Movie Channels
HBO snags rights for XXX: Return of Xander Cage in South Asia
MUMBAI: Two targets with one arrow – that’s how HBO views its new acquisition. The channel and its HD counterpart will be premiering XXX: The Return of Xander Cage on 15 October 2017 at 1 pm and 9 pm to engage existing audiences and acquire new ones.
Xander Cage is just one of the several premieres as part of HBO’s multi-year output deal with Paramount Pictures. Brands associating with the movie include TUV300 as the powered-by partner while Oppo is the presenting partner and Suzuki Gixxer, Canon and LG OLED TV are associate partners.
The American action film, directed by D. J. Caruso and written by F. Scott Frazier, also marks the debut of the talented actress, Deepika Padukone in Hollywood, as the svelte and tough Serena. Special promos shot with Padukone will be aired till the television premiere.
The movie being the blockbuster of the year for HBO, the channel is using both traditional and digital media for marketing. Turner India senior director and network head – English entertainment Rohit Bhandari says, “For traditional media, we use mediums like outdoor hoardings, print and radio to promote the film, while in digital we use the HBO India Facebook page to engage with our audiences along with some paid ads especially for the digital medium, with mobile being a key medium.”
HBO has the satellite rights for South Asian markets including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives for the movie telecast.
Fans of the espionage and high-octane combat are in for a treat, as Vin Diesel reprises his role of the daredevil, Xander Cage. Agency chief, Jane Marke, enlists Xander to help retrieve the mysterious Pandora’s Box that is destined to spell doom for mankind when in the hands of the ruthless antagonist, Xiang. Cage sets off on a deadly trajectory with his team of accomplices and renegades, replete with motorbikes, guns, jet skis and submarines.
The cast also features Donnie Yen, Kris Wu, Ruby Rose, Tony Jaa, Nina Dobrev, and Academy Award nominees Toni Collette and Samuel L. Jackson in pivotal roles.
For those who love spy games, brilliant gadgetry and spectacular feats, the much-anticipated return of Cage makes for a heady cocktail!
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.
