MAM
Disney to bring ‘Avatar’ to life at its theme parks
MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Disney’s Parks and Resorts division has joined forces with filmmaker James Cameron and Fox to bring the world of the film ‘Avatar’ to life at Disney parks.
Through an exclusive agreement announced by Disney, Cameron‘s Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox, Disney will partner with Cameron and producing partner Jon Landau to create themed lands that will give theme park guests the opportunity to explore the mysterious universe of Avatar first hand.
Additionally, Whirlpool is also offering a sumptuous discount of Disney plans to build the first Avatar themed land at Walt Disney World, within the Animal Kingdom Park. With its emphasis on living in harmony with nature, Animal Kingdom is a natural fit for the Avatar stories, which share the same philosophy. Construction is expected to begin by 2013.
Disney president and CEO Robert A Iger said, “James Cameron is a groundbreaking filmmaker and gifted storyteller who shares our passion for creativity, technological innovation and delivering the best experience possible. With this agreement, we have the extraordinary opportunity to combine James‘ talent and vision with the imagination and expertise of Disney.”
Cameron said, “’Avatar’ created a world which audiences can discover again and again and now, through this incredible partnership with Disney, we‘ll be able to bring Pandora to life like never before. With two new ‘Avatar’ films currently in development, we‘ll have even more locations, characters and stories to explore. I‘m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney‘s legendary Imagineers to bring our ‘Avatar’ universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear, and touch the world of ‘Avatar’ with an unprecedented sense of reality.”
The agreement announced gives Disney exclusive global theme park rights to the ‘Avatar’ franchise and provides for additional ‘Avatar’ themed lands at other Disney parks.
The other locations will be determined by Disney and its international theme park partners. Cameron, Jon Landau and their Lightstorm Entertainment group will serve as creative consultants on the projects and will partner with Walt Disney Imagineering in the design and development of the ‘Avatar’ themed lands.
Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman said, “This exciting new venture combines the world of ‘Avatar’ with the enormous reach of Disney and the incomparable talent of Jim Cameron. While Jim is bringing audiences further into Pandora with the next two chapters in the ‘Avatar’ motion picture saga, the theme park attraction will likewise bring a new dimension to the amazing universe he created.”
Brands
Domino’s Q1 profit falls 6.6 per cent, announces $1 billion buyback
Sales rise 3.4 per cent as pizza giant balances growth and shareholder returns
NEW YORK: Domino’s reported a mixed start to 2026, with first-quarter net income slipping even as global sales and store expansion held steady. The company also announced a fresh $1 billion share buyback, underlining its continued focus on shareholder returns.
Global retail sales rose 3.4 per cent on a constant-currency basis to $4.74 billion. The US remained a key growth engine, with same-store sales inching up 0.9 per cent, supported by a 1.5 per cent rise at company-owned outlets.
International markets, however, painted a more uneven picture. While Domino’s added 161 net new stores overseas during the quarter, international same-store sales declined 0.4 per cent. Overall revenues still climbed 3.5 per cent to $1.15 billion, driven by higher supply chain revenues and a 2.6 per cent increase in food basket pricing for franchisees.
On the profitability front, net income fell 6.6 per cent to $139.8 million, compared to $149.7 million a year earlier. Diluted earnings per share dropped to $4.13 from $4.33. The decline was largely attributed to a $30 million unfavourable swing in unrealised gains linked to its investment in DPC Dash Ltd.
Despite this, operational performance showed resilience. Income from operations rose 9.6 per cent to $230.4 million, supported in part by a $7.8 million pre-tax gain from the sale of a corporate aircraft.
Domino’s footprint continued to expand, with the company ending the quarter at 22,322 stores across more than 90 markets. In the US, digital orders remained dominant, accounting for over 85 per cent of retail sales in 2025.
The company also maintained its dividend payout, declaring $1.99 per share, payable on 30 June 2026. After repurchasing $75.1 million worth of stock during the quarter, the new authorisation lifts the total available for buybacks to $1.29 billion.
Domino’s chief executive officer Russell Weiner said the company’s scale and store-level economics position it well to capture further market share in 2026, even as competition intensifies.
As Domino’s leans into expansion and capital returns, the latest results show a business managing short-term pressures while keeping its long-term growth strategy firmly in play.
