International
Carl Icahn ups stake in MGM’s takeover bid
MUMBAI: Billionaire financier Carl Icahn has upped his offer to buy the entire debts of MGM. That amounts to a 8 cent premium above the debt‘s current trading value and a similar rise from Icahn‘s offer last week.MGM owes more than 100 debt holders almost $4 billion and has been seeking approval from the creditors of a company-proposed financial reorganisation plan. MGM has been seeking ways of restructuring its finances for more than a year.
The “prepackaged” bankruptcy plan would turn outstanding debt into lender equity and hand operating reins of the studio to Spyglass Entertainment co- toppers Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum.
But Icahn is backing a rival proposal by Lionsgate, that seeks the merger of Lionsgate and MGM to give the former a 45 per cent stake in the new entity. Lionsgate‘s biggest shareholder, Icahn already has accumulated more than $400
million in MGM debt.
MGM lenders have, till Friday, to vote to approve or reject the Spyglass-proposed MGM reorganisation. An MGM source said there is little chance of a second extension of the voting deadline; the first deadline had been set for last Friday.
MGMs current owners — including Providence Equity, TPG Capital, Sony, Comcast, DLJ Merchant and Quadrangle — would see their equity positions in the studio wiped out in virtually any MGM restructuring.
International
Utopai Studios unveils 4K three-minute video generation for PAI platform
New Story Agent and editing tools aim to streamline AI-led filmmaking workflows
MUMBAI: Utopai Studios has announced a major upgrade to its PAI storytelling AI platform, introducing what it claims is an industry-first capability to generate three-minute videos in 4K resolution, alongside enhancements to its Story Agent feature.
The update, rolling out from April 15, expands the platform’s capabilities across the filmmaking process, from early concept development to post-production. The company said the new features are designed to help filmmakers maintain continuity across characters, scenes and visual styles, a key challenge in AI-driven storytelling.
At the heart of the release is a next-generation model that enables more structured narrative development, allowing creators to move more seamlessly from idea to execution. With tools such as multi-shot sequencing and multi-turn editing, the platform aims to give both studios and independent creators greater control over complex storytelling workflows.
Commenting on the launch, Utopai Studios co-founder and CTO Jie Yang said, “The next phase of AI in media will not be defined by isolated tools, but by systems that can carry story, continuity and collaboration across the full creative process.” He added that the update is a step towards enabling more practical, end-to-end narrative development at a professional level.
Echoing this, Utopai Studios co-founder and chief scientific officer Zijian He said, “Generative video is opening the door to a new production model, where creative ambition is less constrained by traditional cost and complexity.” He noted that the platform combines multimodal models with iterative editing to give creators more speed, control and consistency.
The company said PAI is already being used in professional film and television productions, particularly in Hollywood, for tasks such as pre-visualisation, scene design and post-production refinements. The latest update adds features including improved voice options, character consistency, unlimited editing and more flexible asset management.
Utopai also emphasised that its models are not trained on copyrighted material, positioning the platform as a cleaner alternative for creators and rights holders navigating the evolving AI landscape.
As AI continues to reshape content creation, Utopai’s latest push signals a shift from standalone tools to integrated systems, aiming to make high-quality filmmaking faster, more flexible and increasingly accessible.
