Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Nintendo and Illumination target $200M-plus Easter opening for “Super Mario Galaxy”
The upcoming “Super Mario Galaxy” film is being positioned to generate more than $200 million domestically over the Easter holiday weekend, leveraging the franchise’s multigenerational appeal. Analysts reference the 2015 “Avengers: Age of Ultron” $191 million opening as a performance benchmark.
Also developing:
By the numbers: K‑Love seeks FCC approval to acquire WFCC
Netflix has acquired InterPositive, the AI filmmaking startup founded by Ben Affleck, integrating its team and appointing Affleck as an advisor. The stealth‑mode company built a proprietary video model that trains on raw footage to assist post‑production tasks such as wire removal, reframing, and lighting enhancement. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the move follows Netflix’s recent abandonment of a Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition. The deal underscores Netflix’s intent to embed generative‑AI capabilities directly into its production pipeline.
Audacy’s research shows podcast listening in the U.S. has surged from 6% of audio consumption in 2015 to 23% in 2025, overtaking both social‑media scrolling and streaming music. Adults now spend an average of 103 minutes per day on podcasts,...
VR developer nDreams announced a sweeping restructuring that could eliminate 78 positions and shut two internal studios, Near Light and Compass. The Elevation studio, housing roughly 120 staff, will become the nucleus of the leaner organization, while a smaller XR...
UK communications regulator Ofcom has announced a virtual focus group for small video‑game studios to discuss regulatory challenges. The workshop aims to collect real‑world feedback on current guidance and identify ways the regulator can better support early‑stage developers. Interested companies...
Pokémon TCG Pocket logged its highest daily spend in six months on Pokémon Day, generating $4.7 million—up 57% from the previous day and 486% week‑over‑week. The surge coincided with the franchise’s 30th anniversary and the launch of the Paldean Wonders card...
Former Sony PlayStation and Xbox Game Studios talent leader Fiona Cherbak has founded Rocket Game Talent, a boutique fractional talent firm. The company targets indie developers, startups, and growing studios that lack the hiring infrastructure of major publishers. It will...
AppHarbr’s in‑app network quality index reveals that mobile games display malicious ads at a rate of 58 per 165 ads, nearly three times the frequency seen in non‑gaming apps. The report links weaker ad‑quality controls and formats such as rewarded...
The Relic: First Guardian, a dark‑fantasy action RPG from Project Cloud Games and Perp Games, will debut on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026 after its initial launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on May 26. The announcement highlights the title...
Merzigo, a premium video monetisation firm, has signed a partnership with Banijay Rights to optimise and monetize select titles from Banijay’s global catalogue, including MasterChef Universe, Mr Bean TV and Survivor Official TV. The collaboration will leverage Merzigo’s data‑driven tools to...
The Xbox Series version of Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator is set for a March 26 launch, bringing the full PC experience—including five extra campaigns, eight scenarios, and daily challenges—to console players. Publisher Frosty Pop and developer Strange Scaffold announced the release alongside...
LTN and MediaKind announced a strategic partnership that tightly integrates MediaKind’s MK.IO Beam on‑premise devices with LTN’s global IP transport network. The joint solution delivers redundant, multipath IP delivery and edge video processing, allowing broadcasters to transmit and receive compressed...
European drama producers and distributors are adapting to a tighter financing environment as U.S. co‑production dollars shrink and production costs rise. They are emphasizing well‑packaged deals, flexible windowing, and multi‑territory appeal, often leveraging tax incentives and strategic location budgeting. Known...
Kevin Joyce, veteran XR marketer, launched Evolution Publishing to back indie VR studios amid a market downturn. The publisher uses a revenue‑share model without taking equity, aiming to nurture innovative titles until VR reaches a mainstream breakout. Joyce cites Meta’s...
ReadyCode, a gametech startup, unveiled ReadyM, a sandbox platform that converts existing single-player titles into community‑driven multiplayer worlds. The service draws inspiration from grassroots ecosystems that propelled Minecraft, Roblox, and GTA V’s FiveM to cultural prominence. By overlaying a multiplayer layer,...
Ember Lab announced that its award‑winning action‑adventure Kena: Bridge of Spirits will debut on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 in spring. The Switch 2 version will be feature‑complete, bundling the Anniversary DLC and the newly added New Game+ mode. This...
Radio broadcaster Cumulus Media has filed a prepackaged Chapter 11 reorganization, aiming to eliminate approximately $600 million of debt. The plan, backed by its lenders, allows the company to continue operating its 394 radio stations, Westwood One network, and podcast platform...
Zink Talent, founded in 2018 by former fashion PR executive Samantha Zink, now manages about 70 creators across beauty, skincare, fashion and lifestyle. The agency has shifted its roster criteria from raw follower counts to engagement, consistency and business discipline,...
ElasticStage launches an on‑demand vinyl and CD service that lets independent musicians sell physical releases without upfront manufacturing costs or minimum order requirements. The UK‑based platform ships to over 90 countries, producing each record in 10‑15 days using an eco‑friendly...
![[Industry News] Kasedo Games Appoints Timea Edvi as Publishing Director](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/kase-1.jpg)
Kasedo Games, the publishing arm of Kalypso Media, announced the appointment of Timea Edvi as its new Publishing Director. Edvi arrives from Square Enix, where she headed the Square Enix Collective and helped launch titles such as PowerWash Simulator. In...
Roblox has released eight new patches in the past month, each aimed at streamlining creator workflows and boosting platform performance. The updates introduce advanced terrain sculpting, faster texture streaming, AI‑driven asset generation, and a real‑time analytics dashboard. By delivering these...
AccuWeather has launched its free, ad‑supported streaming channel AccuWeather NOW on Samsung TV Plus in the United States, adding the service to Samsung’s FAST platform that now exceeds 100 million monthly active users worldwide. The channel delivers 24‑hour weather programming, including forecasts, severe‑weather...
PRS for Music announced that CEO Andrea Czapary Martin will step down at the end of 2026. Martin, who joined in 2019, led the society through the pandemic, launched an Emergency Relief Fund, and oversaw a move to a new...
Synamedia teamed with Swiss sports‑tech firm Asport to stream the Games of the Future in Abu Dhabi, a hybrid event merging physical sport, esports and digital games. Using Synamedia’s Quortex SaaS platform, Asport delivered over 200 live streams across YouTube,...
Runway Artists, a boutique agency founded by Matt Hanner in 2020, shut its doors in late 2025 after struggling to achieve profitability despite heavy investment in staff and infrastructure. The firm’s business model relied on booking heritage and grassroots acts...
MFE‑MediaForEurope has restructured its top management, appointing Pier Silvio Berlusconi as Chairman and Group CEO while retaining Fedele Confalonieri as Statutory Chairperson. The new model replaces a vertical holding‑company layout with a horizontal structure that centralises staff functions at the...
YouTube’s partner program pays creators 55 % of ad revenue (45 % for Shorts), with earnings calculated on a cost‑per‑thousand‑views (CPM) basis. Reported CPMs vary widely, typically ranging from $3‑$5 up to $18 per 1,000 views, depending on niche, audience demographics, and...
Zetland, the Danish reader‑funded digital publisher, has extended its membership‑only model beyond Denmark, launching Uusi Juttu in Finland and Demo in Norway. The Finnish outlet broke even within a year with a 25‑person team, while the Norwegian launch hit its...
Idris Elba’s independent label 7Wallace has entered a strategic partnership with Nas’ Mass Appeal Records, creating a transatlantic platform for co‑releases, cross‑market distribution, and joint music‑film projects. The alliance builds on a prior collaboration on Slick Rick’s *VICTORY* album and its accompanying...
PUBG Mobile announced a March 13 launch of version 4.3, reviving its partnership with the hit anime Jujutsu Kaisen. The update will introduce new anime‑themed content, a fresh spawn island, additional weapons, and the Temporal Vault mode that revisits classic maps. This marks...
Blizzard Entertainment has launched the Season 1 Overwatch League All-Star Mega Bundle, bundling six legendary skins for Genji, Tracer, Mercy, Reinhardt, D.Va and Lucio along with new All‑Star sprays. The bundle is priced at 5,900 Overwatch Coins (approximately $59.99) and...
TikTok revealed its Discover List 2026, highlighting 50 creators to watch across categories like Educators, Foodies, Icons, Innovators, and Originators. The list acts as both a cultural barometer and a pre-vetted talent pipeline for brands looking to partner with emerging...
This is exactly the type of deal I discuss in today's newsletter ... will a Paramount/WBD merged company do these smaller sports rights deals anymore? The calculus will definitely change for TNT ... https://t.co/DvKzUkqcDr
Riot Games defended its decision to host the 2026 First Stand Brazil tournament in the small CBLOL studio venue, emphasizing the need for flexibility to experiment with format and scheduling. Fans reacted strongly, criticizing the roughly 140‑seat arena as insufficient...
When asks about plans for CNN, Paramount CEO David Ellison tells CNBC that we want to be in the truth business, we want to be in the trust business and that’s not going to change.
After Hollywood turned on David Zaslav for being too much of a bean counter/financier, I’m sure The Town will appreciate David Ellison’s answer to being asked how many layoffs are coming w/ merging w/ WBD: “We absolutely need to rationalize the...
The FCC’s Media Bureau granted a waiver permitting Circle City Broadcasting to acquire Indianapolis ABC affiliate WRTV, creating a three‑station ownership cluster that exceeds the traditional two‑station limit. Valued at about $83 million, the deal gives the locally‑based, Black‑owned company control...
CBS' morning show has for years taken pride in its resistance to the softer side of AM news, like cooking segments and lifestyle reporting. But now the program is poised to reverse its stance.... https://t.co/b2KevEZz2g via @variety
More shake-ups at 'CBS This Morning,' where EP Shawna Thomas will leave as the program gets set to pursue some of the lifestyle and soft-news content it previously avoided.... https://t.co/b2KevEZz2g via @variety
The CW Network will serve as the exclusive broadcast home for six additional Banana Ball games during the 2026 season, extending its partnership with the Savannah Bananas. The slate includes matchups in Atlanta, Savannah, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Nashville, beginning with...
This week’s CNBC Sport newsletter is out: *Why TNT Sports’ strategy no longer makes sense if WBD & Paramount come together *Jeff Shell’s future up in the air *There will be no David Ellison/David Zaslav “men in blazers” photo on the...
New: The CBS News town hall with @JDVance, which had been slated to air on March 14, has been postponed indefinitely.
The Radio Advertising Bureau’s One Voice for Radio campaign marked its first‑year milestones, highlighting Nielsen’s three‑minute‑quarter shift as a proof point for radio’s ad impact. The RAB’s Digital Benchmark Report projects $2.5 billion in digital revenue by 2026, underscoring a rapid...
Christian radio is shedding its legacy image as it embraces digital platforms, social discovery, and niche sub‑genres. Programmers are launching side streams and dedicated stations to showcase newer sounds while preserving familiar content for core listeners. Podcasting is becoming a...
Cosm announced the opening of its third immersive entertainment venue in downtown Atlanta’s Centennial Yards on June 10, 2026. The 70,000‑square‑foot, three‑level complex features a 12K+ LED dome that blends virtual and physical experiences, and its inaugural event will be Game 4 of...
YEA Media Group (YMG) has launched Greg FM, a 24/7 adult hits radio format anchored by syndicated personality Greg Beharrell. The new service expands Beharrell from limited dayparts to continuous, host‑driven programming. Developed with consultant Mike McVay, the format shifts...
ITV announced it expects a 2% decline in advertising revenue for the first quarter of 2026, following a 5% year‑on‑year drop in 2025. The broadcaster attributes the slowdown to weaker consumer spending and increased competition from digital platforms. Management signaled...
A growing number of news outlets are offering their articles under Creative Commons licences, allowing other publishers and journalists to republish content for free. The guide highlights ten publications—including The Conversation, The New Humanitarian, Global Voices, and openDemocracy—and outlines each...
ITV confirmed it is still negotiating a potential sale of its Media & Entertainment unit to Sky for about £1.6 billion, while reporting a modest decline in ITV Studios profit and a 5% drop in advertising revenue for 2025. Total external...
At AIDC2026, representatives from Australia’s state screen agencies highlighted a tightening of documentary funding eligibility. The South Australian Film Corporation now requires clear evidence of South Australian residency, often through co‑production arrangements. Screen Territory has begun cross‑checking applicants against the...
The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and the 4As released a study revealing a "Paradox of Plenty" for U.S. advertisers: abundant data and sophisticated tools have not translated into higher confidence in media measurement. Surveying 197 senior marketers, the...
