Columbia Pictures’ Aquaverse Theme Park to Open in Thailand Next Month

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief International streaming company Netflix has unveiled six new titles representing its first wide-ranging slate of content from Thailand. Its four films and two series span the comedy, suspense and comedy drama genres and hail from six different local production firms – GMM Studios, International, GDH, Song Sound Productions, Transformation Films, 18 Tanwa and Jungka Bangkok. Significantly, too, they are sourced from established directors or producers. Writer-director Prueksa Amaruji’s dark comedy film “Lost Lotteries” is produced by Ekachai Uekrongtham (“Beautiful Boxer,” “Pleasure Factory”) and will stream from mid-November.

New analysis suggests that prospective home sellers hoping to agree a deal by Christmas Day may need to get their home on the market by early November. Last year, homes took an average of 52 days to sell, according to property website the HomeOwners Alliance's ‘find an estate agent’ service.

NU’EST member Kim Jong-hyeon (previously known as JR) will be making his long-awaited solo debut this November.On October 11 at Midnight KST, EVERMORE Entertainment shared a black-and-white visualiser clip on its YouTube channel announcing the title and release details of the idol’s upcoming debut record. Titled ‘Meridiem’, Kim’s first mini-album arrives on November 8 at 6PM KST.Further details such as the album’s tracklist are expected in the coming weeks.So far, Kim has only released solo tracks as B-sides — such as 2021’s ‘Doom Doom’ — on NU’EST’s albums, or appeared as a featured artist on other singers’ singles.

The government has confirmed when a decision will be made on whether or not to raise benefits in line with inflation or earnings.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Rithy Panh, director of “Rice People” and “S21 The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine” is an icon of art-house cinema, at once political, unique, and charming. The iconic image may be another of his confections – a palatable work built on uncomfortable facts. On the incomplete evidence of a 50-minute on-stage dialog at the Busan International Film Festival on Sunday, Panh comes across as simultaneously contrarian and principled. A curmudgeonly veteran and yet a filmmaker still curious to learn. “If there were no Khmer Rouge maybe I would not be a filmmaker,” he said of the Communist insurgents, who won the Cambodian civil war in 1975 and whose brutality and atrocities he has spent a lifetime documenting and exposing.

Few filmmakers have had as idiosyncratic a career as Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski. But Skolimowski may have saved one of his best movies for a late-career highlight with “EO,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, where it co-won the Jury Prize with “The Eight Mountains.” READ MORE: ‘Eo’ Review: Jerzy Skolimowski’s Reimagining Of Robert Bresson’s ‘Au Hasard Balthazar’ Has A Haunting Beauty [Cannes] Inspired by Robert Bresson‘s 1966 film “Au Hasard Balthazar,” the film follows a donkey that escapes the Polish circus to traverse the countryside on an absurd and stirring adventure.

The Scottish Government recently announced that from November 14, all children currently in receipt of Scottish Child Payment will have it automatically increased from £20 to £25 per week. Applications for the devolved benefit will also be open to all eligible under-16s from that date - with payments backdated to the point of application.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Projects starring Donnie Yen and Zhang Ziyi are among the independently produced TV series to be launched on the sidelines of this week’s Busan International Film Festival. The company responsible is Changin’ Pictures, a would-be studio being hatched by Hong Kong-based film director and producer Peter Chan Ho-sun. Propelled by the growing recognition of Asian talent and the worldwide distribution potential of multinational SVOD platforms, Changin’ Pictures aims to be a powerhouse production hub suppling premium drama content to streaming players. The company has raised very substantial finance from Asian sources and aims to develop and produce series which it will pitch and license to the platforms, without recourse to the OTT companies’ production funding, greenlighting and editorial constraints.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Fresh from a chaotic Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, TV coverage of Formula One motor racing is set to shift broadcasting partner in Asia-Pacific. Sports Business reports that pay-TV broadcaster beIN Sports is finalizing a multi-year deal beginning in 2023 reaching across most of its Asia-Pacific footprint, but excluding Australia, where Foxtel recently renewed its deal, and New Zealand.

Bob Saget will be making a posthumous appearance in his final film role.

EXCLUSIVE: The latest development in the Pact and Bectu TV drama saga has been set as Pact draws up a new offer for Bectu to deliver to its members.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Asian streaming firm Viu is approaching profitability by staying its lane and sticking with the business principles that have made it a regional success story – Asian content, AVOD and SVOD models under one roof, and resistance to over-expansion. “The industry for streaming has matured very rapidly [in part due to COVID],” said CEO Janice Lee, speaking Wednesday at the APOS convention in Singapore. “But what makes Asia different is that Asia has not yet reached mature market status.” After some six years in business Viu is now EBITDA positive. “We always been focused on monetization. Our AVOD-SVOD mix remains the sustainable model,” said Lee, who also confirmed the company has been able to raise subscription prices in selected markets. The launch of advertising-supported models is now a direction being embraced by the sector giants Netflix and Disney.

This is it, folks— the final trailer for the final “Halloween” film! The last one ever! Well, until they decide to reboot it yet again. So, honestly, this is just the final trailer for “Halloween Ends,” the last film of Blumhouse’s trilogy that will no doubt lead to a new resurrection down the line.

MAMAMOO will be making their highly anticipated return in October.On September 27 at midnight KST, RBW Entertainment unveiled a teaser poster announcing the girl group’s forthcoming return. Titled ‘Mic ON’, MAMAMOO’s 12th mini-album will be released on October 11 at 6PM KST.“MAMAMOO has turned on its mics and is ready to make some noise,” the agency said of the record’s title, per Korea JoongAng Daily.

this time around? To help you make the most of your time and money, we tracked down everything we know about the sale so far—including its exact date and the early deals you need to shop right now. Let’s get into it.First, you’re not losing your mind: This year’s took place earlier this year in mid-July.

ENHYPEN are set to hold a live performance at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles next month.Yesterday (September 22), the Grammy Museum announced that ENHYPEN are the next stars of their ‘Global Spin Live’ series, the live event extension of their ‘Global Spin’ web series.Finding out that @ENHYPEN is coming to the #GRAMMYMuseum for a special conversation and live #GlobalSpin performance is giving us a FEVER.