Latest news with #Avengers:InfinityWar
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Damson Idris addresses Black Panther 3 casting rumours
Damson Idris has addressed speculation that he could become the next Black Panther. During an appearance on the Today show on Wednesday, the F1 actor was asked if he had had any conversations with Marvel Studios about becoming the next iteration of the superhero in the third Black Panther movie. When presenter Craig Melvin encouraged him to give a "yes or no" answer, Idris playfully replied, "Yes-no." Melvin asserted his response meant a "yes," and the British actor responded, "It could mean no." When asked if he'd accept the role if it was offered to him, Idris confirmed that he would. T'Challa/Black Panther was played by Chadwick Boseman in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, followed by 2018's Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War and 2019's Avengers: Endgame. After Boseman died in August 2020, aged 43, director and co-writer Ryan Coogler decided not to recast the character for the planned sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In the 2022 film, T'Challa dies, and his sister Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, takes over the Black Panther mantle. During a radio interview on Sway in the Morning, Idris opened up about what the Black Panther role would mean to him. "It would mean everything, of course. Again, it's all about responsibility. But either way, whoever plays that part, if that part even happens, I'm going to be in the theatres supporting it," he shared. "I knew Chad(wick) well. He was an icon to us. Someone like Chad and what he represented, I think it's important that that essence carries on. I think that's what he would want." However, Black Panther producer Nate Moore previously insisted in February that there was "no truth" to the T'Challa recasting rumours. "We'll get into it later this year, but everything you read online is not true, if for no other reason than we just haven't started (working on it yet)," he told
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Moonvalley Hires VFX Trailblazer Ed Ulbrich to Lead Strategic Growth in AI-Powered Entertainment
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Moonvalley, an AI research company building foundational AI video models and tools trained exclusively on licensed content, today announced the appointment of visual effects industry veteran Ed Ulbrich as Head of Strategic Growth & Partnerships. In this role, Ulbrich will help shape the company's broader growth strategy while deepening Moonvalley's relationships across studios, brands, agencies, and creative communities. He will also collaborate closely with Moonvalley's studio arm, Asteria Film Co., to accelerate adoption and integration of its technology within professional filmmaking communities and workflows. Ulbrich brings over 30 years of experience driving innovation at the intersection of storytelling, production, and technology. His credits include some of cinema's most ambitious films including Top Gun: Maverick, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Titanic. He also produced the sci-fi epic Ender's Game and helped pioneer live digital human performances with the now-iconic 'Tupac Shakur hologram' at Coachella. Most recently, Ulbrich served as Chief Content Officer and President of Production at Metaphysic, where he worked with major studios, streamers, talent, brands, agencies, and labels to integrate generative AI into high-end production and post. Over three decades, he has led innovation in visual effects across film, TV, streaming, advertising, music videos, and live entertainment. Beyond features, he has delivered VFX for more than 500 commercials for global brands, earning honors including the Cannes Lions Titanium Award. He held senior roles at Deluxe and spent two decades at Academy Award-winning Digital Domain—co-founded by James Cameron, Scott Ross, and Stan Winston—where he also served as CEO. The announcement reflects Hollywood's evolving relationship with AI technology. Following industry strikes partly centered on AI concerns, studios are seeking partners who can deliver professional tools while respecting creators' rights. Moonvalley's approach of building models exclusively from licensed content directly addresses these concerns. "From his pioneering work on 'Benjamin Button' to leading AI adoption and integration at Metaphysic, Ed knows how to turn innovative technology into tools that actually work for filmmakers at scale,' said Naeem Talukdar, Co-Founder and CEO of Moonvalley. 'He knows what it takes to earn the trust of filmmakers and how to bring transformative technology into their workflows. We're thrilled to have someone with his expertise and relationships help us bring this technology to the studios and creators who will define its future.' Ulbrich's appointment follows Moonvalley's launch of Marey, the first high-quality AI video model trained exclusively on licensed content. Named after pioneering cinematographer Etienne-Jules Marey, the model proves that powerful generative AI can be built without exploiting creators' work - something tech giants have claimed is impossible. 'I've spent my career pushing the boundaries of how technology serves storytelling,' said Ulbrich. 'What drew me to Moonvalley is their respect for the craft, their use of clean, licensed data, and their focus on empowering creators without compromise. They're solving the right problems the right way, and that's exactly what the industry needs right now. This is the kind of company that can actually change how films get made, and I'm all in.' Hollywood is at a critical crossroads with generative AI. The technology could slash production costs and democratize high-quality content creation, but adoption has been slow over legal concerns about training data and tools that fall short of professional standards. Moonvalley's clean-data approach and focus on filmmaker needs position it to break through these barriers. About Moonvalley Moonvalley is an AI research company building next-generation models and tools for creative professionals. The company brings together talent from DeepMind, Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, and leading entertainment companies, unified around advancing visual intelligence. Through partnerships with film studios, production companies, and brands, Moonvalley is proving that powerful generative AI can be built while respecting artists' and creators' rights.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Moonvalley Hires VFX Trailblazer Ed Ulbrich to Lead Strategic Growth in AI-Powered Entertainment
Hollywood Innovator Joins Visionary AI Company Building the First Fully-Licensed Video Generation Model LOS ANGELES, June 18, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Moonvalley, an AI research company building foundational AI video models and tools trained exclusively on licensed content, today announced the appointment of visual effects industry veteran Ed Ulbrich as Head of Strategic Growth & Partnerships. In this role, Ulbrich will help shape the company's broader growth strategy while deepening Moonvalley's relationships across studios, brands, agencies, and creative communities. He will also collaborate closely with Moonvalley's studio arm, Asteria Film Co., to accelerate adoption and integration of its technology within professional filmmaking communities and workflows. Ulbrich brings over 30 years of experience driving innovation at the intersection of storytelling, production, and technology. His credits include some of cinema's most ambitious films including Top Gun: Maverick, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Titanic. He also produced the sci-fi epic Ender's Game and helped pioneer live digital human performances with the now-iconic "Tupac Shakur hologram" at Coachella. Most recently, Ulbrich served as Chief Content Officer and President of Production at Metaphysic, where he worked with major studios, streamers, talent, brands, agencies, and labels to integrate generative AI into high-end production and post. Over three decades, he has led innovation in visual effects across film, TV, streaming, advertising, music videos, and live entertainment. Beyond features, he has delivered VFX for more than 500 commercials for global brands, earning honors including the Cannes Lions Titanium Award. He held senior roles at Deluxe and spent two decades at Academy Award-winning Digital Domain—co-founded by James Cameron, Scott Ross, and Stan Winston—where he also served as CEO. The announcement reflects Hollywood's evolving relationship with AI technology. Following industry strikes partly centered on AI concerns, studios are seeking partners who can deliver professional tools while respecting creators' rights. Moonvalley's approach of building models exclusively from licensed content directly addresses these concerns. "From his pioneering work on 'Benjamin Button' to leading AI adoption and integration at Metaphysic, Ed knows how to turn innovative technology into tools that actually work for filmmakers at scale," said Naeem Talukdar, Co-Founder and CEO of Moonvalley. "He knows what it takes to earn the trust of filmmakers and how to bring transformative technology into their workflows. We're thrilled to have someone with his expertise and relationships help us bring this technology to the studios and creators who will define its future." Ulbrich's appointment follows Moonvalley's launch of Marey, the first high-quality AI video model trained exclusively on licensed content. Named after pioneering cinematographer Etienne-Jules Marey, the model proves that powerful generative AI can be built without exploiting creators' work - something tech giants have claimed is impossible. "I've spent my career pushing the boundaries of how technology serves storytelling," said Ulbrich. "What drew me to Moonvalley is their respect for the craft, their use of clean, licensed data, and their focus on empowering creators without compromise. They're solving the right problems the right way, and that's exactly what the industry needs right now. This is the kind of company that can actually change how films get made, and I'm all in." Hollywood is at a critical crossroads with generative AI. The technology could slash production costs and democratize high-quality content creation, but adoption has been slow over legal concerns about training data and tools that fall short of professional standards. Moonvalley's clean-data approach and focus on filmmaker needs position it to break through these barriers. About Moonvalley Moonvalley is an AI research company building next-generation models and tools for creative professionals. The company brings together talent from DeepMind, Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, and leading entertainment companies, unified around advancing visual intelligence. Through partnerships with film studios, production companies, and brands, Moonvalley is proving that powerful generative AI can be built while respecting artists' and creators' rights. View source version on Contacts press@
Edinburgh Reporter
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Filming in Edinburgh this week
Actor Glen Powell was filming on Wednesday night in Candlemaker Row for JJ Abrams upcoming sci-fi film Ghostwriter. Powell is American and recently played Lieutenant Jake 'Hangman' Seresin in Top Gun: Maverick. The area near the Grassmarket where crews were filming was turned into a futuristic and dystopian street with atmospheric lighting. The film also stars Acting legend Samuel L. Jackson along side Wednesday lead Jenna Ortega and Sex Education's Emma Mackey. If you are wondering what else has been filmed in Edinburgh the list is long and includes Avengers: Infinity War, Fast & Furious 9, Outlander and Outlaw King in recent years. Department Q the most recent Netflix crime thriller was filmed and set in Edinburgh basing itself at FirstStage Studios in Leith. The studio extends to 8.5 acres and is self-contained with 24/7 security. It was also the site for filming and production of The Rig, the creation of Portobello based writer David MacPherson. Candlemaker Row – PHOTO Craig Duncan PHOTO Craig Duncan Photo Craig Duncan Like this: Like Related
Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Scarlett Johansson says she felt cagey working with enormous Marvel cast: ‘Your identity is wrapped up in this job'
Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson opened up about challenges while working with a massive ensemble cast on the sets of Marvel films. Scarlett played Natasha Romanoff in films including The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War, and her solo spin-off, Black Widow. The actor said that working with an enormous cast made her feel that she wasn't doing any engaging work as an actor. (Also read: 95-year-old June Squibb gets 5-minute standing ovation at Cannes for Scarlett Johansson's Eleanor the Great) The 40-year-old actor in a conversation with Interview magazine said, "Some of the films that I did for Marvel engaged my character more than others. Like in Captain America: The Winter Soldier with Chris (Evans), we were really dynamic," she said. "In some of the other films, the cast was so enormous and there was so much plot to serve that you start to feel like you're a device to move it along. And if you're committed to five and a half months of that, it's like, 'Okay. I can't paint my nails, I can't get a haircut.' These sound like silly problems, but your identity is wrapped up in this job for a long time, and if you're not doing engaging work as an actor, you feel a little cagey sometimes," she added. Scarlett was recently lauded for her directorial debut film Eleanor The Great, which made its world premiere at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard category. The film stars 94-year-old June Squibb in the lead role. Scarlett's other film, The Phoenician Scheme, premiered in the Main Competition. The actor's next film, Jurassic World Rebirth, is scheduled to hit the theatres on 2 July.
