TV, Movies & Home Theatre

Amazon has just announced that it will be releasing three AI-animated series on Prime, and it's only the beginning.

Amazon MGM Studios, and AWS have greenlit Punky Duck, Love, Diana Music Hunters, and Cupcake & Friends, all built using their new AI production platform, Project Nara. The GenAI Creators' Fund, a joint venture between Amazon Web Services and Amazon MGM Studios, aims to level the playing field for creators by giving them access to professional-grade AI tools.

The platform integrates with popular tools such as Maya, Blender, and Unreal Engine and assigns each task to an AI model that has the best chance of completing it with the highest degree of accuracy. Creators had just five weeks to deliver their pilot episodes for the series, a stark indicator of how quickly these AI models can generate content.

It appears that the original Chromecasts out there are running into serious problems, with a raft of reports from owners of the first-gen hardware suggesting that all is suddenly not well with their devices.

9 to 5 Google (via TechRadar) highlighted the reports from first-gen Chromecast owners on Reddit who are complaining that everything has become rather hit-and-miss with their hardware.

In the Reddit thread entitled 'Looks like Google just killed every Gen 1 Chromecast in existence' (see above), some folks report YouTube no longer works - that seems to be a common issue - or that other streaming services are failing, like HBO Max or Paramount+, while others are fine.

Some TVs (notably OLEDs) are marked down for not being bright enough, and there can be concerns around daytime viewing with such screens, particularly in well-lit rooms - but one criticism you can't level at the TCL X11 is that its brightness is subpar.

According to TV expert and reviewer Vincent Teoh (via VideoCardz), the new 85-inch Super Quantum Dot Mini LED TV from TCL comes close to 11,000 nits.

That's as measured by Teoh as you can see in the above video clip posted on X, with the brightness level reaching 10,931 nits to be precise.

A Battlefield movie starring Michael B. Jordan is already sparking a bidding war, highlighting just how valuable major gaming IP has become in Hollywood right now.

According to recent reports, multiple studios are competing for the rights to the project, which aims to bring EA's long-running Battlefield franchise to the big screen. The involvement of Michael B. Jordan has reportedly elevated the project's prospects, positioning it as more than just another video game adaptation and instead as a potential blockbuster with mainstream appeal, but also seemingly a shoo-in with gamers.

Video game adaptations are no longer treated as risky experiments, with several franchises making the jump to either film or TV shows, and many becoming successful. For example, there is the God of War TV show in development, along with Activision's Call of Duty movie, which was recently confirmed. There is also The Last of Us TV show and the super-successful Super Mario Bros. Movie. These successes have proven that gaming IP can translate into major box-office hits. Battlefield, with its large-scale warfare, cinematic set pieces, and global recognition, is now going to join the silver screen.

Huawei is pushing the boundaries of what a car can do with a new vehicle that can project movies directly from its headlights, turning everyday parking into a potential cinema experience. Waiting in the car for someone? No worries, just start playing videos with your headlights.

The system integrates projection technology into the car's lighting hardware, enabling video content to be displayed on walls or other external surfaces. It is part of Huawei's broader push into smart mobility, where vehicles are no longer just about transportation but also serve as a mobile entertainment hub.

As automakers explore autonomous driving and longer in-car dwell time, the focus is increasingly shifting toward entertainment and lifestyle features, as passengers who experience autonomous driving will need features they can interact with during the commute.

Capcom and Sony have released a first-look teaser trailer for Zach Cregger's new Resident Evil movie, delivering what looks to be a mix of grisly madcap chaos with distinct body horror. Now the director shares how his earliest experiences with Resident Evil games helped shape his vision for the film.

The new Resident Evil film premieres exclusively in theaters on September 18, 2026, bringing a very return-to-roots horror take on the series' transmedia depictions. The new trailer is thrilling, with well-paced action shots and some shocking scenes reminiscent of a Raimi film.

On the heels of the new footage, Resident Evil movie director Zach Cregger has been touring in a press junket, and recently shared how the early iconic games from Capcom locked in the major themes for the adaptation.

Kiki Wolfkill has left Microsoft after 28 years of game and transmedia development, leaving behind a legacy of projects including Halo 4 and the Halo TV series.

Original 343 Industries executive and Halo creator Kiki Wolfkill has announced her departure from Microsoft on LinkedIn, highlighting decades of work helping define Xbox's film and TV focus.

"I'm so grateful for the opportunities that Microsoft has given me and the career that it let me build in an industry that I love. At the same time, there is a version of me outside of Microsoft that I'm excited to grow and evolve. I have so many learnings to carry forward and more impact to be made and I couldn't be more inspired to climb the next mountain!" Wolfkill said in the post.

It's 2026, and vertical videos are everywhere. TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram reels, you name it. There is a huge debate over whether short-form vertical videos are replacing long-form videos on platforms like YouTube. Well, adding fuel to the fire, Netflix is now planning to introduce vertical videos to its mobile app.

In Netflix's Q1 2026 shareholders' letter, Netflix announced that it is planning a redesign of its mobile app to add vertical videos, and that the feature will be made available "at the end of the month". The vertical videos will have their own "discovery feed", which we imagine would be a limitless scrolling feed much like we see on TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Netflix is apparently taking this step in response to other streaming services, such as Disney+ and Peacock, as well as to compete with established giants in the space, such as TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Netflix is aiming to replicate YouTube's success with vertical videos, which are very popular among younger viewers and serve as a funnel to its long-form content.

The long-awaited Call of Duty movie finally has a release date, but fans are going to be waiting a while to see where the iconic gaming series is going on the silver screen.

Xbox and Activision have officially confirmed that the Call of Duty film is set to hit theaters on June 30, 2028, marking the franchise's first big-screen debut after years of speculation. The project, which is being developed in partnership with Paramount, was first announced last year, with momentum building behind the scenes as key talent joined the production. However, the newly revealed release date highlights just how early the film still is in its development cycle.

Behind the camera, the movie already has some notable names attached. Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan and director Peter Berg are co-writing and producing the adaptation, suggesting a grounded, military-focused tone. Interestingly, reports previously indicated that Activision declined an offer from Steven Spielberg to direct the film, opting instead to retain full creative control over the project. While story details remain under wraps, it's widely expected that the film will lean into the franchise's signature tactical, yet arcadey action.

Paramount was planning to release The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender, a new animated movie based on the cult-classic animated TV series that followed Aang far into his life, on Paramount+ on October 9 this year. However, the entire movie has leaked online, and it's already available on numerous torrenting websites.

Originally, Paramount intended to release the new animated movie in theaters, but throughout its development, it decided that The Legend of Aang would go straight to Paramount+, its streaming service. The leak began on X with a user writing that Nickelodeon had sent them an entire copy of The Legend of Aang, which was followed up by the user threatening Paramount to livestream the movie if the streaming giant didn't release the official trailer for the animated movie.

Shortly after, entire copies of The Legend of Aang began appearing on X, with users receiving links that would expire after a few hours. Those who managed to get an active link were directed to a download via various file-sharing platforms. Simultaneously, clips from the movie were appearing on X and Reddit, some showing critical plot points.

Over the weekend, clips from the upcoming animated movie Avatar: The Last Airbender, "Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender," appeared online, prompting immediate, well-founded concerns that they were simply AI-generated by a fan. However, the entire movie is now being passed around via various vanishing links, and those clips are being taken down over copyright claims.

The initial leak came from an X user who wrote "Nickelodeon accidentally emailed me the entire Avatar aang movie🤦they made Toph straight yall." Additionally, the user threatened Paramount, writing, "If Paramount doesn't post a trailer within the next couple of days or something, I'll livestream the movie alongside some Peggle Deluxe gameplay." The videos themselves have showcased crucial plot points of the movie, which was expected to release on Paramount+ on October 9, reportedly skipping its theatrical run.

The clips showcase the characters much older than in the iconic animated cartoon, and without getting into spoilers, characters such as Aang, Zuko, Katara, Sokka, and Toph are all reunited, with each character receiving a new voice actor. Nickelodeon and Paramount have yet to release anything official regarding the movie, making this leak particularly tragic for both companies, as the entire movie has already been passed around online and will likely end up on torrenting websites.

Sony-owned Columbia Pictures has ordered a feature-length film based on Hideo Kojima's and Konami's legendary Metal Gear Solid franchise.

With the latest gaming mega-hit adaptation, Super Mario Galaxy, nearing $400 million in gross box office ticket sales, other entertainment groups are looking to get in on the action. New reports indicate that Sony's Columbia Pictures is making a movie based on Metal Gear Solid, which in turn is a video game series that's heavily influenced by action films from the 1980s and 1990s.

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Final Destination Bloodlines' Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein will direct the Metal Gear film under their production company, Wonderlab.

Nintendo is reportedly looking at ideas for new film adaptations, and that might include exploring a possible Luigi's Mansion movie.

With the Super Mario Galaxy overshooting opening projections by tens of millions of dollars, and recently breaking the $400 million in global ticket sales, Nintendo is apparently eyeing what's next for Mario movies.

New reports from well-known insider and podcaster Shpeshal Nick indicate that Nintendo is looking at offbeat options for more films, including a potential big screen version of Luigi's Mansion.

TVs have been getting bigger and bigger, a trend that has held true for decades. In 2026, a 65-inch widescreen TV is considered the 'big screen' standard in several markets, but stroll through any home entertainment section in a big-box electronics store today, and a 65-inch TV will look relatively small or even unimpressive compared to the increasingly prevalent 75-inch and larger models.

Which begs the question, at what point do panels become so large that big-screen TVs are no longer practical or even feasible to install in a modern household or apartment? As in, you've got no choice but to design, build, and furnish a room around the idea of a massive TV.

Well, according to LG's 2026 QNED evo Mini LED TV Lineup, we might have the answer. In addition to the more standard sizes, LG is launching a pair of "ultra-large" models: 115-inch and 100-inch. Yes, a 115-inch TV is massive and would fill up an entire wall in most living rooms, and even though it's probably "too big" for a lot of living room spaces, it's hard not to be impressed by the fact that we've now reached a point where an impressive and readily available 115-inch TV is a reality.

Illumination and Nintendo have a novel approach to video game movie adaptations: Actually involving the people who designed and made the games.

Looking closely at the most successful game movies and TV shows, we see a few common elements: Passion, dedication, and continuity. The adaptations that do best are the ones that pay close attention to the details of the source material, often involving original creators, designers, and game developers that have been involved for years to help lead the charge. The Fallout TV show is a prime example of this, but nothing stands higher than the Mario movies.

At the Super Mario Galaxy movie premiere in Kyoto, Tokyo, Illumination boss Chris Meledandri explains that the secret to the Mario movie duo's success lies in Nintendo's unique ability to preserve its teams. It's all because of Illumination's close collaboration with Nintendo's creative minds, Meledandri says, many of which have been working on Mario franchises for decades.

Netflix recently announced a price hike for its US customers across all its plans, as part of improvements to its "wide range of entertainment" and service quality. Since it launched at $7.99 in November 2010, this is the eighth price increase Netflix has introduced for its Standard plan. That means the price has increased by 150% in just over 15 years. While US customers have largely accepted their fate, Italian consumers seem to have had enough.

A court in Rome recently ruled that Netflix owed its Italian users a refund for price hikes between 2017 and January 2024. Each subscriber would be entitled to a reduction in their current subscription price, and Netflix Italia would notify customers within 90 days of their right to a refund and publish the ruling on its website, or face daily fines of € 700.

According to the court, the clauses allowing the increases violated Italy's Consumer Code by failing to set out valid grounds for the hikes. The lawsuit was originally filed by Movimento Consumatori, a consumer rights organization based in Rome, whose president, Alessandro Mostaccio, said over 25,000 Netflix users had complained about the price increases.

XGIMI has opened pre-orders for its new TITAN Noir series of 4K projectors, which includes the flagship TITAN Noir Max, which it claims can deliver "absolute black" images thanks to its precision Dual Iris system and high-end RGB triple-laser technology. With support for IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+, it's built for home theaters and those looking to level up their home cinema experience.

Specs-wise, it sounds impressive, with an overall brightness rating of up to 7,000 Lumens and a native contrast ratio of 10,000:1, thanks to Dual Iris technology. XGIMI notes that its Dual Iris system is designed to preserve deep blacks for shadow detail without dulling highlights or other parts of the image. In addition, with up to 110% BT.2020 color gamut coverage, the TITAN Noir Max will deliver cinema-accurate colors.

Under the hood, it's powered by a MediaTek MT9681 SoC with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, delivering smooth performance across apps and connected media devices. And for gaming, the RGB triple-laser engine and hardware support VRR, ALLM, with a 1ms response time and up to 240 Hz at 1080p. This is in addition to a pure 24 FPS mode in 4K for watching movies.

Nintendo, Illumination, and Universal are believed to have a huge hit on their hands with the new Super Mario Galaxy movie, with estimates putting the film at over $300 million in global opening ticket sales.

The incoming Super Mario Galaxy movie is expected to deliver meteoric results through its 5-day opening. According to the latest reports from Deadline, the latest box office preview results indicate that the Mario sequel could rack up $350 million in global ticket sales in its first week.

Split down the middle, half of that--$175 million--is expected from Canada & the United States in North America, and the other half spread out across dozens of markets and regions.

The FBI has recently issued a warning about off-brand devices typically found beneath TVs, as they have been discovered to be used by cybercriminals.

The FBI posted a warning on March 12, 2026, about cheap off-brand streaming devices, such as Android-based devices that offer "free" movies, TV shows, sports channels, and more. These devices are becoming increasingly popular as streaming services raise the minimum cost of access to platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+. The FBI warns that while users may be saving hundreds of dollars per month, they could have given cybercriminals access, who could use the device to create a residential proxy network.

Hackers using residential proxy networks are looking to route illegal internet traffic, such as bots, through real home IP addresses, effectively disguising the hacker's activity as if it's coming from a legitimate user. Typically, websites can detect or even block suspicious internet traffic, but residential proxy networks are much harder to detect, as hackers use real devices connected to real households.

Everything seems to be going up in price nowadays. Even if we ignore the massive oil barrel-shaped elephant in the room, 2026 is just not a good year to be a tech enthusiast. There is a massive DRAM shortage that is expected to last into the 2030s, AMD and Intel have increased the prices of their CPUs, and even Sony has jacked up the price of its PlayStation 5 consoles. Entertainment giant Netflix wants a piece of that action, too.

According to an updated "Plans and Pricing" page, Netflix is raising prices across all subscription tiers in the U.S, with no exceptions. This price hike follows Netflix's last price increase in January 2025. If you had just made peace with paying the additional $1 (or more), you'd better gear up for another price increase coming soon.

The new pricing structure sees the ad-supported Standard tier go from $7.99/month to $8.99/month, while the Standard ad-free tier goes from $17.99/month to $19.99/month. Even Premium tier users are not exempt from this price increase, as they will pay an extra $2, bringing the price to $26.99 per month.