Lionsgate Wraps Italian Production on Mel Gibson’s ‘The Resurrection of the Christ’ Launching in Theaters May 6, 2027
Lionsgate announced it has completed principal photography on Mel Gibson’s epic sequel *The Resurrection of the Christ*, wrapping a 134‑day shoot across multiple Italian locations ahead of schedule. The film will debut in two parts, with Part One slated for May 6 2027 (Ascension Day) and Part Two for May 25 2028, mirroring the religious calendar. Lionsgate will handle North American and UK releases while partnering with a slate of regional distributors across Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Oceania. The project follows Gibson’s 2004 *Passion of the Christ*, which grossed $610 million, setting high expectations for the new franchise.
Democrat Lawmakers Ask FCC to Scrutinize Foreign Funding of Paramount/WBD Merger
Six Democratic senators have urged FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to conduct a rigorous review of Paramount Skydance’s $110.9 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, citing the deal’s reliance on foreign wealth funds. The regulatory filing shows 49.5% of the merged entity would be owned...
Questex’s StreamTV Show and Social Department Launch the StreamTV Marketers Summit
Questex’s StreamTV Show announced the inaugural StreamTV Marketers Summit, scheduled for June 16. The executive‑level event, created with Questex’s Social Department, targets senior marketing leaders from streaming platforms, studios, FAST channels, agencies and technology firms. The agenda includes roundtables on...
Nielsen: Prime Video’s NBA Cleveland Cavaliers Vs. Detroit Pistons Game 7 Most-Watched Weekly TV Sports Event Through May 17
Prime Video, leveraging its stake in the NBA’s $77 billion, 11‑year media rights agreement, delivered the most‑watched weekly TV sports broadcast of the week, with Game 7 of the Cavaliers‑Pistons second‑round series attracting 6.53 million viewers across 3.9 million U.S. households on May 17. More...
Looper Insights: ‘The Pitt,’ Prime Video Top April Streamer of the Month Charts
Looper Insights’ April Streamer of the Month Report shows HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt” and Amazon Prime Video leading the U.S. CTV landscape. “The Pitt” topped the title chart with a $6.24 million Dollar Media Placement Value (MPV), while Prime...
A24’s ‘Pillion’ Exclusively Streaming on HBO Max June 5
A24’s gay biker comedy‑drama *Pillion* will debut exclusively on HBO Max in the United States on June 5, with a linear HBO broadcast the following day. An unrated cut of the film will also be available on the streaming platform the same...
‘Talladega Nights’ Gets 4K Ultra HD Treatment From Sony Pictures for Aug. 4 Steelbook Release
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will launch a limited‑edition Talladega Nights 4K Ultra HD Steelbook on Aug. 4, marking the film’s 20th anniversary. The set offers both the 108‑minute theatrical cut and the 122‑minute unrated version, restored from the original negative with Dolby...
Tubi Launches 2026 FIFA World Cup Fox Hub
Tubi, Fox Corp.’s free ad‑supported streaming service, unveiled the 2026 FIFA World Cup Fox Hub, a dedicated portal for live matches, highlights, and original soccer‑focused content. The platform will simulcast the opening ceremony and two key matches—Mexico vs. South Africa...
Netflix Boasts 250 Million Global MAUs, Adding 15 New Ad-Supported Countries, ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ World Concert Tour in 2027
Netflix announced it now has 250 million global monthly active users, with 60 % of new sign‑ups opting for the ad‑supported tier. The company will add 15 additional ad‑supported countries in 2027, bringing the total to 27 markets for its $7.99 plan....
Democrat Lawmakers Question David Ellison About Possible CNN Editorial Changes to Gain Trump’s Approval of WBD Acquisition
Democrat representatives Jamie Raskin and Frank Pallone wrote to Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison asking whether he would alter CNN’s editorial line to win President Trump’s blessing for the $111 billion Paramount‑Warner Bros. Discovery merger. The letter cites prior reports of editorial interference...
Peacock to Debut WNBA Games on May 17
Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, will begin live‑streaming WNBA games on May 17, launching a doubleheader featuring the Las Vegas Aces vs Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever vs Seattle Storm. The games will air simultaneously on NBC and Peacock, with star players A’ja...
Parks Associates: Tubi, The Roku Channel and Pluto TV Are Top Three U.S. FAST Services
According to Parks Associates’ Streaming Video Tracker, Tubi, The Roku Channel and Pluto TV occupy the top three positions among U.S. free‑ad‑supported streaming (FAST) services. Tubi leads the pack, even though 95 % of its library is on‑demand AVOD, while 46 %...
‘Shelter’ No. 1 Disc Seller in April; ‘Wicked: For Good’ Remains On Top for 2026
Black Bear’s action thriller *Shelter* topped Circana’s VideoScan physical‑media sales chart for April 2026, outselling all other DVD and Blu‑ray releases. MGM’s *Mercy* and Lionsgate’s *Greenland 2: Migration* rounded out the top three, while Disney‑owned titles such as *Zootopia 2* and *Send Help*...
Prime Video Greenlights Two Original Series, Brett Goldstein Comedy ‘Escorted,’ and Drama ‘Rose Hill’
Prime Video announced the greenlight of two original series: the eight‑episode comedy "Escorted," created and co‑showrun by Emmy‑winner Brett Goldstein, and the romance‑drama "Rose Hill," adapted from Elsie Silver’s bestselling novels. "Escorted" is produced by Warner Bros. Television with Brian Gallivan,...
Prime Video Renews ‘Reacher’ for Fifth Season Ahead of Season Four Premiere
Amazon Prime Video has renewed the action series "Reacher" for a fifth season, announcing the decision before the fourth season premieres later this year. The renewal reflects the show's strong global performance, with season three attracting 54.6 million viewers worldwide in...
JustWatch: Hulu’s ‘Send Help,’ Netflix’s ‘Lord of the Flies’ Top Weekly Streaming Through May 10
JustWatch’s weekly chart for the week ending May 10 shows Hulu’s original film “Send Help” capturing the No. 1 spot among U.S. streamed movies, while Netflix’s limited series “Lord of the Flies” exploded 1,490 % to dominate the TV‑show ranking. The rapid ascent...
Prime Video Enhances ‘Clips’ Vertical Video Feed For Mobile Users
Amazon's Prime Video has upgraded its NBA‑themed “Clips” feature with a vertical short‑form video feed for mobile devices, letting users scroll personalized snippets of movies, TV series, and sports highlights. The rollout begins with a select group of U.S. users...
FCC Commissioner Gomez Tells Disney CEO Government Agency Is Trying to Censor ABC
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez sent a letter to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro accusing the Trump administration of orchestrating a coordinated campaign to censor ABC. She cites FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s early review of ABC’s broadcast license as retaliation for Jimmy...
Hub: Free Streaming Emerges as TV’s New Normal
Free ad‑supported streaming TV (FAST) has moved into the mainstream, with 55% of U.S. TV viewers having tried at least one FAST service. A February survey of 3,009 consumers shows 28% of FAST users watch daily, logging roughly 24 hours...
Samba TV: ‘Apex’ Tops Weekly Streaming Viewership Through May 3
Netflix’s thriller Apex claimed the No. 1 spot on Samba TV’s weekly streaming chart for the week of April 27‑May 3, shortly after its April 24 debut. The ranking follows HBO’s Euphoria at No. 2, Netflix’s true‑crime documentary ‘Should I Marry a Murderer?’ at No. 3,...
Doc ‘Remi Milligan: Lost Director’ Due on Blu-Ray Disc May 26 From BayView
BayView Entertainment announced that the documentary *Remi Milligan: Lost Director* will hit Blu‑ray on May 26, 2026. The film, directed by Samuel Lodato, chronicles the career of cult‑maker Remi Milligan and investigates his mysterious disappearance in 2006. Featuring interviews with Yoshi...
LA Vertical Drama Market Panelists Discuss Evolution, Creation and Explosion of New Mobile Medium
The second LA Vertical Drama Market convened May 7‑10, where panelists examined the rapid rise of 9:16 vertical microdramas designed for mobile phones. Creators cite the Hollywood strike and post‑COVID mobile dependence as catalysts that shifted talent from traditional TV...
CEO: AMC Global Media Shopping ‘The Walking Dead’ Franchise to Major Streamers
AMC Global Media CEO Kristin Dolan announced the company is actively shopping the "The Walking Dead" franchise to major streaming services. The studio is focusing on co‑exclusive licensing deals while keeping some content in‑house. Dolan said several large platforms are...
Warner Bros. Expected to Return Atop Weekend Box Office With ‘Mortal Kombat II’ Debut
Warner Bros. Pictures is poised to reclaim the weekend box‑office crown with the May 2026 debut of New Line Cinema’s sequel Mortal Kombat II. BoxOfficeReport.com projects a $44 million domestic haul, enough to displace The Devil Wears Prada 2’s $41 million second‑week earnings. The figure represents more...
Documentary ‘Looking Up’ Available Digitally and on Disc June 9
The documentary *Looking Up* follows 20‑year‑old Eitan Armon, diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, as he trains to climb Yosemite’s El Capitan despite losing 95% of his central vision. Directed by Elena Neuman, the film captures his ascent, a night on a 1,500‑foot...
Sony Pictures Quarterly Operating Income Falls 25%, Revenue Up 10%
Sony Pictures reported fourth‑quarter operating income of $268 million, a 25% decline, while revenue topped $3 billion, up more than 10% year‑over‑year. For the full fiscal year, operating income fell 11% to $687 million, largely due to an $87 million non‑cash impairment from winding...
Nielsen: HBO Max’s ‘The Pitt’ Remained No. 1 Across Weekly U.S. Streaming Television Households Through April 12
Season two of HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt” stayed atop Nielsen’s weekly streaming chart through April 12, logging 1.13 billion minutes and marking its ninth straight week above the billion‑minute threshold. Amazon Prime Video’s “The Boys” held the No. 2 spot with 899 million...
Starz Exits Universal Pictures Pay-2 Deal After 5 Years
Starz announced it is terminating its five‑year Pay‑2 licensing agreement with Universal Pictures, ending exclusive access to Universal theatrical releases after their run on Peacock, Prime Video and Netflix. The decision, explained by CEO Jeffrey Hirsch, targets cost reduction amid...
This Week’s MPN Video Podcast: Big Media Earnings, Vertical Drama Market, OpenAI Trial and the Future of Hollywood
The Media Play News podcast highlighted Disney’s strong Q1 results, Paramount’s aggressive 30‑film‑a‑year plan, the launch of the LA Vertical Drama Market, and the escalating legal battle between Elon Musk and OpenAI. It also examined shifting ad spend as social...
HBO Comedy Special ‘Josh Johnson: Symphony’ to Debut May 22
HBO will premiere the stand‑up special "Josh Johnson: Symphony" on May 22, streaming on both HBO and HBO Max. The hour‑long show features entirely new material from the Emmy‑nominated comedian, known for his YouTube channel and frequent hosting spots on Comedy Central’s...
Nielsen: Prime Video Posts Three of Top 20 Most-Watched Weekly TV Sports Content Through May 3
Nielsen’s latest weekly TV sports ratings show Amazon’s Prime Video captured three of the top‑20 most‑watched sports broadcasts for the week of April 27‑May 3. The Lakers‑Rockets Western Conference playoff game aired on Prime Video ranked No. 6 with 4.45 million viewers, while two...
Warner Bros. Studios Balloons Q1 Operating Income 199% to $775 Million
Warner Bros. Discovery’s Studios segment posted Q1 operating income of $775 million, a 199% increase year‑over‑year, while revenue rose 35% to $3.1 billion. Content revenue jumped 37% to $2.93 billion, driven by theatrical and TV licensing gains linked to the rollout of HBO...
Warner Bros. Discovery Posts $2.91 Billion Q1 Net Loss Due to Paramount Skydance Transaction Costs
Warner Bros. Discovery reported a staggering $2.91 billion net loss for Q1, a sharp rise from the $453 million loss a year earlier. The loss stems primarily from refundable transaction costs tied to the pending Paramount‑Skydance merger. Total revenue slipped 1% to...
Warner Bros. Discovery Ups Q1 Streaming Operating Income 29%, Revenue Increases 9% to $2.9 Billion
Warner Bros. Discovery reported a 29% jump in streaming operating income to $438 million in Q1, while total streaming revenue rose 9% to nearly $2.9 billion. Distribution revenue led the growth, increasing 9% to $2.53 billion, and advertising revenue from HBO Max’s ad‑supported tier...
Peacock Says 152nd Kentucky Derby Most-Streamed Horse Race Ever
Peacock announced that the 152nd Kentucky Derby attracted an average minute audience of 1.9 million, a 28% rise from the previous year. The platform, together with NBC Sports, delivered a record total audience delivery (TAD) of 19.3 million, up 9% YoY. NBCUniversal...
AFM Announces Theme for 2026 Event, With 90 Exhibitors Confirmed
The American Film Market (AFM) unveiled its first unifying theme, “The New Global Screen Economy,” for the 2026 edition. The six‑day event will run Nov 10‑15, 2026 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, with screenings at AMC Century City 15. Organizers...
Viant Closes $40 Million TVision Acquisition to Strengthen CTV Measurement
Viant completed its $40 million acquisition of TVision Insights, adding second‑by‑second attention and co‑viewership data to its CTV platform. The deal enables Viant to offer an independent, market‑wide measurement solution that spans linear TV, CTV and walled‑garden inventory, challenging Nielsen’s dominance....
Fox One Streaming Offering $50,000 to Super Fan to Watch All 104 World Cup Soccer Matches Live From New York...
Fox One, Fox Corp.’s standalone streaming platform, is offering $50,000 to a "super fan" who will watch all 104 FIFA Men’s World Cup matches live from a Times Square studio. The tournament runs June 11‑July 19 across 16 North‑American cities and features a...
Radial Secures All 200 Episodes of ‘World’s Most Evil Killers’ for Streaming
Radial Entertainment has secured worldwide streaming rights to all 200 episodes of the true‑crime series “World’s Most Evil Killers,” spanning ten seasons and over 150 hours of content. The deal brings seasons nine and ten, each with 20 hour‑long episodes,...
‘You, Me & Tuscany’ Available Digitally May 12, on Disc June 16
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment announced the romantic comedy *You, Me & Tuscany* will be available for premium digital purchase and rental on May 12, 2026. The film, starring Halle Bailey and Regé‑Jean Page, follows a mistaken‑identity romance set against the Tuscan countryside. It...
May 5 New-Release Titles Include ‘Wuthering Heights,’ ‘GOAT’ on Blu-Ray, ‘Ready or Not 2’ Digitally
Media Play News lists a slate of home‑entertainment releases slated for May 5, 2026, spanning new theatrical titles and classic restorations. Warner Bros. Discovery is issuing Emerald Fennell’s "Wuthering Heights" and HBO’s "It: Welcome to Derry – Season 1" on DVD, Blu‑ray and 4K...
Apex
Netflix’s new thriller *Apex* stars Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton and Eric Bana in a stark, R‑rated survival tale set in Australia’s Blue Mountains. Director Baltasar Kormákur eschews green‑screen effects, filming on location to let the landscape become a hostile character....
Netflix Touts Fiscal Impact on U.S. Economy to Lawmakers
Netflix hosted a bipartisan briefing at its Beverly Hills office on May 1, led by co‑CEO Ted Sarandos, to showcase the streamer’s fiscal footprint. The company reported a $225 billion contribution to the U.S. economy and the creation of over 150,000 jobs...
Dynasty: The Murdochs
Netflix’s four‑part documentary "Dynasty: The Murdochs" offers a forensic chronicle of Rupert Murdoch’s empire, built on leaked emails, court filings and interview snippets. The series, directed by Liz Garbus without family participation, presents the power struggle as a dry audit,...
‘Shelter’ Tops Overall Disc Sales, ‘Bone Temple’ No. 1 on Blu-Ray Charts
Black Bear’s action thriller *Shelter* debuted at No. 1 on the Circana VideoScan overall disc‑sales chart for the week ended April 25. The film generated $12.8 million at the domestic box office and earned 37 % of its first‑week unit sales from Blu‑ray, placing...
Radial Entertainment Releasing ‘Signal One’ in Theaters and On Demand June 5
Radial Entertainment will launch the sci‑fi drama “Signal One” in select theaters and on‑demand on June 5, 2026. Written and directed by Jonathon Sobol, the film stars Isabelle Fuhrman as a computer scientist hired by a tech billionaire to communicate with...
Sony to Release 1958 Classic ‘The 7th Voyage of Sinbad’ on 4K Ultra HD Disc July 21
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced a 4K Ultra HD Blu‑ray release of the 1958 adventure classic *The 7th Voyage of Sinbad* on July 21. The combo pack ships both a 4K disc and a standard Blu‑ray, each with English 5.1 and mono tracks. The 4K version...
‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Looks to Top Weekend Box Office Following $10 Million in Thursday Screening Revenue
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is projected to seize the weekend box office crown with roughly $175 million in global ticket sales, including an anticipated $80 million in North America through May 3. The sequel has already amassed $50.5 million worldwide, bolstered by $10 million...
Calif. Lawmaker: Paramount ‘Cannot Gaslight American Public’ on Foreign Investors in WBD Purchase
U.S. Rep. Sam Liccardo wrote to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr demanding a denial of Paramount Skydance’s petition to allow up to 49.5% foreign equity in its Warner Brothers Discovery broadcast holdings. The proposal would let sovereign‑wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and...
Prime Video Expanding Beyond NBA With Duke College Basketball
Prime Video announced a multiyear agreement with Duke University to live‑stream three men’s basketball games in the 2026‑27 season, including matchups against UConn, Michigan and Gonzaga. The streamer expects each game to generate roughly $500,000‑$1 million for Duke, funds that can...