Strategy: Last News

McKinley Franklin editor Leaders from Mattel, YouTube, Universal Pictures, Google, Amazon and more gathered at Variety’s Entertainment and Technology summit, presented by City National Bank, to breakdown the future of marketing in the entertainment space. Panels included conversations with the leading experts on artificial intelligence, fan-focused growth on social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok and the massive future of online gaming. Here are a few of the key takeaways from a day of lively discourse.

Netflix has released a teaser trailer for upcoming reality series Squid Game: The Challenge – check out the clip above.Based on the Korean survival drama created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the show sees 456 contestants from around the world compete in various challenges inspired by the series, with the winner taking home a $4.56million cash prize.A synopsis reads: “Though the reality version of Squid Game isn’t a matter of life or death, there’s still a lot on the line. 456 players will compete to win $4.56million, the largest cash prize in reality television history.“Through a series of games, each player will be pushed to their limits and forced to ask themselves just how far they’ll go to win, with opportunistic alliances, cutthroat strategies and timely betrayals to follow.”As shown in the trailer, the show’s animatronic doll returns for Red Light, Green Light, while another game appears to resemble the elevated glass bridge seen in the drama series.Squid Game: The Challenge premieres November 22, 2023 on Netflix.The streaming service officially announced a second season of Squid Game was in development in June last year.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Rick Cordella is taking the field for NBC Sports. The executive, who has been enmeshed in developing streaming products for NBCUniversal, has been named president of NBC Sports at a moment when many media companies are working on new models that will make big-ticket TV sports properties available to consumers who have fewer ties to traditional screens.

The mother of a woman who took her own life at Polmont young offenders' institution says suicidal prisoners are placed in "torture cells" rather than being given therapeutic care.

NBCUniversal has promoted veteran executive Rick Cordella to president of NBC Sports, reporting into Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group. 

A scheme to turn 10 railway arches into a thriving hub of bars, restaurants and cafes has been hailed as 'absolutely fantastic' by a councillor who said the area was a 'dump' when she grew up there.

Things are about to get real.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently said that an estimated 850,000 older people on a low income could be eligible for an annual top-up of around £3,500 through Pension Credit - and the next cost of living payment worth £300. The DWP announced earlier this week that payments for the second part of the £900 cost of living payment will be made between October 31 and November 19, 2023.

K.J. Yossman Netflix have released a trailer for their upcoming reality show based on “Squid Game.” The streamer also confirmed the show is set to drop on Nov. 22.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Oliver Anthony has made his first serious step toward getting off the DIY train after instantly vaulting to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 without without a label or agent. UTA announced Thursday that it had signed the Virginia-based upstart for global representation in all areas.

Last month, Matthew McConaughey’s wife Camila Alves revealed that her mother-in-law used to “test” her at the start of their relationship; now, McConaughey is reacting to his mom’s former strategy.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Brooke Robertson has been promoted to head of global communications and media relations at Paramount Pictures. In this role, she will oversee the film studio’s corporate brand and global communications strategies for all business units, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation and Paramount Players. She will also serve as a key stakeholder across Paramount Global’s properties, such as the Paramount+ streaming service, to unify the studio’s corporate identity and messaging.

Veteran news executive and producer Mary Noonan has joined UTA. She will serve as an agent in the News & Broadcasting division based in UTA’s New York office and will report to Partner and News & Broadcasting Head Peter Goldberg.

K.J. Yossman James Corden has given more insight into how Tom Cruise persuaded him to join him in a fighter jet for a “The Late Late Show” sketch. “A few days before [the flight] I had a genuine worry,” he said during a Q&A session at the Royal Television Society conference in Cambridge, U.K.

An all-new trailer for “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” sees District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) meet her “rebel” mentor, a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), for the first time.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Mo Abudu is an entrepreneur on a mission to make her native Nigeria a bigger player in global media. The CEO of Lagos-based EbonyLife Media is tapping into wave of interest from streamers in content from outside the U.S. and Europe to generate a flurry of deals for her production banner, known for producing the detective drama series “Blood Sisters” for Netflix.

For editorial questions, please contact Peter Caranicas at peter.caranicas@variety.com. DISNEY Ryan StankevichSeniorVP, marketing Kyle RodriVP, creative advertising Jackson GeorgeSenior VP, creative advertising 2016’s feature film “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” was a $1 billion+ grosser with a robust fan base. But six years is a long time in the fantasy-adventure space.

BreAnna Bell Fox Entertainment Global is expanding its content slate, adding new unscripted programming from Fox Alternative Entertainment, Gordon Ramsay’s Studio Ramsay Global, and TMZ. Announced for MIPCOM 2023, the new content will be joining original animated content from Bento Box Entertainment, live-action comedy from FOX Entertainment Studios; and more than 20 movies produced by MarVista Entertainment.

The financial and divorce drama seems to never end with with Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann .

Addie Morfoot Contributor Three documentaries have been selected to to participate in the inaugural Diane Weyermann fellowship program, which will kick off Sept. 15 at Maine’s 19th edition of the Camden Intl.

Humza Yousaf has defended a plan to start negotiations on independence if his party wins the most seats in Scotland at the next general election.