Hollywood
Steven Caple Jr. reflects on Transformers’ impact on his life
Mumbai: The highly successful Transformers franchise aims to build upon its existing legacy with its upcoming release, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. While director Steven Caple Jr. already has grand plans for the future, he opens up about how the franchise has influenced him.
Caple recalls how much he loved the original “Beast Wars: Transformers” animated series as a child. The show premiered when he was eight years old, and after watching each episode, he and his friends would meet up after school and try to wrap their heads around how different it was from other cartoons at the time.
He said, “I remember thinking how weird it was, because they were trying something new with the animation, and Optimus Prime wasn’t in it. But as it went on, the storyline got really good. It had a lot of heart and a bunch of twists and turns, so I stuck around for all three seasons.”
Returning with the action and spectacle that’s captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on the ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformers – the Maximals – joining them as allies in the epic battle for earth.
Directed by Steven Caple Jr. and starring Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, the film arrives in theatres on 9 June 2023, in English, Hindi, Tamil & Telugu in 2D, 3D, 4D, and IMAX.
Hollywood
Disney sells out ad slots for 98th Oscars broadcast
Strong demand for live events turns the Academy Awards into a global, multi-platform marketing moment
NEW YORK: Hollywood’s biggest night has also become one of advertising’s hottest tickets. Disney has sold out all advertising inventory for the 98th Oscars, underscoring the growing demand from brands eager to ride the cultural wave of major live events.
The sell-out marks the sixth consecutive live tentpole success for Disney Advertising. The streak includes last year’s 97th Oscars, the 59th Annual CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, signalling strong appetite among marketers for moments that bring audiences together in real time.
For advertisers, the Oscars are no longer just a single night of glitz and gold statues. Disney’s “Content Everywhere” strategy has expanded the awards show into a sprawling, multi-platform brand playground spanning linear television, streaming, social media and digital content.
“Live continues to be one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with engaged audiences at scale, and the Oscars represent the very best of culture, creativity and community,” said Disney Advertising SVP, entertainment and streaming solutions John Campbell. He added that the company has reshaped the show’s commercial potential into a connected experience that stretches well beyond the broadcast.
Brands such as Mazda, Pfizer and Volkswagen of America are tapping into Disney’s wider ecosystem, appearing across original content segments including Know Your Movies on Hulu and Critically Acclaimed on Disney+. Partnerships also extend to social media through TikTok Pulse Premiere and to custom brand storytelling created by Disney CreativeWorks.
The result is what Disney calls the “Oscars Everywhere” approach. Rather than a few high-profile ad breaks, advertisers now find themselves woven through a series of moments before, during and after the ceremony.
These include On The Red Carpet at The Oscars, a live pre-show syndicated across major local markets and streamed nationwide, and the After the Oscars Show, which keeps the conversation going once the final award has been handed out.
This year’s sponsors include Rolex, returning for its ninth year, and Burger King, which joins the Oscars advertiser roster for the first time. Other brands in the mix include Disney Cruise Line, Dunkin’, Eli Lilly and Company, Eucerin, Intuit TurboTax, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Miebo, Paris Baguette, Peacock, Starbucks, State Farm, Toyota and Verizon.
The 98th Oscars will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, reaching audiences in more than 200 territories worldwide.
