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Imagi Animation Studios in global distribution deal with Warner Bros, The Weinstein Company
MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Pictures, The Weinstein Company and Imagi Animation Studios have agreed upon principal terms for the worldwide distribution of the films Gatchaman and AstroBoy. The new pact builds on the success of TMNT, Imagi‘s first theatrical motion picture, also distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and The Weinstein Company. TMNT opened in March at the top of the US box office. Warner Bros. Pictures president, production Jeff Robinov says, “Imagi is breaking new ground with big action pictures done entirely in CG animation. It‘s an exciting new genre, with the potential of attracting big mass market audiences.” Harvey Weinstein says, “TMNT had the kind of beautifully choreographed action sequences you‘d expect from Hong Kong animators. The next two films will confirm Imagi‘s reputation as the world‘s leading action hero animation studio.” Gatchaman scheduled for release in early 2009, originated in Japan in the early 1970s as the television series Science Ninja Team Gatchaman. Aired in the US as Battle of the Planets and G-Force, it soon became a syndicated TV series. The film is set in a future world grappling with environmental and technological issues. The story focusses on five reluctant heroes whose genetic code makes them Earth‘s only hope Also slated for release later in 2009, AstroBoy was created by the “god of manga,” Japan‘s Osamu Tezuka, in the early 1950s. The animated television series first aired in 1963 in Japan and found acclaim and success around the world. In the US, it became a syndicated children‘s show. The iconic character‘s fame grew in the 1980s and 2003 with two new AstroBoy TV series attracting new generations of fans. The film tells the story of a powerful robot boy created by a scientist in the image of the son he has lost. The hero journeys to find acceptance in the human world, and ultimately discovers true friendship as he uses his incredible powers to help others and save Metro City from destruction.
of defeating extra-terrestrial invaders.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
