Category: Entertainment

“Little Princess,” the British pre-school animation classic, is heading to Sky UK, in a deal struck with Banijay Kids & Family which sees the pay TV buying its complete catalog.

Further new distribution deals on “Little Princess,” a four-time BAFTA nominee, have been struck with Nordisk Film, RTV Slovenia and Italy’s TIM.

Based on the best-selling children’s books by award-winning author and illustrator Tony Ross, “Little Princess” launched on the U.K.’s Channel 4 “Milkshake” children’s TV block in 2006 and ran through four seasons of a total 135 episodes, the last ending in 2020.

First time round, when on linear TV, “Little Princess” was released in 140 territories. The deal announced by Banijay Kids & Family on Wednesday at Mipcom o underscore that what the market is looking for is evergreen brands, not necessarily brand new linear TV shows.

“Little Princess” has, however, cultivated from 2008 to a fandom base on YouTube and other platforms, underscoring its resilient appeal.

Sky U.K. has acquired all series and specials. Nordisk Film has acquired Seasons 1-3 and the series’ specials for SVOD across the Nordics; RTV Slovenia has Seasons 1-2, and Telecom Italia’s TIM for its Italian streaming platform aggregator, TIMVision.

“Little Princess” is produced by The Illuminated Film Company, also behind Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories” and the RTS Award winning “The Rubbish World of Dave Spud.”

Set in a comfy world of gentle blocked colors, an ever blue sky, lovely grass low hills stretching to the horizon, and a purple-bricked castle, “Little Princess” turns on the antics of the bubbly, ever inquisitive and endearing titular character.

Sporting a permanent yellow crown teeth and craggy mild teeth who confronts every day problems – such as getting a scratch after a very minor accident on “I Need a Plaster. Coddled by her parents and the cast service, she learns, however, that she might be a princess but won’t always get her own way. Each episode, as Banijay Friends & Family notes, is told with a warm blend of humor and surprise.

“Across the industry, we’re seeing continued demand for trusted, established IP that can cut through in an increasingly crowded landscape. With a new U.K. home on Sky and partners across Europe, ‘Little Princess’ demonstrates the enduring value of distinctive characters and storytelling that audiences know and love,” said Julia Rowlands, SVP Sales, Co-Productions and Acquisitions, Banijay Kids & Family.Led by CEO Benoît Di Sabatino, Banijay Kids & Family brings together leading production companies – Monello Productions, Movimenti Production, Procidis, Tiger Aspect Kids & Family, Zodiak Kids & Family France, and Zodiak Productions UK – spanning France, Italy, and the U.K.

It is behind preeminent kids’ brands including “Totally Spies!,” “Mr Bean,” “Once Upon a Time…, LoliRock,” “Super Happy Magic Forest,” “Street Football” and “MiniHeroes of the Forest.”

Russell Brand was “ruthless and calculated” with an “indiscriminate and voracious” desire for sexual contact, the prosecution alleged in its opening statement at the actor and comedian’s rape trial in London.

Brand has been charged with three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. He has pleaded not guilty and denied all charges.

The jury was selected on Tuesday, consisting of eight men and four women. The case involves six female plaintiffs, all of whom are given automatic lifelong anonymity according to U.K. law, and relates to alleged offenses that occurred between 1999 and 2009.

Arriving to Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday morning, Brand sported a black suit, pinstriped shirt, loose white tie and sunglasses. He was accompanied by his wife, Laura Gallacher, whose hand he clasped. According to BBC News, Brand told reporters on his way inside: “I feel blessed. I feel of course concerned, but hopeful that this process will lead to good outcomes for everybody — that is my prayer,” he said. Inside the courtroom, Brand appeared to be rubbing what looked like a rock or pebble in his hand.

Riel Karmy-Jones KC is leading the prosecution and set out the case against Brand. As the BBC reports, the six alleged victims “did not know each other, have never met each other” and “came forward independently of each other,” Karmy-Jones noted.

Brand was “ruthless and calculated” and “sometimes might tell women what they wanted to hear” to satisfy his sexual appetite, Karmy-Jones alleged. “The circumstances of the offending were as wide and as varied as the defendant’s career,” she said. “His strong desire for some form of sexual contact was indiscriminate and voracious.”

Karmy-Jones called Brand “a flirt with a huge sexual appetite — childlike in his expectation that his every desire should be met.” He would “appear indifferent” after an alleged assault, she claimed. “Sometimes he would leave promptly after the incident, sometimes making an excuse to get away or sometimes simply continuing as though nothing wrong had happened,” she said, according to BBC News.

The prosecution brought in testimony from a former friend of Brand’s, who claimed that the comedian bragged to him that he wanted to sleep with “5,000 women” in his lifetime and had laid out “rules” to achieve this, including telling them “what they want to hear.”

Turning to the first alleged victim, who was in her 20s at the time of the incident in 1999, the prosecution said when she first met Brand she assumed he was gay. Later at her home, she invited him to make himself a cup of tea while she used the bathroom. When she emerged, she was shocked to find him “partially undressed.”

“Perhaps some of her confusion can be explained by how the defendant was behaving, because as she came out of the bathroom he was prancing around the room — a bit like an ostrich, doing silly walks like Basil Fawlty,” Karmy-Jones said, as reported by BBC News. “She was taken aback, she was shocked and didn’t really know what to do — and in her words she froze a bit.”

The prosecution then alleged that Brand raped her. She “described drifting out of her head, knowing there was nothing she could do, as he pulled her trousers and underwear down, penetrated her vagina with his penis — raping her,” Karmy-Jones said.

The complainant claims she didn’t report the alleged incident at the time because of Brand’s “celebrity status,” which she “now greatly regrets.” When she did eventually file a police report and Brand was questioned about the incident, the prosecution claimed he did not remember her name or the incident, but insisted that he “had never engaged in non-consensual activity.”

The second incident occurred in 2001, the prosecution claimed, and involved a woman in her 30s at the time who was working at MTV. The prosecution alleged that Brand “lurched forward and grabbed her breasts,” and then “squeezed them with both his hands,” as BBC News reports.

In the mid-2000s, Brand was best known as a comedian and actor, presenting shows such as “Big Brother’s Big Mouth” and starring in films such as “Get Him to the Greek” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” He has since pivoted to podcasting and influencing online.

The trial is expected to run for six weeks.

In what looks like a coup for both parties, Skydance and Movistar Plus, the biggest Spanish pay TV/SVOD operator, are expanding their strategic alliance, strengthening Skydance’s deal in distribution on Movistar Plus and taking it to the next level by including co-branded orginal series.

The two-year deal continuation of the distribution of HBO Max and Warner Bros. Theatrical features on Movistar Plus, the distribution of former Discovery TV channels now part of Skydance TV.

In a new and exciting element which takes the partnership to a new level, however, the two partners will co-develop and co-produce series under the joint Movistar Plus and HBO Original label. These will be distributed worldwide by HBO Max and Skydance.

The deal looks like a win-win for both partners. Over recent years, Movistar Plus has exploded onto the international scene with hugely ambitious series made by the cream of Spain’s younger creauve talent such as “La Mesías,” from “La Bola Negra” directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, the first Spanish series selected for Sundance, Alauda Ruiz de Azua’s “Querer,” which won the top prize at Series Mania last year, and “The New Years,” from “The Beloved” director Rodrigo Sorogoyen, selected for the Venice Film Festival.

With regards to its sub-base, HBO Max is doing well in Spain, set to pass Amazon to become the second largest streamer in Spain by the end of 2026, according to Ampere Analysis. That said, its catalogue is only just over 4% Spanish origin by volume in Spain – half what Netflix has by volume and a quarter of Amazon, Ampere Analysis calculates.

At least when it comes to signature Spanish shows, the new extended arrangement offers HBO Max the same kind of bundling deal with a local operator that has helped drive subscriber growth, advertising and local engagement in Germany with a deal with RTL+ and via Viu in Southeast Asia.

HBO Max has already signed a first look TV deal with Domingo Corral, one of the architects of Movistar Plus’ move into premium series production when head of fiction at Movistar Plus. I has also unveiled a new crime drama produced by Calvo and Ambrossi and created by “Anatomy of a Moment” writer Fran Araújo and “Querer” co-scribe Eduard Sola. The strategic co-development and co-branded series partnership is another and significant step in the same direction.

For Movistar Plus, the alliance offers a one-stop answer to one of its main challenges over recent years: Sacled international distribution, plus priceless co-financing on series which can allow its prize talent to make the series they want to with the resources they need.

First up of joint projects is “Veredicto,” a Movistar Plus and HBO Original series produced in collaboration with Ikiru Films (“Tad Jones and the Magic Lamp”) and Luminol Media.

Created by Eduard Sola again, Pol Cortecans and Daniel González from an original idea by Carles Porta, Spain’s master of true-crime, it stars Nagore Aranburu, the lead of “Querer,” Ernesto Alterio, Alba Flores (“Money Heist”), Omar Ayuso (“Elite”), Secun de la Rosa, Pablo Larraín go-to actor Alfredo Castro, Marc Soler, Júlia Mascort, Cris Blanco and Mamen Duch.

Also in the deal is a new Movistar Plus and HBO Original series from Porta again and Los Moriarti (“Maspalomas,” “Marco,” “The Endless Trench”) starring Anna Castillo (“Nowhere”), Pol López and Eduard Fernández (“The 47”).

“This agreement strengthens our long-standing strategic partnership with Skydance and allows us to continue offering our customers one of the most comprehensive entertainment propositions in the market, combining the best user experience with some of the most recognized content and brands in the audiovisual industry,” said Alfonso Gómez Palacio, CEO of Movistar Plus.

“Great stories have the power to bring audiences together around the world, and this expanded alliance with Movistar Plus will allow us to continue bringing Spanish viewers some of the most influential franchises, films, and series in our industry. From iconic cinematic universes to original productions with the potential to become global phenomena, we share with Movistar Plus the ambition to deliver outstanding entertainment experiences and support a new generation of creators and storytellers,” said Alessandro Araimo, managing director & executive VP, Southern Europe at Skydance.

Upcoming BBC-ZDF series ‘Honey,’ which had its world premiere Monday evening at Mipcom, isn’t your usual Cold War thriller.

In the show, sold by Fifth Season, a young MI6 agent Martha (Ann Skelly) becomes entangled in a dangerous love triangle in East Berlin in 1982, where she navigates a shadowy world of counterespionage.

“Romance and spy thriller feel like two genres that don’t necessarily go together, but they sharpen each other in writing. If the violence is really gory and the spy elements are really dangerous, then the sexy elements have to be really, really sexy,” said Emma Moran, lead writer and executive producer.

Before Monday’s screening, Moran admitted that she embraced the silliness, which is actually rooted in real life.

“I didn’t have to reach that far for a lot of the set pieces because real-life CIA or MI6 spycraft is ridiculous. They literally have prosthetic testicles in which they hide notes. Notes that would bring down civilization are stuffed in a plastic ball sack! When you start from that benchmark, it’s not that hard to get the comedy in,” she laughed.

“We went to this spy museum in Berlin that had room after room of these elaborate cigarette cases that were cameras, and they even strapped cameras to pigeons. I love the Q moments in Bond [movies].”

She added: “There’s an innate comedy and absurdity to spying. You’re putting on a silly little costume and saying: ‘I’m someone else’,” she said. Skelly deadpanned: “It’s the story of my life.”

Skelly, known for “House of Guinness” and “The Nevers,” stars alongside Nate Mann, Jannis Niewöhner and Rory Kinnear.

“When I first read it, I just thought it was so funny. Like, genuinely funny. Sometimes, when you get through auditions as an actor, you go: ‘Crap, I’m going to have to learn all this.’ But now, I was really excited to do it,” she said.

“We’re both Irish [with Moran], so I think we connected with some sort of rhythm.”

She appreciated Martha’s boldness and brazenness.

“I didn’t really grow up with many female characters like that. She’s just incredibly ambitious and full of confidence, but not quite the experience. It’s so much fun to watch a character like that.”

The role was challenging, also because of the cold weather in Lithuania where they filmed, but in the best possible way.

“If I’m not in fishnets again, I can go back to the snow. I think it was the coldest winter they’d had in a really long time. Since the ’70s!”

“It was challenging in the same way when you order a really big steak,” she joked. “It was so satiating.”

Moran found a lot of vulnerability in her characters, who often have a hard time not following their emotions.

“We’re in a semi-totalitarian society where you have to watch yourself and desires have to be restrained. With the love triangle dominating the show, it was so satisfying to play with these two poles of ‘I can’t say who I am, I can’t do this, I have to do something that way.’ Then, desires crashing into that felt just so rich for romance,” she said.

Executive producer Sally Woodward Gentle (Sid Gentle Films, known for “Killing Eve”) agreed: They never wanted to make a “brown, turgid period show.”

“We wanted to do something very different. Emma was really keen to bring up romance. You’ve got these extraordinary young people living on the edge, who are also very lustful,” she said.

“I think it makes it something that’s not just about history; it’s about human beings.”

Jennifer Ebell, EVP of television distribution at Fifth Season, noted: “We’ve had the pleasure of working with Sally before, but it’s not like you bring in the same recipe. What Sally and the team have done is bring in a very distinct voice. We have trust and a partnership, and we’re relying on repeat business as an indie studio.”

“It’s very hard to find commercially viable content with a distinct voice. But Sally’s nailed it. You’re going to get home, it’s going to be winter, and you’re not going to want to do anything other than take off your shoes and watch ‘Honey’.”

They definitely want to return.

“It’s only 1982 [in the show] so we’ve got seven years left to do a lot of stuff,” said Moran.

The fall of the Berlin Wall happened in 1989, ending 28 years of division between East and West Berlin.

Skelly added: “I am still pitching for maybe Hawaii? Somewhere warm – with a touch of spring.”

As the Telly Awards opens submissions for its 48th annual competition, it has added an entire track for the fast-growing microseries industry. The Telly Awards has added 56 new categories in the microseries space, covering both general fields and for craft.

“Great stories move you regardless of format — whether it’s a documentary, a brand campaign or a new vertical series,” said Amanda Needham, managing director of the Telly Awards, in a statement. “We’re including microseries and generative AI this season because formats evolve – but what makes a great story doesn’t.”

The Telly Awards focuses on video production from around the world, including series, commercials, branded content, film and shorts, social video, generative AI, immersive/interactive and more. Last year, the Tellys received 14,000 entries from 55 countries — a new record. (Variety won six honors at the 47th annual Telly Awards — including a gold award for “Variety’s Behind the Show with Emily Longeretta,” which won in the Social Video: Media & Entertainment category.)

The new microseries craft categories include 2D animation, 3D/CG animation, art direction, color grading, digital environments, directing, drone and aerial cinematography, editing, motion graphics and design, original score, production design, sound and sound design, use of animation, use of archival footage, use of comedy, use of generative AI, use of stock footage, vertical cinematography, vertical clipping, virtual art direction, visual effects, voice acting and narration and writing.

General categories include action and adventure, animation, beauty and personal care, book adaptation, branded entertainment, comedy, creator and host, culture + lifestyle, DEI: diversity, equity and inclusion, documentary, drama, education and discovery, entertainment, food and beverage, game show and competition, historical, holiday and seasonal, horror and thriller, journalism and news and LGBTQ+.

Also: narrative, non-scripted, procedural, public interest and awareness, reality, romance, romantasy, sci-fi and fantasy, social impact, sports, telenovela, workplace culture and young adult.

The Telly Awards also announced new members for its judging council: Kerry Easter, head of marketing, Fremantle U.K.; Nathan Isherwood, head of Whalar Studios, Whalar Group; Joel Meyer, exec VP, Lionsgate Television; Patricia Ramella, senior director, brand, marketing & digital, Latin America, Paramount; and Sabrina Telle, creative strategy director, Laika.

As it dives deeper into the microseries world, the Telly Awards also signed vertical streaming platform ReelShort on as a partner (along with the Nonfiction Hotlist).

“Vertical video isn’t the future of storytelling. It’s the present,” said ReelShort global head of content Sophie Xiong in a statement. “We’re seeing the format evolve across genres, talent and established IP, creating new ways for audiences to experience stories they already love and discover new ones. Partnering with the Telly Awards is an opportunity to celebrate that evolution and recognize the creators and stories moving the format forward.”

The 48th Annual Telly Awards entries can be found at tellyawards.com/enter; early entry deadline is Dec. 11, with a final deadline to be announced at a later date.

Universal’s horror entry “Other Mommy,” directed by Rob Savage and starring Jessica Chastain and Jay Duplass, squeaked to the top of the U.K. and Ireland box office in a dead heat, debuting at No. 1 with £1.97 million ($2.66 million).

The horror debut narrowly edged Sony’s psychological thriller “Verity,” which moved to second place in its sophomore session by a razor-thin margin of just £33,263 ($43,970), collecting £1.94 million ($2.62 million). The Colleen Hoover adaptation lifted its running cume to £7.3 million ($9.8 million).

Paramount’s action thriller “Heart of the Beast,” starring Brad Pitt and J.K. Simmons, held third position in its third frame with $1.1 million, elevating its gross to $7.3 million. Sony’s franchise reboot “Resident Evil” took fourth spot in its fourth session, generating $1 million to advance its total to $17.1 million. Sony also claimed fifth position with the debut of Aaron Sorkin’s political drama “The Social Reckoning,” which collected $840,538.

Universal’s “Sense and Sensibility” followed in sixth place during its third weekend, adding $797,038 for a running total of $6.8 million. Entertainment Film Distributors’ historical drama “The Uprising,” directed by Paul Greengrass and starring Andrew Garfield, opened in seventh position with $732,547.

Studiocanal’s animated feature “Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom” landed in eighth place in its fourth session, collecting $665,849 to raise its total to $5.1 million. Warner Bros.’ Tom Cruise film “Digger” took ninth position in its sophomore frame, taking $661,819 to bring its cume to $3 million. Universal’s “The Odyssey,” directed by Christopher Nolan, rounded out the top 10 in its 13th week on release, adding $353,321 to push its cumulative gross to $118.3 million.

Looking ahead to the upcoming theatrical frame, Monday saw Trafalgar Releasing launching music documentary “Always Lalisa,” followed on Tuesday by Cinematik presenting “ENB: The Sleeping Beauty” across 100+ locations.

Wide commercial and saturation rollouts on Friday opening across 300+ locations are led by Disney’s survival thriller “Whalefall,” directed by Brian Duffield and starring Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin; Icon Film Distribution’s found-footage horror “The Influencer Project,” starring Chiara King; and Trafalgar Releasing’s filmed stage capture of “Hadestown: The Musical,” starring Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada. Paramount is also rolling out “Street Fighter”.

Mid-tier and platform releases across 100+ locations include Universal’s animated feature “Forgotten Island,” directed by Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado, and Anime Ltd.’s anime re-release “Arrietty,” featuring voice work from Saoirse Ronan and Tom Holland.

Specialized, festival, and international titles arriving Friday include Conic’s drama “Case 137,” directed by Dominik Moll, across 25+ screens; Soilsiu Films’ documentary “Forever Is Now,” directed by Neasa Ní Chianáin, across 25+ sites; DOVC U.K.’s “Deadline,” directed by Kiwi Chow across 25+ screens; Central City Media’s “It’s My Time,” directed by Xue Bai and starring Michelle Yeoh across 25+ locations; Bulldog Film Distribution’s “By Design,” directed by Amanda Kramer and starring Juliette Lewis; Signature Entertainment’s “Winter of the Crow”; Exposure’s “Mistura”; Dogwoof’s “Naza”; and Bakrania Media’s “Prahaar.”

Repertory and archival screenings are highlighted by Hammer and Icon Film Distribution launching Terence Fisher’s classic “Dracula” in a 4K restoration across 100+ screens, alongside Park Circus’ 25th anniversary 4K restoration of Alejandro Amenábar’s “The Others,” starring Nicole Kidman, across 100+ locations. The frame concludes on Saturday with Trafalgar Releasing’s live event cinema broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera’s “Macbeth”.

The full list of MCU characters who will appear in “Avengers: Doomsday” may still be a mystery, but Jeremy Renner has made it clear he didn’t return as Hawkeye — and says The Avengers “will probably lose” as a result.

“No, no, no, no. Not in that one,” said Renner when asked if he was returning for “Doomsday” in a recent interview. “’Doomsday’ I’m not in, so the Avengers will probably lose, just so you know… they didn’t call me, so it’s their fault. They’re going to lose.”

Though he isn’t reprising the role of Hawkeye for “Doomsday,” the actor did note that he was excited about the re-release of “Avengers: Endgame,” which brought the 2019 film back to theaters ahead of “Doomsday’s” Dec. 18 release. Renner has played the superhero previously in “The Avengers,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Endgame,” in addition to other films like “Thor” and “Captain America: Civil War,” in which he made brief appearances.

In 2025, Renner said that he was open to returning to the MCU, whether it was for Season 2 of “Hawkeye” or something else. “I’m always happy to be in that world, man. I love all those guys, I love the character,” Renner told Empire. “I’m sure we’ll end up doing Season 2 [of ‘Hawkeye’], and do other things. And I’m happy to do it. My body’s getting ready for something like that. I don’t know if anybody wants to see me in tights, but my body will look good in the tights.”

At the time, he’d also noted that he’d recovered “more than 150%” from his 2023 snowmobile accident, meaning he was ready to do his own stunts for the Marvel films. Renner had been hospitalized after his Sno-Cat, a large snow plow that weighs at least 14,330 pounds, ran him over, resulting in eight of his ribs being broken in 14 places, his right knee and ankle broken, left leg tibia broken, left ankle broken, right clavicle broken, right shoulder broken and more.