Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Super Mario Galaxy film targets $200M+ opening weekend
Nintendo and Illumination are positioning the upcoming "Super Mario Galaxy" movie to open with more than $200 million domestically over the Easter holiday weekend. The strategy leans on the franchise’s multigenerational appeal and a family‑focused release window, with analysts citing the 2015 "Avengers: Age of Ultron" $191 million opening as a benchmark.
Also developing:
By the numbers: K-Love seeks FCC approval to acquire WFCC
American Public Media Group (APMG) has teamed with Distributed Media Lab (DML) to launch a widget‑based distribution system for Marketplace’s digital stories. The new "collection" widget lets public‑media stations embed curated sets of Marketplace articles directly on their websites, eliminating the old copy‑paste workflow. DML’s platform also provides real‑time analytics and a revenue‑sharing model that monetizes the content through programmatic and direct sponsorship deals. The rollout begins with three regularly updated collections—California, Texas, and national—each featuring about 20 stories.
AI music has a ton of interest, but how big will the market get? What are the segments? Will this be a primary revenue driver for music in the future, or more of a niche product? We dug into this on...
Nearly 1.2 million Russian troops and close to 600,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed or wounded or gone missing because of Vladimir Putin’s war of conquest. And @CAgovernor thinks @BrendanCarrFCC is just as depraved because the @FCC approved @NXSTMediaGroup/@TEGNA merger....
Broadcast giant Nexstar has closed its $6.2 billion acquisition of TEGNA, creating the largest U.S. television station group with roughly an 80% national footprint. The deal faced immediate legal challenges from nine state attorneys general and DirecTV, but received regulatory clearance...
It’s not random the decision to drop the first trailer of #HarryPotter HBO series this WED. After a long wait, #HBOMax will finally be launched in the U.K. this THU, so using one of the biggest British pop culture phenoms ever...
Law&Crime announced the launch of Law&Crime+, a subscription platform delivering immersive true‑crime content. The service provides exclusive access to case files, raw footage, and early trial coverage for high‑profile cases such as Karen Read, Alex Murdaugh and Bryan Kohberger. Subscribers...
David Zaslav exited Warner Bros. Discovery after orchestrating its sale to Paramount at $31 a share, cashing out more than $114 million. The deal slashed WBD’s debt from $58 billion to $37 billion but sparked a backlash from employees who view the transaction as a...
Netflix’s South Korean sci‑fi disaster film *The Great Flood* completed its 91‑day premiere window as the platform’s fifth‑most‑watched non‑English movie ever, logging 86.6 million views and 157.3 million hours watched. The title topped daily Top 10 charts worldwide and lingered for months, breaking...
NEXUS and Playwith Korea’s new MMORPG *Seal M on CROSS* logged nearly 300,000 daily active users within five days of its March 19 global launch. The surge prompted the rapid addition of six Asian servers and was underpinned by 2.2 million pre‑registrations driven by...
The Orchard has named Heather Vassar as Senior Vice President of its Nashville division, bringing over a decade of leadership experience from her tenure at EMPIRE where she launched and grew its Nashville arm. Vassar’s track record includes multiple Billboard...
Former Call of Duty League creative director Greg Reisdorf says the franchise’s yearly release cycle erodes competitive longevity, keeping viewership low – the 2026 Stage 1 Major peaked at 353,000 viewers. The game’s active online population has slipped to roughly 35,000...
The YES Network is expanding its Yankees game coverage by adding an extra hour of pre‑game analysis and a 30‑minute post‑game segment, pushing total broadcast time to roughly 6.5 hours per weeknight matchup. New shows such as Yankees Rewind, The...
King is deepening its use of qualitative research to shape Candy Crush’s live‑service strategy. By conducting player interviews, focus groups, and in‑game ethnography, the Stockholm studio aims to uncover the motivations behind long‑term engagement. These insights are being layered onto...
Burger King used a high‑profile Oscars spot to launch a "reset" campaign, featuring CEO Tom Curtis publicly apologizing and formally retiring the controversial King mascot. The initiative caps a four‑and‑a‑half‑year strategic overhaul that upgraded restaurant design, introduced faster technology, and...
Lotus Communications is ending its ownership of a Class C AM station in Bakersfield that has broadcast since 1956. The frequency, currently a Spanish‑language sports talk outlet affiliated with TUDN Radio, will switch to English‑language religious programming supplied by Northwestern Media....
Jeff Winemiller, a veteran low‑power television (LPTV) trader, has acquired a Daystar‑affiliated LPTV station in Seattle through his company Lowcountry 34 Media. The deal marks his entry into the Pacific Northwest’s most populous market, expanding his portfolio beyond the Southwest...
Netflix announced it will stream the South Korean espionage action film *Humint* globally on March 31, 2026, after acquiring the exclusive rights in a surprise last‑minute deal. The movie, written and directed by Ryoo Seung‑wan, concludes his unofficial “Overseas Location”...
Sony Interactive Entertainment has closed Dark Outlaw Games, a studio founded by Call of Duty veteran Jason Blundell in March 2025, while it was still in the early stages of its first project. The shutdown follows Blundell's earlier exit from...
The Federal Communications Commission has ordered the owner of a cluster of Spanish‑language evangelical stations, led by Maria Guel, to settle overdue regulatory fees or face revocation of KZAM‑FM’s broadcast license. The Wichita Falls Class A FM, purchased for $122,000 in...
Tubi unveiled a suite of new ad formats at IAB NewFronts, including the interactive Scene Sense overlay and pause‑time carousel ads that tie messaging to on‑screen content. The streamer also announced original creator‑driven series aimed at Gen Z and a partnership...
Screen Producers Australia (SPA) has appointed Samantha Turi, former Director of Business & Legal Affairs at Matchbox Pictures, to lead its newly created commercial strategy role. Turi brings over a decade of experience negotiating rights and structuring deals across scripted...
Linktree’s new AI tool gives creators real, personalized growth recommendations @linktr.ee has upgraded Insights Chat with personalized, AI-powered, data-driven recommendations The new tool pulls real performance data across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Creators using Linktree can ask for post ideas, traffic tips, and top-performing...
Triggerfish Animation Studios has opened a new UK base in Bristol, occupying the Royal Talbot Buildings. The location leverages Bristol’s UNESCO City of Film status and strong animation ecosystem, and is backed by a £25 million (≈$32 million) Creative Places Growth Fund...
Broadcast Bionics, the maker of audience‑engagement platform BionicStudio, is gearing up for the 2026 NAB Show with several product upgrades. The company has embedded Augmented Intelligence tools that automate transcription, summarization and topic detection, and is rolling out BionicStudio on...
Plimsoll Productions has appointed veteran executive producer Paul Wright to spearhead its live programming across adventure, factual entertainment, and natural history. Wright arrives fresh from Netflix’s high‑profile "Skyscraper Live with Alex Honnold," a technically demanding event that showcased Plimsoll’s production...
Japanese retailers have begun slashing the price of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on both Nintendo Switch and the newly released Switch 2, mirroring a similar discount wave seen in the UK. The rapid price reduction suggests the game is under‑performing relative to Nintendo's...
Apple Music announced a partnership with Ticketmaster to power its concert discovery feature, embedding ticket links directly within the streaming app. The integration adds a dedicated Concerts tab, homepage carousel, artist‑page badges, and push notifications that surface nearby shows based...
PMG, the agency behind Hearst’s recent newspaper campaigns, has launched a new multimedia effort titled “This Is Home” for its newly acquired Dallas Morning News. The campaign combines out‑of‑home, television and cross‑media video spots that spotlight veteran Dallas journalists such...
Deutsche Grammophon has signed the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra for its debut album, a condensed rendition of Wagner’s Ring titled The Ring – An Orchestral Adventure. Conducted by designated music director Tarmo Peltokoski and arranged by Dutch composer Henk de Vlieger, the project was recorded in June 2025 at the Hong...
Network‑management specialist MNC Software has named Heartland Video Systems as its authorized North American reseller, a partnership that will be showcased at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas. The deal centers on MNC’s newly launched Tapestry broadcast automation and...
Victory+ has launched a free, ad‑supported streaming service called “NWSL Sunday Night Soccer,” delivering live coverage of 99 matches—including 57 national broadcasts—for the 2026 National Women’s Soccer League season. The platform pairs live games with on‑demand replays, creator‑led content, and...
Wavegarden, the Basque‑based surf‑park technology leader, is supplying its wave‑generation system for the Gemswell Surf Madrid project, slated to open in spring 2027. Backed by Stoneweg, Teras Capital and Atlético de Madrid, the €60 million (≈$70 million) investment will create a 23,000 m²...
Horizon Chase Turbo will be removed from the Xbox Store on June 1 2026, meaning new purchases must be made before that date. The arcade racer, praised for its retro visuals and over 100 tracks, will remain playable for existing owners after...
Netflix ended its DVD‑by‑mail service on September 29, 2023, leaving millions of U.S. movie fans without a physical‑media option. DVD Inbox launched to fill that void, offering a subscription model that mirrors Netflix’s former system, including the ability to import...
The White House issued an executive order, “Preserving America’s Game,” directing the FCC and Commerce Department to create an exclusive broadcast window for the Army‑Navy football game. The order seeks to prevent any college football postseason game, including College Football...
Help me out here. Doesn't Canal+ $CAN looks pretty mispriced right now. The market is basically valuing MultiChoice (plus all the expected synergies) at less than zero. MultiChoice is already profitable and Canal+ is targeting €400m in annual synergies over the...
The requested telecom story about Democratic senators demanding an FCC review of the Paramount‑Warner deal cannot be produced because none of the provided sources contain information on that transaction.
Nielsen data shows a 5% jump in viewership for the 2026 NCAA March Madness opening, the best start since 2011. The surge coincides with record betting payouts and a wave of upsets in both men’s and women’s brackets, fueling fan...
WorldCast Systems has launched a new Kybio cloud‑monitoring service in partnership with Broadcast Supply Worldwide. The subscription‑based solution lets radio stations track up to 25 devices—including transmitters, STL links and environmental sensors—through a secure dashboard. Real‑time alerts and performance insights...
HBO Max has signed a first‑look content agreement with former Movistar+ chief Domingo Corral to produce original Spanish series, beginning with the in‑production drama “El Nani.” The partnership is part of HBO Max’s accelerated push into Europe, following recent launches...
Epic Games announced that three Fortnite modes—Ballistic, Festival Battle Stage, and Rocket Racing—will be discontinued, with the first two shutting down on April 16, 2026 and Rocket Racing following in October 2026. The retirements come after the modes failed to...
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic will debut on FOX, positioning flag football as a prime television property. By pairing current and former NFL players with celebrity host Kevin Hart, the event blends sport and entertainment to attract both hardcore fans...
given it's one of the most requested features i hear from artists, i'm *so* excited we're launching the beta for artist profile protection today. when turned on, it adds a new step for artists in @spotifyforartists, where they review new releases...
In the wake of the @soraofficialapp shutdown, Disney said it "will continue to engage with AI platforms to find new ways to meet fans where they are while responsibly embracing new technologies that respect IP and the rights of creators.”...
Investors now evaluate entertainment platforms with a data‑centric lens, demanding proof of market fit, user stickiness, and scalable technology. A clear target audience and differentiated value proposition reduce acquisition costs and unlock partnership revenue. Retention metrics such as DAU, session...
GAUGE RAGE: Nielsen, TV networks and streamers are in a furious battle over a monthly snapshot of video viewing across TV and digital that the measurement giant created just for kicks.... https://t.co/LhPJyzOThB
Tubi Unveils Formula 1 Altcasts Under Deal With Apple TV, New Interactive Ad Formats https://t.co/QJTdPgk926 via @variety
Second Rodeo Productions, led by CEO Scott Brown, is pioneering a new production model that focuses on digitally native scripted formats such as micro‑dramas—short, one‑minute chapters monetized per episode. Drawing on collaborations with megastars like MrBeast, The Rock and Kevin...
Tracking the wrong YouTube metric can send your channel in the wrong direction. If you figure out what you want to build first, the right metric becomes obvious. https://t.co/meP5Vom8O7
EITB has awarded Barcelona‑based Konodrac a contract to deliver HbbTV‑based audience measurement and addressable TV services across its connected television platforms. The system will capture real‑time viewing data from smart TVs, enable interactive promotions and targeted ads, and integrate with...
