Nyong’o named Most Beautiful

Plus: Hobbit finale renamed; Ben-Hur to be remade.

Lupita Nyong'o. Robyn Beck / AFP

People magazine has named Lupita Nyong'o as the "World's Most Beautiful" for 2014. The 31-year-old actress, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in 12 Years a Slave, tops the magazine's list, announced on Wednesday. Commenting on being selected for this year's cover, Nyong'o says: "It was exciting and just a major, major compliment. I was happy for all the girls who would see me on it and feel a little more seen." – AP

Hobbit finale renamed

Peter Jackson is tweaking the ending of Bilbo Baggins' journey. He says the original title of The Hobbit finale, There and Back Again, felt misplaced since Baggins arrived at his destination in the second film. So the final film has been renamed The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and is set for a December release. Jackson said the films were sometimes like the hobbit's journey itself, "with hidden paths revealing their secrets to us as we've gone along". – AP

Ben-Hur to be remade

Paramount Pictures and MGM announced on Friday that they will co-produce a new version of the historical epic Ben-Hur. The film is set for release in February 2016. Lewis Wallace's 1880 novel has been adapted several times, most notably the 1959 film starring Charlton Heston. Famous for its chariot-race scene, the film won 11 Academy Awards, including Best ­Picture. – AP