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(Reuters) -Disney said on Tuesday it has secured theatrical film and ancillary rights to British writer Katherine Rundell's fantasy book series, "Impossible Creatures," with plans to adapt the first two books for the big screen. The series is set in the fictional world of the Glimouria Archipelago, a "richly imagined universe brimming with unique characters", Disney said, which it expects to "captivate audiences for years to come." "Impossible Creatures," which initially debuted as a planned trilogy, was expanded to a five-book series earlier this year through two major seven-figure publishing deals with Bloomsbury and Knopf. The second and the latest installment, "The Poisoned King," became a global bestseller and made Rundell the first U.K. children's author since J.K. Rowling to simultaneously reach No. 1 on the children's book charts in both the U.K. and the U.S., Disney said. As part of the deal, Rundell will adapt the first two books into feature film screenplays under the Disney Live Action banner, and will produce the films with creative partner Charles Collier. The acquisition represents a strategic pivot toward fresh, original fantasy intellectual property following Disney's mixed results from live-action remakes of classic animated films. While "Lilo & Stitch" proved successful this year, "Snow White" disappointed at the box office. "Our ambition is to build 'Glimouria' and 'Impossible Creatures' into a spectacular series of films, so that we can entertain and inspire family audiences across the world," Rundell said in a statement. Disney also secured the rights to be the first to review and potentially make movies or shows based on Rundell's current and upcoming literary properties, from her production company, Impossible Films. "When I read 'Impossible Creatures', I knew it belonged here at Disney," Disney CEO Bob Iger said. (Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)

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By Marie-Louise Gumuchian LONDON (Reuters) -Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay goes behind the camera for a new series, "Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars", that shines the spotlight on restaurants working to attain the coveted culinary accolade.    The multi-starred restaurateur and TV personality is an executive producer of the eight-part Apple TV+ series premiering on Friday, which visits eateries in the United States, Britain, Italy, Nordics and Mexico seeking to gain, or retain, stars. "(It) is a sort of a real reflection on what goes on in these businesses: what's at stake, what kind of jeopardy is up for grabs and then the emotions," Ramsay told Reuters.    "This is (an)…unscripted, real version of life in the culinary world and the extent you go to for the badge of honour … Actors want Oscars, football players want F.A. Cup winners’ medals, chefs want Michelin stars."    Episodes show host Jesse Burgess meeting chefs as they compose menus, primp up dishes and seek to impress that lone diner who may be a secret Michelin inspector. There is also input from the anonymous Michelin inspectors, voiced by actors.    "We ask them questions and they answer. In reality, it was all … very secretive so that none of the producers or nobody actually saw the real-life inspectors," Burgess said.  "They just judge the food on the plate." The first Michelin guide was published by the French tyre company in 1900, with the restaurant star rating introduced in the 1920s. The annual guides award up to three stars. Ramsay received his first Michelin star when he was head chef at London restaurant Aubergine. His own Restaurant Gordon Ramsay has held three stars since 2001. "You become an overnight sensation and then you've got the fight and the slug to maintain it … you need to understand the word delegation, teaching, creating, and most importantly, passing the baton on," he said. "I have one foot in the kitchen and one foot in the media world and am I there 16 hours a day? No, of course I'm not. I am there like a conductor and I'll sign things off, but I want to hear from them … And so maintaining it is where the real work starts." Asked if he still gets nervous when Michelin issues new editions of the guide, Ramsay said: "I do get nervous … no one likes losing … (going) down to even two stars is unique, but … it's major headlines if you do. I'm often asked, ‘What would you do if you did lose a star?’ Then, I'd fight and win it back." (Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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(Reuters) -Comedians in Congo are mining their country's chronic instability for laughs, entertaining people displaced by the war with the M23 rebels with their dark humour. "Can you imagine Kabila as an emergency room doctor?" one of the comics said, setting up a joke about how former President Joseph Kabila's slow speaking style would mean some patients would die before they even got seen. "Kabila as an emergency room doctor would sound like this: 'Thank you. Those with broken feet will be here, those with tibia problems will also be here … I'll start again, I did say those with broken feet … oh, they're already dead'," he said, to roars from the audience. The comedy show was before Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes for his alleged role in backing the advance of M23. Kabila, who led Congo from 2001 to 2019, has denied wrongdoing and said the judiciary has been politicised. ORGANISER OFFERING 'MASS THERAPY' Another comic during the open air set in the government-held city of Beni went on an extended riff contrasting upbeat, rumba-influenced Congolese music with the sad, down-tempo hits of some Western singer-songwriters. "When a white person sings, you can tell he's had time to think, write, get into the studio … I want these problems," he said. In the crowd was Placide Itula, 28, who fled Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, in February, travelling more than 100 km (60 miles) on a motorbike taxi and pirogue boat to get to the safety of Beni, a city that has for years welcomed displaced civilians in makeshift camps and residents' homes. Goma fell under the control of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in late January. Itula's wife had a miscarriage as M23 approached the city and has been unable to make the journey, meaning he has been staying there alone. Itula said he attended the comedy show "with the hope of reducing stress and anxiety and seeing if at least I can find a little smile when I see others". Goma's fall was part of a lightning advance that saw M23 seize more territory than it has ever held and spurred fighting that killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of others. Rwanda has long denied backing M23 and says its forces act in self-defence. But a group of U.N. experts said in a report in July that Kigali exercised command and control over the rebels. Christian Kabwe, who organises the comedy shows, said there was a need to "de-stress" the population. "We told ourselves, as the French say, that laughter is therapeutic, so we wanted to offer this mass therapy," he said. (Reporting by Congo newsroom;Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet;Editing by Alison Williams)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Marie-Louise Gumuchian LONDON (Reuters) -Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay goes behind the camera for a new series, "Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars", that shines the spotlight on restaurants working to attain the coveted culinary accolade.    The multi-starred restaurateur and TV personality is an executive producer of the eight-part Apple TV+ series premiering on Friday, which visits eateries in the United States, Britain, Italy, Nordics and Mexico seeking to gain, or retain, stars. "(It) is a sort of a real reflection on what goes on in these businesses: what's at stake, what kind of jeopardy is up for grabs and then the emotions," Ramsay told Reuters.    "This is (an)…unscripted, real version of life in the culinary world and the extent you go to for the badge of honour … Actors want Oscars, football players want F.A. Cup winners’ medals, chefs want Michelin stars."    Episodes show host Jesse Burgess meeting chefs as they compose menus, primp up dishes and seek to impress that lone diner who may be a secret Michelin inspector. There is also input from the anonymous Michelin inspectors, voiced by actors.    "We ask them questions and they answer. In reality, it was all … very secretive so that none of the producers or nobody actually saw the real-life inspectors," Burgess said.  "They just judge the food on the plate." The first Michelin guide was published by the French tyre company in 1900, with the restaurant star rating introduced in the 1920s. The annual guides award up to three stars. Ramsay received his first Michelin star when he was head chef at London restaurant Aubergine. His own Restaurant Gordon Ramsay has held three stars since 2001. "You become an overnight sensation and then you've got the fight and the slug to maintain it … you need to understand the word delegation, teaching, creating, and most importantly, passing the baton on," he said. "I have one foot in the kitchen and one foot in the media world and am I there 16 hours a day? No, of course I'm not. I am there like a conductor and I'll sign things off, but I want to hear from them … And so maintaining it is where the real work starts." Asked if he still gets nervous when Michelin issues new editions of the guide, Ramsay said: "I do get nervous … no one likes losing … (going) down to even two stars is unique, but … it's major headlines if you do. I'm often asked, ‘What would you do if you did lose a star?’ Then, I'd fight and win it back." (Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Reuters) -Comedians in Congo are mining their country's chronic instability for laughs, entertaining people displaced by the war with the M23 rebels with their dark humour. "Can you imagine Kabila as an emergency room doctor?" one of the comics said, setting up a joke about how former President Joseph Kabila's slow speaking style would mean some patients would die before they even got seen. "Kabila as an emergency room doctor would sound like this: 'Thank you. Those with broken feet will be here, those with tibia problems will also be here … I'll start again, I did say those with broken feet … oh, they're already dead'," he said, to roars from the audience. The comedy show was before Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes for his alleged role in backing the advance of M23. Kabila, who led Congo from 2001 to 2019, has denied wrongdoing and said the judiciary has been politicised. ORGANISER OFFERING 'MASS THERAPY' Another comic during the open air set in the government-held city of Beni went on an extended riff contrasting upbeat, rumba-influenced Congolese music with the sad, down-tempo hits of some Western singer-songwriters. "When a white person sings, you can tell he's had time to think, write, get into the studio … I want these problems," he said. In the crowd was Placide Itula, 28, who fled Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, in February, travelling more than 100 km (60 miles) on a motorbike taxi and pirogue boat to get to the safety of Beni, a city that has for years welcomed displaced civilians in makeshift camps and residents' homes. Goma fell under the control of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in late January. Itula's wife had a miscarriage as M23 approached the city and has been unable to make the journey, meaning he has been staying there alone. Itula said he attended the comedy show "with the hope of reducing stress and anxiety and seeing if at least I can find a little smile when I see others". Goma's fall was part of a lightning advance that saw M23 seize more territory than it has ever held and spurred fighting that killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of others. Rwanda has long denied backing M23 and says its forces act in self-defence. But a group of U.N. experts said in a report in July that Kigali exercised command and control over the rebels. Christian Kabwe, who organises the comedy shows, said there was a need to "de-stress" the population. "We told ourselves, as the French say, that laughter is therapeutic, so we wanted to offer this mass therapy," he said. (Reporting by Congo newsroom;Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet;Editing by Alison Williams)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Reuters) -Comedians in Congo are mining their country's chronic instability for laughs, entertaining people displaced by the war with the M23 rebels with their dark humour. "Can you imagine Kabila as an emergency room doctor?" one of the comics said, setting up a joke about how former President Joseph Kabila's slow speaking style would mean some patients would die before they even got seen. "Kabila as an emergency room doctor would sound like this: 'Thank you. Those with broken feet will be here, those with tibia problems will also be here … I'll start again, I did say those with broken feet … oh, they're already dead'," he said, to roars from the audience. The comedy show was before Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes for his alleged role in backing the advance of M23. Kabila, who led Congo from 2001 to 2019, has denied wrongdoing and said the judiciary has been politicised. ORGANISER OFFERING 'MASS THERAPY' Another comic during the open air set in the government-held city of Beni went on an extended riff contrasting upbeat, rumba-influenced Congolese music with the sad, down-tempo hits of some Western singer-songwriters. "When a white person sings, you can tell he's had time to think, write, get into the studio … I want these problems," he said. In the crowd was Placide Itula, 28, who fled Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, in February, travelling more than 100 km (60 miles) on a motorbike taxi and pirogue boat to get to the safety of Beni, a city that has for years welcomed displaced civilians in makeshift camps and residents' homes. Goma fell under the control of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in late January. Itula's wife had a miscarriage as M23 approached the city and has been unable to make the journey, meaning he has been staying there alone. Itula said he attended the comedy show "with the hope of reducing stress and anxiety and seeing if at least I can find a little smile when I see others". Goma's fall was part of a lightning advance that saw M23 seize more territory than it has ever held and spurred fighting that killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of others. Rwanda has long denied backing M23 and says its forces act in self-defence. But a group of U.N. experts said in a report in July that Kigali exercised command and control over the rebels. Christian Kabwe, who organises the comedy shows, said there was a need to "de-stress" the population. "We told ourselves, as the French say, that laughter is therapeutic, so we wanted to offer this mass therapy," he said. (Reporting by Congo newsroom;Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet;Editing by Alison Williams)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Reuters) -Comedians in Congo are mining their country's chronic instability for laughs, entertaining people displaced by the war with the M23 rebels with their dark humour. "Can you imagine Kabila as an emergency room doctor?" one of the comics said, setting up a joke about how former President Joseph Kabila's slow speaking style would mean some patients would die before they even got seen. "Kabila as an emergency room doctor would sound like this: 'Thank you. Those with broken feet will be here, those with tibia problems will also be here … I'll start again, I did say those with broken feet … oh, they're already dead'," he said, to roars from the audience. The comedy show was before Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes for his alleged role in backing the advance of M23. Kabila, who led Congo from 2001 to 2019, has denied wrongdoing and said the judiciary has been politicised. ORGANISER OFFERING 'MASS THERAPY' Another comic during the open air set in the government-held city of Beni went on an extended riff contrasting upbeat, rumba-influenced Congolese music with the sad, down-tempo hits of some Western singer-songwriters. "When a white person sings, you can tell he's had time to think, write, get into the studio … I want these problems," he said. In the crowd was Placide Itula, 28, who fled Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, in February, travelling more than 100 km (60 miles) on a motorbike taxi and pirogue boat to get to the safety of Beni, a city that has for years welcomed displaced civilians in makeshift camps and residents' homes. Goma fell under the control of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in late January. Itula's wife had a miscarriage as M23 approached the city and has been unable to make the journey, meaning he has been staying there alone. Itula said he attended the comedy show "with the hope of reducing stress and anxiety and seeing if at least I can find a little smile when I see others". Goma's fall was part of a lightning advance that saw M23 seize more territory than it has ever held and spurred fighting that killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of others. Rwanda has long denied backing M23 and says its forces act in self-defence. But a group of U.N. experts said in a report in July that Kigali exercised command and control over the rebels. Christian Kabwe, who organises the comedy shows, said there was a need to "de-stress" the population. "We told ourselves, as the French say, that laughter is therapeutic, so we wanted to offer this mass therapy," he said. (Reporting by Congo newsroom;Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet;Editing by Alison Williams)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

PARIS (Reuters) -Chanel creative director Matthieu Blazy kicked off his design reboot of the century-old French fashion house on Monday with an evening runway show featuring dropped waists and long, button-up shirts, capping months of mounting suspense. Blazy, 41, snagged fashion's most coveted job in December. He is one of dozens of new designers recruited by labels seeking to spark the interest of inflation-weary shoppers. Blazy's debut at the Grand Palais in Paris drew swarms of guests decked out in the brand's signature tweed, the famous interlocking C logo visible on heels, jewellery and handbags. Inside, gigantic, glowing planets hovered in the vast glass-and-steel exposition hall.  Models marched down the slick, black runway, parading low-waisted skirts, silk tops and elongated twin sets with frayed edges. Red carpet looks included full skirts with piles of colorful feathers, dresses with extra flounce and glittering knitwear. Along with Chanel's classic-look leather handbags, models also paraded what the brand called "crushed" versions in gold and silver with exposed seams and open flaps. At the end of the show, the audience of over 2,000 gave a standing ovation as Blazy ran out for his bow. Blazy, who joined Chanel from Kering-owned Bottega Veneta, follows long-time Virginie Viard who left in June last year after a long collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld, the creative force behind the modern revival of Chanel until he died in 2019. Paris Fashion Week, which featured Saint Laurent, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Balenciaga, finishes on Tuesday, concluding a month of shows in New York, London and Milan. (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Richard Chang)

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By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -After being sentenced to four years in prison on Friday over his conviction on prostitution-related charges, Sean "Diddy" Combs returned to a Brooklyn jail where he has spent more than a year in conditions his lawyers call violent and inhumane. Prosecutors say the conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center have improved in the time Combs has spent there since his September 16, 2024 arrest. They cite increased staffing levels, facility repairs, and a reduction in the number of lockdowns.   Combs' 50-month sentence, imposed by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian at a hearing in Manhattan federal court, comes after the hip-hop mogul was convicted in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The jury had acquitted him on the more serious counts of sex trafficking and racketeering, which could have earned him a life sentence.   Combs pleaded not guilty to all charges and is expected to appeal his conviction. Combs will in the coming weeks or months be assigned to a federal prison where he will serve out the remainder of his sentence,  but for now, Combs will remain jailed in Brooklyn.  COMBS SLEEPS IN DORM-STYLE ROOM  The MDC, which has also held convicted sex traffickers like British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and rhythm and blues singer R. Kelly, is a far cry from the luxurious Los Angeles and Miami mansions Combs called home until last year. According to his lawyers, Combs, 55, sleeps within two feet of other inmates in a dorm-style room. The bathroom, with no door, is located in the same room, the defense lawyers wrote in a Sept. 22 court filing urging U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian to impose a low sentence.  "Living conditions at the MDC remain inhumane," his lawyers wrote. "Mr. Combs has not breathed fresh air in nearly 13 months, or felt sunlight on his skin."  At one point during his incarceration, guards stopped someone trying to cut Combs with a makeshift knife, defense lawyer Brian Steel said at Friday's sentencing  hearing.  In recent years, MDC has been plagued by persistent staffing shortages, power outages and maggots in inmates' food. Two weeks after Combs' arrest, prosecutors announced criminal charges against nine MDC inmates for crimes including assault, attempted murder and murder at the facility in the months before Combs arrived. In January of last year, Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman declined to order a man charged with drug crimes detained pending trial at the MDC, calling the conditions there an "ongoing tragedy." But in a sentencing hearing in a different case this past May, Furman said conditions at the jail had improved. In a July court filing in Combs' case, prosecutors said the jail housed 300 fewer inmates than in January 2024 and that incidents of armed violence had declined.   The U.S. Bureau of Prisons, which operates MDC, did not respond to a request for comment. The agency has previously said it was engaged in intensive efforts to improve conditions at the jail.  PROSECUTORS DISPUTE COMBS' ASSERTIONS  Combs' lawyers said he had been on suicide watch almost constantly, meaning he is awoken by guards while he is sleeping to ensure he is well and must present his identification card to guards every two hours. They said a September 12 video call with Combs was interrupted by a stabbing that led to a days-long lockdown.  Prosecutors said Combs' description of his conditions was misleading or inaccurate. They said in a September 30 filing that he had been on suicide watch for a total of seven days, and that there had been no lockdowns in Combs' unit during his time at MDC. As to Combs' assertion that he had not felt sunlight or fresh air, the prosecutors said he had daily access to a "partially exposed" recreational space to allow sunlight and airflow.   Combs' lawyers have acknowledged one benefit of his incarceration: they say after a 25-year drug addiction, he is now sober.  (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Bill Berkrot and Franklin Paul)

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By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -While the lead vocalists in animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" are largely inspired by the work of other K-Pop artists, EJAE, Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna said they also admire Black American hip-hop stars like Kendrick Lamar, Missy Elliott and Doechii.  “I think I discovered West Coast rap in high school, and I learned a lot about storytelling, lyricism and rhythm,” Korean American rapper and singer Rei Ami said. All three vocalists told Reuters that rapper and record producer Lamar’s music had particularly impacted their musical styles.  “His (Lamar’s) flow is insane, cadence, his way of writing, his way of vocal producing, I learned a lot from that,” Korean American singer and songwriter EJAE said.  "KPop Demon Hunters," directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and available on Netflix, is trending around the world. Its soundtrack has dominated the charts this summer, boasting more than 3 billion global streams to date, and breakout hit “Golden” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Netflix reported in August. The streaming platform reported on Tuesday that the movie was currently its most popular English-language film. A sing-along version of "KPop Demon Hunters" topped the domestic box office during its opening weekend on August 23 and 24, in what appeared to be a historic first for Netflix.  The action-packed movie received 2.1 billion on-demand audio and video streams in the U.S. across all platforms and earned a total of 5.4 billion minutes watched on Netflix in the U.S. by late September, according to Luminate. Luminate added it was the most-consumed soundtrack in the U.S. so far this year when looking at album sales and streaming equivalents.  FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE While the first live performance for the lead trio of "KPop Demon Hunters" was originally going to be October 7 when the singers will perform "Golden" on "The Tonight Show," there was a surprise performance on Saturday Night Live (SNL) on Saturday, which marked their official live singing debut together. EJAE, Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna performed "Golden" during an SNL skit with host, singer Bad Bunny. "It's official," the singers said in unison, talking about the upcoming performance on "The Tonight Show." "These girls, it's an honor being on stage with them," Rei Ami said, noting that for her, this history-making moment is "overdue."  The movie, which came out on June 20, follows a K-pop girl group called HUNTR/X, comprised of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, who are also a trio of demon hunters that perform K-pop music to impress fans and combat demons. EJAE provides the singing voice for the lead singer Rumi and cowrote "Golden,” which she performs with Rei Ami, who sings as Zoey, and Audrey Nuna, who’s the vocalist for Mira. The film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation.  With the musical movie continuing to trend, directors Kang and Appelhans said they are considering what the future may hold. Both said they are thinking about a potential sequel, but right now, they are just trying to take their busy schedules day by day.   They are also appreciative of the Oscar and Grammy awards buzz they have received. “It’s an honor to be even recognized, to be potential nominees,” Kang said.  (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Jane Ross; Editing by Mary Milliken, Jamie Freed and Diane Craft)

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