Film Production
Something Special & TAICCA partner to co-develop and co-produce new unscripted IP
Mumbai: Something Special, Seoul-based number one independent* international format agency, and the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) are excited to announce a dynamic partnership to co-develop and co-produce new unscripted intellectual properties (IP) over the next two years. This collaboration is set to begin by the end of June 2024.
This strategic partnership was formalised with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 17 June 2024, during the LEAP co-development event in Seoul. This event was a result of a collaboration between TAICCA, Something Special, and AR Asia Productions (previously announced), aimed at enhancing Taiwanese unscripted creativity by mentoring Taiwanese producers and further developing their ideas.
Under the terms of the MOU, Something Special and TAICCA will engage in discussions to develop Something Special’s own original paper formats IP for Taiwanese productions. The collaboration will explore diverse co-production opportunities, including working with Taiwanese producers and production companies, engaging Taiwanese celebrities and non-celebrities, and producing shows in Taiwan.
TAICCA chairperson Homme Tsai stated: “Korean variety shows continuously innovate, providing fresh experiences. Their diverse content captures global attention and resonates with audiences. Taiwan also boasts its unique culture and creative talent. Through this collaboration, we hope to enhance the cultural and technical exchange between Taiwan and Korea. We are excited for more international audiences to discover Taiwan through audiovisual content, and to see more Taiwan-specific content shine on the international stage.”
Something Special president & EP Jin Woo Hwang stated: “We are pleased to announce this collaboration with TAICCA, with our experiences working with government agencies and international partners, we are more than happy to take part in building the next step of Asian original content.”
Film Production
Arka Mediaworks onboards 88 Pictures as animation studio partner on ‘The Eternal War – Part 1’
Arka Mediaworks announces that 88 Pictures, the acclaimed animation and visual storytelling studio known for its cutting-edge CGI and cinematic artistry, is on board as the animation partner for the highly anticipated Baahubali: The Eternal War, a groundbreaking two-part 3D animated feature film set in the globally beloved Baahubali universe.
Baahubali: The Eternal War represents a bold new chapter in the Baahubali saga envisioned for national and international audiences and crafted with the ambition of delivering one of India’s most ambitious and globally benchmarked animation projects to date.
88 Pictures will execute the animation production, bringing to life the film’s richly detailed worlds, epic battle sequences, and larger-than-life characters with its signature blend of artistic vision, performance-driven animation, and advanced production pipelines. Working closely with the film’s creative leadership and technical partners, the studio aims to set new benchmarks in animation quality, cinematic storytelling, and global scalability.
This animated epic follows the successful re-release of Baahubali: The Epic (the combined theatrical version of the original live-action films) on 31 October 2025 across India and the USA. During the film’s interval, legendary creator and director S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali 1 & 2, RRR) stunned audiences with a surprise teaser for The Eternal War – Part 1. The video immediately went viral, garnering widespread national and international acclaim across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for its ambitious visual style and scale.
Produced by Arka Mediaworks and led by co-founder and CEO Shobu Yarlagadda – producer of the iconic Baahubali duology, The Eternal War brings together fantastic storytelling and cutting-edge animation.. The film is directed and written by acclaimed animation filmmaker Ishan Shukla (Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, Star Wars: Visions – “The Bandits of Golak”) and screenplay by Scott Mosier (The Grinch). Mihira Visual Labs, the studio co-founded by Yarlagadda anchors the film’s animation, visual development, and execution.
The partnership with 88 Pictures brings significant pedigree to the project; the studio is well-regarded for its work on high-profile international titles including DreamWorks’ series Trollhunters, the HBO Max original series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Disney’s animated short An Almost Christmas Story to name a few.
Yarlagadda shared, “We are happy to onboard 88 Pictures as the animation studio partner for our prestigious and most expensive animated film from India. We believe that their expertise and capabilities will allow us to produce a first-of-its-kind, world-class animated feature film from India.”
88 Pictures founder & CEO Milind D. Shinde said, “Baahubali changed the way cinema is perceived and became a defining milestone that turned the tide for Indian live-action filmmaking. Expanding the franchise into an entirely new universe—at a never-seen, never-done scale—through an animated feature created in India for a global audience is set to redefine how the world views Indian animation. We are truly thrilled to be part of this landmark project and to bring it to life under the visionary direction of Ishan Shukla, guided by the experience and leadership of acclaimed producer Shobu Yarlagadda.”
Shukla expressed, “Eternal War requires a level of visual and emotional precision that can only come from teams who truly understand both craft and intent. Working with 88 Pictures, alongside Mihira Visual Labs, has been a deeply collaborative experience. This association brings together technical excellence and creative sensitivity, enabling us to translate an ambitious vision into a compelling cinematic reality.”
Baahubali: The Eternal War – Part 1 is scheduled for release in 2027
