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  • Five new movies & shows to catch on Netflix, Prime Video, & Disney+ Hotstar

    Five new movies & shows to catch on Netflix, Prime Video, & Disney+ Hotstar

    NEW DELHI: Post the Covid2019 outbreak, OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ Hotstar have gained massive traction in India. As the second wave of the pandemic is spreading rapidly in the country, people have once again started spending time in their homes, and this trend could further elevate the popularity of streaming services. 

    In the first half of April, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+Hotstar released several movies and originals, and the streaming platforms have quite a good selection for this week too. 

    Indiantelevision.com presents you with a list of the five most anticipated movies that will be streamed on OTT platforms in India this week. 

    Stowaway (Netflix) 

    Joe Penna's science fiction action thriller Stowaway will drop on Netflix on 22 April. The film stars Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette in the lead roles. 

    The story revolves around a spaceship crew that discovers an accidental stowaway shortly after takeoff while embarking on a mission to Mars. As resources quickly start dwindling, the spaceship's medical researcher becomes the only one who hopes for a survival, while others expect a grim outcome. 

    Joe Penna's previous movie was Arctic, another survival drama. Expectations surrounding Stowaway have already reached sky-high as Penna is returning with another sci-fi survival flick. 

    Venus and Serena (Amazon Prime Video)

    Venus Williams and Serena Williams, popularly called the Williams sisters, were once the most prolific talents on tennis courts. A documentary about their life named Venus and Serena will be streamed on Amazon Prime Video on 21 April. 

    The documentary will portray their glorious career and tournament wins and will show how the duo pushed the limits of longevity in such a demanding sport. 

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+ Hotstar)

    Even though Disney+ Hotstar has no new releases this week, audiences are eagerly waiting for the sixth and final episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier that will be streamed on 23 April. 

    The series based on Marvel characters premiered on 19 March, and since then fans of Marvel have been eagerly waiting for Fridays to witness new developments in the latest addition to the Marvel cinematic/television universe. As the first season of the show comes to a close on 23 April, fans are expecting a mindblowing conclusion that may set the stage for the next season. 

    Life in Color with David Attenborough (Netflix)

    One of the most anticipated documentaries of the year, Life in Color with David Attenborough begins streaming on Netflix on 22 April. There is a general perception that humans are the only species that can see in colour, but this documentary proves it wrong. Narrated by natural historian Sir David Attenborough, the docuseries tries to show how animals use colours to survive in the wild. 

    Shadow and Bone (Netflix)

    Shadow and Bone is an upcoming fantasy series landing on 23 April on Netflix. Based on Leigh Bardugo’s bestselling Grishaverse novels, fans of the trilogy are anticipating how the makers will accomplish the screen adaptation. The recently released trailer of the show looks extraordinary, and it clearly indicates that the showrunners are pulling out the stops to present a rich, sweeping fantastical world for viewers. 

  • 9X Media elevates Kanan Dave to SpotlampE business head

    9X Media elevates Kanan Dave to SpotlampE business head

    New Delhi: Music network 9X Media, which also owns SpotlampE and other digital products, has elevated marketing lead Kanan Dave to a business head role.

    As business head for SpotlampE, Dave will drive the next phase of growth, strategy and the creative development for SpotlampE. 

    An experienced industry professional with a career spanning over 15 years in the media and entertainment sector, Dave has been heading marketing at 9X Media for the past two years. In her earlier roles at UTV and Disney, she managed the music and film marketing business and worked on more than 50 movies across languages.

    “I am extremely happy to be a part of the company’s vision. SpotlampE has been a disruptor in the Indian music industry, giving independent and original music a great platform,” said Dave. “The Independent music industry is at the beginning of a new era, driving deeper engagements in multiple genres and languages across the country and offering compelling content to artists, partners and fans. I look forward to working with the artists and creators alongside brands and media platforms to grow the music landscape further.”

  • In a first, Star Plus to broadcast IPL matches every Sunday

    In a first, Star Plus to broadcast IPL matches every Sunday

    MUMBAI: The T20 extravaganza, popularly known as the Indian Premier League (IPL) is finally here. After hosting the thirteenth edition of the league in UAE due to the Covid2019 pandemic, it is finally happening in India. IPL 2021 has kicked off with MI vs RCB match & official broadcaster Star Sports has announced a mega broadcast plans for IPL 2021. Star Sports is  broadcasting IPL LIVE in eight languages. The official broadcasters of IPL are producing multi-lingual feed from their headquarters in Mumbai.

    Other then this IPL 2021 will be broadcasted LIVE on Star’s regional language sports channels – Star Sports Tamil, Star Sports Telugu, Star Sports Kannada and Star Sports Bangla.

    Now the network's Hindi GEC Star Plus is all set to broadcast VIVO IPL’s 7.00 pm matches live every Sunday, including the final.

    From the 18 April, the 7.00 pm matches every Sunday at the ongoing VIVO IPL 2021, will be aired on Star Plus. Star Plus is leaving no stone unturned to ensure millions of its viewers can enjoy great cricketing action from VIVO IPL 2021 every Sunday in addition to its highly appealing shows during the week.

    The first match to be aired on Star Plus will be the much anticipated Delhi Capitals – Punjab Kings encounter, the eleventh match of the 60 fixtures that the VIVO IPL 2021 comprises.

  • Disney pulls a Warner Bros, sets ‘Black Widow’ for simultaneous release

    Disney pulls a Warner Bros, sets ‘Black Widow’ for simultaneous release

    NEW DELHI: Taking a cue from rival Warner Bros, media & entertainment behemoth Disney has set its highly anticipated MCU outing Black Widow for a simultaneous release in cinema halls and on its premium streaming service, Disney+ Premier Access for an additional cost. After interminable delay due to the Covid2019 pandemic, Black Widow, which was initially supposed to come out last May, will now hit the big and small screen on 9 July.

    With this announcement, Disney has also revealed its upcoming film Cruella will follow the same strategy, coming to theatres as well as Disney+ (via Premier Access) on 28 May. Also, Pixar’s animated movie Luca will now be skipping the silver screen and debut exclusively on Disney+ on 18 June.

    The release dates of several other movies have also been pushed back – Ryan Reynolds-starrer Free Guy will now come to cinemas on 13 August, another MCU film Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is set for 3 September, while The King’s Man will drop on 22 December. The Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas thriller Deep Water will now come out on 14 January 2022 instead of its August release; Death on the Nile, the film adaptation of the Agatha Christie mystery featuring an ensemble case, is coming next 11 February, instead of this September. 

    While Marvel fans may be rejoicing at this piece of good news, the mouse house's decision to defer six of its big-ticket releases comes as a blow to cinemas, which have been struggling ever since the pandemic-induced lockdowns. Moreover, the simultaneous digital release of some of these movies will undoubtedly impact theatres in terms of ticket and concession sales, while boosting the already rising fortunes of Disney+.

    Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution chairman Kareem Daniel said the move “reflects our focus on providing consumer choice and serving the evolving preferences of audiences.”

    It may be recalled that last year, Disney's Mulan released exclusively on Disney+ and subscribers had to shell out an additional $30 access fee to watch it. After the fact, Walt Disney Co boss Bob Chapek had been cagey about the revenues Mulan netted, though he pronounced himself "pleased" with its performance.

    The pandemic has forced Disney and other entertainment companies to shift gears and recalibrate their business strategies. In December 2020, to the dismay of many industry stakeholders, WarnerMedia dramatically boosted the profile of its HBO Max streaming service when it announced that 17 movies — the entire 2021 Warner Bros slate — would be available to subscribers at the same time as cinema audiences.

  • Netflix outpaces traditional players in Oscar race with 35 nominations

    Netflix outpaces traditional players in Oscar race with 35 nominations

    KOLKATA: After a year of theatre shutdown, it comes as no surprise that streaming services are dominating the awards season. Netflix, which swept the Golden Globes earlier this month, is ruling the nominations at the 93rd Academy Awards, or Oscars, too. The streaming colossus has scored 35 nominations for its movies; arch rival Amazon Studios has bagged 12 nominations. Among others, Disney+ and Apple TV+ earned their first Awards nods.

    Netflix picked up 24 nominations last year. For 2021, it has scored 10 nominations for David Fincher’s Mank. The black-and-white drama about 1930s Hollywood has been nominated in several categories including best picture, director, actor and supporting actress.

    Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, which picked up six nominations, is also another best picture contender from Netflix. Other nominees from the platform include The White Tiger, Over the Moon and Crip Camp.

    Amazon Studios’ One Night in Miami and Sound of Metal bagged nominations in several categories, with the latter’s lead actor, Riz Ahmed, becoming the first Muslim to be nominated for the best actor Oscar. It also scored nominations for Sacha Baron Cohen-starrer Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.

    “This past year we were incredibly lucky to work with an extremely diverse and talented group of filmmakers, actors and crews, and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievements. Each of the four nominated films are brilliantly executed, weaving together poignant stories and artistry that have resonated with audiences everywhere," Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke said as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.

    The Walt Disney Co’s streaming service Hulu made the nominees list for The United States Vs. Billie Holiday. Moreover, its shining star in d2c race Disney+ picked up its first Oscar nominations. It got best animated feature nods for Onward and Soul. Another Disney+ release, Mulan, received nominations for costumes and visual effects.

    Another new entrant in the streaming race, Apple TV+ also swept up its first Oscar nominations including animated feature nod for Wolfwalkers, and best sound nod for war film Greyhound.

    2020 was an exceptional year for traditional studios and multiplexes. Amid worldwide lockdown, many studios delayed their big ticket theatrical releases; others took the direct to OTT route. To adjust with the unprecedented situation, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had to allow films without theatrical release for Oscar nominations.

    See the list of nominees below.

    Best Picture
    The Father
    Judas and the Black Messiah
    Mank
    Minari
    Nomadland
    Promising Young Woman
    Sound of Metal
    The Trial of the Chicago 7

    Best Directing
    Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round
    David Fincher, Mank
    Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
    Chloe Zhao, Nomadland
    Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman

    Best Actress in a Leading Role
    Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
    Andra Day, United States vs. Billie Holiday
    Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
    Frances McDormand, Nomadland
    Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman

    Best Actor in a Leading Role
    Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
    Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
    Anthony Hopkins, The Father
    Gary Oldman, Mank
    Steven Yeun, Minari

    Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
    Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
    Olivia Colman, The Father
    Amanda Seyfried, Mank
    Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari

    Best Actor in a Supporting Role
    Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7
    Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
    Leslie Odom, Jr., One Night in Miami
    Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
    LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah

    Best Original Screenplay
    Judas and the Black Messiah
    Minari
    Promising Young Woman
    Sound of Metal
    The Trial of the Chicago 7

    Best Adapted Screenplay
    Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
    The Father
    Nomadland
    One Night in Miami
    The White Tiger

    Best Cinematography
    Judas and the Black Messiah
    Mank
    News of the World
    Nomadland
    The Trial of the Chicago 7

    Best Film Editing
    The Father
    Nomadland
    Promising Young Woman
    Sound of Metal
    The Trial of the Chicago 7

    Best Animated Feature Film
    Onward
    Over the Moon
    A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
    Soul
    Wolfwalkers

    Best Animated Short Film
    Burrow
    Genius Loci
    If Anything Happens I Love You
    Opera
    Yes-People

    Best Live-Action Short Film
    Feeling Through
    The Letter Room
    The Present
    Two Distant Strangers
    White Eye

    Best International Feature Film
    Another Round
    Better Days
    Collective
    The Man Who Sold His Skin
    Quo Vadis, Aida?

    Best Documentary Feature
    Collective
    Crip Camp
    The Mole Agent
    My Octopus Teacher
    Time

    Best Documentary Short Subject
    Colette
    A Concerto Is a Conversation
    Do Not Split
    Hunger Ward
    A Love Song for Latasha

    Best Original Score
    Da 5 Bloods
    Mank
    Minari
    News of the World
    Soul

    Best Original Song
    "Fight For You," Judas and the Black Messiah
    "Hear My Voice," The Trial of the Chicago 7
    "Husavik," Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
    "Io Si (Seen)," The Life Ahead
    "Speak Now," One Night in Miami

    Best Sound
    Greyhound
    Mank
    News of the World
    Soul
    Sound of Metal

    Best Costume Design
    Emma
    Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
    Mank
    Mulan
    Pinocchio

    Best Makeup and Hairstyling
    Emma
    Hillbilly Elegy
    Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
    Mank
    Pinocchio

    Best Production Design
    The Father
    Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
    Mank
    News of the World
    Tenet

    Best Visual Effects
    Love and Monsters
    The Midnight Sky
    Mulan
    The One and Only Ivan
    Tenet

  • Disney+ Hotstar onboards 10 sponsors for IPL 2021

    Disney+ Hotstar onboards 10 sponsors for IPL 2021

    KOLKATA: Disney+ Hotstar is gearing up for Vivo IPL 2021 and has already signed 10 sponsors for this year's tournament. Last year’s title sponsor, Dream11, has returned as the co-presenting sponsor this time, while Upstox and Vimal Elaichi are the ‘co-powered by’ sponsors. Phone Pe, Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), Unacademy, Pharmeasy, Livspace, Swiggy, and Parle Agro have come on board as associate sponsors. 

    “IPL is a prime sporting property that provides advertisers an opportunity for real-time consumer engagement on Disney+ Hotstar. Going by the response from the market, IPL 2021 promises to be an even more significant opportunity for brands. All key features such as Super 4s, Super 6s, Fall Of Wickets, Milestones, and Super Savers have sold out within a short period, and we see early closures across categories,” Star & Disney India ad sales president Nitin Bawankule said.

    “With a host of innovative advertising formats, targeting on connected TVs, and custom branded content solutions, brands have the unique opportunity to reach a highly engaged and affluent audience through the sharp targeting options available on live sports,” he added.

    IPL 14 will be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar in five languages – English, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil and will be exclusively available to subscribers of Disney+ Hotstar VIP (Rs 399 for 12 months) and Disney+ Hotstar Premium (Rs 1499 for 12 months).

    The last season of the IPL was a blockbuster event for the network after resumption of live sports in post-Covid times. Top global disney executives have also emphasised the league’s contribution to Disney+ Hotstar's success. In the tournament’s thirteenth edition, the platform innovated around user experience and interactivity in the absence of live audiences.

  • Disney+ surpasses 100 million subscribers

    Disney+ surpasses 100 million subscribers

    KOLKATA: In the last one year, the direct-to-consumer (d2c) segment has been prioritised by The Walt Disney Company more than ever before, and it has yielded results for the media giant. Its d2c streaming platform Disney+ has surpassed 100 million subscribers, Disney CEO Bob Chapek stated during its annual meeting of shareholders.

    “The enormous success of Disney+, which has now surpassed 100 million subscribers, has inspired us to be even more ambitious, and to significantly increase our investment in the development of high-quality content,” Chapek said.

    Disney+ was launched in November 2019 and has reached the impressive 100-million mark in 16 months. He also noted that the incredible success of the streaming platform in its first year prompted them to accelerate their pivot to d2c first business model. In fact, at the peak of the pandemic, the company reorganised its media and entertainment businesses –  separating content creation from distribution – to boost d2c growth strategy.

    Further, Chapek has revealed that the mouse house has set a target of 100+ new titles per year, and this includes Disney Animation, Disney Live-Action, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. While the d2c business is the company’s top priority, the robust pipeline of content will continue to fuel its growth, he added.

    Disney+ launched the general entertainment brand Star on 23 February in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Western Europe. As Chapek shared, the response has been overwhelmingly positive in all the markets. Moreover, the company will drop an exclusive Star+ service in Latin America this summer, as well as Disney+ including Star in other European markets.

    Disney+ Hotstar has also seen rapid growth in India. While India is expected to remain a major growth driver for overall Disney+, the rebranded Disney+ Hotstar is projected to end 2021 with more than 50 million subscribers, a recent Media Partners Asia (MPA) report stated.

    Chapek had expressed his confidence at a recent conference that Hotstar would scale from 30 million to 100 million paid subs by 2024, pointing out to the investment in programming that the company is making.

  • Tony Chambers to lead Disney’s theatrical distribution

    Tony Chambers to lead Disney’s theatrical distribution

    MUMBAI: Disney veteran Tony Chambers has been promoted to EVP of theatrical distribution. He’ll oversee both domestic and international film distribution as well as home entertainment.

    Chambers replaces Cathleen Taff, who took over global distribution when Dave Hollis left in 2018. Taff is still working with Disney as production services, franchise management and multicultural engagement president. The new reorganisation which Disney underwent months ago puts more focus on streaming services, with the distribution side figuring out the better route for a film’s release: theatrical or Disney+.

    Due to the Covid2019 pandemic Disney has already sent movie releases among others to its news streaming service. However, CEO Bob Chapek during the studio’s early December investor day indicated that Disney wasn’t going to turn its back on theatrical once things get back to normalcy; many of the big screen IP responsible for series being spawned on Disney+.

    Chambers will report to platform distribution president Justin Connolly. Connolly reports to Disney media & entertainment distribution chairman Kareem Daniel.

    He will oversee and integrate all distribution activities across theatrical and home entertainment, including domestic and international theatrical distribution of all films produced and released by Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Pixar Animation Studio, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, Blue Sky Studios and Searchlight Pictures.

  • Ricky Strauss moves on from Disney

    Ricky Strauss moves on from Disney

    NEW DELHI: Ricky Strauss, The Walt Disney Studio president marketing and one of the key executives who launched Disney+, is moving on from the organisation after nine years.

    Post the big restructuring at Disney last year, Strauss was assigned a new role as president of programming and content curation for Disney+ and Hulu.

    "I have come to the decision that it is time for me to move on to pursue new creative endeavours. It took much thought and consideration, but with our new structure and the changes to my role, the reorganisation does not provide me with the opportunity to do the kind of work I love to do and to continue making the intended impact I have been so fortunate to have achieved at Disney," Strauss wrote in an internal memo to his team.

    He will stay on till the end of the month to help with the transition.

    Media reports stated that in light of his departure, Disney+ EVP marketing and operations Joe Earley, who has programming experience from his tenure at Fox, will add content curation for Disney+ to his purview and continue to report into Michael Paull, president, Disney+ and ESPN+. Hulu’s VP content partnerships Brian Henderson, who oversees Hulu content curation, will report into Hulu president Kelly Campbell.

  • Firefox Bikes ties up with Disney, Marvel for kids bike range

    Firefox Bikes ties up with Disney, Marvel for kids bike range

    NEW DELHI: The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was a blockbuster hit in India, winning hearts across demography, but the superheroes gained most popularity with kids and teenagers. Looking to capitalise on this craze for all things MCU, premium bicycle brand Firefox Bikes has launched a range of Disney and Marvel comics branded cycles for kids.

    Featuring iconic characters like Ironman, Captain America, Black Widow, Elsa and Hulk, these cycles are available at all Firefox outlets across India. With this licensing agreement with Disney India, Firefox Bikes aim to expand its portfolio of bikes for kids.

    Firefox Bikes CEO Sukanta Das said, "Kids segment is one of the largest growing single age demographics among all cyclists. This growth is essentially attributed to the rising demand for bicycling as a fun activity among children who are hugely influenced by cartoon characters and superheroes. These fictional characters hold supernatural powers and extremely strong characteristics that appeal to children. Kids embrace these characters as they teach them important virtues like selflessness, loyalty, courage and self-sacrifice. Kids adore seeing their favourite characters on their bikes. The Disney tie-up bodes well for Firefox bikes as kids resonate with Disney and Marvel characters widely."

    "The launch of this new range further strengthens Firefox Bikes portfolio of kids’ cycles in India. We aim at selling over double the number of kids bikes this year as compared to what we sold last year," he added.

    The number of children spending time cycling is increasing significantly. Firefox Bikes registered 2X sales growth last year that was largely driven by the kids' segment. Currently, Firefox markets around 10+ models of kids’ cycles and are present across India with a retail network of over 500+ stores.