'Friends' star Courtney Cox is returning as news reporter in the upcoming 'Scream' franchise

Washington, US : 'Friends' star Courteney Cox is returning for the next iteration of the famed 'Scream' film franchise. According to Fox News, the 56-year-old actor confirmed that she will reprise her role as news reporter Gale Weathers in an Instagram post on Friday.

With the Instagram post, the 'Bedtime Stories' actor posted of the iconic black-and-white mask that has seen many Halloween nights over the course of its four films that began in 1996 and have grossed more than USD 600 million in the global box office. "I can't wait to see this face again," noted Cox as she also slated to return for the fifth instalment is Cox's ex-husband David Arquette as Dewey Riley.

Arquette previously said in a statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter, "I am thrilled to be playing Dewey again and to reunite with my Scream family, old and new. Scream has been such a big part of my life and for both the fans and myself, I look forward to honouring Wes Craven's legacy."
Fox News reported that Cox has marked her appearance in all of the previous 'Scream' films, released in 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2011 respectively. Radio Silence, the filmmaking arm behind the reboot told the Deadline, "We can't imagine 'Scream' without the iconic Gale Weathers and are so incredibly thrilled and humbled to have the opportunity to work with Courteney. We're absolute mega fans of her work and we're so excited to join her in the next chapter of the 'Scream' saga!" Filming on the all-new 'Scream' is set to kick off later this year in Wilmington, North Carolina. 

Black Is King: Beyoncé once again made the world stop through her stunning visual album

Black Is King, a film by Beyoncé, has hit Disney+. A reimagining of The Lion King, Black Is King is a visual album based on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, curated by none other than Queen Bey herself for last year’s remake that starred Donald Glover and of course Beyoncé (as Nala).

It follows a young African king’s journey through betrayal, love, and self-identity as his ancestors guide him along the way. The roll out to Black Is King involved not one, but two trailers, a pre-recorded guest appearance on Good Morning America, and a surprise video drop for the single “Already” three hours before the film hits streaming platforms. 

According to Bey, the visual album was filmed all over the world starting in B’s backyard and taking her to Johannesburg, Ghana, London, to Belgium, and the Grand Canyon. The film also features Black royalty including but not limited to Pharrell Williams, Naomi Campbell, Lupita Nyong’o, Beyoncé’s Destiny’s Child sister Kelly Rowland, and the child of destiny herself, Blue Ivy. 

If you’re wondering how you can watch Beyoncé’s latest achievement in film and music, look below for a detailed breakdown of all the ways to stream Black Is King. Savor this moment, it may be the only good thing to happen in 2020.

Beyoncé's first visual album was the self-titled "Beyoncé," released in 2013, featuring hit tracks "Drunk In Love" and "XO." Her second visual album, "Lemonade," released to HBO in 2016, was a dreamy and powerful mix of visuals, spoken word, confessions and lyrics with themes of love, betrayal, empowerment, tribalism and family.

Earlier that year, Beyoncé released her hit track "Formation" from the album, with a video featuring imagery closely aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement. One scene in the video features a young African-American boy in a hoodie, dancing in front of a line of police officers wearing riot gear; then, the words "Stop Shooting Us" appear in graffiti on a wall.

There was some controversy over the video and over the Black Panther-esque outfits worn by dancers at a Super Bowl halftime performance of the track. Some police departments argued the imagery was anti-law enforcement. however, Fans supported the singer.

Actor turned MPs Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty sharing screen space in Bengali film

Kolkata: Actor turned MPs Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty are sharing screen space in Bengali film 'SOS Kolkata', shooting for which has started after the West Bengal government allowed resumption of film shoot in the state.

Jahan and Chakraborty said they are happy to be back on shooting floors in 'SOS Kolkata' and are enjoying the 'new normal' experience. Jahan said on Thursday that she is happy that the role of female protagonist came to her, the role which is not usual and conventional for a female lead in a Bengali film, of an out and outsmart, intelligent, gritty character she had always dreamt to play.

Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty 

Jahan's co-star and friend Chakraborty said: "We are happy that the shoots have passed off so smoothly. I am playing Sanjana, a woman pivotal to the film." Director Anshuman Pratyush said it was a relief to be back on floors after four-month lockdown and "we are abiding by all safety norms stipulated by the government." He said the film would be released by this Durga puja.

The film also cast Yash Dasgupta, Ena Saha, Shantilal Mukherjee, Rupa Bhattacharya and Sabyasachi Chakraborty. This is Jahan's second film after she was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Basirhat seat on a Trinamool Congress ticket. She had been cast in Pavel's 'Asur' earlier.

Chakraborty is the Trinamool Congress MP from the Jadavpur constituency. Jahan and Chakraborty had earlier shared screen space in Birsa Dasgupta's 'Criss Cross'.

Cinema: Sanjay Dutt’s birthday gift to fans is first look poster of KGF-2 character Adheera

Mumbai: The first look of Sanjay Dutt from upcoming Kannada epic KGF Chapter 2 was unveiled Wednesday, July 29, on the occasion of the star’s 61st birthday. Sanjay Dutt is playing the character of "Adheera" in this film.

The poster features a tattooed Sanjay, holding a sword, in what is shaping out to be one of the most-anticipated characters in the sequel to KGF Chapter 1. Dutt’s character is styled like a warrior character from the series Vikings. “It’s been a pleasure working on this film and I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday gift,” React the Sanjay, while sharing the new poster on Twitter. It will be interesting to see how a mob boss dressed like an 11th-century warrior will conduct his business in 1980s India. 

Sanjay Dutt’s towering physique and resting mean face makes him the perfect choice to play the villain in KGF Chapter 2. In KGF, director Prashanth Neel ensured that Adheera remained a mystery, with hints dropped about his massive stomach for power and violence. Even though Adheera is preset as a cruel master, he comes across as a man of his words and a loyal brother. In KGF Chapter 1, Adheera’s elder brother Suryavardhan hands over the reins of the gold mines of Kolar to his son Garuda, assuming that Adheera can’t handle political challenges. Adheera respects his brother’s choice and excuses himself from the power struggle. But, he vows that he will return and take over the gold mines if something should happen to Garuda.

And that is what exactly happens by the end of KGF. Rocky kills Garuda amid a lot of fanfare and that creates a power vacuum in Kolar. While there are multiple players bidding for control of the gold mines, the actual power struggle will be between Adheera and Rocky.

It is worth noting that Sanjay Dutt has earlier played a similar role as drug lord Kancha Cheena in Agneepath and that became an iconic villain role of Hindi cinema. However, Dutt is quite upbeat about KGF 2. “The character of Adheera in KGF is very powerful. If you have seen Avengers, you know how powerful Thanos is. Adheera is as powerful as him,” Sanjay Dutt had said earlier. Sanjay will join an impressive star cast that features the likes of Yash, Srinidhi Shetty and Raveena Tandon. 

The film is directed by Prashanth Neel, with music by Ravi Basrur. Produced by Hombaale films. The production of KGF Chapter 2 was stopped due to the outbreak of coronavirus. And it has subsequently affected the original release date, which was October 23, 2020

A space exploration fan, jazz artist Gregory Porter to sing for NASA launch

Jazz artist Gregory Porter, whose new single "Concorde" is an ode to space exploration, is set to perform on Thursday, July 30 as part of a ceremony marking the launch of NASA's next generation rover that will search for signs of habitable conditions on Mars.

The Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter is scheduled to sing the Ray Charles version of "America The Beautiful" during the U.S. space agency's broadcast of the countdown to the launch of the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Mission at Cape Canaveral in Florida. Porter said he will perform from his living room in Bakersfield, California because of the coronavirus pandemic. His record label said Porter was invited after NASA officials heard "Concorde."

"I wrote the song when I was on an airplane thinking about the idea of ascension, both in the body but in the mind as well. Flying into the stratosphere," Porter told Reuters, adding how "surreal" it was first hearing from the space agency. "Anyway, NASA caught wind of it and they were interested... in partnering in the release of the song and the release of the video."

In the "Concorde" music video, Porter is dressed as an astronaut and appears opposite his young son, Demyan. "When I'm floating around in the galaxy, hanging out with the stars, the sweetest thing to do is to come back down, to drop down to and to be on the soil and to be with your loved ones. And that's what the song is about," Porter said.

Porter said he has been a spaceflight fan since watching NASA's first shuttle launch Colombia in 1981. He remembers as a 9 year old being concerned about how the astronauts would return to Earth and making sure they landed back at Edwards Air Force Base, not far from his childhood home.

Life in lockdown has meant Porter spending more time with his son, but his family has also been personally affected by the coronavirus. The singer said "Concorde" celebrates his late brother, actor Lloyd Porter's life, who sadly passed away in early May from complications due to COVID-19. The song that is featured on new album "All Rise" was launched on New York-based Lloyd's birthday of July 23. Porter said his passing has brought the family, now seven siblings even closer together than before.

"I'm celebrating his life and also his life in my music as well. So, yes, it is an extraordinary, extraordinary time," he said. The robotic rover is intended to study Martian geology and seek signs of ancient microbial life. "All Rise" is released August 28 by Blue Note Records/Universal Music Group.