Entertainment News Roundup: Italian film composer Ennio Morricone dies aged 91; Charlie Daniels; Actor Depp takes on UK tabloid in court battle over 'wife beater' claims and more

Kanye West's clothing brand, Hollywood production companies on pandemic loan list Ventures backed by big-name entertainers Kanye West and Francis Ford Coppola were among those approved for loans under a U.S. government program to help businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic, according to a list released on Monday.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Cineworld hits back at Cineplex in tussle over scrapped deal

Cineworld said on Monday it planned to make a counter-claim against Cineplex following the Canadian cinema chain's legal action against the British group for damages after it scrapped a $1.65 billion takeover. Cineplex said last week it was suing Cineworld for damages, including about C$2.18 billion that Cineworld would have paid on closing of the deal.

UK pledges boost for the arts as it eyes socially distant performances

Britain will invest nearly $2 billion in the arts and hopes to allow outdoor and socially distanced performances at cultural venues as it tries to help a high-profile sector hit hard by the coronavirus. Spanning theatres in London's West End, opera houses and ballet companies putting on big-budget performances to provincial venues up and down the country, the industry is a prominent British export and popular among tourists and locals alike.

Coronavirus survivor Tom Hanks does not 'have much respect' for people who shun basic precautions

Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, who recovered after being infected with the novel coronavirus earlier this year, said he does not hold much respect for people who decline to practice precautions such as wearing a mask in public. Hanks and his wife, actress, and singer Rita Wilson, disclosed in March that they had tested positive for the coronavirus while in Australia for a film shoot.

With miniature mannequins, Dior unveils post-lockdown collection

French couture house Christian Dior upended its traditional catwalk show on Monday, presenting its intricate designs on miniature mannequins in a twist brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Brands are having to unveil their collections online and through film as part of Haute Couture week in Paris, a showcase of high-end craftsmanship and one-of-a-kind outfits, after the presentations usually attended by fashionistas from around the world were canceled in the wake of the outbreak.

'Hamilton' weekend release boosts Disney+ downloads

Walt Disney Co's streaming service app Disney+ was downloaded more than half a million times over the Fourth of July weekend globally, following the launch of musical "Hamilton" on the platform. From Friday through Sunday, the mobile app was downloaded 513,323 times globally and 266,084 times in the United States, according to data from research firm Apptopia.

Actor Depp takes on UK tabloid in court battle over 'wife beater' claims

Johnny Depp begins legal action against a British tabloid on Tuesday in a case that is likely to delve into the private lives of the Hollywood star, his ex-wife actress Amber Heard and a number of other well-known figures. Depp, the 57-year-old star of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, is suing the Sun's publisher, News Group Newspapers, and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, for libel over an article Wootton wrote in 2018 calling him a "wife beater".

Kaepernick signs production deal with Disney, ESPN for life documentary series

ESPN Films will produce a documentary series about the life of NFL quarterback and civil rights advocate Colin Kaepernick as part of a wide-ranging production deal announced by Walt Disney Co on Monday. Under the arrangement, Kaepernick's company Ra Vision Media will produce scripted and unscripted stories that explore race, social justice and the quest for equity, a statement from Disney said.

Kanye West's clothing brand, Hollywood production companies on pandemic loan list

Ventures backed by big-name entertainers Kanye West and Francis Ford Coppola were among those approved for loans under a U.S. government program to help businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic, according to a list released on Monday. Billionaire rapper West's clothing brand Yeezy received clearance for a loan of between $2 million and $5 million under the Paycheck Protection Program, the U.S. Small Business Administration said.

Country star Charlie Daniels, singer of 'Devil Went Down to Georgia,' dies at 83

Country music band leader Charlie Daniels, singer and fiddler player on the Grammy-winning hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," died on Monday at age 83 at a hospital in Tennessee, his publicist said. Daniels, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry, died from a stroke, according to a statement from his publicist, Don Murry Grubbs.

Italian film composer Ennio Morricone dies aged 91

Ennio Morricone, the Oscar-winning Italian composer whose haunting scores to Spaghetti Westerns like "A Fistful of Dollars" and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" helped define a cinematic era, died on Monday. He was 91. Morricone broke his femur 10 days ago and died at dawn in a clinic in Rome, his lawyer Giorgio Assumma told Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies.)