‘Legend of Mecha Scholars' Gets Global Distribution In Ad Astra, DRock Cultural Exchange Initiative

China's upcoming animated sci-fi series Legend of Mecha Scholars is getting global distribution in a new cross-cultural joint venture.
Puerto Rico's Ad Astra Media is teaming up with China's DRock-Art Animation to bring the highly anticipated show to international audiences in a partnership that aims to become a long-term collaboration in animation and gaming development.
More from Deadline
'Devil May Cry' Showrunner Adi Shankar On Crafting A 'New Continuity' While Keeping The 'Emotional Core' Of The Capcom Series
Bruce Lee & Jackie Chan Films Among Kung Fu Classics Set For AI Remakes
Donald Trump Extends Deadline For TikTok Divestiture Again - Update
'Legend of Mecha Scholars is not only a visually stunning series, but it also carries themes that align with our mission—to inspire the next generation through diverse, global storytelling,' said Ad Astra CEO Dr. José Morey. 'We're thrilled to work alongside DRock to share this series with new audiences and collaborate on meaningful content across platforms.'
DRock founder and CEO Ni 'Nico' Zhenjie said, 'Our vision for Legend of Mecha Scholars has always been global. With Ad Astra's proven commitment to diverse and engaging storytelling, we see an exciting opportunity to build not just a franchise, but a cross-border creative ecosystem.'
Beyond development and distribution, the partnership is part of Ad Astra's Lu Xun Bridge initiative, blending their expertise in socially impactful and diverse narratives with DRock's rich sci-fi world-building.
The initiative also includes a cross-cultural training exchange program through DRock's Animation Academy, bringing U.S. and Chinese students together to study advanced techniques in 2D/3D animation, engine-driven workflows and culturally diverse storytelling.
Best of Deadline
2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series
'Stick' Release Guide: When Do New Episodes Come Out?

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

an hour ago

• Yahoo

Danny Boyle Says He Would Never Make Oscar-Winner ‘Slumdog Millionaire' Now Amid 'Cultural Appropriation' Concerns

Danny Boyle says he remains proud of Slumdog Millionaire, but he would never make the Oscar-winning film in the current climate. Reflecting on his 2008 Best Picture winner in an interview with The Guardian, Boyle said the film, about a Mumbai ghetto kid (Dev Patel) who wins a quiz jackpot, would be difficult to mount — and for good reasons. More from Deadline '28 Years Later' $5M+, 'Elio' $2.5M-$3M Previews - Thursday Night Box Office What Are The Critics Saying About '28 Years Later'? Deadline On The Red Carpet: Aaron Taylor-Johnson On '28 Years Later's Brexit Nod, Danny Boyle Talks "The Growth" Of Horror, Jodie Comer On "Manifesting" A Movie Musical & Tom Rothman With An Actor Tip 'We wouldn't be able to make that now,' the 28 Years Later director said. 'And that's how it should be. It's time to reflect on all that. We have to look at the cultural baggage we carry and the mark that we've left on the world.' Asked if he felt the production was a form of colonialism, Boyle responded: 'No, no … Well, only in the sense that everything is. At the time it felt radical. We made the decision that only a handful of us would go to Mumbai. We'd work with a big Indian crew and try to make a film within the culture. But you're still an outsider. It's still a flawed method.' He continued: 'That kind of cultural appropriation might be sanctioned at certain times. But at other times it cannot be. I mean, I'm proud of the film, but you wouldn't even contemplate doing something like that today. It wouldn't even get financed. Even if I was involved, I'd be looking for a young Indian film-maker to shoot it.' Boyle's comments suggest he is unlikely to be involved in the effort to revisit Slumdog Millionaire through a film sequel and/or TV adaptation housed at Bridge7, a production company founded by former Netflix executive Swati Shetty and former CAA agent Grant Kessman. Directed by Boyle and written by Simon Beaufoy based on the book Q&A by Vikas Swarup, Slumdog Millionaire follows the story of 18-year-old Jamal whose life of hardship in the slums of Mumbai gives him the answers he needs to win a Who Wants To Be A Millionaire-style show. The film won eight Academy Awards, including Best Director. Best of Deadline 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series 'Stick' Release Guide: When Do New Episodes Come Out?

Yahoo

an hour ago

• Yahoo

JENNIE Melts Down on ‘Hot Ones,' But Thinks BLACKPINK's Jisoo Would Crush the Spicy Challenge: Watch

JENNIE had a pretty rough time taking on the infamous Hot Ones challenge. During her appearance on the web series Thursday (June 19), the BLACKPINK star — who admitted early on that she doesn't eat spicy food — began the episode with optimism, but ended up crying for help and running tearful laps around the table after facing the fiery spate of wings. More from Billboard A Complete List of BLACKPINK's Solo Projects (So Far) Rachel Zegler Serenades Crowd Outside Theater for Free in a New London Production of 'Evita' Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis to Receive Vanguard Award at The Guitar Center Music Foundation Gala & Benefit Concert 'In my daily life, I have nothing — no spice in my life,' JENNIE told host Sean Evans at the top of the show. 'I don't like spicy food or anything to do with spice. If anything, I like things plain, but here I am, facing my fear.' And face it she did. Things got painfully intense as the 29-year-old powered through the spice-laden challenge, following in the footsteps of her BLACKPINK bandmates ROSÉ and LISA, who had previously braved the wings of death in past episodes. Between interview questions about her debut solo album, Ruby, songs she fought for on the project, the importance of skincare, hearing fans sing her lyrics at concerts, and being a hamster mom, the singer and rapper visibly unraveled with each increasingly scorching bite. 'I think I'm allergic to spice!' she said at one point. The heat hit a whole new level when JENNIE reached wing No. 8, featuring the notorious Da' Bomb hot sauce. 'This is no joke,' she said, desperately grabbing a napkin to fan herself. After taking a dramatic lap around the table, she reached for milk and ice cream while screaming in agony. 'I can't hear anymore,' she said, forcing a smile. 'God, help me!' After somewhat regaining her composure, Evans asked if JENNIE might be able to convince JISOO — the only BLACKPINK member who hasn't yet appeared on Hot Ones — to take on the challenge. '100%, because she is the one who taught me spicy and she's the other you,' JENNIE replied. 'Like she made me eat spicy food with her. Ever since we were trainees. So, I think [Jisoo] should come on this show. You're gonna love it.' Reflecting on her bandmates' appearances, she added, 'Whatever ROSÉ and LISA did, this is the real reaction. Because I watched their episode and they were so chill about it so I was like if they're doing it, maybe I can do it too. But I can't!' Watch JENNIE's Hot Ones episode above. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart

Entrepreneur

2 hours ago

• Entrepreneur

Zerodha's Nikhil Kamath Invests in Creative Agency One Hand Clap Media

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath has invested in One Hand Clap Media, a creative agency started by former AIB heads Aakash Shah and Naveed Manakkodan. The financial details of the deal have not been disclosed. One Hand Clap Media focuses on digital-first storytelling, producing ad films, creative campaigns, and managing digital mandates. The agency has worked with leading brands like Swiggy, Netflix India, CRED, BGMI, and Bumble. Speaking about the investment, Aakash Shah, Co-founder of One Hand Clap Media, said, "Nikhil gets our DNA, and our visions align. We both never cared for the status quo; we have always aimed to disrupt it, defy the metrics and algorithms to tell stories, not just campaigns for our clients." With its roots in satire and digital media, the agency aims to challenge traditional models with bold, fast, and efficient creative work for digital platforms.