New this Week: ‘Cinderella,’ Imagine Dragons, Selena Gomez

This combination of photos shows promotional art for the Hulu original series "Only Murders in the Building," premiering Aug. 31, left, the Amazon original movie "Cinderella" premiering Sept. 3, center, and the Netflix film "Worth," premiering Sept. 3. (Hulu/Amazon/Netflix via AP)
This combination of photos shows promotional art for the Hulu original series "Only Murders in the Building," premiering Aug. 31, left, the Amazon original movie "Cinderella" premiering Sept. 3, center, and the Netflix film "Worth," premiering Sept. 3. (Hulu/Amazon/Netflix via AP)
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New this Week: ‘Cinderella,’ Imagine Dragons, Selena Gomez

This combination of photos shows promotional art for the Hulu original series "Only Murders in the Building," premiering Aug. 31, left, the Amazon original movie "Cinderella" premiering Sept. 3, center, and the Netflix film "Worth," premiering Sept. 3. (Hulu/Amazon/Netflix via AP)
This combination of photos shows promotional art for the Hulu original series "Only Murders in the Building," premiering Aug. 31, left, the Amazon original movie "Cinderella" premiering Sept. 3, center, and the Netflix film "Worth," premiering Sept. 3. (Hulu/Amazon/Netflix via AP)

The Associated Press’ journalists prepared a collection of entertainment arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.

MOVIES

— Michael Keaton leads the new Netflix film “Worth,” available starting Sept. 3, about the lawyer tasked with putting a dollar value lives of those killed in the Sept. 11 attacks. Based on a true story, Keaton’s character is forced to reevaluate his priorities after meeting a widower played by Stanley Tucci. The cast also includes Amy Ryan and Tate Donovan. Also on Netflix starting Sept. 1 are “Blade Runner: The Final Cut,” “Clear and Present Danger,” “Labyrinth” and “Mars Attacks!”

— “Pose” star Billy Porter plays a non-binary Fairy Godparent named Fab G in the latest version of “Cinderella,” streaming Sept. 3 on Amazon Prime Video. Pop star Camilla Cabello stars as the glass slipper-loser and Idina Menzel plays the Stepmother. Naturally, both are providing original songs for the soundtrack. It’s a stacked cast, too, with Minnie Driver as the Queen, Pierce Brosnan as the King, and James Corden and John Mulaney as the mice/footmen. And it was written and directed by Kay Cannon, who wrote the “Pitch Perfect” movies. Also on Prime, “Apollo 13,” “Sleepless in Seattle” “The Last of the Mohicans” and “The Social Network” are available starting Sept. 1.

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— The Criterion Channel is hosting a series of quintessential New York films starting Sept. 1 from Charlie Chaplin’s “The Immigrant,” from 1917 through Noah Baumbach’s “Frances Ha,” from 2012. It is a murderer’s row of great films across the century. There are ’60s classics like “The Apartment” and “West Side Story” and ’70s greats like “Sisters” and “The Panic in Needle Park.” There are 1980s essentials like “After Hours,” “Moonstruck,” “Do the Right Thing” and “Stranger Than Paradise,” leading up to indie classics from the 1990s and beyond with “Metropolitan,” “Paris Is Burning,” “The Squid and the Whale” and “Margaret.” It might accidentally take up your whole month.

— AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr

MUSIC

— Imagine Dragons are releasing their fifth studio album on Sept. 3 called “Mercury — Act 1” with Rick Rubin producing. One song, “Wrecked,” was inspired by singer Dan Reynolds’ late sister-in-law, Alisha Durtschi Reynolds, who died following a cancer battle. Another, “Follow You,” is a love song written by Reynolds after re-marrying his wife following a separation. And there’s one of the edgiest tracks yet from the band — “Cutthroat,” an anthem about killing the critic inside of you.

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— If you’re looking for something harder, look no further than Iron Maiden, whose 17th studio album “Senjutsu” drops Sept. 3 and is their first in six years. Though just 10 tracks, each one is long — one song, “The Parchment,” clocks in at over 12 minutes — so “Senjutsu” will be a double CD, just as their last, “The Book of Souls.” This time, taking a nod to the East, the band’s mascot, Eddie, sports a samurai sword on the cover. The first single, “The Writing on the Wall,” is a metal banger with layers of guitar and wailing solos. It paints a bleak picture of life: “Now we are victorious, we’ve become our slaves/A land of hope and glory, building graveyards for the brave.”

— AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy.

TELEVISION

— Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez are the odd-triplet stars of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” and enticement enough to check out the comedy-mystery. The premise: A trio of true-crime addicts and neighbors in a posh Manhattan apartment building team up to solve the gory death of a fellow tenant. As they document their sleuthing for a podcast, long-dormant secrets come to light and a killer gets perilously closer. The 10-episode series debuts Tuesday.

— Billie Eilish and the city of LA star in a Disney+ special described as a cinematic concert experience. Eilish will perform her new album, “Happier than Ever,” in “Happier than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles,” debuting Sept. 3. Her performance at the Hollywood Bowl is joined with animation to take viewers on a promised “dreamlike journey” thorough Eilish’s home and its landmarks. The Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Gustavo Dudamel, Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo and singer-songwriter Finneas, Eilish’s brother, are among those making guest appearances.

— After a pandemic-forced production break, Showtime’s “Billions” returns for the second half of season five on Sunday (9 p.m. EDT). There’s shifting alliances as the power struggle continues between hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) and his prosecutor-nemesis Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti). Among those along for the undoubtedly bumpy, five-episode ride, ahead of the announced season six: Corey Stoll as billionaire Mike Prince and Janeane Garofalo as Winslow, who owns a legit cannabis enterprise.



Doctor to Plead Guilty to Supplying Ketamine to ‘Friends’ Star Matthew Perry 

Matthew Perry appears at the GQ Men of the Year Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on Nov. 17, 2022. (AP) 
Matthew Perry appears at the GQ Men of the Year Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on Nov. 17, 2022. (AP) 
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Doctor to Plead Guilty to Supplying Ketamine to ‘Friends’ Star Matthew Perry 

Matthew Perry appears at the GQ Men of the Year Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on Nov. 17, 2022. (AP) 
Matthew Perry appears at the GQ Men of the Year Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on Nov. 17, 2022. (AP) 

A California doctor charged in the overdose death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of illegal distribution of the drug ketamine, according to a court filing on Monday.

Salvador Plasencia, who operated an urgent care clinic in Malibu, faces up to 40 years in prison, according to a statement from prosecutors. He is expected to enter the guilty plea in the coming weeks.

Plasencia was one of five people charged in the death of Perry at age 54. An autopsy found the actor died from acute effects of ketamine and other factors that caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub in October 2023.

Ketamine is a short-acting anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties. It is sometimes prescribed to treat depression and anxiety but also abused by recreational users.

In the plea agreement, Plasencia admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine at the actor's home and in a Santa Monica parking lot in the weeks before his death, in exchange for thousands of dollars, and that it was "not for legitimate medical purposes."

Plasencia obtained the ketamine from another doctor, Mark Chavez of San Diego. According to earlier court filings, Plasencia texted Chavez about Perry, saying: "I wonder how much this moron will pay."

Chavez and two other defendants already have pleaded guilty in the case. None has yet been sentenced.

A fifth defendant, Jasveen Sangha, whom authorities said was a drug dealer known to customers as the "ketamine queen," has been charged with supplying the dose that killed Perry. She has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial in August.

Perry had publicly acknowledged decades of substance abuse, including during the years he starred as Chandler Bing on the hit 1990s television sitcom "Friends."