iWorld
Netflix’s efforts to bolster already impressive content library
MUMBAI: Netflix is here to stay and is extensively working on expanding its portfolio for its viewers. It had recently added Stories By Rabindranath Tagore to its catalogue. The global OTT player has also attached Marco Polo season 2 which will be available from July 1. The show is an epic adventure and extraordinary relationship between Polo and Kublai Khan with the Song Empire in ruin and the Yuan dynasty on the rise.
The 10 episode second season includes new and returning cast – namely Lorenzo Richelmy (Marco Polo), Michelle Yeoh (the Handmaiden), Benedict Wong (Kublai Khan), Joan Chen (Empress Chabi), Zhu Zhu (Kokachin), Tom Wu (Hundred Eyes), Olivia Cheng (Mei Lin), Claudia Kim (Khutulun), Rick Yune (Kaidu), Remy Hii (Prince Jingim), Mahesh Jadu (Ahmad) and Uli Latukefu (Byamba), among others.
It has also acquired global rights to Charlie McDowell’s The Discovery, starring Rooney Mara, Robert Redford and Jason Segel. The film will premiere on Netflix and also get a theatrical domestic run in 2017. Directed by Charlie McDowell and written by McDowell and Justin Lader, The Discovery is a sci-fi story set two years after the discovery of an afterlife that has been scientifically proven where millions of people have taken their own lives in order to start over. Segel plays the son of the man (Redford) responsible for the discovery, and Mara plays a woman he falls in love with whose life is tinged by a tragic past.
Netflix will also air Narcos season 2 from 2 September at 12:01 PST. Brazilian actor Wagner Moura, who plays Pablo Escobar in Netflix’s highly acclaimed drama Narcos, dishes on what’s in store for his character in the next season.
Watch the full episode of Chelsea here:
The latest acquisition by the streaming video service adds to the ranks of its comedy offerings with a feature directed by and starring Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Goldbergs actor Jeff Garlin titled Handsome. The film is described as a mystery with comedy element.
Netflix has also announced acquiring select international rights to The Office spinoff movie David Brent: Life On The Road for premiere in 2017. The deal excludes the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, where it will receive a theatrical release by Entertainment One in August. The cast includes Ben Bailey Smith as Dom and writer-comedian Tom Basden as Dan and also stars Kevin Bishop, Roisin Conaty, Diane Morgan, Ashley McGuire, Alexander Arnold and Mandeep Dhillon. The feature-length film sees a documentary crew catching up with Brent 12 years on from the BBC2 documentary The Office. He is now a travelling salesman, chasing his dream of rock stardom by self-financing a UK tour with his band Foregone Conclusion.
Marvel fans can also catch Agents of SHIELD season 3 which is now available to stream on Netflix as of June 16. The show has just finished its season on ABC in May and has signed deal with Netflix to bring some new seasons of ABC shows to the streaming service 30 days after the season finale airs. With this, all three seasons of the series are available to stream on the platform.
Agents of SHIELD is based on the characters and stories from the Marvel comics and is created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen. It stars Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Brett Dalton, Chloe Bennet, Iain De Caestecker, Elizabeth Henstridge, Nick Blood, Adrianne Palicki, Henry Simmons, and Luke Mitchell.
The series follows SHIELD, the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, and its agents as they try to save the world from enemies, like HYDRA and people with superpowers.
Here is the trailer for the third season of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD –
Netflix is looking to provide a broad range of movies and TV shows for its members and says that it will always look for differing types of content catering to the tastes of over 81 million members around the world.
For a one monthly subscription price, members have access to all titles on Netflix in the country. Netflix plans are offered in three tiers: basic, standard and premium and all packages offer access to every title available on Netflix in the territory with no limit to how much one can watch.
iWorld
Amazon MX Player launches free micro-drama destination Fatafat
New platform offers serialized short-form stories with Munawar Faruqui campaign.
MUMBAI: Amazon MX Player just made micro-dramas free because the only thing shorter than the episodes is now the price tag (zero). Amazon MX Player has launched Fatafat, India’s first completely free premium micro-drama destination, giving mobile-first audiences access to fast-paced, serialized short-form stories without any paywall. Designed for quick viewing bursts, Fatafat features a growing catalogue of romance, drama, thriller and youth-led narratives in bite-sized episodes that are instantly bingeable. Unlike most micro-drama platforms that charge for access, Fatafat removes the barrier entirely, expanding the format’s reach across India.
The launch is supported by a humorous digital campaign fronted by comedian-actor Munawar Faruqui. The spots playfully highlight how small spends on paid micro-drama apps could be better used elsewhere, positioning Fatafat as the smarter, no-cost choice for engaging entertainment.
Amazon MX Player head Karan Bedi said, “Our vision has always been to make premium entertainment accessible to everyone, free of cost. With Fatafat, we are extending that promise to the rapidly growing micro-drama category quick, engaging and mobile-first while remaining completely free for viewers across India.”
Amazon MX Player head of content Amogh Dusad added, “Micro-dramas open up exciting creative possibilities for storytelling. With Fatafat, we are building a diverse slate of serialized stories across genres while keeping the experience fast, engaging and accessible to viewers everywhere.”
Munawar Faruqui said, “Today’s entertainment landscape is defined by content that is fast, engaging, and instantly accessible. Shooting for the campaign was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, especially as the scenarios felt incredibly authentic and relatable.”
Fatafat will continue to expand its library with several new titles in the coming months. The destination is available to stream for free on the Amazon MX Player mobile app.
In a country where attention spans are shrinking faster than episode lengths, Amazon MX Player isn’t just joining the micro-drama party,it’s throwing the doors wide open and telling everyone the snacks (and stories) are on the house.
