film industry

Director Jon Watts, known for Marvel's Spider-Man films, will direct the next Star Wars movie, according to Variety. The announcement gives Lucasfilm's long-gestating film slate a concrete new name, though details on the plot, timeline and release date have not been disclosed. Fans and industry watchers are debating what the choice of Watts signals for the franchise's direction.

YouTube and Meta have backed away from running paid advertising for a documentary about Elon Musk. The platforms reversed plans to promote the film through paid ads, though details on the exact reasons for the decision remain limited. The move is drawing attention as it touches on how major tech companies handle promotional content linked to one of the most prominent figures in the industry.

Filmmaker and producer Shawn Levy has signed an overall deal with Disney's 20th Television, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The agreement will see Levy's production company develop television projects for the studio. Levy is known for directing and producing major film and TV hits, and the deal strengthens Disney's roster of high-profile creative talent for its television slate.

Marvel's 'Avengers: Endgame' is leading a competitive weekend at the North American box office in which three films are each projected to gross more than $20 million, according to Deadline. The crowded field highlights strong theatrical attendance, with Endgame maintaining its dominance even as new releases draw significant audiences.

David Ellison has emerged from a contentious fight for Warner Bros., and attention now turns to what he will do with the studio. Commentators note that winning the battle was the easy part: he must manage heavy costs, restore the studio's film slate, and compete with streaming rivals. Industry observers describe his path forward in Hollywood as daunting.

Sony will not attend CES 2027, according to an Engadget report, as the company shifts its focus toward entertainment. The move marks a notable absence for one of the tech show's longtime exhibitors and signals Sony's growing emphasis on gaming, film, music and other content businesses over traditional consumer electronics showcases.

Film industry executives and creators met at the Zurich Summit to debate the growing divide over artificial intelligence in filmmaking. Discussions centered on how AI is reshaping production, storytelling and jobs, with executives and creative talent voicing sharply different views on its risks and benefits. The summit is one of the key annual gatherings where Hollywood's business and creative sides confront emerging industry tensions.

David Barron, the British producer behind much of the Harry Potter film franchise, is backing an AI-assisted adaptation of Jack London's classic novel 'The Call Of The Wild'. The project puts a veteran Hollywood producer behind a production using artificial intelligence, a move likely to fuel ongoing debate in the industry about AI's growing role in film and television making.

A longtime film industry concept artist, who spent his career helping directors visualise their movies, has now directed a film of his own using artificial intelligence tools. The story highlights how generative AI is opening directing opportunities to behind-the-scenes artists, while also raising questions about the technology's growing role in filmmaking.

Disney has chosen Jon Watts, director of the recent Spider-Man films, to helm the first installment in a new trilogy set in the Star Wars Skywalker Saga era. Watts takes on one of the most high-profile directing jobs in franchise filmmaking, and fans are debating what his action-driven blockbuster style could mean for the future of Star Wars on screen.

Entertainment data firm Luminate announced that its Film & TV platform now covers France and Germany, extending its global measurement beyond existing markets. The move gives studios, streamers and distributors access to audience and performance data in two of Europe's largest film and television markets. Industry watchers see it as part of a broader push by data providers to offer truly worldwide comparative analytics.

Peanuts Entertainment, a new London-based production company dedicated to Latin American stories, has launched. Its first project is 'Alive in Their Garden', a feature film about the Mirabal sisters, the Dominican activists murdered in 1960 whose killing helped inspire the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The company aims to bring Latin American narratives to international audiences.

Producer David Matamoros, known for the hit Spanish thriller 'The Platform', has come on board 'Dog Legs', a project from filmmaker Matias Rojas. The industry news, reported by Variety, signals momentum behind Rojas' film as it builds its production team, though details on the plot, cast and financing have not yet been disclosed.

'Avengers: Endgame' is leading a busy weekend at the North American box office in which four films were each tracking to earn more than $20 million. The crowded slate drew attention from industry watchers, with Deadline reporting that Endgame held the top spot despite strong competition from three other wide releases all opening or performing in the same range.

'Avengers Endgame: Encore' opened strongly at the North American box office, outgrossing the new releases it competed against over the weekend. Outlets including USA Today report that the encore presentation of the Marvel hit drew large audiences and beat fresh competition in its debut frame. The result underlines continuing audience appetite for the Avengers franchise in theaters.

Sony will not take part in CES 2027, with reports saying the company is shifting its priorities toward entertainment content rather than the hardware showcases the trade show is known for. The move marks a notable departure from one of the tech industry's biggest stages and fits Sony's broader emphasis on games, music, film and other media businesses.

Chinese director Jia Zhangke is preparing 'Mamma Dunhuang,' a road movie starring his longtime collaborator and wife Zhao Tao, and has stated the film will be made without any use of artificial intelligence in production. The project links Jia's contemporary filmmaking with the historic Dunhuang region, and his stance on AI adds to ongoing debate in the film industry about the technology's place in creative work.

A DC film that underperformed in theaters has become the most-watched movie on HBO Max this week. The turnaround highlights how streaming audiences are giving a second life to titles that failed commercially on the big screen, a pattern increasingly common for superhero releases. Commentators note the gap between box office results and home viewing as studios weigh shorter theatrical windows.

Producer Carter Swan, known for his work on the Resident Evil film adaptations, is developing a movie based on The Crying Boy, a comic book series from publisher Keenspot. The project moves the horror-tinged comic to the big screen, adding another video game and comics adaptation to Swan's slate as Hollywood continues mining genre comics for film properties.

Peanuts Entertainment has launched as a new entertainment company, unveiling the Mirabel Sisters feature as its debut project. Details about the film and the company's leadership or backers have not been widely reported, and the announcement has so far drawn limited public reaction. The Mirabel Sisters project marks the company's first move as it establishes itself in the industry.

Filmmaker Robert Eggers has shelved another horror project after 'Werwulf', saying it became 'so dark' that it could not move forward. The director, known for 'The Witch' and 'The Lighthouse', has a history of uncompromising, atmospheric horror, and the report suggests the project's tone crossed a line even for his standards.

Actor Dominic Sessa, who broke out in 'The Holdovers', has signed on to star in 'Shades of Paradise', an adventure crime epic from director Weston Razooli. The project marks a notable next step for the young actor as he builds on his acclaim, and industry observers are watching how Razooli follows up his previous work.

The Zurich Film Festival 2026 is introducing a section dedicated to artificial intelligence, exploring how the technology intersects with cinema. Alongside screenings, the festival will host a three-part talk series examining AI from multiple perspectives, featuring guests from different fields. It is one of the more prominent festival programmes to put AI at the centre of its edition.

First Solar is adjusting its approach to enforcing intellectual property rights related to TOPCon solar cell technology. The company, a leading US solar manufacturer, has previously pursued legal action to protect its proprietary thin-film and cadmium telluride innovations, and the recalibration signals a shift in how it plans to defend its TOPCon-related patents. Details of the revised enforcement strategy have not been disclosed.

Emirates has announced its new season of inflight entertainment, revealing the films, television shows and other content that will be available to passengers on its ice system. The airline regularly refreshes its lineup with new releases, and aviation industry publications have picked up the announcement. Details on specific titles and expanded features are being circulated among travellers and industry watchers.