Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Filipino folklore takes center stage in DreamWorks' 'Forgotten Island' film

Oscar-winning R&B singer Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, professionally known ​as H.E.R., was transported back to the Filipino folktales her mother used to tell her while discussing DreamWorks' ​upcoming animated film "Forgotten Island," which arrives in theaters on Friday. The Black and ‌Filipino American ​singer, who voices one of the movie's lead characters, told Reuters that her mother often focused on the fearsome Manananggal, a creature from Filipino folklore known for splitting its body in two.

Paramount wins Warner Bros takeover after settling states, union lawsuits

Paramount Skydance emerged victorious on Monday from a legal battle over its $110 billion acquisition of Warner ‌Bros Discovery after settling with a California-led group of US states and a Hollywood writers union, paving the way for one of the largest media mergers in history. The settlement marks a major win for Paramount CEO David Ellison, who battled the states for months to finalize a deal that would dramatically concentrate power across Hollywood's film, TV, streaming and news businesses.

Taylor Swift wins MTV's new artist director award

Taylor Swift will be the first recipient of the MTV Video Music Awards artist-director ‌honors at this year's awards ceremony, a newly created award recognizing musicians whose work behind the camera has contributed to music video production and visual storytelling, CBS and MTV said on Monday. The television networks said the honor ‌for the 14-time Grammy winner "celebrates a sustained and influential body of work from artists who have pushed creative boundaries and developed a clear directorial voice."

Soccer-Wrexham owners buy Turf pub next to Racecourse Ground

Wrexham's Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have purchased the Turf pub, the historic venue beside the Racecourse Ground that has become a familiar backdrop in the club's rise and the award-winning Welcome to Wrexham documentary series co-produced by and starring the owners. The deal, agreed between Wrexham Holdings and Admiral Taverns, brings the club, its stadium and the pub where ⁠Wrexham was founded in ​1864 under common ownership.

Warner Bros, Paramount rise on report ⁠California settlement talks could clear merger hurdle

Shares of Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount Skydance jumped on Monday, after a report said Paramount and California's attorney general were in advanced settlement talks that could clear one of the final hurdles to the companies' $110 billion merger. Here are some more ⁠details:

Cindy Crawford's son Presley Gerber dies aged 27

Presley Gerber, the son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, died on Sunday aged 27. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner in its report indicated that he died in a rehabilitation facility. It did not provide a cause of ​death.

Paramount settles with California, other states over Warner Bros merger, Bloomberg News reports

Paramount Skydance has reached a settlement with California and other states suing to block its $110 billion merger with Warner Bros Discovery, Bloomberg News ⁠reported on Monday, citing a person familiar with the matter. Settlement talks came to fruition over the weekend after four states that had opposed terms of a deal outlined with California conceded, the report said. The settlement is expected to be announced later today, Bloomberg added.

Jarvis Cocker remembers Pulp's first ⁠time ​in new documentary

Almost half a century after their birth, Britpop darlings Pulp are stars of a documentary that delves back into the band's roots in the childhood dreams of gangly frontman Jarvis Cocker. In "Pulp: What Do You Do For An Encore?" Cocker narrates flashbacks based on diary entries he scrawled out at school in the northern English city of Sheffield in the 1970s, mapping out his "masterplan" for Pulp's success.

Ed Sheeran calls Israel's treatment of ⁠Gazans 'unjustifiable,' apologizes for Macklemore controversy

Pop star Ed Sheeran apologized on Saturday for his handling of a controversy that erupted this week when rapper Macklemore was removed as an opening act over comments on the occupied Palestinian territories. Breaking ⁠his silence on the issue, the British singer decried Israel's ⁠treatment of residents in Gaza as "unjustifiable."

A history of Warner Bros — from old Hollywood to streaming era

Paramount Skydance on Monday reached a settlement with California and 11 other states that had sued to stop its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, paving the way for one of the largest media mergers in history. The settlement includes bringing more film production ‌to the US — spending at least $300 million ‌more each year in domestic production — and an agreement to boost annual film releases progressively after the deal closes, California ​Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a press conference.