Kids
The Weinstein Company inks home video deal with Genius Products
MUMBAI: Film production firm The Weinstein Company (TWC) has announced a deal with Genius Products to form a new venture to exploit US home video distribution rights to all feature film and direct-to-video releases owned or controlled by TWC, and will include the existing home video distribution operations of Genius Products.
Bob and Harvey Weinstein said: “This agreement fulfills our vision to both control and deliver our content directly to retail. Trevor Drinkwater has developed a premier management team that rivals any major studio and we are thrilled to be in business with him and his team. Genius Products’ strong retail relationships, coupled with its understanding of content and marketing, provide us with a partner that helps to complete the circle of our developing company.”
Genius Products anticipates that the new venture will release to DVD a slate of approximately 20 theatrical films and a significant number of direct-to-video and library titles per year from TWC.
Potential new releases may include sequels to successful franchises including Sin City and Scary Movie. TWC’s first theatrical release was the thriller Derailed with Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen.
As a result of the transaction, TWC will have a controlling interest in the new venture. TWC is also said to be counting on its upcoming releases Mrs. Henderson Presents, starring Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins and Transamerica to get attention during the film awards season which kicks off in a few days time.
TWC was launched in October 2005 by The Weinstein brothers after they left Disney.
Kids
Mukta Arts and Green Gold ink MOU to animate iconic film IPs
Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan to spawn animated shows plus features.
MUMBAI: When classic hindi movie meets animation, the result is a fresh reel of nostalgia with a cartoon twist. Mukta Arts Ltd. and Green Gold Animation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on animated shows and feature films drawn from Mukta Arts’ four-decade treasure trove of iconic IPs. The partnership taps Mukta’s SGM Animation Studio launched in 2025 as its dedicated animation and games arm and Green Gold’s proven track record in building scalable, homegrown franchises. Creative teams from both sides have already kicked off discussions, with the first project currently in development.
The slate will draw inspiration from landmark Mukta films including Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Saudagar and Iqbal, plus character-led spin-offs from those universes. The aim is to reimagine these stories for today’s young, global audiences while preserving their emotional core.
Green Gold Animation (home of Chhota Bheem) founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka said, “This partnership with SGM Studios allows us to apply our experience in building long-lasting animation IPs to a truly iconic film catalogue. Together, we aim to create animated worlds that are rooted in these legendary stories, yet designed to connect with today’s young, global audiences.”
Mukta Arts Ltd. filmmaker and founder Subhash Ghai added, “Mukta Arts has always believed in creating stories with lasting emotional value. Through animation, we are extending our IP into a new medium for the next generation.”
In an industry where timeless tales never go out of fashion, this collaboration promises to bring beloved characters back to life with a modern, animated glow proving that some stories are too good to stay in live-action. Stay tuned for the first animated frame to drop.
