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
Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE) has launched a new subsidiary, BCE Hungary Kft., in Budapest effective January 2026. The unit will handle playout and ingest operations for RTL Hungary, providing day‑to‑day broadcast continuity and operational monitoring. By situating a dedicated team close to the client, BCE aims to strengthen its managed‑service footprint across Central and Eastern Europe. The move complements existing BCE locations in Paris, Munich, Namur and London, reinforcing RTL Group’s regional presence.
MIP London 2026 will run Feb 22‑24 as a three‑day, multi‑genre market attracting over 1,500 industry professionals from 74 countries, including more than 650 international buyers and 62 exhibitors. The program blends private TV screenings with open conferences, round‑tables and showcases...
Public media organizations saw a 42% jump in membership revenue in 2025 versus 2024, driven by higher‑value gifts and a surge in new donors. The High‑Dollar Gifts Index rose 88%, indicating far more $500+ contributions, while the New Donor Index...
ESPN reports a 33% year‑over‑year rise in women’s college basketball viewership, positioning the sport for its strongest season in 17 years, while men’s basketball is up 25% and on track for the best season in 11 years. The network captured...
Latin America’s streaming market is set to generate nearly $19 billion in revenue by 2030, driven by a surge in subscription video‑on‑demand (SVOD) households from 68 million to about 84 million. Total SVOD subscriptions are forecast to climb from 111 million to roughly 176 million,...
"Brand safety goes both ways" is something I've said a lot lately It used to be brands worried about creators as potential liabilities (what if they go rogue or get canceled?!) But with everything that's happening lately, it's just as important for...
PlayStation’s State of Play unveiled new installments for God of War, Silent Hill, Castlevania, and Legacy of Kain, but development has shifted to indie studios such as Mega Cat, Screen Burn Interactive, Motion Twin, and Bit Bot Media. This marks a growing trend where...
Unrivaled, the 3‑on‑3 women’s basketball league, turned a $2 million Philadelphia pop‑up into a springboard for larger NBA‑level venues, moving its March 2 semifinals from Miami to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The Philly stop delivered over $1 million in ticket sales and $400,000...
Former Unity co‑founder and CEO David Helgason left the company on February 5, 2026, while Bernard Kim was appointed as an independent director on the board. Resident Evil Survival Unit has exceeded 5 million downloads after its global launch, yet players criticize its...
Gaming furniture maker Blacklyte has been announced as the official desk and chair sponsor for the Six Invitational 2026, the world championship for Rainbow Six Siege X. Its Athena Pro gaming chair and Atlas Lite desk will be featured on‑stage...
South Korean court ruled that HYBE must pay former Ador CEO Min Hee‑jin $17.7 million, confirming the validity of the shareholder agreement that obligates HYBE to purchase her Ador shares at a pre‑agreed earnings multiple. HYBE had terminated the agreement in...
ESPN will broadcast its first Super Bowl in February 2027, followed by another in 2031, marking the network’s debut as the sole carrier of the NFL’s marquee event. Veteran sportscaster Chris Berman, a 46‑year ESPN veteran, expressed amazement and confirmed...
The FCC approved a pro forma reassignment of the UEN‑TV (KUEN) license from the Utah Board of Higher Education to the University of Utah on Dec. 4, placing the station under PBS Utah’s oversight. No money changed hands in the transaction....
With exhibitors betting heavily on family fare, #Sony animation #GOAT is the widest release this weekend at U.S. #BoxOffice, playing at 3.867 locations, extremely rare for non-Disney original animations. Even so, It grossed 1M on THU Previews (vs #Trolls’ 900k, #TheBadGuys’s...
#MargotRobbie’s bet on theatrical might just pay off with biggest opening of 2026 so far at US #BoxOffice, as #EmeraldFennell’s romance adaptation #WutheringHeights also with #JacobElordi grossed solid 3M on THU Previews (vs #TheHousemaid’s 2.2M, #TheLostCity’s 2.5M, #FiftyShadesFreed’s 5.6M,...
The NBA levied a $500,000 fine on the Utah Jazz for benching stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the fourth quarter of two games, deeming the action “conduct detrimental to the league.” Coach Will Hardy defended the move as a minutes‑restriction...
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner told Graham Bensinger that he regrets the 1993 Miramax acquisition after witnessing co‑founder Harvey Weinstein’s abusive behavior. Disney bought Miramax for $70 million and later sold it in 2010 for $660 million, recouping a large profit but...
With limited promo as has been the case for most #AmazonMGM’s theatrical releases recently, new crime thriller #Crime101 starring #ChrisHemsworth, #HalleBerry & #MarkRuffalo grossed 1M on THU Previews at US #BoxOffice (vs #BlackBag’s 850k, #DenOfThieves2’s 1.4M, #Argylle 1.7M, #Novocaine’s 1.8M,...
Gail Slater, the DOJ’s assistant attorney general for antitrust, abruptly resigned days before the department’s high‑profile trial against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Her departure follows reports of internal clashes over settlement negotiations that could spare the companies from a breakup....
The NBA’s All‑Star Weekend in Los Angeles has become a high‑impact platform for more than 60 brands, ranging from immersive fan experiences at the NBA Crossover to on‑site activations for events like the Slam Dunk Contest. 2024’s lineup showcases a...
Pocket Gamer Connects (PGC) has become a business‑centric conference series that delivers tangible outcomes for the global games industry. Since its 2014 launch, the brand has hosted 57 events in 16 cities, attracting 70,000 attendees and scheduling more than 155,000...
Online wrestling streaming has become the dominant way fans consume content in 2026, with platforms like WatchWrestling offering live events, daily shows, and pay‑per‑view access without traditional cable subscriptions. On‑demand libraries let viewers replay classic matches and stay current with...
Startups often fail from lack of visibility, not product flaws. The article outlines seven low‑budget tactics—centered on FameHero’s AI‑driven media placements and lean Google Ads—to secure a startup’s first 100 customers. FameHero claims to boost organic traffic up to fivefold...
The Varsity * The NFL will start its season on a Wednesday this year, either in Melbourne or Seattle. * Disney is opening its Super Bowl ad sales pitch to the entire market on Monday. * @benjstrauss tells us what it was like...
Why big budget ads can feel as outdated as a Punch & Judy show in this age of Feudal Media: https://t.co/j2c3qULSef
TikTok has introduced a new Local Feed tab that surfaces content based on a user’s immediate geography, recent activity, and topical relevance. The feature is designed to help musicians, venues, and promoters connect with audiences who are physically close enough...
Should a guy lose his company because he sent flirty emails 20 years ago? Clearly no. But in the talent business, optics can matter more than reason. ⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/BOp7Xmhkrh
Capcom’s Resident Evil Reload Collection Extra bundles all nine main‑line titles and two DLCs on Steam for $40, a roughly 72% discount. The package includes classics from Resident Evil 0 through Village, but features the original 2005 Resident Evil 4 rather...
Netflix has secured exclusive U.S. rights to a four‑part limited series adaptation of William Golding’s *Lord of the Flies*. Produced by the Eleven Film team behind *Sex Education*, the drama features newcomer David McKenna as Piggy—who will later headline Netflix’s *Chronicles...
A Delaware federal judge recommended granting VideoAmp's motion to dismiss Nielsen's patent infringement lawsuit, effectively ending Nielsen's claim over its proprietary audience measurement technology. The case centered on Nielsen's allegation that VideoAmp used its patented methods without permission. The judge's...
Ubisoft announced the creation of five internal Creative Houses to centralise its flagship franchises, with Vantage Studios already backed by Tencent for €1.16 billion. The company will appoint external industry veterans to lead these houses starting in March, aiming to accelerate...
Japanese developer DRIMAGE announced that its anime‑style RPG Oz Re:write will cease operations on April 21, 2026, just one year after its August 2025 launch. The title never received a global release and will disable the Tailstone shop, though players can request refunds...
Amazon’s Ring Scraps Police-Notification Partnership After Backlash Over Super Bowl Ad About AI-Enabled Dog Finder https://t.co/nG8OTj4GwM via @variety
Gary Shapiro is stepping down as chief executive of the Consumer Technology Association after a 35‑year tenure, moving into an executive chair role on May 1. Current president Kinsey Fabrizio will assume CEO responsibilities while retaining her board seat. Shapiro’s final...
Canal+ chief executive Maxime Saada warned that France’s digital terrestrial television (DTT) platform could vanish within the next decade as streaming‑centric platformisation erodes linear broadcast relevance. He cited the recent Arcom decision to suspend C8 and NRJ12 from DTT and...
Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association, publicly condemned ByteDance’s new AI service Seedance 2.0 for massive unauthorised use of U.S. copyrighted works. He urged the company to halt the infringing activity immediately, emphasizing the threat to creators’ rights and...
Talks between Sky and ITV over the £1.6 billion sale of ITV's Media and Entertainment division have slowed, according to Reuters sources. The deal was intended to create a top‑three UK streaming player capable of challenging global services such as Netflix...
Nineteen MENA game studios have graduated from the second cohort of Exel by Merak, an $80 million gaming accelerator launched by Merak Capital. Each studio receives $300,000 in seed funding plus mentorship and global network access. Cohort 2 has already produced $1.2 million...
D.C. Memo: Smack in the Middle of Nexstar-TEGNA, Antitrust Chief Gail Slater Shown the Door | @gailaslater @JusticeATR $NXST $TGNA | https://t.co/QLfJxuKDW6
The European Commission has cleared Universal Music Group’s purchase of Downtown Music Holdings, but only after the companies agreed to fully divest Downtown’s royalty‑accounting platform Curve. The conditional approval removes UMG’s ability to access Curve’s data on rival labels, which...
TF1 Group posted 2025 revenue of €2.297 bn, a 2.5% decline driven by a softening advertising market, especially in Q4. Media division revenue fell 4.5% to €1.921 bn while Studio TF1 grew 9.2% to €376 million. The digital platform TF1+ delivered a 35.8% jump...
Industry experts highlight how technology is fundamentally reshaping the live‑music ecosystem, from data‑driven marketing to streamlined tour logistics. First‑party fan data is now seen as essential for personalized campaigns, yet many artists lack full appreciation of its value. Human connection...
Bectu has warned that the BBC’s proposed £600 million, 10 percent spending cut over the next three years will cripple its core public‑service role. The corporation’s total public‑service budget last year exceeded £4 billion, making the cuts proportionally significant. Bectu’s head Philippa Childs...
YouTube TV is launching three lower‑priced "skinny" bundles that focus on sports, news, and entertainment, all priced below its $83 base tier. The move targets cord‑cutters and cord‑nevers while testing whether existing subscribers will downgrade. AMC reported that its domestic...
After AI Video of ‘Tom Cruise’ Fighting ‘Brad Pitt’ Goes Viral, Motion Picture Association Denounces ‘Massive’ Infringement on Seedance 2.0 https://t.co/by3sIOC6TK
The latest Patch Notes roundup highlights three headline developments: indie rogue‑like Mewgenics recouped its development budget within three hours and sold half a million copies in 36 hours; Nexon’s Arc Raiders achieved “blockbuster” status with 14 million units sold and a peak...
NBA star Anthony Edwards is turning his on‑court fame into a media empire through Three‑Fifths Media, which now produces the unscripted series *Year Six* and the viral Believe That Awards. The company, co‑founded with manager Justin Holland, secured a production...
TVB’s 2026 Sports Survey reveals that traditional linear television continues to dominate sports consumption among enthusiasts, despite the rise of streaming platforms. The study shows 90% of sports fans consider local broadcast TV essential, and 75% tune in at least...
Sega Sammy’s Q3 report outlines a plan to launch four major new games for its core franchises by March 2027, alongside a push to boost sales capabilities. The only confirmed date is the Switch 2 release of Virtua Fighter 5 REVO World Stage...
The European Commission approved Universal Music Group’s $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings, conditional on divesting the Curve royalty‑accounting business. The decision ends a year‑long antitrust review and clears the way for UMG to integrate Downtown’s distribution and publishing services,...
