It was hard to believe how ill-conceived and poorly managed OceanGate Expeditions’ plan to send its people down to the Titanic wreckage was, as reports first broke of the company’s Titan submersible suffering a catastrophic implosion. But the entire situation and driving force behind it seem so much worse in the new trailer for Netflix’s Titan: The OceanGate Disaster documentary.
Produced by Story Syndicate (Britney v Spears) and directed by Mark Monroe (Jim Henson: Idea Man), Titan: The OceanGate Disaster is a both a look back at everything that went wrong with the Titan project and a deep dive into the mind of OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, one of the five people who died when the submersible ultimately imploded at the bottom of the sea. In the doc’s first trailer, Rush seems to be the only person at OceanGate who refused to see the multitude of ways in which the failed expedition was going to put people’s lives in danger.
The trailer makes it seem like there was no one at the company who could convince their boss that asking an accountant to pilot an underwater vehicle or trying to hook a video game controller up to control a submersible were blatant signs of poor judgment. But these are the sorts of perils that come with working for CEOs who simply can’t fathom that they might be wrong.
Following its debut at this year’s Tribeca Festival on June 6th, Titan: The OceanGate Disaster will make its Netflix debut on June 11th.
One of the more surprising moments in volume four of Love, Death, and Robots is an appearance from YouTube star MrBeast. He shows up in the episode "The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur," playing a sort of twisted game master presiding over a death race on one of the moons of Jupiter. Also, there are dinosaurs. According to LDR creator Tim Miller, who also directed the episode, the collaboration started out simply because MrBeast was a fan of the show. It then solidified once Miller realized he had the ideal role.
"I have this evil game master here, and I thought he would be perfect for that," Miller says. "I watched his Amazon show and I thought 'what a dick' often. With some of the contestants, he seemed to take a particular joy in their uncomfortableness. Not because he's an evil guy - he's not, he's a super nice guy. I think he just enjoys the whole machination of people and how they can either work together or against each other. And it seemed to fit this particular role very well."
Miller says that because MrBeast was such a fan, he didn't actually charge anything for his performance. "The cool thing is he likes the show so much - we couldn't afford MrBeast prices or anything …
Google/Flow/Dave Clark
Technologist Luis von Ahn was recently asked if AI is a threat to the company he runs, Duolingo.
He said many companies could be disrupted, including Netflix.
"That's one of the things that is scary about the world that we live in," von Ahn said. "With AI and large language models, we're undergoing a platform shift."
"I'm not super worried, but you just never know. And it's not just for Duolingo, it could be all kinds of things, right?" he added. "I mean, it could be a threat for Netflix. It could be that just a large language model — just press a button and it makes you the perfect movie."
This was a couple of weeks ago, and I thought he was overselling it a bit. That's until I got a glimpse of Flow, a new AI-powered moviemaking tool that Google unveiled on Tuesday.
At the Google I/O conference in Silicon Valley, the company showed off this new technology, along with some illustrative movie clips created by filmmakers who had early access to Flow.
Google/Flow/Henry Daubrez
Flow was built on top of Imagen 4 and Veo 3, the latest versions of Google's image and video-generation AI models. The company says the updated Veo model creates better visuals and can now generate sound effects, background noises, and even dialog.
If you give it a prompt describing characters and an environment, and suggest a dialog with a description of how you want it to sound, it produces a film. In one illustrative clip Google shared, two animated animals talked with each other. (To me, it looked very similar to a Pixar movie).
Flow is designed to help creators produce high-quality cinematic video from text descriptions. Users can also bring their own images and other files into Flow. It integrates precise camera movements, including the ability to request specific camera angles, such as an 8-millimeter wide-angle lens.
You can edit the film, too, within Flow.
In one example shared by Google, a user requests a scene of an old man and a friendly bird driving a black convertible off a cliff. The car begins to fall, but using Flow, the scene is swiftly changed and extended using AI so that the bird in the car starts flapping its wings and flying instead. The edit seamlessly retains character and scene continuity.
Google/Flow/Junie Lau
While Google positions Flow as a tool to empower filmmakers, the broader implications are clear: AI-generated content could one day challenge human-created productions in quality, cost-efficiency, and scale. For companies like Netflix, which have built empires on high production-value storytelling, AI poses both an opportunity and a threat.
On one hand, AI tools could accelerate content development, reducing production timelines and budgets. On the other hand, it could open the door for a flood of content from smaller studios, individual creators, or even consumers, eroding the competitive advantage of traditional production pipelines.
Moreover, AI-generated media could be hyper-personalized. Imagine a future where viewers select themes, genres, or even actors — and the platform generates a custom film on demand. Just like Duolingo's von Ann described earlier this month. That could shift power away from major studios and toward platforms that control the underlying AI infrastructure, such as Google.
On a recent podcast, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the internet giant thought hard about acquiring Netflix years ago. Now, maybe he doesn't need to do that deal.
Google's Flow is another sign of a broader trend, which is that AI may be democratizing creativity. While Netflix and legacy studios may initially integrate these tools to enhance production, the long-term landscape could resemble the transformation seen in music, publishing, and software coding — where AI tools and platforms radically lower the barrier to entry for more people.
The key question isn't whether AI will change filmmaking — it already is. The question is whether established players like Netflix will ride the wave or be overtaken by it.
As AI continues to evolve, so too must the business models, strategies, and creative visions of Hollywood's biggest names. The age of algorithmically generated storytelling is arriving sooner than we think.
In the great big ‘ol list of games that are getting an adaptation you can now add Clash of Clans to the list. Supercell’s mobile strategy games Clash of Clans and Clash Royale, two of the biggest, highest grossing games in the world, will serve as the foundation for a new animated series at Netflix.
According to Netflix, the show’s premise features, “a determined but in-over-his-head barbarian who must rally a band of misfits to defend their village and navigate the comically absurd politics of war.” The streaming platform has selected Fletcher Moules, director of several official Clash of Clans animated shorts, as the showrunner with Ron Weiner from 30 Rock and Silicon Valley joining him as the show’s writer.
Video game adaptations are all the rage in Hollywood lately, aided by the critical success of shows like The Last of Us and Fallout. Netflix itself has produced several successful adaptations including Arcane: A League of Legends Story and Castlevania making for an interesting synergy with the company’s own gaming offerings. And while Netflix Games offers a robust selection of casual and traditional games to play for free via subscription, Clash of Clans itself is not one of them.
Ad-supported tiers are proving to be popular with streaming customers. New data from subscription analyst firm Antenna shows that 46 percent of Discovery Plus, Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max, Netflix, Paramount Plus, and Peacock subscribers in the US are paying for ad-supported plans, and that around 75 percent of subscribers have at least tried them.
Many streaming services have ad-supported tiers — HBO Max launched its $9.99 ad plan in 2021, followed by Netflix’s $6.99 and Disney Plus’s $7.99 plans in 2022, for example. But in its Q2 2025 State of Subscriptions report, Antenna notes that half of the big streaming platforms it analyzed didn’t offer an ad-supported plan two years ago, and only a third of subscriptions to services that did were for an ad plan. Comparatively, 71 percent of net subscriber additions over the last nine quarters have been driven by ad plans according to Antenna’s data, with no meaningful differences in demographic and loyalty compared to ad-free subscribers.
It’s a win-win for streaming companies that can reap the benefits of both additional advertising revenue and growth from providing more affordable memberships. Antenna reports that 65 percent of users who had subscribed to ad-supported plans were completely new to the streaming service, with users who had switched from pricer ad-free tiers accounting for only 11 percent of subscriptions.
Netflix’s ad tier has especially taken off, having doubled in subscribers over the last year. That success is emboldening the platform to start experimenting with its advertising model, with interactive and pause screen ads coming in 2026, and plans to blend AI ads into shows and movies in the future.
Sunny days are on their way to Netflix. The streamer just announced that the next season of Sesame Street will be available on Netflix “later this year.”
Season 56 of the show won’t be fully exclusive to Netflix, as the company says that it “has exclusive worldwide premiere rights and episodes will be available day-and-date on PBS stations in the US and across PBS KIDS digital platforms.” The streamer also says that the new season will include some format changes, describing it as “reimagined.” Those include new animated segments and what Netflix calls “one 11-minute story” per episode. “The longer format provides the opportunity to tell stories with even more character-driven humor and heart,” Netflix explains.
We are excited to announce that all new Sesame Street episodes are coming to @netflix worldwide along with library episodes, and new episodes will also release the same day on @PBS Stations and @PBSKIDS platforms in the US, preserving a 50+ year relationship.
— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) May 19, 2025
The support of… pic.twitter.com/B76MxQzrpI
Sesame Street has been searching for a streaming home ever since it was dropped from Max (now HBO Max once again) at the end of 2024. In addition to the new episodes, Netflix says that it will be streaming “90 hours of previous episodes,” though there are no specifics as to what will be available. The streamer also intends to develop Sesame Street games as part of the deal.
The addition of Sesame Street will provide another boost to Netflix’s kid-oriented programming, joining recent additions like Ms. Rachel.
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Amazon
This week, I attended events by Amazon, Disney, NBCUniversal, and other streaming and network giants in New York, where they made their biggest pitches of the year to ad buyers.
The TV upfronts are an annual series of presentations and parties during which TV ad sellers do their best to sell the bulk of their inventory. Given the jittery macro environment and the decline of linear TV viewing, this year's incarnation was expected to be a buyer's market. A recent EMARKETER forecast estimated that tariffs could drag down this year's haul by as much as $4.1 billion, a 23.5% decline from last year.
Still, the show must go on. And as far as I could see, the cloud of uncertainty didn't keep people from coming out. They packed ballrooms and concert halls to get exclusive peeks at the fourth season of "The Bear" on Hulu and the sequel to "Wicked," sip free booze, and catch Lady Gaga.
But the most entertaining moment of the week had to be Arnold Schwarzenegger, who came to Amazon's upfront to plug his Christmas movie, "The Man With The Bag." He had the crowd both groaning and laughing as he rambled on — until his "True Lies" costar Jamie Lee Curtis eased him off the stage.
Behind the parties and celeb antics, however, I could get a sense of the changing ad business — and five clear takeaways emerged.
Amid what's usually a celebratory atmosphere, media companies couldn't entirely avoid acknowledging that the world has changed. Sellers had to say enough to show they were sympathetic to the times, but not kill the vibe. This was a party, after all.
NBCUniversal's sales chief, Mark Marshall, kicked off the week with a nod at the economic headwinds (and why they shouldn't keep brands from staying on the air). Disney's Rita Ferro also flicked at the uncertain climate and how Disney was all about flexibility, a play to fickle advertisers.
On the whole, though, execs tried to keep the mood light. So it was notable when ABC's Jimmy Kimmel made an earnest plea for advertisers to support rival CBS's "60 Minutes," which is in President Donald Trump's crosshairs.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for YouTube
YouTube's rising TV viewership — and the creator economy it's built on — has been one of the biggest media stories of the past year.
Studios have taken note.
This year's upfronts offered more signs of the shift, with Amazon renewing top YouTuber MrBeast's "Beast Games" for two more seasons, and Fox's free streamer Tubi bringing out social media stars like Noah Beck, who's starring in "Sidelined 2: Intercepted." And of course, YouTube reliably paraded out its biggest creators, including MrBeast and "Hot Ones" host Sean Evans, at Brandcast, its take on the upfront presentation.
Some legacy media giants like Disney went in the other direction by packing their presentations with famous franchises and Hollywood celebrities. Disney wanted you to know it had more than 100 talent on hand. The Mouse House seemed to be saying, hey, we have Hollywood-quality entertainment — and the stars most ad execs have actually heard of.
NBCUniversal/Ralph Bavaro/NBCUniversal
Upfronts used to be about showing off your fall TV programming, but this week showed how media companies are trying to sell everything they have.
Everyone was promoting movies in addition to shows, for advertisers who like to be part of big marketing partnerships. Amazon trotted out the Kelce brothers of its Wondery podcast arm and Lizzo and DJ Steve Aoki to promote its Twitch streamer. Whole Foods appeared on the screen at one moment.
"Now it's, let's showcase everything that we have. It's, 'Here's what we have, pick what appeals to your client,'" Alicia Weaver-McKinney, VP of media activation at ad agency Mediassociates, said of the broad menu on offer.
Nearly every presentation was front-loaded with live sports as media companies leaned on the programming in their arsenal that's most valuable to advertisers as they looked to drive deals in a shaky ad market.
"If you heard anything other than sports, it was item number two, three, four on the list," longtime advertising advisor Michael Kassan said.
NBCU bragged that Peacock had more sports than any other streamer, and Jimmy Fallon didn't miss a beat, quipping, "It's great to be at the NBA upfront."
NBA-less WBD was forced to talk up its tennis, the NHL, and women's sports.
Some buyers privately wondered how sustainable the high prices media companies want for sports will be, though, given the glut of sports inventory out there and hesitance caused by economic uncertainty.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Netflix
For the past few years, the tech companies have been crashing upfronts week, with Netflix and Amazon having their second in-person events this year.
Now, they want to change the way we talk about and value "TV."
Netflix's content head, Bela Bajaria, talked about slate, not slots, to differentiate streamers like Netflix from the old guard of linear TV, and pointed to its big engagement numbers to say Peak TV wasn't over.
YouTube's Neal Mohan emphasized how much people are watching podcasts on TV, the value of its creator-funded model of entertainment, and how it's giving creators tools to spiff up their shows with TV viewers in mind.
And Amazon touted new interactive ads, data about how much its viewers shop on the platform, and the ability to get them to buy with the click of a remote, something no linear TV company can offer. Every Amazon presenter seemed to be required to utter the phrase, "Full funnel advertising at scale."
Netflix is working on a new type of ad that will use AI to let advertisers “marry” their product with the streaming service’s shows and movies. This may sound like Warner Bros. Discovery’s plan to turn its IP into commercials, but during Netflix’s Upfront event on Wednesday, the company demonstrated an example that placed the image of a product over a background inspired by one of its shows, like Stranger Things.
If you’re on Netflix’s ad-supported plan, that means you might see an ad that blends in with the show you’re watching, whether it’s Bridgerton or Wednesday. Netflix says advertisers can insert this new ad format in the middle of what you’re watching, or put them on the screen when you hit pause. They could contain an overlay or call to action when they roll out by the end of this year.
It’s not clear how Netflix plans to evolve these ads down the road, but its advertising president Amy Reinhard said the pace of progress “is going to be even faster.” During the event, Netflix also announced that its ad-supported tier reached 94 million monthly users, more than doubling the 40 million it had at the same time last year.
Jemal Countess/Getty Images
Add Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos to the voices welcoming back the HBO name.
Warner Bros. Discovery announced Wednesday that it would change its streamer's name back to HBO Max, abandoning the Max name it adopted two years ago.
"They had so many years trying to start with so many different brands that this move makes sense," Sarandos said, chatting with Business Insider after the streamer's annual TV upfront presentation.
Sarandos said that branding was one area in which Netflix had an easier time than its legacy media rivals. It didn't have to make the transition from cable TV to streaming and integrate different TV assets into one company.
"We have the luxury of being one brand from the beginning," he said.
"I look at '90 Day Fiancé,' it's bigger than 'Hacks' on the top 10, so it's like, how do you argue that you're not this or that?" he added, referring to an example of the lowbrow Discovery reality shows and HBO prestige fare that WBD tried to bring together with Max.
Despite the variety of content, Sarandos previously made it known that he was surprised WBD had dropped "HBO" from the name of the streamer.
"They put all that effort into one thing that they can tell the consumer — it should be HBO," he told Variety earlier this year. In that interview, he also said he didn't understand Amazon's and Apple's streaming strategies.
Apple's strategy includes tapping Sarandos himself for a cameo in Apple TV+'s "The Studio." He played himself in the Seth Rogen-starring parody of Hollywood.
"It would be the most meta moment of television for me to win an Emmy and thank my friends at Apple," he joked after the upfront event.
Sarandos also weighed in on another media rival, Versant, the new name for the Comcast cable networks — including USA, CNBC, MSNBC, and Golf Channel — that are set to soon be spun off.
"How do you make them a cohesive product?" he said.
Netflix is joining its streaming rivals in testing the amount and types of advertisements its subscribers are willing to endure for lower prices.
Today, at its second annual upfront to advertisers, the streaming leader announced that it has created interactive mid-roll ads and pause ads that incorporate generative AI. Subscribers can expect to start seeing the new types of ads in 2026, Media Play News reported.
“[Netflix] members pay as much attention to midroll ads as they do to the shows and movies themselves,” Amy Reinhard, president of advertising at Netflix, said, according to the publication.
© Netflix
Netflix is adding an important category to its live offerings: talent competition. The streamer announced that it will be reviving Star Search, the classic American Idol and America’s Got Talent precursor that has been off the air since 1995. The modern iteration will air live twice a week on Netflix, and viewers will be able to vote on contestants across four categories: music, dance, variety / comedy, and kids.
A lot of details are still to be announced, including who the host and judges will be and when the new Star Search will start streaming. But Netflix has tapped longtime America’s Got Talent showrunner Jason Raff to lead the project.
The announcement comes as Netflix continues to push on live programming as an important part of its service. When it does premiere, Star Search will join the likes of the WWE, John Mulaney’s late night talk show, and sports including boxing, the NFL, and upcoming editions of the Women’s World Cup. Netflix previously said that its Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight was “the most-streamed sporting event ever,“ with an average of 108 million viewers.
Netflix has more than doubled the number of people watching its ad-supported tier over the last year. At its upfront presentation for advertisers on Wednesday, the company revealed that the $7.99 per month plan now reaches more than 94 million users around the world each month – a big increase from the 40 million it reported in May 2024 and the 70 million it revealed last November.
The streaming giant’s ad tier has seen rapid growth since its debut in 2022. As the service grows more comfortable with ads, it’s getting ready to debut more formats by the end of 2026, including pause ads, which it first started experimenting with last year, and interactive ads that appear in the middle of what you’re watching. Netflix stopped reporting how many total subscribers it adds each quarter, but it last said it had over 300 million globally in January.
Amy Reinhard, Netflix’s president of advertising, said the streaming service has “the most engaged audience anywhere,” with subscribers on its ad-supported tier spending an average of 41 hours per month on the service.
The new ad formats are part of Netflix’s in-house advertising platform, which is now live in the US after arriving in Canada. It plans to bring the platform to all 12 countries with ad-supported plans by June. “The foundations of our ads business are in place,” Reinhard said. “And going forward, the pace of progress will be even faster.”
