Movies & Entertainment

Upexi said it expects staking revenue to more than cover its ongoing cash expenses on a go-forward basis after cutting full-time employees from 59 a year ago to just 10 and refinancing a credit facility rate from 11.5% to 7.5%. On the company's Q4 2026 earnings call, CEO Allan Marshall said the quarter ending June 30, 2026 marked the one-year anniversary of its Solana treasury strategy, with roughly $20 million of debt extinguished in June and cash of $5.8 million at June 30, up 65% sequentially. CFO Andrew Norstrud said the company held approximately 2.34 million Solana tokens with a cost basis of approximately $360.3 million and an average cost per token of $154, with approximately 95% of those tokens staked, alongside $165.3 million in Solana, $180.1 million in total assets and $45.6 million in working capital. For the fiscal year, Norstrud reported approximately $17.4 million in digital asset revenues, $195.1 million in unrealized losses, $11.7 million in realized losses and a gain on extinguishment of debt of approximately $10.3 million, with a net loss of $246.1 million, or $3.87 per share. The company repurchased approximately 2.9 million shares at an average weighted price of $0.96 per share for total consideration of approximately $2.8 million, and after year-end issued approximately 2.5 million shares via its ATM for approximately $2.5 million in gross proceeds.

LiveOne has acquired 1.47 million common shares of PodcastOne since March 31, 2026 at an average price of $2.81 per share, raising its total ownership to 20.8 million PodcastOne shares. The purchases include 374,109 shares acquired in the first half of fiscal 2027. PodcastOne's cash position stood at more than $6.5 million as of today. Bankers are reviewing inbound potential M&A and monetization options, and PodcastOne and its bankers are exploring a potential consolidation with LiveOne into a single public company, a combination that could yield $3 million in potential annual synergies along with public-company cost savings.

Roundtable, trading on Nasdaq as RTB, announced a 10-year, $1 billion agreement with The Arena Group, now known as Paradium.AI and trading on the NYSE as PAAI, to migrate, operate and monetize Arena's premium media portfolio on Roundtable's AI and DeFi-powered MediaOS. Following deal closure, Roundtable forecasts a $100 million annualized revenue and an EBITDA-positive run rate on a stand-alone basis, with 100 million monthly consumers. Two dozen brands and nearly 100 million consumers will migrate to Roundtable's MediaOS, including TheStreet, Parade, Men's Journal, Athlon Sports, Autoblog and Powder, along with hundreds of professional journalists. The agreements are subject to Roundtable's minority investment in PAAI, $89 million in cash and stock for approximately 49% of PAAI, in a private transaction, and other conditions precedent, which include funding requirements to complete the transactions in the fourth quarter. The partnership reunites PAAI CEO Paul Edmondson with RTB founders James Heckman and Bill Sornsin, who were last teamed in 2020.

Roundtable, trading as Nasdaq: RTB, announced a 10-year, $1 billion agreement with The Arena Group, now known as Paradium.AI (NYSE: PAAI), to migrate, operate and monetize Arena's premium media portfolio on Roundtable's AI/DeFi-powered MediaOS. Following deal closure, Roundtable forecasts a $100 million annualized revenue and an EBITDA-positive run rate on a stand-alone basis, with 100 million monthly consumers. Two dozen brands and nearly 100 million consumers will migrate to Roundtable's MediaOS, including TheStreet, Parade, Men's Journal, Athlon Sports, Autoblog and Powder, along with hundreds of professional journalists. The agreements are subject to Roundtable's minority investment in PAAI, $89 million in cash and stock for approximately 49% of PAAI, in a private transaction, and other conditions precedent, which include funding requirements to complete the transactions in Q4. The partnership reunites PAAI CEO Paul Edmondson with RTB founders James Heckman and Bill Sornsin, who were last teamed in 2020.

Bill Ackman's Pershing Square has taken a new position in Netflix worth about $1 billion, years after a money-losing bet on the stock. Ackman originally plowed roughly $1.25 billion of Pershing Square capital into Netflix in early 2022, only to sell the entire position weeks later at a significant loss after the company unveiled plans for an ad-supported tier, which he said undermined the predictability his concentrated portfolio requires. In an August letter to shareholders, Ackman wrote that Netflix has since effectively won the streaming wars, with advertising now driving live programming and new subscriptions, while free cash flow has ballooned to approximately 90% of earnings. He now expects Netflix to come close to 20% annualized earnings-per-share growth, below the more than 20% he projected in early 2022, a forecast that proved accurate as EPS has compounded 27% since the end of that year's first quarter. Ackman bought again after the stock's valuation sank back to levels last seen in 2022, this time with greater confidence in the advertising business.

Cinemark Holdings announced a new partnership with the Dallas Cowboys, a first-of-its-kind tie-up for the movie theater chain. The strategic relationship brings together two iconic Dallas area brands and will come to life through Cinemark branding placements within AT&T Stadium, game broadcasts and out-of-home locations, as well as fan-focused activations at select theaters. Cowboys-themed food and beverage offerings, collectible cups and exclusive promotions will extend the excitement of game day into the cinematic environment. Wanda Gierhart Fearing, Chief Marketing and Content Officer at Cinemark, said the company is especially proud to support its home team, while Jacob Stone, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at The Dallas Cowboys, welcomed Cinemark to the Cowboys family. Cinemark operates nearly 500 theaters and more than 5,500 screens, including 301 theaters and 4,219 screens in 42 U.S. states and 194 theaters and 1,401 screens across 13 South and Central American countries.

Disney's Korean subsidiary has signed a 10-project deal with South Korea's Kakao Entertainment to collaborate on projects that leverage the success of K-Pop and Disney's intellectual property. The two companies will collaborate on the creation of a tentatively named K-Culture Fund and said they aim to elevate the paradigm of the K-IP ecosystem to the next level. Kakao said in a press release that through the partnership it looks forward to bringing K-pop artists and music together with Disney's stories and expanding them into new worlds. The deal is intended to expand Disney's existing K-pop catalog, which includes concert footage, documentaries and reality shows, across music, content, commerce and performances. K-pop has evolved over the last 15 years into a multi-billion dollar Korean juggernaut, a phenomenon illustrated last year when KPop Demon Hunters earned more than $20M for Netflix during a limited theatrical release, pulled in 325M views in its first 91 days on the platform, and was credited for a 17% surge in Netflix's third quarter 2025 quarterly revenue.

Salesforce and Live Nation Entertainment announced at Dreamforce an expansion of Live Nation's use of Agentforce, bringing 24/7 fan support to Live Nation venues across the U.S. The move builds on Live Nation's pilot at BottleRock Napa Valley, where it debuted Melody, an agentic festival guide powered by Service Cloud that was deployed in under 30 days and logged over 37,000 fan interactions and 17,000 customer service sessions during the 12-day launch window, with 85% of attendees getting the answers they needed within three responses. Live Nation is now building on those learnings with Venue Agent, which gives fans 24/7 access to information across Live Nation venue websites, answering questions about parking, what to bring, accessible seating and door times, with branding and event information automatically customized for each venue. Live Nation research shows 78% of fans want guidance ahead of a show to help make their experience smoother. The company uses a single agent system powered by Service Cloud with Data Cloud, and today 95% of questions handled by Venue Agent are answered without being handed off to a team member.

Disney shares are trading at $107.24, roughly 20% below the Wall Street average price target of $128.34, a gap that has persisted for months even as 30 of 33 analysts maintain Buy ratings. The bull case rests on three pillars: a 13% SVOD operating margin in fiscal Q3 with combined Disney+ and Hulu operating income more than doubling to $712 million, Experiences resilience with global guest count up 4% and domestic per-capita spending up 4%, and a raised $9 billion FY2026 buyback supported by a $1.2 billion A+E sale. Management reiterated double-digit full-year SVOD margins and reaffirmed approximately 12% adjusted EPS growth for FY2026 excluding the 53rd week, with double-digit growth again in FY2027. Fiscal Q3 revenue rose 7% and total segment operating income rose 21% year over year, marking a fifth straight EPS beat at $2.06, though net income fell 49.9% on prior-year one-time items. The path back to $128 runs through the November 11 fiscal Q4 report, where a clean result plus double-digit FY2027 EPS guidance would let the Street defend its targets.

ST Huayi announced on the evening of September 16 that it has confirmed CMC Capital Co., Ltd. as the restructuring industrial investor in its pre-reorganization case, and signed a Restructuring Investment Agreement and a Supplementary Agreement to the Restructuring Investment Agreement. Under the restructuring investment plan, ST Huayi will use its current total share capital of 2.7745 billion shares as the base, converting 9 new shares for every 10 existing shares, for a total of 2.4971 billion additional shares. After the conversion, total share capital will expand to 5.2716 billion shares. The newly converted shares will not be distributed to existing shareholders and will be used entirely for restructuring purposes. CMC Capital will receive approximately 896 million shares, representing about 17% of the post-restructuring total share capital, at a price of 0.9333 yuan per share, for a total cost of approximately 836 million yuan, with a 36-month lock-up period. Financial investors will receive approximately 1.128 billion shares, representing about 21.4% of the post-restructuring total share capital, with a 12-month lock-up period. The remaining converted shares will be used in part or in full to repay debts from this bankruptcy restructuring. After the restructuring is completed, CMC Capital will become the controlling shareholder of ST Huayi with a 17% stake and obtain control. Of the nine board seats, CMC Capital will nominate four non-independent directors and three independent directors. The equity structure of Huayi Film will not be adjusted, and ST Huayi will continue to hold 100% of Huayi Film after the restructuring. The investment will be paid in four installments. As of September 16, the interim administrator's account has received a registration deposit of 50 million yuan, and all parties have committed to making their best efforts to complete the restructuring plan by December 31, 2026.

Roku closed at $157.45, up 1.63% from the previous session, outperforming a 0.48% loss for the S&P 500, a 0.29% drop in the Dow, and a 0.56% decline in the Nasdaq. Ahead of its upcoming earnings release, the company is predicted to post an EPS of $0.55, a 243.75% increase from the year-ago quarter, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate projects revenue of $1.41 billion, up 16.49%. For the full year, consensus estimates anticipate earnings of $2.78 per share and revenue of $5.61 billion, representing shifts of +371.19% and +18.34%, respectively. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.9% higher over the past month, and Roku currently carries a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). The stock trades at a Forward P/E of 55.75, a premium to its industry's Forward P/E of 11.11.

Netflix shares climbed 4% to $80.78 after the streaming giant became a founding corporate member of the Streaming Access and Choice Alliance, a new policy coalition led by the trade group TechNet that will advocate for technology-neutral policies in entertainment and target the antitrust exemption that currently keeps Netflix out of collective live sports bidding. Amazon joined as the second founding member and Alphabet's YouTube as the third, though their stocks barely moved by comparison, with Amazon down 0.7% to $255 and Alphabet up 3% to $347.31. The coalition's mission has real regulatory substance: the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission opened an inquiry earlier this year into whether the Sports Broadcasting Act, which grants sports leagues an antitrust exemption to pool and sell television rights collectively, should be revisited, and FCC chairman Brendan Carr has questioned whether too many sports rights are moving to paywalled streaming services under that exemption. The policy fight matters most to Netflix because live sports is the one content category it cannot simply outspend its way into, and expanded access would feed its Netflix Ads Suite with premium appointment-viewing inventory as the company flags advertising as an accelerating revenue lever in 2026. Netflix stock remains down 14% year to date even after today's rally, and the company has confirmed it will announce third-quarter 2026 financial results in the weeks ahead.

Walt Disney is drawing heavy investor attention on Zacks.com, with the entertainment company rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) on the strength of recent earnings estimate revisions. For the current quarter, Disney is expected to post earnings of $1.66 per share, a change of +49.6% from the year-ago quarter, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has moved +1.2% over the last 30 days. For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $6.91 points to a change of +16.5% from the prior year, while the next fiscal year's estimate of $7.47 indicates a change of +8.2%. On the revenue side, the consensus sales estimate of $24.95 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +11.1%, with the $101.38 billion and $106.09 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicating changes of +7.4% and +4.7%, respectively. In its last reported quarter, Disney posted revenues of $25.25 billion, up +6.8% year over year, and EPS of $2.06 versus $1.61 a year ago, a revenue surprise of -0.91% against the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $25.48 billion and an EPS surprise of +9.57%.

The One Enterprise Public Company Limited, or ONEE, informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand that its board meeting No. 2/2569 on 11 May 2569 approved the establishment of a new subsidiary, investing through GMMTV Company Limited, an indirect subsidiary wholly owned by the company via GMM Channel Holding Company Limited at 100%. The new company is named Studio Wabi Sabi Company Limited, registered on 14 September 2569, with the objective of producing and developing content as well as providing full-service artist management. The company has registered capital of 7 million baht, divided into 70,000 ordinary shares with a par value of 100 baht each, of which GMMTV holds 35,699 shares, or 51%, Mr. Siwat Sawasmaneekul holds 34,300 shares, or 49%, and Mr. Sathaporn Panichraksapong holds 1 share, or 0%, totalling 70,000 shares, or 100%. The funds used to establish the new company come from the working capital of GMMTV Company Limited.

Spotify said Friday it is expanding its video offering through a partnership with music-lyrics platform Genius, adding episodes of two of Genius' established artist-focused series to its service. The agreement gives Spotify users access to full episodes of Open Mic, which features artists performing their songs in stripped-down settings, and the platform will also carry older episodes of Verified, a series centered on artists explaining their lyrics and creative process, alongside new releases. Genius said Open Mic and Verified have accumulated more than 3.7 billion views combined since their respective launches in 2016. Rapsody is featured in the first new Open Mic episode under the expanded arrangement, performing "Pick A Side," a track from her latest album, God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops, with new episodes scheduled for Thursdays, while Verified will release new episodes twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. The partnership builds on Spotify's earlier rollout of Verified and gives Genius a wider distribution channel for its video programming.

Vantiva announced the launch of Soundscape Mini, a compact audio set-top box that combines a 3.1 audio system, virtual Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and Edge AI-powered voice control in a single operator-customizable platform. Built on Vantiva's Emerald v2 platform, the device pairs expandable wireless surround speakers with far-field microphones and onboard Edge AI processing for natural voice interaction. The product is designed for operator flexibility, offering branded user experiences, service integration, and custom design options. David Robinson, Vantiva's Director of Product Management, said consumers want elevated sound and instant responsiveness without a living room crowded with separate streaming boxes, speakers, and smart hubs. Chief Product and Engineering Officer Ashwani Saigal said Soundscape Mini gives partners a fully customizable footprint in the living room to deepen subscriber engagement and protect brand presence. The device will be demonstrated at the Vantiva suite in Hall 1, Balcony Suite 7, during IBC 2026 in Amsterdam from September 11 to 14.

Yuanta Securities issued an analysis of Major Cineplex Group Public Company Limited, or MAJOR, expecting third-quarter 2026 profit to recover both quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year, driven by blockbuster films that boosted attendance, while ticket, food and advertising revenue grew at a double-digit pace and fixed costs helped profit grow faster than revenue. The fourth-quarter 2026 outlook remains on a recovery path thanks to major films and cost control, even though the first half of 2026 was weak. The brokerage maintained its 2026 profit forecast at 555 million baht, down 12% from a year earlier, and expects 2027 to continue growing on new cinema openings, cost-control strategy, closure of loss-making branches, and expansion of the popcorn business together with TKN. The company announced a capital reduction of 75.67 million treasury shares, or 9.98%, leaving 682.25 million shares, which is positive for shareholders and supports value per share. The analyst maintained a Buy recommendation and raised the 2027 base value from 9.20 baht to 9.75 baht, assessed using the DCF method under a WACC of 8.0% and terminal growth of 2.5%.

Yuanta Securities rates MAJOR as a Buy, expecting third-quarter 2026 earnings to recover both quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year, after box-office revenue in July and August grew faster than the same period last year on a larger slate of major Thai and Hollywood films. At least three films grossed more than 100 million baht each, namely The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Medium's Confession, boosting attendance and ticket revenue as well as popcorn and beverage sales. Advertising revenue is expected to keep growing at a double-digit pace, and higher cinema utilisation should help margins grow faster than revenue, since most operating costs are fixed. For the fourth quarter of 2026, earnings are expected to continue expanding strongly on carryover revenue from GDH's HENRY's First Dates and key late-year releases, namely The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping in November and Avengers: Doomsday in December 2026. Although first-half revenue fell year-on-year, a recovery in attendance in the second half is expected to offset that, with roughly 64 Thai films slated for release this year, up from 55 last year. However, given the weak first-half results, the research team keeps its 2026 profit forecast at 555 million baht, down 12% year-on-year. For 2027, earnings are expected to keep growing in line with plans to open 25 to 30 additional screens across eight new locations within 2026, from 852 screens currently, as well as to add four more IMAX screens during 2026 and 2027. In the popcorn business, run with TKN through the joint venture TKN & Major Popcorn Co., Ltd., the target for 2026 is sales of 1.5 to 2.0 million packs per month, up from about 0.4 to 0.5 million packs per month when MAJOR ran the business itself. The research team maintains its Buy rating, viewing the buyback and reduction of registered capital by 75.67 million shares, or 9.98% of all shares, as positive for shareholders, cutting registered and paid-up shares from 757.92 million to 682.25 million and raising the 2027 base value from 9.20 baht to 9.75 baht, valued using the DCF method under a WACC of 8.0% and terminal growth of 2.5%.

Teads announced it is expanding its partnership with Whale TV worldwide, making Whale TV's HomeScreen and native CTV inventory available globally through Teads Ad Manager. The agreement broadens a European collaboration launched in 2024 into a global partnership, extending advertiser access across more than 100 countries. Whale TV, an independent TV operating system working with more than 400 TV brand partners, adds breadth to Teads' CTV footprint across established markets and fast-growing regions in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. The expansion is part of Teads' continued investment in CTV, following inventory partnerships added or expanded over the past year with Google TV, LG Ad Solutions, V, formerly VIDAA, and TiVo, and gives advertisers direct access to more than 500 million addressable TV devices globally for HomeScreen advertising. Teads said more than 6,000 HomeScreen campaigns have been delivered since 2023, and Whale TV inventory is now live in Teads Ad Manager worldwide.

ANYCOLOR rebounded sharply after four days. Its first-quarter earnings, announced on September 9, showed a year-on-year decline in profit, but profit margins recovered significantly from the previous quarter. The company also announced a share buyback of up to 2.8 million shares, equivalent to 4.67% of total issued shares, worth up to 7 billion yen, which appears to be drawing market attention.