AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 1:37 a.m. EST

Rob Reiner, son of a comedy giant who became one, too, dies at 78

Rob Reiner, the son of a comedy giant who went on to become one, himself, as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation with movies such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” has died. He was 78. Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were found dead Sunday at their Brentwood home. Authorities were investigating it as an “apparent homicide.” Reiner rose to fame through the role of Meathead on the TV series “All in the Family,” which won him two Emmy Awards. Between 1986 and 1989, he directed a trio of American classics, all of them among the most often quoted movies of the 20th century.

'Zootopia 2' reclaims No. 1 spot at box office, grosses $1B worldwide

NEW YORK (AP) — “Zootopia 2” has regained the No. 1 spot at the box office with $26.3 million in its third weekend of release. According to studio estimates Sunday, The Walt Disney Co. animated sequel became the year’s second film to gross $1 billion worldwide. With “Avatar: Fire and Ash” arriving Friday, it was a relatively quiet weekend in theaters. There were no major new releases, leaving holdovers “Zootopia 2” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” to duke it out for the top spot. The edge went to “Zootopia 2,” which has quickly amassed $1.14 billion in ticket sales thanks to its enormous success in China. “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” collected $15.4 million, a drop of 70% from its above-expectations debut.

Rob Reiner mourned by Barack Obama, Jerry O'Connell, James Woods and many others

Many prominent people are paying tribute to Rob Reiner and his wife Michele, after they were killed in their Los Angeles home on Sunday. Barack Obama says Reiner had a deep belief in the goodness of people. Actor Josh Gad says they were two of the most kind and caring souls you could ever imagine. California Gov. Gavin Newsom called Reiner the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi both call the loss devastating. Paul Walter Hauser says Reiner's film “A Few Good Men” is the reason he became an actor.

Haruki Murakami honored with awards and a jazzy tribute in New York

NEW YORK (AP) — Haruki Murakami recently received two honors in New York for his contributions to literature and cultural exchange. On Tuesday, the Center for Fiction awarded him its Lifetime of Excellence in Fiction Award. Two days later, the Japan Society celebrated him with a jazzy tribute called “Murakami Mixtape” and gave him its annual prize for fostering U.S.-Japan relations. Murakami is known for novels like “Kafka on the Shore” and “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.” His interests in music and culture were highlighted during the events. Murakami reflected on his experiences in New York and the evolving global presence of Japanese culture.

Hallmark holiday movie fans are flocking to Connecticut's quaint filming locations

WETHERSFIELD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut is working to become a destination for holiday movie fans, promoting its charming towns featured in films by Hallmark and Lifetime. The state has launched the nation's first Christmas Movie Trail, a self-guided tour of locations where 22 films were made. It has sparked online buzz and boosted business for some attractions. Fans are visiting places like Wethersfield, where parts of "Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane" were shot. The holiday movie industry is booming, with 100 new films released annually. Connecticut's marketing officer says the trail is also part of a rebranding effort to promote the state as a great place to live and work.

AP Breakthrough Entertainer: Arden Cho seizes her golden moment after Hollywood heartbreak

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three years ago, Arden Cho was ready to walk away from acting. She’d landed her first lead role in the Netflix series “Partner Track” only to see it canceled after one season. Now, Cho is one of The Associated Press' Breakthrough Entertainers of 2025 after voicing the lead character Rumi in Netflix’s animated summertime hit “KPop Demon Hunters.” It's become the most-streamed movie on the platform and spawned inescapable earworms “Golden” and “Soda Pop” as its soundtrack dominated pop charts. Cho calls it her “golden moment.” She has multiple film projects lined up for next year.

Here are 10 TV shows from 2025 to catch up on before it's 2026

If you're staying in this holiday season, it's a great time to catch up on some of 2025's standout TV shows. “Dept. Q” features Matthew Goode as a detective solving cold cases. “Paradise” stars Sterling K. Brown in a sci-fi drama on Hulu. “Love Island USA” continues to entertain with its seventh season on Peacock. “The Pitt” brings Noah Wyle back to TV as a doctor. Seth Rogen's “The Studio” offers a comedic take on Hollywood. Netflix's “Adolescence” and “The Beast in Me” deliver gripping drama. “St. Denis Medical” and “The Paper” provide laughs, while “Forever” explores young love.

Affable comedy acting legend Dick Van Dyke turns 100 years old

Comedy icon Dick Van Dyke is celebrating his 100th birthday. Van Dyke hit the century mark on Saturday, some six decades after he sang and danced with Julie Andrews in “Mary Poppins” and starred in his self-titled sitcom. Van Dyke won a Tony Award for “Bye Bye Birdie” to go with a Grammy and four Primetime Emmys. Just last year, he became the oldest winner of a Daytime Emmy, for a guest role on the soap “Days of Our Lives.” He also recently released a book about how to live to 100 years old. He told ABC News that 100 years is not enough and he plans to live more.