Global TV, Film & Media Industry News Roundup, Weekend 21-22 June 2025
From GenAI TV disruption and Netflix’s The Survivors surge, to Midjourney’s AI video launch, Disney’s CineEurope slate, Nine’s restructure, $85 M backing, Malta incentives and Emmy chase.
Today’s Highlights:
GenAI Sparks New Wave of Media Disruption – Analyst Doug Shapiro outlines how generative AI could upend content creation and cost models in U.S. television.
Midjourney Launches AI Video Model Amid Copyright Lawsuit – Version 1 of Midjourney’s AI video tool debuts just one week after Disney and NBCUniversal sued for copyright infringement.
Netflix’s The Survivors Breaks Out – The six-part Australian drama adaptation of Jane Harper’s novel amassed 5.3 million views in its first three days and entered Netflix’s Top 10 in 76 countries.
Grenfell: Uncovered Premieres on Netflix – Survivors of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire attend the Sheffield Doc/Fest premiere of Olaide Sadiq’s documentary, which exposes the deadly decisions behind the tragedy.
Disney Unveils Year-Round Theatrical Slate at CineEurope – Andrew Cripps presents upcoming films from all seven Disney brands, reaffirming a consistent 12-month release rhythm for cinema.
Animaj Secures US $85 Million to Scale AI-Driven Kids Content – The French animation studio behind Pocoyo raises funding to expand its multi-platform distribution and proprietary AI tools.
Nine Restructures Streaming & Broadcast Division – Under the leadership of CEO Amanda Laing, Nine unifies its TV, Stan, and 9Now platforms with new commissioning and acquisitions leads.
Occidental Studios Hits the Market – Los Angeles’s longest-running film studio, founded in 1913, is listed for US $45 million amid shifting post-strike soundstage demand.
Malta Film Commissioner Credits Incentives for Global Shoots – A 40 per cent cash rebate, world-class studios and streamlined permits drive record international productions to Malta.
Spy Shows Dominate Emmy Drama Race – Newcomers like The Agency, The Day of the Jackal and Black Doves chase AppleTV+’s Slow Horses, which leads with nine nominations and one win.
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INSIGHTS
Netflix’s The Survivors Breaks Out with 5.3M Views in Three Days
Australian drama The Survivors, a Netflix adaptation of Jane Harper’s novel, blends mystery and emotional depth as it revisits a small town haunted by tragedy. Executive producers Tony Ayres and Andrea Denholm brought the six-part series to life, debuting globally on June 6. Within just three days, it racked up 5.3 million views and entered Netflix’s Top 10 in 76 countries, a success even Ayres humbly admits outpaces his own viewing habits. Read More
Grenfell: Uncovered Premieres on Netflix Following Emotional Debut at Sheffield
Survivors of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which claimed 72 lives, appeared at the world premiere of Grenfell: Uncovered at Sheffield Doc/Fest, hoping the Netflix documentary will spur political change, as Mr Bates vs The Post Office did. Directed by Olaide Sadiq, the film exposes the deadly decisions behind the tragedy, including the use of unsafe cladding knowingly approved during cost-cutting refurbishments. Read More
Midjourney Launches AI Video Model Amid Copyright Lawsuit
Midjourney has debuted version 1 of its AI video model just one week after being hit with a copyright lawsuit from Disney and NBCUniversal. The tool generates four 5-second videos per job and allows users to extend clips in 4-second increments, up to a maximum of four times. Priced at around eight times the cost of an image job, Midjourney claims its video tool is over 25 times cheaper than existing market options. Read More
‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Writers Open Up About Rejection and the Realities of Late Night
Being a late-night writer means handling constant rejection, joked Jimmy Kimmel Live! EP and head writer Molly McNearney during a recent panel. “Ninety per cent of what you write in the morning gets rejected,” she said. Fellow EP Danny Ricker added, “That’s your first rejection of the day.” Co-head writer Gary Greenberg noted, “There’s home and away rejections,” referring to ideas pitched remotely before heading to the studio. Read More
ORF’s UNIVERSUM Balances Tradition and Innovation in Natural History
At the TV Real Festival, ORF’s Gernot Lercher and ORF-Enterprise’s Marion Camus-Oberdorfer shared how they collaborate to deliver high-end natural history films through the UNIVERSUM brand. With 44 annual prime-time slots to fill, Lercher aims to surprise longtime viewers while maintaining the visual and narrative quality they expect. Camus-Oberdorfer focuses on co-productions and presales to bring these ambitious projects to international audiences. Read More
Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media Reimagines Pop Culture Storytelling
At TV Real Festival, 11:11 Media’s chief storyteller, Bruce Robertson, shared how the company—founded by Paris Hilton and Bruce Gersh—is blending content, commerce, and community. Its upcoming theatrical documentary, Infinite Icon, follows Hilton as she creates a new album, serving as a “visual memoir” tied to her previous documentary and memoir. “We’re building a connected narrative experience across platforms,” said Robertson. Read More
Spy Shows Dominate Emmy Drama Race with Newcomers Chasing ‘Slow Horses’
This Emmy season, spy thrillers are front and centre, with newcomers The Agency (Paramount+/Showtime), The Day of the Jackal (Peacock), and Black Doves (Netflix) already renewed for second seasons. But Slow Horses (AppleTV+), premiering Season 5 in September, remains the one to beat after earning nine Emmy nominations and a win for Season 3. In a crowded field, the newcomers are still catching up—but the race is wide open. Read More
How They Shot 'The Studio' with One Lens and One Take (Almost)
When Big Tech Pivots, TV Producers Feel the Aftershocks
Strategic shifts by tech giants, such as Google’s AI search rollout or Apple’s potential revenue hits, can ripple through the TV industry. Just like Tubi’s creator-first strategy, Netflix’s TF1 partnership in France, and a premium video ad alliance between Channel 4, Sky, ITV, and Comcast. The takeaway: producers must now track tech pivots as closely as programming trends. Read More
International distributors drive ‘The Salt Path’ to global box-office success
International distributors have propelled The Salt Path, adapted from Raynor Winn’s bestseller, to strong box-office results across territories. In the UK and Ireland, Black Bear UK secured a robust opening; Pathé Netherlands delivered solid returns, while Transmission oversaw a top-five debut in Australia and New Zealand. Buoyed by its global performance, the Marianne Elliott-directed drama is eyeing further expansion into new markets. Read More
Kai Cenat, YouTube’s Rise, and the Creator Economy’s Power Shift
Kai Cenat’s open call with Drake for the Somebody Loves Me video, offering $15K to 20 fan-directors, signals a seismic shift in creative gatekeeping, bypassing agencies for direct creator collaboration. Meanwhile, a Looper Insights report reveals 66% of consumers now view YouTube as a home for long-form TV and film, with execs increasingly open to premiering premium content there. The takeaway? Creators aren’t just talent, they’re infrastructure. Read More
Malta Film Commissioner credits incentives and infrastructure for global shoots
Johann Grech, Malta Film Commissioner, states that robust incentives, including a 40% cash rebate, world-class studios, and historic water tanks, along with a co-production treaty and skilled local crews, solidify the island’s appeal for international shoots. Speaking ahead of the third Mediterrane Film Festival (June 21–29), he highlighted record investment in facilities, expanded studio space and streamlined permit processes that have driven a record number of global productions to Malta. Read More
Ike Barinholtz on Comedy, Collaboration & the Chaos of Creation
Ike Barinholtz reflects on his multifaceted career, from Mad TV to The Oath, and now The Studio and Running Point. He shares how working with Mindy Kaling and Seth Rogen shaped his creative process, why The Oath still resonates politically, and how sketch comedy trained him for the unpredictable world of TV production.
Gilroy mines millennia of rebellion for Andor’s political edge
Drawing on four millennia of real-world revolutions, from ancient uprisings to 20th-century fascist resistance, Andor creator Tony Gilroy shaped the Disney+ spin-off into a grounded political thriller devoid of Jedi or Skywalkers, emphasising authentic depictions of rebellion’s moral complexities and echoing historical tactics and themes to illuminate Cassian Andor’s journey from disenfranchised operative to revolutionary leader. Read More
The Better Sister Episode 2 Script Highlights Tension, Truth & Sisterhood: Read the Script
In “Lotta Sky,” the second episode of The Better Sister, co-showrunner Regina Corrado deepens the emotional stakes as estranged sisters Chloe (Jessica Biel) and Nicky (Elizabeth Banks) clash and converge under one roof. With Detective Guidry circling Ethan as a suspect, the episode pivots from polished exteriors to raw vulnerability, forcing the sisters into an uneasy alliance. Read More
How the World Ends in ‘The Life of Chuck’ | Anatomy of a Scene
In Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck, the world ends not with chaos, but with a flicker of screens. In a haunting scene, Marty (Chiwetel Ejiofor) wanders a darkened neighbourhood, encountering a roller-skating girl (Violet McGraw) just as TVs begin glowing with images of Chuck (Tom Hiddleston). Flanagan, inspired by Stephen King’s understated tone, shot the sequence practically, blacking out a Mobile, Alabama neighbourhood and manually triggering each screen for a surreal, analog apocalypse.
Jerry Bruckheimer & Kevin Weaver on the High-Octane Soundtrack Behind F1
Jerry Bruckheimer’s F1 continues his legacy of pairing blockbusters with chart-topping soundtracks. Teaming with Atlantic Records’ Kevin Weaver, the duo curated a genre-spanning album featuring Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat, Rosé, Chris Stapleton, and more, designed to match the film’s global energy and emotional beats. The soundtrack, launching June 27 alongside the film, reflects Bruckheimer’s belief that music is “the voice of the Gods”. Read More
Detective von Fock Brings Baltic Noir to the Global Stage
ZDF Studios’ Detective von Fock is a stylish period whodunnit set in 19th-century Estonia, following the reserved Paul von Fock and the enigmatic Maria von Nottbeck as they unravel crimes across Europe. Here, producer Jevgeni Supin and director Arun Tamm discuss the show’s cross-border production, Creative Europe support, and how historical detail and universal themes give the series global resonance.
Kate Phillips charts her ascent to BBC chief content officer
Kate Phillips, promoted from interim to Chief Content Officer at the BBC, shared in an internal memo that she “lives to work,” reflecting on her 12-year tenure at the BBC, which has spanned roles including Controller of BBC One and Director of Unscripted, as well as leading the corporation’s content strategy. Indies have welcomed her appointment, noting her track record commissioning hits across entertainment and factual genres, as she assumes responsibility for radio, TV and iPlayer output. Read More
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