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Focus Asia 2026 Prizes Go to Two First-Time Directors
Focus Asia's 2026 edition in Udine awarded its two top prizes — the White Light Award and the TAICCA Award — both to first-time directors, marking the first time the market's highest honors went exclu
Spotify adds Verified badge to label human artists
Spotify is launching a green‑check “Verified by Spotify” badge to flag human artists, a move aimed at cutting through the surge of AI‑generated music. Critics argue the system only proves humanity, no
Emily Lim’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream thrills audience
Director Emily Lim’s breezy, interactive staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Globe turns Shakespeare into a family‑friendly romp, with lavish costumes, a blooming set, and lively folk music. W
Mother Mary Joins Hollywood's Failed Pop Star Movies
A critic argues A24's Mother Mary — starring Anne Hathaway as a fictional pop diva with original music by FKA twigs, Charli xcx, and Jack Antonoff — is the latest casualty of Hollywood's persistent in
Indie Labels Face Talent Grab as Major Advances Surge
Indie labels like Sub Pop and Secretly Group are celebrating milestones, but they warn that streaming’s meager payouts, soaring touring costs, and a wobbling vinyl market are squeezing out mid‑tier ar
Rebel Wilson sued for defamation by Charlotte MacInnes
Actress Rebel Wilson is sued for defamation by Charlotte MacInnes, who alleges Wilson’s social‑media claims that she fabricated a sexual‑harassment complaint are false, amid disputed accounts of a sha
Purin Film Fund Awards $160K to Six Southeast Asian Projects
The Bangkok-based Purin Film Fund announced $160,000 in production and post-production support for six independent Southeast Asian film projects in its Spring 2026 round, spanning fiction and document
Paramount Sued by Subscribers Over $110B Warner Bros. Deal
Five streaming subscribers filed a federal lawsuit Thursday seeking to block the $110 billion Paramount Skydance–Warner Bros. Discovery merger, alleging higher prices, fewer theatrical options, and th
CAA Redesigns Full Story Initiative Toolkit
CAA has relaunched its Full Story Initiative as a redesigned digital toolkit, partnering with GLAAD and a roster of advocacy organizations to give Hollywood writers and creators searchable research, c
Devil Wears Prada 2 Opens to $233M Worldwide
Disney/20th Century Studios' The Devil Wears Prada 2 debuted to $77 million domestically and $233.6 million globally, becoming the first female-skewing film to lead the opening weekend of summer and t
Netflix Wins Tiger King Fair‑Use Appeal
A 10th Circuit panel reversed its earlier ruling and declared Netflix’s use of a 66‑second funeral clip in Tiger King as transformative, granting a fair‑use victory for documentary makers. The decisio
Reincarnated as a Slime: Azure Sea Review
The new 'Tears of the Azure Sea' film continues the 'That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime' saga, swapping slime‑filled battles for a beach‑side romance and a spotlight on the goblin Gobta. While wa
Steve Hilton Unveils Five-Point Plan to Revive Hollywood
GOP gubernatorial front-runner Steve Hilton unveiled a five-point plan at Hollywood's shuttered Cinerama Dome aimed at stemming California's accelerating loss of film and TV production to faster, unca
Serkis: Mortensen 'Thrilled' by Dornan as Aragorn
Director Andy Serkis confirmed on the 'Happy, Sad, Confused' podcast that Viggo Mortensen is 'absolutely thrilled' about Jamie Dornan replacing him as Aragorn in the upcoming 'Lord of the Rings: The H
Hilton: Uncap California's $750M Film Subsidy
Steve Hilton, the Trump-endorsed front-runner for the California Republican governor nomination, proposed scrapping the state's $750 million cap on film and TV production subsidies, framing Hollywood'
Madonna, Sabrina Carpenter Release 'Bring Your Love'
Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter have released 'Bring Your Love,' the lead single from Madonna's upcoming album 'Confessions II' — her first full-length project in seven years, reuniting her with origina
Goldie Hawn Open to Family Movie with Kate Hudson
Goldie Hawn, after a six‑year acting hiatus, is entertaining a family movie with daughter Kate Hudson, partner Kurt Russell and their sons, though she says she hasn’t yet found a script that meets her
Fake Photo Links Dan Reed to Jeffrey Epstein
A disinformation campaign falsely linked 'Leaving Neverland' director Dan Reed to Jeffrey Epstein, using a manipulated photo to discredit him amid renewed scrutiny of Michael Jackson, but the image ac
Trump Backs Don Jr. for Apprentice Revival, Amazon Downplays
President Trump offered a measured endorsement of eldest son Donald Trump Jr. as a potential host of a revived "The Apprentice" at Amazon, even as the streamer insisted the reality competition is "not
Roku Q1 Revenue Hits $1.25B, Ad Sales Up 27%
Roku posted a robust first‑quarter earnings beat, with revenue up 22% to $1.25 billion and advertising and subscription sales surging, lifting its free‑cash‑flow metric to a record level.
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