The Fast & Furious director Justin Lin is taking over from J J Abrams at the helm of the third instalment in Paramount's rebooted Star Trek franchise. Lin is no stranger to franchises – he directed four of Universal's Fast & Furious films, including Fast & Furious 6, but did not return for Furious 7, which was partly filmed in Abu Dhabi this year and will be released in March. Abrams directed the first two films in the rebooted Star Trek series, but is now working on Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, which was also partly filmed in Abu Dhabi this year. Star Trek 3 is due for release in 2016, which is the 50th anniversary of the broadcast of the first episode of the television show. – AP
UAE pop tribute in aid of charity
The Italian singer-songwriter, producer, philanthropist and sometime-UAE resident Benedetta Paravia, who is also known as Princess Bee, has teamed up with Emirati artists to write and perform a song dedicated to the UAE. She duets with the Emirati singer Harbi Al Amri on the original English/Arabic composition. The Arabic lyrics were written by the Emirati poet Ali Al Khawar, the English part by Bee. A music video has also been filmed celebrating the Emirates in true Italian style. "I have finally produced my personal tribute to the UAE, a country that I always considered as my second home. I had the privilege to meet Sheikh Zayed in 2002 and I dedicated this song to His memory," said Paravia. The song is available on iTunes and on www.cdbaby.com and it will be promoted on Italian Mediaset television channels. The video is on Princess Bee's YouTube channel. All proceeds will go to the Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs and A.N.G.E.L.S, an organisation that helps children in war-torn regions and areas that lack proper health care. – The National staff
Anil Kapoor to celebrate 58th birthday in Dubai
Anil Kapoor, who was spotted last week hanging out at the Grand Hyatt in Dubai, will celebrate his 58th birthday today in the emirate. The star, whose Bollywood career spans 30 years, has been filming his new drama Welcome Back in the Emirates over the past few weeks. "I'm really happy that I'll be spending time with my wife, Sunita, and my daughters, Rhea and Sonam. We're flying to Dubai for my birthday and Christmas. But unfortunately, my son Harshvardhan can't join us. He is shooting for Rakeysh's [Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra] Mirziya in the interiors of Rajasthan," he said. – IANS
I’d love to do PK sequel, says Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan is not sure if his blockbuster PK will have a sequel, but says he'd love to be a part of it. "You all have to ask [director Rajkumar Hirani] if he is interested in making a sequel," said the actor. "If they make it, it's good. I would like to do it." In the film's final scene, Khan's character, an extraterrestrial, returns to Earth along with fellow aliens, one of whom is played by Ranbir Kapoor in a surprise cameo. "Maybe, Rajkumar Hirani is thinking of getting both Ranbir and me in the sequel," said Khan. PK, which opened on December 19, also features Anushka Sharma and Sanjay Dutt and has received rave reviews. – IANS
Jackie Chan’s son indicted on drugs charge
On Monday, Chinese prosecutors indicted the son of the Hong Kong action-movie star Jackie Chan on the charge of sheltering others to use drugs. The charged came more than four months after he was detained. If convicted, the singer and actor Jaycee Chan, who has appeared in several films and released three albums, could be jailed for up to three years. The 32-yaear-old was among a string of celebrities detained over the summer as the authorities vowed to clean up social morals. Chan’s case has been particularly embarrassing for his famous father, who was named by China as an anti-drug ambassador in 2009. Beijing police detained Chan and the Taiwanese movie star Ko Kai at Chan’s Beijing apartment in August. Police said both men tested positive for marijuana and admitted using the drug, and that 100 grams of the substance was taken from Chan’s home. Ko, whose real name is Ko Chen-tung, was released after a 14-day administrative detention for the drug use, but Chan – who has remained in detention since August – faces a more serious criminal charge. Chan has never publicly contested the charge, and his father has apologised. “Regarding this issue with my son Jaycee, I feel very angry and very shocked,” Jackie Chan wrote on his microblog in August. “As a public figure, I’m very ashamed. As a father, I’m heart-broken.” – AP
