Here are the AP’s top entertainment stories that have moved or are planned to move. All times U.S. Eastern unless otherwise stated. If you have questions, please email Anthony McCartney at amccartney@ap.org or Mallika Sen at msen@ap.org. For up-to-the-minute coverage, visit Coverage Plan for information. To find recent reviews, click here.
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UPCOMING
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ENT--ORIGINAL INSTRUMENTS VERDI
DESCRIPTION: NEW YORK — Verdi can be played on original instruments, too. While historically informed performances of Baroque are not surprising, Will Crutchfield and Teatro Nuovo are using 19th century devices for the rarely heard initial version of “Macbeth.” By Ronald Blum. 700 words, photos, by 2 p.m.
UPCOMING: By 07/24/2025 2:00 p.m. EDT, Text
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BOOK REVIEW-VICTORY 45
DESCRIPTION: Authored by James Holland and Al Murray. Reviewed by Douglass K. Daniel.
UPCOMING: By 07/28/2025 10:00 a.m. EDT, Photo, Text
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ENT--BOOKS-Q&A-JULIA WHELAN
DESCRIPTION: Julia Whelan has been described as “the Adele of audiobooks” after recording more than 600 of them and becoming the “go to” narrator for Emily Henry and Taylor Jenkins Reid. Whelan talks about her career from child actor to audiobook narrator and author herself. She also has launched her own audiobook publishing company so narrators get paid fairly. Her novel “My Oxford Year” has also been adapted by Netflix and premieres Aug. 1 on the streamer. By Alicia Rancilio. 700 words.
UPCOMING: By 07/29/2025 10:00 a.m. EDT, Photo, Video, Text
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NEW AND DEVELOPING
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EU--ITALY-BANKSY RESTORATION
Banksy work ‘The Migrant Child’ removed from Venetian palazzo for restoration and future display
SUMMARY: Art restorers have removed a deteriorating piece of graffiti by the street artist Banksy titled “The Migrant Child” from the side of a building overlooking a Venetian canal. It’s a project to preserve the work for future public display. The removal and restoration is being financed by the Venice-based Banca Ifis carried out in consultation with people close to the secretive British street artist. The artwork depicting a shipwrecked child holding a pink smoke bomb and wearing a life jacket appeared along Rio di San Pantalon in Venice in May 2019. It was acknowledged by Banksy. The artwork is marked on online maps, and it has become a tourist destination. But six years of neglect had caused deterioration to about a third of the work.
WORDS: 217 - MOVED: 07/24/2025 8:27 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d8a6a158d2aba14c8f6b139d5a2b6dfd&mediaType=text
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ENT--COMIC-CON-ROUNDUP-DAY 1
Comic-Con 2025 set to kick off in a year that some major superheroes are sitting out
SUMMARY: Comic-Con International kicks off Thursday, drawing tens of thousands of fans, many in costume. The four-day pop culture event will spotlight updates on the new “Predator” movie and “Alien: Earth” series. George Lucas will make a special appearance Sunday to discuss his new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. However, Marvel and DC aren’t expected to reveal major movie news this year. Fans can still enjoy attractions tied to Marvel’s “Fantastic Four: First Steps.” In addition to celebrity panels, the convention features exclusive merchandise and exhibits from brands like Star Wars and Lego. An estimated 135,000 attendees are expected to attend.
WORDS: 300 - MOVED: 07/24/2025 5:59 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:eba8251a5d7245007b3a6384c7993767&mediaType=text
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ENT--BUCKINGHAM NICKS REISSUE-RECORD STORES
‘Buckingham Nicks’ was a record store holy grail for decades. It’s finally getting reissued
SUMMARY: Warner Music Group has announced that it’s reissuing the lone album recorded by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham when they were just a duo. The couple later joined Fleetwood Mac for its most successful lineup. “Buckingham Nicks” bombed when it came out in 1973. But its cult status only grew over the decades. The album cover shows Nicks and Buckingham posing nude like a Laurel Canyon Adam and Eve. Their relationship famously ended later that decade. Record store owners say the album holds a special status, with a copy often selling immediately. It’ll be available for the first time on CD and streaming Sept. 19, along with new vinyl of course.
WORDS: 1136 - MOVED: 07/24/2025 5:41 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:845b6cb89a41c4baefdc6980efc7a95f&mediaType=text
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EU--HUNGARY-KNEECAP-BAN
Hungary bans Irish rap group Kneecap from entering ahead of festival performance
SUMMARY: Hungarian authorities have banned the Irish-language rap group Kneecap from entering the country. They were scheduled to perform at the Sziget Festival on Aug. 11. Officials argue the group poses a national security risk. Kneecap is known for their anarchic energy and satirical lyrics and often use symbolism linked to the Irish republican movement. They have faced criticism for lyrics with expletives and drug references and for political statements appearing to support militant groups. The band denies supporting violence. Hungarian officials and cultural figures had urged the festival to cancel their performance due to antisemitic concerns.
WORDS: 351 - MOVED: 07/24/2025 5:20 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:21a6fedb9b0538cafbd49f9711ede0c7&mediaType=text
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TEN--VENUS WILLIAMS-FIANCE
Venus Williams says she is engaged to Andrea Preti after her first singles win in 16 months
SUMMARY: Venus Williams’ winning return to the professional tennis tour also came with a surprise announcement: She is engaged. After becoming the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match, Williams gave thanks to her fiance, who was in the stands at the DC Open. He is Andrea Preti, who is a Danish-born Italian model and actor, according to the website IMDB. The 45-year-old Williams hadn’t played in a tournament in 16 months until entering the event in Washington. She won a doubles match on Monday and a singles match on Tuesday, before losing in doubles on Wednesday. She plays singles again Thursday.
WORDS: 135 - MOVED: 07/23/2025 9:25 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:14d23576afe2f6cf6746d2c41a91eb8b&mediaType=text
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ENT--MUSIC-BUCKINGHAM NICKS
After much speculation, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham announce ‘Buckingham Nicks’ reissue
SUMMARY: Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham have announced the reissue of 1973’s “Buckingham Nicks.” It is their only full-length album as a duo and had not been available on CD or streaming platforms. The remastered version arrives Sept. 19 via Rhino Records’ high-fidelity series and was sourced from the original analog master tapes. It will also receive a CD and digital release for the first time. The news arrives after nearly a week of online speculation and Instagram posts. The opening track, “Crying in the Night,” was available to stream Wednesday. The album paved the way for the young duo to join Fleetwood Mac.
WORDS: 758 - MOVED: 07/23/2025 6:15 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c5651da260d1c278916f0e9e06b63bcd&mediaType=text
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US--PHILANTHROPY-MRBEAST-CEO
MrBeast CEO and ‘Beast Games’ winner rally brand partners and rare disease support on Wall Street
SUMMARY: MrBeast’s new CEO is hitting Wall Street as YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson’s media empire looks to develop long-term brand partnerships and, in turn, unlock more funding for its charitable content. Venture capitalist Jeff Housenbold is helping MrBeast professionalize the ever-growing entertainment company. But, despite joining Nasdaq’s closing bell ceremony on Wednesday, Housenbold says their strategic plan does not currently include a public offering. Instead, MrBeast is focused on securing multi-year exclusive advertising deals. Ringing the market’s closing bell on Wednesday is Jeffrey Allen, the winner of the $10 million grand prize awarded in that inaugural Beast Games season. He is raising awareness for rare diseases like his son’s creatine deficiency.
WORDS: 648 - MOVED: 07/23/2025 5:33 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:14e58da87c016bb8986ad8504c48a1c5&mediaType=text
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US--TEKASHI 6IX9INE-ARREST
Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine faces possible prison time after admitting to drug possession
SUMMARY: Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from prison by possessing drugs. It is his latest run-in with the law since he completed a federal prison sentence on racketeering and conspiracy charges. The performer, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, pleaded guilty in 2018 to his involvement with the violent Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. He was given a two-year sentence for his cooperation against other gang members. But last November, Hernandez was found in violation of his probation and sentenced to another 45 days in federal custody. He declined to comment after Wednesday’s hearing. Guidelines call for between three and nine months in prison when he’s sentenced Sept. 25.
WORDS: 379 - MOVED: 07/23/2025 3:04 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:602a1229794ff15fefab8dfe13368b6d&mediaType=text
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EU-ENT--BRITAIN-OZZY OSBOURNE-FANS
Birmingham mourns the death of native son Ozzy Osbourne
SUMMARY: Ozzy Osbourne’s fans had sensed the end was near. Admirers watched the heavy metal icon perform while seated on a black throne at his final show just a few weeks ago. They knew it would likely be the last time they saw the lead singer of Black Sabbath. So there was little surprise Wednesday as they made pilgrimages to sites around Birmingham. That’s the city in central England where Osbourne grew up and the band was formed.
WORDS: 508 - MOVED: 07/23/2025 3:04 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:59fb5b1de24b8dee9e3897113c42288c&mediaType=text
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ENT--MATTHEW PERRY
Doctor pleads guilty to selling Matthew Perry ketamine in the weeks before the actor’s death
SUMMARY: A doctor has pleaded guilty to illegally supplying ketamine to Matthew Perry before the overdose death of the “Friends” star. On Wednesday, Dr. Salvador Plasencia admitted in federal court to providing Perry with ketamine vials, lozenges and syringes in the weeks leading up to his death on Oct. 28, 2023. Prosecutors say Plasencia also injected Perry with the drug and taught his assistant how to administer it. Perry had struggled with addiction for years. Plasencia faces up to 40 years in prison but has not yet been sentenced and may be sentenced to lesser time. Another defendant’s trial is set for next month.
WORDS: 929 - MOVED: 07/23/2025 2:45 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ea9957df817535ab17fac24660c9c431&mediaType=text
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ENT--FILM-HAPPY GILMORE 2
‘Happy Gilmore’ became a cult comedy. 29 years later, Adam Sandler is swinging again
SUMMARY: Adam Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore” became one of the most beloved comedies of the ’90s and codified the hockey-style swing as a mainstay on golf courses. “A hop, skip and a hit,” as Sandler says. “Happy Gilmore” made comic heroes of Bob Barker, Christopher McDonald and Carl Weathers, and turned lines like “Are you too good for your home?” plausible things to ask golf balls. Now, nearly three decades later, and after years of batting away pleas for a sequel, Sandler has finally put Happy’s Bruins jersey back on. “Happy Gilmore 2” debuts Friday on Netflix and is arguably the most anticipated streaming release of the summer.
WORDS: 1208 - MOVED: 07/23/2025 12:05 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:5bf420950989b85b4b728a5e4dc9a07e&mediaType=text
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MED--PARKINSON’S-EXPLAINER
What to know about Parkinson’s disease after Ozzy Osbourne’s death
SUMMARY: Heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne died this week at 76, about five years after announcing he had Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is a neurologic disease that robs people of control over their movements. It typically starts with tremors and is characterized by slow movement, a shuffling gait, stiff limbs, balance problems and slurred speech. About 10 million people worldwide are living with the disease, which usually appears after age 60. While Parkinson’s itself isn’t considered fatal, people can die from complications of the disease, including lung problems as muscle weakness impedes the ability to cough and to swallow.
WORDS: 377 - MOVED: 07/23/2025 10:54 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:11e6d54599af7cf43b20bf5c29deb594&mediaType=text
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ENT--MUSIC-OZZY OSBOURNE PLAYLIST
10 songs to memorialize Ozzy Osbourne, the great Black Sabbath frontman
SUMMARY: The larger-than-life frontman of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath Ozzy Osbourne has died. He was 76. The English icon’s idiosyncratic, throaty voice launched generations of metalheads, both through his work at the reins of Black Sabbath and in his solo career. Now is an ideal time to listen to The Associated Press’ playlist celebrating his life and legacy. It includes Black Sabbath classics like “Iron Man” and “War Pigs” as well as unexpected selections like his 1991 solo power ballad “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and a 2019 collaboration with Post Malone and Travis Scott.
WORDS: 737 - MOVED: 07/23/2025 10:10 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3e0c3bf44c01cfde0c6e5cde8ae89763&mediaType=text
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ENT--FILM-NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL
Luca Guadagnino’s ‘After the Hunt’ to open New York Film Festival
SUMMARY: Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt” will open the 63rd New York Film Festival, Film at Lincoln Center announced Wednesday. “After the Hunt” will first premiere at the Venice Film Festival. But on Sept. 26, it will kick off the New York Film Festival. An Amazon MGM Studios release due out this fall, “After the Hunt” stars Julia Roberts as a Yale philosophy professor whose comfortable life is tested after her protege accuses the professor’s longtime colleague of sexual assault. Dennis Lim, artistic director of the festival, says Guadagnino’s film “confirms his status as one of the most versatile risk-takers working today.” The New York Film Festival runs Sept. 26 through Oct. 13.
WORDS: 238 - MOVED: 07/23/2025 9:01 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:b7421972cf6d5fa0bc90c8df55968da1&mediaType=text
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