Entertainment News Roundup: 'No Christmas shows' without UK state support; Black artists call on Hollywood to prove Black Lives Matter and more

Disney+ to debut in eight more countries in Europe Walt Disney Co said on Tuesday it would launch Disney+ in eight more countries in Europe, as millions of people stuck at home due to coronavirus-induced restrictions turn to streaming services for entertainment.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

'No Christmas shows' without UK state support, warns ballet boss

Britain's Christmas ballet season is in jeopardy unless the government steps in to help dance companies ride out the coronavirus crisis, the artistic director of one of the country's top ballet corps said. The most stringent lockdown in peacetime history has left theatres, opera houses and ballet companies without an audience for months, while top ballerinas, used to up to 8 hours of traiusning per day, have struggled to leap and twirl at home.

Black artists call on Hollywood to prove Black Lives Matter

More than 300 Black actors and filmmakers, including Idris Elba, Queen Latifah and Billy Porter, on Tuesday asked Hollywood to divest in the police and invest in anti-racist content. An open letter addressed to "Our Allies in Hollywood" attacked what it called the industry's "legacy of white supremacy" and said Hollywood "encourages the epidemic of police violence and culture of anti-Blackness."

In reversal, TV show about Trump-Comey clash to air before U.S. election

A television show about the clash between former FBI director James Comey and U.S. President Donald Trump over Russian interference in the 2016 election will be broadcast in September - ahead of the November elections, cable channel Showtime said on Wednesday "The Comey Rule," described as a "behind-the-headlines account of the historically turbulent events surrounding the 2016 presidential election and its aftermath," was initially given a broadcast slot in late November.

Disney+ to debut in eight more countries in Europe

Walt Disney Co said on Tuesday it would launch Disney+ in eight more countries in Europe, as millions of people stuck at home due to coronavirus-induced restrictions turn to streaming services for entertainment. Disney+ will debut in Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Belgium and Luxembourg on Sept. 15, the home of Mickey Mouse said https://bit.ly/2V92M9J.

With Eurovision canceled, Netflix offers fans a Will Ferrell comedy

With the coronavirus pandemic forcing cancellation of this year's Eurovision Song Contest, actors Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams hope fans can get their fix by watching their madcap Netflix comedy about a duo from Iceland who compete in the event. "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga" is a "zany, unexpected, musical extravaganza," McAdams told Reuters.

Nintendo, Tencent team up on Pokemon battler

Nintendo-backed The Pokemon Company on Wednesday announced a cross-platform Pokemon team battling game developed with Tencent's Timi Studio as the two gaming heavyweights deepen their cooperation with a twist on the Pokemon format. In "Pokemon Unite" teams of five hunt down Pokemon in a battle area, with the game running on Nintendo Co Ltd's Switch console and on mobile. Its release date is yet to be announced.

Popular Turkish TV drama inspires statues in Pakistan

Residents of the Pakistani city of Lahore have erected statues to commemorate a medieval Turkish leader, a sign of the growing popularity, and cultural impact, of a television series imported from Turkey depicting the origins of the Ottoman Empire. The series, Ertugrul Gazi, which ran in Turkey until 2019, is loosely based on the story of a 13th century nomadic Turkic tribal leader who confronted Mongols, Crusaders and Byzantine rulers in what are now Syria and Turkey.

Rock band Queen get postage stamp of approval

British postage stamps which often portray the monarch will honor a different Queen in a new Royal Mail series - the veteran rock band that is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The set of 13 stamps on sale next month will feature artwork from their most popular album covers, images from the band's extravagant live performances and their first studio photoshoot in 1974.

Global K-pop fans emerge as political force, but some in South Korea worry

Some tech-savvy followers of K-pop music have emerged as increasingly active players in American politics, but in the birthplace of the genre, South Korean fans are wary that their favorite artists will be pulled into foreign partisan fights. Fans of Korean pop artists, including the widely popular BTS, have rallied around major U.S. political movements in recent weeks, using their online communities and mobile apps to encourage participation and donations.

Porn star Ron Jeremy charged with rape and sexual assault

Adult film star Ron Jeremy was charged with raping three women and sexually assaulting a fourth in incidents in West Hollywood from 2014 to 2019, the Los Angeles County district attorney said on Tuesday. Jeremy, 67, is among the biggest names in the pornography industry, having appeared in more than 2,000 adult films starting in the 1970s.

(With inputs from agencies.)