News

Robert Thomson, CEO of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, didn’t exactly tiptoe around the subject of politics when presiding over the company’s quarterly earnings call Wednesday.

During prepared remarks about the company’s fiscal second-quarter results, Thomson portrayed the Donald Trump’s win over Kamala Harris in rosy terms for corporate America. Unlike Lachlan Murdoch, CEO of Murdoch’s other public media company, Fox Corp., who is generally more publicly coy and circumspect on the topic of Trump, Thomson struck a celebratory tone.

“One rather general, generic post-election observation: We are seeing a tangible increase in confidence in U.S. businesses since the election,” he said, making an exception for Trump’s haphazardly implemented tariffs. “There is the confluence of economic optimism and the cultural awakening with the yoke of woke having been lifted. We believe these trends should lead to less superfluous, gratuitous regulation; greater capital formation...

News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson praised what he sees as the improved business conditions in the U.S. following the election, saying “the yoke of woke” has been lifted.

“We are seeing a tangible increase in business confidence here in the U.S. since the election,” Thomson said during his remarks to investors following second-quarter earnings. “The temporary turmoil of transactional tariffs aside, there is the confluence of economic optimism and a cultural awakening with the yoke of woke having been lifted. We believe these trends should lead to less superfluous, gratuitous regulation, greater capital formation, increased opportunities for all Americans and more candid, creative, compelling conversations. Hopefully, an era of censorship and self-censorship is receding into the distance.”

While Thomson said his comment was a general remark on business conditions, News Corp., which is owned by the Murdoch family and home to Dow Jones and publications including The Wall...

The finalists for the Independent Games Festival have been announced, and one title emerged as a key contender with five nominations. The titles include games from independent and solo developers worldwide who might otherwise be overlooked by the gaming community in favor of larger-profile games. The Igf takes place every year at the Games Dev Conference (Gdc) in March, but fans can get a sneak peek at the lineup of finalists now.

According to the Igf website, the chosen games were selected from a list of 500+ titles. Each game was decided by a panel of experts for the individual categories, "who chose the finalists after playing, discussing, and meticulously evaluating each of the games in consideration." Winners will be announced at this year's Igf presentation at Gdc, on Wednesday, March 19 at 6:30pm Pt.

All The Independent Games Festival Finalists A Few Titles Stand Out For Multiple Nominations

This year,...

Birdman not only has an impressive cast but also an impressive production, as it appears to have been filmed in one continuous shot. In 2014, the dark comedy-drama Birdman took the audience by surprise with its story, cast, and visual style. Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman counts on the talents of Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, and many others. Birdman was a critical and commercial success, as well as a hit during the awards season, taking the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography.

Birdman tells the story of Riggan Thomson (Keaton), an actor best known for playing a superhero named Birdman in the late 1980s/early 1990s. However, Thomson’s career has faded through the years, and he is looking to revive his career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway play. Throughout Birdman, Thomson is tormented by the...

Rogue and Gambit are one of the most beloved X-Men couples in Marvel, with a lengthy history to back their relationship up, and though the two heroes have had their share of drama, one Marvel comic writer perfectly explains how Remy and Rogue are so compelling together, as author Kelly Thomson reveals their greatest hurdle was also the key to Rogue and Gambit’s success.

In Marvel’s ‘Women of Marvel’ podcast, Rogue and Gambit series writers Kelly Thomson, Preeti Chhibber, Cass Morrison, and Ellie Pyle came together discuss the inner workings of Rogue, and in their discussion, they reveal how they write for one of the most iconic X-Men couples.

As they noted, the long-term success of the couple has been a positive result of the core conflicts that have threatened to break them up at times over the years. Check out the full quotes below to learn more.

A Foxtel office in Victoria, Australia. (Photo by Bidgee via Wikimedia Commons)

News Corp has agreed to sell a majority stake of its pay television business Foxtel to international sports media juggernaut Dazn, the companies announced early Monday morning.

The announcement comes about four months after reports indicated that News Corp had received an offer from an unknown party to acquire its 65 percent stake in the company.

On Monday, News Corp affirmed it will divest most of its stake in Foxtel to Dazn, with minority shareholder Telstra doing the same. Upon closure, News Corp will own a 6 percent of Foxtel, and Telstra will own 3 percent.

The proposed transaction values Foxtel at Au $3.4 billion (around U.S. $2.13 billion), the companies said in a statement.

Foxtel is the largest pay TV provider in Australia, and one of several entertainment companies offering a domestic streaming video platform. Dazn is the Netflix of sports,...

Rhony Timeline of All Seasons (Photo Credit – Facebook)

While The Real Housewives of Orange County may have started the franchise, the New York City edition solidified it and ensured the birth of further versions. It premiered in March 2008 and revolved around the busy city of New York. It is also the only edition that has undergone a reboot.

For the unversed, season 13 was the last time the original cast members were a part of Rhony. From season 14 onwards, a new cast has been leading the show, much to the fans’ surprise. Here’s a brief guide to all fifteen seasons of The Real Housewives of New York City.

The Real Housewives of New York City: Brief Of All Seasons

Season 1 (2008)

The first season of The Real Housewives of New York City aired from March 4 to May 27, 2008. It starred Bethenny Frankel, Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Alex McCord, and Jill Zarin and had 9 episodes.

This article contains spoilers for "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" season 1, episode 2.

Everything can seem dangerous when you're a kid lost in space, and the pirate droid Sm-33 makes no exceptions. "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" certainly takes care to frame him as a potential threat. When the clunky, partially malfunctioning robot with an alien critter residing in its empty eye socket regains power and shuffles into the frame, you'd be forgiven for thinking you've accidentally tuned in to a space-themed horror movie and witnessing the main antagonist.

Fortunately, Sm-33 -- a not-so-subtle nod to Mr. Smee from "Peter Pan," no doubt -- is firmly on the main characters' side, at least after one of the show's young heroes, Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), convinces him that she's killed the former captain of the Onyx Cinder and taken charge. Though old and decrepit, he proves to be a useful (if unnerving) ally who...

Say goodbye to the old ways of doing TV business and hello to new ones.

“We need to rethink everything. The business model we used to have, that’s gone,” said Silver Reel’s Claudia Bluemhuber, a panelist at this year’s TV Beats Forum at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

“We’re going to see fewer shows. The costs have skyrocketed, we have inflation, and if you’re looking to attach a meaningful cast, there’s huge competition with streamers. At the moment, our industry is driven by fear. We need to overcome the fear of failure.”

And find new solutions. According to Meg Thomson, an executive at Globalgate Entertainment, there needs to be more cross-continental collaboration in the near future, as well as more focus on YouTube and TikTok, “where advertising is more targeted,” added James Copp, co-head of content at Night Train Media.

“The idea of...

It’s been 23 years since Smallville first hit TV screens, introducing audiences to a new take on Superman’s origin story. Premiering in 2001, the show followed a young Clark Kent as he navigated the challenges of growing up in the small town of Smallville while slowly uncovering his destiny as one of the most iconic superheroes in the DC Universe. With its mix of teen drama and superhero elements, Smallville quickly became a fan favorite, running for an impressive ten seasons.

Tom Welling as Clark Kent in the series Smallville | Credit: Warner Bros.

The series was more than just another superhero show, it was a coming-of-age story. It focused on Clark’s struggles with adolescence, relationships, and learning to control his emerging powers. This was all done while encountering classic characters from the Superman lore. Though it wasn’t part of the official Dceu timeline, the show left a lasting legacy.

Colombian superstar Shakira is returning to the animal world of “Zootopia” next year.

The news was announced on Friday at the D23 Brazil expo during Pixar’s panel. Shakira filmed a surprise video for fans and revealed that she will be back as the singing character Gazelle in next year’s sequel “Zootopia 2.”

“I’m here to announce some big news. Are you ready? Gazelle is returning to ‘Zootopia 2,'” she said in the video, which included footage from the first “Zootopia” of Gazelle performing with her tiger backup dancers. “That’s right. Gazelle is back and she’s got a new look, a new song and, of course, new dance moves. Just wait until you see what she and her tiger dancers have been working on. I know you’re going to love it. That’s all I can share for now, but I look forward to...

Dow Jones, the parent company to the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post filed a lawsuit Monday against artificial intelligence company Perplexity, alleging that the company is illegally using copyrighted work.

The suit alleges that Perplexity, which is an AI research and conversational search engine, draws on articles and other copyrighted content from the publishers to feed into its product and then repackages the content in its responses, or sometimes uses the content verbatim, without linking back to the articles. The engine can also be used to display several paragraphs or entire articles, when asked.

In some cases, the suit alleges, the engine also adds made-up text that was not part of the original article.

“Perplexity perpetrates an abuse of intellectual property that harms journalists, writers, publishers and News Corp. The perplexing Perplexity has willfully copied copious amounts of copyrighted material without compensation, and shamelessly presents repurposed material...

“Good Stories: Originals, Adaptations and Remakes” were in focus at the 68th edition of the BFI London Film Festival on Wednesday in a panel discussion presented in association with The Hollywood Reporter.

The panelists were Alex Walton, co-head, WME Independent, Kevin Loader, producer and co-founder of Free Range Film, Tolu Stedford, executive producer and CEO at Story Compound, and Meg Thomson, executive vp, worldwide content at Globalgate Entertainment, with Rowan Woods, creative director of the Edinburgh TV Festival serving as session chair.

“We’re in a time when the business is really, really hard,” Walton assessed early on in the discussion. “So I think IP gives you protection more than anything.”

His team puts together 16-18 independent movies every year, “and we don’t have the luxury of having IP, and many of those are generally independent stories, so they’re often original,” he shared. “If you have something with IP,...

The following contains spoilers for Futurama season 12 episode 9, "The Futurama Mystery Liberry," now streaming on Hulu

One of Futurama's best ever parodies pokes fun at a classic comic. The sci-fi comedy has been poking fun at genre conventions and iconic stories for over two decades, with several episodes dedicated to poking fun at the classics of other genres. Some of the show's best riffs on popular media has included a Star Trek parody that brought back most of the original show's cast, a movie-length parody of fantasy tropes, and plenty of gags about famous sci-fi like Star Wars and The Matrix franchises.

These parodies are especially common in Futurama's anthology episodes. Typically happening once a season, the anthologies have steadily become more satirical, poking deliberate fun at specific shows and films. This carries over to the Futurama season 12 episode "The Futurama Mystery Liberry," which uses a parody of...

Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche reunited over a quarter-century after they starred together in the Oscar-winning The English Patient to star in the classical drama The Return, which had a world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Saturday night.

While Fiennes was not on hand at TIFF owing to acting duties back in Britain, Binoche paid tribute to her co-star as she insisted they share similar qualities, despite coming from different countries and backgrounds.

“I always love working with him (Fiennes), because there’s so much rhythm, around the weight of words, the weight of silence and still is. It’s very genuine,” Binoche told the Roy Thomson Hall audience after receiving a short, yet brisk standing ovation when The Return concluded.

“And I feel very much like, even though we’re husband and wife in this film, we’re like brother and sister. We’re very much alike,...

Alain Delon, the French actor most famous for his roles in the films of New Wave director Jean-Pierre Melville, especially “Le Samourai,” has died. He was 88.

“He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family,” according to a statement released to the Afp news agency by his family.

In addition to “Le Samourai,” Delon also appeared in Melville’s brilliant heist film “Le Cercle rouge” and “Un Flic.”

Some of his other significant films were Rene Clement’s “Purple Noon”; Visconti’s “Rocco and His Brothers” and “The Leopard”; Antonioni’s “L’Eclisse”; Jose Giovanni’s “Two Men in Town”; and Joseph Losey’s “Mr. Klein.”

Although he triggered some controversies during the later part of his life due to his public comments on adoption of children by same-sex parents and affinity with far-right politicians, many prominent figures in France and abroad paid...

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp could sell its Australian pay-tv operator Foxtel Group.

At the end of a commentary for what News Corp CEO Robert Thomson called an “outstanding” year financially for Murdoch’s news operation was the reveal there had been outside interest in Foxtel, which has more than four million subscribers in Australia overall and owns the likes of Colin From Accounts streamer Binge.

Thomson said a review of the News Corp business had “coincided recently with third-party interest in a potential transaction involving the Foxtel Group, which has been positively transformed in recent years. We are evaluating options for the business with our advisors in light of that external interest.”

He later called the approach a “vote of confidence” in Foxtel’s management.

Foxtel has been a dominant presence in Australian media for decades, but has come under pressure from the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, Stan...

A Foxtel office in Victoria, Australia. (Photo by Bidgee via Wikimedia Commons)

News Corp says it is considering an offer made to buy out its 65 percent stake in Australian pay television company Foxtel.

The potential sale was revealed by News Corp CEO Robert Thomson as part of the company’s quarterly financial disclosure exercise on Thursday, during which News Corp revealed it earned $2.58 billion in revenue from its various business segments during its fourth fiscal quarter.

“We are confident in the company’s long-term prospects and are continuing to review our portfolio with a focus on maximizing returns for shareholders,” Thomson said in a statement. “That review has coincided recently with third-party interest in a potential transaction involving the Foxtel Group, which has been positively transformed in recent years. We are evaluating options for the business with our advisors in light of that external interest.”

Thompson did not say who...

News Corp. is weighing a sale of Australian pay TV and streaming operator Foxtel, the Murdoch family-controlled company said Thursday in its full-year earnings release. News Corp chief executive, Robert Thomson, said that potential buyers had emerged for Foxtel during a review of the company’s assets.

“That review has coincided recently with third-party interest in a potential transaction involving the Foxtel Group, which has been positively transformed in recent years,” Thomson said.

“We are evaluating options for the business with our advisors in light of that external interest,” he added.

Foxtel Group operates legacy cable and satellite TV businesses down under, as well as sports streamer Kayo, entertainment streaming platform Binge, and the more recently launched Ott streaming aggregator Hubbl. Recent analyst chatter has suggested that the streaming services are struggling somewhat to compete in the Netflix-dominated era amid a recent cutback in household spending in Australia. The...

The Toronto Film Festival has turned up the star power for its 49th edition, having added the latest movies from Alicia Vikander, Lupita Nyong’o, Steve Coogan, Ralph Fiennes, Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, Lily James and Riz Ahmed.

For the Gala section at Roy Thomson Hall, there’s world bows for two music specials: the Andrea Bocelli biopic Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe, a doc about the Italian tenor by director Cosima Spender; and Thom Zimny’s Bruce Springsteen doc for Disney+ and Hulu, Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. Zimny was in Toronto last year with his Sylvester Stallone documentary Sly for Netflix.

TIFF will also give a first look to Uberto Pasolini’s historical epic The Return, with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche reteaming after The English Patient. And there’s gala world premieres for Peter Cattaneo’s The Penguin Lessons, toplined by Steve Coogan and...

Track by Track sees artists guide readers through each song on their newest release. Today, rising indie rockers Sour Widows break down their dazzling debut album, Revival of a Friend.

Listening to Sour Widows’ debut album, Revival of a Friend, it’s immediately apparent just how cathartic the songs are for the band. Mournful melodies, building dynamics, and guitar licks that somehow communicate extremely specific emotions combine for a listen that, even without context, carries the feeling of the sun finally peaking out from behind miles and miles of clouds.

But then, of course, there is the context, the lived experiences of songwriters Susanna Thomson and Maia Sinaiko that informed the work.

“When we started playing together again that fall after being on hiatus for several months because of my mom’s illness, I was feeling easily overwhelmed by most things, and playing and writing were very difficult,” Thomson tells Consequence.

More than a decade after the 2011 release of Steven Spielberg’s criminally underrated The Adventures of Tintin hit theaters, fans of Hergé’s beloved characters continue to wonder if we’ll ever see a sequel. Andy Serkis, who voices Captain Archibald Haddock and Sir Francis Haddock in the 2011 original, says Tintin producer Peter Jackson is still working on another film featuring the dynamic duo of Captain Haddock and Tintin. In October 2011, Peter Jackson said he would direct The Adventures of Tintin 2. However, the silence on the project has been deafening ever since.

Originally, Steven Spielberg wanted to release The Adventures of Tintin 2 in 2015, but the legendary filmmaker’s schedule had other plans. At the time, Spielberg said a follow-up to the 2011 animated film would adapt two books in the Tintin saga. Screenwriter Anthony Horowitz was reportedly working on a screenplay but left the project in 2018. Jackson and Spielberg have yet...

Johnny Depp is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s most transformative actors who is not afraid to experiment with his roles. The actor has played some of the wildest, unique, and wacky characters that audiences loved, cementing his status as a bankable movie star. His collaborations with director Tim Burton have resulted in some of the finest works of his career.

Johnny Depp became a teen idol starring in the hit series 21 Jump Street | Fox

One of Depp’s best films is his first collaboration with Burton in 1990’s Edward Scissorhands. The film and Depp’s titular role made him a household name. However, he wasn’t the first choice for the role as many A-list stars were considered for it initially. Depp, being from the TV world, never thought he would get the part and almost didn’t go for a meeting with Burton.

Johnny Depp’s Edward Scissorhands...

OpenAI has cut another major media licensing deal.

The artificial intelligence firm has inked a deal with News Corp. that will bring content from its stable of media outlets to ChatGPT and other OpenAI products.

“Through this partnership, OpenAI has permission to display content from News Corp mastheads in response to user questions and to enhance its products, with the ultimate objective of providing people the ability to make informed choices based on reliable information and news sources,” the companies said in the announcement.

The News Corp. properties The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, MarketWatch, Investor’s Business Daily, Fn and New York Post; The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun; The Australian, news.com.au, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail, The Advertiser and Herald Sun are all part of the deal, terms of which were not disclosed.

News Corp. will also “share journalistic expertise” with OpenAI “to help...

Michael Keaton is recognized as one of the finest actors in the industry. He is widely known for the portrayal of Batman in Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns. The actor’s career experienced a resurgence after he starred in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman. Keaton’s performance not only received praise but also earned him a nomination at the Academy Awards for Best Actor.

Michael Keaton starred as Riggan Thompson in Birdman

The story follows the struggles of a Hollywood actor best known for playing a superhero, Birdman, and his attempts to make a comeback. Upon its release, the movie received critical and commercial success, especially for the screenplay, direction, cinematography, and performances of the actors in the movie. In an interview, Keaton talks about Birdman and reveals its connection to a Sam Mendes movie.

Michael Keaton talks about Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman

In his interview with GQ,...

The family of a Ukrainian translator and “fixer” filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Fox News and a series of other defendants, claiming that the network was “reckless and negligent” and has tried to conceal key information for what happened when a crew was attacked outside of Kyiv on March 14, 2022.

The lawsuit was filed by Andriy Kuvshynov and Irina Mamaysur, the parents of Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova, an independent contractor who was killed in the attack as the network crew was reporting on the latest in the Russian invasion. Cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski also was killed, and correspondent Benjamin Hall was seriously wounded.

Another plaintiff in the lawsuit, Shane Thomson, who was employed by Separ, a security firm retained by the network. He claimed that he was scapegoated in the aftermath of the attack.

The lawsuit was filed in New York Supreme Court on Thursday, the second anniversary of the attack.

Kuvshynova...

Mark-Paul Gosselaar's return to Will Trent season 2 is uncertain due to his commitment to NBC's Found, but the producers are eager to bring him back. Paul Campano, played by Gosselaar, is a key character in Trent's life and brought depth and conflict to the show's first season. Despite Gosselaar's busy schedule and Campano's minor role, viewers are hopeful for a possible appearance in season 2 for added depth.

Will Trent executive producers Daniel Thomsen and Liz Heldens address Mark-Paul Gosselaar's future on the show. The crime series follows the cases of Wilbur "Will" Trent (Ramón Rodríguez), a special agent at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Trent is a very gifted and perceptive special agent, but he still finds himself struggling with the trauma of his childhood growing up in foster care. The only people who really understand his history are his girlfriend Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen) and his...

There will be no fourth season for Disney Channel’s Secrets of Sulpher Springs. The network has canceled the time-travel mystery-adventure series after three seasons, Deadline has confirmed.

Created, written and executive produced by Tracey Thomson (The Young and the Restless), Secrets of Sulpher Springs followed 12-year-old Griffin Campbell (Preston Oliver), whose world had been upended by his father, Ben (Josh Braaten), after he moved the family from Chicago to take ownership of an abandoned hotel property, The Tremont. The family—which also includes Griffin’s mother, Sarah (Kelly Frye), and his younger twin siblings, Wyatt (Landon Gordon) and Zoey (Madeleine McGraw)—lived in The Tremont in hopes of restoring it to the lively vacation destination it once was. On his first day at his new school, Griffin heard rumors that the hotel was haunted by the ghost of Savannah (Elle Graham), a girl who disappeared decades ago. He soon...

News Corp today announced that veteran communications executive Arthur Bochner is set to become chief communications officer and EVP at News Corp. when Jim Kennedy retires later this year.

Bochner spent nearly a decade at Disney, most recently overseeing strategic communications. He served as chief of staff in Bob Chapek’s Office of the CEO after holding communications roles at the consumer products and theme park segments. He left Disney in 2022 amid an exodus following Chapek’s exit and Bob Iger’s return.

Bochner previously held communications positions at Bloomberg, Citigroup and Fd Public Affairs.

“Arthur has vast and valuable experience at the highest levels of business and government, which will enable him to play a vital role in News Corp’s continuing growth,” said News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson. “With a strategic sensibility, savvy messaging skills, and a collaborative character, Arthur is a worthy successor to our friend and colleague,...

Production is underway on “Kangaroo Island,” the feature film debut from Australian director Tim Piper and screenwriter Sally Gifford.

The family relationship drama-comedy centers around a struggling Hollywood actress forced to reunite with her sister as part of her father’s last wishes. It stars Rebecca Breeds, Erik Thomson, Adelaide Clemens and Joel Jackson.

Lou Wells (portrayed by Breeds) was set to become Hollywood’s next big thing – but a few years later, she’s hit rock bottom. Broke and aimless, she reluctantly accepts a ticket from her estranged father (Thomson), home to Kangaroo Island for a “family reunion.” When her father’s real agenda unfolds, years of tension resurface, and Lou struggles between continuing to run away from her past or working to repair the damage done.

“Kangaroo Island” is a Pouch Potato Productions production, in conjunction with Piro Inc. Ot has financial support from the South Australian Film...

Did someone order more comedy with a side of fries from Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell? In addition to teaching the world about who’s a dude (it turns out we’re all dudes), the dynamic burger-slinging comedic duo is looking to “Super-Size” their recent reunion for Good Burger 2 in more ways than one! Speaking with Variety about getting back behind the counter for the long-awaited sequel Good Burger 2, Thompson says he and Mitchell will “one million percent” continue working together after the delicious follow-up to 1997’s Good Burger.

“It would be only right for us to continue to go explore what Kenan and Kel could have been when we were in our 20s when we left Nickelodeon and decided to try to figure it out, instead of just automatically doing the Abbott and Costello thing,” Thompson says. “Now that we’re older and sharper and wiser and this that and the other,...

Wednesday marks Rupert Murdoch’s last day as chairman of News Corp., the publishing company that formed his initial entry into the U.S. market nearly 50 years ago. His son Lachlan Murdoch, the CEO of Fox Corp., will assume the role of chairman in his place.

But he told shareholders of the company that he does not intend to ride off into the sunset.

“As you know, I am moving to the role of Chairman Emeritus, and Lachlan will become the sole Chair of News Corp. Lachlan is a principled leader, and a believer in the social purpose of journalism,” Murdoch said at News Corp.’s annual shareholder meeting Wednesday. “I hope to continue an active role in the company.”

Murdoch, 92, delivered the opening remarks, and introduced News Corp.’s CEO Robert Thomson. But he also weighed in on current events, paying tribute to journalists in the Middle East and Ukraine,...

News Corp. expects to generate big bucks from generative artificial intelligence.

On News Corp.’s fiscal first-quarter earnings call, CEO Robert Thomson said that the company is in “advanced discussions” with companies to license its content for their AI engines.

“We are in advanced discussions with a range of digital companies that we anticipate will bring significant revenue in return for the use of our unmatched content sets,” Thomson said. “Generative AI engines are only as sophisticated as their inputs and need constant replenishing to remain relevant. And we are proud to partner with responsible purveyors of AI products and their prescient leaders.”

He also added some thoughts of his own about the technology, with a typical Thomson flourish.

“One observation about generative AI, we often hear about misinformation and disinformation, to the point where the very words have become politicized and polluted,” he said. “The potential for the proselytizing...

Tintin Reporter - Cigars of the Pharaoh is a new adventure that follows one of the most beloved stories from the classic Hergé comic book series. The title comes from developer Pendulo Studios, which has previously produced other games inspired by famous works like Alfred Hitchcock - Vertigo, and publisher Microids, which largely focuses on adapting IPs into games. Players will be able to fill the shoes of beloved reporter Tintin, and alongside his dog Snowy solve one of the writer's most iconic tales.

Cigars of the Pharaoh will take players across Egypt, Arabia, and India as they try to uncover a secret smuggling ring. The game places an emphasis on accuracy, sometimes matching up panel-for-panel with the original comic, while also aiming to serve as an introduction for new fans. A myriad of interactive environments will let players take the investigation into their own hands as they search areas...

The Israeli-Gaza morass this week seemed to defy coherent media coverage, reminding me of critic David Thomson’s conclusion about Hollywood war movies and how they “used to celebrate courage, not confusion.”

Thomson’s new book, The Fatal Alliance, deals with the history of the war movie from Gallipoli to Saving Private Ryan, guiding readers from “war is hell” to “war is a blur.”

The war movie once constituted a reliable genre product for Hollywood, along with the Western and the musical. To be sure, Israel-Gaza is a tragedy of enormous and dramatic proportions, as symbolized by its chaotic cross-cutting from drones to tunnels.

From Paths of Glory to Dunkirk, war movies once set forth a structure and pathos to guide audiences through the nihilism of combat.

Thomson reminds us of the pageantry of the knights on horseback in Olivier’s Henry V, the churning helicopters in Apocalypse Now or...

News Corp CEO Robert Thomson is sounding the alarm on the left-wing bias and inaccuracies that permeate the world of AI-generated content. In a fiery speech at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia and Technology Conference in San Francisco, Thomson didn’t mince words as he criticized the prevalence of biased narratives and erroneous information in media produced […]

The post Media Exec Warns of Left-Wing Bias and Inaccuracies in AI-Generated Content, Raises Concerns Over Future Job Losses appeared first on Shockya.com.

Michael Keaton's appearance as Batman in "The Flash" did little to support his faltering superhero career, despite high anticipation. The film's disappointing reception and box office performance adds a new dimension to how audiences view his previous role in "Birdman." "The Flash" was a major box office bomb, losing Warner Bros. roughly $200 million. This failure led to the cancellation of planned projects featuring Keaton as Batman, contrary to the plot of "Birdman" where the protagonist successfully revived his career. Keaton's superhero career has taken a sour turn, with canceled projects like "Batgirl" and his role in the Aquaman sequel being cut. His appearances in poorly-received films like "The Flash" and "Morbius" in the past year could harm his reputation as a talented actor.

The disappointing reception to 2023's The Flash may have changed audiences' perspectives on one of Michael Keaton's most-celebrated roles from 2014's Birdman of (The Unexpected Virtue...

The rise of generative artificial intelligence is top of mind for most CEOs these days, and Robert Thomson, the CEO of Wall Street Journal owner News Corp. is no exception.

On his company’s fiscal Q4 earnings call Thursday, Thomson dedicated a section of his opening remarks to generative AI, revealing that his company is in active discussion with AI and tech companies “to establish a value for our unique content sets and IP that will play a crucial role in the future of AI.”

Thomson and News Corp., of course, have long been at the vanguard of seeking payments from Big Tech for accessing the company’s content. It was News Corp. that pushed for and ultimately received payment from Google, Meta and other tech giants in exchange for access to their journalism.

And now it intends to pursue a similar deal with the AI companies, some of whom...

Brad Thomson, a founding guitarist for defunct mathcore band The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, has died.

News of Thomson’s passing was posted to his Facebook page by his wife Angie Granado, who penned a touching eulogy to her husband of two years:

“It’s with a heavy [heart] to let people know that my husband, Brad Thomson, has passed on. Many of you know him from the band The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza as one helluva guitar player. This man had the kindest soul and the biggest heart of any man I have ever known. Please think of him today and hug your loved ones. I will miss you my sweet husband. Always tell the people how much you love them as we never know what the next day could bring.

I love you Brad Thomson! You will forever be my husband and I am ever so grateful that you...

Japanese anime legend Hayao Miyazaki’s much anticipated final film, now titled The Boy and the Heron in English, is set to open the Toronto Film Festival with a toned-down star presence on Sept. 7.

Studio Ghibli’s mysterious epic feature — with hand-drawn animation from Miyazaki — will have an international premiere at Roy Thomson Hall after being release in theaters in Japan on July 14. Gkids plans a theatrical release in North America later this year.

Studio Ghibli previously described the film as “a grand fantasy” loosely inspired by Japanese author Genzaburo Yoshino’s 1937 novel How Do You Live?, a coming-of-age story about the emotional and philosophical development of a young boy after the death of his father.

Studio Ghibli, which Miyazaki co-founded, has screened earlier titles in Toronto including The Red Turtle (2016), The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2014), The Wind Rises (2013), From Up on Poppy Hill (2011), Spirited Away (2002) and Princess Mononoke...

Cannes is not only about movies and film deals this time of year. It is also about film discussions.

During a Thursday panel on sustainable production, for example, topics ranged from reusable water bottles and the limiting of private air travel to the need for government support and net-zero production studios.

Sitting on the panel were Phil Hunt, CEO of Head Gear Films and Bankside Films, Gareth Ellis-Unwin, the CEO of Bedlam Film Productions, Meg Thomson, executive vp of worldwide content at Globalgate Entertainment, producer Gareth Wiley, and Tage Studio’s Claire Havet. Deloitte’s Hassen Ouartani and Maria Quiros Grande also participated.

The panel, hosted by The Hollywood Reporter and sponsored by Tage Studios, was moderated by THR‘s Scott Roxborough and covered sustainable production, low-emissions filmmaking, LED lights, and more.

Havet noted that Tage, the first net-zero studio in the world, which is set to open in Portugal,...

Birdman's VFX supervisor Ara Khanikian explains how Michael Keaton's pseudo-superhero movie return changed VFX with its techniques. Before it was announced that Keaton was returning as Batman for The Flash, the closest he came to returning to the superhero genre was in Birdman. The film premiered in 2014 and is a black comedy that follows Riggan Thomson (Keaton), a washed-up actor trying to score another win for his career after it peaked when he played a superhero named Birdman 20 years earlier. While Keaton portrayed the Birdman hero in Thomson's fantasies, it wasn't quite the same as his Batman role, but it did impact VFX.

While appearing on the Corridor Crew, Khanikian explained how Birdman was one of the earliest films to use natural footage in place of a green screen. To film the flying scenes in Thomson's imagination, the VFX crew captured actual footage of Manhattan. The footage...

Donald Trump may have stumbled onto a novel copyright issue.

On Jan. 30, the ever-litigious Trump sued Bob Woodward and his publisher Simon & Schuster over the public release of audio recordings from their interviews for Woodward’s book, aptly titled The Trump Tapes. More than eight hours of excerpts from the interviews were published in October as an audiobook, and Trump says he’s entitled to all or most of those profits because he only granted Woodward permission to use his responses in a book. The former president asked for a court order declaring that he owns the copyright to the recordings or, at least, to his responses to the questions in the back-and-forth.

Woodward, in his motion for dismissal, argues that Trump’s claim fails because he hasn’t obtained the requisite copyright registration. While few courts have addressed interview ownership, he also argues it’s “obvious that ownership vests in the journalist,...