Entertainment News Roundup: Director of Cannes' first Sudanese film: I walk red carpet as people flee bullets; Sony says independent player status paying off in streaming war and more

"We could see very, very clearly that every time an episode of that show dropped that sales of the game increased very dramatically," Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan told an investor briefing. The Weeknd, Lily-Rose Depp draw screaming fans to 'The Idol' premiere "The Idol," HBO's much-hyped new series from the creator of "Euphoria" that bills itself as the "sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood," premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Director of Cannes' first Sudanese film: I walk red carpet as people flee bullets

For Mohamed Kordofani, being at the Cannes Film Festival is bittersweet: He directed the first Sudanese film to be included in the festival's official selection as weeks of fighting in Sudan have driven nearly 1.1 million people from their homes. "I feel immensely honoured and very happy that the film made it to Cannes, and it's such a great reward to all the crew and the cast, and myself included," he told Reuters on Monday.

Sony says independent player status paying off in streaming war

Sony Group Corp said on Wednesday that its status as an independent provider of content to streaming services is paying off at a time when platform operators are coming under pressure to demonstrate profitability. "Our decision years ago to stay out of the crowded general streaming space and instead become the become the industry's leading independent content supplier was clearly the right choice," Tony Vinciquerra, CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, told an investor briefing.

HBO's much-hyped 'The Idol' meant to be provocative, says Sam Levinson

"The Idol," HBO's much-hyped new TV series about a pop singer trying to make a comeback, is meant to be provocative, said series director Sam Levinson, calling criticism of the show a sure sign it will be a hit. Levinson stepped in to take over late in the filming of the series, following the sudden departure in April 2022 of the previous director as part of what HBO called "creative changes."

Hollywood needs to depict safer gun use in film and TV - study

Hollywood should portray safer use of guns in television and film at a time of rampant gun violence in the United States, USC Annenberg’s Norman Lear Center for Hollywood, Health and Society said in a report released on Tuesday. “Trigger Warning: Gun Guidelines for the Media” encompasses more than 20 years of gun data and trends revolving around the statistic that firearms are the leading cause of death in children and teens in the United States.

Stars come out for Cannes premiere of Wes Anderson's 'Asteroid City'

A bus full of celebrities poured onto the Cannes Film Festival's red carpet on Tuesday evening for the premiere of director Wes Anderson's new space-themed fable, "Asteroid City."

As with his previous films, Anderson's cast is a veritable who's who list of Hollywood stars, including Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Steve Carrell, Bryan Cranston, Adrien Brody and Margot Robbie.

Schwarzenegger is back in 'FUBAR,' his first TV series

In the opening episode of "FUBAR," Arnold Schwarzenegger's CIA agent character is labeled by his handler "the fastest 65-year-old white guy on the planet." But Schwarzenegger in real life is 75 years old and "FUBAR" is his first-ever television series: an eight-episode mix of rough-and-tumble action and comedy premiering on Thursday on streaming service Netflix.

'Last Of Us' drama success drives Sony gaming sales

Sony Group Corp said on Wednesday that the success of hit drama "The Last Of Us" from television network HBO is boosting sales of the game series upon which it is based, in a stand-out case of the group repurposing its popular franchises. "We could see very, very clearly that every time an episode of that show dropped that sales of the game increased very dramatically," Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan told an investor briefing.

The Weeknd, Lily-Rose Depp draw screaming fans to 'The Idol' premiere

"The Idol," HBO's much-hyped new series from the creator of "Euphoria" that bills itself as the "sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood," premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday. Travis Scott, Stella Maxwell and Julia Fox, wrapped in a plastic gown and wearing dark lipstick, joined Lily-Rose Depp and Abel Tesfaye, the stars of the show, on the red carpet, surrounded by screaming fans who packed the Croisette boulevard.

Italy's Bellocchio debuts 'Kidnapped' at Cannes, about Church abduction of Jewish boy

Italian director Marco Bellocchio, a Cannes Film Festival regular, was on the French Riviera city's red carpet on Tuesday with "Kidnapped," his eighth attempt at winning a Palme d'Or. "Kidnapped" centres around the true story of Edgardo Mortara, a 6-year-old Jewish boy from Bologna who was seized by the Catholic Church in 1858 after it determined he needed a Catholic education because he was secretly baptized as an infant.

Disgraced Australian-born former entertainer Rolf Harris dead at 93

Rolf Harris, a mainstay of family entertainment in Britain and Australia for more than 50 years before his career collapsed into disgrace with his conviction for indecently assaulting young girls, has died aged 93. The Australian-born Harris, had been seriously ill with neck cancer and receiving 24-hour care, local media reported late last year.

(With inputs from agencies.)