International
Neeson’s Taken 3 is set for a February 2014 release
MUMBAI: Liam Neeson is all set to use his remarkable skills yet again in the third instalment of EuropaCorp‘s Taken 3 which is slated to go into production by February 2014. Reports confirm that Neeson has been roped in to for the role of Bryan Mills, the retired CIA agent at nearly $20 million.
Neeson who played Mills in the last two instalments of the franchise will join the original cast of Maggie Grace who played his daughter in the first two films, and Famke Janssen, who played his ex-wife.
As of yet, it is unconfirmed as who will helm the project but speculations reveal that Oliver Megaton may direct the third instalment as he helmed the last instalment (Taken 2). Luc Besson shall return as the writer for the movie with 20th Century Fox releasing it. Although story wise the sequel was not up to the original, the franchise did churn out well at the box office paving the way for the third instalment.
Taken 2 had cost around $45 million and grossed over $ 376 million as compared to the original Taken which grossed over $ 226 million.
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.
