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Disney

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Disney's Next Chapter: AI Bets, Franchise Reboots, and the Streaming Pivot
business11 hours ago

Disney's Next Chapter: AI Bets, Franchise Reboots, and the Streaming Pivot

Variety profiles Josh D’Amaro on becoming Disney’s CEO, detailing how his people‑first, risk‑taking leadership aims to steer the company through an AI‑driven content era, revived attention to Star Wars and Marvel franchises, and a streaming world where cable profits fade. The piece also weighs the financial headwinds (debt and a heavy emphasis on Parks/Experiences), the role of Dana Walden and Alan Bergman in the creative side, and the strategic moves—gaming, international expansion, and price considerations—needed to sustain Disney’s brands while navigating a shifting media landscape.

Miley Cyrus Rejoins Hannah Montana for Disney+ 20th Anniversary Special
entertainment7 days ago

Miley Cyrus Rejoins Hannah Montana for Disney+ 20th Anniversary Special

Disney+ will stream a Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special on March 24, featuring Miley Cyrus in a live-audience interview with Alex Cooper that revisits the show's music and moments, re-creating iconic sets and including never-before-seen archival footage; the special is produced by HopeTown Entertainment and Unwell Productions with Cyrus and family as executive producers, and a Hannah Montana catalog will also be available on Disney+.

Miley Cyrus Stars in Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special on Disney+ (March 24)
entertainment8 days ago

Miley Cyrus Stars in Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special on Disney+ (March 24)

Miley Cyrus is returning to Disney with a Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special debuting March 24 on Disney+, filmed before a live studio audience, featuring an interview hosted by Alex Cooper, nostalgia-filled moments from the series, never-before-seen footage, and recreations of the show’s sets as a love-letter to the character’s two-decade legacy.

ByteDance Vows Tight Guardrails on Seedance 2.0 Amid Hollywood IP Pressure
technology9 days ago

ByteDance Vows Tight Guardrails on Seedance 2.0 Amid Hollywood IP Pressure

ByteDance pledged to strengthen safeguards for its Seedance 2.0 AI video generator after cease‑and‑desist letters from Disney and Paramount accusing the tool of unauthorized IP use and likenesses; Hollywood groups and unions criticized the practice. Seedance 2.0, launched Feb. 12, creates 15‑second clips from prompts and has sparked both praise for realism and controversy over creating copyrighted characters. ByteDance says it respects IP rights and is taking steps to prevent infringement, including pausing uploads of real people’s images as it works to address industry concerns.

Hollywood Targets ByteDance Over Seedance AI with IP Cease‑Desists
entertainment10 days ago

Hollywood Targets ByteDance Over Seedance AI with IP Cease‑Desists

Paramount Skydance and Disney jointly sent cease‑and‑desist letters to ByteDance alleging Seedance AI videos and Seedream imagery infringe their copyrighted and trademarked properties, including franchises like South Park, Star Trek, The Godfather and Dora the Explorer; ByteDance has not commented, and industry groups have condemned the alleged infringement as Seedance 2.0 gains traction.

Muppet Show Revival Fires Up Big Ratings Across Disney+ and ABC
tv11 days ago

Muppet Show Revival Fires Up Big Ratings Across Disney+ and ABC

The revived Muppet Show special, which premiered Feb. 4 on Disney+ and ABC, has grown to 7.58 million cross‑platform viewers after eight days of delayed viewing—more than doubling its ABC debut of 3.07 million—and sits on par with ABC comedies’ seven‑day totals. The update underscores strong multi‑platform demand for the updated variety show, which also features Sabrina Carpenter and serves as a potential pilot for future episodes; critics gave it positive notices.

Muppet Show Special Sparks 147% Viewership Jump Eight Days After Premiere
television11 days ago

Muppet Show Special Sparks 147% Viewership Jump Eight Days After Premiere

Deadline reports that The Muppet Show special premiered Feb. 4 on ABC and Disney+ and has drawn nearly 8 million total viewers across platforms in eight days, a 147% lift from the 3.07 million who watched the ABC debut; the backdoor-pilot-style celebration features Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie and the gang, with Sabrina Carpenter and Maya Rudolph as guest stars, and is executive-produced by Seth Rogen among others as Disney tests whether to launch a full Muppet Show series.

Disney targets ByteDance over Seedance 2.0 IP use in AI video tool
business11 days ago

Disney targets ByteDance over Seedance 2.0 IP use in AI video tool

Disney has sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance alleging Seedance 2.0 uses Disney’s copyrighted characters (e.g., Star Wars, Marvel) without permission to train and monetize its AI video model, pointing to multiple public examples of infringing videos and calling ByteDance’s actions willful and unacceptable; the move follows broader Hollywood efforts to curb AI IP theft and aligns with prior Disney actions against other AI firms.

Muppets Revival Draws 7.58 Million Viewers Across Disney+ and ABC
television11 days ago

Muppets Revival Draws 7.58 Million Viewers Across Disney+ and ABC

Disney+'s Muppet Show revival has drawn 7.58 million multiplatform viewers in its first eight days across Disney+ and ABC since its Feb. 4 debut, with a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score and potential as a backdoor pilot for a full season. The special reunites the Muppets at the Muppet Theater with guest stars Sabrina Carpenter, Maya Rudolph, and Seth Rogen; it was directed by Alex Timbers and produced by 20th Television, Disney Branded Television, The Muppets Studio and Point Grey Pictures.

Disney Files Cease‑Desist Against ByteDance Over Seedance 2.0 Deepfakes
business11 days ago

Disney Files Cease‑Desist Against ByteDance Over Seedance 2.0 Deepfakes

Disney has sent a cease‑and‑desist letter to ByteDance over Seedance 2.0, alleging the AI video platform uses Disney IP and other copyrighted works to generate deepfakes without safeguards, an accusation that follows widespread backlash from the MPA and the Human Artistry Campaign. The move comes after Disney previously pressed Google over its AI tools, and Deadline notes Disney has a reported $1 billion OpenAI licensing deal to support characters for the forthcoming generative video app Sora.

Disney Sets Course for Leadership Shift as D’Amaro Steps Toward CEO Role
business17 days ago

Disney Sets Course for Leadership Shift as D’Amaro Steps Toward CEO Role

Outgoing Disney CEO Bob Iger and incoming CEO-to-be Josh D’Amaro were photographed at Disneyland as Iger announced D’Amaro’s forthcoming appointment; D’Amaro will become CEO at the March 18, 2026 annual meeting, with a director appointment following, while Dana Walden was named President & Chief Creative Officer. D’Amaro has led Disney Experiences and overseen the company’s parks, resorts, and cruise operations among other units during a long tenure.