Global TV, Film & Media Industry News Roundup, Monday 7 July 2025
Netflix goes live, brand deals surge, Neighbours ends, WA invests in film, Old Guard expands, Jurassic returns, Cuckoo’s Nest rebooted, Dakota debuts, Osman scores cinema deal, #MeToo films rise.
Today’s Highlights:
Netflix pivots toward live and unscripted formats – The streamer is embracing live events and unscripted content to boost engagement, reduce churn, and attract premium advertisers.
Brand integration deepens across Hollywood – Studios and streamers are collaborating with marketers earlier, embedding brands into storytelling and co-financing productions.
'Neighbours' ends production again – The long-running Australian soap concludes, ending a key training ground for local screen talent and signalling concerns over domestic TV production.
Western Australia invests $5 million in the screen industry – The funding expands Screenwest’s program to prepare for Perth Film Studios and boost local production.
Karlovy Vary Film Festival puts a spotlight on #MeToo – The festival features Broken Voices, a drama inspired by a Czech abuse case, amid broader industry reckoning.
Netflix’s The Old Guard 2 launches with high stakes – Charlize Theron’s Andy faces powerful enemies as the franchise expands, with KiKi Layne hoping for a third film.
Gareth Edwards reveals Jurassic World: Rebirth prioritised nostalgia over innovation – Edwards admits the film was designed to evoke 1990s Spielberg classics rather than break new ground.
A new TV series adaptation of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is in development – Producer Paul Zaentz is reimagining the story from Chief Bromden’s perspective after securing the rights.
Dakota Johnson announces her directorial debut – Honoured at Karlovy Vary, Johnson reveals she is directing a personal film with co-star Vanessa Burghardt.
Richard Osman secures a UK theatrical release for The Thursday Murder Club – Fan demand and Osman’s advocacy help Netflix grant the adaptation a cinema run.
Plus: Insights, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals, Opportunities & Jobs with Aardman, Netflix, ITV, Prime, Mediawan & Sky in Bristol, London, Sydney, Paris, Singapore & Seoul.
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Streamers: Netflix, Apple, Viaplay, SkyShowTime, Amazon Prime, Marquee TV, Paramount Television International, MTV Entertainment Group, BET, Cineverse.
Broadcasters: NBC Universal, France Televisions, Sky, ABC, Channel 4, ITV, A+E Networks, CBC, TV2, SVT, ARTE, RTBF, SBS Play, TCL FFalcon, RTL, TVNZ, SRF, Kanal D, UKTV, Ceská Televize, FOX.
Producers: Fifth Season, Sony Pictures Television, Banijay, Fremantle, Endemol Shine, Gaumont, Pathé, Warner Bros Television Productions, Universal Pictures International Australasia, UFA Fiction, Vivendi, Entertainment One, BBC Studios, Warner Bros Discovery, Talpa Studios, Keshet, Tiger Aspect, Wild Bunch TV, Red Planet Pictures, Go Quest Media, Eureka Productions, The Ink Factory, Nordisk Film, Reel One Entertainment, Bunya Productions, Beach House Pictures, Beyond, The Global Agency, Esha Bargate Productions, blue Entertainment, Paper Plane Productions, Paprika Studios, Playmaker, Off the Fence, Goalpost Pictures, Spin Master, Stand By Me, Halcyon Studios, DPG Media, Envision, Rive Gauche, Blue Ant Media, Squareone, Great Southern Studios, Collective Media Group, New Dominion Pictures, RAW TV, Optomen, Magpie Pictures, KOJO, ShinAwiL, WildBrain, Nine Daughters, Amazon/MGM Studios, October Films, Legendary Entertainment, Bad Wolf, Mediapro, Bron, Red Arrow.
Also: Aarhus Series Festival, The Wit, Norwegian Film Commission, New Zealand Film Commission, IMDA, MIA, Getty Images, Ottawa Film Office, Simkins, Harbottle & Lewis, Screen Brussels, Sheffield DocFest, FilmChain, Documentary Business, Zero Gravity Management, SXSW, MEA, DOC, Attraction Distribution, Kaplan Stahler Agency, Passion Distribution, Audible, Screen Queensland, Canada Media Fund, My Smash Media, Artists First, Grey Seal Media, Screenforce Finland, BAFTA, IMAX.
INSIGHTS
A Hidden Lisbon in The Luminous Life
In The Luminous Life, Portuguese director João Rosas offers a deeply personal tour of Lisbon, revealing lesser-known corners of the city tied to memory and meaning. "Tourists don't know these places," he says, "but they matter to me and the characters. This is where we truly live." Still, he adds warmly, "If someone wants to visit after seeing the film, they're more than welcome." Read More
Experience Twin Peaks: The Return as Lynch Intended
This weekend, New York audiences had the opportunity to witness all 18 parts of David Lynch's Twin Peaks: The Return on the big screen during a two-day MUBI and Metrograph marathon. Sound designer Dean Hurley, joining the event, revealed to IndieWire that this screening isn’t just rare, it’s the first time the full version will be shown exactly as Lynch envisioned it. Read More
Studios Feel the Heat as Theatres Pack in More Ads
This July 4 brought big wins, Jurassic World Rebirth opened to $137M+ and Joey Chestnut claimed his 17th hot dog title, but studios have less to cheer about. AMC, the top theatre chain, is now joining Regal and Cinemark in expanding non-Hollywood ads before movies, adding pressure to an already ad-heavy pre-show experience. Read More
Netflix Leans Into Live and Unscripted Content to Boost Engagement
Once known for on-demand freedom, Netflix is now embracing live events, music competitions, and unscripted formats to encourage appointment viewing. With around 40 million users on its ad-supported tier, the streamer aims to reduce churn and attract premium advertisers by offering content that keeps viewers coming back more regularly. Read More
Gareth Edwards Says Jurassic World: Rebirth Is ‘Karaoke’ Spielberg
Director Gareth Edwards says nostalgia, rather than innovation, guided the creation of Jurassic World: Rebirth. “I was trying to make it feel like a film from the early ’90s,” he told BBC’s Front Row, likening the experience to discovering a lost reel in Universal’s vault. With Britpop icons like Oasis and Pulp also back in the spotlight, it’s starting to feel like the '90s never left. Read More
Trailer Drops for Absurdist Animated Comedy Boys Go to Jupiter
The trailer for Julian Glander’s debut film Boys Go to Jupiter is out ahead of its August 8 NYC and August 15 LA releases, with a limited nationwide rollout to follow. Distributed by Cartuna and Irony Point, the surreal coming-of-age comedy features voice work from Cole Escola, Sarah Sherman, Elsie Fisher, Jack Corbett, Janeane Garofalo, and more, plus original music by Miya Folick. Read More
Andy Lee’s ‘Do Not Watch This Show’ Embraces Aussie Humour and Bluey’s Legacy
Andy Lee’s hit book series "Do Not Open This Book" has evolved into a 12-part animated show for ABC, voiced by Lee himself and featuring the chaotic blue blob, Wizz. Inspired by his nephew and crafted with a local creative team, the series celebrates silliness, risk-taking, and Australian accents—something Lee says was once discouraged until Bluey proved global audiences love Aussie charm. Read More
‘Dexter: Resurrection’ Joins the Franchise Frenzy in TV’s Spin-Off Era
Michael C. Hall returns in Dexter: Resurrection, premiering July 11 on Paramount+ with Showtime. It’s the third spin-off in the Dexter universe, following New Blood and Original Sin, as networks double down on brand extensions amid fewer scripted series. Like Yellowstone and Power, Dexter is now part of a broader trend where world-building trumps novelty in prestige TV. Read More
Madison Avenue Deepens Its Hollywood Ties as Brand Integration Goes Mainstream
From Happy Gilmore 2 to Barbie, brands are embedding deeper into entertainment, often before the cameras roll. Netflix, Apple, and others now collaborate with marketers early, turning product placement into co-financed storytelling. U.S. Bank, Subway, and Callaway are featured prominently in Sandler’s sequel, while Mattel, Hershey, and Manchester City are backing their own content. Read More
‘Neighbours’ Ends Again—And This Time, It May Leave a Lasting Void
After 40 years and over 9300 episodes, Neighbours is wrapping production once more, taking with it a vital training ground for Australia’s screen industry. The show’s high-volume output offered rare opportunities for emerging talent across writing, directing, and technical roles, many of whom now lead major projects globally. Its closure not only affects 200 jobs but also signals a deeper concern: the erosion of long-form, locally made TV as a development pipeline. Read More
Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Chicken Shop Empire Keeps Sizzling
From a youth club column at 16 to a global YouTube sensation, Amelia Dimoldenberg has built Chicken Shop Date into a cultural juggernaut. With over 9 million followers and viral interviews with stars like Cher, Andrew Garfield, and Billie Eilish, her deadpan humour and awkward charm have redefined celebrity interviews. Now developing a rom-com and BBC drama, Dimoldenberg remains single, focused, and fiercely in control of her creative empire. Read More
Hollywood and the CIA: A Two-Way Mirror of Influence
The CIA and Hollywood have long shared a curious synergy, with creative professionals, such as makeup artists, magicians, and even ballerinas, contributing to real-world spycraft. From disguises to deception, the agency has tapped entertainment talent for operational needs, while also collaborating with filmmakers to shape public perception. Productions like Argo and Zero Dark Thirty reflect this exchange, blurring the line between espionage and storytelling. Read More
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