Hollywood
Warner Bros announce three Harry Potter spin-offs
MUMBAI: After a long wait, some good news for the Harry Potter fans, Warner Brothers has announced three new Harry potter spin-offs based on JK Rowling’s ‘Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them’ to be released in 2016, 2018 and 2020.
The studio has also revealed that there will be three new installments of ‘The Lego Movie’ and 10 DC Comics superhero films, including ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Aquaman’.
The new film will feature characters from the fictional textbook written by Newt Scamander at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is a magizoologist who deals with magical creatures and also author of the textbook used by students at the exclusive Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The book was mentioned in 49-year-old’s first novel in the series – ‘Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone’.
According to media reports, the stories will be neither prequels nor sequels and will take place about seven decades before Harry and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley enter Hogwarts.
To be directed by David Yates, the film-maker behind the final four Potter movies, the author herself will be writing the script for the movies.
The Harry Potter film franchise remains the most successful in film history with $7.7 billion in global box office earnings.
Rowling’s series of books has sold more than 450 million copies and the brand has an estimated worth of $15 billion.
Giving the fans a clue before the official, announcement, last week the author tweeted out an anagram, “Newt Scamander only meant to stay in New York for a few hours,” which she said is the first sentence of a synopsis of Newt’s story.
Rowling’s Harry Potter books – which were published from 1997 to 2007 and tell the story of the young wizard and his friends at the Hogwarts school of magic.
Hollywood
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs in major restructuring drive
Layoffs span ESPN, studios and tech as company pivots to growth
MUMBAI: The magic isn’t disappearing but it is being reorganised. The Walt Disney Company has announced plans to cut around 1,000 jobs as part of a sweeping restructuring effort aimed at sharpening its edge in an increasingly unpredictable entertainment landscape. The move, led by CEO Josh D’Amaro, reflects a broader internal reset as the company rethinks how it operates, allocates resources and competes in a fast-evolving industry. In a memo to employees, D’Amaro acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but framed it as a necessary step to ensure Disney remains “efficient, innovative, and responsive” to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour and technology.
The layoffs will span multiple divisions, including marketing, film and television studios, ESPN, technology teams and corporate functions. Notifications have already begun, signalling that the restructuring is not a distant plan but an active transition underway.
Importantly, the company has clarified that the cuts are not performance-driven. Instead, they form part of a wider transformation strategy aimed at building a leaner, more agile organisation, one better equipped to respond to streaming dynamics, digital disruption and evolving audience expectations.
The timing is telling. The global entertainment industry is in the middle of a structural shift, with traditional television revenues under pressure and box office returns becoming increasingly volatile. Meanwhile, streaming platforms and digital-first competitors continue to redraw the rules of engagement, forcing legacy players to rethink scale, speed and storytelling formats.
For Disney, long synonymous with blockbuster franchises and timeless storytelling, the pivot is both strategic and symbolic. The company is doubling down on technology, direct-to-consumer services and content ecosystems that align with modern viewing habits, where audiences expect immediacy, personalisation and cross-platform experiences.
Even as the restructuring unfolds, D’Amaro struck a note of optimism, reiterating Disney’s commitment to creativity and long-term growth. Support measures for affected employees are expected as part of the transition, though details remain limited.
In essence, this is less about cutting back and more about reshaping forward. As Disney redraws its organisational map, the message is clear, in today’s entertainment world, even the most magical kingdoms must evolve or risk being left behind.
