Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs. New season of 'Handmaid's Tale' not meant to be 'torture to watch,' creator says

With its chilling portrait of a patriarchal dictatorship where women are routinely raped, mutilated and forcibly separated from their children, "The Handmaid's Tale" has sometimes proved tough to stomach. But Bruce Miller, creator and executive producer of the television series based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel, says he is "not in the business of inventing cruelties." AT&T eyes $16-$17-a-month streaming service: WSJ

AT&T Inc's WarnerMedia may price its streaming service between $16 and $17 per month, instead of a multi-tiered plan, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The package may include HBO, sister channel Cinemax and the vast library of Warner Bros TV shows and movies into one offering, the report said. Crew member injured during blast filming for new Bond movie

A crew member working on the new James Bond movie was injured during the filming of a controlled explosion at Pinewood Studios outside London, producers have said. A statement issued on Tuesday said the exterior of a stage had also been damaged in the blast. R&B Singer R. Kelly pleads not guilty to new felony sexual assault counts

Singer R. Kelly pleaded not guilty to 11 new felony counts of sexual assault and abuse at a Chicago court hearing on Thursday, after prosecutors expanded an indictment against the Grammy Award winner dogged by abuse allegations for decades. The new counts, unveiled last week in an indictment by a Cook County grand jury, involve alleged abuse of a victim between the ages of 13-16, according to documents posted on the Chicago Sun-Times' website. 'Men in Black' Hemsworth and Thompson suit up for fourth installment

The "Men in Black" are back - wearing the same suits and sunglasses but different faces. Actors Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson flew to Moscow to launch the fourth installment of the science fiction franchise originally starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, which pits suited agents against aliens disguised as humans on Earth. Pop singer Shakira faces tax fraud accusation in Spanish court

Colombian singer Shakira appeared in a Spanish court on Thursday to answer to tax fraud charges, with prosecutors accusing her of failing to pay up to 14.5 million euros ($16.29 million) in tax on income earned between 2012 and 2014. Shakira arrived to Esplugues de Llobregat court near Barcelona in the morning through the court's car park entrance to avoid the media and was seen briefly through a window. Actor Jussie Smollett not returning to 'Empire,' TV creator says

Jussie Smollett will not be returning to U.S. television series "Empire", the show's creator says, marking the first public confirmation that the actor has been dropped after a furor over claims that he was the victim of a hate crime. Responding to a Variety report that writers were discussing scenarios in which Smollett's character would return towards the end of the sixth and final season, "Empire" creator Lee Daniels wrote on Twitter on Tuesday; "Jussie will NOT be returning to Empire." Obamas jump into booming podcast business with Spotify partnership

Former U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle entered the booming podcast business on Thursday, announcing a multi-year partnership with streaming service Spotify to produce a series of exclusive podcasts. Under the partnership, the Obamas will "develop, produce and lend their voices" to select podcasts that will be distributed worldwide, Spotify and the Obamas production company, Higher Ground, said in a joint statement. 'Peppa Pig' owner Entertainment One denies reports of Mark Gordon's exit

Entertainment One Ltd, which makes the popular children's TV show Peppa Pig, denied reports that president and award-winning producer Mark Gordon was leaving, sending the company's shares up as much as 17%. The stock recovered all of its Wednesday's losses, which were triggered by reports that Gordon would leave the company because of creative differences. Woody Allen to shoot next movie in Spain, with Christoph Waltz

Woody Allen is set to shoot his next movie in Spain this summer with Oscar winner Christoph Waltz, the director's first film project since "A Rainy Day in New York" that was shelved at the height of the #MeToo movement. Spanish production company MediaPro Studio said in a statement on Tuesday that Allen would begin filming in San Sebastian in July on a romantic comedy about an American couple who visit the San Sebastian film festival.