Kelly Marie Tran, Rob Benedict Lead iHeartPodcasts Scripted Drama ‘Saigon’ Set During Vietnam War
iHeartPodcasts is launching "Saigon," an eight‑episode scripted drama set against the Vietnam War, starring Kelly Marie Tran and Rob Benedict. The series adapts Anthony Grey's bestselling novel and is produced by Thoroughbred Studios, a joint venture that includes former media CEOs Jeff Bewkes, Sir Howard Stringer, and Jeremy Fox. Premiering on April 22 via the iHeartRadio app and major podcast platforms, new episodes will drop weekly on Wednesdays. The narrative follows an American journalist entangled in love and revolution from colonial Saigon through the era of American involvement.
Roblox to Launch ‘Kids’ Accounts for Users Ages 5-8, New Selection Process for Games Available to Players Under 16
Roblox announced the rollout of two new age‑based account tiers—Roblox Kids for ages 5‑8 and Roblox Select for ages 9‑15—scheduled for early June. The tiers use the platform’s facial‑estimation age‑check technology to automatically assign users and shift them to standard...
True-Crime Podcasts ‘Disgraceland’ and ‘Hollywoodland’ Join iHeartMedia Network Alongside ‘My Favorite Murder’
True‑crime host Jake Brennan’s podcasts “Disgraceland” and its spin‑off “Hollywoodland” are moving to Exactly Right Media, the network behind “My Favorite Murder,” which is partnered exclusively with iHeartMedia for sales, marketing and distribution. The shows, previously hosted on Audacy, will...
Patreon Says Podcasters Earned $629 Million in 2025, Up 33%, as Platform’s Biggest Content Category Keeps Growing
Patreon reported that podcasters earned $629 million in 2025, a 33% year‑over‑year rise, making podcasts its top‑grossing category. More than 47,000 creators now earn on the platform, supported by 7.6 million paid memberships. The company’s 10% fee model and new podcast tools,...
‘The Boys’ Sets ‘Call of Duty: Mobile’ In-Game Collab Ahead of Final Season (Gaming News Roundup)
Sony Pictures Consumer Products announced a major in‑game collaboration between the TV series “The Boys” and Call of Duty: Mobile, set to launch this summer ahead of the show’s fifth and final season on Prime Video. The crossover will introduce...
Sam Altman Felt ‘Terrible’ Telling Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro About OpenAI’s Decision to Kill Off Sora, Says Companies Still Looking...
OpenAI announced the shutdown of its Sora video‑generation platform, a move that caught Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro off‑guard and halted Disney’s plan to let fans create AI‑generated versions of over 200 characters. The cancellation puts a $1 billion Disney investment on...
Creator Platform Beehiiv Launches Podcast Hosting and Distribution
Beehiiv, originally a newsletter platform, has launched a full‑stack podcast hosting and distribution service. The new tool lets creators upload MP3, M4A or WAV files, automatically generate transcripts, and push episodes to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast and Castro. Beehiiv charges...
CreateAI CEO Cheng Lu on Why the AI Debate in Animation Is Already Settled: ‘AI-Assisted Production Is Just Going to...
CreateAI has inaugurated Asia’s largest motion‑capture studio in Beijing, equipped with 130 Vicon VK26 cameras across a 2,000 sq m facility. CEO Cheng Lu says the studio will use AI to automate post‑capture data treatment, making high‑quality animation cheaper for smaller studios. The...
Instagram to Sell Reels Ads for Viral TV and Movies Content, ‘Cultural Moments’ Like NFL Games and Black Friday
Meta announced that Instagram’s Reels Trending Ads will now include a "TV & movies" category and dedicated line‑ups for cultural moments such as NFL games, Black Friday and Fashion Week. A limited‑alpha reserve‑buy option will let brands secure up to...
Content Creator Alanah Pearce Launches Charred Pictures in Partnership With Game Devs; ‘Faith: The Unholy Trinity’ Film Adaptation, Two More...
Content creator Alanah Pearce has founded Charred Pictures, an indie production company that partners directly with game developers on film and TV adaptations. The debut slate includes three projects: a pre‑production adaptation of the survival‑horror game Faith: The Unholy Trinity,...
AI Filmmaking Tools Company Flawless Names Amit Kapur Co-CEO
Flawless, an AI‑assistive filmmaking platform, appointed longtime tech entrepreneur Amit Kapur as co‑CEO alongside co‑founder Scott Mann. Kapur, who previously helped grow MySpace and sold AI startup Gravity for $100 million, joins the board‑member‑turned‑executive to scale the company. Flawless, founded in...
YouTube Exec Counters Netflix Rivalry Talk, Highlighting Platform’s Global Reach and $100 Billion in Creator Economy Payout
YouTube’s managing director for France and South Europe, Justine Ryst, highlighted that the platform paid out more than $100 billion to creators between 2021 and 2025, surpassing Netflix’s $79.5 billion content spend in the same period. She emphasized YouTube’s ad‑supported model, which...
Xbox’s ‘Starfield’ to Launch on PlayStation 5 in April (Gaming News Roundup)
Bethesda’s flagship space‑explorer Starfield will debut on Sony’s PlayStation 5 on April 7, ending its Xbox‑only window. The launch coincides with the game’s biggest free update, “Free Lanes,” and the new Terran Armada story DLC, both rolling out across all platforms. Sony...
Variety’s 10 Creators to Watch on Going Independent and Why ‘To Make Something and Own Something, You Have to Sell...
Variety’s inaugural "10 Creators to Watch" convened at SXSW for a panel on forging careers outside Hollywood’s traditional studio system. Moderated by Selome Hailu, the discussion highlighted the growing desire among creators to own their work and the necessity of...
AI Registry to Protect Athlete Likenesses and Digital IP Launched by New Sports-Tech Firm Callandor Group (EXCLUSIVE)
Callandor Group, a new sports‑tech firm, launched the first AI‑focused registry for athletes’ digital identities, enabling licensing and royalty collection for likeness, voice, and biometric data used in AI models. The platform, featuring the Event Horizon API, helps athletes and...
