Oasis Reunion and Halloween Frights: Latest Entertainment Buzz

From the early arrival of Halloween at U.S. theme parks to the highly-anticipated Oasis reunion, the entertainment industry has been buzzing. Nicole Kidman feels exposed with her new film at Venice, while ABBA demands Trump to stop using their music. Basel will host the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest.

Hauntingly high demand for Halloween spookiness at U.S. theme parks

Halloween has arrived earlier than ever at major U.S. theme parks, as major operators like Disney, Six Flags, and Universal Studios seek to expand their reach and build on consumers' love of spooky costumes and scares. Theme park operators have introduced a range of attractions, live performances, merchandise, and food and beverages in August, before summer has ended and well before the actual holiday, to take advantage of the surging popularity of Halloween. These holiday-themed efforts come at a time when domestic theme park attendance has slumped, following a post-COVID surge in demand.

Oasis reunion drives surge in eDreams travel searches

News of British rock band Oasis' long-awaited reunion tour next summer has led to a surge in searches for travel to Britain and Ireland, Spanish online travel booking company eDreams said on Friday. Searches for flights overall rose nearly 30-fold on Tuesday, the day the band announced its return to the stage, eDreams said.

Nicole Kidman feels 'exposed and vulnerable' as sex drama hits Venice

Nicole Kidman brought her erotic drama "Babygirl" to the Venice Film Festival on Friday, saying she felt exposed and nervous as the controlled intimacy of the set gets projected onto the big screen before a global audience. Kidman has made a string of risqué films throughout her career, including Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut," which premiered in Venice 25 years ago. But she told reporters she was highly anxious about the reaction to her latest movie.

ABBA tells Trump to stop using their music at campaign rallies

The members of the Swedish pop group ABBA have asked U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to stop using their music and videos at his campaign rallies, the band's record label said on Thursday. ABBA hits including "The Winner Takes It All," "Money, Money, Money" and "Dancing Queen" were played at a rally held by Trump and his running mate JD Vance on July 27 in Minnesota, accompanied by videos, said the Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet, which had a reporter at the event.

Swiss choose Basel to host 2025 Eurovision Song Contest

Next year's Eurovision Song Contest will be held in the Swiss city of Basel, the event's organizer said on Friday, setting it up for an economic boost from the hundreds of thousands of fans expected to flock to its restaurants, hotels, and bars. The final, which was watched by 163 million viewers around the world this year, will take place on May 17 in Basel's St Jakobshalle arena, a multi-purpose sport and music venue that can accommodate 12,000 fans.

Angelina Jolie's voice soars for Maria Callas Venice movie

U.S. actor Angelina Jolie had to learn how to sing opera to prepare for playing Maria Callas, one of the greatest sopranos of all time, saying on Thursday that it was the most demanding role of her career. "Maria," directed by Pablo Larraín, chronicles Callas's final days in Paris when she was addicted to anti-anxiety drugs. It recalls the high and low notes of her tumultuous past when she wowed audiences around the world with her astonishing voice.

Some South Indian movie stars under investigation for sex crimes, police say

Several prominent film actors and directors are the focus of a police investigation into sexual assault and harassment in India's southern state of Kerala, a case that has added to the outrage in the country over violence against women.

The allegations come at a time when doctors in many parts of the country are protesting against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in the eastern city of Kolkata, leading to strikes in several hospitals and anger on social media.

Oasis fans on tenterhooks for tickets as reunion tour sales set to go live

Oasis tickets go on sale in Britain and Ireland on Saturday for the group's long-awaited reunion, likely attracting old and new fans in a tour being billed as the "big event of 2025." The Britpop band announced their comeback this week to much fanfare, 15 years after they broke up when lead guitarist and main songwriter Noel Gallagher said he could no longer work with frontman and brother Liam after a number of public spats.

Migrant separation documentary hits Venice, shines light on Trump policy

Oscar-winning documentary maker Errol Morris premiered his latest work at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday, picking apart one of former President Donald Trump's most contested policies - family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border. "Separated" looks at how the Trump administration quietly started separating children from their parents in an effort to deter migrants from crossing illegally into the United States.

Rock band Oasis add UK dates to reunion tour as fans clamor for tickets

Oasis announced three extra concert dates on Thursday for their comeback tour of the UK and Ireland due to unprecedented demand from fans desperate to see the band live for the first time in 15 years. The group, whose debut album "Definitely Maybe" was released 30 years ago, split in 2009 when lead guitarist and main songwriter Noel Gallagher said he could no longer work with singer Liam after a string of public spats between the brothers.

(With inputs from agencies.)