Netflix Expects to Fully Phase Out Cheapest No-Ads Plan

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Global Screen has closed further deals on major territories for its animated adventure film “Niko – Beyond the Northern Lights.” Variety debuts the new teaser (below). Viva Kids has acquired all rights for North America to the latest feature film in the franchise about a flying reindeer, following worldwide hits “Niko & the Way to the Stars” (2008) and “Niko – Little Brother, Big Trouble” (2012), which were sold to more than 120 countries. Further deals were concluded with Flins y Piniculas for Spain, CDC for Latin America, Nos Lusomundo for Portugal, Grand Entertainment for the Middle East and SVOE Kino for Ukraine.

K.J. Yossman Antoine Fuqua is set to direct a feature documentary about Nelson Mandela, Variety has learned. Provisionally titled “Troublemaker: The Story Behind the Mandela Tapes,” the doc will use newly discovered audio interviews with Mandela himself to deliver an “honest, accurate and definitive depiction” of the man who remains a global symbol of justice, hope and universal human dignity, according to a press release.

The Lunar New Year is celebrated across the globe and largely underpinned by themes of hope and reunion. Known to many as Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year is also celebrated by many different countries throughout Asia, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Mongolia, Malaysia and the Philippines. It is also celebrated in other countries where there is an established Chinese community, as the holiday brings together family and friends to celebrate the start of another year.

EXCLUSIVE: Wanda Banda has joined the cast of Netflix‘s South African teen crime drama Blood & Water.

It appears that self-confessed 'messy Mitch' hasn't wasted any time since he exited the Love Island villa as he's been pictured cosying up to fellow reality TV star Jemma Lucy. Mitch Taylor, 27, entered this year's Love Island All Stars in the hope of finding love (after originally signing up last year).

EXCLUSIVE: Tatanka Means (Killers of the Flower Moon) has landed a heavily recurring role in the Netflix drama series Ransom Canyon, based on the book series by Jodi Thomas. He joins previously announced Josh Duhamel, Minka Kelly, James Brolin, Eoin Macken and Lizzy Greene.

Love Island viewers are convinced they've figured out Arabella Chi's strategy after she become overly emotional about Chris Taylor's sudden interest in new bombshell Sophie Piper. On Thursday night's episode (25 January) Arabella was confused when Chris said he fancied Sophie and wanted to get to know her, despite the pair having enjoyed some sizzling chemistry before hand.

Noah Centineo has officially embarked on another dangerous adventure as Owen Hendricks in The Recruit, and the cast has been unveiled.

Netflix has rounded out its recurring cast for Season 2 of The Recruit, which has begun production in Vancouver. Filming will also take place in Seoul, South Korea on the series from Alexi Hawley.

BreAnna Bell Felix Solis, Brooke Smith, Omar Maskati, Alana Hawley Purvis, Devika Bhise, James Purefoy, Do Hyun Shin, Young-Ah Kim, and Sanghee Lee have joined the cast of Netflix‘s “The Recruit” for Season 2, which is currently in production in Vancouver, Canada. The streamer also announced that filming will additionally take place in Seoul, South Korea. Solis (“Ozark”), who’s joined among the cast by his “The Rookie: Feds” castmate Bhise, plays Tom Wallace, a senior diplomat in the State Department tasked with bringing American hostages home, he will talk to anyone to get our people back – even the worst of America’s enemies.

Love Island All Stars is set to welcome two new bombshells Tom Clare and Sophie Piper, but not everyone is thrilled, with one future bombshell dropping out of the show.Tom and Sophie will be entering the villa in Wednesday night's episode, 24 January. However, it seems that Tom's appearance has ruffled some feathers.

(G)I-DLE‘s new single ‘Wife’ from broadcast on the network due to “sexually explicit” lyrics.The announcement was made earlier today (January 24), after KBS had conducted a review of the song’s eligibility for national broadcast after it was released on January 22. According to Yonhap News Agency, (G)I-DLE’s ‘Wife’ contained “many metaphorical lyrics with sexual nuances”, however neither the outlet nor broadcaster outlined specific details.KBS also announced that (G)I-DLE’s upcoming song ‘Rollie’, which will be released on Friday (January 29) alongside their album ‘[2]’, has also been banned from broadcast due to product placement in its lyrics.

Apartment 404, starring BLACKPINK‘s Jennie. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming series.On December 20, 2023, tvN announced the cast of Apartment 404 in a video uploaded on its official YouTube channel.The series will notably star Jennie of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK.

Netflix’ crackdown on password sharing, or as the streamer calls it a focus on “paid sharing,” will drive growth for years to come, said the streamer’s co-CEO, addressing a Wall Street concern that benefits may top out this year.

Kim Jae-joong has addressed his stalker fans – or sasaengs in Korean – in a series of posts on Instagram Story.Yesterday (January 22), veteran K-pop idol Kim Jae-joong took to Instagram Story to call out sasaeng fans and the taxi service that allegedly help them stalk him and other South Korean celebrities.“The drivers follow me relentlessly, saying they have to do what the passenger tells them to do,” he wrote, as translated by Koreaboo. “They make a profit off harassing me emotionally and wasting my time.”The singer then said that “times have changed” since his career started, claiming that he has obtained “footage” of these activities and will have the law “deal with those of you who violate other people’s private lives”.“It’s been 20 years.

Super Rich in Korea, hosted by GOT7‘s BamBam.Today (January 23), Netflix unveiled details for its upcoming reality TV show, titled Super Rich in Korea. According to a press release by the streaming service, the series will follow “the ultra-luxurious lives of the world’s wealthiest in the heart of Korea”.Super Rich in Korea will feature personalities such as South Korean figure Yoo Hee-ra, Singaporean entrepreneur David Yong and Arab social media celebrity Noor Naim, among others.Netflix says the show will “unveil a realm where luxury cars and haute couture are everyday sights, and exclusive parties are the norm.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, ending a faltering bid where he tried to cast himself as a Trump-like candidate in a race where so much of the Republican base ended up preferring the real thing.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Sound of Freedom,” the indie action-drama film that earned some $184 million at the North American box office, has set a significant theatrical release in South Korea. Angel Studios, the crowd-funded Utah-based production and distribution firm behind the film, initially set up direct-to-theater releases for the film’s first international outings in the U.K., Australia and Latin America. In Korea, rights have been licensed in conventional fashion by the N.E.W. – Contents Panda group, which plans to give the picture a release from Feb. 21, 2024.

The thriller premiered its first season in December 2022 and was renewed for another season in early 2023.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Netflix has acquired “Ibelin,” a documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Benjamin Ree (“The Painter and the Thief”) directed the film, which centers on a Norwegian gamer named Mats Steen, who died of a degenerative muscle disease at the age of 25. According to the official logline, “his parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life, when they started receiving messages from online friends around the world.” “Many of my favorite documentary films and series of all time have been distributed by Netflix,” Ree said in a statement.