Press Release: Netflix Announces Live Action Scooby-Doo Series

The eight-episode show goes back to the haunting case that started it all.

Half a century, three theatrical films, and more than a dozen animated series later, Scooby-Doo remains one of pop culture’s most recognizable and entertaining characters. But few people know about how the cowardly dog and his mystery-solving gang first got together. In a new series, showrunners Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg (and their production company, Midnight Radio) are going back to the beginning, to the terrifying case that started it all.

Based on the characters from Hanna-Barbera, the latest show is a modern reimagining of the iconic mystery-solving group of teens and their very special dog. During their final summer at Camp Ruby-Spears, old friends Shaggy and Daphne get embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder. Together with the pragmatic and scientific townie, Velma, and the strange, but ever-so-handsome new kid, Freddy, they set out to solve the case that is pulling each of them into a creepy nightmare that threatens to expose all of their secrets.  

The series will be executive produced by Rosenberg and Appelbaum, as well as Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman (via Berlanti Productions), and André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner (via Midnight Radio). “One of my first and favorite jobs in Hollywood was sitting with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera while they signed animation cels,” says Greg Berlanti. “Josh and Scott and everyone at Midnight Radio have crafted a story that captures their amazing spirits and their genius creation. We are grateful to them and everyone at Warner and Netflix for the partnership in helping bring this iteration of Scooby-Doo to life!”

This isn’t the first time a beloved franchise has made its live-action debut on Netflix. Netflix has continued the world-building of beloved franchises with live-action adaptations of ONE PIECE and Avatar: The Last Airbender, as well as fan-favorite characters like Wednesday. “Mystery Inc. is back in business! We’re excited to bring Scooby-Doo to TV as a live-action series for the first time,” said Peter Friedlander, vice president of scripted series at Netflix. “The beloved franchise has had an impact on pop culture that is undeniable — it’s rich with universal themes of friendship that generations of fans have long embraced. Together with creative powerhouses Berlanti Productions and Midnight Radio, we’re committed to delighting longtime fans and opening up a world of groovy adventures for a new era of meddling kids.” 

The show is a result of Berlanti Productions’ overall deal with Warner Bros. Television. Clancy Collins White, president of creative affairs at Warner Bros. Television, added, “We’re thrilled to collaborate with our longstanding partners at Berlanti Productions and with Midnight Radio to bring the legendary Scooby-Doo franchise to a live-action series for the first time. It’s no mystery why audiences continue to love these iconic characters after more than a half century. We’re excited for a new generation to discover Mystery Inc. And we’re grateful to our partners at Netflix for the opportunity.”

Possibly Cancelled. Still No Update Of A Unicorn: Warriors Eternal Season 2 On Adult Swim

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal is an American adult animated fantasy television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky and aired on Cartoon Network's night-time programming block Adult Swim. The series stars the voices of Hazel Doupe, Demari Hunte, and Tom Milligan. 

Tartakovsky originally conceived Unicorn: Warriors Eternal in his early days at Cartoon Network Studios. The series took almost 20 years to get made, with Tartakovsky pitching it to various studios before it was picked up by Cartoon Network and HBO Max.

The series premiered on Adult Swim from May 5, 2023 and concluded on June 30, 2023 literally a year ago with only 10 episodes. Although a second has yet to be commissioned by the network, Tartakovsky has expressed interest in doing multiple seasons.

Why Unicorn: Warriors Eternal may not be returning with a season 2?

No one at Cartoon Network, Adult Swim or Warner Bros. Animation not even Genndy Tartakovsky has talked about the show. As for the creator, he's currently working on Heist Safari and a third season to Primal for the mentioned brands.

If anything, it's possible that with Warner Bros. Discovery being cash constraint that they rather put their focus on lesser projects. Even with Tartakovsky already working on these projects it's possible he may not be able to pencil in Unicorn: Warriors Eternals.

Another theory that comes to mind is the possibility of it being a miniseries I mean that's happened with Infinity Train but surprisingly got additional seasons. Both of which had their first seasons end with a question mark with one that was eventually renewed.

Even My Adventures With Superman which was originally commissioned by Cartoon Network before moving to Adult Swim. Unlike Unicorn: Warriors Eternal, Superman got a 2 season renewal but with that concluding soon was renewed for a season 3.

Recap To The Month: Canal+ Looking To Make MultiChoice A Global Powerhouse Against The Likes Of Disney And Netflix By Making Local Content Go Global

During the month, Canal+ Group CEO was approached by journalists where he addressed several matters regarding MultiChoice. As reported, he's been given the greenlight to acquire the remaining shares and is currently drawing up a proposal to appease legislation. 

Together the merged company would have reached 50 million households (30 million reside within Africa). It would make it the biggest entertainment company across the world that's not based in the United States.

Apart from the MultiChoice deal in Africa, the group had increased its share in the Hong Kong-based streaming platform Viu to 30% - with the option of increasing it to 50%. Viu has accumulated 15 million subscribers in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Canal+ plans for MultiChoice's local endeavors 

Saada says the new, merged company will take a "very, very different approach" than the American companies, by focusing on the highest quality local content. "And it's not necessarily very difficult, but it needs resources. And once you reach a scale of 50 million subscribers, then you have the resources."

Implying that local content from M-Net and various of other brands like Mzansi Magic, Africa Magic and KykNET will likely resurface in parts of Europe and Asia. Now that funds coming into MultiChoice will have additional outlets and possible increase local commission. 

MultiChoice Studios' offering was limited to Showmax and various M-Net channels. With Canal+, we'll probably be seeing more of Blood Psalms and Recipe For Love And Murder and possible content distributed in France before Africa. 

Where does this leave brands like eNCA and SABC News?

Nothing can be for certain in regards to that as Canal+ does supply various local channels from DStv onto their platforms in Francophone Africa. These include Africa Magic Epic, M-Net Movies, SuperSport La Liga and Premier League and Zee World.

South African content has been known to be kind of pricey one of the reasons eNCA is not viewable on a platform like Openview. It's not necessarily about exclusivity but the fact that there's not much competitors that can aid in MultiChoice's pursuit in that regard.

If anything, it would probably be a miracle if some content from these channels wind up on French based news channel Canal+ 8 (C8). There's been scenarios where TV channels would just invest in regional content it was like that with BBC News and CGTN.

Is WWE Planning To Revive WCW??? After Netflix Had Gained Exclusive Rights To The Wrestling Promotion

World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988. It was home to legends such as Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho and Eddie Guerrero all of which formed part of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

Through the United States Patent And Trademark Office (USPTO), WWE seems to have filed a new trademark for the former promotion. For those who aren't aware, WWE had purchased select assets from WCW and this included contracts from various talents. 

According to the website, it is being used for entertainment purposes in the field of sports. Including the production and exhibition of professional wrestling events rendered live through broadcast media including television and radio.

Of course, this wouldn't be the first time WCW made headlines as another instance came when AEW revived Bash At The Beach. This came with a lawsuit by the WWE for trademark infringement so this was proceeded with AEW's own version of WarGames. 

Earlier in the year, Netflix had garnered exclusive rights to wrestling promotions Raw and Smackdown alongside live events like Summerslam. This leads one to wonder if WCW's possible revival may have to do with the endeavors of the streamer. 

Netflix is begun entering the world of sports as mentioned they have garnered rights to WWE for 2025 season and this was followed by an NBA Christmas special and Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson's fight.

‘SpongeBob’ Universe Expands With Three Paramount+ Spinoff Movies, New Theatrical Film

Three new SpongeBob SquarePants character spinoff movies for Paramount+ are in the works at Nickelodeon Studios, in addition to a new theatrical release about the porous resident who lives in a Pineapple-under-the-sea. The news was announced today by Brian Robbins, Chief Content Officer, Movies and Kids & Family for Paramount+ at the ViacomCBS Investor Event.

The first of Paramount+’s SpongeBob character spinoff movies, which focus on different Bikini Bottom residents, will drop in 2023.

The expansion of the SpongeBob franchise follows the recent success of SpongeBob series offshoots Kamp Koral on Paramount+ and The Patrick Star Show on Nickelodeon, the first season of which will be available soon to stream on Paramount+.

Paramount has made three SpongeBob feature movies, the first in 2004, which altogether have grossed close to $471M worldwide. The highest grossing installment was 2015’s The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water which grossed over $325M WW. However, because of the pandemic, Paramount was forced to pull The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run from U.S. release in 2020. The sequel received a Canadian theatrical release in August of that year, making $4.8M, while the film in the states served as the branded launch for Paramount+ in 2021. The pic’s foreign rights, except for China, were sold to Netflix.

“As we’ve known with Nickelodeon’s long-standing success, the kids and family audience is incredibly loyal, and we see that on Paramount+ as well, with kids and family ranking as one of the strongest genres on the service in terms of both engagement and subscriber acquisition,” said Robbins. “So as they stay for our shows and look for even more of them, we’re doubling down on giving them what they want by expanding the universes of the characters they love the best.”

New Series Alert: Winx Club Reboot Is Reportedly Set To Premiere On Netflix In 2025

Rainbow Studios has announced its new, CGI-animated “Winx Club” series is scheduled to premiere on Netflix globally in 2025. The news is accompanied by the appointment of Playmates Toys and Giochi Preziosi as master toy partners for an extensive new Winx Club toyline. This strategic collaboration ushers in an era for a new generation of kids and the global fandom that has followed the franchise since the premiere of its first animated season in 2004.

Longtime business partners Playmates and Giochi Preziosi will split global distribution of a new collection of fashion dolls, accessories, role-play toys and playsets inspired by the new “Winx Club” series. Playmates will manage sales, marketing and distribution in North, Central and South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and South Africa; Giochi Preziosi will manage Europe and the U.K.

“Winx Club,” produced and distributed by the Rainbow Group, headquartered in Italy, celebrates its 20th year anniversary in 2024. When “Winx Club” debuted in 2024, it introduced a world of magic, friendship and courage. Created by Iginio Straffi, the series follows the journey of Bloom, a teenage girl from Earth who discovers that she is a fairy with extraordinary powers. As she enrolls in the Alfea College for Fairies, Bloom forms the Winx Club with her new friends, embarking on countless adventures across magical dimensions.

 “Winx Club” now spans eight animated seasons, three theatrical movies, four made-for-television movies, two “World of Winx” animated series coproduced with Netflix, two seasons of a Netflix Original live-action series “Fate—The Winx Saga” and a robust merchandising program. The “Winx Club” community has generated over 20 billion views of “Winx Club” content on YouTube and more than 35 billion views of “Winx Club”related videos on TikTok.

“We are honored to be at the forefront of this exciting new chapter,” says Georgia Manolas Walker, vice president, marketing, Playmates Toys. “The enduring legacy of ‘Winx Club’ is a testament to the timeless appeal of its stories and characters. We look forward to unveiling a spellbinding range of products that captures the adventure, friendship, and magic that ‘Winx Club’ represents.”

“We are very excited about this new chapter of the ‘Winx’ saga," says Jay Visconti, chief strategic officer, Giochi Preziosi Group. “Having worked hand in hand with Rainbow since the very first launch in 2004, we are fully aware of the appeal such an amazing brand/franchise has on consumers. We are sure that also this time ‘Winx’ will be a global success.”

“The Winx are returning stronger than ever, and I am grateful to once again collaborate with Netflix, the ideal partner to bring any IP to global audiences,” says Iginio Straffi, creator, “Winx Club” and president, Rainbow. “It’s a thrill to work with our long-time friends and partners Giochi Preziosi and Playmates, and to create the best Winx toys ever for all our fans. I am also very excited that the collaboration with these esteemed partners will ensure a bright future for a powerful ‘Winx’ comeback both on screen and at retail.”

Comcast To Launch Peacock, Netflix And Apple TV+ Bundle At A 'Vastly Reduced Price'

Get ready for the next cable-like streaming bundle: Comcast later this month will launch a three-way bundle — with Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ — offered at a deep discount, Comcast chief Brian Roberts said.

Dubbed StreamSaver, the bundle will be available to all Comcast broadband, TV and mobile customers, Roberts said, speaking Tuesday at MoffettNathanson’s 2024 Media, Internet and Communications Conference in New York.

The three streaming services, Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+, will “come at a vastly reduced price to anything available today,” Roberts said, although he didn’t reveal any pricing details. The goal is to “add value to consumers” and “take dollars out” of other companies’ streaming businesses, he added, while reinforcing Comcast’s broadband service offerings.

“This will be a pretty compelling package,” Roberts promised.

Last week, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a three-way bundle comprising Max, Disney+ and Hulu, to be available starting this summer in the U.S. (with pricing TBA). In addition, Disney, WBD and Fox Corp. have formed a joint venture to launch a streaming sports bundle stocked with ESPN+ and linear TV networks from each, slated to debut this fall. Critics have alleged the venture, which some have dubbed “Spulu” (a mash-up of “sports” and “Hulu”), is anticompetitive and violates antitrust law.

Like the other streaming bundling strategies, Comcast’s forthcoming Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ package is an effort to reduce cancelation rates (aka “churn”) and provide a more efficient means of subscriber acquisition — coming as the traditional cable TV business continues to deteriorate.

Regular Nick Shorts: SuperSport Schools To Rollout New eSports Series, Angelo Rules Currently On Boing Picked Up For A Season 6 And Nickelodeon Unveils New Series Fairly OddParents: A New Wish

SuperSport expands the eSports bonanza to Africa

SuperSport Schools, Africa’s leading broadcast platform for school sports, is proud to announce a trailblazing partnership with the African Cyber Gaming League (ACGL), a prominent South African esports company specializing in online and LAN tournament administration, management and broadcasting to produce a weekly show.

With a keen focus on interactive marketing, ACGL offers specialised channels to enhance brand awareness and advertising in the dynamic realm of esports. Committed to fostering grassroots talent is evident through the management of the largest school league in South Africa, the nitro ASL, with over 160 schools currently registered and an ever-expanding community.

With this exciting partnership, SuperSport Schools will be broadcasting the launch of GamePlay, a groundbreaking show set to debut on 16 May at 19h00. Hosted by Collins ‘Skarra’ Manyame, a Twitch streamer and ACGL’s Social Manager, the show promises to showcase the best of esports action, analysis and interviews. GamePlay will be accessible to audiences across SuperSport Schools’ platforms and on DStv channel 216, marking a significant milestone in the promotion of esports within Africa.

Angelo Rules renewed 

The animated comedy Angelo Rules has a sixth season in the works to launch in France and Germany in early 2026.

Angelo Rules is a TeamTO production in collaboration with France Télévisions, Canal+ and Super RTL. The latest season brings the total number of 11-minute episodes to 312, along with one Christmas special.

Based on a popular book series by Sylvie de Mathuisieulx and illustrated by Sébastien Diologent, Angelo Rules has aired in over 100 territories on platforms such as Cartoon Network (EMEA, Latin America, Asia), RAI (Italy), Televisió de Catalunya (Spain) and TG4 (Ireland).

Fairly OddParents is back for thirds

“The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish” follows “ten-year-old Hazel Wells [who] has just moved to the big city of Dimmadelphia because of her dad’s new job. On top of being in an unfamiliar environment, it’s the first time she’s been without her brother, Antony, who’s just left for college, leaving her lonely and unsure of herself. All that changes when the pink-and-green-haired neighbors next door reveal that they are no ordinary neighbors…they’re Cosmo and Wanda, Fairy Godparents! And they’re coming out of retirement to make all of Hazel’s wishes come true.”

Ashleigh Crystal Hairston will voice Hazel while “Fairly OddParents” alums Daran Norris and Susanne Blakeslee will reprise their roles as Cosmo and Wanda, respectively. The 20-episode series will premiere Monday, May 20 on Nickelodeon USA and will stream on Netflix internationally later this year.

Jeepers: ‘Scooby-Doo’ Live-Action Series From Berlanti Productions Lands At Netflix With Major Commitment

The one-hour drama project is said to be nearing a deal at the streamer with a script-to-series commitment. Exact plot details are being kept under wraps aside from the fact it will be based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon. Warner Bros. Television will produce, with the studio having recently launched the “Dead Boys Detectives” series at Netflix.

Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg serve as writers and will also executive produce along with André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner under their Midnight Radio banner. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman will executive produce via Berlanti productions (the company is currently under an overall deal at WBTV). Jonathan Gabay of Berlanti Productions and Adrienne Erickson will co-executive produce.

Reps for both Netflix and WBTV declined to comment.

Should the project go forward, it would not be the first live-action Scooby-Doo project to make it to the screen. Most famously, “Scooby-Doo” was released in 2002 and starred Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, and Linda Cardellini, with Neil Fanning voicing Scooby. The film was a box office success, generating over $250 million worldwide. A sequel with the same cast, “Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed,” came out in 2004 and grossed over $180 million. There was also the live-action TV film “Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins” and its sequel that were released in 2009 and 2010.

There have also been a wide range of Scooby-Doo animated projects over the years, beginning with the original cartoon series in the late 1960s. Various incarnations have followed over the years, spanning multiple animated series and films. Most recently, the animated film ““Scoob! Holiday Haunt” was meant to be released on Max but was scrapped in a cost-cutting move. Currently, Max airs the animated series “Velma,” with Mindy Kaling voicing the bespectacled member of the Mystery Inc. gang.

Development Alert: Netflix Will Stop Reporting Subscriber Numbers By 2025

Netflix will no longer report subscriber numbers — which has been a key metric for streaming services for years — beginning with the first quarter of 2025.

The company made the announcement in releasing its first-quarter 2024 earnings Thursday. Netflix handily topped expectations for subscribers net adds, gaining 9.33 million in the period, to reach nearly 270 million globally. It also beat Wall Street expectations on the top and bottom lines.

Despite the Q1 earnings beat, Netflix shares dropped more than 3% in after-hours trading Thursday, possibly as investors reacted negatively to the news that the streamer will stop reporting quarterly sub totals.

In its Q1 letter to shareholders, Netflix said that engagement — time spent with the service — is its “best proxy for customer satisfaction.” As such, it will no longer report quarterly membership numbers or average revenue per member (which it dubs “ARM”), as of Q1 2025. Netflix said it will announce “major subscriber milestones as we cross them” but will cease disclosing quarterly subscriber numbers.

Netflix continues to see solid subscriber gains in markets around the world; for example, it netted 2.53 million new customers in the U.S. and Canada in Q1. But eventually those sub numbers will start to plateau, and the company wants to reorient investors toward time-spent-viewing metrics where it has more potential upside in the years ahead.

Co-CEO Greg Peters said on the earnings call that Netflix’s number of subscribers has been a decreasingly relevant measure for the health of the company’s business. He cited, as an example, Netflix’s paid-sharing initiative, which gives primary account holders the option to add an “extra member” for an incremental monthly fee (and those “extra members” are not counted as separate subscribers). Meanwhile, with Netflix’s advertising plan, higher engagement is tied to higher revenue per member, as opposed to the fixed per-sub revenue on the plans with no ads.

“As we’ve noted in previous letters, we’re focused on revenue and operating margin as our primary financial metrics — and engagement (i.e. time spent) as our best proxy for customer satisfaction. In our early days, when we had little revenue or profit, membership growth was a strong indicator of our future potential,” Netflix said in the letter. “But now we’re generating very substantial profit and free cash flow (FCF). We are also developing new revenue streams like advertising and our extra member feature, so memberships are just one component of our growth.”

The company continued, “In addition, as we’ve evolved our pricing and plans from a single to multiple tiers with different price points depending on the country, each incremental paid membership has a very different business impact. It’s why we stopped providing quarterly paid membership guidance in 2023 and, starting next year with our Q1’25 earnings, we will stop reporting quarterly membership numbers and ARM.”

According to Netflix, it will continue to provide a breakout of revenue by region each quarter and the foreign-exchange impact “to complement our financials.” Going forward, the company will add guidance for annual revenue in addition to what it already provides: annual operating margin and free cash flow forecast and forecasts for quarterly revenue, operating income, net income and earnings per share.

Last December, the company released its first “Netflix Engagement Report,” inclusive of more than 18,000 titles and nearly 100 billion hours viewed between January-June 2023, representing 99% of all viewing during that period. In the report, Netflix divulged streaming performance metrics for licensed content. It plans to release the data twice per year — mainly to highlight the massive engagement across a wide range of content on its service.

“Success in streaming starts with engagement,” Netflix said in the shareholder letter in discussing the decision to stop reporting subscriber numbers. “When people watch more, they stick around longer (retention), recommend Netflix more often (acquisition) and place a higher value on our service. It’s why we’ve been providing progressively more information on engagement, starting with our Top 10 weekly and most popular lists and more recently our biannual report into viewing on Netflix (which covers ~99% of all video watch time on our service). This is more information than any of our competitors provide, and we expect to provide even more over time.”

Recap To The Week: SABC Unveils A Slate Of Content For Their Channels In The Coming Months Including Wheel Of Fortune SA And Winnie Mandela Doccie In Partnership With Netflix

Not long ago, it was reported that both BBC Studios and SABC had formed a content new deal which would see several content from the BBC fold under two hour block on SABC 3. Prior to this, SABC held a content showcase unveiling several content in the pipeline. 

For SABC 1, they'll be partnering up with Netflix SA on two doccies, The Trials of Winnie Mandela and Just call me Arch. These will be based on the lives of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu - no dates have been shared as yet.

Netflix also scooped up The Bold And The Beautiful after the public broadcaster couldn't afford to keep it on air and rivals such as Vodacom Video Play and EVA channel on DStv shuttered. 

Other projects in development for SABC 1 include Sjava's 1 Man Show (15 June), Breaking Down Borders (3 July) and Roxic (8 October). Returning shows include Hotspot Seli (formerly Selimathunzi, 4 July) and The Voice South Africa (28 September).

For SABC 2 and SABC 3, the public broadcaster will be expanding the reality lineup with Wheel Of Fortune SA, Raid The Cage (27 May), Crown Chasers (22 June), Big Day For 2K (June) and Wife Swap SA (1 July) and an untitled popular American game show. 

Returning shows on the channel include The Masked Singer SA (13 April), Taste Masters (23 April) and former e.tv program SA's Got Talent (5 June), Miss SA 2024 (11 August) and Tropika Island Of Treasure (21 September).

This comes after the SABC had axed 7de Laan after 23 years on air with the public broadcaster moving further Afrikaans programs such as 50/50 and Voetspore to SABC 3. This had caused a rift with consumers and the public broadcaster had addressed the matter.

David Makubyane, head of SABC channels, said changes like Skeem Saam moving to a later timeslot on SABC1 and Afrikaans content shunted from SABC2 to SABC3 is because of changing content consumption patterns and the entrance of multiple video streaming services like Showmax, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.

"We're not blind to the plethora of competitors and content providers that have come into the space, but we stand firm and believe that the new content offering that we are going to showcase and give to our viewers will really put us into a competitive edge."

Saved Again: Netflix Acquires Rights To The 2019 Season Of The Bold And The Beautiful For Fans Across South Africa

Set in the glamorous world of Los Angeles, The Bold And The Beautiful focuses on the wealthy and powerful Forrester family. Its company, Forrester Creations, is the leader in the fashion industry. Add in the machinations of rival businesses and families, and you've got a classic set-up.

Produced by Bradley P. Bell through Bell-Phillip Television Productions, Inc, The Bold And The Beautiful debuted by March 23, 1987 on CBS.  So far at least 9000 episodes of the American soap with a new seasons being filmed for the 2024-2025 period.

It held the record for most watched in the soap in the world with its audience reach surpassing 26 million viewers. The American soap also holds won 77 Daytime Emmy Awards, including three for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series.

SABC 1 acquired rights to the American soap by the late 90s before moving to SABC 3 over 10 years after its launch due to low ratings. Around this time, SABC 3 was going through an identity crisis and the public broadcaster these two would align better.

Although The Bold And The Beautiful was able to pull a massive following in South Africa. It wasn't bringing in the revenue for the public broadcaster so much that by 2019 the show got axed with the only means to the soap EVA and Vodacom Video Play axed years later.

Following its departure from South Africa, several consumers pirated several episodes illegally through torrent sites while others had to make due with what's seen on their screen. As seen by several subscribers, Netflix has become the exclusive home to The Bold And The Beautiful. 

Netflix has held these rights since October 2023 for consumers in South Africa. After M-Net opted not to acquire the show when it exited SABC 3, the streamer added the first 100 episodes to the 2019 season which coincide with demises of EVA and Vodacom Video Play. 

News Shorts: Twilight Animated Series In Development With Daria Spinoff Jodie Cancelled, And Avatar: The Animated Series Renewed On Netflix For Season 2 And Season 3 With Monsters At Work Moving To Disney Channel For Season 2

Twilight Animated Series In Development 

Michael Burns, vice chairman of Lionsgate, shared the news during a Q&A at the Morgan Stanley media conference on Tuesday, revealing, “We’re going to go out with the ‘Twilight’ series, an animated series, I think there’ll be a lot of interest in that.”

The animated series would be based on the Stephanie Meyer book series of the same name, which was previously adapted into a film franchise, starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner.

There were four “Twilight” novels — “Twilight,” “New Moon,” “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn” — published between 2005 and 2008. In 2015, Meyer released the book “Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined,” which gender-swapped the two main characters, Bella and Edward. Meyer then released “Midnight Sun” in 2020, which told the story of the first book from Edward’s perspective rather than Bella’s.

Jodie axed on MTV

The long-gestating project first began as a series that would feature Daria and Jodie, and then was narrowed to just focus on the latter character. In 2020, Comedy Central picked up the adult animated show from creator and head writer Grace Edwards and MTVE Studios with hopes to pair it with South Park.

Two years later, it morphed into a movie.

“Jodie will not be moving forward at MTVE Studios,” said an MTVE Studios spokesperson. “We have loved working with Tracee, Grace and the whole team on creating a film that is full of joy and genre-bending fun with an inclusive, diverse, and incredible cast.  We are fully supportive of them finding a home elsewhere and look forward to partnering with them in the future.”

Avatar: The Last Airbender cancelled on Netflix

Netflix announced that it has greenlit Albert Kim’s take on Avatar: The Last Airbender for another two seasons that will “bring The Legend of Aang to its proper conclusion.”  Netflix also shared a new teaser image suggesting that, like the animated series, the live-action show’s second and third seasons will focus on Team Avatar’s adventures in the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, respectively.

There’s no word yet on when production on the new seasons will begin or when we might expect to see them on Netflix.

Monsters Inc. coming to Disney Channel 

The second season of the animated series “Monsters at Work” will premiere April 5 on the Disney Channel, and begins streaming on Disney+ May 5 in the United States. With the first reason rolling out in Africa by March 25 on Disney Channel. 

Based on Pixar’s “Monsters” franchise and a sequel to Monsters, Inc., the series follows a maintenance crew at the monsters factory as it transitions from scaring kids to making them laugh to generate energy for the city of Monstropolis.

The first season won an Emmy for Individual Achievement in Animation.

Could Netflix Become The Exclusive/Future Home Of Nickelodeon?

During the year, it was reported that WWE would be exiting linear television by 2025 with Raw, SmackDown and NXT alongside premium live events like WrestleMania and SummerSlam would be streaming exclusively on Netflix with more countries to be added soon.

This has boosted the media's interest on the streamer with some curious about what other projects the brand has in the pipeline. One of the brands I wouldn't really be shocked to see get purged soon would be Nickelodeon.

Nickelodeon is an international children's brand operated by Paramount Global. Since it's inception had brought animated shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, The Loud House and Legend Of Korra alongside live-action shows like Drake & Josh, iCarly and The Thundermans.

As some readers are aware, Netflix and Nickelodeon have co-produced shows like Pinky Malinky, Glitch Techs and the upcoming live-action series for Avatar: The Last Airbender. On top of distributing films like Invader Zim: Enter The Flopus and Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling.

There was a point in time when Netflix was looking to acquire Paramount's studios before negotiations fell flat. Not long ago, Paramount announced that they'd be laying off 800 employees due to the effects of streamlining with fear lurking around their linear offering.

With WWE leaving linear television, the idea of more content being purged to streaming particularly Nickelodeon wouldn't seem far fetched a stretch. Disney had closed several channels across the world as most of their content gets integrated with Disney+.

Netflix has been doing a lot of quality control in recent months and looking to get decent content. They recently filmed a live-action series to popular anime One Piece and acquired exclusive rights to The Casagrandes Movie and The Fairly OddParents: Make A Wish.

Development Alert: Nickelodeon To Launch ‘The Fairly OddParents’ Spinoff ‘A New Wish’, To Stream On Netflix Internationally

Nickelodeon is reimagining its Emmy-winning series The Fairly OddParents by launching the animated series Fairly Oddparents: A New Wish this spring.

The network promises that the new iteration will extend the fairy universe for a new generation while honoring the original series. The Fairly OddParents was created by Butch Hartman and ran from 2001-17.

The 20-episode new series follows Hazel Wells (Ashleigh Crystal Hairston,) a 10-year-old who has just moved to the big city of Dimmadelphia because of her dad’s new job. On top of being in an unfamiliar environment, it’s the first time she’s been without her brother, Antony, who’s just left for college, leaving her lonely and unsure of herself. All that changes when the pink-and-green-haired neighbors next door reveal that they are no ordinary neighbors — they’re fairy godparents Cosmo (Daran Norris) and Wanda (Susanne Blakeslee).

Fairly OddParents: A New Wish is produced by Nickelodeon Animation in Burbank. The series is co-executive produced by David Stone (Teen Titans Go!), Lindsay Katai (Infinity Train), Ashleigh Crystal Hairston (Tiny Toons Looniversity) and Daniel Abramovici (The Peanuts Movie). Fred Seibert (Adventure Time) and Butch Hartman (Fairly OddParents) also serve as executive producers. Production is overseen by Claudia Spinelli, SVP Animation for Big Kids at Nickelodeon, and Kelley Gardner, VP Current Series, Animation.

The series is overseen by Executive in Charge, Neil Wade.  

Fairly OddParents: A New Wish will also be available internationally on Netflix later this year.

When WWE Will Start Streaming Exclusively On Netflix And Exit SuperSport, DStv And GOtv Across Africa?

Last month, it was reported US streaming giant Netflix that it had acquired the broadcasting rights for WWE shows and specials in the US, Canada, Latin America and other international markets. With growing fears looming around DStv, MultiChoice had issued a statement.

"WWE events, including RAW, Smackdown, NXT, Wrestlemania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble will continue being available on SuperSport".  "As Africa's premium sports broadcaster, we're pleased to continue entertaining our viewers with the best in international wrestling".

In November 2022, MultiChoice and the WWE announced a major broadcast partnership and said in a statement that it will see Showmax becoming the new home of WWE Network in Africa. Only the streaming portion never to pass as seen with the linear offering on DStv.

Beginning in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new home of Raw in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America, with more territories to be confirmed soon and others added overtime. Raw will be exiting linear television since it's inception 31 years ago.

Although Netflix won't get access to WWE's extensive line-up of shows when it streams in selected territories by 2025 due to an existing agreement with MultiChoice. They may be able to snatch the rights from the pay-tv company once it expires in 2027.

This means Netflix can only become the official home of the WWE Network in Africa two years after it launched elsewhere meaning by late 2027 or early 2028. Raw, SmackDown and various other content from WWE would have exited linear television after 26/7 years in Africa.

Nick Shorts: Erin & Aaron Cancelled After One Season On Netflix, Nick Jr. Enters The Splat Zone Globally And The Thundermans Return To Nickelodeon Africa With A New Movie

Another one bites the dust

Nickelodeon has unfortunately decided to cancel Erin & Aaron and not renew the network's live-action comedy series for a second season. It follows teenage stepsiblings Erin and Aaron as they navigate their new lives after their parents’ marriage, and find strength in their shared passion for music. 

The show's cancellation was announced by Jensen Gering, who played Aaron on the series, on the actor's official Instagram page.

Erin & Aaron premiered on Nickelodeon in the U.S. on Thursday, April 20, with season one featuring 13 episodes. It was available exclusively on Netflix internationally by November 2023. 

Nick Jr. finally goes Splat

Nick Jr.'s finally rebranded after failing to do so in 2023, aside from Africa it also includes Europe, the the Americas (Latin America and Brazil), Middle East, Asia, and New Zealand. The rebrand was also launched on the Nickelodeon Junior channel in France.

Based on Nickelodeon's recently introduced Splat logo, the rebrand includes new on-air graphics, such as lower-thirds, updated BUG/DOG, bumpers, idents, promo endboards, and Curriculum Boards. This only leaves secondary brands like Nicktoons which is also slated for 2024.

The Thundermans return to Nickelodeon

The Thundermans are back! Nickelodeon will premiere The Thundermans Return, a brand new movie based on Nickelodeon‘s hit live-action superhero comedy series, The Thundermans, across Africa on Sunday 31st March 2024!

After three years of fighting crime in their new city of Metroburg, The Thundermans are suddenly stripped of their assignment and sent back to Hiddenville. While Hank and Barb look forward to their return ‘home’, Chloe develops new friend groups, Billy and Nora enjoy a normal school life, and Max and Phoebe are determined to regain their superhero status.”

The film will also airing on various Nickelodeon channels across the world within March.

End Of The Road For SuperSport And WWE??? As Netflix Banks On RAW, SmackDown, NXT And Premium Live PPVs

In 2022, MultiChoice and WWE were looking to bundle Raw, SmackDown, NXT alongside various PPVs like WrestleMania and SummerSlam on Showmax. But the deal appeared to have fallen flat as this never materialized with the streamer now partially owned by Comcast.

After e.tv halted further distribution of Raw, SmackDown and various other WWE content from their platforms in 2017. SuperSport became the official home to the WWE Network for the past 7 years and all of that is likely to change in the coming future.

As reported moments ago, Netflix had exclusive rights to Raw and various other content from WWE which will start streaming in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America beginning January 2025. There are plans underway to add more international markets to the lineup.

This puts SuperSport's current linear offering in a precarious position especially the WWE Channel. As Netflix scooped up WWE’s award-winning documentaries, original series and forthcoming projects alongside the premier shows Raw, SmackDown and NXT.

The mere thought of less sporting events on SuperSport wouldn't seem far fetched a stretch. Initially, they weren't going to broadcast AFCON as they were more focused on European football even the rebranded Showmax service will only feature Premier League.

Last year, MultiChoice shuttered Showmax PRO which served as digital counterpart for SuperSport with La Liga, PSL and various other sporting content. Now the streamer will only offer a price plan for Premier League while further sports can be streamed on DStv Stream.

 

As mentioned, Netflix will become the exclusive home to WWE in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America by January 2025. It's currently unknown whether WWE will be purged on Netflix for consumers across Africa at the same time.

Its also possible that SuperSport could slide in a better deal but from what we've already seen in the past months there's some doubts. Another would be for Raw, SmackDown and NXT to be retained on the platform alongside PPVs with everything else on streaming.

SuperSport is structured for first run programming and not delayed or week old sporting events. With the possible discontinuation of channel 128 alongside various content from WWE, I wouldn't be shocked if MultiChoice were to add SuperSport Action in place.

SuperSport Action serves as an alternative offering to WWE as it broadcasts a range of extreme sports as well as major boxing matches and EFC mixed martial arts programming. They are also home to UFC which alongside WWE are owned by TKO Group Holdings.

Netflix To Become The Exclusive Home Of WWE Network Beginning In 2025

WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, Inc., and Netflix today announced a long-term partnership that will bring WWE’s flagship weekly program – Raw – to the world’s leading entertainment service. This marks a major programming shift as Raw leaves linear television for the first time since its inception 31 years ago. 

Beginning in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new home of Raw in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America, among other territories, with additional countries and regions to be added over time. Likewise, as part of the agreement, Netflix will also become the home for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S. as available, inclusive of Raw and WWE’s other weekly shows – SmackDown and NXT – as well as the company’s Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble. WWE’s award-winning documentaries, original series and forthcoming projects will also be available on Netflix internationally beginning in 2025. 

“This deal is transformative,” said Mark Shapiro, TKO President and COO. “It marries the can’t-miss WWE product with Netflix’s extraordinary global reach and locks in significant and predictable economics for many years. Our partnership fundamentally alters and strengthens the media landscape, dramatically expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment viewing to Netflix.”

“We are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate multigenerational fan base, on Netflix,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria. “By combining our reach, recommendations, and fandom with WWE, we’ll be able to deliver more joy and value for their audiences and our members. Raw is the best of sports entertainment, blending great characters and storytelling with live action 52 weeks a year and we’re thrilled to be in this long-term partnership with WWE.”

“In its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered a phenomenal track record for storytelling,” said Nick Khan, WWE President. “We believe Netflix, as one of the world’s leading entertainment brands, is the ideal long-term home for Raw’s live, loyal, and ever-growing fan base." 

With 1,600 episodes to date, Raw is the most iconic show in sports entertainment. Since its debut in 1993, Raw has delivered action, compelling drama and unmatched athleticism – 52 weeks a year. Blending the best of scripted content with unpredictable live entertainment, the three-hour show has helped launch the careers of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Triple  H, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair. 

The show is currently the No. 1 show on USA Network, where it brings in 17.5 million unique viewers over the course of the year. One of television’s best performing shows in the 18-49 advertising demographic, Raw trends on X 52 weeks a year while each new episode is airing. On social media, WWE has more than one billion followers across its platforms. 

News Shorts: Paramount Unveils First Look At Daria Spinoff Jodie, Wizards Of The Waverly Place Prequel In Development For Disney Channel And The Fairly OddParents To Get A Sequel Series On Netflix

Jodie: First Look at 'Daria' Spin-Off's Logo

Comedy Central announced back in August 2020 that it had commissioned Jodie, a spin-off film based on Daria starring Tracee Ellis Ross, as part of the network tapping into IP across Paramount Global to build an original animated slate of adult comedy around stalwart South Park. Although not much has been said about the new movie since the original announcement, it looks like that's all about to change!

Paramount Global, the parent company of Comedy Central, has started to apply for trademarks for the film with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), including for "Education, entertainment, sporting and cultural services" and "Clothing; footwear; headgear", the latter giving us a first look at the Jodie logo!.

"We are excited to reinvent this iconic franchise with a new creative team and our partners at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio," Chris McCarthy, President of ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group, shared in a statement back in 2020 when the news was first announced. "Ren & Stimpy joins our rapidly expanding roster of adult animation, including South Park, Beavis and Butt-Head, and Clone High, as we continue to reimagine our treasure chest of beloved IP for new generations."

Selena Gomez and David Henrie reunite for Wizards Of The Waverly Place

One of Disney’s signature comedies, Wizards of Waverly Place, is getting a sequel. Disney Branded Television has ordered a pilot for the follow-up, which is executive produced by original stars Selena Gomez and her small screen sibling David Henrie. Gomez will guest star in the pilot for Disney Channel as the character that helped launch her career, Alex Russo, with David Henrie reprising the role of Justin Russo as a series regular. He is joined by new cast members Janice LeAnn Brown (Disney’s Just Roll with It), Alkaio Thiele (Call Me Kat) and Mimi Gianopulos (American Princess).

The revival pilot comes from writers and executive producers Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas who are behind another Disney Channel comedy spinoff, Raven’s Home. It picks up after a mysterious incident at WizTech, where an adult Justin Russo has left his wizard powers behind, opting for a normal, human life with his wife and two sons. But he gets a surprise when a powerful young wizard in need of training shows up at his door… and Justin must embrace his past to ensure the future of the Wizard World.

The Fairly OddParents is getting another reboot

It's been reported that a new series is in development at Netflix called The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish. Though the show has not been officially announced, the report claims that its existence was uncovered by way of a leaked video. The news also follows original Fairly OddParents voice actor Daran Norris mentioning in July 2023 that he was working on a new project for the franchise, though he didn't share any additional details at the time.

The fresh report also noted some plot details for The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish. It is said that the sequel series will introduce a 10-year-old girl named Hazel Wells as the new protagonist, the role Timmy Turner played in the original series. Despite the change in protagonists, however, it's reported that Norris and Susanne Blakeslee are reprising their roles as Cosmo and Wanda from the original series, as the characters are "coming out of retirement to grant Hazel her wishes."