Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs. End of 'Avengers' movies cloaked in high-level Hollywood secrecy

Walt Disney Co's Marvel Studios went to great lengths to keep the plot of the movie "Avengers: Endgame" under wraps until its highly anticipated debut in theaters this week, the stars and directors said in interviews. "Endgame" will offer the "grand conclusion" to a 22-movie story for six of Marvel's Avengers -- Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye and the Hulk, according to Joe Russo, who directed the new film with his brother Anthony. Netflix, streaming services win Oscars cinema rule battle

In a win for Netflix, Amazon and other internet streaming services, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted not to change its rules for winning an Oscar, Hollywood's top prize. The decision follows a battle over how long a movie must play on the big screens in theaters before being launched on the internet, DVD or other mediums that put it on the small screen. Hollywood celebrates the finale of the 'Avengers' movies

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth and other members of the Avengers superhero team on Monday celebrated the final chapter in a 22-movie saga that ranks as the movie industry's highest-grossing franchise of all time. At a lavish premiere in Los Angeles, hundreds of industry VIPs, cast members, fans and media watched the first showing of "Avengers: Endgame," the three-hour action spectacle that has been held tightly under wraps. Jussie Smollett lawyers sued by alleged hoax accomplices

Two brothers involved in Jussie Smollett's Chicago alleged hate-crime hoax sued the "Empire" actor's lawyers on Tuesday, accusing them of defamation for insisting they had "criminally attacked" the actor even after police concluded otherwise. Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo were briefly taken into custody as Chicago police investigated the January incident in which Smollett, who is black and gay, said he was assaulted by two men who shouted racist and homophobic slurs and wrapped a noose around his neck. R. Kelly's accuser wins judgment in suit singer failed to answer

A woman who accused R. Kelly of sexual abuse has won a civil case by default against the singer, after he failed to respond to her lawsuit and was a no-show in court. The woman, who accused Kelly of repeatedly having sex with her when she was 16 years old, filed the case in Chicago in February, a day before Kelly was arrested on 10 charges of sexual abuse. Superheroes and a king may set movie records for Disney this summer

The final chapter in a decade-long superhero saga and the remake of a big-screen classic could topple box-office records during a summer movie season expected to be dominated by Walt Disney Co. "Avengers: Endgame" from Disney's Marvel Studios kicked off Hollywood's parade of potential blockbusters on Wednesday. Ticket sales in China hit $107.2 million, the highest opening-day total in the country's history. Disney's 'Avengers: Endgame' sets opening day record in China

Marvel superhero movie "Avengers: Endgame" set an opening-day record in China with an estimated $107.2 million in ticket sales, distributor Walt Disney Co said on Wednesday. "Endgame" is the final chapter of a story told across 22 Marvel films featuring popular characters such as Iron Man, Thor and Black Widow. Jennifer Garner leads People magazine's beautiful list

Actress, businesswoman and children's advocate Jennifer Garner is featured on the cover of People magazine's annual beautiful issue, the magazine said on Tuesday. People said it chose the 47-year-old "Alias" actress for balancing her career and charitable work with the raising of her three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck. Critics gush over the spectacle and story of 'Avengers: Endgame'

Film critics unleashed overwhelmingly positive reviews on Tuesday of "Avengers: Endgame," the highly anticipated final installment in a decade-long superhero story from Walt Disney Co's Marvel Studios. As of Tuesday afternoon, all but one of 56 "Endgame" reviews collected by the Rotten Tomatoes website were rated as positive.