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Tag: Disney

  • Star Wars Meets AI: Nvidia and Disney introduce Blue the BDX Droid

    Star Wars Meets AI: Nvidia and Disney introduce Blue the BDX Droid

    On March 18, 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang captivated audiences at the GTC 2025 conference in San Jose by announcing a landmark partnership with Google DeepMind and Disney Research. The event’s highlight was the introduction of “Blue,” a Star Wars-inspired BDX droid, showcasing the fusion of AI, Nvidia’s technology, and Disney’s creative expertise. This collaboration aims to push the boundaries of robotics, leveraging DeepMind’s AI prowess and Disney’s storytelling to create innovative entertainment experiences powered by Nvidia’s cutting-edge platforms.

    Read also: A Match Made in Brick: LEGO and Pokémon to launch sets in 2026

    AI-powered robotics: Nvidia, DeepMind and Disney collaborate 

    The partnership introduces Newton, an open-source physics engine that revolutionises robotic simulations. Built on Nvidia’s Warp framework and integrated with DeepMind’s MuJoCo and Nvidia’s Isaac Lab, Newton enhances AI-driven robotic precision for complex tasks. Disney Research will harness this technology to advance its robotic character platform, starting with the Star Wars BDX droids already enchanting visitors at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge. This collaboration underscores how AI, Nvidia, and DeepMind drive the future of robotics.

    Star Wars droid “Blue”: Nvidia’s AI meets Disney’s magic

    Blue, a playful BDX droid inspired by Star Wars, waddled onto the GTC stage, embodying Nvidia’s AI technology and Disney’s iconic storytelling synergy. Powered by Newton, Blue showcased lifelike movements, highlighting Nvidia’s role in bringing Disney’s Star Wars vision to life. Disney’s Kyle Laughlin, Senior Vice President of Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development, noted, “The BDX droids are just the beginning of how AI and robotics will transform entertainment.” This Nvidia-Disney collaboration promises more Star Wars-inspired robots across theme parks in 2025.

    DeepMind and Nvidia’s Newton engine: Redefining AI robotics

    Newton is a game-changer for AI and robotics, offering developers a customisable platform to simulate real-world interactions. Compatible with DeepMind’s MuJoCo-Warp, it accelerates AI training by over 70 times, enabling robots to handle tasks like manipulating deformable objects. Nvidia’s plan to release Newton as an open-source tool in 2025 invites global innovation, blending DeepMind’s AI research with Nvidia’s hardware to push robotics beyond entertainment into industries like healthcare and manufacturing.

    Disney’s Star Wars vision enhanced by Nvidia and AI

    With this partnership, Disney’s long-standing goal to integrate advanced robotics into its parks leaps forward. The Star Wars BDX droids, previously demoed at events like SXSW 2025, are now poised for widespread deployment, powered by Nvidia’s AI and Newton. This collaboration merges Disney’s Star Wars legacy with cutting-edge AI, creating immersive experiences that captivate guests. Nvidia’s technology ensures these droids move and interact naturally, enhancing Disney’s storytelling.

    Nvidia’s broader AI ambitions: Beyond Disney and DeepMind

    The partnership extends Nvidia’s AI ecosystem with Isaac GR00T N1, a customisable foundation model for humanoid robots. Combined with Newton, it positions Nvidia to address global labour shortages, which are estimated at 50 million workers. While Disney benefits from Star Wars droids, Nvidia’s AI innovations promise broader applications. Despite a 3.4% stock dip on March 18 amid market concerns, analysts view this AI-Nvidia-DeepMind-Disney alliance as a long-term win for robotics and entertainment.

    Read also: Nairobi’s Leta secures $5 million for AI logistics in Africa

    The future of AI, Nvidia, DeepMind, Disney, and Star Wars robotics

    Nvidia’s unveiling of Blue and the DeepMind-Disney partnership marks a new era for AI-powered robotics. With Newton set to empower developers and Disney rolling out Star Wars droids, this collaboration seamlessly blends technology and creativity. Nvidia’s AI leadership, DeepMind’s research, and Disney’s Star Wars magic are crafting a future where robots like Blue become integral to entertainment and beyond, redefining human-robot interaction in 2025.

  • Iwájú bags three nominations at the Children’s & Family Emmys

    Iwájú bags three nominations at the Children’s & Family Emmys

    The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the 3rd Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards nominations on December 12, 2024.

    Among the nominees is “Iwájú,” a groundbreaking animated series co-created by Kugali Studios and Disney+. The series has received three nominations: Best Children’s or Young Teen Animated Series, Best Younger Voice Performer in a Preschool Series, and Best Directing for an Animated Series.

    “Iwájú” features Simisola Gbadamosi, who provides the voice for the character Tola Martins. Simisola was born on April 17, 2011, in Washington, D.C. 

    Read also: Iwaju Tech: Your go-to IT Partner for web development, mobile apps, and more

    Simisola is recognised for her role in Iwájú, in which she portrays a young girl navigating life in modern Lagos alongside her best friend, Kole. This nomination highlights her talent and the importance of diverse voices in children’s programming.

    Other nominees in the same category include Curses, Hilda, Kiff, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, and Summer Camp Island. 

    Celebrating diversity in animation

    Iwájú stands out as a unique representation of African culture and storytelling. The series is set in Lagos, Nigeria, and follows the adventures of two friends navigating their dreams amid societal challenges. 

    The show’s co-founder, Tolu Olubunmi, emphasises that “Iwájú is about showcasing our culture and stories to the world,” highlighting its mission to inspire young audiences with relatable narratives.

    The nominations reflect a growing recognition of diverse voices in children’s programming. 

    The head of the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards, Rachel Schwartz, noted, “This year’s nominations are significant as much of the work being honoured was delayed due to last year’s strikes.” This sentiment resonates with many creators who faced challenges during production.

    Read also: Disney, Maliyo to create Iwájú mobile game

    A bright future for Iwájú

    Iwájú’s success at the Emmys underscores its impact on children’s media. The series entertains and educates viewers about Nigerian culture, making it a significant addition to Disney+’s lineup. 

    With 43 nominations across various categories, Disney+ is committed to quality children’s content.

    The awards ceremony will occur in Los Angeles on March 15, 2025. Winners will be celebrated for their contributions to children’s entertainment.

    As Iwájú gains recognition, its creators hope to inspire future generations of storytellers from diverse backgrounds.

  • Pixar’s Hit Returns: Inside Out 2 on Disney+

    Pixar’s Hit Returns: Inside Out 2 on Disney+

    Inside Out 2 is set to make its streaming debut on Disney + on September 25, 2024, at midnight. ET. This highly anticipated sequel to the beloved 2015 film has already made waves at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time.

    With its arrival on Disney +, fans who missed its theatrical release will finally have the chance to experience Riley’s journey through adolescence and the new emotions that accompany her.

    Read also: Must-play PS5 games of 2024

    The announcement was shared via Pixar’s social media channels, encouraging fans to “manage [their] emotions” as they prepare for the sequel’s streaming release.

    Inside Out 2 continues the story of Riley, who is now a teenager grappling with complex feelings, including new emotions like Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, and Envy, portrayed by Ayo Edebiri.

    Streaming Details and Special Offers

    Disney + also brought back the new subscriber offer. The streaming platform is available for only $1.99 per month and is valid until September 27 for three months. This gives fans an excellent chance to get Inside Out 2 and allows them to look into other movies on the platform. Having spent the initial years working through its promotional campaigns, Disney + will raise its monthly tariff from $7 to $10 as of October 17.

    There will be a download option for “The Help” on both the Disney + Basic and Premium plans since many people will enjoy the follow-up. Subscribers can also look forward to more material, mostly behind-the-scenes videos and interviews with cast and crew.

    Read also: Roblox launches Open-Source AI for instant 3D World creation

    Unpacking the New Emotional Characters in Inside Out 2 

    Inside Out 2 brings the audience back to Riley’s mind to witness her struggles associated with teenage life. The new character that comes into the picture in the sequel is new emotions such as Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui. This expansion of characters increases the possibility of revealing changes in Riley’s emotional world during the growing-up process.

    Audiences have also reacted positively to the humour, the quality of the animation, and the further emotional development of the situations in the first movie; currently, Rotten Tomatoes has a rating of 91%. It has also attracted positive comments because of its capacity to appeal to viewers of all ages. Thus, it can be mostly recommended to families and fans of the cartoon.

    With the sequel to the Inside Out film in preparation for streaming, the makers assure fans that the movie will be sensational and capable of provoking fanatical reactions among new generations of fans and the earlier generations of fans of the Inside Out 2 film. Thus, the stakes are set high for the sequel to engage the audience like the first part, relying on its innovative plot and lovable characters.

  • Disney, Maliyo to create Iwájú mobile game

    Disney, Maliyo to create Iwájú mobile game

    Disney Games and Nigerian game company Maliyo Games collaborate to release a mobile game based on the cartoon series “Iwájú.” 

    Maliyo Games is the first African developer to work with Disney on a game. A mobile game development studio that focuses on Africa inspired games . Everything they develop is lined with the culture and experience there have . They aim to disrupt the gaming business by becoming Africa’s leading game supplier.

    The Disney+ series “Iwájú: Rising Chef” transports players to a futuristic Lagos through a delectable journey. Enjoy Nigeria’s rich culinary legacy by cooking and serving Jollof Rice in the game. This engaging mobile game symbolises Maliyo Games’ ambition to provide high-quality African-themed games for a global audience.

    Read also: Disney Plus is Coming to Africa, debuting first in SA

    Maliyo Games’ expertise in African mobile games and Disney’s massive reach are used in the relationship. The cooperation “Iwájú: Rising Chef” showcases the possibilities of combining African culture with a worldwide brand, creating a unique and engaging experience.

    Maliyo Games, comprising staff from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, is developing an official tie-in to Disney’s Iwájú series, which launched on February 28th.

    “It’s a great opportunity for us to build an Africa-focused gaming IP for one of the biggest brands in the world,” Maliyo Games CEO and founder Hugo Obi told CNN.

    About Iwájú

    Iwájú is an animated miniseries produced by Wait Disney Animation Studios and the Pan-African British-based entertainment company Kugali Media for the streaming service Disney+. It was written by Olufikayo Adeola and Halima Hudson and directed by Adeola, and is the first “original long-form animated series’ ‘ produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The title of the series, iwáju, roughly translates to “the future” in the Yoruba language (literally “front-facing”)

    The series stars Simisola Gbadamosi, Dayo Okeniyi, Femi Branch, Siji Soetan, and Weruche Opia. Originally planning a series of shorts, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Kugali Media were developing the long-form series for Disney + by December 2020. The story draws inspiration from (and is set in) the city of Lagos, Nigeria, due to Lagos being “the culture capital of Nigeria” and due to both its mainland and island areas having “a unique, distinct feel” that the creative team felt provided “an interesting base for the story”. Cinesite was announced to co-produce the series in September 2021, with pre-production underway at Cinesite Montreal. Production began in May 2022. Animation is provided by Cinesite’s Montreal and London facilities, with pre-production and storyboard supervision at Disney’s Burbank and Vancouver studios. The series includes an original score composed by Ré Olunuga.

    Iwájú premiered on Disney+ on February 28. 2024, and consisted of six episodes.

    Set in a futuristic Lagos, Nigeria, the series explores “deep themes of class, innocence, and challenging the status quo” 213141(5) as it follows wealthy island inhabitant Tola and mainland inhabitant Kole as they discover the dangers in both lands.5

    MultiChoice announces content distribution deal with Disney

    African-made, set in Africa

    ”This is what we are all about: making African-inspired content, so designing games based on African characters, African stories and sharing it with a global audience,” said Obi. ”The opportunity to build a game with Disney is something you pinch yourself about. It’s a first for us in terms of working with a client. Furthermore, to work on an IP that is Disney’s first African-focused animation series… it was a real honour.”

    Marvel Studios first sought a local developer for an Iwájú tie-in, inviting multiple developers to propose game concepts and work on prototypes. Disney chose Nigerian developer Maliyo to lead the Iwájú mobile game project due to their impressive concept.

    “We are situated on earth. We are aware of the end users and the market. We can identify with and sympathise with the narrative,” says Obi. “We know this story first hand. We could create a beautiful and engaging experience from that.”

  • MultiChoice announces content distribution deal with Disney

    MultiChoice announces content distribution deal with Disney

    MultiChoice (the South African company that runs DStv and GOtv) has announced a content distribution deal with Disney company Africa, coming almost a week after Sanlam Private Wealth made its intention to sell out its client shares.

    Details of the Deal 

    The deal will allow MultiChoice to retain its current portfolio of Disney linear channels until 2027 through its direct broadcast satellite service, DStv.

    This follows a partnership that began nearly two years ago when Disney+ debuted in South Africa in partnership with the pay-TV operator. With this collaboration, the American streaming platform was able to kick off its next phase of international expansion, which included plans to launch in 42 countries across 11 territories.

    Read also: MultiChoice pays $37m Nigerian tax

    Six of Disney’s most beloved 24-hour channels—including National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, ESPN, and ESPN2—will continue to air on DStv for the upcoming four years as a result of the revitalising agreement. You can access them with the DStv Explora Ultra receiver.

    Tournaments hosted by organisations like the US National Hockey League, Major League Baseball (NHL), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Basketball Association (NBA) will naturally be available on both sports channels.

    The distribution renewal guarantees that The Walt Disney Company Africa’s six 24-hour channels will continue to reach audiences across the continent, according to Christine Service, senior vice president and general manager of the company’s Africa operations. Service also noted that this marks another proud milestone in the long-term relationship with the MultiChoice Group.

    According to Nomsa Philiso, CEO of general entertainment at MultiChoice South Africa, the extension of their partnership with The Walt Disney Company and the fantastic linear channels on DStv enhances their offering and increases the pleasure of entertainment. This is to guarantee that customers can enjoy their favourite shows and films easily, whenever and wherever they want, on cutting-edge platforms.

    Details on the investment clash with Sanlam Private Wealth

    The prominent investment firm Sanlam Private Wealth has declared that, due to the relatively high risk and low potential upside, it has removed MultiChoice from the portfolios of the majority of its clients.

    A number of problems have arisen for Multichoice, which has hurt the group’s investment case. Huge fines in certain African countries, new regulations, falling ratings, serious competition from international streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and now the possibility of a buyout are all on the list of problems. In light of these difficulties, MultiChoice’s stock price has not gone very well.

    Given these factors, Sanlam Private Wealth has decided to stop providing its clients with share offerings. After re-evaluating the MultiChoice group’s future, the investment firm has decided that it is not a company it wants to be a long-term owner of.

    MultiChoice pushes into streaming as the DSTv model struggles

    Why Multichoice began to lose its position

    Due in large part to its sports broadcasting rights—crucial for subscriber retention—DStv, MultiChoice’s direct broadcast satellite television service—which operates in 54 countries across sub-Saharan Africa—enjoys a majority market share. However, the group will likely face competition in this arena from other players in the long term.

    For instance, MultiChoice has aired the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) since 1992, but there has been a lot of fuss recently over who gets to air the tournament. Just one week after announcing it would not be airing the event this year due to a failed sublicensing agreement; the group announced in January that its SuperSport pay-TV service had obtained the broadcast rights to the event.

    More aggressively, MultiChoice’s other competitive advantages are beginning to crumble. For instance, the cost of moving to competing products is now significantly lower due to the dramatic decline in data costs over the last decade. Competitors’ attractive offerings have made customer retention a major challenge for MultiChoice, as companies like Netflix have introduced affordable mobile-only plans.

    More so, agreements with a single distributor are fading away. As an example, HBO is now distributing its popular shows through Netflix in addition to MultiChoice, and it is no longer granting exclusivity to MultiChoice.

  • South Africa’s Xbox consoles will soon have access to Disney+

    South Africa’s Xbox consoles will soon have access to Disney+

    This past weekend, Disney+ announced at Comic Con Africa about The Walt Disney Company’s streaming service, Disney+, which will have its app built into Xbox platforms.

    It is now official that September 29th 2022, will be the day South Africa can get their hands on the Xbox version of Disney+. People in South Africa have been waiting with bated breath for Disney+ to become available on the Xbox and PlayStation consoles in the region since the streaming service was introduced there in May 2022.

    Beginning on September 29th, 2022, the Disney app will be available on Xbox systems in South Africa. The Xbox One, Xbox One S, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X are the several versions of the Xbox system that will be able to use the Disney+ streaming service when it launches later this year.

    Xbox consoles access on Disney+

    “Today, Disney+, a streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, announced that the streaming app will be integrated onto Xbox consoles beginning September 29th, 2022 in South Africa,” the announcement read. “This date will be in South Africa.”

    Read also: DStv Users in South Africa Can now Access Disney+

    It went on to say that “Users will have access to high-quality viewing, up to four concurrent streams, unlimited downloads on up to ten devices, and the ability to set up to seven different profiles,” which included the ability for parents to set a PIN to access content that was appropriate for their children’s age group.

     On the other hand, the streaming company hasn’t said when the Playstation app for streaming videos would be ready.

     Since DStv first came out in South Africa, users of that service have been able to watch Disney+ with the Explora Ultra decoder.

    Disney+ is accessible in 64 countries after making its debut in November 2019 in the United States of America, Canada, and the Netherlands. It was reported back in January of this year that the company would be starting in Africa, namely in the countries of South Africa, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia.

    Showmax, Netflix, and Amazon Prime are just a few companies competing with one another in the South African industry.

    Disney+ gives users access to a wide range of entertainment options, such as more than 1,000 films, more than 2,000 series, and 200 original shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and other studios.

    This September will see the premiere of a new drama series titled “The Old Man,” starring John Lithgow and Jeff Bridges, as well as the return of the Sanderson sisters in the film “Hocus Pocus 2.” In other news, fans of the Star Wars franchise will soon be able to watch the highly anticipated series Andor, while the next blockbuster film from Marvel Studios, Thor: Love and Thunder, will debut on streaming services. Users will get access to up to four concurrent streams, unlimited downloads on up to ten devices, and the ability to set up as many as seven separate profiles. This includes letting parents set a PIN so their kids can access the right content for their ages.

    Netflix will invest about $300,000 in Kenyan talent.

    About Disney+

    The Walt Disney Company’s Media and Entertainment Distribution business is the owner and operator of the streaming service known as Disney+, which is a subscription-based video-on-demand and over-the-top video platform in the United States. [2] The Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Television are the primary producers of films and television series distributed by the service. The service also features dedicated content hubs for the brands Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, in addition to Star in certain regions. Additionally, original motion pictures and television series are available to stream on Disney+.

     

  • DStv Users in South Africa Can now Access Disney+

    DStv Users in South Africa Can now Access Disney+

    MultiChoice Group has announced a strategic partnership that will bring Disney’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, Disney+ to DStv subscribers in South Africa.

    Indeed the power of unity cannot be undermined, sequel to the intention of Disney+ to enter into SA market,

    This announcement was in a blog post made by Multichoice Group that Disney+ will launch in South Africa on May 18 and will be accessible to DStv customers in the country, including those who use the Explora Ultra decoder, on the same day as the service launches and will stream movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and more.

    “This is yet another proud milestone in our partnership with the MultiChoice Group. We are delighted to be collaborating to bring South African DStv subscribers access to Disney+’s incredible catalogue of films, series, and exclusive content.”

     

    What Disney+ has to offer in Multichoice

    DStv subscribers will have access to the famous “The Book of Boba Fett” and “The Mandalorian,” the Marvel Studios series “Moon Knight” and Academy Award®-nominated film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award® nominated “Luca,” and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award®-winning “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” and Disney and Pixar’s

     

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    “Encanto” and “Cruella,” which won an Academy Award®. In terms of general entertainment, customers will have access to shows like “The Simpsons,” “Queens,” and “The Kardashians,” to name a few.

    Calvo Mawela, Group CEO of MultiChoice affirmed that “In line with our business objective of adding value and enhancing our ecosystem, we are focused on making sure that all our customers can enjoy their favorite shows and movies anywhere, anytime, on our world-class platforms,”

     

    More About the partnership

    “The digital world has brought with it fundamental shifts and our customers are looking for convenient access to a portfolio of entertainment options. MultiChoice’s partnership with Disney+ leads with an expanded choice of content, ease, and convenience of subscription and payment, with the DStv Explora Ultra as an enabler,” said Calvo Mawela, Group CEO of MultiChoice.

  • Disney Plus is Coming to Africa, debuting first in SA

    Disney Plus is Coming to Africa, debuting first in SA

    The Walt Disney Company has confirmed that its streaming service, Disney Plus, also known as Disney+, will launch in South Africa in May and four other African countries in winter (between 21 June and 22 September) 2022. The other African countries include Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia. The company mentioned that details such as subscription fees for these countries would be shared closer to launch.

    In a statement released, the company said the service would launch in SA with exclusive original content and thousands of episodes and movies from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and general entertainment from Star with pricing set at R119 ($8.10) per month or R1,190 ($81) for an annual subscription.

    “Users will have access to high-quality viewing, up to four concurrent streams, unlimited downloads on up to 10 devices, Imax Enhanced for selected titles (where available), and the ability to set up to seven different profiles, including the ability for parents to set Kids Profiles that have an easy-to-navigate child-friendly interface to access age-appropriate content,” says Disney Plus.

     

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    Meanwhile, South Africa has one of the most sophisticated TV markets in Africa, and a variety of streaming services are already available there ahead of the introduction of Disney Plus. Streaming providers such as BritBox SA, eVOD, Showmax, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, PCCW Media’s VIU, Vodacom Video Play, and TelkomONE are already operating in the region. Before the end of the 2021/22 fiscal year, the South African Broadcasting Corporation wants to establish a video streamer similar to the BBC’s iPlayer.

    With all these entrants in South Africa’s market, we can only hope that the consumers benefit the most, as they will have access to a comprehensive content selection.

    What to Know About Disney Plus

    Disney Plus debuted in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands in 2019 and has subsequently expanded its reach. Disney+ announced that it had 118.1 million paid customers globally while presenting its Q4 fiscal results for 2021.

     

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    According to market research, Disney+ is behind Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as the world’s third most popular video streaming platform for original content. Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic all have films and shows available on the streaming service. It also has material from 20th Century Studios, Disney Television Studios, FX, and Searchlight Pictures in some areas.