International
Jimmy Kimmel to host The Oscar Awards for a third time
Mumbai: Emmy Award-winning late-night talk show host and producer Jimmy Kimmel will return to host the 95th Oscars. This is Hollywood’s most prestigious awards show. The announcements were made by executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner. Kimmel hosted back-to-back broadcasts in 2017 (the 89th Awards) and 2018 (the 90th Awards). Molly McNearney will serve as an executive producer. The 95th Oscars will air live on ABC in the US and in broadcast outlets in over 200 territories worldwide on Sunday, 12 March, 2023. In India, the show will air on Star Movies Live early in the morning on 13 March. It will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.
“We’re super thrilled to have Jimmy score his hat trick on this global stage. We know he will be funny and ready for anything!”, said Weiss and Kirshner.
“Jimmy is the perfect host to help us recognise the incredible artists and films of our 95th Oscars. His love of movies, live TV expertise, and ability to connect with our global audiences will create an unforgettable experience for our millions of viewers worldwide. With Kimmel, Weiss, and Kirshner’s fresh perspective and masterful guidance, the Oscars will celebrate its rich 95-year history, the collaborative nature of moviemaking, and our diverse, dynamic, and deeply creative community of filmmakers,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang.
“Having Jimmy Kimmel return to host ‘The Oscars’ is a dream come true. As we see every night on his own show, Jimmy can handle anything with both heart and humor, and we know that he will deliver the laughs and celebratory moments that define the Oscars. We love being the home of Hollywood’s biggest night and can’t wait to toast the success of this year’s cinema and storytelling,” said ABC Entertainment, Hulu, and Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals president Craig Erwich.
“Being invited to host the Oscars for a third time is either a great honour or a trap. Either way, I am grateful to the Academy for asking me so quickly after everyone good said ‘no,’” said Kimmel.
Kimmel serves as host and executive producer of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and recently signed a three-year contract extension, making him one of the longest-running talk show hosts in American television history.
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.
