Author: Doug Desjardins

Disney Gives Greenlight to ‘Zombies 5’ for Disney+, Disney Channel

A fifth installment of the “Zombies” Disney movie franchise has been greenlit for Disney+ and the Disney Channel with Malachi Barton and Freya Skye set to return to their roles as Victor and Nova.

Zombies 5 will begin production this spring in New Zealand and an official title will be announced at a later date. Franchise stars Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly will not return to their roles as Zed and Addison while Trevor Tordjman is slated to return as Bucky, the cheer captain and cousin of Addison from the original trilogy.

In the fifth installment, following the events of Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, the newfound peace between the Daywalkers and Vampires is put to the test when a band of fierce mermaids arrives in Rayburn. Nova and Victor must unite their groups once more to discover what the mermaids are really after in order to protect the fragile harmony they worked so hard to build.

The returning cast also includes Julian Lerner as Ray. New to the franchise are a trio of mysterious mermaids: Diaana Babnicova as Pearl, Taylor Oliver as bad-boy Fin, and Olive Mortimer as tech-wiz Sandy.

“‘Zombies’ has become a defining franchise for the current generation,” Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television, said in a statement. “With each movie, we intentionally push the story somewhere new. Introducing mermaids in Zombies 5 opens up a completely different dynamic, while staying true to the music, characters and themes of unity and acceptance that are at the heart of these films.”

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MGM+ Renews ‘Robin Hood’ for a Second Season

MGM+ on Feb. 24 announced that it renewed the romantic adventure drama series “Robin Hood” for a second season. The 10-episode season will go into production at PFI Studios in Serbia this summer.

MGM+ reported “Robin Hood” is one of its all-time best first-season performers. From Lionsgate Television with showrunner John Glenn and producer-director Jonathan English, the series features a modern take on the classic tale and a heightened focus on the relationship between Robin Hood and Maid Marian.

Season two of “Robin Hood” will expand its world beyond Sherwood and Nottingham into the treacherous courts of England, France, and Rome, where Robin Hood and Marian are drawn into the orbit of kings and queens and forced to wield the instruments of Norman power to secure a future for the Saxons.

Season one of “Robin Hood” starred Jack Patten as Robin Hood, Lauren McQueen as Marian, Sean Bean as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Lydia Peckham as Priscilla of Nottingham, and Connie Nielsen as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. MGM+ said season two casting will be announced shortly. Season one of “Robin Hood” premiered on MGM+ in November 2025.

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Apple TV Debuts Trailer for New Series ‘Imperfect Women’

Apple TV has released the trailer for the limited series “Imperfect Women,” a new psychological thriller starring Kerry Washington and Elisabeth Moss. The eight-episode series will debut March 18 with the first two episodes followed by new episodes every Wednesday through April 29.

Based on Araminta Hall’s novel of the same name, “Imperfect Women” examines a murder investigation that shatters the lives of a decades-long friendship of three women. As the investigation unfolds, so does the truth about how even the closest friendships may not be what they seem. The thriller examines love, betrayal and the compromises that alter lives irrevocably.

The ensemble cast for “Imperfect  Women” also includes Kate Mara, Joel Kinnaman, Corey Stoll, Leslie Odom Jr., Audrey Zahn, Jill Wagner, Rome Flynn, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Sherri Saum.

“Imperfect Women” is a co-production of 20th Century Television and Apple Studios.

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Lionsgate Releasing Season 1 of ‘Robin Hood’ for Digital Purchase March 30

Lionsgate has announced that season one of the TV series “Robin Hood” will be available for digital purchase starting March 30.

The 10-episode series that premiered on MGM+ in November 2025 focuses on the relationship between Robin Hood and Maid Marian while the outlaw leads a rebellion against the Sheriff of Nottingham and avenges his father.

The season will be available for the suggested retail price of $10.49.

The cast features Sean Bean (“Game of Thrones”) as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Jack Patten (“NCIS Sydney”) as Robin Hood, Lauren McQueen (“Masters of Air”) as Maid Marian, and Connie Nelson (Wonder Woman, Nobody) as Queen Eleanor of Aquitane. “Robin Hood” also features Steven Waddington (“Slow Horses”) as the Earl of Huntingdon and Lydia Packham (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) as Priscilla of Nottingham.

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Level 33 Will Release Crime Thriller ‘Bring the Law’ in Theaters and on Demand Feb. 27

Level 33 Entertainment will release the crime thriller Bring the Law in theaters and on demand Feb. 27.

In the film, when a devastating personal loss leaves him grieving, a seasoned Los Angeles homicide detective (Brendan Fehr) is tapped to lead a high-stakes task force targeting a ruthless criminal syndicate. But as his team closes in, he unearths a deep web of corruption within his own department —forcing him to confront betrayal, blurred loyalties, and the cost of justice.

Directed by Scout Taylor-Compton (Halloween, Obsessed), Bring the Law also stars Nicky Whelan (Hall Pass), Danielle Harris (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Leah Pipes (The Originals), Peter Facinelli (“The Twilight Saga”) and Mickey Rourke (Sin City, The Wrestler).

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Bring the Law

 

Luma AI Opening Saudi Arabia Office to Expand HUMAIN Create

Silicon Valley-based AI company Luma AI Feb. 9 announced it will open a dedicated office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to expand its presence in the Middle East and further the development of HUMAIN Create, a venture with Saudi AI company HUMAIN focused on leveraging AI in the development of video games, film and advertising.

Luma AI also announced a strategic partnership with Publicis Groupe Middle East, in collaboration with HUMAIN, under which Luma AI will serve as the preferred generative AI technology partner for the Groupe across Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region.

Luma AI’s Riyadh office will deepen its partnership with HUMAIN and support ongoing development of the world’s first Saudi-built, Arabic-native foundation model. HUMAIN is a Saudi AI company established in 2025 to develop AI capabilities through next-generation data centers, advanced AI models and cloud platforms.

For Luma AI, the new office will serve as a regional hub for client engagement, partnerships and advanced AI development.

“Saudi Arabia is the natural home for our regional headquarters in MENA,” Amit Jain, CEO and co-founder of Luma AI, said in a statement. “Establishing a local office allows Luma AI to work directly with this next generation of builders and creators, while developing AI that is deeply connected to the region it serves.”

Tareq Amin, CEO of HUMAIN, said the new office will help accelerate the development of HUMAIN Create. “This new office marks a major step forward in deepening our collaboration with Luma AI,” Amin said in a statement. “Through HUMAIN Create, we are accelerating the development of Arabic-native, culturally fluent AI systems that enable creators, brands, and organizations across the region.”

HUMAIN and Luma AI launched HUMAIN Create in 2025 to develop advanced video generation models and leverage them through gaming, movies, entertainment and advertising. As part of that effort, Luma AI in July 2025 opened an office in Los Angeles called Dream Lab LA to extends its mission to the entertainment industry and train filmmakers on how to use its AI models.

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National Geographic Debuts Trailer for ‘Ghost Elephants,’ Streaming on Disney+ and Hulu March 8

National Geographic Documentary Films and Abramorama on Feb. 10 released the trailer for the feature-length documentary Ghost Elephants, directed, written and narrated by Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man).

Airing on National Geographic on March 7 and streaming the next day, March 8, on Disney+ and Hulu, the film follows National Geographic Explorer Steve Boyes on an epic journey as he sets out with some of the last remaining master trackers in the world in pursuit of an animal long believed to be a myth.

On Feb. 26, Abramorama will host a one-night-only Ghost Elephants nationwide theatrical simulcast screening event followed by a live Q&A panel with Herzog and Boyes. Executive producer Brian Nugent will introduce the 7 p.m. public screening at the AMC Lincoln Square in Manhattan and join the panel discussion that will be transmitted live to theaters nationwide via the Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition in coordination with Abramorama’s live event partner take2productions. Abramorama will release the documentary in select North American theaters beginning Feb. 27.

In the mist-covered highlands of Angola, a mystery endures: the elusive ghost elephants of Lisima, the potential living descendants of the largest land mammal ever recorded. In order to find these elusive elephants, Boyes and fellow National Geographic Explorer Kerllen Costa teamed up with three KhoiSan master trackers — Xui, Xui Dawid, and Kobus — to succeed where advanced technology could not.

Ghost Elephants had its world premiere in August 2025 at the Venice International Film Festival and National Geographic Documentary Films acquired streaming rights to the film that month.

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Apple TV Unveils Trailer for ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Season 2

Apple TV on Feb. 3 unveiled the season two trailer for “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” the  series from Legendary Television starring Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto and Anders Holm.

The 10-episode second season of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” will premiere on Feb. 27 with one episode airing every Friday until May 1.

Season one of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” tracked two siblings looking to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Colonel Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows.

Season two will pick up with the fate of Monarch hanging in the balance and will feature King Kong, Godzilla and introduce a new Titan, the enigmatic Titan X, that is now officially on the loose. New season guest stars will include Takehiro Hira, Cliff Curtis, Dominique Tipper and Camilo Jiménez Varón.

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Rom-Com ‘F Valentine’s Day’ to Debut for Digital Rental and Sale Feb. 6

The rom-com F Valentine’s Day will debut for digital sale and rental on Feb. 6 from Shout! Studios.

Directed by Mark Gantt and starring Virginia Gardner, Skylar Astin, Jake Cannavale, Sabrina Bartlett and Marisa Tomei, F Valentine’s Day follows Gina (Virginia Gardner), who was born on the most celebrated day of love, Valentine’s Day, a holiday she detests immensely.

Fearing that her boyfriend (Skylar Astin) is planning to pop the question that very day during a birthday getaway to Greece, home of her mother (Marisa Tomei), she enlists two fellow vacationers, Johnny (Jake Cannavale) and his fiery sister Mickey (Sabrina Bartlett), to help delay the proposal. Along the way, she discovers that she just might be with the wrong guy after all.

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Reality Series ‘Neighbors’ to Debut Feb. 13 on HBO and Max

The HBO Original series “Neighbors” will debut on HBO and HBO Max on Feb. 13.

The six-episode series from A24 and HBO explores the real-life chaotic and complicated disputes of neighbors and the extreme lengths they’ll go to defend what’s theirs.

Each episode of “Neighbors” introduces a new set of neighbors in the heat of their conflicts and covers a wide range of  disputes about property lines, animal ownership, and even a yellow Speedo. Directors Harrison Fishman and Dylan Redford spent two years traveling across the country to explore the lives of neighbors, chronicling  their grievances and the extreme lengths they’ll go to defend what’s theirs.

New episodes of “Neighbors” will be available to stream each week following its Feb. 13 premiere.

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