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.

The Toronto International Film Festival has announced its 2026 award winners. Details of which films and filmmakers took home prizes have not been provided beyond the announcement itself. Festival audiences and industry watchers typically follow these honours closely, as TIFF awards are often seen as an early indicator of films positioned for awards-season success.

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.

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.

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.

'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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Amazon is developing 'Shadow Work', a project based on a short story by writer Adrienne Miller. The announcement signals Amazon's continued push into literary adaptations for its film and television slate. Details on cast, writers and a release timeline have not yet been announced.

'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.

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.

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.

Carter Swan, a producer on the Resident Evil franchise, is developing a film adaptation of 'The Crying Boy', a comic book published by Keenspot. Details on casting, a director, or a studio release date have not been announced yet, and the project remains in early development. The news has drawn attention from fans of both the comic and Swan's previous work in video game adaptations.

New entertainment company Peanuts Entertainment has launched, announcing a feature project centered on the Mirabel Sisters as its debut offering. The launch was reported by Variety, positioning the venture as one to watch in the international film and entertainment space, though further details on the project's cast, budget or release timeline have not yet been disclosed.

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.

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.