Amazon will produce a new “The Lord of the Rings” TV series, the company announced Monday. Amazon acquired multi-season, global television rights to the project. The show will be a prequel to the J.R.R. Tolkien book “The Fellowship of the Ring,” and is based on new story lines. It will be available for Amazon Prime members. There is also the potential that the show could also lead to a spin-off series.
Days after releasing her sixth studio album, Reputation, Taylor Swift has announced a 27-date U.S. stadium tour for 2018. The tour will launch on May 8 in Arizona and run through October. Swift is set to tour through the U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, with additional dates to be revealed in the coming weeks. Tickets for the North American sting go on-sale to the public on Dec. 13.
Liz Smith, the legendary gossip columnist who detailed New York goings-on for decades, died Sunday. She was 94. Smith’s column was syndicated to nearly 70 newspapers and is credited with helping to bring forth the era of celebrity journalism. Literary agent Joni Evans told the Associated Press that Smith died of natural causes in New York.
TIffany Haddish made history last night as the first African-American female comedian to host the long-running sketch show Saturday Night Live on Saturday. The comedienne shined through the opening monologue and throughout the episode in her history-making hosting gig. This was the first time a black female stand-up comic has hosted the show in 43 seasons.
“Friends” star Jennifer Aniston is coming back to television and she’s partnering with Reese Witherspoon. The Apple streaming service said Wednesday the actresses will star in and produce a behind-the-scenes drama series about a TV morning show. The new series marks a TV reunion for its stars: Witherspoon and Aniston played sisters on an episode of “Friends.”
