Entertainment News Roundup: Dwayne Johnson's 10-year quest brings 'Black Adam' to Comic-Con; 'Goodfellas' and 'Law & Order' actor Paul Sorvino dies at 83 and more

Dolenz, singer and drummer of the Monkees, who featured in a 1960s TV comedy series about a rock quartet modeled after the Beatles, took to Twitter to express his grief and confirm reports of Rafelson's death. Britain to host 2023 Eurovision Song Contest on Ukraine's behalf Britain will host next year's Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of winners Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict there, the competition's organisers said on Monday.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Dwayne Johnson's 10-year quest brings 'Black Adam' to Comic-Con

Actor Dwayne Johnson made a dramatic entrance at the annual Comic-Con pop culture convention on Saturday, hovering above a smoke-filled stage in a sleek superhero costume and promising "the DC Universe will never be the same." Johnson previewed his upcoming Warner Bros film "Black Adam," a story inspired by DC Comics about a former slave who is granted god-like powers and awakens 5,000 years later in modern times.

Box Office: Jordan Peele's 'Nope' Opens to No. 1 With $44 Million

Audiences responded with a resounding "yep" to Jordan Peele's science-fiction thriller "Nope," which topped the box office with its $44 million debut. Those ticket sales were slightly behind projections of $50 million and fall in between Peele's first two films, 2017's "Get Out" (which opened to $33 million) and 2019's "Us" (which opened to $71 million). "Nope" may not have cemented a new box office record for Peele, but it marks a strong start for an original, R-rated horror film.

Bob Rafelson, Oscar-nominated director of 'Five Easy Pieces' dies at 89

Bob Rafelson, co-creator of "The Monkees" and director of the film "Five Easy Pieces" died on Saturday at the age of 89, Monkees singer Micky Dolenz said on Twitter. Dolenz, singer and drummer of the Monkees, who featured in a 1960s TV comedy series about a rock quartet modeled after the Beatles, took to Twitter to express his grief and confirm reports of Rafelson's death.

Britain to host 2023 Eurovision Song Contest on Ukraine's behalf

Britain will host next year's Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of winners Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict there, the competition's organisers said on Monday. While decades-long tradition dictates that the winner of the contest gets to host it the following year, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had said safety and security reasons meant runners-up Britain were instead invited to host.

'Goodfellas' and 'Law & Order' actor Paul Sorvino dies at 83

Paul Sorvino, who played the role of gangster Paulie Cicero in classic mob movie "Goodfellas," has died at the age of 83, a spokesperson for the actor said on Monday. Sorvino, also known for portraying police sergeant Phil Cerreta on TV series "Law & Order" in the 1990s, worked in film and television and on stage for more than 50 years.

Cannibals, comedy and a cinema icon share Venice limelight

A Marilyn Monroe drama, a cannibal road movie and a black comedy about family life are among the stories showcased at this year's Venice Film Festival. The world's oldest film festival, regarded as a launch pad for Oscar contenders as awards season approaches, runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 10, and features dozens of hotly anticipated movies both in and out of competition.

(With inputs from agencies.)