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Amazon assembles a high-profile cast for low-key superhero series
Amazon has recruited a glitzy crew of Hollywood stars for its animated superhero show Invincible, based on the eponymous comic book co-created by The Walking Dead scribe Robert Kirkman. Leading the voice cast is TV's The Walking Dead alum Steven Yuen as protagonist Mark Grayson, who inherits his alien superhero father's almighty powers. Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) will play the dad, while Sandra Oh (Killing Eve), Seth Rogen (who's reportedly working on an Invincible film adaptation), and Zazie Beetz (Deadpool 2) will also lend their oratory skills to the upcoming series.
Brie Larson's new Netflix film tackles sexism in internet startups
Brie Larson is set to star in a Netflix movie that highlights startup sexism as part of a two-film deal with the streaming service. Lady Business is based on a Fast Company article about two female entrepreneurs who invented a fake male cofounder in order to be taken seriously in the patriarchal business world.
Hulu to start showing ads during pause breaks this spring
Hulu is set to show you ads from popular brands when you hit pause during a binge. According to the streamer, the static promos will start appearing in the spring for select shows and movies. Unlike traditional TV ad breaks that interrupt your viewing, Hulu says its new ads are designed to be "non-intrusive." They'll also carry messaging that's relevant to a pause break, starting with ads from Coca-Cola and toilet-paper brand Charmin (pictured above). Because, let's face it, you're probably stepping away from The Handmaid's Tale to grab a bite or to visit the john.
Jordan Peele's 'The Twilight Zone' premieres on CBS All Access April 1st
After beaming Star Trek back to its TV show roots, CBS All Access reached even further back in time for its next original, The Twilight Zone. Today CBS announced that the first two episodes of Jordan Peele's reboot will premiere on the streaming service on April Fool's Day. New instalments of the anthology series will then follow weekly on Thursdays from April 11.
AT&T’s forthcoming streaming service so far sounds a lot like Hulu
We're learning more about how AT&T's WarnerMedia streaming service will pan out as it inches closer to launch. The platform -- which will play host to Warner Bros. TV shows and movies along with licensed content from others -- will use a "two-sided model" that includes subscriptions and ad-supported elements, according to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson (via Deadline). That sounds an awful lot like the options offered by Hulu, which recently announced that it's slashing the price of its basic tier (the one with ads) from $8 to $6 per month -- a move that was viewed as an overt jab at Netflix's price hike.
Premium subscriptions are now available on the Roku Channel
After racking up viewers with free movies and TV shows, Roku is expanding its popular Roku Channel to include premium content providers. The update, which was announced earlier this month, adds support for more than 25 subscription services including Starz, Showtime and Epix. Roku is starting the roll out of the update today, bringing it first to Roku players. It will reach all supported devices over the next few weeks, with Roku TVs planned to be the last to receive the update.
YouTube says it'll finally stop recommending conspiracy videos
YouTube says it will stop recommending conspiracy videos. Given that even the most innocuous of searches can lure you down an algorithmically generated path that almost invariably leads to videos containing outlandish claims, the move seemed inevitable. YouTube's Kids app wasn't immune either, as such videos were popping up there.
Viacom buys streaming startup Pluto TV for $340 million
Cable giant Viacom is buying the ad-supported streaming startup Pluto TV for $340 million in cash, with plans to turn it into the home for its slew of programmes. Expect shows and films from Viacom's properties -- including Paramount Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central -- to hit Pluto TV as part of the buyout.
'The Expanse' season three streams on Amazon Prime Video February 8th
Amazon announced today that the third season of sci-fi series The Expanse will be available for Prime members to stream starting February 8th. The first two seasons of the show, which originally aired on Syfy, are already available to watch on Amazon's streaming platform. Amazon has a fourth season of the show planned that will be available later this year.
Walmart reportedly ditches planned streaming service to focus on Vudu
Walmart has abandoned its plans to launch a new streaming video service, according to a report from CNBC. Instead of throwing resources behind a new product, the company will instead focus its attention on expanding its existing video platform Vudu. In response to the report, Walmart told Variety that Vudu is its focus but "to say that we aren't thinking about different ideas often would be false."
Hulu beats Netflix with its own Fyre Festival documentary debut
Both Hulu and Netflix have been working on documentaries about the disastrous Fyre Festival, and Hulu has now released its version just a few days ahead of Netflix. Fyre Fraud, as its name suggests, gives a look into how those behind Fyre Festival defrauded investors as well as attendees. And the film shows how the event turned out to be an utter fiasco lacking the luxurious food, accommodations and performances initially promised.
Hiding in plain sight: The YouTubers' crowdfunding piracy
I never imagined I would be watching Kitchen Nightmares, starring the world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay, in my downtime on YouTube. I knew of Ramsay and his ruthlessness from shows like Hell's Kitchen, but I had never heard of Kitchen Nightmares until a few weeks ago, when an episode popped up on YouTube's Trending section. Next thing you know, I'm hooked and watching full episodes of it on my phone instead of the usual sneaker videos. But aside from Ramsay's rants at owners of filthy restaurants, something else caught my attention -- these uploads weren't from Fox, which owns the rights to the show in the US. Instead, they were from an unofficial channel called "Kitchen Nightmares Hotel Hell and Hell's Kitchen." And as if that wasn't brazen enough, the owner explicitly asked viewers for donations to fund the uploading of copyrighted content.
'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' comes to Facebook Watch
Starting today, you can give in to your nostalgia and watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly on Facebook Watch. The show comes to the social network as part of a deal with 20th Century Fox. Every episode of the classic programs from Joss Whedon will be made available for you to stream, including as part of Facebook's recently announce Watch Party feature.
Apple reportedly considered creating a Chromecast-style TV dongle
With a streaming service on the way, Apple has reportedly started looking for new ways to get its content in front of as many eyes as possible, including releasing a streaming dongle, according to The Information. The device would be in the style of Google's Chromecast or Amazon's Fire TV Stick and would bring the price down considerably from the cost of the $180 Apple TV set-top box.
Dolby’s Dimension headphones bring home theater sound to your ears
For more than 50 years, Dolby's brand has been synonymous with top-of-the-line audio (and visual) quality. Its innovations in the space, including recent technologies like the Atmos immersive sound, can be experienced in movie theaters and living rooms around the globe. But Dolby has become a household name without actually building its own consumer products. It's always worked with third-party manufacturers on the hardware used to deliver its tech to your ears. That changes, though, with the introduction of Dolby Dimension. They're a pair of over-ear wireless headphones designed with a particular set of people in mind: video-streaming binge watchers.
Twitch streamers are getting Snap's AR selfie filters
As part of its Snap Camera announcement, Snap Inc. has revealed a partnership with Twitch that will bring augmented reality Lenses to users of the video-streaming site. This will give Twitch streamers access to thousands of Snapchat-style selfie filters, including those made by Snap and independent Lens Studio creators. There's no need for users to have a Snapchat account, though the company is hoping to drive Twitch viewers to its mobile app by letting them unlock Lenses that their favorite streamers are "wearing" during a stream. You just have to scan a Snapcode that shows up on the big screen.
Facebook and MTV are revamping 'The Real World'
Facebook's big push into original video content is only getting stronger. Less than two months after the worldwide launch of its Watch streaming service, which is also trying to lure in independent creators, the company is making some major show announcements. For starters, Facebook is now teaming up with MTV on a "reimagined" version of the popular reality series The Real World, which will have an interactive, social component that'll let viewers vote one housemate onto the show before it airs. The new seasons of The Real World, set to debut exclusively on Facebook Watch in 2019, will be produced in Mexico, Thailand and, of course, the United States.
Watch the first trailer for YouTube sci-fi thriller series 'Origin'
YouTube's Originals haven't hit the critically-acclaimed highs of rivals Netflix and Hulu's shows, but it's not for want of trying. Its latest stab at creating the next must-watch streaming series is Origin, a sci-fi drama that borrows the premise of Passengers, but jettisons the romance in favour of suspense.
Netflix's 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' trades kitsch for pentagrams
Kiernan Shipka might be best known for her work as Sally Draper on Mad Men, but since then she's had a number of roles that should change your perception of her. Now we have an idea of what her take on Sabrina the Teenage Witch looks like in Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Check out the trailer below and you'll see all manner of witches, witchcraft and creatures of the night.
Amazon may reveal its ad-supported IMDB streaming service this week
Rumors about an ad-supported video streaming service from Amazon have been swirling for a little while now, but it looks like the service is right around the corner. CNBC now reports that Amazon's IMDB subsidiary will announce the service this week. In August, sources familiar with the matter told The Information that the service, which is said to be comparable to offerings from Roku and Vudu, was tentatively being called Free Dive and would be available to Fire TV users. Amazon has been in talks with at least three major media companies, according to CNBC's sources, and content will include both movies and past TV shows.
