film

Top takeaways from CinemaCon: the year's hottest movies

BY PAULA RAMON

  • "DunesDay" could be the biggest day in movie theaters since "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" debuted simultaneously, creating the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon.
  • Hollywood's major studios brought their biggest movies to Las Vegas this week for CinemaCon, the annual industry summit that offers insiders a sneak peek at what's coming soon to theaters.
  • "DunesDay" could be the biggest day in movie theaters since "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" debuted simultaneously, creating the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon.
Hollywood's major studios brought their biggest movies to Las Vegas this week for CinemaCon, the annual industry summit that offers insiders a sneak peek at what's coming soon to theaters.
Tom Cruise, Michael B. Jordan, Nicole Kidman, Tom Hanks, Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet led the parade of A-listers onto the stage at the Colosseum theater in Caesars Palace, along with directors Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan. 
Attendees caught a glimpse of new trailers, clips and teasers. Here are the highlights from the convention:
- 'The Odyssey' - 
Nolan debuted epic footage from "The Odyssey," his hotly anticipated take on Homer's epic tale -- and his first movie since his Oscar-winning "Oppenheimer."
The clips featured a look at Matt Damon as Odysseus and Charlize Theron as Calypso, as well as the scene when the iconic Trojan Horse is revealed -- which generated major buzz among industry observers.
"Why 'The Odyssey'? 'The Odyssey' is a story that has fascinated generation after generation for 3,000 years," Nolan told the audience at the Universal Pictures event.
"It's not A story. It's THE story," the filmmaker added, explaining that it was a long-time dream to make this adaptation.
Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson also star in the film, which is set for release on July 17.

'Disclosure Day'

Spielberg presented an extended new look at "Disclosure Day," his return to sci-fi and extraterrestrials, a genre he first explored nearly 50 years ago.
Though the Oscar-winning director said he had never seen an unidentified flying object himself, he made "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977) because the phenomenon offered him "a really great story to tell."
"I made 'Disclosure Day' with a lot more certainty that there's more truth than fiction in the movie that you are going to see on June 12."
Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor and Colman Domingo star in a film that forces humanity to contend with evidence that aliens do exist.
Spielberg, who presented the Universal Pictures movie with Domingo, said he'd been extremely selective in what he wanted to reveal at the event.
"This movie is an experience, and all you need to get from the beginning to the end is a seatbelt," he said.

'Avengers: Doomsday'

Disney's Marvel Studios unveiled the first trailer for "Avengers: Doomsday," which will hit US theaters on December 18.
The clip, which earned thunderous applause from the crowd, offered the first look at Robert Downey Jr. as villain Doctor Doom -- a new franchise character for the actor, whose Iron Man died in "Avengers: Endgame."
It also featured scenes with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), whose Captain America had chosen to remain in the past in "Endgame," passing on his shield. It's not clear yet how Cap has returned.
Downey and Evans were on hand to reveal the footage, along with director Joe and Anthony Russo.
"I said I would only come back if there was a real reason," Evans told the crowd.
"And in 'Doomsday', there is a very real reason that these heroes need Steve Rogers."

'Dune: Part Three'

Warner Bros showed the opening minutes of Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Three," which is also set to open on December 18.
"DunesDay" could be the biggest day in movie theaters since "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" debuted simultaneously, creating the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon.
Villeneuve called the final chapter in his sci-fi trilogy -- which takes place 17 years after the end of the last film -- a "thriller -- action-packed, more intense and definitely more emotional."
Chalamet and Zendaya were on hand, along with Jason Momoa, for the presentation. 
Zendaya reflected on the changes that the characters had been through, saying it had been "an unkind few years, and I think there's so much left still to fight for."

'Digger'

Cruise and Oscar-winning Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu offered a first look at the comedy "Digger," with the actor virtually unrecognizable as a pot-bellied oil man who ruined the planet and now wants to repair it.
"The movie is wild, it's funny," said Cruise, who received a standing ovation from the packed room at the Warner Bros event.
Inarritu said the role "could possibly be the most challenging" for Cruise, who has been nominated for three Oscars for his acting performances.
"We know that he's fearless -- the stunts, the planes, the jumps -- but I have to say embodying this character, this is another kind of fearless," he said.
pr/sst/sla

US

Polish stadium cancels Kanye West concert

  • "The concert by Ye (Kanye West), scheduled for 19 June 2026 at the Superauto.pl Silesian Stadium, will not take place due to formal and legal reasons," venue director Adam Strzyzewski announced in a press release on the stadium's website. 
  • A Kanye West concert scheduled to take place in a stadium in Poland in June was cancelled by the venue on Friday, following condemnation of antisemitic remarks by the US rapper. 
  • "The concert by Ye (Kanye West), scheduled for 19 June 2026 at the Superauto.pl Silesian Stadium, will not take place due to formal and legal reasons," venue director Adam Strzyzewski announced in a press release on the stadium's website. 
A Kanye West concert scheduled to take place in a stadium in Poland in June was cancelled by the venue on Friday, following condemnation of antisemitic remarks by the US rapper. 
"The concert by Ye (Kanye West), scheduled for 19 June 2026 at the Superauto.pl Silesian Stadium, will not take place due to formal and legal reasons," venue director Adam Strzyzewski announced in a press release on the stadium's website. 
The Polish culture ministry previously said in a statement, received by AFP, that it was seeking to bar West from performing in the country. 
"The widely discussed actions of Kanye West, linked to his promotion of Nazism, are in manifest contradiction with Poland's values," Culture Minister Marta Cienkowska said. 
She went on to express her "clearly negative position" about the June 19 concert going ahead and called on its organisers "not to make public space available to promoters of a criminal ideology". 
Quoted by the Polish Press Agency PAP, Cienkowska said that she "cannot imagine" such a concert being held in Poland, "a country where people were murdered in German Nazi extermination camps".
She condemned West -- now legally known as Ye -- as an artist who "openly declares he loves Hitler, who promotes Nazi ideology and makes money by selling T-shirts emblazoned with the swastika".
She added that Warsaw had the means to bar the entry of undesirable individuals and, if necessary, it "will resort to them".
West announced on Tuesday that a concert he had planned to give in the French city of Marseille had been postponed after authorities voiced opposition.
Last week, Britain said it has blocked West from entering the country, leading to the cancellation of a London music festival where he had been scheduled to perform over three nights in July.
The 48-year-old musician has lost fans and several sponsorships in recent years following inflammatory comments and actions. 
He has previously said "I love Nazis", sold t-shirts featuring a swastika on his website, and last year released a track titled "Heil Hitler," which was banned by main streaming platforms. 
In January this year, he took out a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal to declare "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite" and "I love Jewish people". He attributed his controversial behaviour to a "manic episode" brought on by bipolar disorder. 
ks/bo/sw/rmb

entertainment

Japanese fans gather to welcome BTS on world tour

  • Fans who Friday surrounded Tokyo Dome -- which can accommodate up to 55,000 people -- included many without tickets, who came just for the atmosphere.
  • Tens of thousands of excited fans gathered at a landmark Tokyo stadium Friday to watch K-pop megastars BTS, in concert outside South Korea for the first time on their new world tour.
  • Fans who Friday surrounded Tokyo Dome -- which can accommodate up to 55,000 people -- included many without tickets, who came just for the atmosphere.
Tens of thousands of excited fans gathered at a landmark Tokyo stadium Friday to watch K-pop megastars BTS, in concert outside South Korea for the first time on their new world tour.
The seven-member group -- widely regarded as the world's biggest boy band -- took to the stage together for the first time last month following a years-long hiatus prompted by mandatory military service.
The tour coincides with the release of their latest studio album "ARIRANG".
Last week's spectacular concert in Goyang, about 16 kilometres from the South Korean capital Seoul, marked the start of a tour that will span 85 shows across 34 cities worldwide.
"I waited so long," Miki Satani, 50, clutching a ticket for the concert, told AFP.
BTS "give me lots of energy and cheer me up", said Satani, who discovered BTS six years ago.
"When I have various kinds of hardships in life, I can receive cheer by listening to their music... I feel they are like vitamin supplements for my life."
Fans who Friday surrounded Tokyo Dome -- which can accommodate up to 55,000 people -- included many without tickets, who came just for the atmosphere.
Ticketless Russian tourist Viktoria Diatlova, 27, expressed love for the boy band, saying their music "has such a beautiful message".
Noa Iwaasa, 22, a hairdresser in Tokyo, said: "BTS is part of my life, as I've been listening to them since I was a student."
The two concerts are on Friday and Saturday. 
cg-kh/fox

court

'Gomorrah' author cleared of defaming far-right Italian minister

  • Saviano's lawyer Antonio Nobile told AFP that the outcome was "far from a foregone conclusion", referring to previous defamation allegations brought against him by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
  • An Italian court has cleared mafia bestseller "Gomorrah" author and journalist Roberto Saviano of defamation charges brought by far-right deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, his lawyer said Friday.
  • Saviano's lawyer Antonio Nobile told AFP that the outcome was "far from a foregone conclusion", referring to previous defamation allegations brought against him by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
An Italian court has cleared mafia bestseller "Gomorrah" author and journalist Roberto Saviano of defamation charges brought by far-right deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, his lawyer said Friday.
Saviano was acquitted Thursday over a 2018 social media post in which he called Salvini the "minister of the criminal underworld".
Saviano had said Salvini ignored mafia wars taking place in Calabria, southern Italy, as interior minister, and instead focused on cracking down on migrants working in the region's farming sector.
The judge ruled that Saviano had committed no crime, upholding the author’s defence of legitimately exercising his right to political and cultural criticism.
"This ruling was really important because it shifts attention towards the necessity of the freedom to criticise those in power," Saviano said.
Saviano's lawyer Antonio Nobile told AFP that the outcome was "far from a foregone conclusion", referring to previous defamation allegations brought against him by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
In 2023, Saviano was fined 1,000 euros for criticising Meloni’s stance on migrants and calling the then leader of the opposition a "bastard" on national television in 2020.
Salvini, leader of Italy’s Lega party, vowed to sue the author again.
“As interior minister, I fought the Mafia, the Camorra, and the 'Ndrangheta," he said.
"It seems obvious to me that some judges are ideologically aligned,” he said during a phone interview with Rai talk show Ore 14 Sera.
str/dt/ach 

games

Video game voice star Troy Baker says 'only humans' can make art

BY KILIAN FICHOU

  • - 'Ask questions' - Baker struck just the right tone in 2024's "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle," in which he played Harrison Ford's film hero in his prime.
  • Millions of gamers around the world may not know Troy Baker's face but would recognise his voice -- perhaps as the heartbroken father Joel in "The Last of Us" or an intrepid Indiana Jones in "The Great Circle".
  • - 'Ask questions' - Baker struck just the right tone in 2024's "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle," in which he played Harrison Ford's film hero in his prime.
Millions of gamers around the world may not know Troy Baker's face but would recognise his voice -- perhaps as the heartbroken father Joel in "The Last of Us" or an intrepid Indiana Jones in "The Great Circle".
That human connection is why the 50-year-old actor is "not afraid of anything replacing artists" even as creative industries are beset by fears of artificial intelligence taking over.
Baker spoke to AFP soon after of the release of a new title, "Screamer", the latest in a string of 430 games and animations to which he has lent his vocal cords rather than his bearded face and piercing blue eyes, according to IMDb.
Although AI can easily ape an actor's voice,"we're talking about art," Baker said.
"We make art. Art is inherently, intrinsically a human expression, and only humans can make it."
In "Screamer", a car racing title released last month for PC and consoles, Baker plays the role of Mister A., the organiser of a tournament whose high-octane clashes are interspersed with animated sequences.
"History has shown us that technology creates more opportunities than it replaces," Baker said.
Nevertheless, "anytime, in any art form, people are fearful of their jobs," he acknowledged. "I understand it."
Baker himself came in for online criticism in early 2022 for associating with a company specialising in NFTs ("non-fungible tokens", or tradeable digital objects) before quickly backing out.

'I love Joel'

Baker fell almost by accident into voice work in the early 2000s as he was trying to get a rock band off the ground.
But it was in 2013 that he broke through with the role of Joel in "The Last Of Us", the action-adventure game that tells the story of a man and a young girl traversing a post-apocalyptic America.
Baker's motions were also captured in his performance as the gruff and bereaved father.
Popular the world over, the game's success spawned a 2020 sequel and an HBO series starting in 2023, in which Baker appeared for a cameo role as a different character.
"I love Joel. I miss him every day," Baker said, while adding that he "cannot imagine any more of (his) story that's left to tell" despite rumours of a third game regularly circulating online.
Unlike the "multimillion-dollar sets" common in the movie business, in games "there's times when I'm given a microphone, a script and a Zoom call," said Baker, whose other major roles include the brother of the protagonist Nathan Drake in "Uncharted 4" (2016) and the antagonist of two "Death Stranding" games (2019 and 2025).

'Ask questions'

Baker struck just the right tone in 2024's "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle," in which he played Harrison Ford's film hero in his prime.
He recalled how at first, he "prepared in a completely wrong way" by attempting to copy one-for-one the movie star's voice and movements.
"That's the least Indiana Jones thing I could do," he later realised, saying he "had to let go" of Ford and do things his own way.
The Hollywood star himself congratulated Baker on his performance at the Game Awards in Los Angeles in 2024, one of the high points of the video game calendar.
But across different projects, "I can't have a single process," Baker said. "Every studio is different. Every game should be different."
His approach these days is to "ask a lot of questions" -- as in "Screamer", where "we spent a lot of time really dialing in each individual character".
This year Baker is appearing in the film "Iron Lung", a sci-fi thriller directed by the YouTube star Mark Fischbach, who goes by the moniker Marliplier.
Nevertheless, "I've never looked at video games as a stepping stone. This is where I love to be," he said.
kf/tgb/js

film

Depardieu drops lawsuit over report that sped up downfall

BY NICOLAS GAUDICHET

  • In one section, he appears to make an obscene comment about a young girl riding a horse.
  • French actor Gerard Depardieu on Friday dropped a lawsuit against broadcaster France Televisions over a 2023 television report that portrayed him as making sexual comments about a young girl.
  • In one section, he appears to make an obscene comment about a young girl riding a horse.
French actor Gerard Depardieu on Friday dropped a lawsuit against broadcaster France Televisions over a 2023 television report that portrayed him as making sexual comments about a young girl.
Depardieu, whose prolific film and television career includes 1990 comedy "Green Card" and Netflix series "Marseille", is the highest-profile figure caught up in France's response to the #MeToo movement.
The 77-year-old actor's decision to withdraw the lawsuit was announced by his new attorney, Delphine Meillet, at the start of a hearing before the Paris Criminal Court.
The court case focuses on a dispute between Depardieu and a television show that in December 2023 aired a report that dented his public image and sparked an uproar in France.
The episode, titled "The Fall of the Ogre", included footage of him repeatedly making sexual comments about women during a trip to North Korea in 2018.
In one section, he appears to make an obscene comment about a young girl riding a horse.
Outrage at the actor's behaviour peaked after the release of the previously unseen footage.
The actor argued he had never spoken in such a way about the girl.
The withdrawal of the lawsuit also applies to France Televisions President Delphine Ernotte-Cunci, the authors of the report, and the production company Hikari.
"France Televisions welcomes this withdrawal, which brings to an end two years of legal proceedings, controversy, and misinformation," the broadcaster said. 
"Two expert analyses concluded that the actor had indeed made remarks of a sexual nature toward a young girl and ruled out any fraudulent manipulation of the footage," France Televisions added. 
- 'Utterly disloyal' - 
Speaking in court in October, Depardieu's previous lawyer, Jeremie Assous, had denounced the editing of the report as "utterly disloyal."
He had asserted that the lewd comments heard while a child was visible on screen actually referred to an adult woman who was not shown.
In 2023, President Emmanuel Macron said Depardieu was the target of a "manhunt."
"Everyone is ganging up on the same person, saying the worst possible things based on a news report, without even giving him a chance to defend himself," he said at the time.
He suggested that the footage might have been doctored. "I saw the footage. I also heard there was controversy over the audio not matching the images."
Macron's intervention at the time sparked controversy.
At the October hearing, Depardieu's defence team cited Macron's support.
"The president is, after all, better informed than others," said Assous, who has since been removed from the actor's defence team.
The tarnished film icon has been accused of sexual assault or rape by around 20 women.
A Paris court last year handed Depardieu an 18-month suspended sentence after convicting him of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021.
The court also ordered that the actor register as a sex offender.
Depardieu has filed an appeal. 
"I'm vulgar, rude, foul-mouthed, I'll accept that," he has told the court.
But he added that he did not "touch."
ng-as/yad

periodical

Mexican writer Elena Poniatowska's typewriter, photographs go on display

  • On display is a 1955 essay on photography by Mexican painter Diego Rivera, a letter from author Fernando del Paso and photographs from Poniatowska's interviews with figures who have shaped Mexico's artistic, political and social life over the past seven decades.
  • An old Smith Corona typewriter, letters from literary contemporaries and photographs are part of the items spanning the life of renowned Mexican writer and journalist Elena Poniatowska to go on display this week in Mexico City.
  • On display is a 1955 essay on photography by Mexican painter Diego Rivera, a letter from author Fernando del Paso and photographs from Poniatowska's interviews with figures who have shaped Mexico's artistic, political and social life over the past seven decades.
An old Smith Corona typewriter, letters from literary contemporaries and photographs are part of the items spanning the life of renowned Mexican writer and journalist Elena Poniatowska to go on display this week in Mexico City.
Poniatowska, winner of the 2013 Cervantes Prize -- the most prestigious award in Spanish-language literature -- and still active at the age of 93, was not at all pleased with the idea of an exhibition about her life.
"But what I've done my whole life is give a voice to others!" the writer protested when organizers proposed the project to her, according to Alejandro Brito, director of the Museo del Estanquillo in the historic center of the Mexican capital.
The exhibition, which explores her career in journalism and literature, opens on Saturday at the museum founded by Carlos Monsivais, Poniatowska's close friend and literary partner who died in 2010.
On display is a 1955 essay on photography by Mexican painter Diego Rivera, a letter from author Fernando del Paso and photographs from Poniatowska's interviews with figures who have shaped Mexico's artistic, political and social life over the past seven decades.
The writer, born in Paris in 1932 and distantly related to the last Polish king, arrived in Mexico aged 10 and developed an interest in journalism and literature early on. 

'Massacre in Mexico'

Photographs show her reporting from a prison, where she interviewed students who were political prisoners following a massacre against student demonstrators in 1968.
Those interviews inspired her to write one of her most courageous and well-known books "Massacre in Mexico."
At the time, the work was hailed for raising awareness about the brutal military repression that had been kept under wraps.
According to her son Felipe Haro, director of the Elena Poniatowska Amor Foundation, his mother wrote the book because "she felt comfortable in the prison; she liked the stories" she found there.
"Elena is a great storyteller," he told AFP during a media tour of the exhibition.
The author, who continues to write and publish, recently visited President Claudia Sheinbaum at Mexico's National Palace.
Sheinbaum asked if Poniatowska needed help getting from the parking lot to the presidential office.
"She almost took offense when we asked her (...) she walked in perfectly fine, completely lucid," the president said at a press conference this week.
During the press tour, Haro said the family had received offers from abroad to display the archives, but that his mother wanted the collection to remain in Mexico.
"Taking the archive away is like taking away the memory" of a country, Haro said.
lp/ai/vel/aks/cms

film

Depardieu drops lawsuit over report that sped up downfall

  • In one section, he appears to make an obscene comment about a young girl riding a horse.
  • French actor Gerard Depardieu on Friday dropped a lawsuit against broadcaster France Televisions over a 2023 television report that portrayed him as making sexual comments about a young girl.
  • In one section, he appears to make an obscene comment about a young girl riding a horse.
French actor Gerard Depardieu on Friday dropped a lawsuit against broadcaster France Televisions over a 2023 television report that portrayed him as making sexual comments about a young girl.
Depardieu, whose prolific film and television career includes 1990 comedy "Green Card" and Netflix series "Marseille", is the highest-profile figure caught up in France's response to the #MeToo movement.
The 77-year-old actor's decision to withdraw the lawsuit was announced by his attorney, Delphine Meillet, at the start of a hearing before the Paris Criminal Court.
The court case focuses on a dispute between Depardieu and a television show that in December 2023 aired a report that dented his public image and sparked an uproar in France.
The episode, titled "The Fall of the Ogre", included footage of him repeatedly making sexual comments about women during a trip to North Korea in 2018.
In one section, he appears to make an obscene comment about a young girl riding a horse.
The withdrawal of the lawsuit also applies to France Televisions President Delphine Ernotte-Cunci, the authors of the report, and the production company Hikari.
"France Televisions welcomes this withdrawal, which brings to an end two years of legal proceedings, controversy, and misinformation," the broadcaster said. 
"Two expert analyses concluded that the actor had indeed made remarks of a sexual nature toward a young girl and ruled out any fraudulent manipulation of the footage," France Televisions added. 
A Paris court last year handed Depardieu an 18-month suspended sentence after convicting him of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021.
The court also ordered that the actor register as a sex offender.
ng-as/giv

photography

Famed photographer Joel Meyerowitz embraces camera phones

BY JOE JACKSON

  • This is happening in America, in New York City, and you're saying no photographs?'
  • Photographer Joel Meyerowitz, famous for capturing everyday life on the streets of his native New York and elsewhere, has no qualms about now sharing the stage with hordes of phone-wielding amateurs.
  • This is happening in America, in New York City, and you're saying no photographs?'
Photographer Joel Meyerowitz, famous for capturing everyday life on the streets of his native New York and elsewhere, has no qualms about now sharing the stage with hordes of phone-wielding amateurs.
"The problems of the world and the joys of the world are visible because everyone has a camera," the 88-year-old told AFP.
The pioneer of colour images and so-called street photography is happy modern technology has given nearly everyone the chance to use the medium "as a means of expression".
"Nowadays... there are billions of people every day making photographs and there's a culture of imagery that is teaching people values about photography, about humanity, about dignity," he said.
Meyerowitz spoke at London's Somerset House, where photographs from his decades-spanning career go on show for 18 days from Friday as part of this year's Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition.
It has also honoured him with its annual "outstanding contribution to photography" award.
"It's thrilling to be recognised," he said, standing near his iconic pictures shot during a 1966-67 tour of Europe while a video projection presents a playful self-portraits project from 2020.
"When I began, it wasn't about a future in which I might win an award. It was about just doing the work... so I'm grateful."

'My city was hurt'

Meyerowitz started his career as a painter and graphic designer before discovering photography just as colour imagery was emerging.
"The world is in colour -- it didn't even occur to me that I should use black-and-white," he recalled.
That budding photographer of the early 1960s also immediately embraced the urban environment.
"When I went onto the street, I never looked back," Meyerowitz said.
"The energy of life in the street, the way people carried themselves, the interactions between people, instantaneous events happening and disappearing -- photography is about that."
Street pictures aside, Meyerowitz is equally well known for documenting Ground Zero following the September 11, 2001 attacks -- the sole photographer to have continued access to the site in the year after 9/11.
He spent several years creating an archive comprising 8,500 images, some of which were exhibited and feature in a book, "Aftermath: World Trade Center Archive".
Twenty-five years on, he recalled how the "life-changing" experience began from a desire to help -- as well as an act of defiance after then-mayor Rudy Giuliani barred photographers from the site.
"I'm a native New Yorker. My city was hurt. I needed to help in some way. I didn't know how... and then I figured it out," he explained.
"I thought 'screw you, buddy. We need this. This is history here. This is happening in America, in New York City, and you're saying no photographs?'
"So I just decided I'm going to go in there and do the work that was necessary that he was trying to ban."
Meyerowitz initially forged a worker's pass, before eventually befriending detectives on-site and securing a police department access badge.
"I wanted to get in bad enough... I'm glad I did it."

No to AI

Meyerowitz noted a constant hallmark of his career has been embracing technological innovation, from the adoption of colour at the outset to digital cameras decades later.
But he has opted against exploring AI's growing reach.
"I'm not at a point in my life where I want to go into the artificial intelligence route," he said.
"You might say (it's) lens-less photography. We'll know in the future what this means right now. I've chosen not to use it."
Despite that, London-based Meyerowitz, who is also editing all his unseen work for two new books, is still innovating.
The celebrated octogenarian is currently working on a project "very unlike anything I've ever done" that involves "not just making a straight photograph", he said.
"I'm not going to talk about it because it's, first of all, very risky -- culturally risky, I think -- and I haven't fulfilled it yet. I'm at work on it."
jj/jkb/jhb

film

Marvel premieres first 'Avengers: Doomsday' trailer at CinemaCon

BY PAULA RAMON

  • "Avengers: Doomsday" follows the events of "Avengers: Endgame," bringing together a host of Marvel characters new and old, including the X-Men, previously excluded from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
  • Disney showcased the first theatrical trailer of the new Marvel franchise film "Avengers: Doomsday" on Thursday during the closing day of CinemaCon in Las Vegas.
  • "Avengers: Doomsday" follows the events of "Avengers: Endgame," bringing together a host of Marvel characters new and old, including the X-Men, previously excluded from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Disney showcased the first theatrical trailer of the new Marvel franchise film "Avengers: Doomsday" on Thursday during the closing day of CinemaCon in Las Vegas.
The clip -- played twice for the enthusiastic audience at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace -- offered the first look at Robert Downey Jr. as the villainous Doctor Doom.
It marks the actor's return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the death of Iron Man in 2019's "Avengers: Endgame."
The footage also teased several dramatic moments from the movie, including a fight between Gambit and Shang-Chi -- played by Channing Tatum and Simu Liu, respectively -- and Patrick Stewart reprising his role as X-Men's Professor Xavier, warning: "Something's coming, something we may not be able to deter."
At the very end of the trailer, Chris Evans returns as his character Steve Rogers, otherwise known as Captain America, appearing before a surprised-looking Thor (Chris Hemsworth) as the Norse god's Mjolnir hammer flies into Rogers' hands.
Both Evans and Downey Jr. were on the stage at CinemaCon to present the trailer alongside the film's directors, brothers Joe and Anthony Russo.
"I said I would only come back if there was a real reason," Evans told the crowd.
"And in Doomsday, there is a very real reason that these heroes need Steve Rogers."
"Avengers: Doomsday" follows the events of "Avengers: Endgame," bringing together a host of Marvel characters new and old, including the X-Men, previously excluded from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The movie will have its US premiere on December 18, the same day as Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Three."
Theater owners hope the double-whammy will be a box office bonanza, ending the year on a high note amid declining revenues.

Sequels on the way

Marvel's presentation was the grande finale of Disney's CinemaCon showcase.
The annual convention allows movie studios to preview their upcoming slates to theater owners and the press.
Tom Hanks, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Queen Latifah were among the superstars to showcase footage from their upcoming Disney films.
Director Jon Favreau introduced the opening scene of his new movie, the latest Star Wars flick "The Mandalorian and Grogu," out next month.
Disney also played clips from the upcoming sequel films "The Devil Wears Prada 2" with Meryl Streep reprising her role as icy fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly, and "Toy Story 5," the latest Pixar animated film with lifelike toys Woody and Buzz Lightyear coming together more than 30 years since the original released.
pr/dga/jgc/aks

television

Netflix shares dive as co-founder Reed Hastings steps away

BY GLENN CHAPMAN

  • "Netflix changed my life in so many ways," Hastings wrote in an earnings letter.
  • Netflix shares plummeted more than nine percent Thursday as the TV streaming titan's quarterly earnings failed to impress investors and co-founder Reed Hastings announced he is leaving.
  • "Netflix changed my life in so many ways," Hastings wrote in an earnings letter.
Netflix shares plummeted more than nine percent Thursday as the TV streaming titan's quarterly earnings failed to impress investors and co-founder Reed Hastings announced he is leaving.
Hastings, who helped grow the revolutionary DVD-by-mail company into a global entertainment behemoth, will depart Netflix to "focus on his philanthropy and other pursuits" when his term as chairman of the board of directors ends in June.
He ceded daily control of Netflix to co-chief executives Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos in early 2023.
"Netflix changed my life in so many ways," Hastings wrote in an earnings letter.
"My all‑time favorite memory was January 2016, when we enabled nearly the entire planet to enjoy our service."
Netflix faces increasing competition from rival streaming services as well as short-form video platforms like TikTok that vie for consumers' attention.
The company based in Los Gatos, California, reported quarterly revenue of $12.25 billion, a result that slightly topped expectations.
The share price slide came despite Netflix reporting profit of $5.28 billion, which was boosted by a fee received for the termination of a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery.
During the recently ended quarter, Netflix declined to sweeten its takeover offer of Warner Bros, effectively ceding the media giant to a rival bid from Paramount Skydance after deciding the deal was no longer financially attractive.
Netflix logged a termination fee of $2.8 billion related to the nixed deal, according to its earnings report.
By not following through on the arrangement, Netflix will likely see the storied Hollywood studio and a group of TV properties -- which includes CNN -- fall into the hands of Paramount, fundamentally reshaping US media.
Paramount's deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery is in a regulatory and shareholder approval phase.
The bidding war had drawn White House attention, with President Donald Trump insisting he had a say in the outcome.
Oracle founder Larry Ellison is the father of Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison.
Larry Ellison, a longtime Trump ally, largely financed his son's takeover of Paramount and his subsequent bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.
A victory by Paramount would see CNN -- often the target of Trump's threats and criticism -- pass to Ellison family control, amid backlash that a Paramount-owned CBS would see changes to the White House's liking.
Netflix shares climbed after it stepped away from the Warner bidding, with analysts noting that money it saved could be invested in audience-drawing shows and its potentially lucrative advertising business.
"Netflix won with investors when it lost Warner Bros Discovery," said Emarketer senior analyst Ross Benes.
"Netflix's next challenge will be to truly diversify away from having subscriptions account for almost the entirety of its revenue."

Baseball and ads

The streamer's advertising platform continues to grow, and the company expects it to account for $3 billion in revenue this year, according to Peters.
He added that Netflix sees opportunity in using artificial intelligence to make it easier for partners to customize ads.
"As the company enters a new era without Reed Hastings, advertising will play a bigger role," Benes said.
Netflix is also pushing further into live sports, podcasts and games, executives said on an earnings call.
The recently streamed World Baseball Classic was a hit on Netflix, according to co-chief executive Ted Sarandos.
"It was the most watched program we've ever had in Japan," he said on the call.
"It was really exciting to see how this played out."
gc/sla

celebrity

Victoria Beckham defends parenting amid rift with son Brooklyn

  • International soccer phenom David Beckham has not directly answered questions about the tensions, but when asked by US broadcaster CNBC about children using social media, he said parents should let children "make mistakes." pel/ph/bjt/sla
  • Victoria Beckham said Thursday she and her husband David have always sought to "protect" their children, months after eldest son Brooklyn attacked his famous parents in an explosive social media rant. 
  • International soccer phenom David Beckham has not directly answered questions about the tensions, but when asked by US broadcaster CNBC about children using social media, he said parents should let children "make mistakes." pel/ph/bjt/sla
Victoria Beckham said Thursday she and her husband David have always sought to "protect" their children, months after eldest son Brooklyn attacked his famous parents in an explosive social media rant. 
In the January post, 27-year-old Brooklyn alleged his parents tried to "ruin" his relationship with his wife Nicola Peltz Beckham and said he had no wish to reconcile with his family. 
He said his parents, seeking to protect the "Brand Beckham," tried to "bribe me into signing away the rights to my name" before he married the American actress in 2022. 
Victoria Beckham, a Spice Girls pop star turned fashion designer, told the Wall Street Journal that she and ex-England footballer David have "always tried to be the best parents that we can be."
"We've been in the public eye for more than 30 years right now, and all we've ever tried to do is protect our children and love our children," she said. 
"Being a parent of young adult children and adult children, gosh, I mean, it's very different from having little children. I think that we're trying to do the best we can."
Brooklyn's surprise criticism of his parents made front-page news in UK tabloids. 
"Since the moment I started standing up for myself with my family, I've received endless attacks from my parents, both privately and publicly, that were sent to the press on their orders," he said. 
International soccer phenom David Beckham has not directly answered questions about the tensions, but when asked by US broadcaster CNBC about children using social media, he said parents should let children "make mistakes."
pel/ph/bjt/sla

television

Netflix shares dive as revenue barely beats expectations

  • The share price plunge came despite Netflix reporting profit of $5.28 billion, which was boosted by a fee received for the termination of a deal to buy Warner Bros.
  • Netflix shares plummeted more than 8 percent on Thursday as the TV streaming titan reported quarterly revenue of $12.25 billion, which slightly topped expectations.
  • The share price plunge came despite Netflix reporting profit of $5.28 billion, which was boosted by a fee received for the termination of a deal to buy Warner Bros.
Netflix shares plummeted more than 8 percent on Thursday as the TV streaming titan reported quarterly revenue of $12.25 billion, which slightly topped expectations.
An earnings letter to investors came with word that co-founder Reed Hastings will step away from the company when his term as chairman of the board of directors ends in June.
"Netflix changed my life in so many ways," Hastings wrote in the letter.
"My all‑time favorite memory was January 2016, when we enabled nearly the entire planet to enjoy our service."
Netflix faces increasing competition from rival streaming services as well as short-form video platforms like TikTok that vie for people's attention.
The share price plunge came despite Netflix reporting profit of $5.28 billion, which was boosted by a fee received for the termination of a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery.
During the recently ended quarter, Netflix declined to sweeten its takeover offer of Warner Bros, effectively ceding the media giant to a rival bid from Paramount Skydance after deciding the deal was no longer financially attractive.
Netflix logged a termination fee of $2.8 billion related to the nixed deal, according to its earnings report.
Netflix not following through on the arrangement will likely see the storied Hollywood studio and a group of TV properties which includes CNN fall into the hands of Paramount, fundamentally reshaping US media.
Paramount's deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery is in a regulatory and shareholder approval phase.
The bidding war had drawn White House attention, with President Donald Trump insisting he had a say in the outcome.
Oracle founder Larry Ellison is the father of Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison.
Larry Ellison, a longtime Trump ally, largely financed his son's takeover of Paramount and his subsequent bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.
A victory by Paramount would see CNN -- often the target of Trump's threats and criticism -- pass to Ellison family control, amid backlash that a Paramount-owned CBS would see changes to the White House's liking.
Netflix shares climbed after it stepped away from the Warner bidding, with analysts noting that the money it saved could be invested in audience-drawing shows and its potentially lucrative advertising business.
gc/jgc

film

Cruise control: 'Top Gun 3' officially in the works

  • Paramount film co-head Josh Greenstein said "Top Gun 3" was "officially in development with a script well underway," adding that Cruise would reunite with producer Jerry Bruckheimer on the project.
  • If you still feel the need for speed, Paramount Pictures has good news for you -- "Top Gun 3" is officially happening, with Tom Cruise back as daring pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.
  • Paramount film co-head Josh Greenstein said "Top Gun 3" was "officially in development with a script well underway," adding that Cruise would reunite with producer Jerry Bruckheimer on the project.
If you still feel the need for speed, Paramount Pictures has good news for you -- "Top Gun 3" is officially happening, with Tom Cruise back as daring pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.
The announcement came Thursday at the studio's showcase at CinemaCon, an annual week-long summit at which Hollywood studios present their biggest upcoming movies to theater owners and press.
Paramount film co-head Josh Greenstein said "Top Gun 3" was "officially in development with a script well underway," adding that Cruise would reunite with producer Jerry Bruckheimer on the project.
The original 1986 film helped propel Cruise to superstardom, and the 2022 sequel earned $1.5 billion worldwide.
Legendary director Steven Spielberg publicly credited Cruise with helping to get moviegoers back into theaters after the Covid-19 pandemic with the long-awaited sequel.
Cruise was not present at the presentation, but did narrate a film used to open the event, which focused on the studio's commitment to releasing films on the big screen.
At the end, Cruise -- sitting atop the water tower on the studio's lot -- says, "The future looks great from here."
Paramount Skydance chief David Ellison told attendees that the studio would guarantee a 45-day theatrical release window for its films before moving them to streaming platforms.
"Once we combine with Warner Brothers, we're going to make a minimum of 30 films annually," Ellison said in a pledge to theater owners. "Long live the movies."
Paramount has launched a massive $111 billion bid to take over Warner Bros, topping a rival bid from Netflix.
But many in Hollywood fear the mega-merger will lead to cuts that will forever change the film industry.
Also on Paramount's upcoming slate is a film adaptation of the popular video game "Call of Duty," due in theaters in June 2028.
Attendees also saw early footage from "Heart of the Beast," a thriller starring Brad Pitt as a military veteran who must survive a plane crash in Alaska with his combat dog.
And Johnny Depp showed up to offer a preview of "Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol," the latest adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens tale, in which he plays the grumpy Scrooge.
CinemaCon continues later Thursday with Disney's presentation.
pr/sst/md

film

Lana Del Rey takes on Bond with new game title track

  • It is the first James Bond game in over a decade and one of the year's most anticipated titles -- especially after a two-month delay to publication for what IO said was final polishing.
  • Lana Del Rey has joined an exclusive club of pop greats by voicing a new theme song for James Bond -- albeit for the fictional British superspy's video game incarnation in the upcoming "007: First Light".
  • It is the first James Bond game in over a decade and one of the year's most anticipated titles -- especially after a two-month delay to publication for what IO said was final polishing.
Lana Del Rey has joined an exclusive club of pop greats by voicing a new theme song for James Bond -- albeit for the fictional British superspy's video game incarnation in the upcoming "007: First Light".
"I was so excited to work with Lana, an artist who brought elegance, atmosphere and her totally unique character to this piece," co-composer David Arnold, who also scored a string of Bond movies in the late 90s and 2000s, said in a statement.
Published to streaming platforms Thursday, Del Rey's track "First Light" sticks to a familiar formula of haunting lyrics and brassy hooks evoking the musical history of the Bond series.
Music has been a key facet of the franchise since its first film, 1962's "Dr. No",  with the world-famous theme song composed by Monty Norman used in every movie since.
Later films' themes have been performed by stars like Shirley Bassey, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Adele and Billie Eilish.
Built by "Hitman" developers IO Interactive for PC, Playstation 5 and Xbox Series, "First Light" will place players into the shoes of a young James Bond earning his "licence to kill".
It is the first James Bond game in over a decade and one of the year's most anticipated titles -- especially after a two-month delay to publication for what IO said was final polishing.
More than three million fans have added the game to online wishlists, IO said, ahead of its release on May 27.
kf-tgb/ach 

Global Edition

Meghan Markle claims to be 'most trolled person' in world

  • "Every day for 10 years, I've been bullied and attacked," Meghan told the youngsters on the third day of the visit in the southern city of Melbourne, adding "but I'm still here".
  • Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle claimed Thursday she has been "bullied and attacked" on social media every day for a decade and was "the most trolled person in the entire world".
  • "Every day for 10 years, I've been bullied and attacked," Meghan told the youngsters on the third day of the visit in the southern city of Melbourne, adding "but I'm still here".
Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle claimed Thursday she has been "bullied and attacked" on social media every day for a decade and was "the most trolled person in the entire world".
The 44-year-old former American actress made the comments during the couple's four-day tour of Australia, as they both addressed a roundtable discussion with young people associated with an Australian mental health organisation.
"Every day for 10 years, I've been bullied and attacked," Meghan told the youngsters on the third day of the visit in the southern city of Melbourne, adding "but I'm still here".
She urged those in attendance to remember that social media was a "billion dollar industry that is completely anchored and predicated on cruelty to get clicks".
"That's not going to change. So you have to be stronger than that," Meghan said.
Meanwhile at a separate event, Harry,  41, revealed he had felt "lost, betrayed, or completely powerless" during his life, as he opened up about the impact of losing his mother, Princess Diana, as a boy.
In a discussion after delivering a speech at a leadership summit, King Charles III's youngest son said following Diana's death when he was 12 that he felt like he wanted to cast off his role as a senior royal.
"It killed my mum and I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years," he said.
"Eventually I realised: well, hang on, if there was somebody else in this position, how would they be making the most of this platform and this ability and the resources that come with it to make a difference in the world?
"And also, what would my mum want me to do? And that really changed my own perspective."
Harry and his wife stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and later relocated to North America amid a bitter royal family rift. 
They are raising their two young children in California, as Harry now seeks to repair relations with his father -- who remains the head of state in Australia.

'VIP experience'

During the couple's Australia tour, Meghan has also filmed a programme for MasterChef Australia due to air on Sunday.
She will also take part in a "girls' weekend like no other" at Sydney's InterContinental Coogee Beach hotel, according to organisers.
The event features yoga, sound healing and dinners as well as disco dancing at a ticket price of Aus$2,699 per person, about $1,900.
Those willing to pay even more get access to the "VIP experience" -- which includes a group table photo with Meghan and a goodie bag.
The pair is also due to visit the capital Canberra, national broadcaster ABC said.
They have been warmly greeted during their stops so far, but the visit has drawn criticism, with Victoria state opposition leader Jess Wilson condemning the use of taxpayers' money to provide protection for the pair.
jj/jkb/fox

books

French billionaire Bollore sparks turmoil at top publisher Grasset

BY JéRéMY TORDJMAN

  • "Vincent Bollore is like Attila: he arrives, he destroys as he pleases, he corrupts because there are people who stay and have no choice," Grasset author Claude Askolovitch said on France Inter radio on Thursday.
  • French conservative billionaire Vincent Bollore came under attack from dozens of authors on Thursday at one of his flagship publishing brands, as he continues to reshape the country's media landscape.
  • "Vincent Bollore is like Attila: he arrives, he destroys as he pleases, he corrupts because there are people who stay and have no choice," Grasset author Claude Askolovitch said on France Inter radio on Thursday.
French conservative billionaire Vincent Bollore came under attack from dozens of authors on Thursday at one of his flagship publishing brands, as he continues to reshape the country's media landscape.
More than 100 authors at the Grasset imprint, home to some of the biggest names in French literature, said they would leave the publishing house after the surprise departure of its long-time CEO.
Olivier Nora, who had headed Grasset for 26 years, left on Tuesday with no explanation, though reports claimed he had been sacked by Bollore following a disagreement about a book. 
The turmoil at Grasset mirrors the uproar seen at other Bollore-owned TV, radio and newspaper companies that have come under the control of the 74-year-old businessman, who is close to far-right figures.  
"We couldn't just do nothing," novelist Colombe Schneck told AFP about the open letter signed by 115 Grasset authors promising not to work with the publishing house in the future.
"Olivier Nora's departure was the spark."
She said everyone was aware of what Bollore had done with his other media properties including Fayard which, like Grasset, is part of the Hachette publishing group acquired by Bollore in 2023.
Fayard has become home to a roster of far-right authors from presidential candidates Eric Zemmour and Jordan Bardella to anti-immigration businessman Philippe de Villiers.
"Vincent Bollore is like Attila: he arrives, he destroys as he pleases, he corrupts because there are people who stay and have no choice," Grasset author Claude Askolovitch said on France Inter radio on Thursday.
Hachette did not comment when contacted by AFP.
Bollore's aggressive expansion into the French media in recent years has been cheered by conservatives as rebalancing what they see as long-standing left-wing bias.
The devout Catholic, who made his money in logistics, has been compared by commentators to Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch, with the Bollore-owned CNews news channel bearing similarities to US network Fox News. 
Nora's departure at Grasset has been widely linked to the acquisition of the next book by conservative French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal following his release from prison in Algeria late last year. 
"Grasset was our publishing house, a special one, because it peacefully brought together women and men writers who agreed on very little," the open letter from the departing authors stated.
"Olivier Nora was both its bulwark and its binding force, through his moral elegance, his availability, and his commitment."  
jt-jri/adp/jxb

cinema

Val Kilmer returns via AI as filmmakers test Hollywood's red line

BY PAULA RAMON

  • The use of artificial intelligence remains one of the most sensitive issues in the entertainment industry and was central to the 2023 strikes that shut down Hollywood, as actors and writers warned that unchecked technology threatened their livelihoods.
  • The first images of late American film star Val Kilmer returning to the big screen courtesy of artificial intelligence were unveiled Wednesday in Las Vegas, in what will likely stir debate over the technology's role in Hollywood.
  • The use of artificial intelligence remains one of the most sensitive issues in the entertainment industry and was central to the 2023 strikes that shut down Hollywood, as actors and writers warned that unchecked technology threatened their livelihoods.
The first images of late American film star Val Kilmer returning to the big screen courtesy of artificial intelligence were unveiled Wednesday in Las Vegas, in what will likely stir debate over the technology's role in Hollywood.
A youthful, digital version of Kilmer appears in the trailer for "As Deep as the Grave", telling another character: "Don't fear the dead and don't fear me."
The footage premiered at CinemaCon, the annual conference where studios present upcoming releases to movie theater owners.
Brothers Coerte and John Voorhees, director and producer of the film, said they hope to release the historical drama by the end of the year. 
Kilmer, best known for his roles in "Top Gun," "Batman Forever" and "The Doors," died of pneumonia in April 2025 at the age of 65.
The project drew headlines last month when the filmmakers revealed they had recreated the actor using AI with the consent of his family.
The use of artificial intelligence remains one of the most sensitive issues in the entertainment industry and was central to the 2023 strikes that shut down Hollywood, as actors and writers warned that unchecked technology threatened their livelihoods.
"As Deep as the Grave" follows pioneering archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris -- the latter credited by some with helping inspire the fictional Indiana Jones -- and originally cast Kilmer before the coronavirus pandemic to play a Catholic priest.
Health problems forced Kilmer, who was battling cancer, to step away from the role. But after pandemic delays, the Voorheeses revisited the project as AI technology advanced.
They recast Kilmer digitally as Father Fintan, an early Catholic missionary suffering from tuberculosis who, like many at the time, traveled to the US southwest for the dry climate and opened missions in the Four Corners region.
"It was a very dark time," Coerte said, adding that the character was central to the story.
The filmmakers said they approached Kilmer's children, Mercedes and Jack, after concluding the role could still be realized.
The family gave its approval and granted access to Kilmer's video archives, which were used to recreate the actor at multiple stages of his life.
Val Kilmer had spoken to his children before his death about his legacy and what he wished he could still accomplish as an actor, the brothers said.
"We were so glad they were excited and so supportive of the idea," Coerte added.

'Painstaking'

The Voorheeses did not detail the technical process behind their film, but said digitally reviving Kilmer was a "painstaking process."
"Just like any artistic endeavour, you spend a lot of time drafting and redrafting," John Voorhees said, so the performance feels faithful to how he might have done it.
They conceded the project could unsettle some people, but stressed that they followed SAG-AFTRA guidelines, which rest on what the union calls the three Cs: consent, compensation and collaboration.
"Following this process, working with the family... we can actually demonstrate the right way to do it," Coerte told AFP.
"We believe artists will galvanize around that and take control back, because it's not in the hands of the artists right now. It's actually... a free-for-all," he added.
pr/mvl/abs/tc

cinema

'There's more truth than fiction,' Spielberg says of 'Disclosure Day'

BY PAULA RAMON

  • Spielberg presented the film at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, the annual conference where movie studios present upcoming releases to movie theater owners.
  • Famed US director Steven Spielberg offered a sneak peek of his upcoming film "Disclosure Day" Wednesday, his latest movie about aliens and humanity since he first tapped into the genre 50 years ago.
  • Spielberg presented the film at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, the annual conference where movie studios present upcoming releases to movie theater owners.
Famed US director Steven Spielberg offered a sneak peek of his upcoming film "Disclosure Day" Wednesday, his latest movie about aliens and humanity since he first tapped into the genre 50 years ago.
Spielberg presented the film at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, the annual conference where movie studios present upcoming releases to movie theater owners.
The film shows humanity crossing paths with extraterrestrial life, a plot reminiscent of his 1977 film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."
"A half a century later, I made Disclosure Day with a lot more certainty that there's more truth than fiction in the movie," Spielberg told the crowd at the Colosseum at Caesar's Palace.
"Disclosure Day," which opens June 12 in the United States, stars Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Eve Henson and Colman Domingo, among others.
"This movie is an experience, and all you need to get from the beginning to the end is a seatbelt," Spielberg said.
The 79-year-old veteran filmmaker said he's been curious about "what's happening in the night sky" since he was a child.
"I truly believe that this movie is going to answer questions, and cause you to ask a lot of questions," he teased.
The thrice Oscar-winning director received an award from the Motion Picture Association during his appearance at CinemaCon.
Spielberg also discussed the importance of long theatrical release windows, as streaming platforms continue to take a bite out of box office revenues.
"I am particularly excited that Universal has recently announced their commitment to a 45-day window for the wide releases," Spielberg said.
"But today I hear 60 days?" he joked.
CinemaCon continues Wednesday night with a presentation from Amazon MGM studios.
pr/jgc/abs

Bollywood

India's 'Maharaja in Denims' stakes claim in AI film race

BY SEEMA SINHA

  • While the startup has "cracked" the process of AI filmmaking, mythological and science‑fiction films, where characters' faces are less defined, are far easier to generate than realistic cinema, he argued.
  • Many filmmakers fear the existential threat of artificial intelligence, but in India the race is on to produce the first hit Bollywood feature generated by the technology.
  • While the startup has "cracked" the process of AI filmmaking, mythological and science‑fiction films, where characters' faces are less defined, are far easier to generate than realistic cinema, he argued.
Many filmmakers fear the existential threat of artificial intelligence, but in India the race is on to produce the first hit Bollywood feature generated by the technology.
One contender is "Maharaja in Denims", based on a popular 2014 novel by Khushwant Singh and set for cinematic release this summer.
"There is no actor fee, there is no fuss over them coming late or causing delays. There are no sets," Singh told AFP.
"It is sheer creativity of mind and the machine," said the author, who co-founded the startup Intelliflicks Studios with a former Microsoft executive to realise the project.
Indian studios, which churn out more than 2,000 movies a year, have embraced AI -- unlike in Hollywood, where it has sparked huge strikes and strict union conditions around its use.
Separate projects in the country, such as the mythological "Chiranjeevi Hanuman: The Eternal" and the Kannada‑language "Love You", have also been marketed as pioneering AI productions.
Another challenger, "Naisha", had to postpone its May 2025 release date over unspecified technical issues, according to a social media post from its production studio.
Lightspeed advances in AI image generation capabilities also kept delaying the final cut of "Maharaja in Denims", the story of a privileged teenager who is a victim of the 1984 anti‑Sikh riots in Punjab.
"You are tempted to use the latest technology, so what was made before didn't look as appealing," Singh said.
"But then it also burns cash, because you are spending again for the software."

'Toughest' path

In 2024, Singh and Intelliflicks co-founder Gurdeep Singh Pall, once head of business AI and product incubations at Microsoft, hired a team of six people, including a director and cinematographer, to make "Maharaja in Denims".
Pall "wanted to experiment with my book", explained Singh, who is based in the northern city of Chandigarh.
The film's protagonist believes he is the reincarnation of the 19th century Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh -- and traditionally, the movie's layered timelines and historical settings would demand a massive budget.
But Singh said AI had slashed costs to roughly a tenth.
While the startup has "cracked" the process of AI filmmaking, mythological and science‑fiction films, where characters' faces are less defined, are far easier to generate than realistic cinema, he argued.
"We chose the toughest... path of realism," Singh said.
AI models were poorly trained for Indian faces and Sikh historical figures, forcing the team to repeatedly troubleshoot.
A Western movie would be "much easier to generate, because the models are trained for that", he said.
"Had we known the challenges, we would have picked a different script."

Human music

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has backed the production of a feature-length animation called "Critterz", created largely with AI tools.
It is aiming for a premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival in May ahead of a global release.
To retain a human touch in "Maharaja in Denims", the soundtrack will feature traditional music, with a title song by Indian singer Sukhwinder Singh.
"People in India watch music rather than just listen to it, so it's best to have it," Singh said.
Interest is already spreading beyond the film industry, and Singh says he has received emails from wealthy temple trusts keen to commission AI‑generated mythological films.
Despite the hurdles, Singh believes AI will disrupt -- and democratise -- cinema.
"The way technology is making progress, you will have an 18-year-old sitting somewhere in a village who would be challenging the big guys," he said.
str-abh/pjm/kaf/lga/tc