Film Production
Universal Pictures establishes family home entertainment label
MUMBAI: In a restructuring move that is designed to complement Universal Pictures’ existing operations and continued organic growth, the company is dedicating new efforts in the family arena.
A Universal Studios Home Entertainment Family Productions (USHEFP) unit has been established.
The new unit’s day-to-day operations will be overseen by family entertainment veteran Glenn Ross, who has been appointed to serve as the unit’s GM/ executive VP. USHEFP will develop, produce, and acquire live-action and animated family productions directly for the home entertainment market, as well as television. Universal has stated that this move clearly underscores its commitment to expand its reach in the made-for-DVD arena.
All Universal production entities developing and producing family-oriented product for the home entertainment and television sectors will now fall under the USHEFP banner, including the Universal Cartoon Studios, which will report directly to Glenn Ross. Also, as a part of the restructuring, London-based Universal Pictures Visual Programming President Hugh Rees-Parnall will now report to Universal Pictures International president Pete Smith.
Universal Pictures chairman Stacey Snider said, “As the home entertainment business continues its exponential growth, we feel now more than ever the time is right to capitalize on the tremendous demand for superior family-friendly content made specifically for DVD consumers. We have had tremendous success in the made-for-DVD arena to date and we are confident that by dedicating even greater attention to this platform, we will deliver exceptional entertainment that will appeal to the broadest range of audiences.”
Ross says, “I am excited to have the opportunity to work with the extensive assets and talents available at Universal Studios. As the family entertainment business continues to grow, the engine for continued growth will be the ability of our industry to identify new and creative programming to fuel demand. Universal Studios Home Entertainment Family Productions is
committed to creating and acquiring compelling and innovative films that will position us as a leader in this category.”
Film Production
Arka Mediaworks onboards 88 Pictures as animation studio partner on ‘The Eternal War – Part 1’
Arka Mediaworks announces that 88 Pictures, the acclaimed animation and visual storytelling studio known for its cutting-edge CGI and cinematic artistry, is on board as the animation partner for the highly anticipated Baahubali: The Eternal War, a groundbreaking two-part 3D animated feature film set in the globally beloved Baahubali universe.
Baahubali: The Eternal War represents a bold new chapter in the Baahubali saga envisioned for national and international audiences and crafted with the ambition of delivering one of India’s most ambitious and globally benchmarked animation projects to date.
88 Pictures will execute the animation production, bringing to life the film’s richly detailed worlds, epic battle sequences, and larger-than-life characters with its signature blend of artistic vision, performance-driven animation, and advanced production pipelines. Working closely with the film’s creative leadership and technical partners, the studio aims to set new benchmarks in animation quality, cinematic storytelling, and global scalability.
This animated epic follows the successful re-release of Baahubali: The Epic (the combined theatrical version of the original live-action films) on 31 October 2025 across India and the USA. During the film’s interval, legendary creator and director S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali 1 & 2, RRR) stunned audiences with a surprise teaser for The Eternal War – Part 1. The video immediately went viral, garnering widespread national and international acclaim across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for its ambitious visual style and scale.
Produced by Arka Mediaworks and led by co-founder and CEO Shobu Yarlagadda – producer of the iconic Baahubali duology, The Eternal War brings together fantastic storytelling and cutting-edge animation.. The film is directed and written by acclaimed animation filmmaker Ishan Shukla (Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, Star Wars: Visions – “The Bandits of Golak”) and screenplay by Scott Mosier (The Grinch). Mihira Visual Labs, the studio co-founded by Yarlagadda anchors the film’s animation, visual development, and execution.
The partnership with 88 Pictures brings significant pedigree to the project; the studio is well-regarded for its work on high-profile international titles including DreamWorks’ series Trollhunters, the HBO Max original series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Disney’s animated short An Almost Christmas Story to name a few.
Yarlagadda shared, “We are happy to onboard 88 Pictures as the animation studio partner for our prestigious and most expensive animated film from India. We believe that their expertise and capabilities will allow us to produce a first-of-its-kind, world-class animated feature film from India.”
88 Pictures founder & CEO Milind D. Shinde said, “Baahubali changed the way cinema is perceived and became a defining milestone that turned the tide for Indian live-action filmmaking. Expanding the franchise into an entirely new universe—at a never-seen, never-done scale—through an animated feature created in India for a global audience is set to redefine how the world views Indian animation. We are truly thrilled to be part of this landmark project and to bring it to life under the visionary direction of Ishan Shukla, guided by the experience and leadership of acclaimed producer Shobu Yarlagadda.”
Shukla expressed, “Eternal War requires a level of visual and emotional precision that can only come from teams who truly understand both craft and intent. Working with 88 Pictures, alongside Mihira Visual Labs, has been a deeply collaborative experience. This association brings together technical excellence and creative sensitivity, enabling us to translate an ambitious vision into a compelling cinematic reality.”
Baahubali: The Eternal War – Part 1 is scheduled for release in 2027
