iWorld
Lionsgate Play offers perfect titles to beat seasonal blues this July
Mumbai: Looking at ways to escape the July blues? Get ready to kick back and immerse yourself in a treasure trove of gripping titles including empowering dramas, thrillers, and heartfelt tales from the comfort of your homes. From undercover spies to glamorous girl bosses, Lionsgate Play has you covered on all ends. Be it a sneaky chef on ‘High Heat’ or a group of girls ready to ‘Run The World’, this July is packed with titles that will ‘One Up’ even your cloudiest days. So, pour yourself some hot chocolate and get your favorite snacks in order as Lionsgate Play is here to lift your spirits this gloomy July.
Exclusive to Lionsgate Play
Movie Premieres
One Up – Release Date: 7 July 2023
They say video games are a ‘guy thing’, but these girls are here to prove you wrong. When Vivian’s gaming skills get her enlisted for a college scholarship, she’s stoked, until she learns about a competition against the male-dominated team. Tired of women being undermined in the esports world, Vivian recruits a group of professional girl gamers to prove once and for all, that she can do it all. Starring Ruby Rose, Taylor Zakhar Perez, Paris Berelc, and Hari Nef in titular roles, One Up is a riotous comedy that will leave you ever so empowered.
Wrath Of Man – Release Date: 14 July 2023
Wrath of Man will be available on Lionsgate Play Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bhojpuri as well. Starring Jason Statham in the role of a cash truck driver, Wrath Of Man showcases the extent a father will go to for his son. Following his son’s death as part of collateral damage in a heist, Mason plans the long game to get revenge against the ruthless thieves. Centered on the fury of a grieving father, the movie includes Scott Eastwood, Josh Hartnett and Holt McCallany in pivotal roles alongside Josan Statham.
Black Lotus – Release Date: 21 July 2023
An ex-soldier finds himself caught in a sticky situation when he learns that his late friend’s daughter has been kidnapped. Embarking on a mission to rescue her from the clutches of a criminal underboss played by Frank Grillo, he doesn’t know if he will succeed. With Rico Verhoeven, Marie Dompnier and Peter Franzén headlining this action thriller, it is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
The Promise – Release Date: 28 July 2023
Always keep your promises or they come back to haunt you, in this case, your loved ones. A friendship that started with a vow to end their lives together, results in Boum leaving Ib alone as she commits suicide. 15 years later, when Boum’s daughter is all grown up, Ib comes back to take her revenge. Starring Panisara Rikulsurakan, Namthip Jongrachatawiboon and Nichapalak Thongkham, this horror fest is going to keep you up at night.
Series Premiere
Run The World: Season 2 – Release Date: 28 July 2023
After a triumphant season one, Run The World is back with another season which is bigger, better and bolder. This American comedy follows three black women, Whitney, Renee and Sondi as they strive for global domination. Dealing with breakups, hook-ups and hardships, this trio is back to dazzle you with their resilience, ethic and fabulous clothes. Starring Amber Stevens West, Bresha Webb, Corbin Reid and Stephen Bishop, these girls will really rock your world.
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WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
