Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs. Netflix looms large as theater owners assess industry future

As movie theater owners converge on Las Vegas for their annual convention, one topic that keeps coming up is how they contend with a company that has resisted their traditional business model: Netflix Inc. The world's most successful streaming service sends some movies to theaters but has insisted on making them available on Netflix at the same time, or just a few weeks later. That has upset big movie chains, which refuse to show Netflix films and want a longer "window" of time to play films exclusively. Filming 30 feet down: underwater movie studio opens in Belgium

Director Joachim Heden filmed scenes of his survival movie in a blizzard in the Arctic, but the idea of putting actors and crew into the frozen waters was out of the question - fortunately he had another option. "Breaking Surface", about two sisters' ill-fated winter diving trip in Norway, is the first movie to be filmed at a brand-new underwater studio that has opened in Belgium - a 9-metre (30-foot) deep pool specially built as a movie lot. Chicago police call for state's attorney to resign in Smollett controversy

Protesting Chicago police officers on Monday called for Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to resign after her office dropped felony charges against actor Jussie Smollett last week related to allegations that he staged a phony hate crime. About 300 people, including off-duty Chicago police officers, gathered at the building where Foxx’s office is located in downtown Chicago, wearing "Foxx Must Go!" buttons and carrying signs reading "Resign now" and "Who let the Foxx in the henhouse." Judge sets gun, travel limits for Felicity Huffman, other parents in U.S. college scam

A U.S. judge on Wednesday told parents charged in the largest college admissions scandal in U.S. history, including actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, to limit their international travel and remove any guns from their homes as they await trial. The actresses were among 13 wealthy parents who made their first appearances in Boston federal court on Wednesday to face charges of taking part in schemes that involved cheating on college entrance exams and paying $25 million in bribes to buy their children spots at well-known universities including Yale University and the University of Southern California (USC). 'Avengers: Endgame' tickets crush records, going for $500 on eBay

Advance ticket sales for Marvel superhero movie "Avengers: Endgame" on Tuesday surpassed the last two "Star Wars" films, and some appeared on resale platforms with asking prices of up to $500 each. Fandango and Atom - two of the top ticketing websites in the United States - said first-day advance sales for Disney's "Avengers: Endgame" surpassed the 2015 movie "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and 2017's "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" - also from Disney. They did not give sales figures. AMC Theatres pursues Saudi expansion despite journalist's killing

Theater operator AMC Entertainment Holdings is forging ahead with its expansion in Saudi Arabia, Chief Executive Adam Aron told Reuters, after a journalist's killing six months ago clouded the future of the kingdom's newly opened cinema market. Aron said his company reconsidered its plans to open dozens of theaters, which the company announced last spring, following the October murder of Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi in a Saudi consulate. The killing sparked an international outcry. Singapore minister puts Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande on 'offensive' playlist

American pop stars Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande are on an "offensive lyrics" list presented to members of parliament in socially-conservative Singapore as part of a statement by the city-state's home minister on hate speech. Monday's statement came nearly a month after Swedish black metal group Watain's concert was banned in Singapore on concerns about its history of "denigrating religions and promoting violence". Global recorded music industry grew nearly 10 percent last year: IFPI report

The global recorded music market grew 9.7 percent last year, with streaming now accounting for almost half of total revenue, according to industry trade body the IFPI on Tuesday. It was the fourth consecutive year of growth, IFPI added in its annual Global Music Report 2019. Mexican rock star commits suicide after #MeToo accusation

The founder and bassist of the Mexican rock band Botellita de Jerez, 64-year-old Armando Vega Gil, killed himself on Monday after posting a suicide letter on Twitter that said he was falsely and anonymously accused of sexually abusing a minor. Vega Gil was found dead at his Mexico City home, authorities confirmed. Mourners injured in stampede chaos at vigil for slain rapper

At least two people were critically injured and 10 others hurt after hundreds of fans stampeded during a vigil for slain, grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle in Los Angeles late Monday, officials and media reports said. There were initial reports of shots fired in a crowd gathered outside Hussle's clothing store in south Los Angeles, where the musician was shot and killed on Sunday, police and media reports said.