AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 7:17 a.m. EDT

After two big weekends, the North American box office takes a hit

The North American box office has slowed down after a strong September. "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle" remains at the top, adding $17.3 million over the weekend. This makes it the highest-grossing anime film ever in North America. "Him," a football horror produced by Jordan Peele, opened in second place with $13.5 million. Despite its promising premise, the film received poor reviews. "The Conjuring: Last Rights" followed closely with $13 million in its third weekend. Meanwhile, the romantic drama "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey," starring Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell, disappointed with only $3.5 million.

In battles over free speech, comedians are often center stage

NEW YORK (AP) — In all the stunning things about ABC’s swift removal of Jimmy Kimmel, its longtime late-night host and Oscars-hosting face of the network, perhaps the least surprising was that a comedian was again at the center of a battle over free speech. As long as jokes have been told, comedians have drawn the ire of the powerful. That has often put comedians on the front lines of free-speech battles, from George Carlin violating obscenity laws to satirical puppet shows trying to exist in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. In authoritarian regimes, crackdowns on speech usually make comedy a target.

What to Stream: Doja Cat, Mariah Carey, 'Superman,' 'Slow Horses,' Jesse Williams and Hades II

Doja Cat’s 15-track album “Vie” and James Gunn’s hit reboot of “Superman” landing on HBO Max are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you this week. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time for the week of Sept. 22 as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists are the fifth season of the misfit espionage drama “Slow Horses,” a sequel to the 2020 indie megahit video game Hades called Hades II and Mariah Carey will release her first new album in seven years, “Here for It All.”

Christopher Nolan to lead Directors Guild of America

Christopher Nolan has been elected to lead the Directors Guild of America. He calls it "one of the greatest honors" of his career. The guild represents around 19,500 film and TV directors in the U.S. and abroad. Nolan, known for championing the theatrical experience, will take over from Lesli Linka Glatter. He plans to work with her and the board to secure creative and economic protections for members. Nolan's recent film, "Oppenheimer," was a box office hit, grossing over $976 million worldwide. His next project, an adaptation of "The Odyssey," opens July 17.

Bad Bunny says goodbye to Puerto Rico in one final concert after a historic residency

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Bad Bunny fans have marked the anniversary of Hurricane Maria with a powerful concert in Puerto Rico. The event on Saturday marked the end of the rapper's 30-concert residency on the island. The performance was streamed globally for the first time, reaching thousands via Amazon Music, Prime Video and Twitch. The concert served as a tribute to Puerto Rico's resilience and beauty, with Bad Bunny emphasizing the island's strength. The residency attracted about half a million attendees, generating significant revenue for Puerto Rico. Fans expressed pride and emotion, celebrating their heritage with the traditional call-and-response, "Yo soy boricua!"

Anger in Egypt after pharaoh’s gold bracelet stolen from a Cairo museum is melted down

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptians have expressed outrage after a 3,000-year-old bracelet belonging to an ancient pharaoh was stolen from Cairo's Egyptian Museum and melted down for gold. Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said Saturday that the bracelet was stolen on Sept. 9 while being prepared for an exhibit in Italy. Four suspects, including a museum restoration specialist, have been arrested. The bracelet was funneled through dealers and eventually melted down. authorities said. The loss has sparked calls for improved security measures at the museum. Prominent figures are urging better control over the nation's treasures to prevent future thefts.

Power, politics and performance: Russia's revamped Intervision song contest names a winner

Vietnamese singer Duc Phuc was crowned the winner of the newly revamped Intervision song contest — a Russian answer to Eurovision that some say is as much about politics and power as it is about performance. The competition, which comes three years after Moscow was barred from Eurovision for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, featured more than 20 acts, including those from China, South Africa, Brazil, the UAE, India, Cuba, Ethiopia, and Venezuela. Next year’s Intervision is already planned to be held in Saudi Arabia.

Pentagon steps up media restrictions, now requiring approval before reporting even unclassified info

The Pentagon is stepping up restrictions on the media by requiring journalists to sign a pledge not to report on information that has not been authorized for release, including unclassified information. Journalists who don't abide risk losing their media credentials that provide direct to the military headquarters. Free-press advocates call the move an assault on independent journalism. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is telling journalists to follow the rules or go home. The Pentagon this year has evicted many news organizations while imposing a series of restrictions on the press that include banning reporters from entering wide swaths of the Pentagon without a government escort.

Sonny Curtis, Crickets member who penned ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show’ theme, dies at 88

A vintage rock 'n' roller who wrote both the rebel anthem “I Fought the Law” and the theme to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” Sonny Curtis has died at 88. His wife Louise Curtis confirmed to The Associated Press that he died Friday. Curtis was a childhood friend of Buddy Holly and early member of his band the Crickets. Starting as a teenager, he wrote or co-wrote hundreds of songs, from Keith Whitley's country smash “I'm No Stranger to the Rain” to the Everly Brothers' “Walk Right Back.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of the Crickets.