bella Hadid has stepped from the catwalk into the metaverse with the launch of CY-B3LLA - a collection of Non-Fungible Tokens featuring artwork based on 3-D scans of her face and body. Hadid, 25, told Reuters in an interview from New York that she was intrigued by shared virtual world environments and that she wanted to make "cool versions" of herself after becoming obsessed with video games during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Cannibals, comedy and a cinema icon share Venice limelight

A Marilyn Monroe drama, a cannibal road movie and a black comedy about family life are among the stories showcased at this year's Venice Film Festival. The world's oldest film festival, regarded as a launch pad for Oscar contenders as awards season approaches, runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 10, and features dozens of hotly anticipated movies both in and out of competition.

Katie Holmes on writing, directing and acting in new film: 'It feels very satisfying'

Katie Holmes shares one of her pandemic pastimes with the world in her new feature film "Alone Together," as writer, director and star of the movie. The film, which was shot as the first COVID-19 vaccines were released, centers around two strangers who end up spending a week together in an upstate New York rental home after it was double booked. The pair start as frenemies, but quickly bond.

Sci-fi villain 'Predator' returns in action-thriller prequel 'Prey'

Thirty-five years after the extraterrestrial monster movie "Predator" made its first outing, the creature is back in action in the upcoming film "Prey". Directed by "10 Cloverfield Lane" filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg, "Prey" is set in 1719 and sees "Predator" landing in the Northern Great Plains, ready to hunt.

'Leave It to Beaver' co-star Tony Dow dead at 77, a day after premature announcement

Actor Tony Dow, best known for his role as Wally Cleaver in the 1950s American TV sitcom "Leave It to Beaver," died Wednesday at age 77, his family and management team said on Wednesday, a day after his death was announced prematurely. Dow, whose career in television as an actor, director and producer spanned seven decades, died in hospice care with his family at his side, according to a statement posted to Facebook citing his son Christopher. A cause of death was not disclosed, though he and his wife, Lauren, had said Dow had suffered from a recurrence of cancer in May.