International
Keith Richards to play father of Johnny Depp in next Pirates of the Caribbean
MUMBAI: Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has been confirmed to play the character of Captain Teague in the fifth edition of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Though the 68-year-old musician is unsure when the next installment of the hit franchise will start filming, he said he will again make an appearance as the father of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp‘s lead character).
“So they say, you know, I‘ve got the costume, and I‘m waiting for the heads up, but apparently there is. I don‘t know if it‘ll be next year that we shoot it or whatever, but as I say, you know, I got the costume and the beard and the shirt,” Richards has been quoted to have said.
Richards also said that he will know when he is required as soon as he hears from his friend and co-star Depp. “I‘ll wait for a call from Johnny,” he added.
Richards had earlier appeared in the last two films in the series like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World‘s End and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
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.
