Respawn Entertainment opens third studio to support ‘Apex Legends’

Matteo Berrettini had a disappointing showing at the Miami Open this year, but it gave him time to rest up for his next tournament!

The judge in a case brought by meme stock shareholders against AMC Entertainment declined to approve a settlement unveiled earlier this week that would have allowed the exhibitor to move ahead with plans to convert its AMC Preferred Equity units (APEs) to common stock, among other measures.

Tech and social entrepreneur Adam Werbach has joined Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment in the newly created position of Head Of Digital. With his hire, the indie studio is launching Kapital Digital, a new division focused on digital content.

Blockberry Creative’s petition to ban former LOONA singer Chuu’s domestic entertainment activities has reportedly been dismissed by the Korea Entertainment Management Association (CEMA).In February 2023, CEMA revealed to news outlets that Blockberry Creative had petitioned it in December 2022 for the suspension of ex-LOONA’s Chuu’s entertainment activities in South Korea.According to CEMA, the K-pop agency claimed that Chuu had violated the terms of their previous contract, alleging that she had moved to sign a with new agency BY4MSTUDIO in 2021, when her exclusive contract with Blockberry Creative was still active.Earlier today (April 4), South Korean news outlet TV Report reported that CEMA has since concluded its investigation and allegedly ruled in favour of Chuu after judging that Blockberry Creative’s claims regarding her violation of contract terms had been made on “insufficient grounds”.According to TV Report, CEMA has reportedly found there to be no evidence suggesting that Chuu and BY4MSTUDIO had made prior contact, adding that the issue of the agency’s claims should instead be addressed in court as part of the ongoing legal dispute between Blockberry Creative and Chuu.NME has reached out to Blockberry Creative for comment.Chuu had been a member of girl group LOONA until November 2022, when Blockberry Creative announced her expulsion from the group due to the singer’s alleged “violent language and misuse of power toward our staff”.

AMC Entertainment has taken a big step forward on a few key fronts, announcing a settlement in a shareholder lawsuit that would allow it to issue stock, raise capital, convert its APE units and go ahead with a ten-for-one reverse stock split – basically a lifeline if it needs one.

Abigail Zwerner, a Virginia teacher who was shot by a 6-year-old student earlier this year, is suing her school’s administrators for $40 million, claiming they failed to protect her against the violent child!

Silent Hill publisher Konami has opened a new studio in Osaka, Japan, to provide “sustainable growth” for the 50-year-old company.The company’s newest branch has been named Konami Osaka Studio, and a press release from Komani has shared that it is equipped with motion capture equipment and sound studios.Konami explained that Osaka Studio will help it “continue sustainable growth in the next 50 years,” following the company celebrating its 50th birthday in March.Elsewhere, construction continues on Konami’s “next-generation R&D centre” in Tokyo, which is scheduled to complete in 2025.In the same press release, Konami also announced that it has “substantially” raised the company’s base salary level. This means an average increase of 50,000JPY (£303) per employee, while the base salary for new starters will be increased by the same amount.“We have taken various steps to promote management emphasized on human capital, improve employee engagement, and enhance its competitiveness,” shared Konami.Over the last year, a number of Japanese game publishers have issued pay rises for its workers.Back in February, Sega announced a 30 per cent pay increase for all workers, which will kick in from July 2023.In the same month, Nintendo confirmed it would be giving its employees a 10 per cent pay rise.

EXCLUSIVE: Steve Small and Gwen Osborne have today announced the launch of Convergence Entertainment Group, their new film production and financing company based in Los Angeles.

wcinkala pmc-editorial-manager Variety announced Thursday the programming for its second annual Miami Entertainment Town lunch, to be held on Thursday, April 13, in Miami. The event, in partnership with CN Bank, celebrates the growing entertainment and media industry based out of Miami and recognizes those profiled in Variety’s Miami Entertainment Impact Report. At the celebration, Ronald Day, President of Entertainment and Content Strategy for NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, and Karen Barroeta, Executive Vice President of Production and Development Telemundo Global Studios, will participate in a keynote conversation with Rodrigo Nieto-Galvis, Entertainment Banking Team Leader at CN Bank Miami. The conversation will be centered around Telemundo’s strategy and around music and original programming based out of Miami.

Chung Ha is set to leave her long-time agency MNH Entertainment.Yesterday (March 29), the K-pop agency confirmed that the former I.O.I member would be leaving the company after the end of her exclusive contract with them. According to the agency, Chung Ha’s contract will end on April 29 this year.In its announcement, MNH Entertainment also confirmed that part two of Chung Ha’s ‘Bare & Rare’ album “will not be released under our agency due to internal circumstances”, per South Korean news outlet Star News, as translated by Soompi.It is currently unknown if Chung Ha could possibly release ‘Bare & Rare Pt.

Matteo Berrettini leads the way on a jog with Melissa Satta in Miami, Fla., on Tuesday afternoon (March 28).

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK and Lady Gaga have been invited to perform for US president Joe Biden and South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol at an upcoming state dinner.According to a report by South Korean news outlet Korea JoongAng Daily, the pop stars have been invited to perform at an upcoming US state dinner between US president Biden and South Korean president Yoon.Yoon is set to make a state visit to the US on April 26, which will feature a joint cultural event at a state dinner with the US president. The dinner will reportedly begin with an opening ceremony, at which BLACKPINK and Lady Gaga have been invited to perform at.YG Entertainment has since confirmed that the girl group have received an invitation.

HYBE, home to K-pop superstars BTS, is set to sell off its entire stake in SM Entertainment.Today (March 24), HYBE announced that it would accept a tender offer by South Korean internet giant Kakao and sell its 15.8 per cent stake in K-pop agency SM Entertainment, as reported by Reuters.HYBE’s share of SM Entertainment is worth about ₩564billion (roughly US$437million), based on Kakao’s March 7 tender offer to buy up to 35 per cent of SM Entertainment for ₩150,000 per share.According to Reuters, the planned sale of SM Entertainment shares by HYBE would net the K-pop giant a profit of around US$87 million, which is roughly 25 per cent higher than the price the company originally paid for the shares.Following the announcement, shares of both Kakao and SM Entertainment companies went up about half a per cent, as of 1:30pm KST.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Nearly a week after the Oscars, the hurt and disappointment of a missed opportunity still weighs heavily on the minds of some South Asian American dancers, who are setting out to ensure it never happens again. Many in the South Asian dance community were dismayed by the astonishing dearth of South Asian representation in the “Naatu Naatu” performance at Sunday’s Academy Awards. While singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava were on hand to perform their hit tune from Tollywood smash “RRR” — which made history for India that night by winning best original song — they were joined on stage by not a single dancer of South Asian heritage.

aespa are set to release new music this spring, their label SM Entertainment has confirmed.Earlier today (March 16), South Korean news outlet StarNews reported that the girl group would be releasing new music this May. The news outlet also noted that aespa were initially scheduled to release an album in February, but it was delayed due to management disputes within SM Entertainment.Since that report, SM Entertainment has confirmed that aespa’s comeback date of May.

HYBE founder Bang Si-hyuk has opened up about its battle against Kakao to acquire shares of K-pop agency SM Entertainment.Today (March 15), Bang delivered a keynote speech at the Gwanhun Forum, hosted by the Gwanhun Club, an association of senior journalists in Korea. Held at the Korean Press Center in Seoul, South Korea, the forum provided attendees the opportunity to gain insight into Bang and HYBE’s vision of the K-pop industry.During a Q&A session at the event, Bang opened up about HYBE’s recent attempt to acquire SM Entertainment, and its battle against South Korean internet giant Kakao over the K-pop agency.

EXCLUSIVE: Indie film distributor Good Deed Entertainment has today announced the launch of their new production division, to be led by Head of Production and Development Phil Garrett. 

Jimmy Kimmel will take centre stage as host of the 2023 Oscars. It will mark the comedian’s third time hosting the awards ceremony.

EXCLUSIVE: We hear that Apple has won a multiple studio bidding war for Cin Fabré’s novel Wolf Hustle about a young Black woman’s ascent in the male dominated Wall Street. Till filmmaker Chinonye Chukwu is adapting as a feature, directing and producing under her Where’s the Fire banner alongside Entertainment 360.

K-pop agency SM Entertainment has released a statement in support of internet giant Kakao’s tender offer to buy a large stake in the company.Yesterday (April 7), Kakao – which currently holds 4.9 per cent of the SM Entertainment – announced a tender offer to buy up to 35 per cent of the company for ₩150,000 per share. If successful, this bid would make Kakao the largest shareholder of the K-pop agency, over BTS label HYBE, which has acquired nearly 16 per cent of SM.Soon after Kakao’s announcement, SM Entertainment released a statement signalling support for the deal, citing “[Kakao’s] respect [for] the current management’s efforts to address factors that have hindered SM Entertainment’s growth”, according to CNN.In the statement, SM Entertainment also said that the Kakao deal would “ensure autonomous and independent management of the company, as well as the continuous and independent activities of SM artists”, per Yonhap News Agency.“Unlike HYBE seeking to take over SM’s board of directors through a hostile merger and acquisition, Kakao is the best horizontal and strategic partner for the successful implementation of the ‘SM 3.0’ vision as it respects SM’s own tradition and identity,” the statement reportedly said.Following Kakao’s tender offer yesterday, shares of SM Entertainment jumped 15.07 per cent to close at ₩149,700.