Category: iWorld

  • #Fame ropes in Shah Rukh Khan for live stream with fans

    #Fame ropes in Shah Rukh Khan for live stream with fans

    MUMBAI: TO THE NEW Ventures’ live video social platform #fame has roped in Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan to interact with his fans globally with live beams.

     

    Fans across the world will be able to chat live with Khan on 31 January on the #fame platform.

     

    Khan enjoys a cult fan following across the world. With a global fan base exceeding a billion, SRK, as he is popularly called, will interact and engage with his fans through several live beams on #fame.

     

    Khan said, “I have been fortunate to receive love and affection from so many lovely people from around the world, over the years. I don’t like calling them just my “fans,” they are the ones who love and support me and I always look for ways in which I can give back this love. Social media has been one easy way of connecting with a lot of them. #fame now will make video interaction possible with all of them and get me a step closer to them. So, I am delighted to invite everyone – Follow iamsrk on #fame. I look forward to my live beams and interactions on #fame.”

     

    TO THE NEW Ventures CEO Puneet Johar added, “As a live video social platform, we have seen massive user growth with over three million installs within six months since launch across Asia and we are very excited to welcome Shah Rukh to the platform. We believe that Shah Rukh will inspire millions of talented young people to use #fame as a platform to showcase their talent to the world.”

  • #Fame ropes in Shah Rukh Khan for live stream with fans

    #Fame ropes in Shah Rukh Khan for live stream with fans

    MUMBAI: TO THE NEW Ventures’ live video social platform #fame has roped in Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan to interact with his fans globally with live beams.

     

    Fans across the world will be able to chat live with Khan on 31 January on the #fame platform.

     

    Khan enjoys a cult fan following across the world. With a global fan base exceeding a billion, SRK, as he is popularly called, will interact and engage with his fans through several live beams on #fame.

     

    Khan said, “I have been fortunate to receive love and affection from so many lovely people from around the world, over the years. I don’t like calling them just my “fans,” they are the ones who love and support me and I always look for ways in which I can give back this love. Social media has been one easy way of connecting with a lot of them. #fame now will make video interaction possible with all of them and get me a step closer to them. So, I am delighted to invite everyone – Follow iamsrk on #fame. I look forward to my live beams and interactions on #fame.”

     

    TO THE NEW Ventures CEO Puneet Johar added, “As a live video social platform, we have seen massive user growth with over three million installs within six months since launch across Asia and we are very excited to welcome Shah Rukh to the platform. We believe that Shah Rukh will inspire millions of talented young people to use #fame as a platform to showcase their talent to the world.”

  • Q4-2015: Verizon reports 5.8 million Fios video connections

    Q4-2015: Verizon reports 5.8 million Fios video connections

    BENGALURU: US communications major Verizon, Inc., reported 5.8 million subscribers for its Fios wireline video services for the quarter and year ended 31 December, 2015 (Q4-2015, current quarter, FY-2015, current year). The company reported an increase of 20,000 net Fios wireline video services subscribers in the quarter. Verizon also added 99,000 new Fios internet wireline connections in Q4-2015 taking the total to seven million.

     

    The company says that Fios wireline internet connections increased 6.8 per cent YoY and Fios video connections increased 3.2 per cent YoY. For FY-2015, more than 70 per cent of consumer Fios internet customers subscribed to data speeds of 50 megabits per second or higher. Verizon says that customer interest continued to grow for Custom TV, which represented about one-third of Fios video sales in Q4- 2015.

     

    The company says that Q4-2015 wireline consumer revenues were $4.1 billion, an increase of 2.6 per cent compared with Q4- 2014. Fios revenues represented 80.4 per cent of the total. Comparing Q4-2015 with Q4-2014, total Fios revenues grew 6.8 per cent, to $3.5 billion, and consumer Fios revenues grew 6.6 per cent. Wireline operating income margin was 7.3 per cent in Q4- 2015, up from 4.4 per cent in Q4- 2014. Segment EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 24.2 per cent in Q4-2015, compared with 23.9 per cent in the corresponding quarter of last year.

     

    “In 2015, Verizon delivered strong and balanced results in a dynamic competitive environment while returning more than $13.5 billion to shareholders. At the same time, Verizon built and acquired next-generation network capabilities that position the company to be an innovator in the digital-first mobile world in 2016 and beyond,” said Verizon chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam.

     

    Overall revenues in Q4-2015 were $34.3 billion, a 3.2 per cent increase compared with Q4-2014. For the full year, Verizon reported total consolidated revenues of $131.6 billion. FY-2015 revenues grew 3.6 per cent, compared with FY-2014. Current-quarter and third-quarter revenues include results from AOL. New revenue streams from IoT grew, with revenues of approximately $200 million in Q4- 2015 and about $690 million for FY-2015. This is a year-over-year increase of 18 per cent, says the company.

     

    Verizon’s other segment, wireless, reported total revenues of $23.7 billion in Q4-2015, up 1.2 per cent compared with Q4-2014. Service revenues totalled $17.2 billion, down 5.6 per cent year over year. Over the same period, equipment revenues increased to $5.4 billion, up from $4.2 billion, as more customers chose to buy new devices with instalment pricing. For the year, total revenues were $91.7 billion, a 4.6 per cent increase compared with 2014.

                   

    Verizon Wireless reported 1.5 million retail postpaid net additions in Q4- 2015 and 4.5 million for the full year. These net additions do not include any wholesale or IoT connections.

     

    The company says that customer retention remained high, with retail postpaid churn at a low 0.96 per cent in Q4-2015, a year-over-year improvement of 18 basis points. Churn was also 0.96 per cent for the year, an improvement of 8 basis points from full-year 2014.

     

    Verizon added 906,000 4G smartphones to its postpaid customer base in Q4-2015. Postpaid phone net adds totalled 449,000 as net smartphone adds of 713,000 were partially offset by a net decline of basic phones. Tablet net adds totalled 960,000 in the quarter, and net prepaid devices declined by 157,000. At year-end 2015, the company had 112.1 million retail connections, a 3.6 per cent year-over-year increase, and 106.5 million retail postpaid connections, a 4.4 per cent year-over-year increase.

  • Q4-2015: Verizon reports 5.8 million Fios video connections

    Q4-2015: Verizon reports 5.8 million Fios video connections

    BENGALURU: US communications major Verizon, Inc., reported 5.8 million subscribers for its Fios wireline video services for the quarter and year ended 31 December, 2015 (Q4-2015, current quarter, FY-2015, current year). The company reported an increase of 20,000 net Fios wireline video services subscribers in the quarter. Verizon also added 99,000 new Fios internet wireline connections in Q4-2015 taking the total to seven million.

     

    The company says that Fios wireline internet connections increased 6.8 per cent YoY and Fios video connections increased 3.2 per cent YoY. For FY-2015, more than 70 per cent of consumer Fios internet customers subscribed to data speeds of 50 megabits per second or higher. Verizon says that customer interest continued to grow for Custom TV, which represented about one-third of Fios video sales in Q4- 2015.

     

    The company says that Q4-2015 wireline consumer revenues were $4.1 billion, an increase of 2.6 per cent compared with Q4- 2014. Fios revenues represented 80.4 per cent of the total. Comparing Q4-2015 with Q4-2014, total Fios revenues grew 6.8 per cent, to $3.5 billion, and consumer Fios revenues grew 6.6 per cent. Wireline operating income margin was 7.3 per cent in Q4- 2015, up from 4.4 per cent in Q4- 2014. Segment EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 24.2 per cent in Q4-2015, compared with 23.9 per cent in the corresponding quarter of last year.

     

    “In 2015, Verizon delivered strong and balanced results in a dynamic competitive environment while returning more than $13.5 billion to shareholders. At the same time, Verizon built and acquired next-generation network capabilities that position the company to be an innovator in the digital-first mobile world in 2016 and beyond,” said Verizon chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam.

     

    Overall revenues in Q4-2015 were $34.3 billion, a 3.2 per cent increase compared with Q4-2014. For the full year, Verizon reported total consolidated revenues of $131.6 billion. FY-2015 revenues grew 3.6 per cent, compared with FY-2014. Current-quarter and third-quarter revenues include results from AOL. New revenue streams from IoT grew, with revenues of approximately $200 million in Q4- 2015 and about $690 million for FY-2015. This is a year-over-year increase of 18 per cent, says the company.

     

    Verizon’s other segment, wireless, reported total revenues of $23.7 billion in Q4-2015, up 1.2 per cent compared with Q4-2014. Service revenues totalled $17.2 billion, down 5.6 per cent year over year. Over the same period, equipment revenues increased to $5.4 billion, up from $4.2 billion, as more customers chose to buy new devices with instalment pricing. For the year, total revenues were $91.7 billion, a 4.6 per cent increase compared with 2014.

                   

    Verizon Wireless reported 1.5 million retail postpaid net additions in Q4- 2015 and 4.5 million for the full year. These net additions do not include any wholesale or IoT connections.

     

    The company says that customer retention remained high, with retail postpaid churn at a low 0.96 per cent in Q4-2015, a year-over-year improvement of 18 basis points. Churn was also 0.96 per cent for the year, an improvement of 8 basis points from full-year 2014.

     

    Verizon added 906,000 4G smartphones to its postpaid customer base in Q4-2015. Postpaid phone net adds totalled 449,000 as net smartphone adds of 713,000 were partially offset by a net decline of basic phones. Tablet net adds totalled 960,000 in the quarter, and net prepaid devices declined by 157,000. At year-end 2015, the company had 112.1 million retail connections, a 3.6 per cent year-over-year increase, and 106.5 million retail postpaid connections, a 4.4 per cent year-over-year increase.

  • Easypolicy raises $2.2 million in funding led by Ronnie Screwvala’s Unilazer

    Easypolicy raises $2.2 million in funding led by Ronnie Screwvala’s Unilazer

    MUMBAI: Serial entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala is on an investment spree. After recently funding the online gadget accessory store DailyObjects, Screwvala’s Unilazer Ventures has now invested in insurance policy aggregator EasyPolicy.com, an insurance comparison website. 

     

    EasyPolicy has raised approximately $2.2 million in a fresh round of funding, which was led by Unilazer along with others like Refex Energy founder and managing director Anil Jain as well as Burman Family Office, which is the investment arm of Dabur India promoters’ family.

     

    The funds will be used to build the company’s technology platform, enhance its product portfolio, as well as to strengthen its marketing team.

     

    Noida-based Easypolicy Insurance Web Aggregators operates the portal, which was launched in 2011 by Alok Bhatnagar, Neeraj Aggarwala and Divyanshu Tripathi.

     

    Till date, Screwvala has invested in various ventures like MeraDoctor, Lenskart, Zivame, SilverPush, EkStop, Yumist, Timessaverz and artificial intelligence (AI) startup Niki.ai amongst others.

  • Easypolicy raises $2.2 million in funding led by Ronnie Screwvala’s Unilazer

    Easypolicy raises $2.2 million in funding led by Ronnie Screwvala’s Unilazer

    MUMBAI: Serial entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala is on an investment spree. After recently funding the online gadget accessory store DailyObjects, Screwvala’s Unilazer Ventures has now invested in insurance policy aggregator EasyPolicy.com, an insurance comparison website. 

     

    EasyPolicy has raised approximately $2.2 million in a fresh round of funding, which was led by Unilazer along with others like Refex Energy founder and managing director Anil Jain as well as Burman Family Office, which is the investment arm of Dabur India promoters’ family.

     

    The funds will be used to build the company’s technology platform, enhance its product portfolio, as well as to strengthen its marketing team.

     

    Noida-based Easypolicy Insurance Web Aggregators operates the portal, which was launched in 2011 by Alok Bhatnagar, Neeraj Aggarwala and Divyanshu Tripathi.

     

    Till date, Screwvala has invested in various ventures like MeraDoctor, Lenskart, Zivame, SilverPush, EkStop, Yumist, Timessaverz and artificial intelligence (AI) startup Niki.ai amongst others.

  • Priyanka Chopra partners nexGTV for digital series ‘It’s My City’

    Priyanka Chopra partners nexGTV for digital series ‘It’s My City’

    MUMBAI: Multi-faceted actor Priyanka Chopra, who made her international television debut with ABC’s espionage thriller Quantico, will soon make her online debut with a digital series called It’s My City.

     

    Chopra has joined hands with nexGTV, Fluence and Endemol-Shine India to create an original 14-part mobi-series about four girls on a journey of life, love and lunacy in the city of Mumbai.

     

    The bi-weekly mobi-series will premiere on nexGTv on 22 January, with new mobisodes every Tuesday and Friday.

     

    It may be recalled that Yash Raj Films had last year released a web series called Man’s World, which had cameos from multiple Bollywood stars like Parineeti Chopra, Kalki Koechlin and Richa Chadda amongst others. On the other hand, ErosNow had also unveiled ambitious plans to release original web series starring actors like Bipasha Basu, Chitrangda Singh, Radhika Apte, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Ayushmann Khurrana. While these digital series are as yet unreleased, Chopra’s It’s My City will be India’s first celebrity led mobi-series.

     

    It’s My City has been created by Fluence and produced in association with Chopra’s production company, Purple Pebble Pictures and Endemol-Shine India.

     

    Chopra said, “Digital is the new frontier of content and I’m diving right in! It’s a super exciting world in which I find myself equally fascinated with and immersed in completely. The thought behind It’s My City is progressive… to go where the young audience has moved towards… to connect with them in a style that they can identify with and for me personally, to engage with them in a whole new way. I’m excited to be embarking on this journey with such amazing partners – nexGTV who not only have created a robust platform for mobile entertainment but have also made a firm commitment to creating and delivering quality, original content. I’m thankful to Fluence and Endemol-Shine India for being such a formidable force and co-producers in our maiden digital venture. It’s time to just press ‘PLAY’!!!”

     

    nexGTV COO Abhesh Verma added, “As the first South Asian woman to win the hugely popular People’s Choice Award, Priyanka Chopra is today an undisputed beacon of strength and a role model for countless young women worldwide. As someone who has challenged and redefined the status quo numerous times over the years, she epitomises the young, Indian woman of today and is therefore the perfect match! In associating with Priyanka forIt’s My City mobi-series, we have attempted to channel her own experiences as a young woman wanting to create her own special identity in a city far from home.”

     

    Fluence’s Rishi Negi said, “Fluence is in the business of creating unique and differentiated digital experiences with India’s top talents. Priyanka Chopra is one such amazing and versatile actor who has mesmerised fans across the globe, she is also one of the most influential social media celebrities in India. Creating this series with Priyanka for nexGTv is another step towards our growing focus on digital content development. This collaboration will draw audience subscriptions and views for the show and the platform via social media by engaging Priyanka’s close to 35 million fans and followers in a new and highly compelling way.”

  • Priyanka Chopra partners nexGTV for digital series ‘It’s My City’

    Priyanka Chopra partners nexGTV for digital series ‘It’s My City’

    MUMBAI: Multi-faceted actor Priyanka Chopra, who made her international television debut with ABC’s espionage thriller Quantico, will soon make her online debut with a digital series called It’s My City.

     

    Chopra has joined hands with nexGTV, Fluence and Endemol-Shine India to create an original 14-part mobi-series about four girls on a journey of life, love and lunacy in the city of Mumbai.

     

    The bi-weekly mobi-series will premiere on nexGTv on 22 January, with new mobisodes every Tuesday and Friday.

     

    It may be recalled that Yash Raj Films had last year released a web series called Man’s World, which had cameos from multiple Bollywood stars like Parineeti Chopra, Kalki Koechlin and Richa Chadda amongst others. On the other hand, ErosNow had also unveiled ambitious plans to release original web series starring actors like Bipasha Basu, Chitrangda Singh, Radhika Apte, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Ayushmann Khurrana. While these digital series are as yet unreleased, Chopra’s It’s My City will be India’s first celebrity led mobi-series.

     

    It’s My City has been created by Fluence and produced in association with Chopra’s production company, Purple Pebble Pictures and Endemol-Shine India.

     

    Chopra said, “Digital is the new frontier of content and I’m diving right in! It’s a super exciting world in which I find myself equally fascinated with and immersed in completely. The thought behind It’s My City is progressive… to go where the young audience has moved towards… to connect with them in a style that they can identify with and for me personally, to engage with them in a whole new way. I’m excited to be embarking on this journey with such amazing partners – nexGTV who not only have created a robust platform for mobile entertainment but have also made a firm commitment to creating and delivering quality, original content. I’m thankful to Fluence and Endemol-Shine India for being such a formidable force and co-producers in our maiden digital venture. It’s time to just press ‘PLAY’!!!”

     

    nexGTV COO Abhesh Verma added, “As the first South Asian woman to win the hugely popular People’s Choice Award, Priyanka Chopra is today an undisputed beacon of strength and a role model for countless young women worldwide. As someone who has challenged and redefined the status quo numerous times over the years, she epitomises the young, Indian woman of today and is therefore the perfect match! In associating with Priyanka forIt’s My City mobi-series, we have attempted to channel her own experiences as a young woman wanting to create her own special identity in a city far from home.”

     

    Fluence’s Rishi Negi said, “Fluence is in the business of creating unique and differentiated digital experiences with India’s top talents. Priyanka Chopra is one such amazing and versatile actor who has mesmerised fans across the globe, she is also one of the most influential social media celebrities in India. Creating this series with Priyanka for nexGTv is another step towards our growing focus on digital content development. This collaboration will draw audience subscriptions and views for the show and the platform via social media by engaging Priyanka’s close to 35 million fans and followers in a new and highly compelling way.”

  • Netflix outs 2016 premiere dates for 11 comedy, drama & kids series

    Netflix outs 2016 premiere dates for 11 comedy, drama & kids series

    MUMBAI: Netflix has released the premiere dates for several upcoming comedy series and kids series; the renewal of its acclaimed drama Marvel’s Jessica Jones; and casting on the highly-anticipated series Black Mirror.

     

    Black Mirror: British star Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Canada’s Mackenzie Davis have been cast in lead roles in one of the episodes of the Netflix original series Black Mirror. Owen Harris will direct the episode and it is created and written by Charlie Brooker.

     

    Marvel’s Jessica Jones will return for second installment: Currently streaming its first season on Netflix, Marvel’s Jessica Jones is a suspenseful, edgy look into the life of Jessica Jones, one of the most popular new Marvel characters of the last decade. Critics’ Choice award nominee Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones) is joined by David Tennant (Kilgrave), Mike Colter (Luke Cage), Rachael Taylor (Trish Walker), Carrie-Anne Moss, Eka Darville, Erin Moriarty, and Wil Traval, among others.

     

    Flaked premieres globally on 11 March, 2016 at 12:01 am PT: Flaked is the serio-comic story of Chip, a celebrated long-time resident of the insular world of Venice, California who falls for the object of his best friend’s fascination. Five-time Emmy Award nominee Will Arnett plays Chip. The series also stars David Sullivan, Ruth Kearney and George Basil.

     

    The Ranch’s first 10-episodes premiere globally on 1 April, 2016 at 12:01am PT: Set in present day on a Colorado ranch, this multi-camera comedy series stars Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Sam Elliott and Debra Winger. The show follows Colt’s (Kutcher) return home after a brief and failed semi- pro football career to run the family ranching business with his older brother Jameson “Rooster” (Masterson) and father Beau (Elliott), whom he hasn’t seen in 15 years. Winger stars as Colt’s and Rooster’s mother, Maggie, who runs the local town bar.

     

    Lost & Found Music Studios premieres globally on 1 April, 2016 at 12:01am PT: As part of the expanding slate for tweens and teens, Lost & Found Music Studios is a live action series about a group of talented teenage musicians who struggle to find their authentic sound and place in the world as they hone their craft at a prestigious music studio. In each episode, young artists navigate the ups and downs of the music industry, as they find their way to love, inspiration, and redemption. After all, the next hit song could be just one heartbreak away.

     

    Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s second installment premieres globally on 15 April, 2016 at 12:01am PT:After living in a cult for fifteen years, Kimmy decides to reclaim her life and start over in New York City. Armed with just a backpack, light-up sneakers, and a couple of way-past-due library books, she’s ready to take on a world she didn’t even think existed anymore.

     

    Kong: King of the Apes premieres globally on 15 April, 2016 at 12:01am PT: This animated TV series for kids is a fresh and modern take on the classic King Kong story. Set in 2050, Kong is still the strongest creature ever born with many human traits that make him the ultimate iconic hero.

     

    Marseille premieres globally on 5 May, 2016 at 12:01am CET: As the municipal elections approach in Marseille, Robert Taro, the city’s Mayor for the last 20 years, prepares his last coup: push through the vote for the construction of a casino in the historic center of the Marina. Nothing has been left to chance, and his successor, Lucas Barr?s, is already designated. But the latter’s all-consuming ambition and the secret interests of the city’s leaders, whether they come from its opulent villas or from the cities of the northern suburbs, impede the Mayor’s plans. The race for Mayor becomes a power struggle where no holds are barred. Only one question arises: how far will they go? The cast includes Gérard Depardieu, Benoît Magimel, Géraldine Pailhas, Nadia Far?s, Stéphane Caillard, Jean-René Privat, Guillaume Arnault, Hedi Bouchenafa, Carolina Jurczak, and Nassim Si Ahmed.

     

    Grace and Frankie’s second installment premieres globally on 6 May, 2016 at 12:01am PT: Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star as Grace and Frankie, two women whose lives are suddenly turned upside down when their husbands, played by Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston, reveal they are gay and leave them for each other.

     

    Word Party premieres globally on 3 June, 2016 at 12:01am PT: A vocabulary building show for preschoolers from The Jim Henson Company, Word Partyfollows four adorable baby animals as they sing, dance and play. The show invites our youngest viewers to help teach the baby animals new words, learn these new words themselves, and even celebrate these achievements with a “Word Party!”

     

    Orange is the New Black’s fourth installment premieres 17 June, 2016 at 12:01am PT: Ready to do a little more time with the ladies of Litchfield? The outrageous, award-winning and critically-acclaimed series from Emmy Award winner Jenji Kohan stars Taylor Schilling, Uzo Aduba, Laura Prepon, Kate Mulgrew, Natasha Lyonne, Laverne Cox, Dascha Polanco, Michael Harney, Danielle Brooks, Taryn Manning, Selenis Leyva, Yael Stone, Nick Sandow, Samira Wiley, Lea DeLaria, Jackie Cruz, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Adrienne Moore. Lionsgate Television produces the series.

     

    Stranger Things premieres globally on 15 July, 2016 at 12:01am PT: The new drama series written and directed by Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer consists of eight, one-hour long episodes. In the series, a young boy vanishes into thin air. As friends, family, and local police search for answers, they are drawn into an extraordinary mystery involving top secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one very strange little girl. Stranger Things stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn WolfhardMillie Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, and Matthew Modine.

     

    The Get Down – part-one premieres globally 12 August, 2016 at 12:01am PT: The first six episodes of Baz Luhrmann’s all-new music-driven drama, from Sony Pictures Television, will focus on 1970s New York City – broken down and beaten up, violent, cash strapped — dying. The cast includes Shameik Moore, Justice Smith, Herizen Guardiola, Skylan Brooks, Tremaine Brown Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, JImmy Smits, Giancarlo Esposito and Jaden Smith. 

     

    Exclusive Assets:

     

    Love premieres globally on 19 February, 2016: Created, written and executive produced by Judd Apatow, Paul Rust and Lesley Arfin, Love follows nice guy Gus (Paul Rust) and brazen wild-child Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) as they navigate the exhilarations and humiliations of intimacy, commitment, love and other things they were hoping to avoid.Love is an unflinching, hilarious and excruciatingly honest take on modern relationships. Brent Forrester and Dean Holland also serve as executive producers. The first installment comprises 10-half-hour episodes.

     

    House of Cards – Season 4 premieres globally on 4 March, 2016: The fourth installment of the acclaimed and award-winning drama, starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright will premieres in March.

  • Netflix outs 2016 premiere dates for 11 comedy, drama & kids series

    Netflix outs 2016 premiere dates for 11 comedy, drama & kids series

    MUMBAI: Netflix has released the premiere dates for several upcoming comedy series and kids series; the renewal of its acclaimed drama Marvel’s Jessica Jones; and casting on the highly-anticipated series Black Mirror.

     

    Black Mirror: British star Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Canada’s Mackenzie Davis have been cast in lead roles in one of the episodes of the Netflix original series Black Mirror. Owen Harris will direct the episode and it is created and written by Charlie Brooker.

     

    Marvel’s Jessica Jones will return for second installment: Currently streaming its first season on Netflix, Marvel’s Jessica Jones is a suspenseful, edgy look into the life of Jessica Jones, one of the most popular new Marvel characters of the last decade. Critics’ Choice award nominee Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones) is joined by David Tennant (Kilgrave), Mike Colter (Luke Cage), Rachael Taylor (Trish Walker), Carrie-Anne Moss, Eka Darville, Erin Moriarty, and Wil Traval, among others.

     

    Flaked premieres globally on 11 March, 2016 at 12:01 am PT: Flaked is the serio-comic story of Chip, a celebrated long-time resident of the insular world of Venice, California who falls for the object of his best friend’s fascination. Five-time Emmy Award nominee Will Arnett plays Chip. The series also stars David Sullivan, Ruth Kearney and George Basil.

     

    The Ranch’s first 10-episodes premiere globally on 1 April, 2016 at 12:01am PT: Set in present day on a Colorado ranch, this multi-camera comedy series stars Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Sam Elliott and Debra Winger. The show follows Colt’s (Kutcher) return home after a brief and failed semi- pro football career to run the family ranching business with his older brother Jameson “Rooster” (Masterson) and father Beau (Elliott), whom he hasn’t seen in 15 years. Winger stars as Colt’s and Rooster’s mother, Maggie, who runs the local town bar.

     

    Lost & Found Music Studios premieres globally on 1 April, 2016 at 12:01am PT: As part of the expanding slate for tweens and teens, Lost & Found Music Studios is a live action series about a group of talented teenage musicians who struggle to find their authentic sound and place in the world as they hone their craft at a prestigious music studio. In each episode, young artists navigate the ups and downs of the music industry, as they find their way to love, inspiration, and redemption. After all, the next hit song could be just one heartbreak away.

     

    Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s second installment premieres globally on 15 April, 2016 at 12:01am PT:After living in a cult for fifteen years, Kimmy decides to reclaim her life and start over in New York City. Armed with just a backpack, light-up sneakers, and a couple of way-past-due library books, she’s ready to take on a world she didn’t even think existed anymore.

     

    Kong: King of the Apes premieres globally on 15 April, 2016 at 12:01am PT: This animated TV series for kids is a fresh and modern take on the classic King Kong story. Set in 2050, Kong is still the strongest creature ever born with many human traits that make him the ultimate iconic hero.

     

    Marseille premieres globally on 5 May, 2016 at 12:01am CET: As the municipal elections approach in Marseille, Robert Taro, the city’s Mayor for the last 20 years, prepares his last coup: push through the vote for the construction of a casino in the historic center of the Marina. Nothing has been left to chance, and his successor, Lucas Barr?s, is already designated. But the latter’s all-consuming ambition and the secret interests of the city’s leaders, whether they come from its opulent villas or from the cities of the northern suburbs, impede the Mayor’s plans. The race for Mayor becomes a power struggle where no holds are barred. Only one question arises: how far will they go? The cast includes Gérard Depardieu, Benoît Magimel, Géraldine Pailhas, Nadia Far?s, Stéphane Caillard, Jean-René Privat, Guillaume Arnault, Hedi Bouchenafa, Carolina Jurczak, and Nassim Si Ahmed.

     

    Grace and Frankie’s second installment premieres globally on 6 May, 2016 at 12:01am PT: Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star as Grace and Frankie, two women whose lives are suddenly turned upside down when their husbands, played by Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston, reveal they are gay and leave them for each other.

     

    Word Party premieres globally on 3 June, 2016 at 12:01am PT: A vocabulary building show for preschoolers from The Jim Henson Company, Word Partyfollows four adorable baby animals as they sing, dance and play. The show invites our youngest viewers to help teach the baby animals new words, learn these new words themselves, and even celebrate these achievements with a “Word Party!”

     

    Orange is the New Black’s fourth installment premieres 17 June, 2016 at 12:01am PT: Ready to do a little more time with the ladies of Litchfield? The outrageous, award-winning and critically-acclaimed series from Emmy Award winner Jenji Kohan stars Taylor Schilling, Uzo Aduba, Laura Prepon, Kate Mulgrew, Natasha Lyonne, Laverne Cox, Dascha Polanco, Michael Harney, Danielle Brooks, Taryn Manning, Selenis Leyva, Yael Stone, Nick Sandow, Samira Wiley, Lea DeLaria, Jackie Cruz, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Adrienne Moore. Lionsgate Television produces the series.

     

    Stranger Things premieres globally on 15 July, 2016 at 12:01am PT: The new drama series written and directed by Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer consists of eight, one-hour long episodes. In the series, a young boy vanishes into thin air. As friends, family, and local police search for answers, they are drawn into an extraordinary mystery involving top secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one very strange little girl. Stranger Things stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn WolfhardMillie Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, and Matthew Modine.

     

    The Get Down – part-one premieres globally 12 August, 2016 at 12:01am PT: The first six episodes of Baz Luhrmann’s all-new music-driven drama, from Sony Pictures Television, will focus on 1970s New York City – broken down and beaten up, violent, cash strapped — dying. The cast includes Shameik Moore, Justice Smith, Herizen Guardiola, Skylan Brooks, Tremaine Brown Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, JImmy Smits, Giancarlo Esposito and Jaden Smith. 

     

    Exclusive Assets:

     

    Love premieres globally on 19 February, 2016: Created, written and executive produced by Judd Apatow, Paul Rust and Lesley Arfin, Love follows nice guy Gus (Paul Rust) and brazen wild-child Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) as they navigate the exhilarations and humiliations of intimacy, commitment, love and other things they were hoping to avoid.Love is an unflinching, hilarious and excruciatingly honest take on modern relationships. Brent Forrester and Dean Holland also serve as executive producers. The first installment comprises 10-half-hour episodes.

     

    House of Cards – Season 4 premieres globally on 4 March, 2016: The fourth installment of the acclaimed and award-winning drama, starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright will premieres in March.