December 2024 delivered a robust close to the year for the U.K. and Ireland box office, generating £115.5 million ($143.5 million), a 21% increase compared to December 2023’s £95.5 million ($118.6 million). The year’s total stands at £1.06 billion ($1.31 billion), matching 2023 and showing an 8% growth over 2022. The month’s success was driven […]

India’s Maddock Films has unveiled its most ambitious slate to date: a cinematic universe combining horror-comedy and superhero narratives. The studio, known for releasing films like “Stree 2,” “Munjya,” and “Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya” in a blockbuster 2024, has unveiled a slate of eight interconnected films set to release over the next four […]

India’s KVN Productions and Thespian Films have partnered for an untitled Malayalam-language feature, bringing together “Manjummel Boys” director Chidambaram and “Aavesham” writer Jithu Madhavan. The Malayalam-language “Manjummel Boys” and “Aavesham” were among the biggest Indian hits of 2024. A title and genre for the new project have not been revealed yet. The project assembles key […]

Indian film and television veteran Siddharth Roy Kapur points to increasingly polarized theatrical results and a period of strategic recalibration in streaming as key trends that shaped Indian entertainment in 2024, characterizing it as a “hiatus year” dominated by business-to-business developments rather than consumer-facing initiatives. “People are getting much more particular about which films they […]

Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” raced to the top of the U.K. and Ireland box office with a £11.7 million ($14.7 million) opening weekend, according to numbers from Comscore. In its second weekend, Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” continued to draw audiences, adding £4.2 million for a cumulative total of £12.6 million. Universal’s “Wicked” stayed […]

Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor has found new creative territory as antagonist Danger Lanka in Rohit Shetty’s “Singham Again,” marking a calculated departure from his traditional leading man roles. The pic marks the fifth entry in Shetty’s popular cop universe. The franchise – initially based on Hari’s 2010 Tamil-language “Singam,” starring Suriya – kicked off with […]

Vyjayanthi Movies’ ambitious Indian sci-fi mythological epic “Kalki 2898 AD” made waves in 2024, grossing over $140 million globally before being overtaken by “Pushpa 2: The Rise” in December. The film, which blends Hindu mythology with dystopian future tech, represents a significant milestone for Indian cinema’s expanding global footprint. Set in a dystopian future, “Kalki […]

The independent production banner RASA Film Group is broadening its reach, welcoming tech and hospitality veteran Rohit Bhayana as the latest addition to its partnership ranks as the collective sets its sights on expanding its South Asian storytelling ventures. The New York-based collective, which made its debut in 2024, has already established a track record […]

Woo Min-ho’s historical drama “Harbin” stormed to the top of the South Korean box office for the weekend of Dec. 27-29. The film, set in 1909, follows Korean independence activists plotting the assassination of Japan’s Prime Minister during their quest for independence. Starring Hyun Bin, Park Jeong-min and Jeon Yeo-been, “Harbin” earned $5.9 million over […]

The final weekend of 2024 witnessed a significant upswing in China’s box office, with Gengxi Pictures’ “Big World” leading the charge by grossing $28.2 million (RMB200 million), according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway. Directed by Yang Lina, the film stars Jackson Yee as Chunhu, a young man with cerebral palsy who assists his […]

Manmohan Singh, India’s 13th Prime Minister and a pivotal figure in the country’s economic transformation, died in a New Delhi hospital on Dec. 26 of age-related medical conditions. He was 92. Singh served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, leading a coalition government under the banner of the Indian National Congress. Known for his […]

M.T. Vasudevan Nair, celebrated Indian screenwriter, director and novelist, died on Dec. 25 at a hospital in Kozhikode after being admitted for breathing difficulties. He was 91. His contributions to Malayalam-language cinema and literature redefined storytelling in the southern Indian state of Kerala where he was born. Nair’s early exposure to traditional folktales and the […]

Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” roared to the top of the U.K.-Ireland box office in its debut weekend with £4.4 million ($5.5 million), according to numbers from Comscore through Dec. 23. As the holiday season reaches its peak, Universal’s “Wicked” continues to enchant in its fifth frame, conjuring £2.5 million for a robust £48.2 million […]

Indian production house Maddock Films’ “Param Sundari,” a cross-cultural romance starring Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor, is set for theatrical release on July 25, 2025. The film, directed by Tushar Jalota (“Dasvi”), centers on a love story between a North Indian protagonist (Malhotra) and a South Indian character (Kapoor), filmed in Kerala. The film “promises […]

Bollywood star Varun Dhawan is embracing the larger-than-life cinema style of South India with his upcoming Christmas release “Baby John,” a film that had him studying the iconic mannerisms of superstar Rajinikanth in preparation for his role. Speaking with Variety ahead of the film’s December 25 release, Dhawan explains his attraction to the project, which […]

Shyam Benegal, a pivotal figure in Indian cinema known for his incisive and socially conscious storytelling, died on Monday in Mumbai following a chronic kidney ailment, his daughter confirmed to India Today. He was 90. His career, spanning over five decades, left an indelible mark on the film industry, blending art with activism and bridging […]

Sony Pictures has partnered with Studio CHIZU and Nippon TV to co-produce and co-finance “Scarlet,” the new animated feature from Academy Award-nominated Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda. The film will receive global distribution through Sony Pictures, with a U.S. theatrical release planned for winter 2025. Toho will handle Japanese theatrical distribution. The collaboration marks Sony Pictures’ […]

Local hit “The Firefighters” continued to lead the South Korean box office above a brace of Disney titles. In its third weekend, “The Firefighters” remained in the top spot with a $3.3 million gross, 510,975 admissions and a 35.4% market share, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council. The […]

Prime Video will debut the second season of hit Indian crime series “Paatal Lok” in January. The neo-noir drama, which explores India’s social hierarchies through a criminal justice lens, returns with lead actors Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh and Gul Panag, joined by new cast members Tillotama Shome, Nagesh Kukunoor and Jahnu Barua. The eight-episode season […]