Netflix vs. YouTube?

Netflix’s content deals with YouTube kids creators like Ms. Rachel delivered real results in the streamer’s recent quarterly report, and though YouTube publicly says it’s not worried about the competition, Bloomberg reports that behind closed doors it’s weighing whether to do something about it—like funding original series to keep creators on the platform. 

BBC discord

With thousands of layoffs on the way, the Beeb’s execs were reportedly confronted by staff at a recent town hall who called its 1 percent pay raise plan “an insult,” and raged against the money spent on a recent “What has the BBC ever done for me?” ad campaign that’s meant to boost public support for the pubcaster as it hopes to reform its funding model. (Deadline)

Theatrical recovery

Thanks to a season of big-screen kids hits like Toy Story 5 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, AMC Theatres’ revenue was up 14 percent to US$1.6 billion—setting a record for the second quarter and suggesting that theaters could finally be recovering for good after the pandemic.

Paramount merger paused

After 12 US states sued to block Paramount Skydance’s merger with WBD—a deal that would create a kids media goliath—a federal judge has temporarily paused the deal from moving forward for two weeks, giving the states more time to argue for a longer pause for the duration of the lawsuit. (Reuters)

UK culture vacuum

Andy Burnham has replaced Keir Starmer as the UK prime minister, and he’s moving his ally, current culture secretary Lisa Nandy, elsewhere—leaving an opening for the consequential position. Her successor will have to make some big decisions, including whether to intervene in the Paramount/WBD merger and how to address the BBC’s funding model (which the pubcaster says is in desperate need of reform). (Deadline)

First look at Doomsday

The first proper trailer for Avengers: Doomsday has dropped, but the next entry in Disney’s onetime bulletproof franchise will arrive in an uncertain market, with superhero movies like Supergirl bombing at the box office and Disney’s other sure bets—Star Wars and live-action remakes—disappointing recently, with lukewarm responses to The Mandalorian and Grogu and Moana.

MOTU comes to streaming already

Speaking of disappointing big-screen kids releases, Masters of the Universe is dropping on Amazon Prime on Wednesday, weeks after its debut last month. It made US$113 million worldwide (and skipped French cinemas entirely) and raised the question of whether kids were connecting with the Gen-X franchise.

Princess Diaries update

On the promo trail for The Odyssey, Anne Hathaway says there’s been a “story breakthrough” for the third installment of the kid-favorite Princess Diaries franchise. The follow-up has already been teased for years, but she says that the script will have to “start over with this new direction.” (THR)

Green certified 

A new environmental certification for European animation, ANiMPACT, has been launched. This measurement pilot program could be crucial in both helping the planet and also giving animation studios a way to become eligible for financial incentives requiring proof of eco-responsible productions. (THR)

Spain investment

The government of Spain has earmarked US$7.3 million through SETT for the Canary Islands-based kids animation company Amuse Labs. It follows closely on the heels of the country’s US$28.8-million investment in Anima Kitchent last month. (Broadcast Now)

Broadening reach

WBA and Cartoon Network Studios president Sam Register reflects on how recent kids releases from signature franchises are still going strong, even if they aren’t airing exclusively on CN. (The Wrap)

Toon perception

Executives from LAIKA, Pixar and more ponder the oft-discussed question—why does Hollywood still look down on animation? (Variety)

Meta puts chatbots on alerts 

The tech giant has launched a new measure to start notifying parents if their child discusses suicide or self-harm with the company’s AI chatbot. Meta is also using feedback from more than 75 clinicians to further improve how the chatbot navigates such prompts from underage users.

Aang on the big screen

Paramount has decided to release Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender into theaters after all—but only for a very limited run in LA and NYC at the end of this month. The film, which notably leaked online earlier this year, is still scheduled for a Paramount+ debut on July 25. (Variety)

Marvel Comics relocates

The iconic comic book publisher is leaving its longtime home of New York to head to Burbank, California. It’s a move to facilitate closer collaboration across Marvel and Disney. Stephen Wacker will also become the new editor-in-chief to succeed outgoing chief C.B. Cebulski. (THR)

Disney’s latest reboot

The Mouse House is bringing back The Mickey Mouse Club, its star-making variety show that put the spotlight on an ever-changing cast of child and teen performers. Disney+ has ordered a pilot on this fresh take, featuring 11 young stars on board. (Deadline)

A midnight curfew 

Following its recent move to implement a kids social media ban, the UK government is now also proposing a (voluntary) curfew to make apps such as Instagram and TikTok unavailable for overnight use by 16- and 17-year-olds. (BBC)

Behind the backlash

Animation veteran Jorge R. Gutiérrez explains his short-lived and controversial decision to work on an Amazon gen-AI series, which was met with intense pushback from fans and the industry. (Variety)

More M&A moves

Lionsgate Studios, which is behind the Hunger Games franchise, is reportedly exploring a sale, with potential European bidders including Banijay and Bollore Group. (Reuters)

Steps expands cast

Netflix’s upcoming Cinderella retelling (fresh off a buzzy work-in-progress session at Annecy) is adding more star power with Daniel Radcliffe, Young Mazino and Peter Dinklage joining the voice cast. (Deadline)

Hotel Transylvania 5 is happening 

Sony Animation and Amazon MGM Studios have slated a new installment called The Haunting of Hotel Transylvania to release on October 8, 2027. It’s a return to the big screen for the spooky franchise that has grossed more than US$1.3 billion since launching in 2012. (Deadline)

Doomsday tix will drop early

Anticipating massive demand for Marvel Studios’ next event pic Avengers: Doomsday, Disney is planning to sell tickets for premium format screens as early as next week—about five months before the film is actually due to hit theaters. (THR)

Disney’s remake strategy

The underperformance of the new live-action Moana (a domestic opening of US$43 million and US$95 million globally) has reignited debates on what the Mouse House should do to develop a more consistent track record with live-action remakes of beloved toons. (Variety)

EU chief backs social media ban

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen noted that “it is clear we need age-appropriate restrictions to platforms,” expressing support for an expert-backed approach of gradual and staggered limitations. Here’s a list of countries that are implementing or exploring social media age restrictions. (The Guardian)

Family films fuel France 

New data from CMC reveals that it’s been a good year (so far) for the country’s box office, with a US$776 million gross from 92 million admissions, representing a 19.7% year-over-year uptick. And a big driver of the growth was the family genre, from local hits such as Marsupilami to Hollywood tentpoles such as Toy Story 5. (Variety)

Netflix passes go on Monopoly

The streaming giant has officially greenlit a competition series from Studio Lambert and Hasbro that adapts the iconic board game into a life-size edition, due to launch in 2027. Netflix has been slowly expanding its slate of unscripted takes on movies and games, with Wonka’s The Golden Ticket coming up this fall.

Lawsuit takes on Paramount/WBD deal

Today, 12 state attorneys general have proceeded with a lawsuit to block Paramount’s US$110-billion acquisition of WBD over antitrust concerns. The suit has been an expected obstacle, even though the mega-deal received approval from the US Department of Justice last month. (CNBC)

Letterboxd is up for sale

A new report from Puck suggests that the Gen Z-favorite, movie-focused social platform has reportedly held talks with multiple potential bidders, including Netflix, Paramount and Sony Pictures. But could getting snapped up by Hollywood diminish the website’s cool factor with teen cinephiles?

Warner Bros. preps new Free Willy 

A new take on the ’90s family adventure film, which earned US$153 million worldwide according to Box Office Mojo, is in the works from the Russo Brothers’ AGBO shingle. The movie, following a young teen who aims to liberate an orca from captivity in an aquarium, spawned a franchise, and this new version is set to introduce the IP to a new generation of viewers. (THR)

The Monsters, Inc. sequel that didn’t get made

Screenwriting partners Bob Hilgenberg and Rob Muir have opened up about how they had been assigned to craft a sequel to the hit film titled Lost in Scaradise. This was before Disney’s Pixar purchase, and the writers are hopeful that their film might get made one day. Maybe their ideas could be incorporated into the new movie that’s in the works. (TheWrap)

Hasbro ages-up Play-Doh

Squishy toys are having a serious moment right now, with NeeDoh flying off the shelves and Squishmallows continuing its dominance. Hasbro is looking to cash in on this with a new line of Play-Doh aimed at teens and kidults. (WSJ)

Why Australia’s kids content is so good

Researcher and kids media expert Emily Horgan’s latest kids media deep-dive looks at the power of Aussie children’s content. From the power of the Wiggles to Bluey, she explores what the industry (and Kidscreen) has long been saying—Aussie producers have a knack for making great kids shows. (The Kids StreamerSphere)

Too much Moana? 

Disney’s latest live-action remake is tracking for a US$65-million domestic debut against a reportedly hefty US$250-million price tag. Considering that the CG-animated Moana 2 pulled off a triumphant billion-dollar run less than two years ago, could this soft opening be a sign of oversaturation for the IP? (The Wrap)

SuperAwesome aims to help creators

Creators working with the research and advertising company can now access mental health support and guidance on creating positive content as part of its new Creator Aware program. Creators that SuperAwesome works with, including The McCartys, are celebrating the initiative as a resource for making the difficult job of content creation a bit easier. (SuperAwesome)

Character.ai expands into microdramas

The embattled AI company that lets users make AI-powered characters is getting into the business of original, short-form programming, having launched “c.ai series,” a trio of microdramas that skew to tweens/teens and Gen Z. After watching the short vids, users can chat with the characters to ask questions and roleplay new storylines. Importantly, the company says that only adults can use this chat feature. (THR)

The key to ending churn might be…AI? 

Versus, a B2B AI tech firm that’s been quietly partnering with Disney+, Paramount+ and HBO Max, wants to make viewing more interactive. The promise of the technology is that when users point their phone at a screen, Versus will generate games, trivia and polls based on what they’re watching to add value and keep subscribers engaged. (Deadline)

Bluey is a win for S4C 

The Australian title was the fourth-biggest series for the Welsh pubcaster in the past year, according to its latest annual report. S4C also spent a bit more in 2025-2026 on kids content for its linear channels, but it more than doubled its spend on digital-only and digital-first kids content. (Broadband TV News)

AuthenticA Series Lab opens submissions 

This Canada Media Fund-backed six-month program for African nationals who are screenwriters has opened its submissions window. Early to mid-career creatives with some film and TV writing experience can apply until August 1, and animation and kids projects are welcome. 

Disney+/Hulu is taking viewers down a Rabbit Hole

The streamers have released a trailer for pocket.watch’s upcoming variety show that brings together a cohort of influencers, YouTubers and digital-first creators with a collective reach of more than 675 million followers. The series, premiering July 13th, could be a temperature check for just how interested kids are in seeing their favorite YouTubers move off the platform and into  a long-form series. (What’s on Disney Plus)

Embattled Avatar film sets release date 

It’s been a long, bumpy road for Nickelodeon and Paramount’s feature-length, animated take on the Last Airbender franchise. It was originally set for a theatrical release, before shifting to Paramount+, and then the team had to deal with a leak that saw the film shared early. The streamer has now set July 25 for its streaming release date. (Gizmodo)