Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Hipgnosis, a music rights investment company founded by industry veteran and former CEO Merck Mercuriadis, launched a strategic review last year after a shareholder revolt led to a board overhaul, a portfolio revaluation, and a dispute with its investment adviser over a call option. NBA's TV rights talks with Disney, Warner likely to end without deal, CNBC reports The National Basketball Association's exclusive media rights negotiating period with current partners Walt Disney and Warner Bros Discovery is likely to expire without a new deal on Monday, CNBC reported on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Bon Jovi docuseries allows peek at band's private history

Rockers Bon Jovi open up about their 40-year career in the new docuseries "Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story". In the four-part show, archival footage and personal videos and photos are intertwined with present-day interviews and scenes of the group embarking on their 2022 tour. It documents the American band's rise in the early 1980s and the sharp learning curve they faced as they progressed from playing Jersey Shore clubs to stadiums around the world.

Prince Harry may have to settle Murdoch lawsuit after Hugh Grant deal - lawyer

British actor Hugh Grant has settled a lawsuit against the publisher of Rupert Murdoch's tabloid newspaper, The Sun, he said on Wednesday, while the lawyer for Prince Harry said the royal could also be "forced" to agree a deal. Grant, alongside King Charles' son and others, was suing News Group Newspapers (NGN) for alleged widespread unlawful information gathering, including landline tapping, burglary and "blagging" confidential information about him.

Sony, Apollo discuss joint bid for Paramount, says source

Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apollo Global Management are discussing making a joint bid for Paramount Global, according to a person familiar with the matter. The companies have yet to approach Paramount, which is in exclusive deal talks with Skydance Media, an independent studio led by David Ellison, though some investors have urged Paramount to explore other options.

Statue to Tony Blair honours "Tonibler" cult in Kosovo

As sculptor Agon Qosa put some of the finishing touches to a statue of Tony Blair, he thought about what the former British prime minister had done for Kosovo a quarter of a century ago. Qosa and other ethnic Albanians in Kosovo idolise Blair for his leadership role during a NATO bombing campaign in 1999 that halted Serb forces' advances and ultimately helped the small Balkan nation win independence.

Alec Baldwin's criminal case hinges on a Wild West revolver

A Colt .45 "Peacemaker" revolver, a symbol of the American Wild West, is at the center of actor Alec Baldwin's fight to avoid criminal prosecution for the 2021 fatal shooting of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on a New Mexico movie set. Baldwin's 15-month battle with New Mexico state prosecutors is heading towards a July 10 climax when the actor is scheduled to face trial for involuntary manslaughter over Hollywood's first on-set shooting with a live-round in modern times.

Taylor Swift surprises with extra tracks on 'Tortured Poets Department' album

Taylor Swift surprised fans with her new record "The Tortured Poets Department" on Friday, revealing it was a double album featuring songs about heartbreak and a period described as "the saddest story" of the singer's life. Swift's 11th studio album, featuring 16 tracks, was officially released at midnight ET (O400 GMT), but two hours later she revealed a second installment with an extra 15 songs.

Hipgnosis agrees sale to Concord in $1.4 billion music rights deal

Nashville-based independent music company Concord has agreed to buy Britain's Hipgnosis Songs Fund for $1.4 billion, the companies said on Thursday, to gain rights to the catalogues of artists including Shakira and Neil Young. Hipgnosis, a music rights investment company founded by industry veteran and former CEO Merck Mercuriadis, launched a strategic review last year after a shareholder revolt led to a board overhaul, a portfolio revaluation, and a dispute with its investment adviser over a call option.

NBA's TV rights talks with Disney, Warner likely to end without deal, CNBC reports

The National Basketball Association's exclusive media rights negotiating period with current partners Walt Disney and Warner Bros Discovery is likely to expire without a new deal on Monday, CNBC reported on Thursday. NBA will be able to engage with new partners to show packages of games from the start of next week, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Netflix to stop reporting subscriber tally as streaming wars cool

Netflix on Thursday unexpectedly announced that it will stop reporting subscriber numbers each quarter, a decision seen as a sign that years of customer gains in the streaming wars are coming to an end. Shares of the streaming video pioneer fell after it reported a large batch of new customers in the first quarter but gave a revenue forecast that missed analyst targets. The stock was trading at $585.41 after-hours, down 4.2% from its closing price.

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