Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Reuters

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Mashrou' Leila concert in Lebanon canceled after church pressure

Lebanon's Byblos festival has canceled a concert by the indie rock band Mashrou' Leila "to prevent bloodshed" after calls from church leaders accusing the band of blasphemy and death threats on social media. The Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Byblos said last week the Lebanese band's songs "violate religious values" and demanded cancelling the show. The band, which has an openly gay vocalist, has performed around the world with its lyrics tackling sectarianism, gender equality and homophobia.

U.S. rapper A$AP Rocky kicked and punched me, teenager tells Swedish court

A teenager told a Swedish court on Tuesday that he was kicked and punched by U.S. rapper A$AP Rocky and two of his entourage during an altercation outside a hamburger restaurant in Stockholm last month. The 30-year-old performer, producer and model, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault on the first day of a trial that prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene on the artist's behalf.

Miley Cyrus latest star to abandon Woodstock 50

Miley Cyrus was reported on Tuesday to have pulled out of the troubled Woodstock 50 festival, joining a string of other big names who say they will no longer take part in the official event meant to mark the anniversary of the landmark 1969 music festival. Cyrus, one of America's biggest pop stars, was one of the headliners for the event planned for Aug. 16-18, which has been mired in financial and permit problems.

Box Office: 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' Starts Strong With $40 Million, 'Lion King' Remains Victorious

Disney's "The Lion King" might still rule everything the light touches, but Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" certainly held its own this weekend at the domestic box office. In a win for original content, Tarantino's R-rated ode to Hollywood's golden age opened with $40 million from 3,659 North American theaters, a career best for the filmmaker. The movie also scored an opening day record for Tarantino, amassing $16.8 million on Friday.