Asia Pacific Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

The Walt Disney Company announced today at the company’s Q3 earnings call that Disney+, its streaming service, will launch in South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan in November 2021.

EXCLUSIVE: Former eOne Asia Pacific boss Troy Lum is officially launching new Australia-New Zealand distributor Kismet, with a slate of projects including Cannes hits and pre-sale titles.

As it seeks to widen its reach across China and Asia Pacific, Endeavor subsidiary Endeavor China has appointed media and entertainment executive Sum Huang as CEO. Huang was most recently co-founder and partner of XG Entertainment, a leading premium content provider in Asia, and previously spent five years with Hony Capital.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefFrom a standing start 19 months ago, Disney’s video streaming operations in Asia-Pacific have already amassed 36.9 million subscribers.

Naman Ramachandran ITV Studios and BBC Studios India have struck a deal to adapt several ITV Studios scripted dramas for the Indian market.The first ITV Studios titles to be adapted include “Gold Digger,” “Sticks and Stones,” “Trauma” and “35 Days.” In addition to the Hindi-language adaptations, BBC Studios will also explore tapping into the large Tamil and Telugu-language markets.Augustus Dulgaro, executive VP, distribution, Asia Pacific at ITV Studios, said: “Working with BBC Studios India

Amazon has greenlit a local version of hit entertainment show The Masked Singer in Japan.

James Murdoch is joining the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) rush in America, seeking to raise $345 million for his new media and tech venture with Uday Shankar, the former president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and chairman, Star & Disney India.

Naman Ramachandran The Indian and Indonesian paid subscribers market across streamers is poised for explosive growth according to Rohit Jain, MD, South Asia and networks – emerging markets Asia, Lionsgate.Starz launched streamer Lionsgate Play in India in December, and Indonesia on Wednesday, both after soft launches.

Naman Ramachandran Discovery Inc.

Naman Ramachandran Netflix head of global TV Bela Bajaria says that staying authentically local is key to global success for the giant streaming platform.Speaking at the opening day of the annual Asia Pacific focused APOS conference, a virtual affair for the second year in a row due to COVID-19, Bajaria said that the localization process is led by on-ground leadership.Bajaria described “extraordinary empowered, local decision makers,” who “make the decisions in their own time zone in their own

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefJames Murdoch, Kevin Mayer and Bela Bajaria are among the prominent executives lining up to speak at the upcoming APOS conference on Asian media affairs.The conference is operated by consultancy Media Partners Asia and has for several years been held as an in-person event in Bali, Indonesia.

After mid-2000s success building the Star TV empire into one of India’s top broadcasters and the dominant local streaming service, James Murdoch and Uday Shankar are back with a new project. Murdoch and Shankar, Disney’s former president in Asia Pacific, unveiled an ambitious new partnership Jan.

James Murdoch and Uday Shankar, the former CEO of Star India and president of Disney in Asia Pacific, said Thursday that they are partnering to form a new venture that will explore technology and media opportunities in emerging markets. Murdoch, who no longer holds a role in his family's media empire, is teaming up with Shankar via Lupa Systems, theNew York and Mumbai-based investment firm he established in 2019.

EXCLUSIVE: Endeavor Content has recruited Alistair Jennings, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s former vice president of sales in South East Asia, as its SVP of international TV sales in Asia Pacific.

Disney Appoints APAC Chief Disney has named Luke Kang as President, Asia Pacific, following the departure of Uday Shankar, which was announced in October and becomes effective from December 31. Kang will not, however, be taking on Shankar’s responsibilities in India, with a separate appointment set to be made for the territory by Rebecca Campbell, Chairman, International Operations and Direct-to-Consumer for Disney.

Naman Ramachandran Netflix has appointed Anna Mallett as vice president of physical production for the U.K. and local language production across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific.Mallett, who joins from ITN where she currently serves as CEO, will lead the Netflix production management team across these regions for live-action series, non-fiction and film.

Jake Kanter International TV EditorDisney APAC Boss Uday Shankar Quits Uday Shankar, president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and chairman, Star & Disney India, is to step down at the end of 2020 after less than two years in the role. Shankar said he intends to pursue new entrepreneurial opportunities to “give back to the country.” Before stepping down, he will work with Rebecca Campbell, chair of Disney’s direct-to-consumer and international segment, to identify a successor.

Naman Ramachandran Uday Shankar will step down as president, The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and chairman, Star & Disney India, effective Dec. 31, 2020.

The 1975 and Wolf Alice, has announced that it’s launching a headquarters in Australia.Setting up shop in Sydney, the new office will be led by Rachel Jones-Williams, who joins the independent label from Sony Music Entertainment.

Spencer Lee to the added role of Asia Pacific President.In his current position, Lee oversees territories including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India and The Philippines. With the addition of his new role, he will also oversee South Korea, which is the sixth largest music market in the world, according to the IFPI, and which peermusic says is now its third largest territory in terms of revenue.Peermusic has long had its eye on the South Korean market.

AT&T's WarnerMedia said on Monday that it has named Priya Dogra its newpresident of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) & Asia Pacific (APAC), based in London. She replaces Giorgio Stock, who left the the role on June 30, and will also continue her responsibilities as executive vp, strategy & corporate development for WarnerMedia for now.

straight to your inboxManchester City have today announced a new multi-year regional partnership with mobile game developer Capstone Games, who will become the club's Official Casual Mobile Game Partner in Asia Pacific, North America & the United Kingdom.This adds to City's already significant esports and gaming presence, having announced a collaborative partnership with FaZe Clan, one of the biggest and most popular esports organisations in the world, back in September 2019.The club also have

AT&T's WarnerMedia said on Monday that Giorgio Stock, president of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks & Sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) & Asia Pacific (APAC), is leaving the company, effective June 30. The former Turner Europe, Middle East and Africa president took on the new role, based in London, last summer, but said he is now looking for new opportunities.

Jake Kanter International TV EditorGiorgio Stock, president of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks & Sales in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific, is leaving the company at the end of June to “look for new opportunities.”Based in London, Stock was only promoted into the role in August last year.

Naman Ramachandran Indian streamer Disney Plus Hotstar has appointed Sunil Rayan as president and head. He will report into Uday Shankar, president, The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific, and chairman Star and Disney India.Rayan is a technologist with more than 20 years of experience.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefChinese streaming giant iQIYI has hired Singaporean executive Kuek Yu-Chuang as VP of international business. He was previously MD for Asia Pacific at Netflix.Reporting to Yang Xianghua, iQIYI’s president of overseas business, Kuek will oversee strategic planning, market development and public affairs in company’s global expansion.Kuek studied at Peking University and later obtained post-graduate degrees from Harvard and INSEAD.

Andreas Wiseman International EditorEXCLUSIVE: Gaumont International exec Ben Bishop has joined Canadian firm Vortex Words + Pictures as President, International Distribution, based in Sydney, Australia.Bishop, who started June 1, joins from Gaumont where he served as International VP of TV Sales for Asia Pacific and sold shows including Narcos, El Chapo, Art Of Crime, El Presidente, and Calimero.Prior to Gaumont, he worked for 13 years at Entertainment One, latterly as Sales Director for

By Jake Kanter

The Walt Disney Co. has postponed the launch of its streaming service Disney+ in India amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Vevo is expanding into Australia and New Zealand. The video streaming company launches a new sales office in Sydney

Castle Falls, the Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins actioner, which Lundgren is also set to direct, has landed a number of international deals and found a home in the U.S.