Subscription Video Continues to Gain in Japan – Study

Daizen Maeda has opened up on why he didn't do his trademark celebration despite scoring his first-ever senior goal for the Japanese national team on Friday.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefWarner Bros. Discovery Thursday announced its management team for Japan, Australia New Zealand, reporting into James Gibbons, WBD’s president and managing director.The reshuffle follows similar announcements for the EMEA area under Priya Dogra and India, Southeast Asia and Korea under Clement Schwebig.In addition to the above appointments, David Macdonald is named VP Networks, Japan, based in Tokyo.

Warner Bros Discovery is wasting no time in unveiling new leadership teams across the globe with the most recent structure outlined for Japan, Australia and New Zealand under James Gibbons, President and Managing Director of the region. This follows teams in EMEA, India, Southeast Asia and Korea being confirmed in the past 36 hours.

“Bullet Train.”Directed by David Leitch, the filmmaker behind “Atomic Blonde” and “Deadpool 2,” the film is based on the book “Maria Beetle” by Kotaro Isaka. It follows an unlucky assassin (code name Ladybug) whose latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from across the globe.

Netflix debuted its first teaser for “The Sandman” along with announcing an official global premiere date of Aug. 5 during the streamer’s annual Geeked Week event.In attendance was creator Neil Gaiman and executive producer, showrunner and writer Allan Heinberg, along with cast members.

Author Neil Gaiman is no stranger to film and television, and several of his works have made it to screens both big and small over the years. Among them are 2009’s “Coraline,” Starz‘s 2015 series of “American Gods,” and Matthew Vaughn‘s 2007 take on “Stardust.” Yet none of those carry the same popularity as Gaiman’s most beloved work, “The Sandman,” the DC Comics series from 1989-1996.

The auditions keep coming on “America’s Got Talent”.

Naman Ramachandran Amazon Prime Video India has set its first Tamil-language long-form scripted original series, “Suzhal – The Vortex,” written and created by Pushkar and Gayatri (“Vikram Vedha”).The eight-part crime thriller revolves around the investigation of a missing girl that wreaks havoc and disrupts the fabric of a small town in South India. It is produced by Wallwatcher Films and directed by Bramma and Anucharan M.

Sega has revealed a new trailer for Sonic Frontiers, featuring our first look at the game’s open-world action- check it out below.Not a lot is currently known about the open-world-inspired take on Sonic The Hedgehog, but the new 38-second video sees the hedgehog up to his old tricks – grinding on conveniently placed tracks, destroying giant robots and running about the place – with no apparent restrictions.Check it out below:Enjoy this small preview of Sonic Frontiers, and tune in all June long for the @IGN First cover story for more world-exclusive reveals! pic.twitter.com/iZhaFtSwio— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) May 31, 2022Announced in December, Sonic Frontiers looks to take influence from Breath Of The Wild as Sonic Team looks to revamp the franchise.According to the announcement, Sonic Frontiers is set on the Starfall Islands and will feature powerful enemies, dense forests, waterfalls, and deserts for the player to explore in the open world.“Sonic Frontiers is a huge leap forward for the franchise, delivering an evolved gameplay experience that can be enjoyed by longtime Sonic fans and action-adventure enthusiasts alike,” said Takashi Iizuka, creative officer at Sonic Team USA.“With the effort of the talented developers at Sonic Team Japan, we’ve created an all-new style of gameplay experience for Sonic The Hedgehog, where players will be able to explore lush and expansive landscapes with Sonic’s signature speed and abilities.”Sonic Frontiers was originally meant to be released in 2021 but the team delayed it to ensure the quality of the title.

The bomber jacket of Top Gun‘s Maverick is looking a bit more familiar in international trailers these days, according to a report in Fortune. Two flag patches on the back of the jacket – representing Taiwan and Japan – appear to have been returned to their original spots.

The Palme d’Or can be a blessing and curse, a gold-plated sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of filmmakers lucky enough to claim it. After the first waves of shock and joy recede, and their subsequent year-long victory lap reaches the finish line, those same filmmakers are left alone with one troubling thought: What’s next? Director Hirokazu Kore-eda offers a fine case study in how that question might trip someone up.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefProduction has wrapped in both Singapore and Japan on Nicole Midori Woodford’s supernatural art house drama “Last Shadow at First Light.” It stars Nagase Masatoshi, Tsutsui Mariko (“Harmonium,” “A Girl Missing”), Peter Yu (“A Land Imagined”) and newcomer Shirata Mihaya.The story examines the intangible nature of trauma and the ripples of its aftermath through 16-year-old Ami (Shirata) who is haunted by visions.“This is a film borne out of darkness and loss, of a family’s frailties, set in both Singapore and Japan. Shooting between two countries, I hope to capture the diverse mise-en-scene from the urban cities to the vast transformed landscapes my characters are lost within.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorBerlin-based sales outfit M-Appeal has closed further deals for Jan Gassmann’s “99 Moons” in Italy (Teodora Film), France (La Vingt-Cinquième Heure) and Japan (AT Entertainment), following the film’s world premiere in the Cannes’ ACID sidebar.“99 Moons” follows the passionate and turbulent relationship of Bigna and Frank, two people from different worlds who become entwined in an erotic love story. With raw and intimate cinematography (Yunus Roy Imer, “Systemcrasher”), the film takes an unflinching look at the magnetism and power games of sexual attraction.

Olympics premiered on Monday, shown to reporters and other invited guests in the Japanese capital.The work of Japanese director Naomi Kawase, the 120-minute film looks at the Olympics primarily from the point of view of the athletes — but not just the winning athletes.After Tokyo, the film will be shown on Wednesday at the Cannes Film Festival in the Bunuel Theater, named for Spanish-born iconoclastic filmmaker Luis Bunuel.“The Olympics are not just about getting prizes, being first and going after a victory that is right before you in the moment,” Kawase said in a recent interview. “I tried also to depict the pursuit of becoming winners in life.”Kawase has also made another film looking at events away from the athletes, which called “Side B.” It will debut in Japanese cinemas on June 24.

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentThe Japanese film industry has long been notoriously insular, a tendency the pandemic only exacerbated. As the Hollywood pipeline shut down in 2020, local audiences flocked to local films.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent“The Pink Cloud,” a flagship feature from Brazil’s new generation of female filmmakers, has closed three more major territories for Paris-based MPM Premium, sealing France (Universciné), Japan (Senlis) and Germany (Lighthouse). With MPM Premium currently in discussions for the U.K., Australia and Latin America, the sales company is edging ever closer to selling out on all major territories around the world.Territories already secured include Brazil (O2), North America (Blue Fox), Taiwan (Digi Sky Entertainment), China (Beijing Hugoeast), Korea (K Entertainment) and Russia (World Vision).Senlis will stage a theatrical release in 2023 for “The Pink Cloud.” It has been dubbed and will be released in Germany and Austria on July 22. France’s Universciné (France) has launched the film as a premium VoD Release, with a specific promotion for what Universciné calls its “exclusive” titles.

Japan plans to open up their borders for a test return to tourism - however holidays won't be an easy-going break.

Singer Tina Karol said Monday from Japan that she and her fellow Ukrainians will not give up defending their land and culture from Russian invasion and are determined to win the war and rebuild an even more beautiful country.

‘Trump In Tweets’ Producer Wonderhood Bolsters Senior Team