The Box: Netflix announces new Mexican productions, MultiChoice won’t increase prices in may
Africa: DStv subscribers just got some good news - MultiChoice won't raise prices again in May after all. This comes after the South African government canceled plans to increase VAT from 15% to 15.5% next month. The pay-TV provider had already implemented price hikes in April and warned customers about another increase with the expected VAT change. Like other businesses affected by the tax decision, MultiChoice has now scrapped the additional 0.5% price increase planned for May. Customers won't see their DStv bills increase for the second time this spring.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui - SUJIT JAISWAL
Asia: Jooyoung Ahn’s S Line, a dystopian drama about a woman who sees invisible connections between lovers, premiered at Canneseries. When high-tech glasses give everyone this ability, chaos erupts in Korea, forcing Hyun-heup (played by K-pop star Arin) to team up with a detective. The series competes against international shows like End Game and Reykjavik Fusion. Netflix continues investing heavily in Korean content, which is now second only to U.S. productions on the platform. Meanwhile, rivals such as Disney+ and Paramount+ are expanding in Korea, while local services like Tving and distributors like CJ ENM push demand even higher.
Kazuya Tsurumaki’s Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, a new Prime Video anime, centers on Amate, a high schooler dragged into underground mech fights after meeting refugee Nyaan. Under the alias "Machu," she battles daily in her GQuuuuuuX—until a rogue Gundam pilot, Shuuji, crashes into her life, pursued by authorities. The show breaks tradition by making Amate the first female lead in the franchise. Tsurumaki explains he wanted to explore "what it means for a woman to pilot a Gundam."
Costao tells the true story of Goan customs officer Costao Fernandes, whose heroic bust of a gold smuggling ring in the 1990s turned tragic when he killed a powerful suspect in self-defense. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the acclaimed actor behind the role, embraced the challenge of portraying Costao's complex duality of a stoic officer by day and a vulnerable family man at home. Director Shah spent a year researching with the real Costao, aiming to break biopic clichés. While Siddiqui's Netflix work earned him global fans, he hopes Costao will find an even wider audience through ZEE5 Global.
The creators of viral hit "Baby Shark," Pinkfong, have teamed up with Japan's TBS Television to produce new family content and grow their Japanese audience. Known for record-breaking YouTube success with over 15.8 billion views on "Baby Shark," the Seoul-based company has also found streaming success with "Bebefinn," which topped Netflix charts in 11 countries. Their YouTube channels now boast 50 million subscribers combined. This collaboration will develop original shows for kids globally while expanding the reach of "Bebefinn" in Japan through multiple platforms and live experiences. The partnership marks Pinkfong's latest move to dominate children's entertainment worldwide.
netflix
Latin America: Netflix is investing $1 billion in Mexican productions, with four new series now in the works, which include:
Santita, an offbeat romance starring Gael García Bernal and Paulina Dávila
Love 9 To 5, a workplace rom-com about clashing coworkers.
I’m Not Afraid, adapts an Italian novel about a boy uncovering dark family secrets
Corruptors follows friends entangled in a political scandal.
Mal de Amores, based on Ángeles Mastretta’s novel, has finished filming.
These join other upcoming Mexican originals, such as Snakes and Ladders and The Dead Girls.
