iWorld
Netflix wins Japan rights for 2026 World Baseball Classic
TOKYO: Netflix will be the exclusive home of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Japan, under a rights deal with World Baseball Classic Inc (WBCI), the body jointly run by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association. The streamer will carry all 47 games live and on-demand for Japanese subscribers.
The sixth edition of the tournament will feature 20 national teams across four pools in Tokyo, San Juan, Houston and Miami from 5 March 2026. Defending champions Japan will again be in the spotlight.
MLB deputy commissioner for business and media Noah Garden said the deal reflected “the growing popularity of the tournament” and WBCI’s ambition to expand through digital platforms. Netflix Japan vice president of content Kaata Sakamoto called the tie-up a chance to “deliver a new kind of viewing experience that brings fans even closer to the action.”
MLB Players Inc president Evan Kaplan added that the partnership would give Japanese fans front-row access to “one of the sport’s most unique stages, where the world’s top players compete for national pride”.
For Netflix, the deal is the latest step in its tilt towards live sport, positioning it at the heart of one of baseball’s biggest international events.
Could we see it snap up some premium cricket media rights in India? That’s a delivery media observers have been waiting for Netflix to bowl for quite a while now.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
