International
Disney’s ‘Tangled’ director in talks with Jason Bateman for new animated feature
MUMBAI: Jason Bateman is set to lead the voice cast of a new Walt Disney Animation project directed by Tangled helmer Byron Howard, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
As per the sources, the new project is an untitled animal comedy that does not yet have a release date.
For Bateman, the project would mark his first voice-over work for a feature. The actor, who is all set to shoot for Warner Bros’ version of the Jonathan Tropper novel ‘This Is Where I Leave You’, lent his voice in the short-lived Fox series ‘Sit Down, Shut Up’, among other shows.
Howard is well-regarded in the animation community and is one of the great directors behind Disney Animation’s recent reappearance. In 2008, he along with Chris Williams directed ‘Bolt’, which was nominated for the Oscar, and with Nathan Greno co-directed the hit ‘Tangled’.
The next titles on the list from Disney Animation are Frozen, a nouveau princess tale that will be released on 27 November next year, as well as an untitled secret film project slated for 7 November 2014. DisneyToon Studios will release Planes, set in the world of cars, 7 August later this year.
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.
