International
Jack Black hints at Kung Fu Panda 4 triumph: ‘Possibly the Best Yet’
Mumbai: PVR INOX continues to bring international cinema closer to movie buffs across India with exciting initiatives. The cinema chain deputed well-known film critic Sucharita Tyagi to interview the cast and crews of Kung Fu Panda 4 in Los Angeles. The interview featuring the charismatic actor Jack Black, who has voiced “Po” from Kung Fu Panda is now available on PVR’s and INOX’s YouTube channels.
At the premiere of Kung Fu Panda 4, the atmosphere buzzed with joyous applause and enthusiastic cheers from the audience. When asked about Kung Fu Panda 4 being better than its predecessor, Jack Black responded, “I think it might be the best Kung Fu Panda. The laughs were coming strong. We were killing it, and James Hong and Bryan Cranston were killing me the most. I was dying. Judging from the audience reaction, we were getting tons of laughs.”
Kung Fu Panda 4 is the latest installment where Po juggles two challenges: becoming the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace and finding a new Dragon Warrior. However, when a powerful shape-shifting sorceress sets her eyes on his staff of wisdom, he suddenly realizes he is going to need some help. Teaming up with a quick-witted corsac fox, Po soon discovers that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places. Get ready for laughs, heartwarming moments, and epic kung fu battles in this action-packed adventure! The film releases on 15 March 2024 and can be watched at your nearest PVR INOX cinemas.
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.
